|
Tancredo for President
A Tom Tancredo for President committee has formed in Tennessee. Author and immigration critic Virginia Abernethy of Vanderbilt University, who is involved in the effort, urges people in other states to do the same. She notes that while it’s too late to file for the primaries, write-ins are possible. Here is their press release: PRESS RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE DISTRIBUTION—JANUARY 10, 2004 The bipartisan committee, Tennesseans for Tancredo, met this weekend at the home of Jack Kershaw in order to plan events leading up to the Tennessee primary. A first public meeting is scheduled for Saturday, January 24 at 10:00 A.M.. The program will feature speakers, videos for ad lib viewing, and opportunities to register and become active in the drive to give Congressman Tancredo the Republican nomination for President. The meeting location will be the Ramada Limited Motel Conference Room, 6210 Hospitality Drive, in Franklin. [Take Rt. 96 west, picking it up near the I-65 exit in Franklin. Hospitality Drive is the first right off Route 96 after Darrell Waltrip Volvo.] The decision to support Congressman Tom Tancredo [R-CO] for the Republican presidential nomination, challenging incumbent President George W. Bush, stems from President Bush’s recently announced proposals for the 8 to 14 million illegal aliens now living in the United States. President Bush’s plan to offer 3-year work permits, renewable without limit, amounts “to amnesty—or worse still, an open borders policy,” said Virginia Abernethy, co-chair of the committee. “That seems like the best interpretation,” adds Abernethy, “of Bush’s assurance that the plan ‘will offer legal status as temporary workers to the millions of undocumented men and women now employed in the United States and to those in foreign countries who seek to participate in the program and have been offered employment here.’” According to Harvard economist George Borjas, immigration costs American workers close to $200 billion annually through displacing them from jobs and depressing wages. Other economists estimate that as many as 15 million Americans are unemployed, discouraged, or involuntarily part-time workers. Close to home, the committee cited the changing face of many work-places, as well as Tennesseeans layed off after training their own foreign replacement! Tennessee is an open primary State meaning that voters may select and change in which party they wish to vote. Congressman Tancredo will be a write-in candidate, so votes for him must be cast on “paper ballots.” As voters go through the check-off line, they should declare their intention to vote in the Republican primary and request a paper ballot. Congressman Tancredo has not authorized the formation of committees on his behalf. Most States, however, do not require such coordination with a candidate. Committee co-chairs are Rich Hamblen, Carl Leathers, Robert [Bob] J. Lee, and Virginia Abernethy. The committee’s e-mail address is tennesseansfortancredo@yahoo.com
A web site is under construction. Comments
There is a big difference between a “Draft Tancredo” and a “Tancredo for president” committee. The later indicates the desire of the candidate to run. Tom Tancredo has done many wonderful things to advance the cause of immigration reform. He has, however, voiced support for a guest worker program. And he has mouthed “nation of immigrants” platitudes. But what politician doesn’t? Tancredo’s biggest fault is that he is inarticulate. He stumbles and stutters in his speeches, and he is easily flustered and left without words during simple TV interviews/debates. The anti-immigration movement must have a charismatic leader, someone who able to articulate what will seem radical to the suburbanites and persuade them to become activists. Posted by: paulccc on January 12, 2004 10:19 AMI haven’t seen Tancredo that much, but in the couple of times I’ve seen him speak on the House floor, other than feeling good about the fact that a Congressman was taking a strong critical position on immigration, I was not particularly impressed by his speaking abilities. Posted by: Lawrence Auster on January 12, 2004 10:33 AMEchoing Mr. Auster, we would need a candidate with excelent communicating skills who was a Presidential-size figure. I am a Tennessee resident. Bush carried the state handily over Gore in 2000. I recall a Bush campaign trip to Memphis where he called Tennessee and Texas “Sister States,” an old expression that comes from the many Tennesseeans who came to Texas to help win independence from GWB’s favorite country. Does Bush know this? Bush can mention Jesus and support the Second Amendment and do well here, though his recent positions CAN hurt him. There is a larger Democratic vote (They aren’t minorities, by the way) in Tennessee than most Southern states. Posted by: David on January 12, 2004 11:40 AMDavid, Bush might understand where “Sister States” comes from, but I wouldn’t bet on it. Some of my ancestors exemplified it, moving from Tennessee to Texas in 1835, but the Bushes didn’t move to Texas from Connecticut until the late 1940s. If I were a Tennessee resident, I’m not sure I would want to remind Bush of it; it might motivate him to direct some of the Mexinvasion to Tennessee to help his Mexican friends get their revenge! While I respect Tancredo as an ally in this fight - he has put a lot more on the line for it than I have - if he supports guest-worker programs I can not support him. HRS Posted by: Howard Sutherland on January 12, 2004 11:53 AMHoward, I don’t think Bush knows what the term “Sister States” means relating to Tennessee and Texas. Posted by: David on January 12, 2004 2:37 PMI wonder what Bush knows, period… Didn’t Sundquist try to hike your taxes, as well? Another wonderful Republican governor. HRS Posted by: Howard Sutherland on January 12, 2004 2:45 PMHoward, Tom Tancredo is my congressman and I am extremely pleased that he has taken such a couregeous stand on the criminals who have entered our country illegally. I voted against George W. Bush today in protest of his amnesty proposal. Tennessee allows early voting, so I cast a write-in ballot for Congressman Tancredo. I was encouraged to do so by Mr. Auster posting news of a Tennesseeans For Tancredo group a few weeks ago. You announce that you wish to cast a write-in ballot in the party primary you choose. You can do it at the machine. They show you how. It’s not hard. This is a tactical measure we can take now. We can decide what to do this fall when the time comes. It may not do much good in the large picture, but it made me feel better. Posted by: David on January 31, 2004 3:09 PMOpen borders, abandoning sovernty,and Judeo Christian tradition is clear evidence of a nation self destructing. Posted by: Robert Lacey on November 20, 2004 5:38 PMOpen borders, abandoning sovernty,and Judeo Christian tradition is clear evidence of a nation self destructing. Posted by: Robert Lacey on November 20, 2004 5:38 PM |