Tancredo for President?
Rep. Tom Tancredo (R-Colo.) officially announced his bid for presidency today, promising to focus on illegal immigration even as many of us hold out hope that reform will make immigration a minor issue in 2008. Tancredo claims that "the great tradition of American assimilation has broken down. The melting pot has cracked, and our Founding ideals are leaking through."
If I wanted to split hairs, and I do, I might say that in the outdated melting-pot metaphor, it's the pot and not the melted goo that likely stands for the "Founding ideals". That leaves Tancredo — at least as far as the "melting pot has cracked" portion of his speech goes — in the unexpected position of having said something wise about immigration policy.
Tancredo's run is probably more about rousing immigration antagonists as the push for reform starts again than about winning the highest elected office in the land--the man himself once said that he was too fat, too short, and too bald to be president. Still, he did take the time in February to tell us his thoughts about that other big issue for 2008 — Iraq. Read Tancredo's thoughts, and those of other candidates, after the jump.
From Rep. Tancredo:
The nature of the conflict in Iraq and our role in that conflict have changed. We are now referees in what has become a civil war. I cannot see how, even if the "surge" temporarily pacifies Baghdad, we can in the long run consider our participation in this conflict as helpful in the global conflict against radical Islam.
Our departure from Iraq will result in one of two scenarios. One, the people of Iraq will prove themselves capable of the challenge of democracy. Or the factions in Iraq — and the regional powers backing them — will continue to battle with one another. In either case, there are potential advantages for the U.S.
For comments from other candidates, click here.
(Photo courtesy Getty Images.)
Typical LA Times article reguarding illegal immigration. Too bad cuz Tancredo actually has an idea that would eliminate traffic in our city as well as overcrowded prison, violent street gangs, and possibly halt all the ER's that are closing.
Posted by: Jose Luis Reynoso Perez | April 02, 2007 at 05:28 PM
He's lost a lot of weight since he said that. Maybe now he's just too bald and too short. I do find his candor to be the best of all republican candidates. Not sure if it's enough to get my vote, but I'm tired ot people mocking him for speaking his mind. We used to value that.
Posted by: Nugent | April 02, 2007 at 05:29 PM
The metling pot is outdated goo? I DON'T THINK SO! It's what made this greatest nation out of the world's castoffs and persecuted. Tancredo's anti-ILLEGAL-immigration position is what this nation needs, simply because we are a nation of laws, and that starts by coming in the front gate, not jumping the fence. Tancredo probably can't win the nomination, but his entry will raise the ILLEGAL immigration problem to the proper place on the national stage, which is to get the correct solution out there for debate. That solution isn't "round 'em all up and toss 'em all out", but it isn't broad, across-the-board amnesty either. It is proper enforcement of employment and housing laws, deportation when found, and removal of anchor babies, promoting legal immigration and naturalization, and returning to the melting pot assimilation into American culture instead of the bilingual multiculturalism that has created the racial and ethnic divide that is destropying our nation. That's what this debate is about, and cheers to Tancredo to bringing it front and center, and jeers to the LA Times for not properly and impartially framing the debate instead of furthering their own pro-illegal-immigrant agenda.
My family came over from the Old Country in 1836 and did it legally. There is no reason that everyone else who wants to come here can't do it legally also. Anyone who say otherwise is just making excuses.
Posted by: mike | April 03, 2007 at 11:34 AM
America is ready for a Tom Tancredo (CO) as he is a man of THE PEOPLE. He does not dance on strings, manipulated by the corporate CARTELS as a profit puppet. He has already seen through the obnoxious (NAU) North American Union, evoke by a traitorous dog called Bush. His no longer secret agenda has slithered through our government channels, without even a murmer. This treaty to tread American sovereignty into the mud, was concocted in Banff, Canada in 2002, with co-conspirators of Canada's previous Prime Minister Martin, the corrupt Southern neighbor of Mexico and the guy that I actually voted for. The first step was to swamp America with cheap, foreign labor to undermine American citizens wages, followed by the ramshackle convoys of poorly maintained Mexican trucks. Please don't take my word for it, check for yourself. start with the anti-ACLU (American Civil liberties Union--Called Judial Watch. GO here: www.judicialwatch.org. They are a All- American reputable organization against government corruption. More on the terrible ( NAU).
http://stopspp.com/stopspp/
Get started here and find other links:
Remember this nightmare will merge our three countries together and will mean the destruction of the U.S. Constitution and our flag. This is an opiate dream of the wealthy elites, European banks and establishments like Walmart and American Express. This is REAL! Already 17 State Congressional legislators have voted against any of this travesty of our laws. We THE PEOPLE havn't approved it, nor has there been any Congressional oversight. The National media has been suppressed about it. But Tom Tancredo and Rep.Ron Paul no it exists. Small newspapers are aware and so are the nationwide blogs.
Do your research! Fight back! Call your elected representative and say NO!
Posted by: Daves | April 07, 2007 at 06:32 PM
I saw Tom on C-Span tonight and he was WONDERFUL. I could tell he spoke from the heart. He definately has my vote.
I just hope he gets enough in campaign contributions to get his message out.
This is our last chance to save our country from the Third World invasion that will drain our economy dry.
Posted by: Melody Kiley | April 14, 2007 at 05:41 PM