Posted on 06/30/2004 9:38:32 PM PDT by Reagan Man
Colorado Republican Congressman Tom Tancredo is in big trouble with the GOP leadership. And just what, you may be wondering, is his great sin? "Team America," a political action committee originally founded by Tancredo, worked to unseat Representative Chris Cannon, a liberal Republican from Utah, by supporting Matthew Throckmorton, his challenger in the Republican primary.
Chief among those organizations caterwauling about the actions of Tancredo is the liberal "Tuesday Group," a coalition of approximately thirty liberal Republican House members whose goal is to steer the party to the left. Hiding under the cloak of a grossly distorted rendition of Ronald Reagan's "Eleventh Commandment" ("Thou shalt not speak ill of a fellow Republican"), the Tuesday Group is now expressing concern that party conservatives are finally making efforts to strike back.
Apparently, undermining the conservative agenda by abandoning the party at key junctures during the legislative process is perfectly fine with these Republican "centrists." But any discussion of such matters by conservatives, who have tired of seeing their party abandoning its principles, is strictly taboo. By such hypocritical assertions, these liberal "Trojan Horses" hope to continue dominating party politics from within.
Of course Ronald Reagan never intended for his "Eleventh Commandment" to be arbitrarily invoked as a means of allowing liberalism to spread, unchecked, within the ranks of the GOP. Rather, it was supposed to prevent the sort of backbiting and mud slinging within party ranks, which can ultimately undermine the credibility of the entire party.
House Majority leader Tom Delay, a longtime champion of conservatism, has found himself in the middle of this row. Seeking to maintain a cohesive Republican majority, he is promoting themes of "team spirit" and "comity" among party members. Delay even referenced Reagan's "Eleventh Commandment" in a meeting with Tancredo in which the Colorado Congressman was apparently warned to change his ways and endorse a unified party, or face retribution within Republican circles.
Unfortunately, such rhetoric fails to deal with the fact that it is the Republican liberals who regularly undermine party unity by voting with Democrats at critical junctures. With such people constantly placing the philosophies of liberalism ahead of traditional Republican principle, the only manner in which even a facade of "unity" can be maintained is for the entire party to shift to the left. This, of course, is precisely the strategy of the liberal Republicans.
Tancredo's major issue of concern is unchecked illegal immigration and the resulting compromise of America's borders. Hardly a miniscule "pet issue" of a fringe constituency, the immigration problem goes to the very core of maintaining America's national integrity and heritage. Little else of GOP principles or goals can be regarded as significant in any way, as long the party remains indifferent to the invasion of the nation's borders by a flood of illegal immigrants who, as soon as they are able to do so, will vote against such things. Yet, major forces within the GOP are once again actively working to insure that at best, the Republican counterpart to Democrat plans of opening the borders will only amount to a watered-down version of the very same thing.
By supporting truly conservative Republican challengers, Tancredo's PAC hopes to specifically target key players of the open borders advocacy for defeat during their respective state primaries. While it is not entirely clear whether or not Tancredo is still officially participating with the work of the PAC, his political ideology remains consistent with that of its members. Tancredo realizes that threats to the future of the nation are no less virulent when advanced by so-called "Republicans," than when spawned by their traditional advocates, the Democrats.
Tom Delay has, in the past, shown himself to be extremely principled, with the one notable exception being his support, under severe White House pressure, for an education bill that was essentially crafted by Ted Kennedy. He knows that if his party persists in its claims to uphold both high and low standards, only the low standards will prevail. Though presently striving to remain within the boundaries of party loyalty, he is surely aware that, as a principled conservative, his own future is no less threatened by the underhanded actions of the "moderates" than is Tancredo.
For Delay and Tancredo, whose differences are far outweighed by their political common ground, the most pressing matter is to maintain the party according to conservative principle rather than allowing the "centrists" to reinvent it in the image of the Democrats.
Go Tom go !
For most people the choice is clear on issues of abortion, gun rights, taxes, and defense. It is too bad you don't see a difference.
Ironically, I just came across the Team America site the other day while looking at some Buchanan info. The piece you posted doesn't mention that Bay Buchanan is listed as 'Co-chairman' of the Team America PAC. It should have, as knowing that Tancredo is working closely with someone who supported a third-party candidate is relevant.
In addition, Tancredo (Team America) sent out a fundraising letter in May2004 basically calling President Bush arrogant and power-mad. I find Team America's rhetoric offensive and misleading. I hope I'm not the only Republican who does.
That comment is huey. Mr Regan understood our enemy just as Churchill and Washington before him. He knew how to make us whole,
To rate presidents Washington was amazing , Regan was damn good.
On the other hand, RINO's like Spector have no balls and cave to the slightest Democratic challenge.
The Pubbies have got to find a way to be inclusive to expand the base and fiscally responsible.
From the Desk of... Tom Tancredo
U.S. Congressman, Colorado's 6th District
Thursday, May 20, 2004
Dear Friends,
In January, in complete defiance of the will of the American people,
the President proposed granting amnesty to the twelve million illegal
aliens who broke our laws getting into this country.
As if that wasn't outrageous enough, Mr. Bush took it a step further
and asked Congress to include in the amnesty bill a guest worker
program that would give foreign workers from anywhere in the world
the right to come to this country and compete with Americans for jobs
here. It is the final chapter of the sellout of America.
The arrogance of those in power today is as great as it has ever been.
Knowing full well that an unprotected border threatens our national
security, increases the violence in our cities and schools, burdens
our hospitals, suppresses our wages, bankrupts our government and
balkanizes our nation, our so-called representatives do nothing to
enforce the laws of this land.
"We, the People" has been replaced as the driving force in this nation
by "We, the Corporations", a group that doesn't give a rat's tail
about our workers, our communities, or our national sovereignty for
that matter!
But it is they who are calling the shots in Congress and open borders
means cheap labor. That is good for them and they could care less
about the consequences to the nation.
Friends, the situation is URGENT! Unless we move now it may be too
late.
That is why I have asked Bay Buchanan, a fellow Reaganite and former
Treasurer of the U.S., to help me form Team America.
Team America will find, support and help elect patriots that will
stand up to the corporate and party bosses and help in the fight to
reform our immigration policies and secure our borders.
No one except the fringed 3rd party hacks advocate open borders.
I didn't see the fundraising letter you refer too. So I can't comment on his rhetoric. I do know, Tancredo supports the reelection of Bush-Cheney.
Liberal Republicans (aka.RINOs) should not have a voice in the GOP political agenda. Period. Conservatives constitute a majority of the GOP base. The party platform is based on a conservative agenda. And when Ronald Reagan appealed to Democrats in 1980 and 1984, they were conservative Democrats. Not liberal Democrats.
In addition, Tancredo (Team America) sent out a fundraising letter in May2004 basically calling President Bush arrogant and power-mad. I find Team America's rhetoric offensive and misleading. I hope I'm not the only Republican who does.
Because the people of Washington DC want a gun ban. They voted for one overwhelmingly. Put to a vote, a gun ban would pass 80-20. By the way, DC will vote for Kerry about 80-20 too.
The GOP treats conservatives like the Democratic Party treats blacks. The difference is, blacks have somewhere else to go.
Anyone who opposes amnesty for illegals, stands with a majority of the American people. That's all that matters on this issue. Tom Tancredo is right on this issue. Bay Buchanan is right on this issue. PresBush is on the wrong side of this issue and he knows it. Bush`s recent silence in support of amnesty for illegals, makes that point abundantly clear.
To move legislation, you need the president, half the house and 60% of the senate.
That means you need bout 60% of the people to be with you. Conservatives are not 60%.
What needs to be done is to assemble a 60% group and that will mean you will need to give a voice to all 60% or else they will join the other side. If you expect the moderates to vote for your stuff and for them to have no voice, you are nuts.
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