Pandering vs tough talk

[Mile Hi]

Here is a perfect example of career politicians saying what people want to hear.

Go back to the Brown - Black Debate before the Iowa Caucus.

The question was - ARRARAS: Governor Dean, thousands of Hispanic soldiers have risked their lives for this country and are not U.S. citizens. As president, would you automatically grant citizenship to any immigrant who serves in combat on behalf of the United States?

DEAN: You have to be a little bit careful about how you do that, because otherwise you will have a disproportionate number of people who are Hispanic joining the army simply to do that.
But the direction of your question is the right one. The answer is going to end up being yes one way or the other.

One of the most unfortunate things I think that happened in the Iraq war was a young man who was Hispanic, who was an immigrant who got killed, who then got his citizenship given to him after he had arrived home in a casket. That is the wrong thing to do.

So my attitude is if you join the Army, yes, it should give you an absolute path to earned legalization or to citizenship. The answer is basically yes, but here's why I'm sort of jumping around a little bit.

If you simply say that, then my concern is that the Army becomes the haven for people who are struggling to get by because they happen to be Hispanic, it's the only way to become a United States citizen. We don't want to force Hispanic citizens into that position.

So the answer is, if you serve America, yes, you ought to get citizenship. But we have to be very careful just exactly how we offer that so we don't have an unfair, disproportionate affect on Hispanics in this country who are not citizens.


Same question to Kerry/Edwards/Gephart
All answered - Yes immigrants serving in the military should automatically become citizens.

The crowd reacted better to Kerry/Edwards/Gephart than they did to Dean.

It's so easy to play to the crowds and career politicians know exactly what they should say to appease them.

Dean on the other hand brought up the possibility that there may be a negative side to granting citizenship for military service.
That's why I like Dean. He doesn't put his campaign first, he tells people what they need to hear not what they want to hear.

The other candidates talk about free health insurance, free education , free this and free that.

Dean has made the comment more than once "We can't have it all." He is the only candidate that has always talked about balancing the budget.

So Dean has alienated votes by talking tough on the issues while Kerry/Edwards have gained momentum by making promises.

It's easy for someone in congress to vote on this bill or that bill and say they are making a difference. It's another to actually make the tough choices and make a difference in people's lives. Dean made a difference in Vermont. He is the ONLY person to provide affordable health care, prescription drugs for seniors and better health for children. All while balancing the budget and not breaking the bank.

Congress couldn't do that even when the Democrats had all three branches of government!!!!!!!!!!!!

[JNelson6563]

1. Amen brother!

Well said.

:toast:

Julie

[Mile Hi]

2. Thanks

[dsc]

3. bingo

Ir ia the difference between treating the electorate like children and treating it like adults. Sadly, the majority of the electorate prefer to be treated like children.