Coffee with the Congressman

Upon receiving notification that my petition for candidacy had been accepted in Austin, I turned my head toward campaigning. I have been telling people who ask about the campaign that I am willing to talk to civic groups and other organizations that are interested in responsible government. In the mean time, I learned that the incumbent congressman was holding “Coffee with the Congressman” events in the Abilene area. Since the one scheduled for Abilene is to be held at Dyess Air Force base (where one has to be pre-approved to be admitted), I decided to attend these events in the surrounding area as I could work them in. I managed to attend the one in Roby on Tuesday, 22 August and in Clyde on Thursday, 24 August.

The coffees were billed as information and feedback sessions, but they had an obvious political slant. I was uncertain of my role (after all, they were his events, not mine) but I certainly had a right to attend as a citizen of the 19th District. He greeted me when I entered the Roby Community Center and I introduced myself and gave him my campaign card. He had heard of my candidacy and remembered meeting before (on a flight from Dallas to Abilene). The group was small, consisting of six attendees besides me, two reporters, and his campaign staff. I couldn’t help thinking that it was a tremendous perk of incumbency to hold these events for which, I presume, the travel expenses for himself and his staff were paid by tax dollars

Mr. Neugebauer discussed the need for border security (displaying a poster for his only visual aid) and the need to fight a global war on terrorism. There was hardly anything controversial in his remarks and I agreed with them. He then discussed the need to be proactive in our security measures, which I agreed with as far as using intelligence here and abroad to thwart future attacks. He was vague on what he included in “proactive security”. I hope he would not include the invasion of Iraq in that category.

He then discussed energy. He brought up the fact that we are presently importing over 60% of our petroleum. But he blamed the “other side of the aisle” and “environmentalists” for the lack of a comprehensive energy policy in this country. He mentioned the Concho water snake controversy specifically, which I found curious since this was an issue in constructing Lake Ivie (a water project having little to do with energy). He said he was a proponent of ethanol, wind energy and nuclear power, all of which I agreed with.

What I found misleading were statements that we “had ample energy resources in this country” and that democrats and environmentalists were to blame for our energy problems. He never mentioned the finiteness of our petroleum reserves, that it’s a matter of when we will run out (not if). We need a comprehensive energy policy and we need it now.

I did not ask any questions after his remarks since I did not want to appear to be disruptive of what was billed as an information and feedback session. I tried to speak with him afterward, but he claimed he was late for another engagement. I did mention to him that I agreed with much that he had to say, but that he and his party were headed in the wrong direction. I also brought up the fact that the war in Iraq has already claimed nearly as many American lives as were lost in the attacks on 9/11.

The meeting in Clyde had more participants (about a dozen) and the format and opening remarks were similar. Topics that were raised during the question period dealt with problems with the drug prescription plan, water resources and unfair trade practices by China. The point that we have “abundant energy resources” was made again. I challenged this statement as I tried to engage him privately afterward. But he again claimed that he must leave immediately for another appointment. I mentioned that I had never heard him say anything about the threat of global warming. He did not say anything as he walked away.

The lack of an energy policy and disregard for the environment are two of the issues that motivated me to run for office. Watch future posts as I present my positions on these issues and why it’s time for a change.