“The voters of this district aren’t sure who is in control of our government. I don’t believe they are Republicans.” – Yuba City Democratic challenger Bill Falzett on Air America Radio
Indeed. Certainly not Republicans in the traditional American sense.
Fighting Dem Bill Falzett of Yuba City appeared on Air America radio April 4 with Majority Report host Sam Sedor and Markos, proprietor of the DailyKos, the most visited blog on the Internet.
Kos has been introducing Fighting Dems to a national audience for a couple months. Fighting Dems are the now more than 50 men and women military veterans running as Democrats in the fall Senate and Congressional election.
Falzett, who served in the U.S. Air Force and whose youngest son served in Iraq, should easily win the Democratic primary for the right to challenge Rep. Wally Herger in the general election.
More in extended…..
They asked a lot of questions, and they talked fast. I took notes as best I could. Falzett handled himself well for a guy talking for the first time to a national audience. He was assured, concise and clear. Best of all, he talked like you and me. It wasn’t some politic-babble politicans hone to a “T” after 20 years in office.
Sedor asked Falzett why he is a Democrat:
Bill said he grew up on the tough streets of El Paso, Texas. Realized he had choices available to him. Joined the military in the late 50’s –early 60’s. Went to college and became a physcotherapist. “Choices were important to me. Democrats love choices. Welcome choices. Republicans don’t like choices.”
Kos asked Bill to describe CD-2 of Northern California:
Bill says the district is the 10 counties in the central part of Northern California, following generally the I-5 corridor. It’s a rural farming and recreational district. The district has the highest unemployment and the lowest family income of any district in the state. About 86% of the families in the district have incomes of less than $50,000. “What I hear often is how people are upset with the incumbent who votes for the Bush-Cheney line and doesn’t do much for the district.”
Bill supports single payer health insurance. “People are very worried about their health care.” Insurance companies have multiplied greatly. They now tell him how to treat his patients.
Sedor asked Falzett for his thoughts on the war:
Bill said people in the district are mixed on the war in Iraq. Many think it’s the wrong place, wrong time. His youngest son joined the military before the war. “I really started sweating when the war started.”
“We just can’t go in and impose our will on someone,” Falzett continued. “We can’t cut and run, but we can’t stay on this course either. The failure is in diplomacy and administration.”
Falzett said gun control is a big issue in the district. “People are told Democrats are going to take your guns away. Well, we’re not. There’s the Consitution. They use a lot of wedge issues.”
Abortion is another wedge issue. Republicans have effectively convinced their supporters to vote those issues and ignore issues such as exporting jobs overseas and warfare on the middle and lower classes.
Bill said he needs to tap into a tremendous grassroots to help offset a huge funding disadvantage. “There’s a whole bunch of Democrats in the district. I have to get them out of the weeds.”
And that really is the right approach. Step 1 is to turn out Democratic voters, many of whom have thrown up their hands and given up, believing a Democrat can’t win in Northern California. Which is what the Republicans have worked hard to get them to believe. Republican Kool-Aid.
Step 2 is to turn out Republican moderates who are as disgusted with this Republican Party as the Democrats are. The district isn’t close to as extreme as Wally Herger is, but moderate Republicans always fall into line and vote for the right-winger that comes out of the primary.
Bill Falzett gives them a reason not to.