David Price

Via email, local activist Milo Pyne takes issue with some Durhamites who are willing to dump congressman David Price over his stand on the Butner Bio-Lab facility. Representative Price may be on the wrong side of this issue, but, argues Pyne, his opponent is wrong about a lot more.

I want to express my views to the voters of the Fourth Congressional District on our congressional election. I am a member of the Durham People’s Alliance and help facilitate the operation of its PAC. I am also a member of the NC Democratic state executive committee and an opponent of the siting of the National Bio-Ag Research Facility (NBAF) in Butner. I firmly support David Price for reelection in November. Here are a few aspects of his record that are important to me.

David Price was an early opponent of the Iraq War. He has worked to rein in abuses by private military companies working in Iraq. He has also introduced legislation to prohibit contractors from performing interrogations of prisoners in the custody of intelligence agencies. He is also the author of legislation to reform the public financing system for presidential campaigns. He supports reproductive rights and equality for gay and lesbian folks.

David was able to block the Navy’s plans to locate a jet landing strip in eastern North Carolina next to the Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife Refuge. The refuge is significant for hunting, fishing, and recreation and is home to large winter populations of swans and geese. The siting of the landing field there would disrupt migratory bird movements and pose serious risks to the pilots.

I do not agree with Congressman Price on every aspect of his long and distinguished record. I am disappointed with his views on the NBAF. However, I trust in the long run that North Carolina common sense will flow from David to the Department of Homeland Security rather than DHS’ corrupt and dysfunctional nonsense flowing the other way.

The bottom line is that I am a Democrat, and I vote for Democrats. Despite not agreeing with David on some things, I am not about to reject him in favor of an inexperienced anti-choice Libertarian who I do not think could provide effective representation for the Fourth District. In addition, I am voting for Barack Obama and I want there to be a wide Democratic margin in Congress so he can implement his program efficiently.

It is easy to dissect the record of an accomplished sitting congressman and find things that one could disagree with. Mr. Lawson has no comparable record that we can examine. I occasionally admire fringe candidates (having been one myself on occasion), and with half a million dollars they may shake up the system, but this is not the time to take a chance with our congressional representation.

Milo Pyne