GOP Rep. Calls Miami 'Third World Country'

Gov. Jeb Bush Fires Back, Calling Colorado's Tom Tancredo's Comments 'Disappointing' And 'Naïve'

(CBS/AP)  A Colorado congressman who likened Miami to a "third world country" defended his comments in a letter to Gov. Jeb Bush, saying fewer city residents consider themselves Americans.

Bush had earlier responded to the remarks made by Rep. Tom Tancredo, R-Colo., after the congressman criticized the city's poverty and crime while attending an immigration conference in Palm Beach over the weekend.

Tancredo, a vocal supporter of the anti-illegal immigration movement in the U.S. House, made his initial comments to WorldNetDaily, a conservative online new site, his spokesman Carlos Espinosa said.

"Look at what has happened to Miami. It has become a Third World country. You just pick it up and take it and move it someplace. You would never know you're in the United States of America. You would certainly say you're in a Third World country," Tancredo said.

Bush, who plans to move to Miami after vacating the governor's office, said in his letter, said Tancredo's comments were "disappointing" and "naïve."

"Miami is a wonderful city filled with diversity and heritage that we choose to celebrate, not insult," Bush said.

Late Tuesday night, Tancredo responded with a letter to the governor, defending his view.

"I certainly understand and appreciate your need and desire to create the illusion of Miami as a multiethnic 'All American' city," Tancredo wrote. "I can also appreciate that Miami's schools graduate many outstanding students and that the cultural and ethnic diversity of the city offers many advantages to its residents.

"However, it is neither naïve nor insulting to call attention to a real problem that cannot be easily dismissed through politically correct happy talk," Tancredo wrote.

Tancredo said a growing number of Miami residents don't speak English, one of the few things that holds Americans together.

Bush said he was disheartened by the congressman's "disparaging comments" and touted the city's diversity as a reason Florida leads the nation in job growth and continues to have a bustling economy. He acknowledged crime problems in the city, but noted they have dropped every year since 1999.

"Perhaps your naive comments served as a good reminder for everyone to lessen the anger, frustration and emotion surrounding the issue of immigration," Bush said in the letter. "Overheated rhetoric won't solve this issue. We need a comprehensive solution that will require cooler heads to prevail."

Miami Republican Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen and Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos Alvarez, also criticized Tancredo's comments. Ros-Lehtinen also invited him to visit Miami.

"I hope you will take Cong. Ros-Lehtinen's offer to come visit our community," Bush said in a handwritten post script.

A spokeswoman for Bush said the governor has a close connection with Miami's Hispanic community.

"He's disappointed," Alia Faraj said. "He takes pride in the diversity in Florida and feels very strongly about Miami. It's his home."

[olebd]

Good for him. TANCREDO FOR PRESIDENT!!!

Jeb just wants a fresh supply of servants when he moves to lil cuba...I mean Miami.

[fridak-2009]

As a vietnam vet with a young nephew currently serving in Iraq, I take great offense to your characterization of those who oppose this war as traitors. You sound like a typical chickenhawk - talk the talk and avoid the walk.

[oleander8]

"...criticized the city's poverty and crime while attending an immigration conference in Palm Beach..."

Palm Beach...WOW! How removed from the problem can you get.

[cathaleen]

In NYC you still have Chinatown and Little Italy.
Miami has Little Havana and Little Haiti.
All of the above are hard working people. I don't think you'll find many chinese, italians or cubans on welfare. It takes time for these immigrants to branch out and most do. I think Mr. Tancredo should go back to white bread Colorado.

[getcentered]

These guys are doing what Republicans do best; NAME CALLING!!

Oh yea, and the self-appointed, high on the pedestal, comments of self-righteousness.

[agnim]

Maybe we should just allow the forces of evil to savage each other with silliness. America will be better for it. LOL

The defeat in the recent election has been a very bitter experience.

And lacking the courage to attack the bush that dragged them to defeat, this spineless and comical Congressman is taking out his anger indirectly on the more available bush brother from Florida. LOL

[bob_burd]

The guy hit the nail right on the head - there has been such an influx of ethnics, legal and illegal, that it looks like Mexico City, Havana or Bogota.

Not learning English? Why bother - we'll just drag our lousy heritage and its problems here and set up in this nice little enclave. We can still live like we're in Mexico or South America, but here the government will look after us, not try to kill us. And Americans are such fools and so easy to take advantage of!

Selah

[rharrin1]

Maybe the rep. from colorado should look around his own state before he flaps his lips.
Crime seems I remember a little girl was murdered in colorado that nothing has been done to bring the guilty person responsible to justice. In miami they find the guilty people and justice served.
Why isn't he in washington making a motion to impeach his leader???????????????

[rharrin1]

Another republican with foot in mouth disease

[naber1961]

Why do post that garbage to everything that is on here that doesnt even have to do with Stupid GWB.
You are in the minority, as the polls, and elections show. Bush has ruined this country, ansd it will take decades to get us out of the mess that we are in. Move on to something constructive. Or "stay the course" with Bush to damnation.

[cathaleen]

He should check around the rich in Colorado to see how many of them have illegals working for them and paying them next to nothing. I wonder how many he has cleaning his floors.

[madumpty]

He is ABSOLUTELY right, I had a long time resident of Miami (who moved here to get away from the crime his ilk is responsible for) comment to me "I'm sorry my English is so bad, I didn't have to learn to speak it when I lived in Miami".

Bush (our president) is a total incompetent idiot.

[olebd]

Be sure to add Los Angeles to that list.

[vancouverboo]

Since there's not a thing Jeb can do about it he might as well "celebrate it." You can't hold back the tide, and we're going under for the third time, so "celebrate it, everyone." If you can't beat them, join them. Si.

[diamtool]

As a Floridian. i love the diversity here, among many other things, but must confess that for years i have called Miami International Airport "America's only Third World Airport" The place is a mess!

[joansing]

I was recently in the Miami Airpost. All signs are in Spanish first - English second. All announcements are in Spanish first, and English second. There is nothing wrong with diversity, but please, give me a break, this is still the good ole USA.

anybody remember the movie Red Dawn? That might just happen one day, it may not be a soviet invasion, but from all other countries and their people invading our homeland

[fredegrar]

As one of congressman Tancredo's constituents (one who has never once considered voting for him), I feel compelled to write something. I've lived in this CD for a decade, but still feel like an outsider, having moved here from a more ethnically balanced part of the city (Tancredo's district is mostly SWS suburban Denver). First, I just want to make it clear that Tancredo's opinions aren't held by *all* of us here in CD 6. Unfortunately, enough voters here do agree with his dislike of illegal immigrants, that he gets elected by wide margins every cycle.

I just don't understand why he has to go calling other cities names. It makes no sense to me why he feels like it's ok, as a rep of the people in his district, to go picking fights with other parts of the country. Why should I care if Miami strikes the congressman as a third world city? Oh, no! America has a city that looks like parts of lots of other cities on the planet? What will we ever do? We're all (all us poor white folk, at least) going to die! Just like marriage will collapse if same *** couples are allowed to marry!

[fredegrar]

I also wanted to respond to a couple other comments:
"He should check around the rich in Colorado to see how many of them have illegals working for them" - cathaleen
Sorry, it's not just the rich - plenty of middle classers have huge yards that are taken care of by yard service companies, most of whose employees aren't documented, and that's just scratching the surface of the local economy in undocumented labor.

"Perhaps, the Indians can use his same race talk to toss all those white people out that don't speak their language." - mjlewis6
Unfortnately, here in CO, as in most of the rest of this country, the natives were mostly obliterated by the diseases the Europeans brought with them, coerced relocation, or just plain slaughter. There's not enough left of them (let alone those who speak their native languages) to kick anybody out.

and to Miami... Sorry about my loose cannon of a congressman. What he craves (and is currently receiving) is attention to his cause, so it's probably best to just ignore his BS. Whatever you do, don't pay for Tancredo to come down there for a visit. (if you want to invite me down, though, I'd at least appreciate it). Thanks - fredegrar

[olebd]

I doubt if most of them realize they're draining their gravy train of the future as well by not learning english, integrating into American society and respecting it's customs and cultures.

[laurieleemoo]

okay Jeb...why don't you get your butt off your little perch in Tallahassee and go try living in Miami.......hate to tell you people, but Tancredo is 100% correct!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[laurieleemoo]

I can no longer speak the language of my own birthplace.

Way to go politicians!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[laurieleemoo]

yes...the problem with the Cubans in Miami is that they would like to take over. They have no intention of actually becoming american.

Same thing with the illegal mexicans throughout the U.S.

If you have ever lived in Miami then you are in a position to see the problems which do absolutely lie ahead for america.

Wake up bozo Jeb

[jetauma]

laurieleemo, can't we move pass the bigotry? Get to know the people your fear. You'll discover that good and bad comes in the same proportions in all people over all time and places.

[cathaleen]

If you choose to live in a country you should speak the language. That is the polite thing to do. People come here in little crappy boats, battle high seas, sharks,etc. and yet when they get here they don't want to speak the language. What is that all about?

[jetauma]

cathaleen, this country was put together by people of all alnguages. Every generation has had thousands of people who don't speak english. Spanish was here in n. america before english, indigenous languages before english and still.
Come on people bigotry sucks more than allowing for signs with more that one language on them.

[jetauma]

laurieleemo, I am white, haved lived all over the u.s with most kinds of groups. I know whreof i speak. And you are still bigoted.

[laurieleemoo]

jetauma---there are way bigger things than you out there in this world my friend and frankly I really don't give a D-A-M-N what YOU call me.

Who the hell are you? NO ONE...thats who!

[laurieleemoo]

Its pretty obvious that you are totally clueless as to what is going on out there...so do me a favor...find out what is really going on out there...then come back and talk to me.

Sounds like it is a real waste of time discussing this with you. I just love how people make these opinions and have never even lived in Miami!

[tibu987]

This guy Tancredo is some kind of whacko. This is not the first time he has put his foot in his mouth. The Coloradans can have him. Surely, he is out of touch with reality.
'Nuff said.

[annabanana-1]

laurieleemoo, ..
Is that you Coulter? Please have your doctor check your meds...

[laurieleemoo]

annabana----lets see banana.....let me guess....CUBAN, right?

[cathaleen]

Jetauma:

This is not about bigotry,it's about assimilation.
If I were to go live in Cuba, I should learn to speak spanish. The Germans, Italians, Poles,Vietnamese, Koreans, all have come here and learned to speak the english language. The phone systems do not give a them a choice to speak their language so they must learn english.

[susanhelit]

Funny how people from Colorado are more likely to be the ones embarrassed at the comments, upset by them, and people from Miami tend to agree with the 'third world country' comment. Interesting pattern. Sounds like there is indeed something wrong there.

This is the United States - emphasis on 'united'! People from all over the world are dying to come here - I think it's fair to say we've got something right. And even more so to say we won't be a country if we've got parts of it that pledge allegiance to other countries.

[laurieleemoo]

yes...and if we make it easy for all the groups to live here and speak their native tongue...then where will we me next. Will I have to learn all the other 230 languages that are here. Will I have to learn Russian, German, French, Creole, Farsi, Chinese, the Phillipino language maybe....I mean where does this all end.

Why are the spanish the privileged immigrant group out of all of them. Hell there are actually more Asian's here---why don't we have to learn Chinese.

Okay....annabana and jetauma....your answer please?!!!!

[jetauma]

Cathaleen, Countries all over the world do have signs with English, and phone options. Compassion and openness are more conducive to assimulation than criticism, name calling, xenophobiia, and exclusion.

[laurieleemoo]

yes cathaleen...and this coming from somone who just called me a BIGOT. Okay, then.....

[laurieleemoo]

and so what jetauma...if we don't ALLOW THEM TO TAKEOEVER we are what....EXCLUDING them?

Do you want to try again airhead?

[jvman4u]

Sorry to say there is alot of MERIT to the Reps comments: I lived in Miami for years, even attended adult ed. to learn and practice conversational Spanish (actually learned spanglish from a Cuban instructor) LOL, then... Had to most often even tho I spoke the local Cuban spanish, still had to wait in a store line, while the owner passed me up to serve all the other "spanish" patrons, and say, I had to serve them first, they don't take as long as you! When I was only buying cigaretts, and had the empty pack in my hand to demonstrate my request... talk about feeling like I was in another country... after a few years, I moved north to Fort Lauderdale, at least there I often felt like I was back in the USA!

[laurieleemoo]

oh and also...you want to try again on the xenophobia....we do not fear immigrants...I am a true believer in immigration.....just not ILLIEGAL immigration and not a believer in hostile takoevers by the spanish who REFUSE to learn the language and thereby take over jobs and land with the help of our politicians such as Jeb Bush and Senator Martinez who make it easier for them to do so.

So stop all of your liberal spin...will you...it has nothing to do with racism, bigotry or xenophobia. It has everything to do with preserving the language of the american people.

We are immigrants from all over and the language of our country is ENGLISH. PERIOD. END OF STORY, TAKE IT OUR LEAVE IT.

Comprende?

ACCEPT IT or GET OUT to anyone who wants to take over with their language!!!!!

[jvman4u]

Also, pray when you visit, that you don't get lost in Litl Havana or Lit'l Haiti at night! talk about crime! Oh, and watch out for all the uninsured and broken down pieces is SH*T the Hatians are driving at 30 miles an hour on the TURNPIKE and I-95! Best of luck to ya suckers!!!

[laurieleemoo]

jvman4u---yes...except now it is also spreading to Ft Lauderdale. give it 3 years...it will be the same.

[laurieleemoo]

I mean its already getting really bad in ft lauderdale....but it is not quite Miami yet, but almost. It is getting there.

Its also now happening here in Central Florida where I have moved...except now instead of the Cubans being the problem...now here...it is the Mexicans.

I suspect that in a few years to come I shall be pushed RIGHT OUT of the state of Florida.

[cathaleen]

English is the international language of the world. It's taught in all international schools. It's amazing so many people outside of this country speak english and it's not required
here to speak it here.. That is not bigotry, that's a fact. Everytime someone doesn't get their way, they yell bigotry.

[jvman4u]

It may take longer than 3 years (altho group houses can afford Broward County, I left the state for 5 years, have now returned, and couldn't afford (the quality of life, size of home and land, and close to the ocean with pool) any longer in Broward, now I'm north of the Palm Beaches, a bit rural, but trust me, I'm back in AMERICA!

[laurieleemoo]

oh yes and your right...you just try walking the streets there with those people. Talk about an uncivilized society.....and just so you know people...you want us to be so accepting of THEM? Well guess what....they all hate americans down there.

You will get killed if you walk their streets in Miami now.

[laurieleemoo]

i'm not so sure it will take longer than 3 years. Only last year I was working for IBM in one of the Ft. Lauderale offices...guess what all my coworkers emailed me in Spanish all the time and I constantly had to go around getting my emails interpreted. Then when I asked them to email in English in the future---they refused.

I had to quit---the language barrier got in the way of my job.

[jetauma]

Why don't we require the President to speak English? Oh, and history reveals he was the first to sing the national anthem in Spanish when he was Governor. Hmm.
And should we rename California, New Mexico? etc.?

[laurieleemoo]

you know...there are laws in Florida which would allow businesses to operate in English only. I don't think a lot of them know that.

If I were a business owner I would operate in English only. They are part of the problem, business owners--not just the politicians.

Anyway, definitely a HUGE HUGE problem down there ---that is for sure.

As I said...its a look into the future of the problems that will soon be facing america as a whole....and not just MIAMI.

[laurieleemoo]

jetauma---you can not try to use GW as an example of ANYTHING. I like him and all, but he is married to a mexican----he has a personal agenda here.....and his brother jeb is also married to a spanish woman (Cuban) I think. So, we won't be getting help from those two on this issue. THAT IS FOR SURE!

Nice try though!