THROWING "BENEDICT TOM" OUT OF LINCOLN'S CABIN
By Chuck Muth (10/02/05)
Boy, oh boy, are the long knives ever out for Congressman Tom. His enemies
want his political scalp. They want to shut him up. He's been too darned
effective in communicating his message. He loves to stir the pot. And he
doesn't scurry away from a fight with his tail between his legs. It's so
bad, even some fellow Republicans want to run him out of the GOP.
No, not Tom DeLay. Tom Tancredo.
A few years back, Rep. Tancredo, Colorado Republican, became the most
outspoken member of Congress in opposition to President Bush's amnesty
proposal for millions of illegal aliens currently residing illegally in the
United States. (The key word here, by the way, is "illegal.") For his
trouble, Tancredo says he was called a "traitor" by Bush adviser Karl Rove,
and was warned to never again "darken the doorstep of the White House.''
Not that they ever actually had the ol' "Welcome" mat out for him in the
first place, but still. Tancredo is a reliable and consistent conservative
Republican. His lifetime ACU Conservative Rating over six years in office
is an astounding 98. A Republican like that isn't welcome in a Republican
White House? But a liberal Republican like Sen. Lincoln Chafee is? What's
wrong with this picture?
Then there's Chris Cannon. Rep. Cannon, Utah Republican, is the darling of
the "open borders" set. Indeed, he's been the White House's point man on
amnesty for illegal aliens and is the go-to guy in Congress for radical
Hispanic groups such as La Raza and MALDEF. They give him awards and honor
him at dinners on a regular basis. Indeed, many have questioned whether
Cannon actually represents Provo, Utah...or Tijuana, Mexico. And their
tongues aren't always planted firmly in cheek when they do.
Anyway, at a Latino Coalition event last spring, Cannon questioned whether
"there is a place in the Republican Party" for people such as Tancredo who
want to clamp down on illegal immigration. "I think he ought to consider
his views and decide whether they're consistent with the Republican Party,"
said Cannon, saying it was time for Tancredo to leave the party of Lincoln.
Anyone who knows Chris Cannon well (and, unfortunately, I do) knows the guy
is more than a little squirrelly, completely untrustworthy and a huckster
who is never without a little snake oil for sale at a cheap price. And THIS
guy wants to toss TANCREDO out of the party?
Which brings me to Darrell Issa. Rep. Issa (R) represents a district in
southern California not too far from the 48th congressional district. The
48th has been represented by Rep. Chris Cox (R) for many years. But Cox
resigned over the summer to take over the Securities & Exchange Commission.
So there will be a special election primary on Tuesday to select his
replacement.
Now, in addition to a number of Republicans vying for the seat, Jim
Gilchrist, founder of the volunteer border-monitoring Minuteman Project, is
running as the American Independent Party candidate. Gilchrist was a
Republican until 1996 when, he told me in August, he left the party because
the GOP was ignoring the illegal immigration problem. He flirted with
joining the Libertarian Party back then - because at heart, he really is a
limited government kinda guy. But the LP is primarily an open borders
organization, so that wasn't an option. Rather than be politically
"homeless," Gilchrist decided to register as a member of the conservative
AIP.
Since that time, Republicans in Congress such as Tom Tancredo have given
Gilchrist hope that there may be hope for the GOP on the illegal immigration
issue after all. And he'd like to go to Congress and be another
conservative foot-soldier in the battle to tighten our borders (and our
government spending). Alas, a California state law prohibited Gilchrist
from re-registering and running as a Republican in this special election.
He has, however, sent a letter to House Speaker Denny Hastert informing
Hastert that, if elected, he will most assuredly caucus with and vote for
continued Republican leadership in the House (if that's not too much of an
oxymoron these days).
On the other hand, the leading Republican candidate in the race is a state
legislator who is comparatively weak on the illegal immigration issue. One
of state Sen. John Campbell's first votes in office was in favor of a bill
granting illegal aliens cheaper college tuition. As Homer Simpson would
say, "D'oh!"
Bearing all of the above in mind, Congressman Tancredo formally endorsed Jim
Gilchrist a few days ago. And boy, did that ever get Darrell Issa's tights
in a twist! According to the National Journal in Washington, "Rep. Darrell
Issa, R-Calif., said he would urge that Rep. Tom Tancredo, R-Colo., be
thrown out of the Republican Party if he continues backing a third-party
candidate in the special election for California's 48th District. 'I would
ask the state of Colorado to strip him of his party membership,' Issa said
in an interview."
For endorsing a conservative candidate who wants to tighten border security
and enforce the law? Go figure.
Here's something for Rove, Cannon and Issa to think about: If you bounce
all the "Tancredo Republicans" from the Republican Party, the Republican
Party would go the way of the Whigs overnight.
Hmmmm. Considering how Bush Republicans are spending our country into
oblivion these days, that might not be such a bad idea.
A number of years ago, a reporter asked another California Republican
congressman to talk about illegal immigration. "What's to talk about?"
replied Rep. Sonny Bono, "It's illegal." Sadly, such a level-headed,
common-sense response today would mean there'd be no place for Sonny Bono in
a Tancredo-free GOP. I'm starting to think there isn't a place for me here,
either. How about you?
(Printer friendly version) Email: Chuck Muth
