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Former congressman sounds off on credit downgrade fears for the US and former Secretary of State Colin Powell's comments on GOP
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To former secretary of state Colin Powell he is Republican and now he is slamming his fellow Republicans.
Accusing the Republican party of looking down on minorities.
I think the Republican Party right now is having an identity problem there is -- significant shift to the right.
And we have seen what that shift has produced two losing presidential.
Campaigns the country's changing demographically.
And if -- Republican Party does not change along with that demographic -- going to be in trouble there's also a dark.
It darker -- of intolerance in some parts of the party what I mean by that.
I mean by that is they still sort of look down.
On minorities.
Former congressman Alan west -- I just -- -- Good evening Greta are you doing.
I'm -- and as you might imagine when that former secretary of state Colin Powell talked about the -- fate of intolerance -- partisan Republican Party.
Still sort of look down on minorities said that has seized the attention of many and I wonder your reaction to that.
Well I of course I have to disagree with general Powell's remarks.
I'm not gonna get involved with some type a circular firing squad.
But I think of those of -- that are African American that are conservatives and himself he can recall -- the attacks that he received when he was secretary of state and exactly same thing that I've received Tim Scott the senator from South Carolina.
-- -- love who was a congressional candidate.
So we have seen a lot of attacks that have come from the left against.
Black conservatives and seems to be the best say a very interest staying -- target of opportunity -- the left seems to feel that they have.
And they continue to go back there are so there's a bit of a hypocrisy and a bit of -- irrelevance in the statement of general Powell made.
So MR MIA in December clears that his statement and he says that the Republican Party is essentially guilty of those things are you saying that it is the that it's hypocritical -- -- since the liberals -- the left hand side of the political spectrum that is doing this or are both parties sometimes look down on minorities.
Well I can tell you this from personal experience when you have people who run ads against you calling you a war criminal.
Or you have a whisper campaign by left leaning groups such as Credo fact.
Accusing me of spousal abuse or you see some of the other -- overrun as far as me punching.
Older white women that would be something that if there was ever done -- Republicans it would be absolutely not tolerated.
But yet you're allowed to do that to black conservatives so I think that general Powell -- -- to -- -- a very generalized statement like that.
I've never been looked down upon them the Republican Party I never felt Menem allows a marginalized by and -- fellow Republicans.
Hedge bet and are you surprised that the general Pollock did this said that demand did does that surprise -- and you know he -- if people think Gomez as Republican he has endorsed President Obama on two occasions 08 and then recently twelfth.
Many people think that he has now moved to the Democratic Party -- to the left.
Is this -- -- in -- any thoughts on whether or not that this is.
So that an indication that he is leaving the party or is this offense and do Dicky thinks of this is a fair criticism.
Well the motivations.
General Powell you'd have to ask him about that.
I cannot speak to the mindset of why he was say some of these things when I think about the principles of constitutional conservatism.
I don't think that's moved to the far right I think it has been proven in the history of this country.
That limited government fiscal responsibility.
Individual sovereignty the free marketplace of ideas and a strong national defense.
Or best for America and ensures that our future generations have all the opportunities of previous generations.
We shift to outfit set warning that it may downgrade.
Credit had the American credit if we debt the debt ceiling isn't raised your thought on that.
Well it's so important that we get this debt situation on the control and I think that once again when you consider what we're doing to our future generations.
In our children our grandchildren.
-- -- who have 53000 dollars in debt upon them.
Were eroding their possibilities and opportunities in this -- society.
So update with we have to have -- from Washington DC is the seriousness.
To look at the true problem which is a spending problem.
But there are mandatory -- -- programs but we have to stop the exorbitant amount of spending we have to say finally we're going to stop this debt.
And we're gonna get serious and I think Fitch is very appropriate and saying that if they don't see a -- -- -- curtailing of the spending.
Then they're going to downgrade us.
Well to keep our eye and that's because my eyes -- on the said the steps only know these -- wash --
