Rep. Tancredo's platform

Rep. Tancredo's House website

His announcement

The history of America is the story of men and women who have devoted and sacrificed themselves to the survival and success of that idea. Americans have fought and died for this cause in every century of our existence, and on every continent on the planet, for one purpose: to protect the gift of human liberty entrusted to us the Founders.

That gift is our birthright; its defense is our duty.

Today that idea, the idea of America itself, is under attack. But not only by who you think.

While we fight around the world to defend our nation, we are entrenched now in a struggle here at home to define it. The crisis of illegal immigration threatens not only our economy and our security, but our very identity - the idea of America is under attack.

Nearly 20 million illegal aliens are living in the United States today - roughly equivalent to the populations of New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Houston, and Philadelphia combined. Unlike legal immigrants, who have for more than 200 years come to be a part of our nation, illegal immigrants today come to be apart from our nation.

The great tradition of American assimilation has broken down. The melting pot has cracked, and our Founding ideals are leaking through.

Illegal immigrants wait in no lines, pay no dues, and thus assume no responsibility for or devotion to America's founding ideals and traditional values. They enter illegally, demand social services, refuse our language, and take our jobs, asking not what they can do for their country, only what our country can do for them.

This attitude has been tolerated and even encouraged by our political and economic elite, for reasons ranging from the misguided to the cynical to the treasonous.

Some might ask what it says about a country who cannot defend its borders. I ask what it says about a country who chooses not to in deference to criminals loyal to another nation, and corporations loyal to none.

For too long Americans have been force-fed candidates who ignore or mock their valid concerns about the security of our borders, the enforcement of our immigration laws, and the survival of our national heritage. That ends today.

I am running for President to give Americans a voice, to win this fight, to preserve the sacred ideals of the nation our soldiers are fighting to protect, and to succeed in this struggle for our identity and survival.

One last chance for the last, best, hope of earth.

I'm puzzled as to why he focuses exclusively on the immigration question. Paleocons would be sympathetic to the rhetoric, but does Rep. Tancredo recognize the other problems that this country is facing? What are his priorities?

His platform may give us some idea of what he considers to be presing issues:

Immigration
We must Secure the borders so illegals do not come and Eliminate the benefits and job prospects so they do not stay. This entails reform to welfare and NON-emergency healthcare programs, as well as, prosecute employers who break the law.

• Cost-benefit analysis reveals illegal aliens are annual NET COST to taxpayers of $10.5 billion.

• We can apply cost savings to cover uninsured Americans, and to improve education.

We must encourage assimilation of legal immigrants. This can be done through several means.

• We must eliminate taxpayer funded crutches for those who do not learn English. For example, the bilingual options currently available in schools, on ballots and even the White House web page.

• We must reduce legal immigration to 250,000 a year so newcomers can assimilate.

With rapidly shifting demographics, make this election the last good chance to act on immigration.

Defense
The American People and their government has to Acknowledge the enemy. As a public servant to Americans, I will demand facts: Not politically correct slogans.

• We have to admit that the War on Terror is a Clash of Civilizations. For a greater understanding, read Bernard Lewis' article Why They Hate Us.

• We need to enhance First Response and Preventive Measures through the coordination of federal, state, and local authorities.

America's noble sacrifice has purchased for the Iraqis a precious opportunity for democratic change. It is now up to them to ensure success.

• Regional powers and Iraqi factions need to be given the freedom to forge a new balance of power.

• Our trying to referee a civil war only Inhibits Their Efforts.

• Make the President's 'November benchmark for shifting control' an actual timetable for disengagement.

• A regional Quick Reaction Force with a mission to destroy Al- Qaeda must be maintain; their very presence will also aid efforts to reach a power equilibrium

Education
Education is not a one size fits all institution. Therefore, we have to Limit federal involvement. The control of our children's educational is best left in the hands of parents

• We must institute a Voucher System to promote school choice, whether it be public, private, or parochial.

• Competition for students must drive educational improvement.

• Public focus needs to be shifted to non-school factors, which are the most important determinant of academic performance. For example, create a positive parental attitude towards education.

Social Security
Today, efforts need to be made to save Social Security. This can be achieved with a shift from a defined benefits approach to a defined contribution approach.

• Without action, by 2016, the only options to avert collapse will be massive benefit cuts, heavy borrowing, or substantial tax hikes.

• Introduce payroll-tax funded private investment accounts, modeled on successful defined contribution plans like 401K's.

Taxes
The current tax scheme is complex and unfair. A flat tax or national sales tax is a reform so desperately needed and desired by the majority of Americans.

• A simplified process will close loopholes for the wealthy and reduce the cost of compliance and regulation

• Eliminating the income tax for companies and individuals will make American manufacturers more competitive and put billions back into the economy

Judicial Activism
Activist judges have to stop ripping democracy from the hands of the people on the very issues they most want their voices heard. These issues include gay marriage, religion and public life.

• I will appoint intellectually honest judges, Strict Constructionalists, faithful to the text and to the American People.

• I will respect the Sanctity of Life by revisiting the moral and intellectual travesty of Roe v. Wade.

Health Care
Through tort reform and immigration control, we can create billions in savings, of which may be applied to cover uninsured Americans

• An extra $124 billion in liability based healthcare costs effectively deny an estimated 3.4 million Americans insurance.

• In California alone, illegal immigrants cost the healthcare system $800 million a year and forced 84 hospitals to close.

Promote Association Health Plans (AHPs) which band small businesses together to access lower cost insurance coverage

• An estimated 8.5 million currently uninsured would gain coverage.

• Small businesses owners would save up to 25% on health insurance.