a patriot's weapon of choice

How I learned that not all old white men are evil

Last night, Howard Coble spoke to the UNCG College Republicans. And all I really have to say about it is, I have a new favorite congressman.

I'm usually not a big fan of people who get elected year after year after year, because it usually means they're getting elected simply because their name is so well known. With this thinking, I never gave Coble a chance; never bothered to find out where he stood, or even why he is so popular in Greensboro. Besides, it's not like he's my congressman, so why waste my time? Just another old, white, male, habitual politician.

I guess last night I learned not to judge a book by its cover. When Howard Coble entered the room, he went up to every single person, shook their hand, and asked what high school they attended. He then proceeded to tell each of us what our high school mascot was. I was so sure he HAD to get one person's wrong, even to the point where, when he told me I was a "cougar", and defiantly responded, "Nope!... oh wait... yeah, I am..."

Okay, sure, I had heard he was charismatic. But when he got to the front of the room and announced that most Republicans didn't like his stance on a lot of issues (and furthermore, he didn't care), I refused to believe it. There is no way, I told myself, that a North Carolina Republican would have gotten re-elected so many times by NOT following the party lines.

He began his speech by laying out what voters had informed him were the most important issues in this year's midterm elections: Iraq, immigration, and enery. Starting with Iraq, he stated without hesitation: "I think it's time to get out of Iraq."

My ears perked up.

He went on about how everyone thought invading Iraq would be a great idea a few years ago, but he described out post-entry strategy as sloppy.

"I don't think there even was one," he continued. "And maybe part of that is my fault for not asking enough questions."

Representative Coble went on to say he actually did ask a great deal of questions at the time, such as "What's going to happen to us when we get there?" He remembered speaking with an Iraqi man only months before we made out move, and the man begged him to help his country, to get Saddam out of power. Coble asked the man, "If we do go over there, and if we do throw out Saddam, are your people going to thank us, or attack us?" He said at that point, the man looked to the ground and admitted that he couldn't be sure. "That's what scared me," Coble told us.

People who accuse him of wanting to cut and run aren't seeing the big picture, according to Coble. "We've been there for over two years, that is NOT cutting and running." He continued to say that he didn't think it would be wise to immediately pull out tomorrow, but he didn't want our troops to be stuck there eternally.

I was disappointed in his immigration stance. He informed the group that he was glad we had approved the 700 mile fence along the Mexican border. I'm still wondering why they think that waste of money would do any good whatsoever, but no one asked me...

He also talked about how our local businesses would all go under if we deprived them of the cheap labor, which is why we need a guest worker program. This should include, he added, a clause that makes the employers offer a health care plan, since their medical bills fall on the tax payers' shoulders when they can't afford to pay for hospital vists and such.

On the topic of energy, Coble stated that even though he routinely urges people to take public transportation, he realizes we are addicted to oil. However, our two largest suppliers are friendly -- Canada and Mexico. From there, the future is bleak, with our next biggest contributors being Saudi Arabia (a convenient friend) and Venezuala (whom he described as being "in bed with Castro"). He said he has consistantly voted in favor of drilling at Anwar and in the gulf, and even though that would only produce one million barrels a day, that would be a step in the right direction.

"I don't want to be the bearer of gloom and doom," Coble stated as he was wrapping up, "But I do not think this midterm election will be favorable to the party nationally." He attributes this to Iraq, and says the election was headed that way even before the Foley fiasco.

He also thinks subjective hosts on both sides of the political field have damaged the Republican party. Liberal pundits make everything the Republicans do seem completely evil and disasterous, while conservative hosts like to pretend "Baghdad is all roses". The people are smart enough to realize that things aren't going so well over there, so they're more likely to believe the liberal pundits.

Coble went on to say that partisanship at this time in the U.S. House of Representatives is the worst he's ever seen. But is it all bad? I think Coble made the best quote of the night when he told us, "I believe the constituents are best served when the major parties are breathing down each others' necks."

And me? I think the constituents are best served when they have such a wise, attentive representative such as Howard Coble.

posted by Melissa @ 12:00 PM