In the Age of Trump, Republicans have taken to hating immigrants more than government spending. Or, for that matter, loving the market economy that

they've to date insisted Made America Great Once. And if you doubt that read my column in The Week this morning about the latest antics of Congressman Mark Meadows—the head of the Freedom Caucus—and Sen. Tom Cotton of Arkansas, a rising star in the GOP.

Meadows recently threatened to shut down the government again in fall if the new spending bill did not set aside enough money to build the Great Wall of Trump. The Caucus is an ideologically diverse group that is united by a commitment to cut government spending. Meadows has tried to hijack that commitment in the past to advance his other agenda like when he colluded to depose John Boehner as Speaker of the House for his failure to strip federal aid to Planned Parenthood from the 2015 government-funding bill.

But using his perch to cut funds from projects he dislikes is one thing. To use it to actually demand more funding for his pet projects eviscerates the whole purpose for the existence of the Freedom Caucus. Especially, when that project is wasteful and futile and will breed the very problem it is trying to solve.

Meanwhile, Cotton is cottoning on to the RAISE Act that seeks to slash legal immigration by half by 2027 on the theory that reducing the pool of foreign workers will make the American worker rich again—not the free market, competition or the "Protestant work ethic," just naked protectionism.

Go here to read the whole thing.