Mark Tyson
Member
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Debating Republican candidates agree to unite against Rep. Wu
Primary contenders Goli Ameri and Tim Phillips put aside bitter exchanges to discuss national issues
02/05/04
LAURA GUNDERSON
PORTLAND -- After an ugly month of e-mail exchanges and accusations, a lawyer helped two Republican candidates in the 1st Congressional District kiss and make up.
Goli Ameri and Tim Phillips faced off in their first formal debate Wednesday. After an hour of debate, a member of the debate's panel asked them to say something positive about their opponent and assure the crowd of about 100 that each would support the victor.
"I encourage us to keep this campaign positive," Ameri said after a glowing commendation from Phillips in which he said she reminded him of his mother. "If we don't, Wu will win again, and that's not what either one of us wants."
Ameri and Phillips are fighting for a chance to face Rep. David Wu, D-Ore.,who is campaigning for his fourth term in the district, which stretches from the Willamette River to the Oregon Coast.
A third Republican candidate, Jason Meshellof Scappoose, was not invited to the debate.
The debate at the Shilo Inn Suites at the Airport allowed both candidates a minute to respond to 11 questions, ranging from the USA Patriot Act, Social Security, income tax reform and the ban on assault weapons. The debate was sponsored by the Executive Club, a 29-year-old conservative group.
For the most part, the candidates stayed in lock step.
The only area where Ameri and Phillips differed was on the issue of whether the Patriot Act infringes on constitutional rights and whether it should be extended.
Ameri, who left her homeland of Iran to attend Stanford University, said she was assured that home searches -- one of the more controversial aspects of the act -- would not happen without the consent of a federal judge.
Phillips, whose mother immigrated to the United States from India, said the Patriot Act requires him to report if clients of his stock brokerage business say something that doesn't sound consistent with their usual business.
"In my business, we have to report them if we have unusual conversations," Phillips said. "If the law conflicts with liberties, it should be changed."
Phillips added that if elected, he would encourage review of all programs passed by Congress. To curb government check-writing, Phillips said he also would fight for a spending cap, a two-year budget cycle and a commission on wasteful spending.
Ameri, who like Phillips wants to make President Bush's tax cuts permanent, said she would like to see government programs reviewed for efficiency every year or two.
"Our politicians in Washington, D.C., think job performance is directly tied to the number of legislations they actually write and pass," said Ameri, who owns a telecommunications consulting firm in Tigard.
To fix federal income taxes, Ameri said, she would support an overhaul that would include eliminating the capital gains tax, inheritance taxes and marriage penalties. Phillips agreed, adding that he favors breaks for mortgage interest and charitable giving.
Phillips has $278,955in campaign cash. On the issue of recent changes to campaign finance laws, he said he opposed any reduction of people's rights to open and honest discourse.
Ameri, who has $407,870in cash, said she would have voted against the change.
Ameri and Phillips agreed that the Social Security system should be changed, that the assault weapons ban should remain in place, and that space exploration should not be a priority when the country is in an expensive war.
"Unless," Phillips quipped, "science shows we have a big taxpayer population on Mars."
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Oregon? I'd expect this crap in California or New York but OREGON? Bloody hell. Oregonians, give these nitwits an earful. Write! Call!
Debating Republican candidates agree to unite against Rep. Wu
Primary contenders Goli Ameri and Tim Phillips put aside bitter exchanges to discuss national issues
02/05/04
LAURA GUNDERSON
PORTLAND -- After an ugly month of e-mail exchanges and accusations, a lawyer helped two Republican candidates in the 1st Congressional District kiss and make up.
Goli Ameri and Tim Phillips faced off in their first formal debate Wednesday. After an hour of debate, a member of the debate's panel asked them to say something positive about their opponent and assure the crowd of about 100 that each would support the victor.
"I encourage us to keep this campaign positive," Ameri said after a glowing commendation from Phillips in which he said she reminded him of his mother. "If we don't, Wu will win again, and that's not what either one of us wants."
Ameri and Phillips are fighting for a chance to face Rep. David Wu, D-Ore.,who is campaigning for his fourth term in the district, which stretches from the Willamette River to the Oregon Coast.
A third Republican candidate, Jason Meshellof Scappoose, was not invited to the debate.
The debate at the Shilo Inn Suites at the Airport allowed both candidates a minute to respond to 11 questions, ranging from the USA Patriot Act, Social Security, income tax reform and the ban on assault weapons. The debate was sponsored by the Executive Club, a 29-year-old conservative group.
For the most part, the candidates stayed in lock step.
The only area where Ameri and Phillips differed was on the issue of whether the Patriot Act infringes on constitutional rights and whether it should be extended.
Ameri, who left her homeland of Iran to attend Stanford University, said she was assured that home searches -- one of the more controversial aspects of the act -- would not happen without the consent of a federal judge.
Phillips, whose mother immigrated to the United States from India, said the Patriot Act requires him to report if clients of his stock brokerage business say something that doesn't sound consistent with their usual business.
"In my business, we have to report them if we have unusual conversations," Phillips said. "If the law conflicts with liberties, it should be changed."
Phillips added that if elected, he would encourage review of all programs passed by Congress. To curb government check-writing, Phillips said he also would fight for a spending cap, a two-year budget cycle and a commission on wasteful spending.
Ameri, who like Phillips wants to make President Bush's tax cuts permanent, said she would like to see government programs reviewed for efficiency every year or two.
"Our politicians in Washington, D.C., think job performance is directly tied to the number of legislations they actually write and pass," said Ameri, who owns a telecommunications consulting firm in Tigard.
To fix federal income taxes, Ameri said, she would support an overhaul that would include eliminating the capital gains tax, inheritance taxes and marriage penalties. Phillips agreed, adding that he favors breaks for mortgage interest and charitable giving.
Phillips has $278,955in campaign cash. On the issue of recent changes to campaign finance laws, he said he opposed any reduction of people's rights to open and honest discourse.
Ameri, who has $407,870in cash, said she would have voted against the change.
Ameri and Phillips agreed that the Social Security system should be changed, that the assault weapons ban should remain in place, and that space exploration should not be a priority when the country is in an expensive war.
"Unless," Phillips quipped, "science shows we have a big taxpayer population on Mars."
============
Oregon? I'd expect this crap in California or New York but OREGON? Bloody hell. Oregonians, give these nitwits an earful. Write! Call!