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Texas Gov. Rick Perry said Wednesday that he erred in last week's presidential debate, when he said that opponents of in-state college tuition for the children of illegal immigrants were heartless.
Perry said it was "inappropriate" for him to make the comment, on which other Republican presidential candidates -- especially former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney -- have seized.
"I probably chose a poor word to explain that. For people who don't want their state to be giving tuition to illegal aliens, illegal immigrants in this country, that's their call; I respect that," Perry told the conservative magazine Newsmax in an interview posted online Thursday. "I was probably a bit over-passionate by using that word and it was inappropriate."
The interview seeks to temper the fallout from last Thursday's debate in Florida, when he defended in stark terms the legislation he'd approved as governor that granted in-state college tuition to the children of illegal immigrants.
"[I]f you say that we should not educate children who have come into our state for no other reason than they've been brought there by no fault of their own, I don't think you have a heart. We need to be educating these children, because they will become a drag on our society," Perry said.
Romney, the other front-running candidate for the GOP presidential candidate, has used that line as a cudgel against Perry since the debate.
"I fundamentally believe that it doesn’t make a lot of sense for American taxpayers to pay for the college education of illegal aliens particularly at a time when American taxpayers are having a hard time financing education for their own children," Romney said Tuesday on conservative talk radio.
Perry didn't back off his support for the underlying decision to support the in-state tuition for the children of illegal immigrants. Ironically, Perry defended it on the same terms Romney has explained his state's healthcare plan; Perry said it was "a state's sovereign right" to decide how best to deal with issues of benefits for illegal immigrants.
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NO ILLEGALS!!!! Ship them all home. No tax moneys to help them. We don't need dirty illegal brownbacks here. pRick Perry loves illegal brownbacks and wants to give Texas back to Mexico. He'll sell the white house to the biggest checkbook. pRick Perry is a first class lying POS!
Let's hear it for illegal immigrants getting a college education!!!
It's a smart plan and if you don't live in Texas it's really none of your business.
Wait a minute Buck. When Perry takes 24 Billion dollars of federal funds to pay off our Texas state debts, that also includes the millions that went to educate illegals which, therefore, should be a concern of all Americans!
And, besides benefiting people with surnames like yours, what is so smart about this plan? Ah, you gave me an idea. Perry should set up a special tax for people who love illegals and want to pay to educate criminals!
No, I disagree. If a state takes the federal money it's up to the state to do what they want with that money and it's nobody's concern but the people who live in that state.
It would be like me complaining about what Ohio does with federal funds. I don't live in Ohio so it's not my concern. If you open that box of worms, all hell would break loose.
As for my surname, sorry, it's only a screen name, taken from a character in a short story.
But if it were my real name it wouldn't make a bit of difference. My family has been in this country a very long time and members have fought in more than a few years. Perhaps you need to think a bit more before you speak.
I know a man in Colorado with a Spanish surname whose family arrived on this continent before Lewis and Clark took that little walk to Pacific Ocean.
Keep it up PR. It's racist comments like yours' that continue to discredit the idot conservatives that are fueling this debate.
Gov. Perry reminds me of a diagram I remember from biology about how a paramecium acts when it runs into a barrier. It moves back, then forward from a slightly different angle, and keeps on doing that until it finally passes the barrier. If he has questions about evolution, then maybe he needs to reconsider where his behavior may have come from so that he at least has some chance to evolve as a being.
The whole republican party needs to evolve. These teabaggers are telling us straight up, that if they win anything they are going to make everything they don't like, illegal. They are already putting the @!$%#s to us in republican controlled states on voting rights women's rights union rights. They don't care what the majority thinks. They are going to be a a pain in the ass.
This is the problem of immigration. This can be solved and the immigrants made to remain in the USA since they work for the betterment and upliftment of the USA economy. Just as India has Signed OR is on the Process of Signing Bilateral Agreements for Trade and Employment and Services agreements with countries of the Latin America, USA, Canada, European Union, Eastern Europe, Russia, Africa, East Asia, South East Asia, Australia, New Zealand, other countries of Asia and the World With the Ultimate Aim of Immigrating and Settling in these Countries SO ALSO the USA can also make Bilateral Agreements on Trade and Employment and Services Agreement with countries of Latin America, Central America, Mexico, Canada and Africa since these countries are close to the USA. Moreover these countries have Huge Natural Resources which can be made useful for the industries in the USA. The USA can import Labour from Latin America, Central America, Mexico, Canada and Africa and give them a chance to immigrate and settle down in the USA working in USA's Industries which will prop up the USA economy and well as prop up the economies of the countries of the Latin America, Central America, Mexico, Canada and Africa due to the trade relations. It will be an integration of the American and African Union since the countries are Situated Very Close to the USA. In this way all the people from Latin America, Central America, Mexico, Canada and Africa can go to the USA legally and there will be no Problem of Immigration. GOD BLESS AMERICA.
Kevin Valentine Moraes
Mira Road (Thane)
He is not going to get my vote, if he's nominated. He thinks they should get in state tuition? He is as bad as "Amnesty" Obama.
"Amnesty" Obama. Good one.
The only president ever to grant amnesty to illegal immigrants was Ronald Reagan.
Gary, Is that 751680 the amount of days you've gone without reading? Wow! Sounds like a true Republiclone to me. If you don't read it, you don't have to believe what others say about it, right Gary? Way to go Bubba!
Unfortunately, Ronnie Raygun gave amnesty to 2.5 million illegal aliens who were then allowed to bring over 13 million of their illegal relatives here to suck off our land and overcrowd our: hospitals, prisons, schools, public housing, and go on welfare and food stamps.
And as far as "Amnesty" Obama is concerned. He has deported nearly as many illegal aliens during his past 30 months as your Lord Bush did during his entire eight years. Dream on Bubba, and try reading a little more!
Flip-flop........Perry's done (Never call your heartless base heartless)........he doesn't have a prayer..........Roll in the fat man from New Jersey.......
New Jersey's Jabba the Hut is the next front running Carney Barker.........
This pointless fighting is exactly what the enemies of a true democracy want to see. The media wants to make every issue black and white because the drama makes for good ratings. It makes it very difficult to rationally discuss issues. We as Americans are on the same team. I don't think any of the masses commenting on Newsvine actually want to see America's decline. I see very little actual debate. The majority of the comments seem nothing more than a way for insecure people to demonstrate their superiority to others. If we keep this up, nothing will ever change.
Wrong thread or not!!!!
obama has two days to guarantee green loans
OMSNBC will tell you that obama is prepared to give Tonopha solor 737 million;
and that it is a NEVADA corporation.
They aren't telling that PCG investment is a partner and;
Nancy Pelosi's brorher-in-Law Ron Pelosi is the number 2 man at PCG
this will create 600 construction jobs and 45 permanent jobs!!!!!
Yes obama we see how much you care about the U.S.A..
test
I give Perry credit for saying what is truly in his heart. In today's politics we all simply accept the fact that they lie to us on a regular basis (this goes for BOTH parties) so Perry stating what he truly believes in is unusual for politicians. However, Perry has simply confirmed to me, and many other conservatives, that he is NOT a true conservative and he has lost my vote and many others. I would be surprised if he could make it through this primary and actually get the nomination.
No he is not a "conservative" with a capital "C".
He was always a "Moderate", a squishy wishy-washy moderate.
Many politicans call themselves "conservative" when trying to win the parties primary, it's up to us to pay attention as to who really is conservative and who isn't.
i have a question - why does a sitting governer enter a presidential race ( he cant possibly win ) while the people of his state are literally facing the end of their lives as they know it - are you freakin kiddding me - how many terms have they put this guy in charge and just when they need leadership and when they are facing the biggest natural disaster anyone has seen down there - he jumps ship - day after day you hear, read horror stories how the heat , drought , wildfires are destroying thousands of lives daily - and he is going to save us all - i do not know if i want someone running the whole country when he cant possbly know the meaning of the word loyalty - - next debate someone should ask that question - mr perry - there is nothing left of your beloved state - what are you going to do about it ... besides deny climate change had anything to do with it
This guy changes his position more than any candidate I have ever seen . Which ever way the wind blows he's there . Some times he can't remember if he's a dem or rep .
That's the description of a "moderate". Not here; not there....just wishy-washy.
All that has ever been disliked about any Republican has ALWAYS been due to the descisions of "moderates".
Never a true "Conservative".
Perry is now for illegals not getting in state tuition before he was for illegal aliens to get in state tuition .... he is acting like Romney in his own words... or is it vomit???
This past week, it seems like Mitt & Slick Rick have switched bodies, doesn't it?
Flip flop disease within the neo-nuts.
When will those calling themselves GOP learn that REAL GOPers don't approve of giving special treatment to law breakers? We hold the law in high regard and expect everyone to follow it, not pick and choose which law to follow and which one not to follow.
Willing Sniper, your chest-thumping title speaks for itself. Conservatives only respect the law when it benefits them or their immediately family (sometimes this is an exception as well). Tell me, how does the Healthcare Reform Act sit with you? That's what I thought. By the way, it's law now. You need to hold it in high regard and follow it!
Spoken by a fool. A fool with no regard to the law, and no regard for the freedom our founding fathers stood for.
Obama and the Dumocrats have chosen, at their peril, to ignore the will of the people and enact the economy-wrecking ObamaCare with one-party rule, bribing unprincipled Dumocrats with sleazy deals.
And using the law, we elected a Republican majority to counter act and reverse the destructive Obama agenda.
It's heartless to allow citizens to pay the bill for illegal immigrants to get schooled, not only there but in this country in general.
Herman Cain 2012!
I would rather see these children standing on their own two feet and not getting government assistance.the thing that is disturbing is I still think they should not be grandfathered in to our united states as a citizen becasue they were born here..They should all go thru the same channels as our ancestors did and get their citizenship the old fashioned way...immigrants that do this are more genuine .
"For people who don't want their state to be giving tuition to illegal aliens, illegal immigrants in this country, that's their call; I respect that,"
Are you serious? It says ILLEGAL ALIENS in the name! Why would we give ILLEGAL people in- state tuition? How does this work? What is our country coming to where we allow illegal people to come into our county ILLEGALLY and have cheaper tuition than legal citizens? Blows my mind.
The states are not sovereign. This issue was settled between 1861-65, and it had no constitutional legitimacy before that. Nothing the Rick Perry says can alter this.
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