Tancredo fires back at Fla. guv Colo. congressman accuses Jeb Bush of 'happy talk'

Rocky Mountain News ^ | November 30, 2006 | Tillie Fong

[Dane]

Tancredo fires back at Fla. guv Colo. congressman accuses Jeb Bush of 'happy talk'

By Tillie Fong, Rocky Mountain News November 30, 2006 U.S. Rep. Tom Tancredo on Wednesday accused Florida Gov. Jeb Bush of spouting "politically correct happy talk" in a war of words touched off by the congressman's swipe at the city of Miami as resembling a "Third World country."

In a letter responding to a blast from Bush, Tancredo said the governor did not recognize illegal immigration as a problem in Miami.

"I certainly understand and appreciate your need and desire to create the illusion of Miami as a multiethnic 'All American' city," Tancredo said. "I can also appreciate that Miami's schools graduate many outstanding students and that the cultural and ethnic diversity of the city offers many advantages to its residents.

"However, it is neither naive nor insulting to call attention to a real problem that cannot be easily dismissed through politically correct happy talk."

The letter was in response to one sent by Bush on Tuesday, after the governor learned of Tancredo's comments during a weekend summit of conservative activists in Palm Beach.

Tancredo reportedly said that unchecked immigration, both legal and illegal, was behind many of Miami's problems, including its high crime rate and poverty.

Bush described Tancredo's comments as "disappointing" and "naive" and defended Miami's diversity, citing the contributions made by people of all ethnicities. He also noted declining crime rates and improving test scores posted by minority students.

But Tancredo said it was Bush who is being naive.

"The tolerance of cultural diversity in a city or a nation is admirable up to a point, but when diversity is worshipped to the detriment of assimilation, it becomes a serious problem that undermines the civic culture that forms the basis for our democratic institutions and the rule of law," he wrote.

Besides the president's brother, civic boosters also have come to Miami's defense.

Frank Nero, president and CEO of The Beacon Council, Miami-Dade County's economic development partnership, called Tancredo's statements "insulting, divisive and intellectually reprehensible."

"Perhaps (Tancredo's) next junket should be to read the inscription on the Statue of Liberty, along with a stop at Ellis Island," he said

[NonValueAdded]

Seems to me Colorado isn't exactly white bread any more. Perhaps Tancredo should deal with his own problems before worrying about Florida.

[burroak]

IMO, many Republicans need to be attacked.

[1rudeboy]

This thread is not a duplicate, and I just you read some of the other comments on this thread. Not all are as silly as mine.

[colorado tanker]

Tancredo violated the First Rule of Holes.

Quit digging, Tom.

[JohnnyZ]

LOL, this could be the springboard that launches Jeb to the presidency .... we could be so lucky

[JohnnyZ]

Bad news-there are areas in Miami where you can't go without a side arm and an interpeter.

How is that bad?

[chiefqc]

Another class act from an a-hole elected offical ready to serve the voters in Washington.

[LibLieSlayer]

He will never be any more than he is today.

LLS

[twonie]

No, Tancredo's next junket should be to the statue of liberty, not to read the inscription (penned, if I be not mistaken, by a Communist poet) but to remove said inscription, if not the entire statue.

[You Dirty Rats]

The Tank is now a member of the House Minority. What little influence he had before is now gone anyway.

This Congressman from Colorado was on a visit to Florida and decided to publicly trash the largest city in that state. The immigration issue is not the issue; the issue is that NO state is going to appreciate any Congresscritter showing up and criticising their state.

Imagine the uproar if Congressman Rangel came down to Georgia and decried all the rednecks that live in the state. Nobody in Georgia would appreciate that. Rangel wouldn't do that, because even he wouldn't be that stupid. You don't trash another Congresscritter's district; you are in Congress to represent your own, not dump on others.

There are plenty of Latinos and Latinas who live in Miami that are US Citizens and are neither from Mexico nor Cuba -- like my stepmother and her family who are from Venezuela. I like many of the Latinos is Miami a lot more than I like blowhards like Tancredo.

The Tank would have been well advised to help work out the best deal he could with the Senate and the President last year. He didn't. Guess what -- he won't even be a bit player in '07 on this issue and the Bill that will pass will be even less to his liking than what he could have helped pass last year. No, it wouldn't have been exactly what he wanted -- but it would have helped.

I actually hope he does run for President. After he gets crushed we won't be bothered by his nonsense in the future.

[You Dirty Rats]

Another class act from an a-hole elected offical ready to serve the voters in Washington.

Maybe he can form an anti-social Congresscritters' Club with Webb.

[Dane]

No, Tancredo's next junket should be to the statue of liberty, not to read the inscription (penned, if I be not mistaken, by a Communist poet) but to remove said inscription, if not the entire statue.

Okie dokie, for what it seems to be a hybrid of a tancredo, buchanan, and osama supporter.

[Gideon Reader]

Tom Tancredo has the gift of craping on whatever miniscule chances he may have had for office beyond his backbench seat in Colorado.

Other than comments I have made regarding this geographic area of Tancredo's Worldview, I spent a career in local and Federal law enforcement in and around Florida with the focus on South Florida where the City of Miami. (if THAT is what Tiny Tom has been referring to so narrowly and narrow mindedly)is located.

I am aware of no major or massive illegal immigration problem of the "flood nature" called to point by Rep.Tancredo.

The major influx and threat to the shores of Florida from outside our waters has been the Haitian migration.
That is an ongoing and continual situation that has been a manageable circumstance, with the human survival of migrants being the most stressing area.

Widespread migration from Cuba is not a major threat to management of said migration, and has not been since the 1980 Mariel Boatlift, when Castro at the invitation of Jimmy Carter flooded Florida with many criminals and persons who opposed his regime.
Statutes specifically geared for the Cuban migration has not posed a problem to the sound management of that migration.

There are obviously illegal aliens who have come to Florida through means other than boats or aircraft.
That is a fact of life whether the locale is Florida, Colorado, or Vermont, or elsewhere.
It is a problem that has NOT been addressed by the Federal government whose job it is to address such problems.
The land border crossing points and areas of border breach of Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and California appear to be the Achilles heel of unlawful immigrant management.

There are a lot of people who speak Spanish in South Florida. There are somewhat less people who, in certain self selecting neighborhoods, speak Ivrit (Hebrew). And Portuguese, and Italian, and Creole, and English.

But any language whether spoken with facility or hesitation does not a criminal make. Not a backward and economically depressed or malaria ridden, or clean drinking water deprived, nor dangerous "Third World" sort of place.

Municipal governments in the South Florida have provided fun and scorn for fifty or more years and is a form of abuse not enjoyed by communities in EVERY state in varying degrees, of incompetence and mis/mal and non administration..
So what exactly is the sum of the sadly sung song; "Tancredo's Blues".

He is unhappy with languages other than English spoken in Miami? Whose English? My English? Blackeese or Enbonic English?
New Yorkese? New Jersey English? OK. No accents? How about English English? London? Manchester?,Liverpool? all have strong regional accents and a glossary is needed to understand many conversations.
Rep.Tancredo want an all English speaking First World City lie,...? Like,...? Well. I just don't know what or where such a city is located. Not on this continent.
One would think that Mr.Tancredo would have enough on his plate providing representation to his own specific geographic area which I am quite sure has it's share of economic, social and demographic problems requiring the attention of it's congressional representative.

But it appears that that is not to be. Mr.Tancredo is surely as full of crap as the proverbial Christmas Turkey, and it seems that Tom Tancredo is auditioning for the part of the not ready for prime time Turkey itself.

[Mach9]

Is any of this the fault of the immigrants? No, it's the fault of the hosts who fail to insist on the use of English--as much a culture as a language. WE, not the immigrants, have allowed diversity to trump amalgamation.

[WatchingInAmazement]

Miami is just a bastion of virtue!! And it looks like Miami has an illegal alien Cuban problem. It's even a "sanctuary city".

Immigration and the Alien Gang Epidemic: Problems and Solutions

In September, 2003, the Miami police arrested a Honduran visa violator for seven vicious rapes. The previous year, Miami cops had had the suspect in custody for lewd and lascivious molestation. Pursuant to Miami’s sanctuary law, however, the police had never checked his immigration status. Had they done so, they would have discovered his deportable status, and could have forestalled the rapes.

The Miami Police Department will join with ICE only on high-level gang cases.

http://www.manhattan-institute.org/html/mac_donald04-13-05.htm
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From the book, "The Reapers Line" from an account of justice--and injustice--on the Mexican border by a retired U.S. Customs special agent


"Douglas and Cochise County are one of the main pipelines for drugs coming into the U.S., second only to Miami."
http://www.tucsonweekly.com/gbase/Currents/Content?oid=88713
________

Gonzalez-Hernandez, 38, and Noel Lopez, 32, were arrested on Aug. 15 aboard a 25-foot boat after 20 Cuban nationals, including a pregnant woman and a 1-year-old boy, came ashore at the north end of the Judge S.S. Jolley Bridge at Marco Island.

They are charged with conspiracy to bring aliens into the United States. A subsequent indictment on Sept. 13 charged the men with "knowingly and willfully" bringing illegal aliens into the U.S.

http://www.naplesnews.com/news/2006/nov/13/judge_deny_request_cuban_smuggler/?latest
______
Sports agent indicted in smuggling scheme for Cuban baseball players

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/15895990.htm
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Two leaders of a nationwide employee-leasing conspiracy, that leased out hundreds of illegal aliens throughout the United States, pleaded guilty before US District Judge Kenneth Marra in the Southern District of Florida, while a third defendant was sentenced, according to the US Justice Department.

"In using illegal aliens to generate their profits, the defendants not only took advantage of these individuals, but also potentially compromised the safety of our citizens," he added.

"In this case, the defendants laundered roughly $20 million and failed to pay $6 million in taxes as part of this illegal employee leasing scheme," said Julie Myers, Department of Homeland Assistant Secretary for Immigration and Customs Enforcement.


http://www.americanchronicle.com/articles/viewArticle.asp?articleID=13603
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The unions love the illegal aliens in Florida!

IMMIGRANTS IN FLORIDA
Unions want to bring illegal immigrants into fold


That 180-degree shift in strategy provides a wealth of recruitment potential in bellwether states like Florida. Only about 6 percent of the Sunshine State's total work force is unionized. Only 2 percent of its all-important construction industry is organized compared with 13 percent nationwide.

http://www.heraldtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060719/BUSINESS/

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200 Haitians Scramble From Boat in Florida

http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C02E0DE133FF933A05753C1A9649C8B63&n=Top%2fReference%2fTimes%20Topics%2fSubjects%2fI%2fIllegal%20Immigrants

________

Hundreds of Haitian Illegal Aliens Invade Miami
MIAMI – An estimated 200 Haitian illegal aliens aboard a 50-foot coastal freighter jumped into Biscayne Bay and waded ashore Tuesday on the Rickenbacker ...
www.newsmax.com/archives/articles/2002/10/29/180422.shtml

[popdonnelly]

"He is attacking an illegal immigration apologist and rationalizer"

I thought Bush was just sticking up for Florida.

[Digger]

IMO, many Republicans need to be attacked.

True but just don't do it here. If Pelosi would put a (R) behind her name & Tancredo said a derogative these people here would still be all over Tom. Remember this is a conservative site - NOT a republican site.

[Lurking Libertarian]

It is the "diversity" and "multiculture" that will have America doomed.

They said that 100 years ago when my (Russian and Polish Jewish) grandparents came to Ellis Island, along with the Italians, Irish and Poles.

[Lurking Libertarian]

Tancredo's next junket should be to the statue of liberty, not to read the inscription (penned, if I be not mistaken, by a Communist poet) but to remove said inscription, if not the entire statue.

Emma Lazarus a communist? You have something to back that up?

[Kimberly GG]

"Maybe he should switch partys."

Like Bush did? Nah, Tancredo's too smart for that.