Howard Dean, Rev. Luis Cortes join to ask GOP to tone down immigration rhetoric.

Howard Dean, Rev. Cortes join to ask GOP to tone done immigration rhetoric. The GOP is overplaying their hand on this issue. Reverend Cortes was a supporter of Bush in 2004 but is very concerned now.



From the DNC website:

Republican Anti-Immigration Rhetoric Hurts The GOP





The DNC also launched a website detailing the over-the-top rhetoric of the Republican candidates about the immigration problem. It looks like a good resource.

Republican Immigration Legacy

More from the DNC site today about the polls.



Countdown had some good information on this immigration issue the other night. I found it in the transcript.



I found this squib on a search for the poll mentioned above. It makes you wonder why both parties are using divisive rhetoric when such a small minority is really so terribly against common sense reform.



It also makes me wonder why our Democratic Hispanic Caucus is having to battle their own party to get that common sense legislation.

Angry Hispanic Democrats Confront House Leaders



It also makes me wonder why a Democrat from NC named Heath Shuler is featured on Tom Tancredo's website? It makes me wonder why Shuler is praised by local NC papers for not aligning with the Democratic Party.

Why is Heath Shuler being praised on Tancredo's website?

Dean once said the GOP would scapegoat immigrants this time around, and they have done a magnificent job of it. The GOP even has our Democrats often falling over themselves to go along. Kudos to the DNC for working so hard with the Hispanic community.

From the New York Times

G.O.P. Risking Hispanic Votes on Immigration

Dean admonishes GOP over illegals



The Times reminds Dean that some in his own party are pushing enforcement only (Can you say Heath Shuler?), but he tells them they are few in number. He also reminds them that all of the Democratic candidates are pushing a path to citizenship.

Interesting comment about Cortes:



I say amen to that. If we keep electing and re-electing Democrats that vote like Republicans and keep excusing their votes...we might as well be Republicans.

I am going to continue to update even though most are not interested. I have friends, lawyers, others working with the immigrant communities here who are being devastated, separated from children. They work to prepare them when the ICE raids comes.

I am very angry on this topic. Here is more of what he said. I find it courageous, and I am glad he is addressing it powerfully. No one else is. Many of our Democrats are trying to out tough each other, and it should stop.



Edit to put link, which I forgot.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/12/06/MNMGTPMOI.DTL

There is no reason our party can not speak up for common sense immigration laws. We are at least in control of the House, and sort of in control of the Senate. I thought the party in control got to decide what was tacked on to bills, got to decide if they came up for a vote.

I will update this when more comes in. It appears to be independent, Republicans and a Democrat...one...joining to stop the hurtful rhetoric.

I think it is vitally important.

It is the most effective way to put the nails in the coffin of this despicable divide and conquer movement that exactly mirrors what the KKK did in the 1920s when it gathered millions of supporters in the US. Call the movement what it is---racist--and Americans will disavow it.

People in this area where I live who once would have paid no attention at all to this issue have been taken in by Lou Dobbs' "racist" talk.

I told someone he was using racist talk, and they were furious with me.

This part of Florida was never this ugly about things like that.

The GOP has had great results with hate speech.

New, legal voters are being ridiculed by the pukes. More votes for us.

will probably get no attention. We have Lou Dobbs and yes, some days even Ed Schultz pushing the anger instead of suggesting there are sensible solutions.

The scapegoating has backfired, they need to stop.

Mitt and Rudy was nothing more than an effort to prove who could be "more cruel toward Mexicans"!

I know everytime I post here about sensible policies, I usually get blasted.

He at least has an opinion on everything and doesn't try to
hide it by dancing around the subject. I don't know where this
meeting took place, but I just met with him in New York City
two days ago. He is tireless, focused, and on our side with a
dash of pragmatism thrown in. The doctor was in the whole time,
and common sense was tossed out along with media objectivity.

If I sound biased in his direction, I am. I'm not defending a
friend because he's a friend. I'm defending a friend because
he also happens to be right.

There is a reason he rose so quickly in 2003. He is far too real for this party in many ways. They have practiced an artificial form of centrism for years which was geared to getting agendas into the Democratic party that are not that democratic.

There is also a reason he lost, and it was the same reason. He was too real and outspoken.

Glad you had a nice meeting with him. You are a lucky guy.

I am glad to see him speaking out about immigration, and I was impressed to see Senator Martinez getting some courage as well.

They do not like that he said this, and they are quite upset.



They are outraged he would question the use of the words. They defend it as a legal term. They have an all attack on him for saying they are scapegoating immigrants.

I won't link there, but you can find it if you care enough. I think it is good to make Hot Air mad.

Howard Dean tells muslim group: "stand up and say who you are and be proud of it."

"Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean told American Muslims gathered in Rosemont to think beyond voter registration drives.

"You need to run for political office," Dean said Saturday. "The only way you can achieve your goals is to stand up and say who you are and be proud of it."

Those in the packed house rose to their feet and applauded."

Others in our party need to speak up more obviously for minorities who are being treated badly by the GOP and Bush.

Here it is.

Dean told Muslim group to stand up, be proud of who they were.

"Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean told American Muslims gathered in Rosemont to think beyond voter registration drives.

"You need to run for political office," Dean said Saturday. "The only way you can achieve your goals is to stand up and say who you are and be proud of it."

Those in the packed house rose to their feet and applauded"

when I watched Cold Case on CBS about the Japanese interments in WWII.

They deserve credit for speaking out. Dean, Martinez, Cortes, and the others.

http://journals.democraticunderground.com/madfloridian/1685