The Atlas Interview: Congressman Tom Tancredo
I had the opportunity to do a quick interview with Congressman Tom Tancredo on the critical issues. Tancredo is one to watch. I like much of what he says.
Be sure to catch Mike Tate live blogging Congressman Tancredo at the South Carolina debate shere.
Here is a snapshot of my Q&A with Congressman Tancredo:
Atlas: How would you confront the threat of Radical Islam (Islamism) here in America and abroad?
TANCREDO: Homeland security plans which do not include enforcing our immigration laws and securing our borders are entirely inadequate. A CIS study of 94 terrorists prosecuted for their crimes in the U.S., found that nearly two thirds had committed immigration fraud. It is difficult then to justify the rigor, expense, and inconvenience of new safety measures at our airports and harbors, while leaving the door open for terrorists to slip across our southern border undetected.
Atlas: What do you believe is the defining issue of our time and why?
TANCREDO: Illegal immigration.
Atlas: Are you misrepresented by the media. If so how?
TANCREDO: The issue of illegal immigration is misrepresented by the media. Sometimes the word “immigrant” is synonymous with “illegal immigrant,” they are two completely separate issues.
Atlas: Taxes?
TANCREDO:A growing chorus of economists and experts argue, and I agree, that the current income tax system is complex and unfair and should be replaced by a flat tax or national sales tax. Simplifying the process would dramatically reduce the costs of compliance, make American companies more competitive, and put billions back into the economy by encouraging investment.
Atlas: Do you believe healthcare is a right?
Tancredo: For citizens and legal residents who are employed by businesses which cannot afford coverage, I favor association health plans which band small businesses together to access lower cost insurance. For those out of work, state governments should be the primary source of relief, but the federal government can offer incentives and subsidies to make sure families who have fallen on hard times are not without coverage.
