Fred Thompson on illegal immigration

Source: NRU - http://article.nationalreview.com/?q=NjhkYzZiNTAxZjAyZTNjNzkxNjA2ZTNmNDBhNjhlYWU=

Southern Exposure

by Fred Thompson

"We are all very well aware of the fact that we have an illegal-immigration problem in this country. As usual, we avoided the problem for as long as we could and when we couldn’t avoid it any longer we were told that, indeed, somewhere between 12 and 20 million people had somehow come into this country unnoticed.

It’s like we went overnight from “no problem” to a problem so big that it now defies a good solution. It’s become one of those “there are no good choices only less bad choices” that Americans are becoming all too familiar with.

We know that the overwhelming majority of illegals come across the Mexican border. Fortunately, we’ve got someone who is all too willing to tell us what we should do about it — the president of Mexico Philipe Calderon. President Calderon doesn’t think much of our border policies. He criticizes our efforts to secure the border with things such as border fencing. He says that bottle necks at U.S. checkpoints hurt Mexican commerce and force his citizens to migrate illegally in order to make a living (and of course send money back to Mexico). He apparently thinks we should do nothing except make American citizens out of his constituents. Calderon also accused U.S. officials of failing to do enough to stop the flow of drugs in to the United States. Mexican politicians gave President Bush an earful of all of this during his recent trip to Mexico.

I think its time for a little plain talk to the leaders of Mexico. Something like:

hey guys, you’re our friends and neighbors and we love you but it’s time you had a little dose of reality. A sovereign nation loses that status if it cannot secure its own borders and we are going to do whatever is necessary to do so, although our policies won’t be as harsh as yours are along your southern border. And criticizing the U.S. for alternately doing too much and too little to stop your illegal activities is not going to set too well with Americans of good will who are trying to figure a way out of the mess that your and our open borders policy has already created.

My friends, it’s also time for a little introspection. Since we all agree that improving Mexico’s economy will help with the illegal-immigration problem, you might want to consider your own left-of -center policies. For example, nationalized industries are not known for enhancing economic growth. Just a thought. But here’s something even more to the point that you might want to think about: What does it say about the leadership of a country when that country’s economy and politics are dependent upon the exportation of its own citizens?"

 

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Fred is looking better and better.  Thank you for the post. 

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You're welcome.  Fred is currently a commentator for Paul Harvey and voices his opinion quite often on that show about current events.  He's a plain talking guy and says exactly what he thinks.

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Did anybody hear the interview Laura Ingram did with Fred Thompson.  I don't know much about him, and that was the first I had heard him talk about the immigration issue.  He sounded right on to me. 

Laura Ingram thought we should have a Fred Thompson/Newt Gingrich ticket.........

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now thats more like it Malinda. Thats good to hear. Im gonna try to check that against his track record.

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WE may want to be careful also to watch where he gets his support from. I hate surprises at this point...lol

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Bugsygirl, I'm going to try to post some interviews and commentaries that he does since so many people don't really know much about him.  Since he was our Senator for a long time the people of TN are very familiar with him but other people are not. 

I read online yesterday that he voted against amnesty in 2000 but I haven't seen the vote anywhere.  I read that fact in another forum.  He doesn't have a recent track record because he resigned the Senate when his daughter died unexpectedly.  The thing about Fred is that he has made mistakes but he admits them.  He encouraged the McCain/Feingold bill and recently admitted that he made a mistake there.  He's human and isn't afraid to admit it, unlike our current President.  I haven't known him to make many mistakes though.  If he does, and he gets the chance, I believe with all my heart that he will try to make it right.

Any decision I've know Fred to make has been pretty much common sense stuff.  I'm sure he won't be perfect but he's by far better than anybody else we have that can possibly win.  I know there are some that are considered more conservative than Fred but the thing is, they probably can't beat Hillary.  That is the main thing. 

BTW, he smacked down Iran the other day too but I don't have that transcript.  

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The more I hear Fred Thompson. The more he sounds presidential.

Here is a piece by the Wall Street Journal-Opinion Journal that includes some things that Fred has said in the past and gives some insight into his ideas.  It's too long to post here.

http://www.opinionjournal.com/forms/printThis.html?id=110009798

Here is a really good article about him.

http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?print=yes&id=19689

BTW, I'm linking to the printable view of the articles to eliminate the ads, etc.

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Melinda in TN said: Bugsygirl, I'm going to try to post some interviews and commentaries that he does since so many people don't really know much about him.  Since he was our Senator for a long time the people of TN are very familiar with him but other people are not.  I read online yesterday that he voted against amnesty in 2000 but I haven't seen the vote anywhere.  I read that fact in another forum.  He doesn't have a recent track record because he resigned the Senate when his daughter died unexpectedly.  The thing about Fred is that he has made mistakes but he admits them.  He encouraged the McCain/Feingold bill and recently admitted that he made a mistake there.  He's human and isn't afraid to admit it, unlike our current President.  I haven't known him to make many mistakes though.  If he does, and he gets the chance, I believe with all my heart that he will try to make it right. Any decision I've know Fred to make has been pretty much common sense stuff.  I'm sure he won't be perfect but he's by far better than anybody else we have that can possibly win.  I know there are some that are considered more conservative than Fred but the thing is, they probably can't beat Hillary.  That is the main thing.  BTW, he smacked down Iran the other day too but I don't have that transcript.  

Folks, the one thing we all need to do is get out of the mindset that we should only support a candidate who can "possibly win." 

Candidates need to be supported on the basis of what their track record says they stand for on all the vital issues of the day, not just one or two.

At this juncture, anyone who can put together an organization and raise the necessary money to run a campaign has a chance to win.

 

the lesser of 2 evils huh mike...lol  Ive already committed to a candidate and I know hes already been doing what I would like to see him continue doing. A candidates past is very important at this point.

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Mike,your point is taken,but we as conservastives need to pick a candidate who reflects our values."Lesser of two evils"is something we shouldn't get ourseleves side tracked with this time around.We need to keep up the heat in conservative circles and bring out a candidate who is electable as well as a candidate we can get behind more thoroughly!

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jimmied said: Mike,your point is taken,but we as conservastives need to pick a candidate who reflects our values."Lesser of two evils"is something we shouldn't get ourseleves side tracked with this time around.We need to keep up the heat in conservative circles and bring out a candidate who is electable as well as a candidate we can get behind more thoroughly!

jimmied,

You are so right. It's time we stopped settling for anything less than the best.

 

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I think I might have been misunderstood.  As of right now, Giulliani is leading the pack for the nomination.  As of right now, he could beat Hillary or Obama.  No way I'm voting for Rudy.  He represents nothing I believe in.  Voting for Rudy would be the same as voting for Hillary to me.

Fred Thompson is as good as Tancredo but Fred Thompson has a better chance of beating Giulliani.  I don't feel like I'm settling for less than the best with Fred.  Unless things change drastically, and they might, Tancredo can't beat Giulliani.  First, somebody must beat Giulliani.  Then that somebody must beat Hillary, Obama or whoever they nominate.  I want the best when we face the Democrats in the election.  I don't really care if it's Fred or Tancredo.  I will not vote for Giulliani or Ron Paul.   

The lesser of two evils for me would be Giulliani or Ron Paul.  I refuse to vote for either one of them.

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Melinda:  Fred's wrong-it's not like we went from no problem to a problem overnight(with illegal immigration)--this has been going on for a long time--Pat Buchanan described this problem years ago when he was running for President-but no one believed him.  The problem is bad and its everywhere.   I'm concerned that Fred doesn't have a tough enough approach to immigration(illegal).  Did I also hear that Fred and McCain are buds?  That concerns me as I would never vote for McCain.  He finally learned on his last trip to Iowa that Immigration is THE issue.  I see McCains'  name no longer appears on the now Kennedy only bill.  Too little too late for McCain.  Fred is a maybe but Tom is my man.

McCain and Fred have been friends but I don't think Fred is anything like McCain.  I would never vote for McCain either but remember, Fred is not McCain.  He is much more conservative than McCain.  I have lots of friends that I don't always agree with.  We have knock down arguments about politics all the time but we are still friends.   In fact, my husband is a Democrat and I'm a Republican.  We have heated debates all the time but we've been married 23 years. LOL  I'm only worried at this point about Fred's views right now.  People change and their opinions change.  I'm interested in hearing his position on things before he announces. 

Four years ago I wasn't as worried about illegals as I am now.  Bush has pretty much put out the welcome mat for them.  My brother-in-law was on the Border Patrol in Texas for several years.  He said that several years ago they didn't have as much problem because they were actually allowed to do their job and control the situation.  After Clinton took office, he started taking away the Border Patrols control over the border.  He quit and moved back to TN at the end of Clinton's term.  Bush has made our Border Patrol agents more the criminal than the illegals.  It has progressively become much worse.

I will also support Tom Tancredo if he wins the nomination.  We'll just have to wait and see.  If he doesn't and Fred does, I will support Fred for sure.  Only one can win and I'm rooting for both. 

Please Lord just don't let Rudy win the nomination.  

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Hey yall check out the new petition here. deploy american troops to mexico.

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I would support Fred Thompson or Tom Tancredo for President the only problem is Fred hasn't committed to run for Presindent, and Tancredo just doesn't have the money to comptent.  Newt would be good, but he carries to much baggage.  Rudy is ok, but I think he is to liberal for me.  Plus, he carries to much baggage and the closer it get's to '08 he will fade  out.  Look at Howard Dean, he was the front runner for the Democrats in '04 but he faded out.

I have a problem with Newt in Immirgration reform.  I think we need to realize that people in Mexico do not want to learn the English language.  The United States panders to much for them. So why should they learn English?

heartforthedeaf said: ...and Tancredo just doesn't have the money to compete. 

Why does it always come down to who has the most money?  We are not electing representatives of the people.......we are electing prostitutes.

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Never heard that term, good one. The average is around $200,000,000 for a presidential candidate if im not mistaken in advertising.

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