[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 177 (Tuesday, December 8, 2015)]
[Senate]
[Page S8446]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    PLATFORM OF THE REPUBLICAN PARTY

  Mr. REID. Mr. President, Donald Trump is standing on the platform of 
hate--I am sorry to say hate that the Republican Party has built for 
him.
  It was just last week that I came to the floor of the Senate and said 
the Republican Party is running on a platform of hate. Yesterday Donald 
Trump provided the strongest evidence yet that it is true. Trump's 
proposal to bar Muslims from entering this country is hateful, 
despicable, and really vile. We are a country founded on religious 
liberty, not a country that imposes religious tests. Trump's statement 
is a slap in the face to the millions of peace-loving Muslims living 
here and to those who want to travel and live here. We welcome them 
all, and to them I say: Donald Trump is not America.
  Sadly, however, Donald Trump has become the Republican Party, because 
it is just not him--many of the leading candidates for the Republican 
nomination have said the same hateful things, especially about Muslims. 
Jeb Bush and Ted Cruz proposed religious tests for refugees. You can't 
condemn Trump when you want to impose a religious test on women and 
children fleeing death and persecution. Ben Carson has called Muslims 
``rabid dogs.'' Chris Christie said they should be tracked.
  Today, Donald Trump offered the only true statement he has made for 
some time, referring to some of his fellow Republicans, those running 
against him for President. He said:

       They have been condemning almost everything I say and then 
     they come to my side.

  That is disturbing, but it is true. Republican candidates condemn 
Trump's remarks and then adopt his racist policies as their own.
  We shouldn't try to fool ourselves: This sort of racism has been 
prevalent in Republican politics for decades. Trump is just saying out 
loud what other Republicans merely suggest.
  Political leaders must condemn these hateful, un-American statements 
with their words and their actions. Silence only empowers bigots.

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