Tom Tancredo for President 2008

There were other people this week who announced Exploratory Committees, and one of them was Congressman Tom Tancredo (R-CO). His website is here, and I have cribbed a letter from his website below:

Dear Friend,

I am writing to you today as a friend, and as a fellow believer in the cause of securing America's borders. My purpose is to obtain your support as I embark upon a path that may lead to the Republican nomination for the presidency of the United States. The decision to pursue this arduous and undeniably uphill battle is because I, like you, have a duty to do everything I can to keep faith with those who risked their "lives, fortunes and sacred honor" to create this wonderful place we call America. I am considering this campaign because of my commitment to real immigration reform: reform that first and foremost is dedicated to the security and well-being of the citizens of the United States, and to respect for the rule of law in our beloved nation. I am also considering this campaign because I believe the Republican Party and its leaders must recommit themselves to limited, smaller government; fiscal responsibility; and honesty in public office. Last November, the Republican Party paid a high price for abandoning those principles; we will not regain the trust of the voters and a congressional majority until we reclaim them. I am proud that I was one of a handful of Republican members of Congress who voted against both "No Child Left Behind," a federal betrayal of local control of education, and the fiscally irresponsible Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit. When I was elected to Congress in 1998, I made immigration reform my top priority, much to the scorn and derision of the political and business elites who are addicted to the flow of cheap illegal labor into America. But, as I look at the current presidential candidates, Republican and Democratic, I simply do not see one who reflects the grassroots, majority belief of Americans that our borders must be secured, that employers who hire illegals must be prosecuted, and that no one who has broken our immigration laws should ever be put on a "pathway to citizenship." After a lot of prayer, and long talks with my wife Jackie and our children, I have decided I am willing to put myself forward as a candidate for president in order, above everything else, to advance our immigration reform agenda, and to reclaim the Republican Party for its core conservative values. So, I am seeking your advice and counsel. I am doing so by asking you to answer two questions for me. Do you believe I should seek the Republican presidential nomination, to fight to secure our borders and to reassert traditional conservative Republican principles including limited, smaller government, fiscal responsibility and honesty in office? Will you back up your support with a financial contribution to my presidential exploratory committee, "Tancredo for a Secure America?" But this campaign cannot just be about me. It has to be about securing our nation at its borders, protecting American jobs, respecting our laws and our cultural identity, and reclaiming the Republican Party for its best values. That means for this campaign to go forward and succeed, it must be about us...you and me. You and I need to agree that we will work together to battle the special interests which now control both parties, and which are so committed to open borders and amnesty for illegal aliens. You and I need to agree that we will dig in, work hard, and raise the money to effectively challenge the deep pockets of the Republican candidates who are talking a good game about immigration, but who are, in fact, supporting amnesty. If you and I decide I should run, I am not going to ask you to travel with me to Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina in the months ahead, on the many weekend and overnight trips away from my family that I will commit my time to between votes in Congress. That will be my job. But I will count on you to tell your friends, your neighbors, your co-workers and your family about our campaign....and invite them to join it! And I also will count on you to help me with your financial support, especially now. I simply cannot move ahead without your help, and the help of thousands of patriotic Americans like you . I am ready to be David against the establishment's Goliath, but I need you to help me load my sling-shot! Thank you for your commitment to the struggle to secure our borders. I look forward to hearing back from you soon. Sincerely, Tom Tancredo P.S. So many wonderful people in the critical primary states of Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina have already asked if they could volunteer to help us. There is tremendous excitement building! It would be a big help to me as I make my decision if I could hear back from you as soon as possible. Tom Tancredo