Expect a Challenge to California Member of Congress Dan Lungren

Of course, he couldn't resist playing the "we have to fight them over there so we don't have to fight them over here" fear card.

"I'm going to be guided tremendously by what he says," said Lungren referring to General David Petraeus.

Federal Spending

Lungren brushed by this subject rather quickly after blaming Katrina and the bridge collapse in Minneapolis on local governments not spending enough. He indicated that the federal government is not responsible for local infrastructure.

He also mentioned SCHIP, the federal program to provide health insurance to children. Claiming it "goes to far" he opposes reauthorization. The problem he has with it, he says, is that it covers too many people. According to Lungren only the very old and the very young are deserving of health care.

Apparently, in Lungren's world, the only responsibility of the federal government is to build walls and occupy sovereign nations.

Earmarks

People of the 3rd Congressional District shouldn't expect any help from their congressman when it comes to bringing needed programs and money to our district. He clearly is against helping his home district if it brings no benefit to people in other parts of the country. Just who is he representing?

When asked about federal help for a Community College in Amador Co., Lungren told the questioner that Amador Co. hasn't shown a need for a Community College. That was rather insulting if you ask me.

He said his "earmarks have to do with transportation and show a federal nexus."

One of the most interesting parts of the morning was a question from a woman about the amount of money being spent in Iraq and what we could accomplish at home if we weren't spending it on a failing foreign policy. Lungren avoided an answer by returning to his previous statement about stabilization, and once again playing the fear card.

I came away from the town hall with the realization of just how badly we need further change in Congress. Democrats have been sorely disappointed by their representatives, who have capitulated and followed the Republican lead on some issues, but we cannot abandon the success we have achieved, and we cannot allow Republicans to regain a foot hold on power. As disappointed as I am in many of our legislators at the federal level, I have to look beyond what they have done in the short term and look toward the long term.

Defeating Republicans like Richard Pombo and, in this next election John Doolittle, is relatively easy. They are certifiably corrupt and have plenty of dirt to use against them, making it easier to attack them on the issues. Besides, no one liked them.

Defeating the Lungren's of the world is much more difficult. Without the corruption, the battle is solely formed around ideology and issues, and is much more difficult to win. Lungren is immensely popular in his district, and that is difficult for a challenger to overcome even if he wrong on the issues. Unfortunately, too much of American politics is about popularity rather than substance.

We need to keep strong Democrats in Congress, and it is imperative that we rid ourselves of Congress persons that espouse policies similar to Lungren's. Challengers to Lungren have not surfaced yet. There has been some talk, some names mentioned, but so far no one has stepped forward. That could change as early as tomorrow. I will keep you posted.

This article originally appeared in The Bayne of Blogs and is published with the permission of the author.