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Gallegly's three opponents lay out positions in forum
Economy, Iraq, immigration are top issues
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Three candidates vying for Elton Gallegly's job in the U.S. House of Representatives laid out their positions on hot-button issues ranging from the Iraq war to immigration and got in occasional jabs at the 20-year incumbent, who did not attend the political forum at California Lutheran University on Tuesday night.
The forum was sponsored by The California Association of Political Centrists, the university, The Star and the Gold Coast Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.
Moderator was Greg Freeland, chairman of CLU's Political Science Department. The evening focused on the candidates running for the 24th Congressional District, which includes inland Santa Barbara County and Ventura County, except the coastal areas of Ventura and Oxnard.
Gallegly will face Republican challenger Michael Tenenbaum of Thousand Oaks in the June 3 primary. Tenenbaum unsuccessfully ran against him in 2006.
The two Democrats who will face off in the primary for a chance to run in the November election are Jill Martinez of Oxnard and Mary Pallant of Oak Park.
"This election presents a rare choice," Tenenbaum said in opening remarks. "For 16 years, there has been one choice on the ballot. We have a choice now, and I think the choice is clear."
Pallant, who ran briefly in the 2006 primary before dropping out of the race, told the audience of about 40 that she was proud to be a progressive Democrat and was the strongest candidate to "help him (Gallegly) retire and spend time with his grandkids."
Martinez, an affordable-housing consultant who unsuccessfully ran against Gallegly in 2006, said she would bring experience in drawing people of diverse backgrounds together to arrive at solutions.
Gallegly was represented by Ventura County District Attorney Greg Totten, who said the congressman was in Washington, D.C., working for his community. Totten called Gallegly a tireless worker.
"Elton has never been one to engage in self-promotion," Totten said. "He is a workhorse, not a show horse."
On the issue of the war, all three candidates said the United States will likely have a long presence in Iraq, though they differed on whether that presence would or should be the military.
Martinez said that she supported phasing down the presence of troops and that rebuilding would become the work of many people, not just those with guns.
Troops are stationed all over the world, and for stability, it would make sense that troops are stationed in the Middle East, Tenenbaum said. The decision of a military presence should be made by Congress, he added.
Pallant, whose platform is primarily centered on ending the war, called the current situation the "worst foreign policy debacle in the U.S." She said that withdrawal of the troops should begin immediately and that the United States should "engage surrounding countries" and "not look at it as a military solution but a diplomatic and policy issue."
All three agreed that U.S. borders need to be secured as a step in dealing with illegal immigration; it was the issue of the economy that drew the most divergent answers.
Tenenbaum advocated for President Bush's tax cuts to be made permanent so that businesses can work in a stable environment. He also said government spending needs to be reduced.
Pallant argued that moving jobs offshore has hurt the economy and led to a loss of self-sufficiency and that the war has contributed to the country's debt.
Martinez advocated for infusing money at both the "top" and the "bottom" to stimulate the economy through entrepreneurship and opportunity.
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Posted by Jurnei on May 7, 2008 at 10:06 a.m. (Suggest removal)
"Troops are stationed all over the world, and for stability, it would make sense that troops are stationed in the Middle East, Tenenbaum said. The decision of a military presence should be made by Congress, he (Tenenbaum)added.
First of all, station troops there just because? This was an unprovoked invasion and now occupation. This is a war crime in the eyes of the rest of the world. We need troops there to protect the oil? What happened to solar energy? Why don't we put our money into research for more efficient solar energy storage systems?
Secondly,"Congress make the decision"? Let's not forget that the members of Congress are elected officials, as are the president/vice president. It is time our elected officials listen to the folks that elected them, that is if they want to be elected again. I'm quite tired of this paternal viewpoint that they know what is best for the country. Clearly the last seven years has seen the worst foreign and domestic policy decisions of our nation.
With even Cheney admitting the reason for invasion was oil, isn't Tenenbaum aligning himself with the Bush administration with this type of rhetoric? This jargon just seems more Republican rubber stamping to me. The only folks that are gaining are the oil companies and the defense industry while the rest of us pay off the nation's debt with other countries. Thanks to George Bush, something our children and grandchildren will be doing too.
Privatize social security? Do we save for that after we pay for gas to get to work? What's left? And why would we need to "create a stable environment for business" by cutting taxes? Can the public point to one corporation that has our best interests in mind? Have a discussion with any Mom and Pop shop that was went out of business and out of work when Walmart and Home Depot moved into town. Start writing your thank you card while you navigate the voice menu systems of Verizon, AT&T, Microsoft and all the other corporations that have us by the throat. Stable environment? What happened to the Anti-Trust laws?
The war in Iraq was wrong and it has led to our economic ruin. McCain clearly wants more war and openly admits he knows nothing about the economy. Seems Tenenbaum wants to get on board that train too.
It's time for completely new leadership and a completely new direction before it's too late. We need to change what's happening in Washington, but we need to start that change with the folks we elect locally. I don't think we need another rubber stamping Republican representing the 24th district. Gallegly clearly has to go, but certainly replacing him with Tenenbaum doesn't change a thing as can be seen by his comments.
Posted by skeptic1968 on May 7, 2008 at 6:35 p.m. (Suggest removal)
One of the more interesting moments of the evening passed by many. It occurred when Michael Tenenbaum, the high school valedictorian, UCLA economics major, and Harvard Law School grad declared that medical doctors providing plastic surgery to women WERE UNREGULATED and an example of the benefits of an unregulated free market.
UCLA should revoke his undergrad economics degree as Harvard should his law degree. Medical doctors are some of the most highly regulated actors in our society. It's a shame that an claimed economic expert and self-described business attorney would ignore what almost everyone knows, but it does reveal something about Mr. Tenenbaum and his prejudices.
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