NumbersUSA Members Respond to Pres. Obama's "Demagogue" Comment
Earlier this month, Pres. Obama took a shot at the opponents of Amnesty by labeling them as demagogues. Roy responded by requesting a meeting with the President, and NumbersUSA members responded with their own thoughts as well.
Roy posted a blog last Thursday, “Mr. President, We Are Not Demagogues -- Please Talk With Us,” responding to Pres. Obama’s comment. We’ve been allowing members to post responses to our blogs for more than a year now, and few blogs have generated the kind of member response as Roy’s blog last week.
Most responses expressed anger, and several came from political opponents of Pres. Obama. But many of NumbersUSA’s members who supported the President in last fall’s election expressed their frustration over his stance on immigration.
As a Democrat, we, the American Working Class citizens are depending upon you for better wages and health benefits. That will not be possible if we continue to allow illegal [aliens] to come in and set our wage rate because we are forced to compete with them for jobs. For the sake of the working class people, please do not give citizenship to those people who entered our country illegally and stop allowing people to enter illegally. Please uphold the laws of our land - the laws created by its people…
--Sue2808 of CA
I voted for Obama, but totally disagree with his stand on "immigration." Frankly, it's hard for me to even refer to people who knowingly break our laws to get into this country "immigrants." … Where is the justice in giving people citizenship who broke into our country when there are thousands of people from other countries who are then excluded because they can't "sneak" across an ocean? Where is the fairness to our legal citizens who need one of those 12-20 million jobs? President Obama, Senators Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi may try to intimidate others of a different opinion from speaking out by calling them demagogues or racists, but it won't work. I know I'm not a racist (for heaven's sake, my in-laws are Hispanic and they feel the same as I about this issue!). No, I'm a citizen who loves this country and believes in the rule of law.
-- Kathleen0499 of CO
But as expected, many of the comments directed anger towards the President’s statement.
These remarks by President Obama were outrageous. I think this is the first time that a US president has gone abroad and bashed millions of his own countrymen in a foreign country. What exactly is demagogic about not wanting to reward millions of foreign criminals with amnesty and citizenship for breaking American laws?
-- Brad8363 of CA
Because my political views don't agree with theirs, for the past six weeks or so I have been called some very ugly names: I am a potential domestic terrorist, Pelosi has said I am a traitor and un-American, Schumer states that I am astroturf, and my president now calls me a demagogue.
-- Sande 0377 of TX
Pres. Obama made the derogatory comment about opponents of Amnesty during a trip to Mexico. He also offered a timeline for an Amnesty bill with legislation to be drafted this fall and a debate to begin after the first of the year. Senate Immigration Subcommittee Chair Chuck Schumer has said that he plans to unveil an outline, if not proposed legislation, shortly after Labor Day. Both Schumer and Obama have stated that increased enforcement would be a centerpiece of immigration reform, but it would also include Amnesty for the nation’s 12-20 million illegal aliens.
Some NumbersUSA members offered their analysis of the President’s comment.
It seems that the Obama team has taken a page right out of the Karl Rove playbook: If you cannot logically debate those who disagree with you, denigrate and dismiss them as "fill in the blank". Bush and Cheney labeled opponents of the Iraq war "un-patriotic" and un-American. And so now we're labeled as "demagogues".
-- Vince0041 of PA
He made many promises while campaigning for President. One of them was promising the illegal aliens, mostly coming from and through our southern border, that he was the one to bring amnesty to them. So as a USA Citizen, I will do my best to educate our dear president on the change I want, not his version.
-- Keith0126 of IL
The term demagogue is extremely unfair to the opponents of the administration’s immigration policies. This is so typical of the tactics used by our opponents. Because they have no valid arguments that they can use to support their own position, they immediately revert to argumentum ad hominem. …
Perhaps President Obama would reconsider his attitude towards the question of illegal migration if he were to receive 100,000 faxes from angry demagogues who would prefer dialogue over demonization.
-- Albert3441 of PA
Taking the cue from Albert3441 of PA, there are faxes on your Action Buffet to send to the White House responding to the President’s comment.
CHRIS CHMIELENSKI is the Website Content Manager for NumbersUSA