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How Pols Run Against Syrian Refugees

By Clarence Page, Tribune Content Agency on

America's refugee screening process is so tight -- only about half are accepted after a process that can take two years or more -- that it probably would be easier for the Islamic State to sneak a jihadi terrorist in by rowboat.

Yet that reality has not stopped some politicians from exploiting fears instead of calming them since the terror attacks in Paris.

Some even talk about suspending such inconveniences as, say, the Bill of Rights.

Yes, I'm talking about Donald Trump.

The billionaire, who has managed to offend his way to frontrunner status in the Republican presidential race, says the United States will have "absolutely no choice" but to close down some mosques where "some bad things are happening."

What bad things? The Donald does not say. Yet he is not about to let a simple lack of evidence stop him from frightening American voters.

 

"Nobody wants to say this and nobody wants to shut down religious institutions or anything, but you know, you understand it," he said Tuesday on Fox News' "Hannity."

With that, Trump bumped up the ante on his Monday remarks. In response to last Friday's terrorist attacks in Paris that killed at least 130 and injured hundreds more, Trump said on Monday that as president he would "strongly consider" closing mosques.

Why the shift, asked host Sean Hannity? "There's absolutely no choice," said Trump. "Some really bad things are happening and they're happening fast," he said.

Be afraid. Be very afraid. Not.

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(c) 2015 CLARENCE PAGE DISTRIBUTED BY TRIBUNE MEDIA SERVICES, INC.

 

 

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