Monday, May 11, 2009

Tancredo: Obama is 'a cult leader.'

The immigration debate continues to heat up as the nation's leaders get personal and answer tough questions about whether illegal immigrants should be given a chance to remain in the country legally.

Alan Greenspan, former chairman of the Federal Reserve, said illegal immigration makes a significant contribution to the U.S. economy. He told a Senate subcommittee last week that an overhaul of immigration laws is "badly needed" to create legal avenues for skilled and unskilled illegal immigrants to enter the country. Here is what he had to say:
There is little doubt that unauthorized, that is, illegal immigration has made a significant contribution to the growth of our economy. Between 2000 and 2007, for example, it accounted for more than a sixth of the increase in our total civilian labor force.

Some evidence suggests that unskilled illegal immigrants, almost all from Latin America, marginally suppress wage levels of native-born Americans without a high school diploma, and impose significant costs on some state and local governments.
However the estimated wage suppression and fiscal costs are relatively small and economists generally view the overall economic benefits of this workforce as significantly outweighing the costs.
Former U.S. Representative Tom Tancredo, a Republican from Colorado, called President Barack Obama a “cult leader” when talking about his immigration plan. Speaking on the conservative news radio program “Dateline: Washington,” Tancredo said Obama is trying to dress up a plan that amounts to "amnesty" for illegal immigrants. Here is an excerpt.
He is — you have to admit — he is a cult leader. And the cult will go with him wherever he wants to go. You just don't know about the size of the cult; how big it is — if it's shrinking or growing.

Secretary of Homeland Security, Janet Napolitano, says she supports a federal bill that would give illegal immigrants a path to legal residency if they complete two years of college or military service. Responding to a question about the so-called Dream Act, Napolitano had this to say at last week’s Senate Judiciary Committee hearing.
As a governor of a border state, this is one of those areas where everyone wants the immigration law enforced. We must enforce it. It's part of our national sovereignty, among other things.

On the other hand, we have to have the ability to deal with some of the human issues that arise here. And the one that you have identified is one of the most acute. I supported the Dream Act when I was governor. I support it now. One of the most moving things I've been privileged to do as secretary is to administer the Oath of Citizenship to men and women in our military who have been serving in Iraq, who were not citizens, who have elected to become citizens -- in a way, kind of mirrors what you're talking about in the Dream Act. But it seems to me that the Dream Act is -- is a good piece of legislation and a good idea.

39 comments:

Anonymous said...

every not so merry go round.

"Secretary of Homeland Security, Janet Napolitano, says she supports a federal bill that would give illegal immigrants a path to legal residency if they complete two years of college or military service."
______________
Let ol' Janet pay their way, and be responsible for them for that two year period, on her dime...... not mine.

Anonymous said...

I'm sorry but is there any actual substance to Tancredo's quote? Or did he just repeat the same thing about 3 times so the guys on Fox News can remember to call Obama a cult leader? Typical, from the intellectually bankrupt Republican party. Do they have any actual ideas left or have they devolved to just outright obstructionism and right-wing propogandizing?

Anonymous said...

it is, as Virginia Foxx would say, a "poor choice of words" but I get his point.

No big deal.

Anonymous said...

Greenspan made substantial contributions to the current situation so I do not trust him in his assesment regarding illegal immigration. As far as Napolitano is concerned - I'd love to see all those lawnmower operators applying for college. LOL

Anonymous said...

Hasn't Greenspan been pretty much debunked as an economic guru, along with Ben Stein?

What is badly needed is NOT avenues for any "illegal" immigrants for anything.

What we need is avenues for skilled and unskilled "legal" immigrants to enter the country to work on an as-needed basis.

LEGALLY. L-E-G-A-L-L-Y.

WHY would anyone want immigrants in the country ILLEGALLY unless they planned to EXPLOIT them?

Why should we let the supply/demand for this labor pool depend on people breaking our laws?

What kind of precedent does that set for everyone involved?

Anonymous said...

While Tancredo uses stronger language than I would, he is correct in his ideas. Obama and jim jones have a lot in common. Just don't drink the koolaide

Anonymous said...

Lawnmowers, they don't need no steenkin lawnmowers.

Just open the borders and let them all in and there will be enough cheap labor for people to crawl across your lawn using scissors.

A job, of course, that no "native" would want...

Anonymous said...

I see that Mr. Greenspan is playing the role of 'Captain Obvious' regarding immigration reform. Citizens of this country have been asking for immigration reform FOR YEARS. But apparently the reform the majority of us want isn't convenient to the lawmakers in Congress because it would require application and enforement of our EXISTING LAWS.

Illegal immigrants were already given entry en masse to this country during the Reagan administration. All it bought us was even more illegals flooding across the border. Moral of this story: Enforce the existing laws and stop holding the door open to people who have no legitimate reason to be in this country. If our law enforcement started putting the employers in jail, and for extended periods of time, you'd see a very quick end to illegal immigration.

shalom said...

Why are so many folks envious of the president? what a shame.....

folks should grow up and stop this nonsense.....

shalom said...

I think it's so troubling the level of stupidity that folks such as Tancredo, Rush Limbaugh, Dick Cheney, Sean Hannity, and others would go to try and make president Obama look other than what he is. These folks are troubled......What is wrong with them.....

Anonymous said...

shalom,

what is wrong with this people is that the American public threw the republican Party out of power and it has not sunk in to the small brains yet that business as usual is not what we want.

Anonymous said...

Why is it whenever someone says something negative about the President, the brown-shirt spammers come out and say the "Republicans" are without any new ideas?


It is like they are all following the same playbook. You know, almost like......a CULT!!! ;)

Anonymous said...

Shalom: The King has on no clothes! As far as the comparison to Jim Jones we are being force fed the Koolaide it's just called the economy.

Anonymous said...

Well let them serve in the military send them to the front lines in IRAQ. Send both men and women lets see if they really want to be here,and well if we lose some I am not gonna loose any sleep.

Anonymous said...

Sure Obama is a cult leader and a racist. His sheeple who are also bigots voted for him strictly on race only consider him their messiah who can do no wrong regardless of the issues.

People must never forget the extreme racist black Trinity Church in Chicago and racist white hater Rev Wright where Obama and his family attended over 20 years brainwashing him. Racist Farrakhan spoke frequently there who openly is anti semitic and also hates whites.

Among his many despicable racist views Rev Wright has openly professed he wants whites to become a minority and demands all illegals be made citizens.

It must be understood that this type of insideous reverse racism against whites by Obama and his former minister Rev Wright and others cannot be ignored and these racist bigots need to be called down.

Anonymous said...

a couple of ilegals should take over pelosi and napolitanos jobs then maybe they would shut up and some work would get done already

Anonymous said...

TRANCREDO IS A D@MN FOOL!!! HE KNOW NOT WHAT HE SAYS!!!

Anonymous said...

to anonymous 6:29- so does that mean that you'd grant citizenship to those that come back?

Anonymous said...

Giving citizenship to illegals just because they do military service is just as bad as giving it to them for filling crappy jobs.

So, illegals are OK as long as they are "enablers" for bad ideas such as wars we can't win or jobs we won't improve?

To me, both just encourage leaders (either corporate or political) to make bad decisions because they know the bodies will be there.

Anonymous said...

The Republicans don't have any new ideas. That's why all Sean Hannity has had to talk about the last couple of days is the kind of mustard Obama ordered on a hamburger. Welcome to irrelevance. I really hope they split their party, and wander in the wilderness for the next century.

Rented Mule said...

"Alan Greenspan, former chairman of the Federal Reserve, said illegal immigration makes a significant contribution to the U.S. economy."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Absolutely true. If you can fire $20 an hour American construction workers and hire $9 an hour illegal aliens it becomes a HUGE boost to the economy.... for a while. Once enough Americans are priced out of their jobs and can no longer afford the goods and services produced by those who are left we'll see what kind of a boost it turns out to be.

Anonymous said...

Bush was the leader of the Cult of Stupidity.

Anonymous said...

Anonymous said...
The Republicans don't have any new ideas. That's why all Sean Hannity has had to talk about the last couple of days is the kind of mustard Obama ordered on a hamburger.

Welcome to the "educated" liberal world - see above.

We are doomed.

Anonymous said...

yep, Obama is a cult leader as anyone who has halfway noticed all the messiah and jesus references to him would acknowledge.

Democrats, zero new ideas since Woodrow Wilson founded progressive/fascism

Dorne said...

A cult leader, eh? I guess that means over 70% of our country is a cult? I'm proud to have elected a cult leader, then, especially as a white male descendant of a confederate soldier and the grandson of an immigrant. I guess Tancredo drank the wrong kool-aid.

Anonymous said...

Stupid is as stupid does. That is why the Republicans were voted down this time. GET IT THROUGH YOUR HEADS, you moron Linbaugh followers!!

Anonymous said...

When will this paper hire a conservative columnist to represent both sides of the issues? I'm still waiting.

Anonymous said...

Wow. It's really a shame that so many people miss an opportunity for actual dialogue about an important topic such as the latest spewings on Tom Tancredo, and instead choose to take the time to regurgitate what they've been told on Fox News and listening to moronic diatribes of an overweight radio blowhard.

These Charlotte Observer-based blogs have become yet another way for people with minimal capacity for thinking to try to get some kind of recognition for themselves by trying to 'one up' each other in the never-ending contest for who could post the stupidest and most unimaginative post.

Had I read the Letters to the Editor in the Observer prior to moving to Charlotte from Chicago, I never would have come. You all really ARE a bunch of backwards-thinking boneheads. A real shame that. My only hope NOW is to recruit more yankees to move down here and (hopefully) bring the average IQ measurement somewhere above 100.

Anonymous said...

10:55, these blogs are but a fraction of Charlotte. What you are reading are the last gasps of the pin-headed right. Most people here aren't this stupid or the city and county wouldn't be governed by Democrats. The last time Republicans had any real power here was about 10 years ago. The Republican mayor has very little power (it's designed that way with our council-manager form of government) and besides, he couldn't even carry the city when he ran for governor last November. Welcome and this native is glad you're here. 1 out of every 2 is from somewhere else. Though we have the worst of both, we have the best of both, too.

To the lovers of the drug-addicted clown with an eating disorder: Your woe is my glee.

Anonymous said...

In order to finish 2 years of college don't you need to be able to write and read English?

Anonymous said...

Obama is going to fix evertything.........right....

Illegal is illegal, send them home. Two reasons for Dems wanting to keep them. Their money by way of taxes for their hairbrain ideas and their vote.
We need budget cuts not more charity for people who shouldn't be here.

Anonymous said...

I think Tancredo knows what he is talking about regarding cults. Isn't he a member of one of the biggest cults practicing today, Christianity?

Anonymous said...

While you people are debating the latest chapter in this entire moronic debacle, MY TAX DOLLARS are paying for illegals to eat for free, be fruitful and multiply at will, and have free medical care. These people generally have the American dream without paying one red cent for it. While the working class poor has to support them, no questions asked. I wasn't asked how I wanted my tax dollars wasted, and they are automatically given to undeserving illegals with as many illegitimate children as they can have.
You can't regulate them because most have at least five or more fake ids that "permit" them to be here, and it is impossible to know how many are murderers on the lamb, have families they left behind to create new ones here with all expenses paid.
Years ago my husband worked at Crestwood Farms in Mocksville. He said that there were people working alongside him who had a side industry going providing their fellow sisters and brothers with as many fake ids as they wanted for a price. Some of the girls working were 12 to 14 years old, but their ids said they were 18or 19 and they were allowed to operate dangerous machinery.

Anonymous said...

We must NEVER forget the lies Obama told about his 20 year white/jew hating race monger preacher Rev Jeremiah Wright ... This self described "mutt" messiah Obama lied and said he never attended any bigoted sermons...? He then acted like he was ditching him ...? We know better ...

And the real truth of big city slicker Obama silver tongue success is not because he is so good but only because Bush was so bad he had an easy cakewalk into the WH ... although some believe Obama was rigged in to take the blame for all the screwups by the party of tyrant marxist King Abe ... Bush nor McCain appeared to be upset at all by the loss and we see Obama "the goat" getting all the blame now for everything ... very clever ... Edwards was right about everything in DC being 100% rigged ...

Greenspan is a joke who invented the derivatives scheme with his NYC bankers ... He is a war monger neocon who dropped rates to 1% in 2002 while Bush pushed for the American dream of homeownership as too many unqualified minorities and others slackards got loans that were foreclosed on ...

Obama is better than Bush but thats not says much ... Its the way they took out the Clintons labeling them racists that was dirty politics ... Then they set up Edwards with the pregnant female sex scam to take him out and the media still blast on him a year later to justify their lies ... Thats not his kid ...

Politics is a lowlife filthy DIRTY rotten BUSINESS and all in it are guilty slime ...

Anonymous said...

I prefer Guldens to Grey Poupon on my burger.

Anonymous said...

Ronald Reagan is a cult figure, too.

Anonymous said...

OK, all I hear from illegal immigration supporters is that the Republicans have no new ideas. To which I say, what's wrong with the old ideas of ENFORCING IMMIGRATION LAWS and SECURING THE BORDER. I mean please, this BS about new ideas give me a break, support and enforce EXISTING LAWS is what we need right now and support those immigrants in the system LEGALLY now OVER those who are here ILLEGALLY!!!!
Note to OBAMA and his cult, your new ideas SUCK!

Anonymous said...

Hey "Anonymous May 11, 2009 10:55 PM"
Do us a favor, move back to Chicago and continue to corrupt that city.

nccanuck said...

Why is it that democrats and illegal immigrant supporters are pushing those who come here illegally to be citizens or a path to citizenship over those who come here legally and follow the rules of the law?
I had to come here legally and jump through all the hoops and spend a bunch of money to do it the right way. Why do we as legal immigrants have to suffer and get passed over for illegal immigrants?

I agree with the one poster as it related to ideas, how about enforcing the laws and securing the borders, the new ideas from the dems are a slap in the face to those of us here legally.