Thread: Rino Armey blasts Republicans over opposition to amnesty

http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercuryn ... 622572.htm

Armey blasts Republicans over opposition to guest-worker plan

By Dave Montgomery

McClatchy Newspapers

(MCT)

WASHINGTON - As the No. 2 man in the Republican-controlled House of Representatives for nearly eight years, former Texas congressman Dick Armey never hesitated when it came to assailing Democrats.

But three years after leaving Congress, the former House majority leader is now savaging conservatives in his own party for what he calls "knee-jerk" opposition - "emphasis on jerk" - to the Bush administration's efforts to create a temporary guest-worker program and overhaul the nation's immigration system.

Armey, who is chairman of a Washington-based grass-roots organization called FreedomWorks, was a leading architect of the Republican takeover of the House in 1994 and remains a prominent and outspoken advocate for conservative causes.

But when it comes to the immigration debate that's raged in Congress for much of the past two years, he takes an almost polar-opposite position from many of his former Republican House colleagues, who are pressing for tough border security measures, including a 700-mile fence along the Southwest border.

"This has been rallied up by a lot of people that are very visible, make a lot of noise and have never been guilty of any deep thinking," Armey told reporters Tuesday after an appearance with Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, R-Texas, and Rep. Mike Pence, R-Ind., co-sponsors of a proposed immigration compromise that includes a privately managed guest-worker program.

Unabashedly naming names, Armey described Rep. Tom Tancredo, R-Colo., as the "cheerleader of jerkiness in the immigration debate" and said conservative commentator Pat Buchanan "is content to be a rock star" for "10 percent of the most militant voters in America."

Tancredo leads a coalition of House Republicans vehemently opposed to the president's guest-worker plan. Buchanan, who ran for president in 2000 as a Reform Party candidate, wants to defend the borders with U.S. troops and has said that the United States is in danger of becoming "MexiAmerica."

Armey also said he was "disappointed" with House Judiciary Chairman James Sensenbrenner, R-Wis., chief sponsor of an enforcement-only immigration plan passed by the House in December.

Several provisions, including the border fence, are being recycled as piecemeal border security measures that House leaders hope will clear Congress before a pre-election recess this week.

"I would have expected more deep thought from Sensenbrenner," Armey said.

Tancredo and Bay Buchanan, Pat Buchanan's sister and the president of his foundation, The American Cause, both fired back with withering responses. Sensenbrenner's office had no comment.

"In Dick Armey's search for relevance in today's political environment, it's disappointing that he has managed to find it as a patriot for profit," said Tancredo, chairman of the Immigration Reform Caucus. "Someone should remind him that the jerks he is speaking of happen to be the heart and soul of the Republican Party."

"Unfortunately, it's Republicans like Dick Armey that did not do the job of securing this nation when they were in office," said Bay Buchanan. "Dick is on the sidelines where he belongs."

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Dick is such an appropriate first name for this traitor because that's exactly what he is.

Labeling anyone that has a different opinion than he has as a militant. These people are desperate to destroy this nation to the point of name calling.

[/quote]Unabashedly naming names, Armey described Rep. Tom Tancredo, R-Colo., as the "cheerleader of jerkiness in the immigration debate" and said conservative commentator Pat Buchanan "is content to be a rock star" for "10 percent of the most militant voters in America."

Armey is the only jerk from what I'm reading!!! I think it's 90% for Pat and Tom! I think Amery is living in a gated community in a bubble with channels 2,4, 7 getting his daily dose of pro illegal news! He is so out of touch with the American people it clearly show his arrogance and ignorance in his statements!

I'm so glad he is'nt a member of Congress anymore!!!

The rest of the traitors will get the boot in November!!

The rest of the traitors will get the boot in November!!

I hope that means both parties. This is not about being a Deomcrat or a Republican, this about getting rid of globalist pandering politicians.

Originally Posted by Newmexican

The rest of the traitors will get the boot in November!!

I hope that means both parties. This is not about being a Deomcrat or a Republican, this about getting rid of globalist pandering politicians.

ITA. The party divisiveness is what has gotten us into the mess we are in today. It's not about party lines but who has American's best interests at heart. There are just as many greedy/sell out Republicans as there are Democrats.