Thread: More heat for Tancredo

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/s ... %2C00.html



More heat for Tancredo
Rep. Cannon doubts whether Coloradan should be in GOP

By M.E. Sprengelmeyer, Rocky Mountain News
May 5, 2005

WASHINGTON - Rep. Tom Tancredo ought to reconsider his membership in the Republican Party, a Utah congressman said Wednesday after the two GOP lawmakers put an intraparty rift over immigration policy on full public display.

"I think he ought to consider his views and decide whether they're consistent with the Republican Party," Rep. Chris Cannon, R-Utah, said of the Colorado congressman after the two clashed repeatedly during a forum sponsored by the Latino Coalition, a Hispanic business group.






Cannon, a leading proponent of President Bush's proposed guest- worker program, has had a running feud with Tancredo, an opponent of the plan and outspoken advocate of tougher immigration enforcement. Last year, a political action committee founded by Tancredo targeted Cannon during his primary election challenge.

The two men sat side by side on stools at Wednesday's event inside Washington's J.W. Marriott hotel, and the rhetoric got so emotional that at one point they had a comical tussle over who would get to hold the microphone next.

The debate began with a third panelist, Rep. Luis Gutierrez, D-Ill., denouncing unnamed people he said were exploiting the immigration issue because of bigotry, hatred and prejudice.

"If not for the undocumented workers in this country, I'd say that this room would not have been as clean and well-organized this morning," Gutierrez said.

Tancredo challenged Gutierrez when he took the microphone.

"We certainly would not want to pander to anyone on this issue, would we?" Tancredo said. "What I just heard was not that, was it?"

Tancredo repeated his long-standing call for the country to close its "porous borders" before it considers a new guest-worker program.

"It is crazy to suggest this nation should not do everything possible to secure the border," Tancredo said, saying a desire for cheap, immigrant labor could leave the borders open to terrorists or narcotics traffickers. Tancredo equates Bush's proposal to "amnesty" for illegal immigrants, saying it would reward people who entered the country illegally.

When it was his turn, Cannon immediately endorsed Gutierrez's earlier statement. He said the vast majority of Americans believe that undocumented immigrants should have "a path to citizenship" as long as they have willing employers, have not committed crimes and already are contributing to society.

Cannon said only a small minority of people "truly believe we should kick out" all illegal immigrants. He cited one of Tancredo's political allies, conservative commentator Pat Buchanan, who got about 1 percent of the vote after he left the Republican Party and ran for president in 2000 as a third-party candidate.

"I don't think there's a place in the Republican Party for racism, for xenophobia, for ideas that are fundamentally un-American," Cannon said.

Tancredo clapped quietly, saying he also sees no place in the debate for racism or xenophobia, which refers to a fear of foreign people or things.

Still, some observers - including a Tancredo staff member - interpreted it as an indirect reference to Tancredo, since he has recently toyed with the idea of following in Buchanan's footsteps and mounting a presidential campaign in 2008.

Asked after the event if he thought Tancredo was racist or xenophobic, Cannon said: "I don't know what motivates him."

In an interview, Tancredo fired back at Cannon, pointing to his primary election challenge by Republican Matt Throckmorton in 2004. The Team America PAC, founded by Tancredo and chaired by Buchanan's sister, Bay Buchanan, backed Throckmorton. Another group, Project U.S.A., placed billboards saying "Congressman Chris Cannon wants amnesty for illegal aliens. Do you?"

"Of the two of us, Mr. Cannon is the only one who has had a primary (challenge since taking office)," Tancredo said. "Evidently, there are a lot of people in his district who believe he is not Republican enough."

Tancredo has recently started traveling to early presidential primary states like New Hampshire, saying he wants to make sure the "serious candidates" put the immigration issue front-and-center in the 2008 race.

He has said it is unlikely he would actually run in - or win - a presidential race, but that he would consider a campaign if other candidates ignore the issue.

But he sees no need to leave the Republican Party.

"I believe the Republican Party is with me on the issue," Tancredo said.

"As long as that's the case, I frankly can't think why I would change. In the Republican Party, more people agree with me than with President Bush and Mr. Cannon (on immigration)."

Tancredo was facing a polite but generally skeptical crowd at The Latino Coalition event. Before he appeared, an opening speaker, while listing the VIPs invited to speak, added, "I'm sorry, but we also have Congressman Tom Tancredo."

That prompted a smattering of boos and hisses.

About 30 minutes after Tancredo, Cannon and Gutierrez left the stage, President Bush appeared for a presentation on Social Security. He got huge applause when he diverged to talk about his guest worker plan, which could go before Congress later this year.

Chris Cannon (R-Michoacan. He sure doesn't represent Utah) is my congressman.

He should be jailed for treason.

The brainwashed Mormons around here keep sending him to congress.

They are afraid that Mexico will not let in Mormon missionaries unless Utah's congressmen (Orrin Hatch is just as bad) work endlessly for open borders.

Unbelievable. This is so evil.

Contact this clown immediately:

Web Site: chriscannon.house.gov
E-mail: cannon.ut03@mail.house.gov

Washington Office:
2436 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515-4403
Phone: (202) 225-7751
Fax: (202) 225-5629

Main District Office:
51 South University Ave., #319
Provo, UT 84606
Phone: (801) 851-2500
Fax: (801) 851-2509

I don't think there's a place in the Republican Party for racism, for xenophobia, for ideas that are fundamentally un-American," Cannon said.

Right, Cannon, and since you fail to represent America and Americans you can leave. You stink!!!

RR

Mr. Cannon,
In reference to your remarks about 'most Americans want a path to citizenship' for aliens...You don't know what you're talking about. You certainly don't speak for me or anyone that I know. We not only do NOT want a guest worker program....we want to deport the illegals that are already here.

Speak only for yourself, Mr. Cannon.

xxxx xxxx

My email to cannon...I was decent..I even called him 'mr.' instread of 'traitor'...

RR

I just fired off an email to this clown. Not that he'll read it, but since I'm at work I can't use the phone so here goes:

Dear Congressman:

I wanted to comment on your disturbing comments toward the honorable congressman Tom Tancredo during a forum sponsored by the Latino Coalition, a Hispanic business group . As a republican voter I'm embarrassed that you represent not only the Republican party, but the state of Utah as well. You stated that the vast majority of Americans think that illegal (not undocumented) aliens should be giving a path to citizenship. Well sir that is not representative of how this American feels. It is also not representative of how America truly feels. If your statements about illegal immigration were correct then why does every poll ever conducted for the last ten years state that 80 percent of America wants our borders secure, our laws enforced, all illegal aliens deported and wants a reduction in immigration? That just proves how disingenuous your statements were. First off it's shameful that a Republican congress doesn't understand the difference between what's illegal and what's not. The term in the constitution for those that enter our country illegally is illegal alien not undocumented immigrant. Second entering this country illegally is a federal crime. Check out Title 8 Section 1325 of the U.S. code:
Under Title 8 Section 1325 of the U.S. Code, "Improper Entry by Alien," any citizen of any country other than the United States who:

Enters or attempts to enter the United States at any time or place other than as designated by immigration officers; or

Eludes examination or inspection by immigration officers; or

Attempts to enter or obtains entry to the United States by a willfully false or misleading representation or the willful concealment of a material fact;
has committed a federal crime.

Violations are punishable by criminal fines and imprisonment for up to six months. Repeat offenses can bring up to two years in prison. Additional civil fines may be imposed at the discretion of immigration judges, but civil fines do not negate the criminal sanctions or nature of the offense.

Finally I want to add that you calling congressman Tancredo a racist/bigot/xenophobe for wanting our borders secured and our laws enforced was very disgraceful. There is nothing racist/bigoted or xenophobic about wanting to protect your nation, it's common sense. Tom Tancredo is not advocating an end to legal immigration, just illegal immigration. I personally have no problem with those that enter our country legally, but I have a major problem with those who break our immigration laws or any laws for that matter. Sure a lot of illegal aliens just come here to work, but a lot of them come here to work the system. A lot of them also come here to commit crimes, a lot of them belong to gangs, drug cartels and some of them could potentially be terrorists. Over 30 percent of our prison population nationwide are illegal aliens. We also have at least several million absconders which if you don't know already are illegal aliens who have committed crimes on top of their illegal entry and fail to show up for a deportation hearing. At least hundreds of thousands of them have committed some of the most brutal crimes against American citizens. Out of the hundreds of thousands of registered hispanic gangs, at least 60 percent of them are illegal aliens. So don't go telling me that they are all just hear to do work.

It's also a proven fact that illegal aliens are costing us at least ten billion dollars more a year in federal expenses then they contribute in taxes. That doesn't include local and state cost. Check out www.cis.org if you don't believe it. The statement about illegals do the jobs that Americans won't do is a complete lie. There are plenty of Americans that still pick crops, clean toilets, bus tables, etc. If you pay Americans a fair wage they will do anything. I could get Bill Clinton to mow my lawn if I paid him enough. I know that most Americans however will not work for wages that are below the poverty line. I think it is extremely unfair that American citizens are forced to compete with workers that have no legal right to be in this country.

Tom Tancredo is a hero in my book. His conservative values and patriotism are exactly not only what the Republican party needs, but what America needs more of in our own government. It is you Sir who are out of touch with the American people and it's you Sir who should reconsider his membership with the Republican party because I can guarantee you that most Republican voters especially on the conservative side don't agree with your policies. May I recommend you change your political affiliation to that of the Donkey because your policies are more in tuned to their line of thinking. In fact you Sir should go as far as to reconsider which country you pledge your allegiance to because it doesn't appear to me that your on the side of America. Again 80 percent of this country wants our borders secured and our immigration laws enforced. Yet you and your open borders policies leave our country at risk not only to an illegal alien invasion, but to further terrorists attacks from aboard. Then you go as far as to smear anybody who dares to speak out against this insanity and advocates the protection of our countries borders, language and culture. Shame on you congressman.

Name and location withheld

Excellent letter dman1200,

Being you can write so eloquently can I just copy your letter and put my name on it.

Talk about walking into a "den of lions", Tancredo sure has guts.

Go Tancredo!

Call the RNC office and demand that Cannon makes a public apology for his comments! If anyone should go to another party it should be Cannon since he has stooped to name calling and pandering.


Office of the Chairman
Ken Mehlman, Chairman
Phone: 202-863-8700
Fax: 202-863-8774
Email: Chairman@gop.com Office of the Co-Chairman

Jo Ann Davidson, Co-Chairman
Phone: 202-863-8545
Fax: 202-863-8631
Email: Info@gop.com

Talk about walking into a "den of lions", Tancredo sure has guts

I thought the same thing myself. Wow!

Did you send a copy of that letter to Tancredo, dman? I bet he'd like to see it.

RR

I only wish that Cannon would see it...but he won't..