U.S. Rep. PeterDeFazio told more than 200 eighth-grade students that he did not support a resolution authorizing President Bush to make a pre-emptive strike against Iraq.
Rep. DeFazio visited Sweet Home Junior High School on Oct. 23, talked about his work and answered questions. Students covered a variety of questions. The most common were about Iraq and Saddam Hussein.
After describing his work and the Fourth Congressional District, which Rep. DeFazio represents, including southwestern Oregon, Rep. DeFazio told the student he was most proud of his accomplishment in setting aside $195,000 from raises during his time in Congress for scholarships for displaced Oregon workers and to reduce debt. He has provided nine scholarships. Then he opened the floor for questions.
Education funding
The primary responsibility for funding education is with the State of Oregon, Rep. DeFazio said. “The bulk of it is funded by state government. It used to be local property taxes. (The responsibility) was shifted to the state but didn’t create a new revenue source.
“From my own perspective, I don’t think businesses are paying their fair share. I would raise property taxes on commercial and industrial property.”
Commercial and industrial businesses directly benefit from the education system, Rep. DeFazio said. Corporations pay only 6 percent in income taxes, while persons pay 9 percent.
Oregon is among the few states that do not have a “rainy day” fund, Rep. DeFazio said. Instead of setting such a fund up, the state sent back extra taxes in the form of the “kicker” check over a number of years.
Rep. DeFazio explained that he does not work at the state level. At the federal level, Congress is working on the president’s proposed “No Child Left Behind” program.
The solution for funding will come out of Salem, Rep. DeFazio said.
Iraq
Rep. DeFazio voted for alternative solutions to immediate war and authorization for a pre-emptive strike against Iraq. He suggested working through the United Nations to ensure weapons inspections take place.
The United States is an unusual situation with the passage of a resolution authorizing President Bush autonomy in deciding when and whether to attack Iraq, Rep. DeFazio said. The only time such a resolution passed before was during Vietnam.
This is the first time a president has been authorized to make a “pre-emptive strike,” he said.
Saddam Hussein has no missiles or planes that can travel farther than two or three countries, Rep. DeFazio said. He has no ships.
“I don’t see that he presents a real threat,” Rep. DeFazio said. Hussein is not religious so does not present the same threat as religiously oriented terrorists. If the United States were to make a pre-emptive strike against him, it could make him more dangerous.
Other countries listed in President Bush’s “axis of evil,” Iran and North Korea, present more of a threat, Rep. DeFazio said. “I don’t think there’s a way to lose a war (against Iraq), but it could turn into a very bad distraction.”
The unintended effects could be worse than not going to war, Rep. DeFazio said.
A war with Iraq would cost between $100 billion and $200 billion per day, Rep. DeFazio said. By comparison, Oregon’s budget is around $9 billion annually. At the same time the United States considers a war, Congress is in “gridlock” over $6 billion for education.
“The last time we went to war with Iraq, the price of oil doubled,” Rep. DeFazio said. The United States exchanges food for oil with Iraq, representing 7 percent of oil used by the United States.
A war with Iraq would likely prompt other suppliers to increase prices, Rep. DeFazio said, but most of those would continue supplying the United States with no interruption in the flow of fuel.
“If I thought this guy was a real threat to the United States and a threat to peace, I’d consider it (war),” Rep. DeFazio said.
Forest fires
“We’ve been mismanaging our forests in a number of ways for hundred years,” Rep. DeFazio said. First, fires were put out completely. Later, officials and scientists learn that low-intensity fires in the forests are important for the forest ecosystem.
The forests need to be thinned to deal with the high fuel loads in the forests, Rep. DeFazio said. That would cost about $400 billion over six years, a solution that will produce some wood for mills but would not pay for itself.
Sales tax
Rep. DeFazio opposes sales taxes, he said. They tax persons at low-income levels. High-income persons would be able to avoid the tax, meaning the sales tax falls more heavily on low-income persons.
Working as a representative
Rep. DeFazio said he became a representative after running a senior citizens program. He was invited by the previous representative to be an advocate for seniors in Washington, D.C. After he returned, he ran for county commissioner; and when the representative retired, Rep. DeFazio ran for the position.
“I thought we could do better in Salem and Washington in a lot of ways,” Rep. DeFazio said.
Asked about whether he had met the president, Rep. DeFazio told the students he had met the last five presidents.
Shipping strike
President Bush ordered dockworkers back to work under a federal transportation law, Rep. DeFazio said. Their strike was because many are worried about their jobs going to India, where labor is cheaper.
“I’m with the dockworkers here,” Rep. DeFazio said. “Keep those jobs here.”
Minimum wage
“Yes, I believe we should raise the minimum wage, absolutely,” Rep. DeFazio said. More than half of minimum wage workers are 20 years old or older.
Studies have shown that increases in minimum wage stimulate the economy, Rep. DeFazio said.
Health care
Forty-four million Americans do not have health insurance, Rep. DeFazio said. That is a growing number and a growing problem. Rep. DeFazio did not sign Hillary Clinton’s health plan in the early 1990s.
It was a poor plan because she tried to bring big insurance companies along in creating it, Rep. DeFazio said. Then the insurance companies attacked the plan.
“We need a system with basic health coverage,” Rep. DeFazio said. “Right now, it’s not exactly at the top of the agenda in Washington, D.C.”