Today the newspaper for the last Republican holdout region in Arkansas ran a interview with a one Bernard Skochs, a Fiscal Conservative challenging the long Neo-con Congressman, and one of Bush's main allies in the house, John Boozman, to a primary.
This division in the Republican party gives the Democratic Party a chance to run a candidate practically unopposed during the Primary Period, giving us a head start, and possibly a chance of winning this highly red district...
The interview ran today
FAYETTEVILLE — On Monday I spoke with Bernard Skoch of Elkins, a retired brigadier general who announced last week that hewill be a Republican candidate for Arkansas’ 3rd District congressional seat - a post held by U.S. Rep. John Boozman. Skoch’s entrance into the May primary makes him the first primary challenger Boozman has faced during his five terms in Congress.
This marks a historic chance for us to make Arkansas Completely Blue, and the Northwest Area of Arkansas, being home to Tyson, Wal-Mart, and several other large corporation presents a historic battleground area. We will need to fight for the hearts and minds of the people working for the Corporations.
There is bad blood it seems between Fiscal Conservatives and Boozman, Bernard went on to criticize strongly Boozman.
Why is John Boozman bad at his job?
"We shouldn’t be forced to choose between bad and good. But I do think his voting record on fiscal responsibility is weak. He voted to increase the national debt to over $11 trillion. When I asked him in person why he did that, his answer was a question, and it was: ‘What would you have had me do? Shut down the government?’ And my answer was: ‘You know and I know the essential functions of government would have continued.’ But we do need to shut down nonessential functions and have a national discussion of why our national debt is increased year in and year out.
"The Taxpayers Union awarded 44 legislators with a grade of A for being financially responsible. He didn’t get an A. He didn’t get a B. He got a score of 53, which earned him a C. That’s not being a fiscal conservative in my book. In addition, he voted for northeast rail improvements in the northeast corridor, spending federal money. I have a hard time understanding how that helps the voters in Northwest Arkansas
Now this is also a dangerous thing, for if this man were to get elected, his views on Illegal Immigration are far beyond the crazy norm. Boozman, elected in a district with a huge latino community (nearly 35%) has a very moderate stance. His challengers stance is otherwise, very outside the norm.
What are your thoughts on illegal immigration?
"If someone is here illegally, they need to be expeditiously returned to their countries of origin. I think it’s unfeeling to have an economy in which American workers are being displaced from employment by people here illegally. I would also offer that we need strict penalties for companies that hire people who are here illegally.
"I think penalties need to include two components. First, they need to be fined far more than the economic advantage that they gained in lower labor costs from hiring people who are here illegally. Second, there need to be punitive fines to discourage repeat behavior. We need to be very careful that we don’t punish businesses that had no way of knowing [the truth] or did exercise due diligence in determining credentials."