THE REGISTER ENDORSES FALLON: Unleash Fallon's energy in Congress

Tuesday, May 27, 2008

Unleash Fallon's energy in Congress

The Register's Editorial

During Rep. Leonard Boswell's six terms in the U.S. House of Representatives, he has usually earned the support of the Register's editorial board. He's a decorated Vietnam War veteran who has dedicated his life to public service, serving 20 years in the U.S. Army and 12 in the Iowa Senate before being elected to Congress.

Boswell, 74, has been effective on some issues, such as spearheading the effort to secure funding for restoring the Neal Smith recreational trail. He has been particularly attentive to veterans' needs, introducing and helping to secure passage of legislation requiring the military to offer suicide-prevention programs.

Boswell's opponent in the June 3 Democratic primary, Ed Fallon, 50, is an energetic campaigner and independent thinker, but he compiled a thin record of accomplishment while serving 14 years in the state General Assembly. That's not too surprising since he was always in the minority party, but his maverick, occasionally sanctimonious nature at times irritated even colleagues in his own party.

So voters face a difficult choice. As an incumbent, Boswell has greater name recognition, a lead in the polls and more money than Fallon. Returning him to Washington would further build his seniority and potential clout for Iowa through choice committee assignments.

But currently holding the job of congressman doesn't mean a candidate automatically deserves to be re-elected. After interviewing both candidates and reviewing their records, the editorial board can no longer embrace the congressman as the best person to represent Iowa in Congress. Fallon is running under the slogan "new energy for Iowa." On June 3, Democrats in the 3rd District should give Fallon a chance to unleash some of his ideas and energy in Washington.

Why Boswell falls short

Boswell's own record of accomplishment in a dozen years in Congress is relatively light, and, in a recent meeting with the editorial board, he seemed out of touch about some serious issues facing the country.

One example: Boswell expressed skepticism about the financial problems facing Medicare, asking what economists the Register had consulted to conclude the health-care program was in fiscal trouble. It's hardly an issue for debate. The Medicare Board of Trustees has issued numerous reports outlining the trust fund's looming deficits. David Walker, former comptroller general, has expressed concerns about projected Medicare spending. Yet Boswell talked about further studying the issue rather than proposing how to address it.

On immigration, he suggested that undocumented immigrants should go back to their home countries and "get in line" for a chance to come here. That's hardly realistic considering there are an estimated 12 million undocumented immigrants in the United States.

When asked about Republican presidential candidate John McCain's prediction the previous day that most American troops could be home from Iraq by 2013, Boswell seemed unaware of McCain's statement. When asked about education in Iowa, Boswell said the state does "pretty good." And when asked what he based that on, he said Iowa's history and his own experience. But Iowa's educational system - not to mention the world economy - looks nothing like it did in Boswell's childhood.

How Fallon stands out

Though Fallon was viewed as a maverick in the Iowa Legislature, he was frequently on the right side of issues. He argued for community-based corrections for nonviolent offenders and against building more prisons. He was the only House member to vote against the 2,000-foot residency restriction for certain sex offenders, a law that virtually banished them from many communities, making them harder to track, while driving up costs for law enforcement.

He's right on many federal issues, too. He supports a taxpayer-financed health-insurance system that would cover everyone, and he wants to reform the wasteful prescription-drug program.

A longtime peace activist, he has steadfastly opposed the war in Iraq.

During his meeting with the editorial board, Fallon said climate change is the single biggest issue the country faces. He arrived with his own reusable water bottle and said if sent to Washington he will continue to try to bike to work and "grow a few tomatoes."

This may make him seem an odd fit in the bustling bureaucracy of the nation's capital, but it's also a sign he's willing to chart his own path, a refreshing approach for Capitol Hill.

Fallon has lots to learn

Fallon is aware of mistakes he's made. He joked, for example, about being overzealous in introducing bills during his early years in the Iowa Legislature.

"There's only one year I filed 54 bills," he said with a laugh, and noted it prompted another lawmaker to introduce legislation to limit how many bills a single member could file.

He has more to learn. He's not as well-versed on some issues as he should be, including the farm bill and immigration reform. He'll need to work more closely with his colleagues in Congress than he did with fellow legislators. He should also drop his pledge not to "seek, support or enact earmarks" during the appropriations process. Earmarks, as much as they are maligned, are a political reality. He should work to change the system, but until that happens, rejecting earmarks for the 3rd District would deprive its cities and counties of hundreds of thousands of dollars for needed projects.

Fallon said Washington needs more people to "think independently and critically." That's the best argument for selecting him as the 3rd District Democratic nominee.