I'm writing to introduce everyone to another Fighting Democrat: David Harris of Arlington, TX. I'm especially excited about his candidacy, as this is my district, currently represented by the ODIOUS
"Smokey" Joe Barton, a Tom Delay lackey.
I believe that the citizens of the 6th Congressional District deserve better than Smokey Joe, so when I heard that we had an Iraq War Veteran considering a run I had to jump on board.
I've pasted part of an ongoing interview into the extended text that Harris is conducting with the proprietor of the District Sixer blog. This interview is killer so far, and I can't wait until District Sixer posts the remainder of the questions.
First here are some basics. Harris's official website is
Follow Me To DC (it's set to launch shortly). The unofficial blog is the
District Sixer blog. There is also a MySpace profile for
Friends of David Harris for Congress. If you're on MySpace, get connected!
David Harris currently serves as a Stategic Planner in the US Forces Korea Support Unit. He's worn the uniform for 13 years and is currently a member of the US Army Reserves. He's 34 and has a lovely wife named Michelle. They have three children, Tristan (13), Zoe (12), and Emma (5). He lists Lance Armstrong, Geoff Tate, John Glenn, and General Wesley Clark as his heroes. He has a BS in Government (U of Central TX) and is currently working on his Masters in Logistics at UT-Arlington. His many commendations include 6 Army Acheivement Medals, 3 Army Commendation Medals, and a Bronze Star.
Now, onward to the interview. This part deals with National Security and Iraq:
District Sixer: Polls have shown that the number one issue on the minds of voters is the Iraq War. With this in mind...
When did you serve in Iraq and how long were your tours?
David Harris: My reserve unit was notified just following Thanksgiving 2002 and I left Arlington for Fort Hood in January 2003. From there I deployed to Kuwait just prior to the launch of Operation Enduring Freedom and moved into Iraq to stay at Tallil AFB for the duration of the year. I returned to Fort Hood in March 2004.
DS: What unit did you serve in and what were your primary responsibilities?
DH: I was in the 607th MP BN and I served as the S4, the Logistics officer.
DS: When will you receive your DD214?
DH: I have three of these. I received my third when I returned home from Iraq when I went back to reserve from active duty where I continue to serve my country.
DS: What life lessons did you learn in Iraq, and how did they influence your decision to run for Congress?
DH: It made me realize that too many members of Congress have no idea what's required for battle or what needs to be in place before sons and daughters of this nation are sent into harms way. I have always worked for other progressive candidates so this seemed a natural progression from my Iraq experience.
DS: What is the greatest challenge facing our military today, in your opinion?
DH: How a few individuals have managed to compromise the prestige and honor of our military in the eyes - not only of our country - but of the world. This administration has put every soldier at risk for generations by not adhering firmly to the Geneva Conventions.
DS: What is the greatest need our soldiers in Iraq have right now?
DH: An exit strategy and strong leadership not afraid to make the tough decisions necessary to facilitate that.
DS: What is the biggest threat to our security in your opinion?
DH: That we have taken our eyes so far off task since 9/11 that we can never get to where we should have been on 9/10 that year... We have potential terrorists in our own country because we don't stop them at the borders, crates that come in and out of our ports without being tracked, and we know exactly where our enemies are yet we run off to slay dragons in the opposite direction. And we can't trust our own intelligence community or the administration cronies that run them. Quite frankly, the abuse of the Patriot Act and ignoring the Geneva Conventions is equally disturbing and contributes directly to our utter insecurity here and abroad.
DS: How do you define "Victory in Iraq"? Is victory even possible?
DH: This is a question I have asked since I got there. Militarily, a victory exists after you have reached the endstate of a mission. Since the task, purpose, and endstate planning strategy was not followed post "Mission Accomplished", it will not be easy and it will not be a victory. Something will fall by the wayside as "expendable" and we will not build an American-style democracy in the Middle East, nor should we force them to.
DS: How did the release of the Abu Ghraib torture photos affect your day to day operations? What do you believe will be the long-term effect of such policies (ie, "torture") on the standing of the United States around the world? How do you personally feel about what occurred at Abu Ghraib?
DH: The photo release did not effect our day to day operations one bit. No training, no reminders, no Geneva Conventions briefing. What you should realize though, is that the photos were released after the first of the year. I was aware of the situation a full six months prior as the Army practiced their transfer and scapegoat process on Karpinski. At the time, it did not appear that there would have been any consequences levied against the soldiers involved and to this day, "prior contractors" have not been held accountable.
DS: What actions would you recommend to the administration in order to achieve victory or an honorable withdrawal in Iraq?
DH: There must be simultaneous military, diplomatic and political efforts to accomplish our departure from Iraq. This is precisely the reason that a true global coalition is necessary in these situations. We cannot accomplish this honorably alone.
DS: How would you work to strengthen the United Nations?
DH: Require the US to fully participate, pay dues, join in programs and solutions and show that being a strong leader means working with other leaders to facilitate the end result.
DS: Do you believe than any one nation should have "veto power" over UN resolutions? Why or why not?
DH: NO. This is the entire purpose of the Security Council, to balance the desires and determination of the super powers with the needs and goals of second tier countries.
DS: Do you support the Clinton-era plan which helped the former Soviet Union secure and catalogue their loose nukes, which has been basically defunded and deprioritised by the Bush administration?
DH: YES. With the active terrorist culture that now exists, its more important than ever to fully fund this program. John Kerry spoke to this point often during his campaign.
The second part of the interview dealth with Education issues:
District Sixer: You are on the UTA Faculty. What subjects do you teach, and how does your experience as an instructor factor into your decision to run for Congress?
David Harris: I teach Military Science. It really didn't effect my decision per se but I do feel an obligation to go to DC and fix the system that they are walking in to.
DS: What is your position on No Child Left Behind?
DH: I think NCLB borders on criminal.
DS: Are you aware of the "Sneak-n-Peek" provision in NCLB, and how do you feel about it? (Info on the SNP can be found at leavemychildalone.org)
DH: Not only do I know about it, I have been participating on panel discussions in the community to talk about recruiting abuses. Children have the right to make up their minds on their own and recruiters that target them and their families do the military a serious injustice. I have a hard time figuring out why more parents aren't speaking out about this issue.
DS: How do you feel about rising tuition rates at public universities? Do you have any ideas about how to keep college affordable?
DH: Its so sad because its becoming cost prohibitive to go to college. We should have a system that allows every student to get a college education, regardless of income level. This is where the lotto money should go, and allow everyone the ability to go and pay on a sliding scale at public universities.
DS: Do you support repealing Bush-era provisions which prevent students with misdemeanor drug convictions from receiving federal student aid in the form of loans or Pell Grants?
DH: I do support that because everyone deserves a chance to better themselves, and rise out of the system and poverty that cripples too many that have gone before.
Now THAT is a Dem I can get behind!
If this interview has given you some hope, please consider making a donation to Follow Me To DC. I have to add this obligatory plea for funds because the campaign finds itself in a unique situation. David has generated so much interest (national media, bloggers, even Washington!) that they want to file the papers and fees right away. The campaign is ready to begin the fight, now we have to back them up. You can make a donation via Paypal. Send it to FM2DC@aol.com.