Posted on 01/27/2004 11:44:41 PM PST by JustPiper
But representative believes Capitol Hill would produce worse immigration bill
A leading voice in Congress for tough immigration reform believes President Bush's plan to allow millions of illegal aliens to remain in the country will not pass, but he fears his colleagues will open the door wider.
"I don't think that's going anywhere," Rep. Tom Tancredo, R-Colo., said of the president's proposal in an interview yesterday on Joseph Farah's WorldNetDaily RadioActive program.
"If something comes out of this Congress, it'll be worse," Tancredo said, noting Democrats want to make it even easier for illegals to stay in the United States, and many Republicans would support them.
Bush has proposed sweeping changes that would allow the 8 million to 12 million illegal aliens thought to be in the country to remain if they have a job and apply for a guest-worker card. The immigrants could stay for renewable three-year periods, after which they could apply for permanent legal residence.
Responding to a caller, Tancredo said he is aware citizens who fiercely oppose Bush's plan will not find support in the Senate.
"There isn't a member of the Senate you can look at as a stalwart on this issue," the congressman said. "Not one."
Tancredo said lawmakers wonder: "Are there enough people who would say this is their number one issue; or would the economy, jobs, education and all the rest still take precedence?"
He said most of his colleagues think "if they can finesse it, if they can just get by it, give lip service to, 'Yes we've got a problem,'" that is enough.
In fact, he believes he is so isolated in his position that Tancredo-for-president movements are beginning to crop up across the nation.
Laughing, Tancredo said, "You think to yourself, now if [the administration doesn't] look at that and think, 'Man, there's got to be something out there, because, who in the heck is Tom Tancredo?'"
The White House apparently is aware of the opposition, Tancredo indicated, noting the president confined the issue to a 40-word paragraph in his State of the Union message and received a tepid response from his audience.
"I looked around and it was only the sergeant-at-arms and the Cabinet who applauded," he said.
As WorldNetDaily has reported, a number of Americans say Bush's plan is giving them physical symptoms of anxiety, and some are even contemplating leaving the U.S. out of a sense of betrayal.
A recent ABC News poll found 52 percent of the nation opposes an amnesty program for illegal immigrants from Mexico, while 57 percent oppose one for illegal immigrants from other countries. Both results are roughly the same as when the administration floated the idea two-and-a-half years ago.
When WND asked its readers what they thought about the president's speech, the top response in the daily poll found over 31 percent of respondents saying "I agree with most everything except his plan to legalize illegal aliens."
A group called Tennesseeans for Tancredo is calling for a Tancredo write-in candidacy on the Internet, declaring on its website Americans need to "make noise, collect signatures, build a grass-roots movement that attracts citizens from all walks of life and all political parties."
But the Colorado lawmaker has dismissed any notions of a presidential run.
"A lot of people think my politics are crazy, but I'm not delusional. I don't think I'm going to be president of the United States," Tancredo told the Rocky Mountain News last week.
He said he supports the president on most issues besides immigration and believes he would have little effect on the president's chances, the paper reported.
Last week, he launched "Team Tancredo," a political action committee to raise money for candidates who oppose amnesty for illegal immigrants.
He told Farah's audience yesterday: "We're going to go after every Republican and Democrat incumbent. We're going to run primaries against them. Help me fund it."
I think that is exactly right. I think a similar ploy was used with the alleged renewal of the Assault Weapons Ban.
This might not be so bad, but think of what a blow this is to Border Agents trying to enforce a law, when the Commander in Chief makes such enforcement to be pointless and unsupported.
Not to mention the encouragement that Mexicans in Mexico are hearing from the top to cross the border illegally.
If John Edwards wants a boost to his campaign, he ought to hint that he would enforce the law. He might be surprised what that'd do for him with blacks in South Carolina.
I know he has to appease people for votes on things I may disagree with. I know I can not have 100% of what I want.
But I think his immigration discussion was such a bad move, and I do fear it will cost him the Presidency.
I hope he can fix it up soon.
I'm glad Tancredo is givin this latest presidential stinkypoo the flushing it so richly deserves. It would have been better if he had never laid the rotton egg to begin with.
"If something comes out of Congress, it will be worse."
The conventional wisdom at FR is if the Bush plan is shot down, everything will be great. Wait til the dems get through with this. It will be in December.
Maybe you're right. I just don't understand why Bush would want to upset so much of his base, and I figure pandering to voters makes sense. He is a politicias after all.
I understand the principle, but realistically, when was the last time the "right person" got voted into office? A conscience vote in the last few elections has lead to closer and closer margins with the Dems (not that I'm suggesting any person vote any particular way). Pragmatic-lesser-of-two-evils voting has been the only game in town for most voters since I've been old enough to follow politics.
I dunno if it is enough to lose him the WH, but it was a terrible move.
Seems to me he is employing a strategery that worked for him in Texas on a nationwide scale. Politically cynical, simplistic & naive. He'd better wise up quick.
So am I, but as long as it looks like we have candidates moving toward some sort of semi-socialist state, then we've got to vote for the guy who taking the longest to get us there. It sucks, but it's reality.
Thank you
Don't enough people get the connection between the flood of illegals and its impact on economy, jobs, education, the rising cost of medical care, taxes.....
That is true for 2004. But keep in mind that Bush will not back down and will give citizenship to the illegals one way or another. That's when we turn to Tancredo big time. State's Rights are important now. Each state needs to take care of its own citizens and not the illegals. If Tancredo could push this, I think it could help stave off Bush's insane policies on illegals.
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