December 4, 2006
Rep Tancredo
I know my blog brothers hold immigration views that are closer to Rep. Tom Tancredo's than mine. I would ask how much they like his bombastic style. I think he frequently goes over the top and sets not only his party but his cause back. Add Florida Governor Jeb Bush to his lengthy Republican enemies list. John Fund in the OpinionJournal Political Diary:
Take Tom Tancredo - Please!Republicans don't know what Rep. Tom Tancredo of Colorado, the nation's leading anti-immigration spokesman, plans to do in 2008. Some think he will launch a Pat Buchanan-like run for president while others point to the likely retirement of GOP Senator Wayne Allard of Colorado, creating an open seat for Mr. Tancredo to run for.
In any event, controversy is sure to dog the publicity-savvy Mr. Tancredo. He recently stirred the pot when he said ethnically-diverse Miami resembled a "Third World country" and that "you would never know you were in the United States of America." That prompted Florida Governor Jeb Bush, who lived in Miami before his election, to defend the city. Mr. Tancredo promptly accused Mr. Bush of being "naive" and said he was trying to "create the illusion of Miami as a multiethnic 'All American' city."
The Florida governor then called a halt to the exchange. "What a nut," the president's brother told reporters. "I'm just disappointed that he's a Republican. He doesn't represent my views." What worries Republicans, including many who believe that secure borders are important, is that Mr. Tancredo's in-your-face approach to immigration could either overshadow other candidates in the early 2008 primaries or lead to the loss of yet another Colorado Senate seat.
Immigration Posted by jk at December 4, 2006 1:59 PM
Brother, can you not smell spin by the likes of Bush (Jeb) and John Fund? I know it doesn't help that they're spinning in your direction but please, we're objective here right?
From Tancredo's response to Governor Bush:
http://tancredo.house.gov/Media/file/TancredoresponseGovBush.pdf
"...it is neither naive nor insulting to call attention to a real problem that cannot be easily dismissed through politically correct happy talk."
"...Miami-Dade School District's 45% graduation rate tells us that the majority of Miami's new arrivals have not yet assimilated this culture of academic excellence."
"Unfortunately, fewer and fewer Miamians think of themselves as Americans."
"By the way, you should also pick up a copy of this week's TIME in which Miami is described as a "corrupt, exorbitant mess" where locals are fleeing in droves."
"Governor with all due respect, I have simply said something most people -- even in Florida if our calls and emails are a measurement of sentiment -- belive is true. I have no doubt that people of wealth can still lead a comfortable and pleasant life in Miami, but ask yourself why ordinary middle class citizens are leaving in such high numbers."
Posted by: johngalt at December 4, 2006 4:07 PMI see. The Governor and John Fund are "spinning," yet Rep. Tancredo is being objective. No doubt he quotes Time magazine's editorial positions all the time and not just when it serves a narrow purpose.
My point, and I think Fund's, was that Rep. Tancredo's style of politicking may be good in a safe House seat, or as a panelist on Bill O'Reilly's or Lou Dobbs's show, but might not translate well to statewide or national ambitions.
A serious presidential contender might not be well served by insulting a large American city in a swing state which happens to be populated with many Republican-leaning Cuban-Americans. I could be wrong; I won't know for sure until I read it in Time.
Rep. Tancredo has alienated Republicans such as Paul Gigot, John Fund, Larry Kudlow, William Kristol, John McCain, President Bush, Governor Bush, Fred Barnes, and me. That seems to be a problem. Should he run for Allard's seat, I will cast my first non-Republican vote since 1980. (I spent the summer of 1980 just north of Miami, but I digress.)
Discounting the Bush-Miami-contretemps, there are many other examples of his bombastic style. His move to deport the high school valedictorian is one of my favorites, I'm sure we'll relive many of his hits should he seek larger office.
Posted by: jk at December 4, 2006 5:24 PMAnd you illustrate once more MY point: You attack Tom for his "bombastic" style of politics, yet it only sounds bombastic when related by a third party such as "Paul Gigot, John Fund, Larry Kudlow, William Kristol, John McCain, President Bush, Governor Bush, Fred Barnes, and" JK.
Ad hominem doesn't persuade me that a 45% graduation rate (that's 55% dropout rate, folks) and an urban populace that increasingly feels "no pressure to be an American" is just peachy.
Posted by: johngalt at December 5, 2006 3:40 PMI guess I don't my own strength, jg. I accuse Rep. Tancredo of having a bombastic style. I'd be surprised if he himself would run from that label.
You answered my question. You clearly do not think Rep Tancredo to be too bombastic or impolitic to receive your continued support. That's great, I like a guy who speaks his mind -- I just happen to disagree drastically with Tancredo.
Politics is about addition, however, and I would call his enemies list worrisome. Except for that jk fellow, I'd call most of the Republicans on my Tommy's enemies list pretty cool heads.
Add one more: Arthur Laffer. On Kudlow & Company last night, he said that the loss of Congress to the Democrats is worth it because of the defeat handed to the naturalist wing of the GOP. Dr. Laffer seeks lower tax rates that prove his famous curve but he fears the Tancredo wing more than he fears Reps. Dingell, Rangel and Pelosi holding gavels.
As to the troubles facing Miami, when I was there in 1980 a popular bumper sticker said “Will the last American leaving Miami please bring the flag?” Time Magazine’s opinion of assimilation ambitions of its populace do not interest me. The dropout rate is bad but I find it disingenuous to blame immigrants for failures of the public schools. Public schools are broken because of an incorrect incentive structure and the inflated political power of their public service unions.
Perhaps Rep. Tancredo’s wall can be extended through the Gulf of Mexico and the Carribean Sea. Then we can fill the Miami public schools with good ‘mericans and get those test scores up.
Posted by: jk at December 5, 2006 5:12 PMHey, you're right! It says right here on his very own "About Tom" page that he's a "bombastic nut."
Posted by: johngalt at December 5, 2006 5:51 PMhttp://tancredo.house.gov/about/
Okay, you win that one. I don't really consider "bombastic" to be too pejorative. Were I the Rep's press secretary I'd say " The Congressman just believes in clear honest speech. If some blogger nobody's ever heard of wants to call it 'bombast' he can."
Then I'd day "JK -- do those initials sound Mexican to you? Jose Something..."
Posted by: jk at December 5, 2006 7:07 PM | What do you think? [6]