Colo. Rep. McInnis Won't Seek New Term

The Associated Press ^ | 9/7/03

[Impy]

Ken Chlouber as far as I know is a "moderate" possible RINO and is described as "colorful".

[Impy]

"What worries me about MI-7 is that they have a very strong candidate if he chooses to run."

Who is this?

[AuH2ORepublican]

"As for the GOP nominee, I'd rather have Tom Tancredo run. We need someone who is willing to boldly address the problem of illegal immigration."

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Kuksool, I have to disagree with you on this one. Tancredo would either (i) lose because of his immigrant-bashing or (ii) win and give the GOP a rabidly anti-immigrant Senator who will make it easy for the RATs to depict Republicans as intolerant extremists. I agree wholeheartedly that we need to crack down on illegal immigration, and that we need to implement immigration reform so that the number of legal immigrants coming in (which number is fine with me) are not so disproportionately composed of relatives of past immigrants. But Tancredo's approach, whereby he attacks legal immigration, is totally wrongheaded. We need people to come in and work, not just in agriculture and construction, but in engineering, science and medicine. And Tancredo makes it worse by saying that the reason why he opposes continued legal immigration is because too many non-English speakers are coming in. What does that say to the descendents of German, Italian, Russian, Slavic, French, Spanish, Lebanese, Greek, Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese, Polish, etc. immigrants who make up such a large percentage of the American population and who---despite the assertions of the Tancredo's of the time---spoke English by the second generation? And what about the 14% or so of the population that is Hispanic, who are a natural Republican constituency because of their cultural conservatism and who may well agree that illegal immigration should be stopped but who would be entitled to feel indignation should the rationale for stopping ALL immigration be that Tom Tancredo believes that Mexicans and Central Americans are unworthy of becoming Americans and are incapable of ever learning English. All the goodwill we acquired by supporting Miguel Estrada (a Central American immigrant who came here as a teenager and---gasp!---learned English) against the racist attacks by the RATs would be for naught if Tancredo was a U.S. Senator.

Tom Tancredo is subject to reelection every two years by his constituents, and if his constituents agree with his stands, then nobody (including me) has any right to tell him what to do. And as one in 435, he serves a useful role keeping the GOP honest on immigration reform while being unable to wield too much influence on legislation (and thank God for that). But I think Tancredo would make a terrible Senate candidate, and an even worse Senator. There is no way I would support him over Scott McInnis or Bob Schaffer.

[Dan from Michigan]

Marc Schauer. Real slick dem state senator out of Battle Creek. Schauer voted for the CCW law, but voted for 90% of the bad amendments and cosponsored an anti-gun bill(that failed) that bans pistols between 13 and 26 inches long, among other things....but he's a 'pro-gun' rat.

He's a sleeper candidate who has won tough elections in the past.

[crasher]

54-39 Bush according to almanac.

[fieldmarshaldj]

I concur with AuH2ORepublican on Tancredo. His stridency on immigration, for right or wrong, has made him a lightning rod for criticism and he is way too divisive as a result and he is perceived as hostile even to legit immigrants. If he wants to play the "bad cop" role in the House, that's one thing, but it would be damaging to us as a party were he to be in the Senate. We need someone with a more deft touch than a sledgehammer to deal with these issues.

[fieldmarshaldj]

Yes, very colorful. I think he is pro-abort, but he's big on guns, though.

[fieldmarshaldj]

Tancredo, is that a Portuguese name ?

[AuH2ORepublican]

"Tancredo, is that a Portuguese name ?"

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I assume it's Italian, a variation of Tancredi. Here's what a site devoted to Italian surnames (http://www.italyworldclub.com/genealogy/surnames/t.htm) has listed:

"TANCREDI, TANGREDI

From the first name Tancredo of German origin, consisting of "thanka" = thinking and "rhada" = advise"

I checked the Ellis Island website (http://www.ellisislandrecords.org/), and a total of 8 Tancredos came in through Ellis Island between 1899 and 1920 (http://www.ellisislandrecords.org/search/matchMore.asp?LNM=TANCREDO&PLNM=TANCREDO&kind=exact&offset=0&dwpdone=1)---all from Italy. (In addition, 374 Tancredis came in through Ellis Island, and I believe all of them came from Italy as well.)

I wonder how Tom Tancredo's great-grandparents were allowed into the country. Why, they probably didn't even speak English! I guess Congressmen from Colorado had better things to do back then than to attack legal immigrants.

[fieldmarshaldj]

I thought it might have been Italian, but I saw the name Tancredo as a Portuguese one (a Brazilian airport, actually). He is kinda swarthy-looking, so I would presume Southern European ancestry. These "people" were considered the "Mexicans" of their day at the last turn of the century. I wonder what his immigrant ancestors might think about him...

[AuH2ORepublican]

"I wonder what his immigrant ancestors might think about him... "

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Now, DJ, be fair. I'm sure Tom Tancredo's Italian ancestors came over on the Mayflower and spoke the Queen's English. ; )

[fieldmarshaldj]

Mama mia ! ;-)

[Impy]

Which Repub are you supporting?

[Dan from Michigan]

I'm not sure yet. Currently leaning towards DeWeese since I know him personally and he's a good guy. DeRossett isn't bad on the issues and seems like a good guy from the couple of times I met him. From what I know about Norlander, she isn't bad on the issues either, but I don't know exactly where she stands. I've only met her twice. I don't know anything about Tim Wahlberg or Brad Smith(Nick Smith's son).

I don't want Fitzgerald(if he runs) or Bisbee(anti-gun) to win. Both have gun records on par with Schauer. I hope Joe Schwarz doesn't run at all. He's a flat out RINO(calls pro-lifers zealots and pro-2a activists bubbas), and was the most anti-2nd amendment candidate running in the last governor's race. Even more than Granholm.

[Kuksool]

Tom Tancredo's Italian ancestors were not demanding living wages, universal health care, in-state college tuition, and driving licenses for illegals. Also, I doubt Tancredo's ancestors were involved in any Pro-Aztlan movement.

I have nothing against Mexicans seeking a better life in America as long as they do it thru legal means. I am the son of immigrant parents. But, my family came here legally. We became naturalized citizens thru the proper channels. I am offended by Pro-Aztlan groups like La Raza that demand the right for illegal immigrants to cross America's borders at will.

[AuH2ORepublican]

"I am offended by Pro-Aztlan groups like La Raza that demand the right for illegal immigrants to cross America's borders at will."

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Kuksool, you're preaching to the choir. As I made abundantly clear, I believe curtailing illegal immigration is an important duty of the federal government, and hope that no Republican takes that responsibility lightly. But what Tancredo does is speak out against LEGAL immigrants. He wants to declare a moratorium on legal immigration. And he believes that the problem with illegal immigration isn't just that it's unfair to those who wait in line and play by the rules (as you correctly pointed out), but that people who don't speak English today are incapable of ever learning English and that their children will similarly be unable to speak English.

In any event, as I said before, I have no problem with Tancredo being 1 of 435 Representatives, but he would do major damage to our party and our nation if he became a Senator. Immigrant-bashing is not acceptable behavior.

BTW, my mother is a naturalized citizen.