Pubdate: Wed, 28 May 2003
Source: Summit County Independent (CO)
Contact:  2003 Summit County Independent Daily Newspaper.
Website: http://www.independentdaily.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2928
Author: M. John Fayhee
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mmj.htm (Cannabis - Medicinal)

STANDING-ROOM CROWD GREETS CONGRESSMAN UDALL

It's not like any new policy bombshells were dropped (or lobbed) or 
anything, but a standing-room crowd of more than 70 local citizens greeted 
Congressman Mark Udall (D-Boulder), who, as of 2002, is Summit County's 
representative in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Udall (who carried Summit County handily in the 2002 mid-term elections), 
making a "town hall meeting" stop at the Summit County Community Center in 
Frisco Tuesday afternoon, was the picture of political decorum, accepting 
on numerous occasions that he is open to views that are not traditionally 
ascribed to left-leaning Democrats.

To wit: When asked about the federal government's repeated attempts to 
counter state medical marijuana initiatives, he brought forth an argument 
with roots growing back to Fort Sumpter.

Udall, who supports Colorado's medical marijuana initiative, passed two 
elections ago by a wide margin, stated that he feels the federal government 
does not have the right to side step, oppose or usurp the various 
state-level medical marijuana initiatives, calling it a "states rights 
issue" - wording usually reserved for conservative Republicans.

Udall also responded to several people who expressed serious concern about 
the administration's proposed tax cuts.

"I don't think it's going to work [to stimulate the economy]," Udall said. 
"If you could show me that giving a tax break to the top one percent of the 
population worked, I'd look at it. Some projections have us doubling the 
national debt if we pass the President's proposed tax cut. Serious 
liabilities are going to present themselves. I don't see how the numbers 
are going to add up. We had an enormous surplus two years ago. Now look 
where we are. When you factor in sunset clauses, this latest tax cut will 
end up costing us about $2 trillion. There are a lot of gimmicks involved. 
I don't understand why we're driving our fiscal automobile into a ditch. 
This tax cut not only will not stimulate our economy, but I think it will 
hurt it."

Udall agreed with several audience members who said they were mortified by 
the fact that, by cutting taxes now and increasing our national debt, that 
we as a nation are mortgaging the future of our children.

He also added a comment that might seem to some to be particularly 
un-Democratic: He said we ought to be spending more time looking at what 
programs are funded.

"We have to look at our spending," Udall said, without being specific.

Udall definitely started getting amped when the point was brought up about 
the supposed lack of a national-level Democratic message.

"I'm committed to never going into an election without a clear massage, 
like we did last year," he said. "I am committed to providing a clear 
alternative. I am really frustrated that much of the Democratic message is 
not getting out because of the nature of the media and its relationship 
with the White House. There is definitely a strong Democratic message. The 
Founders wanted all ideas to surface, and, with one party controlling the 
White House and both houses of Congress, I don't believe all our ideas are 
surfacing. We are voting as a Democratic block in Congress, but we're not 
getting the media attention, so many people believe, incorrectly, that 
there is no Democratic message. That is not true. The media's calling the 
announced candidates for the Presidency the Seven Dwarves or something. I 
believe out of that group, someone will rise up through the political process."

At several points, Udall suggested to audience members that they direct 
their questions to Republican Senator Wayne Allard, who will be at the 
Silverthorne Town Hall at 1:30 p.m. today. The public is invited.
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MAP posted-by: Terry Liittschwager