President Barack Obama (D) sarcastically--and without attribution--referred to Stephen Colbert's suggestion of border moats stocked with alligators to thwart illegal aliens (not "undocumented workers"). Concerned citizen Lauri B. Regan approved, (as do many others) so one member of Congress, Rep. Joe Walsh-R, from Obama's home state of Illinois, promptly obliged .

In a sarcastically serious/seriously sarcastic letter to the president, Walsh threw Obama's mockery back at him, challenging

Mr. President, I've been told you are a serious man, a deep thinker, and that you've said you want to raise the level of the debate when it comes to immigration reform, so I can only assume that you were serious when you suggested yesterday that, to secure our borders, the United States should build "...a moat with alligators."

I actually think a moat might be a very good idea and I'm wondering how many alligators it would take to secure the entire boarder. Again, I don't know if you were serious, but what I do know is that much of your behavior toward securing the boarder and enforcing our immigrations laws hasn't been serious thus far.

When you consult with Latino Hollywood celebrities such as Eva Longoria and Rosario Dawson wanting their take on immigration reform, you aren't serious. When you sit down with the SEIU and other union leaders to get their take on immigration reform, you aren't serious. When you threaten to sue border states that are only doing what the federal government won't do, you aren't being serious. And, finally, when you bring up "immigration reform" for political reasons - to fire up the folks on the left as the election season nears - you aren't serious.

When it comes to securing our borders, enforcing our immigration laws and holding businesses accountable to hiring illegal immigrants, Mr. President, I, like many of my Republican colleagues, am serious. And if it would take introducing legislation to build a moat with alligators in order to secure our borders to get you to be serious on the topic - I'm game.

A true maverick who makes Senator John McCain, R-Arizona, seem mainstream, Walsh last month introduced HR 1501

a bill to hold the United Nations accountable for its bias against Israel. Under my legislation, the United States would withhold its funding from the United Nations until it officially retracts the Goldstone Report. We're just asking the United Nations to disavow a now discredited report. It is not an unreasonable request. And if it refuses to do so, the United Nations will simply be confirming its anti-Israel bias to the world.

Defeating a three term Democrat incumbent in an upset in last November's election, Walsh might be targeted for elimination through redistricting in the 2012 election as the state, dominated by Democrats, lost one representative in the 2010 census.

Thus Walsh can bluntly speak the truth--although he would probably do it even if his seat were totally secure.

How refreshing! 

hat tip: Daily Caller