Tom Tancredo for president

That's what I've been saying in recent commentaries about presidential candidates for 2008.

Hillary Clinton is likely to be the choice of the Democratic Party. She is a dangerous demagogue who could, as president for four years, complete the destruction of this country begun during the eight years her husband held office.

While I have no faith in the Republican Party, given its pitiful track record since grabbing the presidency and control of Congress, it probably represents the only chance to limit the damage the federal government is wreaking on our country ever day.

My preference would be a new party. My preference would be to build an alternative to the Republican-Democratic political trap. But time is short. I don't see this happening in 2008.

Unless a person with charisma, money and convictions – someone like Mel Gibson – arose to the challenge of an independent bid for the presidency in 2008, like it or not, we will be faced with a choice between a Democrat and a Republican.

Therefore, freedom-loving, security-conscious Americans need to rally behind a Republican candidate of principle and courage – someone who will speak to the core issues facing us all today.

In my humble opinion, there is one man who fills that bill – Rep. Tom Tancredo of Colorado.

He's a maverick. He marches to the beat of his own drummer. He's not afraid to criticize members of his own party – including his president. And that's what I love about him.

There is no one else in Congress or in national public life who has provided better leadership on the No. 1 national-security issue confronting the United States – the border and immigration policy.

Tancredo's prescription isn't radical – though it might seem that way based on the reaction of the Big Media and establishment politicians in both parties. What Tancredo is advocating are common-sense principles being implemented in nations all over the world – including in supposedly "progressive" Europe.

It's real simple. A nation without borders ceases to be a nation. That is the threat we face with 20 million illegal aliens already here and more pouring over the border every day.

I believe this is such a hot-button issue with the American people that Tancredo, a distinguished but otherwise obscure member of the House of Representatives could actually win.

But even if he doesn't win, it is imperative that the issues he raises get a national debate before 2008. The Minuteman Project has thrust the issue before the American people. All over the country, local and state officials are taking action against illegal aliens because they recognize the threat they pose to our freedom and our security. Tancredo has done an admirable job winning over many colleagues in the House.

However, it may take a national political campaign to save this country from the looming disaster illegal immigration and open borders represent.

That's why I am urging Tom Tancredo to make the run. I simply don't know of any other candidate in a position to make the case effectively.

We need to encourage Tom Tancredo to gear up, raise the money he needs to get his campaign going, start organizing. We need to let him know we will back him. And we need to mean it.

You may say, "Farah's it's only 2005. Why are you obsessing over the 2008 presidential race?" Because it takes planning to win. And I want America to win in 2008.

National Priorities and America’s Foundation

There are a few foundation stones that keep any country viable, unified and strong. History teaches that when those stones are weakened, the country crumbles. America now faces just that situation at a time when our national priorities in Washington seem to be dangerously upside down.

The key foundation stones as I see them are secure borders, controlled immigration, a common culture and a common language.

Illegal immigration is an invasion of America by a non-military force that is estimated to be approximately 12-20 million strong—and growing. These people invade the United States daily by the thousands, damaging public and private property, particularly along our southern border, and threatening the lives and welfare of the good Americans living there. They then place a significant burden on our infrastructure as they become recipients of America’s bounty in competition with our own citizens while we’re told to be compassionate to these unfortunate folks. As their numbers grow, the pleas for compassion turn into demands and our politicians invariably give in.

Regardless of what you hear about illegal immigrants doing jobs Americans don’t want, paying taxes and contributing to America’s prosperity, illegals obviously don’t pay or contribute the same as legitimate Americans. Tell me how they pay their fair share of income taxes when they have no social security number, how they pay their share of property taxes when they own no property and let’s be frank, how much sales tax can they pay with the little money they make? Does this sound like they’re paying their fair share relative to legitimate Americans? Yet often, they’re given benefits such as schooling, medical care and welfare all paid for by real Americans, like you, who do pay their fair share. In short, illegals are simply illegal period, yet they are enjoying the fruits of America’s bounty at the expense of those tending the ranch and paying all the bills. This can’t continue!

While illegal immigration must be stopped in its tracks, legal immigration must be strictly controlled, reduced to a trickle or stopped altogether for a period of time. Whereas most immigrants from previous generations came to America eager to become Americans, many, certainly not all, but many, today come in search of money and entitlements while remaining culturally loyal to their homelands.

Any country, regardless of how robust and prosperous, cannot sustain infinite numbers of people. There are approximately 6.5 billion people in the world. If we were to buy the arguments posed by some that our borders should be open without restriction and that we should welcome all comers regardless of status or numbers, the world would be at our door step demanding a piece of the American dream and that dream would soon turn into a nightmare. If you don’t believe it can happen, ask an American Indian about the consequences of uncontrolled immigration.

No matter the ills, America remains the richest nation on earth with a high standard of living. It’s to America that most people come when they choose to leave their homeland. What other country has folks waiting to migrate in such numbers and to what other country are people coming illegally in the middle of the night? They sure aren’t lining up to get into Africa, China, Afghanistan or Central and South America!

Continually bowing to political pressures however, government has shown more regulatory concern (i.e. 20,000+ gun laws) over lawful citizens buying a firearm than they do about unknown foreigners entering the country from God knows where bringing with them God knows what!

While we continually hear proposals to register and track American gun owners by name, number, permit and finger prints, we also hear demands for social benefits, driver’s licenses, no profiling, and amnesty for illegals—and most recently under the ruse of “guest worker programs.”

While the Legislative and Executive branches talk about their top priorities over the next four years being the war on terror, a secure Iraq, health care, reforming social security and the tax code, they’re leaving America vulnerable to real terror along our borders. And when they authorize an increase in border agents in one bill then refuse to fund that increase in a subsequent bill, the phrase “lip service” comes to mind. Could it be any clearer how upside down American political priorities are becoming?

I applaud the President’s stated goals for social security and tax reform but if we fail to secure the borders, we’ll lose the country and none of those other political plums now being proposed will matter one wit.

A secure America is the foundation upon which all else depends—period. Securing the country MUST be our primary focus—all else comes later. This insane attitude that appears more concerned over the welfare benefits and sensitivities of foreigners than the future and security of America has created an environment of authentic anger among growing millions of Americans and has left us extremely vulnerable in its wake.

Regarding our endangered culture, America’s motto E Pluribus Unum means, “Out of Many, One” it is not E Pluribus, Pluribus—“Out of Many, Many.” America’s motto is clear to me; the many cultures that come here should merge into one common American culture—that “melting pot” we’ve heard so much about.

A nation’s culture is the unifying glue that holds a people together and gives them a common sense of unity—a way of life they believe in, sharing the traditions and customs of their new homeland and proudly passing it along to their children.

Sadly, what we’re now seeing is not a melting pot but a mosaic of distinct and separate sub-cultures. For example, how many foreign flags do you see flying from people’s houses, cars and displayed on clothing? How many are self-described as some flavor of hyphenated Americans?

All this is a not so subtle message that these people still relate more to a foreign culture than American. After awhile, this mindset becomes engrained and they think of themselves and teach their children to think not as Americans, but as something else. This is a danger signal for the continued viability of our culture. And in our new found desire to be more accepting of just about everything these days, we not only let it go, we encourage it—especially in our schools where future generations are being indoctrinated and diversity of culture is celebrated at the exclusion and serious dilution of American culture.

Language is another critical element of that unifying glue that holds a nation together and official acceptance of multiple languages does nothing but further the disassociation with “things” America. We divide ourselves into disparate camps and create untold and unnecessary problems for all. Although the ability to speak multiple languages is a gift, a law officially recognizing multiple languages within one country-one culture is a curse.

How did we come to this situation? When politicians start to play the pandering game for political gain, votes, or acceptance and recognition, they often lose sight of our original American values and become more concerned with the superficial than the factual—all to the detriment of the common good and our future as a free and viably independent country.

Where do I stand on national priorities and America’s foundation?

Seal the borders using fences and well armed military forces backed by no non-sense Rules of Engagement—then forewarn the world; America is now deadly serious about defending her borders. If we consider border security of such critical importance that we send troops around the globe to defend foreign borders, why can’t America’s borders take priority in defense of our own people and our own existence?

Stop or at least set extremely low limits on legal immigration accompanied by a tough screening process. Keep in mind that it was lax immigration controls that helped 19 terrorists successfully attack America on 9/11/01.

Refuse to officially recognize hyphenated American descriptions and drop all reference to heritage on government forms! You are either an American or a foreigner and if you’re a foreigner, you better have the proper visa.

English will be the only official language of the United States—period. I admire those that are multi-lingual but I don’t abide any official pressure that requires me to be increasingly proficient in a foreign language in order to function in my own country.

It seems clear to me that unless we return to a philosophy of America first, America will finish last. Legitimate Americans, our culture and our language come first in my book—always have, always will and if that offends anyone at all, too dang bad.

Just the view from my saddle…

Contact Colonel Dan: coloneldan@bellsouth.net

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