Dear Sean Hannity... welcome to the party...

Dear Mr. Hannity, I try not to be overly political. Yes I supported and even worked to elect Barack Obama to the presidency in 2008, but I try to see the other side of the equation. Some days I am better at that than others and believe it or not, I have voted for, and even worked for Republican candidates in the past. Like many, I believe issues are important and disdain politicians when they are fungible on their views simply for political gain. Which brings me to my subject today, immigration. Mr Hannity, you are a well known FOX News personality and popular conservative radio host.  Apart from Rush Limbaugh, you are the best known media figure in conservative circles and have been front and center in the conservative wars against Barack Obama, the liberal media and the progressive agenda. Which makes what happened yesterday all the more remarkable. You sir, the darling of the right-wing of the Republican Party, the man Dems love to hate for what they see as his extreme views, have "evolved" on immigration. What's perhaps most amazing is that you have embraced a pathway to legalization that you have always derided as amnesty and a reward to lawbreakers. I'm stunned. Stunned, because for years you have been dismissive of any attempts to realistically deal with the millions of undocumented people living in our country.  Short of building a wall and deportations, you, and your network have had no constructive ideas on the subject and have frequently, along with the guests you have had on your shows, fanned the worst flames of anti-immigrant xenophobia. Yet for some reason, you've evolved. Well welcome to the party Sean. Pardon me while I wipe the sarcastic look off my face. You see, it would not be so bad, I mean after all, us realists knew for years that the GOP was going to have to get to this point, except that you and your guests are so often spiteful of President Obama when he changes his views, or evolves.  You were especially disdainful when he in fact used the term "evolved" for his position on gay marriage. So let me ask you a question Mr. Hannity... when did this evolution take place?  And what changed for you? Is there any possibility at all that this evolution, announced 2 days after the GOP lost a winnable election for the presidency and gave up seats in the Senate, had anything to do with those results? Is it possible that you came to this need to evolve after looking at the demographics of the election results and, like some of the other ilk in the GOP, concluded that without some "evolution" you guys would soon be about as relevant as the old Whig Party? Or is it the product of a long process of reflection, prayer and study? Seriously, I'd like to know. Because like you, I wonder whether people who change their positions overnight are just doing so for political expediency.  The type of political expediency that represents all that is bad about politics here in the United States and which you frequently decry as unprincipled on your shows. In all seriousness Sean, we're glad to have you on board.  Even if it was solely for naked political ambition, it's the right thing to do. Sincerely, Dave