Tancredo wins surprise immigration vote (Affecting Sanctuary Cities)

If you had lost both, you might feel a touch more sympathy for
your fellow citizens and legal immigrants than you do for the
swarming masses of illegal aliens. If not, then what about the
security problems posed by millions of folks crossing the
border without detection.  With all due respect, are you
nuts?!    

The Dems in congress sold out our service men and women in
Iraq and Afghanistan by giving the Decider his war funding
because, I believe, that Pelosi, et. al., were going to get
the Immigration Reform (including amnesty or path to
citizenship) in return.  But she was betrayed no matter what
public drama the dry Bush attempted to feign.  Pelosi needs to
get tough and tougher and treat the Repugs in congress the
same way the Dems were isolated from making laws in favor of
the working poor (legal and illegal) and middle class of our
country.  Her idealism got the best of her and I quote: “I
accept this gavel in the spirit of partnership, not
partisanship, and look forward to working with you on behalf
of the American people,” Pelosi said in a speech to colleagues
and the nation. “In this House, we may belong to different
parties, but we serve one country.” In the interest of the
country over-criminalizing undocumented workers; separating
parents from their U.S. born children; goes beyond human
decency.  Further, putting so-called sanctuary cities in
danger by not giving them the funds they need to protect
themselves against terrorist attacks is criminal - even if it
was a symbolic act.  I say, Pelosi take the gloves off and
fight for human decency!

"Husak and Solum, legal theorists and philosophers, argue
that laws on immigration are part of a broad pattern. In
recent decades, they say, Congress has passed innumerable
laws that no one seriously expects will be enforced. Such
laws largely seem to serve symbolic purposes and are often
designed to placate some powerful constituency --
conservatives in the case of immigration, or the
entertainment industry in the case of laws that seek to deter
people from swapping copyrighted music and movies.

"No one is so stupid as to think police are going to go
out and round up 12 million illegal immigrants," said
Husak, at Rutgers University.

The consequence of symbolic lawmaking is
over-criminalization, which turns out to be as difficult a
problem to deal with in the long run as crime itself.

June 4, 2007 - Washington Post (DC)
Department Of Human Behavior:
Out Of Unenforceable Laws, Amnesties Are Born
By Shankar Vedantam

What happened to Tom Tancredo when he was growing up that
caused him to hate the immigrant and the bi-lingual speaker? 
His hatred and loathing must have been encouraged by someone,
but whom, when he was in college.  Can anyone let me in on his
story?  I found this on wikipedia (I know, it's not the most
reliable source): "Tancredo was born in Denver, Colorado
to Adeline Lombardi and Gerald Tancredo. Both sets of his
grandparents immigrated from Italy.[2] He graduated from the
University of Northern Colorado with a degree in political
science. While in college, Tancredo was active with the
College Republicans and a conservative, non-partisan
organization, Young Americans for Freedom (YAF). Tancredo was
in favor of the Vietnam War and spoke in support of the
conflict as a Republican student activist. He became eligible
to serve in Vietnam After graduating from the University of
Northern Colorado in June 1969. Tancredo eventually received a
"1-Y" mental health deferment after telling doctors
during his physical that he had a history of mental illness
and had been treated for depression.[3] In 1976, while
teaching history at Drake Junior High School in Denver, he ran
for and won a seat in the Colorado House of Representatives.
He served two terms (1977-1981) and was one of the leaders of
a vocal group of conservative legislators opposing the
policies of Colorado Governor Dick Lamm[4]. During the 1970s,
Tancredo pioneered opposition to bilingual education, an issue
that would remain a feature of his political
orientation."