As we approach on July 1 to 3, 2009 the 146th Anniversary of Gettysburg, that decisive battle of the Civil War, thinking American citizens better be ready for another catastrophic charge to force another amnesty down the throats of the dissenting American majority.

You recall that the famous General Robert E. Lee, whose wily defense of the Confederacy had kept the superior Union forces at bay, finally made the tactical error of his life when he allowed his forces to make what the history books have dubbed Pickett's Charge, across an open field uphill into the blistering gunfire of the Union army. Lee's forces suffered devastating losses and if it hadn't been for the ineptness of the Union general, Meade, in failing to pursue his victory, the Confederate Army would have been massacred as it limped away.

Well, on June 25th, the Washington Times story of June 26, 2009 reported, "President Obama told lawmakers Thursday he wants to sign an immigration bill this year or early next year even though they don't have the votes yet to pass it—and just in case they fail, the administration is ramping up talk of other actions it's taken to help immigrant rights." [Obama pushes immigration bill, By Stephen Dinan]

Here we are amidst the most serious economic crisis since the Great Depression and Obama apparently feels that this is the right moment to override the majority of us citizens who are watching in horror at the invasion of our country, while both parties kowtow to big (and even some small) business and their co-conspirators, LULAC, La Raza and the Catholic Church.

The Washington Times said, "Thursday's meeting had been put off twice before, and a White House official at the time said it was supposed to be a small meeting of bipartisan leaders on both sides of the issue. Instead, it included 30 lawmakers, and was almost entirely made up of lawmakers on the record supporting a path to citizenship for illegal immigrants—the portion of the plan that critics label amnesty. The group was mostly made up of Democrats, but among the Republicans was Sen. John McCain, Mr. Obama's opponent in last year's election, who led the 2006 and 2007 efforts."

The greed and arrogance was clear. As the Times story noted, "But it's not clear whether much has changed since 2006 and 2007—the last two times Congress tried to move an immigration bill. Each effort failed, including a bruising loss in 2007 when a bipartisan majority of senators joined a filibuster, urged on by a flood of phone calls and e-mails from voters. "There's been a shift in the people who sit in these seats [in Congress]. I don't think the public has changed at all," said Rep. Steve King of Iowa, the top Republican on the House immigration subcommittee, who was left out of the meeting. Lawmakers at the summit agreed that the major sticking points remain: Voters don't yet think enough has been done to enforce existing laws, labor unions don't want a program to increase the flow of future workers, and businesses won't support a bill that does not allow for more worker visas."

Think this through! More work visas, when the Federal government now issues over 100,000 visas to LEGAL aliens every month and yet business wants more. Bipartisan when most of the members of Congress who oppose amnesty weren't at the meeting."

Well, damn the opinions and needs of American citizens, bring on more slaves.

Make the charge if you will, General. You may not have seen the real reserve of anger welling up in the citizenry of your country.

Just at General Lee failed to see that most of his artillery shots, like the charges of racism against those who would argue that this massive invasion is wrong, were over the heads of Mead's army, the present ad hominem attacks on dissenters is not changing the minds of us citizens.

As a Democrat who voted for this President, I am truly sorry that he has taken this dangerous and reckless charge against many of the citizens who embraced his candidacy and yet will be the ones most hurt by this attempt.

There are many good things that Obama can do with his newly given political power. Among the good things Mr. Obama has already done in the cause of freedom, in my opinion, are removing restrictions on women's right to choose and advocating making more money available for family planning both here and overseas so that women can escape the bondage of forced pregnancies. Also add his apparent strong support for the arts plus being the throes of economic reforms which have yet to mature or be measured.

But it would therefore be utterly unwise to use up precious political capital on an issue which will leave the country, win or lose, so divided and angry that other potential accomplishments will go a-glimmering.

Like Robert E. Lee, who regretted his mistake at Gettysburg, Obama needs to take advice from other advisors—as Lee failed to do from General Longstreet, and cease this frontal attack on American citizens by the expanded importation of slaves.

Lets first secure our borders, get strong ID for drivers licenses, extend E verify and strengthen thereby the Rule of Law, which lies at the heart of the survival of any democracy.

Then a moderate immigration policy can be formulated, one based on need, not greed, on reason, not passion and haste.

Donald A. Collins [email him], is a freelance writer living in Washington DC and a former long time member of the board of FAIR, the Federation for American Immigration Reform. His views are his own.