Friday, May 28, 2010

Q&A with Tim Davis, Democratic Candidate for the Missouri 7th

Q:  As a brand new Congressman, how do you plan to make southwest Missouri’s voice heard in a body of 435 people?

A: Joe, it’s sometimes thought that one member of Congress can’t make a difference.   But I know that’s not the case and I’ll tell you why.  I was travelling recently in the Middle East as I try to get a handle on what’s going on there. And I was standing in the middle of a stadium in Ephesus where a craftsman named Demetrius was complaining about the apostle Paul.  That one man and his handful of friends had come there to Ephesus and the craftsman said, “These people have turned the world upside down."  That makes me think that one person committed to what they’re standing for can make a big difference.

Q: What’s the most important issue facing the Ozarks and the nation?  How do you intend to address it as a Congressman?

A: The most important issue we’re facing right now is the federal deficit. Here’s why it’s a problem: the deficit undermines the financial well-being that our children and grandchildren are going to face.  It also tends to cause a net loss of jobs. Here’s how that happens:  because the deficit is being financed by foreign borrowing mostly, the influx of foreign capital bids up the value of the U.S. dollar relative to foreign currencies. It makes imports seem cheaper to us, makes our exports harder to send abroad and thereby destroys manufacturing.  Also, to the extent the deficit is financed by domestic borrowing, it tends to crowd out capital that would otherwise go to small business. That’s why we see small businesses having such a hard time raising money right now.

Q: How do you plan to cut through the bitterness and rancor of Capitol Hill so it’s not more of the same old debate?

A:  It’s not in my nature to be blindly partisan.  Also, my policies tend to be middle-of-the-road.  So they’re going to appeal to Democrats and moderate Republicans.  For that reason, I don’t anticipate that I’ll get sucked into the partisan debate.

Q: What makes you the right person for this job?

A: There are criteria for real leadership.  I meet those criteria better than anyone else.  First of all, it is required of a leader that they be people of integrity. And with that in view, I have built into my life and into my schedule relationships that bring accountability to keep me on track.  Also, in terms of expertise, I have a Ph.D. in economics. I have a law degree from Oxford.  My research is published worldwide by Cambridge University Press.  I know what  it takes to create jobs.  I know what it takes to get the economy going. 

Learn more about Tim Davis' campaign at his website
Find out where Tim Davis stands on nine key issues.

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