James Bowden, candidate for the Republican nomination in the 1st Congressional District has responded to our questionairre.
1) If elected what will be your top priorities over the next several months?
-The first priority is to get on the Armed Services Committee (Intelligence is second as an additional membership). Doing that duty for the District and the Nation is the top priority. Implied, and intuitive in that priority, is all the first day on the job learning about being a freshman congressman from a to z.
- The second priority is re-establishing the high-level of constituent service that Jo Ann Davis had. This includes staff continuity and effective communication to let folks know that they have active representation back as they came to expect so well.
-The third priority is to spend weekends and evenings engaging in the ‘conversation with the voters’ that didn’t happen in this extremely short convention campaign. This means covering the District meeting voters and elected officials, where I know party officials and activists now.2. What are your views on the following issues: Answers from my web site. I will expand as you ask.
The War in Iraq? . I will provide oversight and appropriations to help win the long, long War against Terrorists. He understands the conflict in its context as a World War. I will vote to support the troops deployed in Operations in Iraq and Afghanistan for the successful completion of the missions. My job for 40 years, as a soldier and as a consultant, has been National Defense. I know what Congress can do to support winning strategies, operations, tactics, and technologies. I know many of the Ground Commanders, past and present, personally, by mutual friends or reputation and will listen to them advocate for the troops. My son-in-law serves in Iraq today. I will use insights from his 20 years of Active Army service and 15 years as a ‘Military Futurist’, analyst and manager. I am a published and DoD military author for over 25 years.Taxes? . Making the Bush tax cuts permanent and pressing for more is the only way to fuel the economy. Taxes kill jobs. The increase in taxes since the 70s in Virginia, for all taxes – local, state, federal – costs the average family of four ($51k @ year in Virginia) at least $157.00 each month. Ask a working family making $51,000.00 a year what an extra $157.00 means every month to them. I know the choices it gives families. I will work for a ‘flat tax’ first. Spending needs to be cut as much as taxes.
Environmental Protection? I will complete Jo Ann Davis’s job to move the Ghost Fleet and stop out of state trash. Furthermore, I have a dream, like the Appalachian Trail, for bands of old growth forest and trails criss-crossing the Commonwealth for perpetuity. I have the analytical skills to know the difference between good science and junk science in protecting The Bay. I will promote the best policies – that work, not punish. Like restoring the barrier sand bar – destroyed by Isabel – protecting much of Hampton.
3. From the federal level how would you held address our traffic crisis in Virginia?
I support the Federal fair share of interstate highways in Virginia. Federal regulations must be balanced between safety and sanity. I opposed HB 3202 for imposing an unelected, unaccountable, un-separated powers Regional Government with a plan that doesn’t even work to reduce congestion. Also, it imposes unnecessary and unfair, punishing new taxes to enrich political special interests. I have blogged and written the right transportation solution priorities for Hampton Roads – which are 1). The Port of Virginia to southside and new parallel 460 Interstate corridor and 2). Additional tubes and bridges across the Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnel.
4. If you could change only one decision that the federal government has made in the past four years, what would it be and why?
The SCOTUS (Kelo) decision on eminent domain is a direct attack on the Constitution as it is written . This is an egregious example of judicial tyranny that needs to be corrected by using the Constitutional power of Congress to limit the scope of judicial review. Furthermore, it erodes confidence in government to protect the 4th Amendment rights of individuals that can de-stabilize the confidence in the justice system – and, thus, the Nation.
5. What is the one thing that sets you apart from everyone else running for this seat?
I’m more prepared to work on the Armed Services Committee than any other candidate today, or even after they had several years of experience. America’s First District Congressman should know what the Shipyard, Dahlgren, Langley AFB, Ft. Eustis, Ft. A.P. Hill, Quantico, and Yorktown mean to the current and future Armed Forces. I can speak chapter and verse on what needs to be done at those locations to argue for the resources from Congress to do them better – today. Bowden’s perspectives broadened, deepened and matured in a lifetime of Defense work. I was first published in military journals and a book on Defense studies – 25 years ago. I understands the key Congressional choices for future forces from the concepts he helped produce. I will use insights from his Top Secret Special Compartmentalized Information security classification – nonstop for 23 years. Other candidates may have good will towards the Armed Services but they will just be ‘aye’ and ‘nay’ as the staff or their ranking party leader tell them for years and years of learning about Defense. I have 40 years in Defense as my day job.
6. If elected will you stand for re-election next year?
Yes. But, I’ll retire in 2014. I will have spent too much time near corrupting power. I have other things I want to do – write and play with grandkids. I will have done the important work (in 2 years) after t wo presidential elections to push a Conservative agenda as far, fast and best it can be done or to stop the Liberal agenda if Hilllary or others win.
Keep up to date with all of the candidates on Virginia Virtucon’s Commonwealth Campaign Central.
Filed under: Virginia Politics
