The American Spectator

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Immigration Showdown

1.22.07 @ 12:01AM

TANCREDOIC EMOTIONS
Re: W. James Antle, III's Tancredo Time:

I say, thank goodness for Tancredo's courage. Without him in the race the position of strict immigration control that he represents, indeed embodies, simply would not be heard. Even with him in, there's a better-than-even chance that his voice will still be drowned out by those on the other side --big business appeasers, political machinators, and some who simply haven't thought the matter through -- aided and abetted, of course, by the biased, dinosaur media which has long since demonized him. But even so, his voice will be out there, and it's entirely possible it will have enough resonance with enough people to make plain that, even if establishment pols don't want to be serious about the matter, a very large part of the public is sending a message that they had damn well better get serious.
-- C. Vail

In the end folks, we get what we vote for! Unfortunately for all of us, the national attitude seems to be one of, "why do today what we can put off and do tomorrow?" Unfortunately, tomorrow's problem is potentially disastrous to our national security and way of life. We have indeed become a trivial society. And I fear for my country because, the wake up call will, no doubt, be devastating.
-- Jim L
East Sandwich, Massachusetts

What's extreme and repugnant is Roberto [sic] Gonzalez [sic], George Bush, and the treason, lying, and backstabbing of the Republican Congressional (esp. Senatorial) mainstream on immigration. This is the worst thing that has been done to this country since British troops invaded and burned the White House in 1814. To hell with them all. I don't care if it takes an alliance with Satan to fix immigration and restore respect for the American people, their will, and their nation and its borders.
-- Kevin Kendrick

A key element seemed to be glossed over in James Antle's article on immigration: assimilation. Whereas previous waves of immigrants aspired to become Americans, the current crop, millions strong, seem to vow to remain Mexicans while living and working here.

What's worse, we're making it easy for them. When was the last time you saw a government form that was not also offered in Spanish? They have their newspapers and magazines. My basic cable system includes three Spanish channels. My public library includes Spanish films and dubbed DVDs. Retailers, sensing extra sales potential, have latched onto the bilingual strategy. A checkout clerk at Wal-Mart recently called me senor!

Just as water always runs downhill, people tend to take the easier routes in life. All the above are disincentives to learning English. Bilingual education courses have proven to be utter failures in producing English-speaking students.

Think about that the next time you have to "Press 1 for English."
-- Gary Long

W. James Antle III speaks of possible problems if Tancredo runs an illegal-immigration-campaign for the presidency. He says, "Tancredo risks relieving the frontrunners -- who already don't seem too concerned about what restrictionists think of them -- of any need to appeal to his constituency." This argument is tantamount to saying that if illegal immigration doesn't matter then it doesn't matter, so why run. So if illegal immigration is of no real concern, then why should Antle or anyone else fret over a campaign that is sure to go nowhere? No, it's better if Tancredo does run. If he does well, he will force the so-called frontrunners to speak about the issue and this is precisely why Tancredo is doing it. If he does not do well, then the frontrunners' "non-issue" will still be a non-issue. Thus, Tancredo has nothing to lose and possibly much to gain.
-- Steve Cade
Astoria, Oregon

It's going to be very interesting to me to see just how "Quixotic" Rep. Tancredo's campaign will be. Mr. Antle sees it as a foregone conclusion that anyone running on immigration enforcement will lose in a landslide. Given some anecdotal evidence from the last election, he may be exactly right.

In my view, the illegal alien invasion of our country is a "trump" issue. If we don't get control of our borders, our entire culture is in peril. (If you think that statement is overly hyperbolic, I invite you to take a look at the current demographic makeup of Great Britain, France, Norway, etc., etc.) No candidate on the wrong side of this one will get my vote for any office, and any candidate (Democrat, Communist, Green Party) on the right side will.

I'm curious to see how many voters will agree.
-- Keith Kunzler
Arnold, Missouri

Describing anti-illegal alien activists as yahoos and Christian fundamentalist crazies shows the utter desperation of the Republican party, which wants to grant amnesty and unbridled financial benefits at taxpayer expense to the millions of illegal aliens that flout U.S. laws and then demand their rights ("Tancredo Time," Jan. 19). Hysterical assaults on Tancredo by out-of- touch Republican elites only serve to alienate the Republican base. Tancredo is a hero to the average American, but Republican elites and their defenders -- marginalized by their political attacks which, by extension, attack the American people -- are so wrapped up in their political cocoons that they don't see the loss of their nation. Instead, they engage in the kind of political attacks that may play well in Washington but disgust the average American.

The effort to stop Sen. Mel Martinez's bid for RNC chairman is a heroic attempt to restore sanity in the party, based on Martinez's advocacy of exemption from federal laws based on race and demanding taxpayer subsidization of illegal behavior by noncitizen lawbreakers. Not only should Martinez's advocacy disqualify him as chairman, but it should result in charges against him for failing to enforce U.S. laws. The millions of illegal aliens and their families helping themselves to free schooling, health care, welfare, housing subsidies, and other government largesse conveniently provided in a bilingual setting, and at no cost to the illegals since they are outside the taxpayer system, means nothing to these elites, since they earn their livings by taking from unwilling taxpayers whatever they decide to take. I don't recall any of these Republicans asking the taxpayers' permission for these activities, nor do I recall any hearings or investigations into why the immigration laws are not enforced, why the government fails to sanction employers of illegal labor, or why the government will not confront the endemic identity and social security fraud that have destroyed the lives of real Americans.

Schools and the education system, activists and Catholic Church elites teach that illegals swarming over the southern borders are the true landowners and America is the oppressor who took their land, and the teaching must have an effect, because polls reveal illegals have a strong loyalty to their country of origin over their country of residence. They must be howling in laughter over the irony that even though they are the new servant class in America, it actually is the Republican leaders playing the servant role. As for 2006 election losses, the few anti-illegal alien elected officials who lost their seats were defeated by candidates who emphasized their own tough anti-illegal alien stand. If Republican elites are so worried about Tancredo's quixotic presidential bid having a devastating effect on the party, the answer is simple: Republican elites, themselves, can take a hard stand against the illegal alien invasion. But then, that would require integrity, concern for U.S. Security and respect of taxpayers, something these Republicans long ago sacrificed at the altar of the almighty business dollar.
-- Caroline Miranda
North Hollywood, California

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