Posted on 07/20/2005 8:28:43 AM PDT by Happy2BMe
Inquirer Staff Writer
Democratic National Chairman Howard Dean told the National Council of La Raza yesterday that he expected the Republican Party to "scapegoat immigrants" during the 2006 election campaign.
In a speech on the last day of the Hispanic advocacy organization's annual gathering, at the Convention Center, Dean said the GOP had tried to generate resentment against blacks in the 2002 elections through the issue of affirmative action and against gays last year by focusing on marriage.
"In 2006, it's going to be immigration," he said. "You wait and see."
As evidence, Dean cited Rep. Thomas G. Tancredo (R., Colo.), who has called for rounding up illegal immigrants and shipping them back home. He also referred to a bill sponsored by House Judiciary Chairman Rep. James Sensenbrenner (R., Wis.) that would make states verify individuals' immigration status before issuing them driver's licenses.
"I don't think the president is a bigot," Dean told reporters at the Convention Center. "But I wish he'd have the courage to stand up to the bigots in his own party."
Dean's Republican counterpart, Ken Mehlman, followed him to the rostrum and did not respond there. But later, he told reporters that the former Vermont governor's comments were "laughable."
Said Mehlman: "It sounds like a good political sound bite, but it's entirely belied by this president, this administration's record."
Mehlman noted that President Bush has created what the party chairman called "the most diverse administration in history," that Bush got more than 40 percent of the Hispanic vote in 2004, and that the party is striving to get a bigger share in the future.
"Your interests are our interests," he told his Hispanic audience during his speech. "Your cause is our cause."
Last month, when first attacked on the immigration issue by the Democratic chairman, Sensenbrenner called the allegations "outrageous" and Tancredo labeled Dean as being out of the political mainstream.
Mehlman did reply to one of the convention's previous speakers, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D, N.Y.). On Monday, she told the La Raza convention that the Bush administration was not doing enough for Hispanic families.
The Republican chairman pointed out that Bush has raised federal spending on education, a key concern of Hispanics, more than had the previous administration, headed by Clinton's husband.
From judicial nominees and the Social Security debate to framing the war in Iraq and immigration, Republicans need to stand up and lead.Time and time again, the Democrats are able to block, obstruct, delay, and spin an issue in such a way that the Republicans are left spinning in the wind, unsure of what to do next.
That rumbling you're feeling is not another California tremor -- it's the conservative base becoming angrier by the day.
Another example is that of border security and illegal immigration.
Republicans are supposed to be tough on terror, but when it comes to the thousands of miles of unprotected borders, Republicans are playing politics while the security of America is at stake.
To fight a real war on terror, government officials must make it as tough as possible for terrorists to enter the country illegally.
Yet, whenever some Republicans come forward and talk about fighting illegal immigration and increasing border security, other Republicans are backing down under fear of being called "racist" or "insensitive."
"The silence is deafening."
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# 21
I don't know who it's more frustrating to deal with:
1. The politicians who think all loyal American citizens of Hispanic descent cast their votes based on immigration policy
2. The disloyal American citizens of Hispanic descent (the la raza crowd) who try to tell sheeple American citizens of Hispanic descent to cast their votes based on immigration policy
3. The few remaining American citizens who claim to be of "pure white" descent and lump illegals in with all American citizens of Hispanic descent
In my opinion, all of the above feed off each other in some sick, twisted circle.
Dean has less credibility than a screen door on a submarine. LOL
From what I understand even the 'Rat 2008 candidate for POTUS(you know who I'm talking about) has said that we need to do more about immigration.
Dean like Bubba Clinton before him, has done more for the GOP than anyone. Every time he opens his mouth I can hear the GOP cash register go 'CACHING'....
Semper Fi,
Kelly
Both were begging for votes.
Mehlman needs to stop citing bogus numbers. Bush did not win the 44% of the latino vote reported on election day. That has been thoroughly debunked from both the Right and Left. Subsequent analysis shows that Bush most likely got in the upper 30s to as high as 40%; and while that marks a good improvement over Dole and Bush the Elder, its no better than Reagan's 37% in 1984. Perhaps we should have at least three points to plot on a graph before we declare a trend.
And he should have responded to Dean's demagoguery of two conservative House members. Despite what some think of Tancredo, Mehlman should not have stood for such typical leftist rhetoric that says deviation from the open border/mass immigration line equals bigotry.
And it is a bit disheartening that to win votes we must now brag about how much more we spend. This is of course not limited to attacting Hispanics, as the education bit is trumpted to all groups.
"And he (Mehlman) should have responded to Dean's demagoguery of two conservative House members. Despite what some think of Tancredo, Mehlman should not have stood for such typical leftist rhetoric that says deviation from the open border/mass immigration line equals bigotry."<==================================
Mehlman dare not utter one word in Tancredo's defense . .
Folks, listen to this FReeper. She has made more prescient comments regarding illegal immigration and the future of the GOP in the last three days than many of us have made in a year.
I think it needs to be repeated, over and over and over again, that 40-50% of Hispanic-American voters in California voted FOR Prop 187 - to deny taxpayer funded services to illegal aliens. They see, quite correctly, that illegals hurt THEM by draining away tax money and jobs from the 'legal' community. There is also a sense of resentment that this new generation of illegals think they should be able to 'go to the front of the line' - the line that the legal immigrants had to go through patiently to achieve their legal status.
We need to repeat this to REPUBLICANS more than to the 'other side' - because they seem to think that all Hispanic-Americans think like La Raza (which misconception is why all these front groups have gotten their power over the years).
La Raza types will never vote Republican. But Hispanic Americans are fairly conservative/traditional, and will. Republicans should be on the side of law, order and fairness - which means ENFORCE immigration law and make EVERYONE play by the rules! It's the natural position for Republicans to take!
(rant off, sorry!)
The majority of legal Hispanics in this country are sick of illegals too.
well said..
did you like it well enough to give me your bolognese recipe?
This could very easily be the "Race to the Bottom". What the hell does it matter which party will sell us out to Mexicos third world poor. The average of the USA and Mexico is going to equal two classes rich and poor. The middle class will be wiped out in this country. If we do not make a stand and soon hang on!!!
thanks.
Some of us don't even know what a prescient comment is until we look it up!;^)
Protect our borders and coastlines from all foreign invaders!
Be Ever Vigilant!
Minutemen Patriots ~ Bump!
I'm serious...you have a unique perspective...not because you're hispanic, but because you can see what is happening around you and you are willing to speak out.
You have my sincere thanks for your additions to the discussion.
See, FR is educational, too.
Is that kinda like distant-learning and home-schooling combined?
LOL I can't wait to see how the left trips themselves up trying to 'tackle' the illegal immigration issue for the next Presidential election.
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