Posted on 06/14/2005 6:50:55 PM PDT by kingattax
Given Right Circumstances, 'I'll Run,' Says Colorado Republican ---
NASHUA, N.H. -- U.S. Rep. Tom Tancredo says he is so dissatisfied with the pace and direction of immigration reform, he is considering running for president to deal with it himself.
"If no one is willing to pick up the banner ... yeah, I'll run," the Colorado Republican said Saturday during a visit to the state with the earliest presidential primary.
"Though I say that with a great deal of trepidation. It seems like a daunting task. But we need to get a president in there who will support this," he said. "I don't know what else to do."
Once, New Hampshire might have seemed an unusual backdrop for taking a stand on illegal immigration. But recently the state has been the focus of heated debate on just that issue.
Citing a need to uphold national security, several police chiefs have been using criminal trespassing laws to press charges against illegal aliens found in their communities.
The tactic, which has been challenged in court, has drawn praise and criticism from around the country.
Tancredo first visited New Hampshire in February, when he gave an award to New Ipswich police Chief Garrett Chamberlain, calling the chief a national hero for charging illegal immigrants with trespassing.
Tancredo said the reason for his visit to New Hampshire, and eventually to Iowa, is to get a leader in the White House who understands the threat illegal immigrants pose to the country's security.
He said federal prisons overflow with illegal immigrants, some of whom aim to harm people.
"And they need to be found before it is too late. They're coming here to kill you, and you, and me, and my grandchildren," he said, pointing at people in the audience. "It's just despicable."
I've been watching his fight with the White House for 3 years. He has my vote.
"It's not just the issues that one runs on that matters, it's also who is running."
Not to hear the Johnny One-Notes on Free Republic tell it.
It's gottena lot worse since 2000. If anything Buchanan has been vindicated, although his anti-semitism doesn't play with the Christian base here, at least not with THIS Christian.
"It's gottena lot worse since 2000."
BS. It's still the same.
But Tom Tancredo's solution is to take an over-stretched, over-tasked Army...and give it ANOTHER mission. Never mentions giving them any more manpower to do the job, though.
Hook him up with a Second Amedment Hardliner(NRA and GOA "A" rating) as his Veep and it'll be a lock on my vote. Heck, I'd even stump for their ticket and pony up some lucre to help fund them.
whatever.
1982 replay. 3-way race: George Allen v. Hillary Clinton v. Tom Tancredo = Prez Hillary.
The problem of illegal immigration has gotten worse since 2000. Further, Buchanan's peformance in the 2000 election is nearly totally irrelevant to a 2008 run for the presidency by Cong. Tancedo. Buchanan was not allowed in the debates and the issue of illegal immigration was never debated by Gore and Bush.
Excellent point.
Cong. Tancredo joined Cong. Ron Paul and fifteen (15) other members of Congress in filing suit in federal court against President Clinton. The lawsuit charged that Clinton violated the US Constitution and the 1973 War Powers Act with regard to his illegal and undeclared war against Yugoslavia.
We just had a Republican primary this week in Ohio for a safe Congressional seat. Out of 11 Republican candidates, none chose to make it an issue. Illegal immigration is one of those things that everyone says they're against, but only a very tiny minority rank it as one of their top concerns.
Any candidate who screams like Howard Dean that "They're coming here to kill you, and you, and me, and my grandchildren," will be recognized for what he is.
Issues affected by illegal immigration are many times at the top of the list of concerns by voters. Voters often express concerns about crowded schools, congested freeways, crowded emergency rooms, crime rates, available jobs, communicable diseases, etc. All of these can be and are affected by immigration, both legal and illegal.
To a three year old with a hammer, everything looks like a nail. To an anti-illegal immigrant every problem looks like an illegal immigrant problem.
The antis threw a tantrum about criminal gangs, thinking that the government would seal the borders. Instead the government appropriated millions of dollars for anti-gang programs in a dozen major cities. That money went into the pockets of bilingual police and support personell, not one penny to sealing the border.
The antis threw a tantrum about hospitals going broke, thinking that would make the government seal the border. Instead the government appropriated one billion dollars to give to hospitals that treat large numbers of immigrants. That money will go into the pockets of bilingual doctors, nurses, receptionists, cleaning crews and advertisements on Spanish language radio station. Not one penny for sealing the border.
Who are y'all going to get tax money for next? Bilingual school teachers so we can ease the overcrowding in bilingual classrooms? Hispanic neighborhood clinics for free tuberculous and communicable diseases testing by bilingual doctors? Highway construction by immigrant construction crews to relieve congested highways?
When you shout "fire", expect a firetruck to arrive, not an INS bus. The rest of the voters don't see every problem as being an immigration problem.
Wrong. To an "anti-illegal immigrant", every problem that is actually negatively affected by illegal immigration is an illegal immigrant problem. But thank you anyway for presenting the illegal immigration lobby's viewpoint on this matter.
Isn't repeating a slander false witness?
Well said.
The open border lobby always has an excuse for doing nothing about the problem.
Translation: bayourod is banging the drum for keeping the border problem exactly as it is.
If Republicans had a record of enforcing immigration law there would be no potential 3 way race. That possibility exists solely because voters are tired of being ignored by a party that takes their votes and then ignores their concerns. People are tired of political scofflaws.
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