Laffeys Wants Wall Between U.S. and Mexico

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Laffey Wants Wall between U.S. and Mexico (posted April 23, 2006)

Republican Senate candidate Stephen Laffey says he favors building a wall between the United States and Mexico in order to stop illegal immigration. Appearing on the WJAR-TV show "10 News Conference" with Bill Rappleye, the Cranston mayor described immigration as an issue "where the government in Washington is so far removed from what ordinary folks think." In addition, Laffey said it was time for the federal government to "enforce the law" regarding immigration.

When asked about Iraq, Laffey claimed "things are going better than the mass media would have you suspect." But he noted that as soon as the Iraqis can stand up for themselves, the U.S. should withdraw. America promised the Iraqi people that we would leave Iraq a better place, Laffey noted, and it is important to maintain that promise.

Rappleye asked Laffey whether his penchant for fighting with political opponents would make it difficult for him to be successful in Washington. The mayor responded by saying he had been very successful in Cranston working with other people. "We got a 20 percent co-pay" on health care with the Teamsters Union and pointedly noted that this was better than "the mickey mouse operations in Warwick and Providence" when it came to cost sharing with union employees.

Laffey described his personal philosophy saying he was "a conservative business person" who wanted to change things in Washington. His task what to "expose what is wrong [and] work harder than anyone else."

Laffey has signed a pledge to vote against any tax increase in Washington. "Tax cuts in place today are leading to massive economic development," he noted. He said it was time to stop increases in the federal government's "non-discretionary and non-military spending" in order to balance the budget by 2011.

State officials also came in for their share of criticism. Commenting on something he has noticed while driving around the area, Laffey said the state "needs to paint some of the bridges in Rhode Island so the rust doesn't show through."