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July 25, 2006 06:59 AM UTC

What are principles, PERIOD?

  • 11 Comments
  • by: Tancredo Watch

This is an age in which principles and integrity matter little, it seems. Instead, sound bites and Swift Boat tactics carry the day.

I don’t really disagree THAT much with Tom Tancredo on many issues. I think he’s wrong in his “fence the borders” approach to illegal immigration, but he does have a good idea in pushing for more penalties against employers who hire illegals.

But Tancredo simply lacks integrity. He was the key spokesperson for the Colorado term limits movement, made a personal pledge to serve no more than three terms in Congress, and then sneakily broke his pledge. A man scorned by such conseratives as Mike Coffman, Bob Schaeffer and Jon Caldara should not merit consideration by true conservatives.

Yet Tancredo remains wildly successful and – with his “Viva Tancredo!” yard signs (how ironic) – will likely coast to victory in November even though his Democratic challenger, Bill Winter, is by far the better choice to represent the 6th Congressional District. Winter not only has good, centrist ideas, but is also a war hero – unlike Tancredo, who obtained a Vietnam deferment for mental health reasons but who constantly wears his “USS Ronald Reagan” gimme cap, fatigues, etc. – and, most importantly, has integrity.

Do people not know, or do they simply not care, that Tancredo in 2001 declared his intention to keep his term limits pledge, himself stating that keeping his word was the “overriding issue,” and then shortly thereafter broke his pledge, declaring that God had told him he was irreplaceable in Congress?

Tancredo was not merely a supporter of term limits; he was its chief architect in Colorado. Unlike Bob Schaeffer and Bill Armstrong, Tancredo broke his word. Most recently, Tancredo has been misrepresenting that he actually broke his pledge during his first term, i.e., before 2000, but in fact even after he was first re-elected he was still telling the media that he intended to keep his pledge.

It truly does seem that principles no longer matter. Tancredo is proof of that. What do you think?

Does it bother you that Tancredo broke his term limits promise?

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Comments

11 thoughts on “What are principles, PERIOD?

  1. Tom Tancredo was smart enough to leverage his promise to serve a limited number of terms into his election to Congress.

    And he was smart enough to realize, once he’d been in Congress for a couple of terms, that term limits on members of Congress make no sense. Fortunately, Bob Schaeffer is not as smart. Sadly, Mike Coffman, who’d like Tancredo’s seat, puts his career ahead of the welfare of the country.

    On balance, I find your attacks on Tancredo rather small and uniformed, or should I just say “petty?”

    Tancredo has become a national leader while his critics fuss in dismay.

    And he has more integrity than all of his critics combined.

  2. I grew up in Tancredo’s district and it isn’t too hard to see why people like him.  The district is typical of many districts throughout the country – the demographics, the socio-economic status and the general lack of civics allows this man to stay in office. 

    Tancredo’s stance is a one issue platform that he spins well for his constituents.  He’s wacky but, as Skeptic points out, savvy in the ways of staying in power. 

    Is it principles he’s lacking or are many of his constituents comfortable with the status quo they’ll overlook the strangeness of this man who represents them to maintain the illusion of normalcy for their neighborhoods?

    1. Tancredo’s not wacho in any sense of the word. He’s smart, professional and very principled. Indeed, his principles say that the rule of law must be enforced, especially when it comes to border security and illegal immigration.

      His opponents, for the most part, do not have the integrity to adhere to the rule of law and have all kinds of rationalizations for breaking the law when they disagree with it. In short, they are unprincipled, not Tancredo.

      Tancredo also is a strongly radical social issues guy, based on his principles regarding the beginning and end of life, and I disagree 95% with him on his stands on those issues, which are not backed by law and shouldn’t be.

      To say Tancredo has no principles suggests you either don’t know Tancredo very well or don’t respect principles that you disagree with. It’s ok to say such things, but calling Tancredo unprincipled makes me question your objectivity and, well, principles.

      1. The 6th District’s voters are among the best informed and educated in the country. You can put it down because it doesn’t agree with your views, but you are what you post, The district elects pretty smart people, compared with others around the state and the country, and if Tancredo really was a bad guy, he wouldn’t be in Congress or one of its smarter leaders.

        1. I’m not saying he’s unprincipled.  But the man does exhibit wackiness, c’mon.

          I’m not putting the district down either – I grew up there, as I said, and I know the people well.  Granted, there has been stupendous growth since I lived there.  Highlands Ranch, Lonetree, yadda yadda.

          What I am saying is that Tancredo represents his district well.  His district is 91% white, median family income of $80,912 (more than $30K higher than US median), average family size 3.15, and a %2.7 poverty rate (compared to %12.4 US).  Tancredo can tap a wide base in this district that he relies on. 

          Now, when you say if Tancredo really was a bad guy, he wouldn’t be in Congress or one of its smarter leaders, I have to disagree with you there.  Tancredo is not one Congress’ smarter leaders, not only because I disagree with many of his stances.  Representatives are sent to Congress to help solve problems, not create more.  In my eyes, representing the district he does, Tancredo’s obsessions with immigrants helped bring the issue to the front but did not do anything to solve it and he does very little else to further any other issues.

          So, my point is that if Tancredo is principled than TancredoWatch’s points he brings up in the original diary, the fact that he reneged on term limits, the fact he dons military garb while not having served, the fact he has “Viva Tancredo” yard signs, show to me that the district he represents either 1) buys off on what he does because it reflects them as well, or 2) they tolerate it because he maintains the status quo in their rich, white, suburban lifestyle, or 3) they don’t care/know the issues and faithfully reelect the incumbent.  I think it is a combo of #2 and #3.

        2. I think he should step down because he said he would and because he isn’t doing anything to help.  Maybe he can become a Minuteman or something to make sure no more immigrants come into his district.

          1. As somone who’s lived in the district for quite a while and been active in local politics at times, my feeling is that Tancredo reflects his intelligent, well educated and well informed district. We don’t need pork, but we do want and need secure borders and the enforcement of our laws and regulations, and Tancredo is providing national leadership that has changed the two-faced mentality in Washington and in the state.

            I don’t think he should step down, because we need his leadership on illegal immigration. I do wish he’d wise up on the social issues.

            1. Living in his district and he represents you, well – I guess that is what all constituents want.

              I do still stand by my previous post.  It is like this website, people who are interested in CO politics come and get the news – but the VAST majority of CO does not know who the candidates are for anything, let alone their positions.

              My parents still live in your district and my father follows politics (and is sickened by them, but he’s a curmudgeon) but my mom is clueless and votes the incumbent every time.  Another friend of mine, in finance, votes Republican – why? its good for the clients.

              Those aren’t the only examples and of course we could cite hundreds more in districts everywhere. But let me ask you since you live in the district – and please, I don’t want this to turn in to an immigration thing, your district is about the furthest away from illegal immigration, they don’t affect your schools, your hospitals, your wages, why does your Representative have such a thing for this issue?  Why does your district care so much about this issue that doesn’t affect them?

                  1. Thanks all, whether you agree or disagree with my thoughts.

                    It’s just a sad commentary on the state of politics in general when a guy who undeniably takes a solemn pledge, repeats it numerous times for money and support, and even tells the media “for me [honoring my] pledge is the overriding issue” can then go back on his word and STILL be seen as a person with integrity, candor and honor.

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