Tancredo a Hit a California Forum
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According to an article published in the Rocky Mountain News on August 12, 2005, Cong. Tom Tancredo earned a standing ovation before, during and after his speech to about 400 people in Carlsbad, California, at a town-hall styled forum. Here is a link to the article: http://rockymountainnews.com/drmn/local/article/0,1299,DRMN_15_3997227,00.h
tml. Here is a portion of the article:
Tancredo a hit at Calif. forum
Colo. congressman pokes fun at Bush on immigration issue
By Paula Story, Special to the News
August 12, 2005
CARLSBAD, Calif. - U.S. Rep. Tom Tancredo, R-Colo., has spent much of the summer traveling the country to promote his message of immigration reform and to test the waters for a possible presidential bid in 2008.
On Thursday evening, he attended a town hall-style forum in the northern San Diego County town of Carlsbad, where he poked fun at President Bush and derided plans for what he called "disguised amnesty" for the millions of people who have entered the United States illegally.
"Let's just turn the ports of entry into toll booths," Tancredo said. "Here's my credit card. Here's your green card."
Tancredo was the star of the night in a lineup of speakers that included California state Sen. Bill Morrow and James W. Gilchrist, founder of the Minuteman Project.
Tancredo said that while he was calling those who participated in the Minuteman Project "American heroes," Bush was calling them vigilantes.
That comment, among others, earned applause and laughter from the crowd of about 400 people who packed the Carlsbad Community Arts Center. Many held up bumper stickers that read "Tancredo for President," and he received a standing ovation before, during and after speaking.
Tancredo, the grandson of Italian immigrants, said his message was not an issue of race or country of origin, but one of hope.
While other speakers listed volumes of facts about how illegal immigrants are crushing the U.S. health system and economy, Tancredo said his message was simple: Those who come to the U.S. should do so legally, and once they are here, they need to assimilate.
"Disconnect from the old, commit to the new, become an American," he said.
The problem, he said, is the "Big W."
"W is 'Why is this happening?' " he said. "Follow the money. A lot of people make a lot of money because of illegal immigrants."
Banks are eager for the business of illegal immigrants, he said, because they make money from them and earn fees when those immigrants send money back home. Countries like Mexico have no incentive to stop the flow of illegal migrants into the U.S., because their economy relies on the dollars those immigrants send back home.
Illegal immigration is a real issue for 2008 - it has been a growing issue to more than border-state Republicans since 2001 because of the security aspects that flow from loose borders. There are more than a few cranks that are irked by the Bush Administration's policy.
Tancredo is not going to be a mere nuisance. And in reality, I doubt he's looking at winning the nomination (seriously). But a run on an issue like this can do a few things - first, force the eventual nominee to take a stand on the issue more to Tancredo's liking; second, provides lots of press for Tancredo, setting him up for other things - like another run or a spot as the number 2, or as a Cabinet secretary; third, provides a lot of press for the issue such that he can mobilize the public in favor of favored policies.
He's going to be a real pain in the rear ends of some of the establishment types out there.
He has a fairly small following, but significant following who could make waves in states with illegal immigration problems, or with large populist populations.