By SCOTT ALLEN, sallen@thehj.com
Democratic candidate for U.S. House of Representatives District 4 Dr.
David Sanders made an appearance in Monticello yesterday to continue his
campaign for the congressional seat.
Sanders began in his press conference at the Best Western/Brandywine
complex by acknowledging current Congressman Steve Buyer’s
accomplishments, but admitted that if elected he will do things
differently.
“Although I did not agree with many of Congressman Buyer’s actions, I
believe that his service to the country and to the district must be
acknowledged,” said Sanders.
Sanders is currently an associate professor in the Department of
Biological Sciences at Purdue University.
The congressional candidate explained that he wants to make himself
accessible to all his constituents if elected.
“Any constituent who wishes to meet with me … will be able to make a
personal meeting with me,” he said. “That will continue to be my
commitment.
“I often say, you will be talking with me so often that you’ll probably
get sick of me.”
If elected Sanders plans to have a rotating office, with a home base in
Lafayette.
But as a scientist, Sanders feels his biggest contribution to the fourth
district will be in biological matters, specifically mentioning pandemic
illness and the bacterial infections picked up in hospitals Sanders said
contributes to 100,000 deaths every year.
“I have the expertise to propose solutions to these types of problems,” he
said.
Sanders experience includes gene therapy, cancer research, bio defense and
pandemic influenza; his research on the Ebola virus led to his
participation in the U.S. Defense Threat Reduction Agency’s Biological
Weapons Proliferation Prevention Program.
“I will be the only life scientist in Congress and I will be able to have
a major impact on those issues,” he said.
But Sanders also recognized that he cannot make promises he won’t be able
to follow through with as a freshman congressman.
“I understand that I’ll be a freshman congressman,” he said. “I’m not
running for president of the United States. I cannot promise you that I
can simultaneously cut taxes and the deficit at the same time.”
“I was impressed,” said Mike Adler, a Monticello resident. “He has a
wonderful academic background.”
Mike Adler and his wife, Penny, were pleased to hear Sanders’ view on
being a freshman congressman.
“He doesn’t have the expectancy to go in and change everything like a lot
of them promise,” Penny Adler said.
But he did promise an ethical approach to lobbyists and campaign financing.
“I have pledged that I will not knowingly accept (contributions) from
industries with special interests in the committees that I am on. I would
like to eventually make that the rule for congress,” he said.
“In general, if somebody from such and such industry wants to meet with me
… I want a constituent present. They will keep the two of us honest. They
can go back to the district and say what I was negotiating,” Sanders
explained.
Questioned by Monticello resident Larry Samson on the complexity of the
health care reform bill, Sanders said he’d like to see simplified
legislation.
“I absolutely believe simpler is better. I think we need simplified tax
bills,” he said.
But Sanders explained he believes health care reform is a positive
measure, though it may need tweaked as it’s implemented.
“I believe that this health care bill is a step in the right direction. We
need to work on that to make sure that is affordable(to small
businesses),” he said. “We know how essential small business is because of
our economy.”
The congressional candidate explained that he’s been door-to-door in
communities from Lafayette to Veedersburg and has enjoyed the experience;
he continued doing so in Monticello Tuesday afternoon.
Among the biggest concerns he’s heard is jobs; Sanders explained he
differs from Republican opponent Todd Rokita in his belief that simply
cutting taxes will not create jobs. Rather, Sanders believes Indiana can
take the forefront in manufacturing green technologies, thereby creating
more jobs.
