It?s OK to put Davis on hot seat

You could say there were a few fireworks Tuesday afternoon when Congressman Lincoln Davis made a trip to McMinnville for a town hall meeting.

Politicians largely tout these meetings as a way to get valuable feedback from their constituents, as a way to get more in touch with the people they are elected to serve. I can?t say if these meetings ever produce meaningful change, but it is a chance to put local residents face to face with their representative in Washington.

It?s a long-standing tradition and I?m glad to see Congressman Davis so eager to make himself available. He certainly hasn?t been a stranger around these parts since he was first elected just over four years ago.

To say Tuesday?s town hall meeting was uneventful would not be accurate. Avid Republican Sam Allen injected some life into the meeting when he questioned Davis about his opposition to sending an additional 21,500 troops to Iraq.

The troop surge is the brainchild of President Bush, and from my experience I?ve never known Sam to disagree with President Bush. So Sam decided to seize the opportunity for some one-on-one time with Rep. Davis to ask him why he voted the way he did. Why did he oppose sending more soldiers to Iraq?

Davis defended his position well. He said he didn?t want to send more targets into a war zone while emphasizing he wants to fully continue funding the soldiers who are over there now.

But Allen wasn?t about to quit. He asked Davis if he thought his vote was patriotic. He asked him what his thoughts on the Iraq war were initially. And he asked him why he didn?t support the president.

It made for some interesting conversation and was no doubt the highlight of an otherwise sleep-inducing meeting. What has given me cause for concern is the reaction I heard from several people after the meeting.

Several folks questioned why Sam would stand up and oppose Lincoln Davis in such a way. I heard one person say his behavior lacked class.

Let me disagree with those remarks as strongly as possible.

While I don?t generally agree with Sam?s political views, I firmly support his ability to stand up and speak his mind. It makes no difference whether I agree with what comes out of his mouth or not.

A town hall meeting with a chance to personally address our U.S. representative was a great opportunity to quiz Davis about his Iraq vote. Our elected officials should be held accountable for their votes and I admire Sam for pushing Davis for more than his standard 30-second, sound-bite answer, which is what he first provided.

Sam?s interrogation (which is probably too strong of a word) is exactly what makes this country great. Citizens have a right to speak out and convey their feelings.

The fact Sam was letting off a little steam to a Washington official is even better. Our congressmen make influential decisions that impact all of our lives, and for this they receive a great many perks. They can at the very least be expected to answer a couple tough questions.

This wasn?t a Democratic rally. It was billed as a town hall meeting where questions were encouraged.

I think it?s refreshing not all members of the audience lobbed softballs for Davis to knock out of the park. Someone was willing to challenge him with a fastball.

The fact we have this privilege is what makes this country great. And if President Bush?s political hoopla can be believed, it?s one of the reasons we are in Iraq in the first place ? to spread democracy.

James Clark is editor of the Standard. He can be reached at 473-2191 or by e-mail at [email protected].