I want a Congressman who is willing to stand and defend his or her voting record and views in a public forum.
I don’t have one. In fact, I have a representative (Leonard Boswell) who has dodged all attempts to get him to debate. The 12th and most recent evasion was May 28th, a debate led by Mary Brubaker and sponsored by the State Historical Society. Moderator Brubaker acknowledged that Boswell’s empty podium in the debate at the State Historical Museum was a first in her two decades of leading such political forums.
Earlier in May after Boswell’s 10th refusal to debate, WHO TV ran a piece about the great decliner. It’s posted on You Tube.
I am one of those old-fashioned innocents who believe that all members of a democratic society should have equal access to power and protection. I don’t think I should have to buy that access, and I don’t think I should have to bid for attention from an elected representative. I want a representative who is so excited about positions, that he or she will clamor to discuss them.
I don’t have a representative like that. In fact, I have one who tells me he is “too busy” to debate. The words that come to my mind are “too rude,” “too embarrassed,” and “too complacent.” By evading an honest exchange with Fallon Congressman Boswell has shown disrespect toward the voters, toward his party, toward his opponent, toward the media and toward the democratic process itself.
As Dave Price of WHO-TV pointed out, Leonard Boswell was willing to debate Republican Jeff Lamberti in 2006, but now in 2008 he is “too busy” to debate fellow Democrat Ed Fallon. Could it be that Leonard Boswell thinks he is a good enough Democrat to beat a Republican, but not a good enough Democrat to publicly face his own party?
Boswell is not too busy to litter thousands of Central Iowa homes with negative attack ads and shallow position statements on a near daily basis. I lose respect for a candidate who uses mudslinging and loaded language to discredit an opponent whether in an ad, on TV, or in a mailing. If Congressman Boswell wants to associate Ed Fallon with X, Y, or Z, why not do it to his face where Fallon can defend himself. It is disrespectful of all of us voters to do otherwise.
I want a representative who will stand in public to defend his or her views, and I don’t have one…. yet. Maybe I will get one soon.
That’s my opinion, and I’m stickin’ to it.
Credits:Photo on flickr by Mark Warner
Photo on flickr by
Guest Writer: James G. Lindberg (Jim) is the Purple Wren’s sweetie and is a visiting chemistry professor at Grinnell College and retired from Drake University.
[tags] Iowa, Des Moines, Central Iowa News, Boswell, Fallon, 3rd Congressional District, Debate[/tags]
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