Posted on 12/03/2007 10:40:09 PM PST by FocusNexus
Henry from Mississippi, a conference call participant, put Fred D. Thompson on the spot today when he asked about illegal immigrants, saying they are needed to fill labor shortages in the construction, farming and poultry industries.
Mr. Thompson had already given solid, if predictable, answers to questions about his plans to open up the health insurance market and what makes him an authentic conservative.
But he hedged slightly in his response to the query about illegal immigrants, saying that because of the rhetoric of this campaign cycle, no candidate will be able to solve the problem of labor shortages without first securing America's border.
"My approach on it is simple: You draw line between legality and illegality," Mr. Thompson said. But then he took a warmer tone toward illegal immigrants, saying: "Some are not only the best workers, but the best citizens. My heart goes out to them, and we should always have the welcome mat out for those folks."
The former Tennessee senator pushed for a better guest worker program, but digressed into how the legal system "is a mess" and blamed Washington for letting the situation get out of hand.
(Excerpt) Read more at thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com ...
"The National Federation of Independent Business, the National Restaurant Association, and Associated Builders and Contractors were the hosts of the teleconference for about 1,400 group members and media. "
Fred also talked about social security, healthcare and taxes.
Presidential campaign season..... bringing both hope and fear to American voters everywhere.
This is fine Fred, right until the writer (intentionally?)uses the word "ILLEGAL" where the context CLEARLY indicates he should have said "LEGAL". As it reads, it is an absurd slander against Mr. Thompson.
The NYTimes telling the world what Fred had to say.
Do we trust the NYTimes? NO!
Lets see the full transcript.
“This is fine Fred, right until the writer (intentionally?)uses the word “ILLEGAL” where the context CLEARLY indicates he should have said “LEGAL”. As it reads, it is an absurd slander against Mr. Thompson.”
I think you are right. I’d like to see the transcript.
But it looks like Fred also favors guest working programs, as most other candidates, with the exception of probably Tancredo.
I personally think a well controlled guest worker program is OK, as long as you secure the border and stop illegal immigration first.
As I read the article, that's exactly how Thompson answered the question.
Unlike Mike the Huckster, who would reward illegals.
“My approach on it is simple: You draw line between legality and illegality,” Mr. Thompson said. But then he took a warmer tone toward illegal immigrants, saying: “Some are not only the best workers, but the best citizens. My heart goes out to them, and we should always have the welcome mat out for those folks.”
Not surprising, considering Fred’s previous statements.
Kimberly, you must know better. This is really disgusting of you. You do no credit to your candidate. Shame on you.
Well, you certainly know better John Valentine, You and I had a conversation about this just the other day... There is no shame in questioning Fred's differing positions on immigration.
He is weak on the subject, and as we discussed, "Path to Citizenship" has passed his lips. No one seems to be able to justify that with his current position.
"My approach on it is simple: You draw line between legality and illegality," Mr. Thompson said. But then he took a warmer tone toward illegal immigrants, saying: "Some are not only the best workers, but the best citizens. My heart goes out to them, and we should always have the welcome mat out for those folks."
Now, you know, I know, and Kimberly knows that the Fred Thompson quote here was NOT in reference to illegal immigrants, and to pretend that it was... well, frankly it's dishonest. Smirking dishonesty isn't particularly endearing.
You also know that I am a fair and honest poster on this board. I willingly concede that Fred Thompson has been skewed toward this issue in the past, but as far as I'm concerned he has it right now. And it's not like Thompson was EVER an amnesty hound like Huckabee.
You want abject surrender, take this, from our friend the Huckster: "What does make sense is a revision of our laws, one giving those here illegally a process through which they pay a reasonable fine in admission of their guilt for the past infraction of violating our border laws and agree to adhere to a pathway toward legal status and citizenship."
Fred Thompson NEVER went this far over the line.
The only reason there is a labor shortage, if there actually is, one of which I'm skeptical, is because the businesses lower the wages so low people can't afford to do the job. The American people want to do all jobs. Businesses just want a free ride and get rich quick. I guess the better term would be jobs businesses are to cheap to pay Americans to do.
I am sorry it has upset you, but I would suggest that we (none of us) do not know whether or not Fred's quote was in reference to illegals... anything we might put forward is speculation as none here witnessed the interview. It is merely a matter of whom one gives the benefit of the doubt to.
I would suggest, in your defense, that the phrase in question is speculation on the author's part, and cannot be directly attributed to Fred. But if his narrative comment was in context, and it could be you must admit, Then it stands to confirm suspicions I myself have had regarding Mr. Thompson's conviction in this matter. Kimberly GG's statement is a relevant observation, IMO, and while speculative, stands with equal value to your own speculations (and mine as well). Why should she (or I) be admonished?
You also know that I am a fair and honest poster on this board.
You have been honest with me, yes.
And it's not like Thompson was EVER an amnesty hound like Huckabee.
The comparison is invalid. there is no "degree of separation". Fred is (or has been, no one really knows) for amnesty. So are Rudy, Mitt, McCaine and Huck. I don't need to know any more than that.
Fred Thompson NEVER went this far over the line.
Over the line is over the line though, isn't it?
In a free market, there are no shortages, demand will bid up prices to fill the shortage and at the same time, higher prices will reduce the demand. How many Americans are now in jobs that they'd drop in order to take a higher paid construction, farm or poultry industry job?
And we don't need ILLEGAL immigrants. Industry has been pushing off the cost of ILLEGAL invaders onto the rest of us for decades. They don't want to pay full price for labor, it's easier for them to have millions of ILLEGAL invaders come in, drive down wages and socialize the costs. What is it, 12 or 25 Americans are killed daily due to ILLEGALS by drunk driving and murder. What does industry care, that's not a cost that shows up on their balance sheet.
Americans want immigrants, who want to become Americans. ILLEGALS and other immigrants come here for the jobs, but they don't want to learn English, adopt the American culture and become Americans. I don't care about any alleged labor shortage, I don't want those people here. What they may contribute economically is more than offset by other costs for healthcare, schooling, housing, fraud, crime, drunk-driving. Companies are only looking at their bottom line, but voters are citizens and they decide by looking at America's bottom line.
Too bad Fred wasn't ready to answer this question.
OK.
Tell me how could this direct quote from Thompson, at the heart of the article, could POSSIBLY reference ILLEGAL immigrants: “Some are not only the best workers, but the best citizens.”
You have to know he’s talking about LEGAL law abiding immigrants.
Fred Thompsson says very forthrightly that he is completely against any form of amnesty, and I believe him.
I don’t know why you don’t. One offhand, careless remark, and that’s all it was, can’t be set against his entire career in public life.
Oh, I can certainly see your perspective, but there have been myriad comments from the Administration, not to mention their cohorts, which take the exact same tack. We have been inundated with fine Republicans telling us how most of the illegals are good people, hard working, and good citizens (re: criminal)...
If one has a perspective that assumes Fred to be a GOP "company guy", one can certainly see the statement in a different light... It would fit the party line perfectly.
No illegal immigrant is a citizen, any adjective at all notwithstanding.
With regard to the obvious contextual error of the story, I posted a comment to Ariel asking him to clarify or correct it.
After reading some of the other comments on the page, I’m convinced more than ever that we’d better unite behind a candidate.
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