Thanks to Nancy Purks for this report. I've heard from other people that Jim Webb did FANTASTIC at this breafast, and is rapidly improving as a cnadidate every day that goes by. Great stuff!.Jim Webb was the keynote speaker at the Dulles Area Democrats (DAD) breakfast on Tuesday, June 6, 2006. The crowd was much larger than usual and journalists attended. The Wall Street Journal, Mark Shields and the Roll Call. The WSJ journalist made a comment to me that she didn't want to be scooped by NPR so she wanted to get something printed quick.
Jim began by letting us know that if Miller wins he will support him in November. It was a nice beginning to remind us that we are all on the same side. He did say he didn't like some of the things Harris Miller had been saying about him lately but he will still support him and he hopes we would too.
Jim came from a Democratic family and changed fter Vietnam because of the pardon of the draft vaders. He supported Chuck Robb in 94 but didn't in 2000 and realized by 2002 what a big mistake that was. He said that he and Chuck Robb had since come to terms about it. I may not be quoting him exactly however.
He predicted five months before the invasion of Iraq what would happen and that is exactly where we are today. Our military have become targets.
Apparently Jim is old friends with Chuck Hagel and Chuck Hagel was the first person from Congress to call him after he announced his candidacy. He told him that he was the talk of Congress.
China has announced they are coming out with a $10,000 car and all Bush could say was that our autoworkers need to be more efficient. It is because they are working for $2.50 a day with no benefits at all. He wants to see countries be required to pay better and give benefits. It is destroying the American worker to have our resources sent out of the country to be made into products and brought back to be sold at Walmart.
Someone reminded him that in the past he was asked about No Child and he didn't answer it. He explained that at that time he didn't know enough about it and he answered with that reservation. He has since been looking at the bill and believes it is a very strange bill. Jim has pushed 30 bills through Congress (I think for Veteran issues). I didn't realize that he had Congressional experience so he understands how Congress works. Teachers are leaving the profession because of the pressure coming from above and the lack of support from below, for example, standards without funding.
He was asked about the environment and he is against drilling in Alaska. It will cost a lot of money and we wouldn't get much. He wants farmers to stop being paid to not grow grain. Have them grow grain again and use it for energy and make jobs with the production. He'd like to see us model after Brazil. He thinks solar has come a long way and should be used and he thinks nuclear can be safely used because we have learned so much more about storage and discard. Apparently France uses a lot of nuclear energy. This was a new thought for me but he seemed confident about it. He also said that after next Tuesday he will see Al Gore's new movie and have time to continue study.
He was asked if he had a solution to the Israel/Palestine situation and he said if he did he would be given a Nobel Peace Prize. He then said we need to support security in Israel but we must help get the Palestinians untangled. He said that Iraq was not a problem for us, that Saddam was over the hill, but our troubles were tied into the situation in Israel. I again may not be quoting exactly but after the event the guy who asked him the question came to me and said "I sent
an email to Allen asking him the same question and he sent me a three page reply all about why we need to help Israel and take care of Israel, etc., and never once mentioned the Palestinians." He was pleased with Jim's answer. I was too because it appeared that Jim understands that the Palestinians need fairness and safety and are an equal part of the equation.
He was asked about Iran and he said a big problem is that because of Iraq Bush has been given presidential power, that he chooses elective wars, not wars for defense. That is why we need new leadership. Iran is years away from any threat.
He's pro Roe and Gay Rights and believes the government should stop at the front door. He is as irritated as the rest of us that Congress thinks talking about gay marriage is more important than a failing war, failing economy, Someone said that by the time they leave the WH the present debt will double. He says this is the Rove administration where Congress is focused on the wrong issues on purpose.
Jim's people come from the rural parts of this country. He has worked his way through. No famous father/silver spoon syndrome. Hard work and intelligence. He has a great variety of experiences and has travelled and served his country even in Afghanistan as a journalist. We need thinking people back in charge. Jim is our Man!!
If I remember more I'll post. I didn't take notes, just enjoyed. One thing I learned is that many of the Miller endorsements were made prior to the time Jim joined so who knows who some of those people will actually vote for. At the time they endorsed Miller he was the only candidate. Interesting!
Go Webb!! nancy purks
He quickly understood that there were problems with the costs of the testing exceeding the additional funds from the Federal government. He is also quite aware of the problems involved with supplementary educational services, and the possibility that some providers might actually try to provide such services over the internet from overseas -- since he is strongly opposed to outsourcing in general, he will at some point address that as well.
Again, here's the key point -- when he doesn't know he says so, and then he sets himself to learn what he needs to know. Isn't that refreshing!!!
Tenatively good news for Jim Webb, Miller staked out Hampton roads for early support. Jim's eroded his strength there so if Miller's defending his base this late in the game, then the Team Webb must be feeling pretty good.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/usatoday/20060606/cm_usatoday/kansaspoliticalshiftssignofthingstocome
" ... [The GOP] broke with him. It became more interested in cultural warfare than improving schools, economic development "for everyone" and the idea that government should not be involved in people's personal lives."
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"And that's got to worry Republicans all over this country. Just as Kansas was once a bellwether state for the ascendancy of Republican power, what's happening there now may be evidence of its decline."
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"In Virginia, one-time Republican and former Reagan administration Navy secretary Jim Webb is seeking the Democratic Senate nomination. He says he split with the GOP after deciding Democrats care more about working-class people."
Here is the text I wrote yesterday after the breakfast:
Jim started the session with a firm pledge to support Harris Miller in the general election should Harris win the primary, and a call for everyone to do the same. He also clearly stated that he understands and expects the same from Harris Miller should Webb win the primary. Great start. The primary race was tending to petulant and negative at least in the web logging arena recently, I am glad they both got it together and refocused on the real problem: defeating Senator Allen.
Webb went on to say that he considered himself a Democrat until Jimmy Carter pardoned all the Vietnam Draft evaders during his presidency. While I think it was right for Carter to do that, I can also understand how any veteran would be upset by that move. Jim Webb talked a lot about how important it is for the Democratic Party to embrace the Reagan Democrats and bring them back into the active mainstream Democratic Party. It is a compelling argument, though I confess part of me wants to exclude anyone for ever supporting Ronald Reagan.
Webb talked a lot about economic fairness and global justice. He takes this stuff very seriously and very personally, and presents a compelling story about why we all should do the same. He got very critical of the WTO and the fact that the WTO does not take up, as part of it’s charter, nor part of it’s requirements for membership, the championship of worker’s rights and fair treatment. He stated that free trade and WTO membership are currently suppressing worker’s rights in all countries. He did not take the next logical step and tie his policies and campaign to fair trade rather than free trade, but he is clearly heading that direction in logic and rhetoric, and I am thrilled. He did say that with free trade comes an obligation to protect the rights of workers at both ends of the trade deal, or we should back out of the free trade deal. Excellent.
Webb went on to state that on social issues the power of government should stop at our front doors unless there is compelling reason why it should temporarily come into our homes. He firmly stated support for gay rights, worker’s rights, equal opportunity for all, and he is pro-choice as defined by Roe v. Wade. He wants to raise minimum wage as soon as possible, and get our arms around our immigration system and give workers who have been here a long time a way to stay and make things permanent. He was very pragmatic about the reality that America is a drug using society and that our the so-called “War on Drugs†is not effective, specifically that jailing people for possession alone is fruitless.
He is against drilling in ANWAR, and wants to handle energy policy with a four pronged approach utilizing ethanol, nuclear, solar, and continued expansion of petroleum efficiencies. Sounds very reasonable. He specifically mentioned replacing subsidies that pay farmers not to grow grain with subsidies to make them grow fuel based crops. He specifically mentioned that advances in solar and nuclear power since the 1970s have made both much more viable energy choices. He also talked at length about how our petroleum policy needs to involve the spread of peace in the Middle East and stability, that the war in Iraq has caused a larger hike in oil prices than the terrorist attack on September 11th, 2001.
So to compare this event with my one, in-person, meeting with Harris Miller at the Sunday Supper Club last month; it boils down to a really tough choice. I like what Harris Miller has to say about public education and campaign/election reform better, but I like what Jim Webb has to say about worker’s rights and foreign policy better. I find Miller to be a more polished politician, with very detailed policies on a variety of topics, and I find Webb’s lack of polish on appealing too. I firmly believe that both of these men have the ability to oust George Allen in November General Election. I remain very optimistic on my feeling that the American voter has awakened to the manipulation of the Republican party and will throw the bums out with a vengeance this November.
I am officially torn, and will probably make up my own mind on how to vote early Tuesday morning, but I encourage you all to go find out more about these fine candidates and vote yourselves on Tuesday morning. A high turnout sends a clear message all by itself, no matter who you vote for. It shows we care, and we are not going to put up with the same old shenanigans any more. By the way, our current pack of idiots in congress are considering the quiet passage of Section 115 Reform Act of 2006 (SIRA) to steal more rights from consumers and voters and empower giant corporations with copyright coverage of personal copies of music and other media. Congress needs to be replaced with people who can do the job of representing people rather than corporations.
I agree. That's why I strongly believe that Jim Webb is the candidate for whom we should vote on Tuesday, June 13. Jim Webb has a real chance to beat Allen in November, because Jim Webb can bring tons of people back to the Democratic Party. Lobbyist Miller can't do that. If Jim Webb wins on Tuesday, we have a chance to start rebuilding the Democratic Party. If lobbyist Miller wins on Tuesday, we are toast, AGAIN...
Here's some background on Harris Miller, for anyone who seems undecided.
Two Press Releases where Harris Miller “applauds†the passage of CAFTA in July 2005.
Harris Miller and the Wholesale Outsourcing of American Jobs – This talks about Harris Miller’s rise from his days attacking the United Farm Workers to his time heading up the ITAA which pushed for outsourcing of IT jobs.
http://www.raisingkaine.com/...
Judging Someone By their Priorities – Talks about how Harris Miller was in India helping Indian firms compete for American jobs during the run-up to the 2004 General Election.
http://www.raisingkaine.com/...
Harris Miller urges an increase in H1-B visas.
A workshop that Harris Miller sponsored along with NASSCOM, an Indian IT trade group, that promoted the outsourcing of American jobs.
http://www.programmersguild.org/...
A press release where Harris Miller denounces anti-outsourcing provisions in the Transportation Bill.
Harris Miller calls on the defeat of a “Buy American†provision to a defense spending bill.