Posted on 11/30/2006 1:11:26 PM PST by wouldntbprudent
WASHINGTON — Florida Gov. Jeb Bush called a Colorado congressman "a nut" Wednesday after the fellow Republican likened Miami to a Third World country.
(Excerpt) Read more at palmbeachpost.com ...
Count me as just another acorn...
Team America F--- Yeah!
I think I agree with Jeb on this one, but let's watch for the fireworks here.....
If his brother would secure the damn border, most of the *nuts* would go away.
Miami is not a "third world country".
I wonder what Tancredo thinks of a multi-cultural place like (shudder) - big bad New York City.
coming again to save the mother f---in' day yeah!
When it`s all said and done, Terrible Tom`s brigade is going to learn we could have the fence up right now if he would have worked for solutions instead of blind followers.
If you visit Miami today and you've been there before, years ago, you would probably agree with Tancredo.
Here in the conservative end of Florida (Panhandle) we used to see bumper stickers in the 80's that read: "Will the last American to leave Miami please bring the flag".
But there is a bit of a twist. Most of Miami's immigrants are legal and came from Cuba.
They are almost the exact opposite of the Mexicans swarming our borders to the west that Tancredo is familiar with.
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.
http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/local/article/0,1299,DRMN_15_5179172,00.html
From the article, but part of the public record:
Tancredo: "Look at what has happened to Miami. It has become a Third World country. You just pick it up and take it and move it someplace. You would never know you're in the United States of America. You would certainly say you're in a Third World country."
Bush: Miami is a "wonderful city filled with diversity and heritage that we choose to celebrate, not insult. Perhaps your naive comments served as a good reminder for everyone to lessen the anger, frustration and emotion surrounding the issue of immigration... Overheated rhetoric won't solve this issue. We need a comprehensive solution that will require cooler heads to prevail."
Tancredo's reply: Bush is trying to "create the illusion of Miami as a multiethnic 'All American' city..." It is "neither naive nor insulting to call attention to a real problem that cannot be easily dismissed through politically correct happy talk... Unfortunately, fewer and fewer Miamians think of themselves as Americans... Do you not worry that Miami's 'sanctuary city' rules serve as a magnet for illegal aliens and undercut the state's sound law enforcement policies?... [I] simply said something most people - even in Florida, if our calls and e-mails are a measure of sentiment - believe is true... I have no doubt that people of wealth can still lead a comfortable and pleasant life in Miami, but ask yourself why ordinary middle-class citizens are leaving in such high numbers."
When does Tancredo call Miamians "macaccas"?
No they wouldn't, they would just glide over to another "crisis". Calling Tancredo a "nut" is insulting to nuts.
As soon as the fundraising from this act drys up.
The Iranian, Russian, Italian, Puerto-Rican, Chinese, and Philipino immigrants of New York mostly consider themselves American. It's the Mexicans, and, to some extent, the Cubans and Haitians, who don't.
Mayor of New York: Mike Bloomberg
Mayor of Miami: Carlos Alvarez
If given the chance to live within the city limits of Miami or Detroit, in pure economic terms which would you pick? "Third world" Miami or given Tom Tancredo's criteria "First world" Detroit.
Miami is a great town and I've nothing but good memories of all the times I've stayed there for either work or pleasure.
Given the vast number of Americans who choose to visit Miami every year, I would guess that Tancredo's opinion is that of the crank minority.
Isn't Denver a Sancuary City, as well? That would be hypocritical of Tank.
Your point?
Mayor of Detorit: Kwame Kilpatrick.
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