From the "Maryville Times"
By Lesli Bales-Sherrodof The Daily Times Staff
U.S. Rep. Harold Ford Jr. played up his bipartisan-sponsored legislation and insisted his message was not Democratic or Republican."I don't like labels," he said Tuesday.
"The only thing I want to do up there is try to solve some problems."Ford was in the hometown of Sen. Lamar Alexander, running for the seat held by Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist. But instead of criticizing his opponent, former Chattanooga Mayor Bob Corker, Ford used his stops at the Maryville Kiwanis Club and Maryville College to focus on his ideas for addressing issues the country is facing.
Elected to Congress in 1996, Ford noted he voted for the first balanced budget since 1969, the year before he was born.
He added he never has voted for a budget that was not balanced."You can't be a great nation if you're broke and in debt," he said.
Even with $8.5 trillion in debt, Ford wondered, "What do we have to show for it?" The middle class is taxed more than it has been in 40 years, he said, which makes it harder for folks to go to college, buy a house and afford health insurance.Ford suggested instilling accountability in government, finding a way to audit the 17 of 23 federal agencies that say they cannot be audited.
He added he supports putting all bills - including government spending - on the Internet for public oversight.
But perhaps Ford's most radical idea is the one he said has "everyone in Washington mad" at him: "no more pork-barrel spending until we balance the budget."
Ford said his "stand by your pork" bill would require every legislator who wants money earmarked to sign his or her name to the proposal and then offer it up on the House of Representatives or Senate floor for an up or down vote.
National security:
Five years and one day after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, Ford said that different airports still are using different equipment to screen passengers and that they do not even have the same terror watch lists.
Noting that the Sept. 11 hijackers boarded planes in Portland, Maine, Ford added that small airports need to take the same precautions as large ones.
Ford suggested shutting the borders to the United States for 30 to 45 days to get an accounting of who is here from other countries.
"We don't know who's coming across our borders," he said.
"The 9/11 hijackers were all here legally. They all had visas."
On issues abroad, Ford said he agrees with the president that the United States cannot pull out of Iraq at this point, but he said it is "foolish to continue to stand in the way of a civil war" there.
One thing, though, that Ford said has to change is this: "You can't win a war if you are paying for both sides of a war."Ford said each time Americans fill up their gas tanks, they are subsidizing "the other side."
He suggested making a bigger investment in alternative fuels and noted that his campaign's bus and pickup truck are powered by biodiesel."I believe if we can reduce the fat content in chocolate, we can make coal burn cleaner," Ford said.
Education:
Education, Ford said, should start from birth through 5 years old, with a federal program to ensure that children are provided with "meaningful experiences" before they start school.
Ford also proposed a plan to pay for four years of college or graduate school for students who agree to pay it back in national service. Students also would be expected to forgo their Social Security benefits until the age of 70, he added."Everybody has got to sacrifice a little," Ford said.
Meanwhile, Ford's ASPIRE Act, which he noted is sponsored in the Senate by Republican
Rick Santorum, would provide every child in America with a $500 account at birth.
Families and friends could contribute to the accounts, with the government matching for qualified individuals, according to Ford's campaign Web site.
That money then could be used for three purposes: to pay for college or graduate school, to pay for a down payment on a home or for retirement, Ford said.After discussing these and other issues, Ford took questions from supporters and opponents alike."
People running for public office should address the issues," he said, noting Corker will not debate him in Knoxville.However, Ford implored people "don't get in the gutter" during the campaign."There are too many real problems that deserve real answers," he said.
"There is no need to lie and smear."
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