Al Weed is seeking the Democratic nomination for U.S. Congress in the 5th District of Virginia. Weed is an impressive person - a "farmer, soldier, and statesman" just as his website advertises. This year, he hopes to defeat Republican Virgil Goode, who has some major ethical and possibly legal "issues" on his hands related to MZM and Jack Abramoff. So, even though Goode defeated Weed by 64%-36% in 2004, this year could be completely different due to Goode's scandals. Also, Weed has learned from his defeat in 2004, as you will see below, and is ready to rumble. Anyway, here's the interview with former Green Beret Al Weed. Enjoy!
1) Why, in your own words, have you decided to run for the US House of Representatives this year, particularly after your defeat in 2004? What did you learn from the last go-around, and what do you plan to do differently this time? Any thoughts about your Democratic primary opponent, Bern Ewert?
I am angry about what is happening in Washington, where a Republican controlled Congress has betrayed our system of checks and balances to focus on personal gain and partisan got?cha politics. The 5th CD, more than most, needs an effective Congressman who will mobilize Federal support to revitalize our struggling economy. Since 2004 this need has become even more urgent.
In 2004 I learned much about the nature of this District, about running a campaign for Congress and about political communication. In 2006, I will spend a great deal more time on the ground working to get my message heard and building on the valuable store of name recognition I developed in 2004. Defeating an entrenched incumbent is very rarely a one shot effort. We will do things differently that should be improved, and we will do things better that worked --- and we will do things over and over that need repetition.
I am focused on defeating Virgil Goode and believe that Democrats will choose me over Mr. Ewert to get the job done.
2) What are your main criticisms of Virgil Goode, the current (Republican) Representative from the 5th District? How do you plan to effectively compete with a man who your own website describes as "the epitome of political entrenchment" and who "people talk about...like he?s their best friend?" Do you plan, for instance, to emphasize Virgil Goode's questionable ties to MZM, Inc?
Mr. Goode will have been in Congress for 10 years with only one Bill to his credit. He has aligned himself with the extreme right of his party, and is associated with legislation so bizarre that even the Richmond Times Dispatch editorializes against him. He is in Washington, on average, less than three days a week and has no vision for how he will direct Federal resources to help this District. People of this District have more than demonstrated that they like Mr. Goode as a person ? we?re even ? now it?s time for a change.
The MZM scandal is about the abuse of power than comes from incumbency for incumbency?s sake. People of this District will be able to judge Mr. Goode without any help from me.
3) In your opinion, was the Iraq war fundamentally flawed or simply mismanaged? At this point, would you favor an immediate withdrawal, an "exit strategy," or what?
I have been saying since early 2003 that we had no need to go to war in Iraq. Facts have proven this to be true. I have been saying since May of 2003 that we need to pull our troops out of Iraq as quickly as we can. Our strategy should be to recognize that US troops have become a catalyst for civil war and to move towards unconditional redeployment at a speed consistent with the safety of our forces. I do not favor a war that cannot be won on the President?s terms, that is being fought on the backs of the poor and struggling middle class, that is destroying our volunteer military as surely as Viet Nam destroyed our forces in that time, and that is being paid for by cuts to social programs while the rich benefit from tax cuts.
4) You say that you support "the absolute right of working people to organize in the workplace, without interference by employers," while simultaneously supporting Virginia's ?right to work? laws. During the recent campaign, Leslie Byrne said that "right to work" really should be called "right to be poor." Do you believe that "right to work" laws need to be modified in any way for the 21st century economy? Do you believe they are working well?
We Democrats have effectively abandoned support of the middle class and small business. ?Right to work? laws, a moribund NLRB and a workforce too often paralyzed by the fear of job outsourcing have greatly enhanced the power of corporations and big business over the rest of us. Yet, to speak out for a return to labor equity is to be branded a ?liberal?. When ?right to work? laws become an informal license illegally to interfere with organizing efforts then they are wrong. We have set our free-trading economy on a race to the bottom in our wage structure, but our democratic society will not thrive if income disparities increase at the current rates.
5) You say you are a big supporter of an "Apollo Project" to get America off of foreign oil. You believe this is important for both environmental and national security reasons. In order to accomplish this important goal, would you be in favor of placing a "geo-green" surcharge on oil and oil products, possibly in a revenue-neutral way whereby other taxes are cut in equal proportion? Or would you approach this problem mainly from a technological perspective, such as promotion of hybrid vehicles and "smart growth" policies?
In fact, I have moved much further on this issue. I want to see a bio-fuels industry in America based on switchgrass, a native perennial. Starting in Southside where, within seven years, it could have a $150 million annual impact, such a shift could by 2040 replace 50% of all transportation petroleum without displacing food production. Locally, it would be the basis of a revitalized rural economy, promising environmental benefits and improved national security that flows from cutting the flow of imported oil.
I believe we need to do something to control oil prices so future costs of energy drive intelligent investment decisions. Every effort should be made to enhance sustainable energy production, energy conservation and land use management.
6) Recently, the Chesapeake Bay Foundation?s annual State of the Bay report gave the Bay an overall health rating of "D." The Foundation's President, William C. Baker, was quoted as saying, ?Today, more than halfway to the 2010 target date, instead of seeing significantly improved water quality, we have a bay that is dangerously out of balance and in critical condition.? Obviously, that's not acceptable. If elected to Congress, what would you do to restore this invaluable and amazing ecosystem?
I support efforts properly to fund Bay Conservation needs. The positive impact of a cash crop agriculture based on switchgrass would be dramatic as run-off of both fertilizer and soil are greatly reduced. Finally, I would like to see changes to federal laws that encourage sprawl, and increases in land valuation for CREP set-asides sufficient to encourage more land owners to join that program.
7) What is your opinion of President Bush's latest nominee to the Supreme Court, Samuel Alito? In general, what is your philosophy regarding the role of the Federal courts - do you believe they should be "strict constructionists," "neutral referees," "judicial activists," or none of the above? Also, should nominees to Federal courts face a "litmus test" on abortion or any other issue?
As you know, the US House of Representatives has no say in the approval of Federal officials. Personally, I find Alito?s so-far-as-known judicial philosophy to be much more conservative than the court he would be joining. Still, the President gets to name his choice and the Senate but to advise and consent. Are those of us concerned about the nature of this President?s appointments willing to do what it takes to elect a Virginia Democrat to the US Senate in 2006? Are we willing to support a unified Democratic message that will make this possible elsewhere? Until we can restore our system of checks and balances through the ballot box it little matters what my views on the Supreme court might be.
8) You consider yourself a "fair trader" who believes that labor, environmental and human rights guarantees should be part of trade agreements. Would you favor renegotiation of past trade agreements such as NAFTA and CAFTA in order to incorporate such guarantees? What about eliminating agricultural subsidies in developed countries in order to provide a more level playing field for developing nations?
America?s agricultural subsidies are illegal under WTO and hurt both Virginia farmers and those in third world countries. I don?t think we can get re-negotiation of NAFTA on the table and, in fact, the loss of jobs to NAFTA is long past. We have betrayed promises to our own citizens in the Republican tax cutting frenzy that means that the wealth generated by free trade (and on the backs of our manufacturing industries) is not available to make whole the trade-destroyed communities of America. Until we face this honestly, no new free or fair trade treaties should be considered.
9) What is your view of the PATRIOT Act? In general, what is your view of the tradeoff between security and civil liberties, 4 years after 9/11? How do you feel about President Bush orderng the National Security Agency to eavesdrop on Americans here at home? Is that legal?
The PATRIOT Act was passed in the emotion of 9/11. The wise thing was that Congress recognized that they were under unique pressure and agreed to re-think the Act in four years. The intervening years have demonstrated that certain components of the Act are unnecessary and Congress should rewrite the Act conscious and protective of the balance between national security and civil liberties. As tragic as 9/11 was, we shouldn?t sacrifice essential liberty to prevent another.
I believe that Bush has committed an impeachable offense in his illegal use of warrantless phone taps and Congress must find the backbone to call him on it.
10) What do you think about companies like Wal Mart that provide goods at "low low prices" but which also have been accused of paying their workers "low low wages" and "low low benefits?" Do you support proposals like ?Fair Share for Health Care,? which would require large corporations to provide a minimum health care benefit to their employees?
I support a National Health Insurance program that would make some of the exploitation of low wage workers (with Wal-Mart just the most visible) moot. I also support raising the minimum wage to a living wage, thereby undercutting the move to exploitable low wage illegal immigrants and including all Americans in the strong economic foundation we need to prosper. Wal-Mart is the best example of how we have betrayed middle class America: we have sent their jobs overseas and given the exploiting corporations free, unconditional access to our remaining markets. Teddy Roosevelt made his bones as a monopoly buster. Where is the monopsony buster of the 21st Century?
11) How would you describe your political philosophy: liberal, Teddy Roosevelt Progressive, Mark Warner centrist, or something else?
I am a principled, free market progressive.
12) Which past President do you most admire and why?
Harry Truman. He understood what Democrats stood for and pushed our concern for people over corporations to victory in 1948.