This is the first of what I hope will be a series of diaries on Daily Kos, based on online question and answer with Democratic Congressional candidates. Inspired by the Sunday Kos diary by Mark Sumner (Devilstower), I've taken the step of contacting Democratic candidates and asking for an online interview.
The first to respond (and honestly, the first I asked) was Ben Leming, a candidate with whom I've become familiar not only because of his name, but because I had lunch with his mother. This was at a time before Leming was actually permitted to campaign, due to the fact that he was in active military service until May 1st, and active military are not permitted to engage in electioneering or partisan politics.
The full Q&A is available below the fold.
Before I post the full transcript, I just want to note that Ben Leming was the first of the three candidates to respond to a request for interview, and was the first to provide a full response to questions. I have also been in touch with Brett Carter and "tea party Democrat" George Erdel, who are running against Leming for the Democratic nomination. The primary election is this Thursday, August 5th, so time is short. Carter has responded with a partial set of answers to a Q&A, and Erdel has called and emailed to indicate that he is also interested in providing more information for Kossacks. At the time of publishing this diary, both candidates had not responded to requests for further information. If and when I receive those updates, I will happily post them as updates to this diary. (It should be noted that each candidate received a different set of questions, based on their campaign platforms, their websites and campaign ads, and other news stories about each candidate.)
The following are unedited responses to the Q&A, which was conducted by email.
Interview Transcript with Ben Leming
Benintn: Recently, the 6th District in Tennessee has received a fair amount of attention because of some protests by groups in Murfreesboro opposed to the construction of a mosque in the community. Your response caught the attention of progressives and even led to a highly-recommended diary on Daily Kos. Why did you decide this was an issue worth addressing?
Ben Leming: I addressed the issue of the Mosque because it required someone to speak up for what was and is right. In all honesty, the answer to this first question can be found in my two pieces. The bottom line: it was and is the right thing to do. I believe in the Constitution and freedom of religion. I swore an oath to support and defend the Constitution in the Marine Corps and I will continue to fight for it in Congress.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/...
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/...
Benintn: For those who are unfamiliar with District 6 in Tennessee, can you explain some of the recent history and describe the demographics in the district?
Ben Leming: The 6th District has existed in its present form since the early 80’s when Al Gore, Jr. held the seat. When Al Gore ran for U.S. Senate, he was succeeded by Bart Gordon who has held the seat for the last 25 years. It has been a traditionally Democratic district extending back to the days of Andrew Jackson.
For further info, check out:
http://en.wikipedia.org/...
Benintn: One of the Republicans challenging you - State Senator Diane Black - is running on a platform to "Repeal Obamacare". Do you think the new healthcare law passed by Congress is constitutional?
Ben Leming: The idea of repealing recent health insurance reform is a waste of taxpayer time and money. The debate to pass the legislation took over a year to pass and was in the Congress’ constitutional authority to do so (Commerce Clause). For political leverage and some populist sentiment, some folks are cheerleading an empty promise to attempt to repeal the legislation. That would not only require several months to over a year of debate on an issue that is settled while millions of Americans are hurting and looking for Congress to address issues concerning jobs and the economy, it would also require those lawmakers to turn to millions of Americans and tell them they are on their own against insurance companies that will deny them and possibly their children good medical care. As one of those families, I would want Diane Black to look my children in the eyes and tell them she wants to deny their mother access to medical care.
Perhaps, we can find common ground by looking to improve health care legislation. The issue that those running for public office should be addressing is how do we bring down health care costs. Even if people have insurance, the costs will continue to go up.
Benintn: If there was one part of the new healthcare law you could improve upon, what would it be? What changes would you like to make to improve our nation's healthcare system?
Ben Leming: How do we bring the cost of health care down? My mother is a hospital administrator at a leading national hospital where she works as a quality improvement specialist. Part of her job is to figure out ways to bring those costs down and at the same time provide high quality health care. She says that one of the easiest solutions and most cost effective is reduction of waste in the medical community. We can reduce waste through accountability and take advantage of technology that will allow doctors to see the medical history of patients to avoid redundancy of treatments as well as prevent allergic reactions, etc. Also, hospitals need to look for and promote best practices- create "standard operating procedures" based on what works best, and how.
We must not be afraid to continue to address the issue of health care in America because it is a tough one. We must have the courage and fortitude to take on the challenge and continue to address the problem for all our sakes. Let’s ensure that every American has good basic health care.
Benintn: Financial Regulatory Reform was recently signed into law by President Obama, over the objections of almost every Republican in Congress. Where do you stand on this issue? Would you have voted yes on the financial regulation in the House?
Ben Leming: I have stated that I am for Financial Regulation and, yes, I would have voted for the bill. For far too long, we have allowed companies and banks to run amok with no oversight, consolidating too much power and wealth in the hands of very few, and taking advantage of customers. The revolving door between Wall Street and Washington must be closed and their lobbyists muzzled. I will fight to ensure that we never get ourselves in that kind of situation again where businesses and banks privatize the profits and then socialize the risk. It’s just wrong.
Benintn: What do you think should be done to bring our record deficits under control and restore fiscal sanity to Washington?
Ben Leming: Let’s make one thing perfectly clear. Under the Clinton administration, we had record surpluses. When Bush took office, he and the Republicans put us in massive debt. The leading causes were tax cuts for the richest Americans, the two unfunded wars, and a boom in government growth. They brought the economy to its knees. The current administration not only had to stop the economic freefall and job loss but then turn it around, which it has done. There is economic progress and job growth.
I absolutely believe that we must get back to pay-go but we must first ensure that the economy is stable and on the road to recovery. It will require patience and a long-term approach. That begins by putting people back to work. A smart, effective jobs plan is a must to get small businesses hiring again, put folks back to work, build everyone’s confidence, and rebuild America. That must be the priority. Secondly, allow the Bush tax cuts to expire. Thirdly, bring the wars to a responsible end. Also, we must ask the different departments to look for budget cuts and have Congress make those cuts (unlike when DoD pointed out programs to be cut but Congress wouldn’t allow them).
Let’s learn from history and not make the mistake of putting ourselves back in the hole in the pursuit of economic austerity during the worst economic time since the Great Depression. The Republican agenda of the last administration made us economically unhealthy to the point of a massive heart attack. We know that we must begin to lead a healthy lifestyle but the day to start running 10 miles at top speed is not the day after open-heart surgery. We need time to recover and then work hard to get back in shape.
Benintn: State Senator Jim Tracy has been campaigning for Congress on a "Cut Taxes, Cut Deficits" platform, which would also require massive spending cuts. What will you do to hold your Republican challengers accountable to walk the walk on matters of budget and spending?
Ben Leming: I would first ask them that if they truly believe in making the hard decisions and sacrifices to make us economically healthy again, why won’t they allow the Bush tax cuts to expire for the wealthiest Americans. Many economists will agree that one of the simplest and most effective steps towards long-term economic stability with minor impact on the citizens is to allow the tax cuts to expire.
Benintn: Why is there so much antagonism and fear related to immigration in your district? With the rhetoric turned up so high, what will you do to protect the rights of all Americans and to address the major concerns about illegal immigation in your district?
Ben Leming: Immigration must be addressed. I believe that the law is the law and what’s fair is fair. However, the Arizona Law is not the answer. One of the simplest steps towards addressing the problem would be to cut off the reason that the majority come and that’s jobs. We already have laws in place that are not enforced. Enforce the law. Hold businesses that hire undocumented workers accountable. The days of employers making a profit off of cheap labor and at times inhumane practices should be over. Second, make the guest worker program easier to use for the employer and immigrant. That way the employer can avoid legal action, and the immigrant is accounted for and pays into the system in which they may receive benefits.
I don’t believe that amnesty is the answer. After all there are many legal immigrants that have obeyed the law and waited patiently. For those undocumented, let’s figure out ways for them to work towards citizenship, i.e. military service, civil service, etc. Become a citizen by defending, serving, or rebuilding America.
We must be sure to separate the overwhelming majority of immigrants and their families that are here to work from those participating in criminal activity and the drug trade. The criminals must be dealt with firmly and swiftly. The drug trade is an issue that also must be addressed.
Benintn: You have repeatedly said that your approach is "Mission First, Politics Last". But fulfilling your mission to represent the people of the 6th district will require you to make some smart political decisions. Can you explain what you mean by "Mission First"?
Ben Leming: What do I mean by "mission first"?
http://www.benleming.com/...
Benintn: Obviously, as a military family, you and your wife Sarah care deeply about veterans affairs. What are your top concerns regarding our military families and what will you do as a member of Congress to address those concerns?
Ben Leming: Having dealt with my wife’s cancer, known Marines that have combat related injuries, and spoken to many veterans, it is apparent that we have a long way to go to "support our troops" in the long run. Supporting our troops means ensuring their long term care for the sacrifices they have made for this country. Our VA system is not prepared for the influx of wounded warriors that the last nine years has produced as well as the older veterans who continue to use those services. Also, some service members fall through the cracks and are denied treatment like those with PTSD, traumatic brain injury, exposure to agent orange, etc. There is a price to war that those brave men and women paid. Now we must provide for them. It is our solemn duty.
Also, service members aren’t the only ones who sacrifice for their country. Families carry that flag as well during the proud moments, the lonely ones, and the moments of suffering and sorrow. They need help as well. They truly support our troops and we must support them.
Benintn: What has your military experience taught you about public service?
Ben Leming: Being a Marine taught me that service is not about money or glory. It taught me that service is about sacrifice. It’s about being apart of something larger than me, helping the greater good, and doing the right thing because it is the right thing to do.
Benintn: You were unable to campaign until May 1st, which puts you at a tremendous disadvantage both in terms of fundraising and name recognition. On the other side of the race, three Republicans have each raised over $600,000 each already, and are running television ads and a full-scale media operation. What do you need to overcome this disadvantage and how will you make it happen?
Ben Leming: Right now, the three Republicans are spending a lot of that money they’ve raised to tear each other apart. Not to mention, much of that money is cash from their own personal wealth. So once the primary is over, the Republican candidate, like me, will have to raise funds again.
I think this current primary is very positive for me. Conventional wisdom told everyone (and then they told me countless times) that coming in so late with no name recognition, I wasn’t supposed to be able to raise any money, but I did. Also, even though I didn’t raise as much as my closest competitor and the three leading Republicans, I have managed to go nearly pound for pound on every front. I have managed to run an efficient mail campaign, run TV commercials, mount a highly effective online campaign, make radio spots and interviews, run many times in the press, telephone, door knocking, and running tirelessly from one end of this district to the next. And at every turn, I have been told that I’m fighting up hill. Well, of course I am! But that’s no reason to lie down and quit. The only way to take the hill is to charge up it. And that’s what I will continue to do in the general. Cause I assure you, no one will work longer and harder than me!
Benintn: You've been touring the district talking about job creation. What is your jobs plan for the 6th District, and who is advising your campaign on how to bring more jobs and economic opportunities to the region?
Ben Leming: My plan for America’s economic prosperity and future can be found here.
To help me in this endeavor, I enlisted the help of professors, economists, teachers, and small business owners from right here in Middle Tennessee.
Benintn: The Daily Kos community exists to elect more and better Democrats. You are running as a Democrat in this election. What can Kossacks do to help you get elected, and why should they bother working for you?
Ben Leming: You can help by spreading the good word about me. I not only want to show Tennesseans that a proud Democrat can run, win, and be good for TN (like they always have been), but I want the rest of the country to see that Democrats can be strong. We can be fighters. I will show folks that a Democrat can be strong, brave, compassionate, thoughtful, and intelligent. I will show that an elected official can embody honor, integrity, courage, and sacrifice. I will work hard and tirelessly to make you proud and do the right thing even when it is unpopular to do so. I ask that you fight with me because I will fight for you in Washington. And even if you choose not to fight with me, I’ll still fight for you because that’s what I’ve done for the last 15 years and there’s no reason I’ll stop now. So join me, let’s take the hill and put the mission first in Washington!