Mike Thompson makes his case | Napa Valley Register

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Mike Thompson makes his case

Tuesday, September 09, 2008

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Rep. Mike Thompson, D-St. Helena, visited the Register editorial board at the end of August, laying out the reasons why he believes residents of Napa County and the rest of California’s sprawling First Congressional District should return him to Washington, D.C., for his sixth term in the House of Representatives.

In the near future, the Register will decide whether to endorse Thompson and will explain the reasons for the endorsement. Here are the points Thompson, a St. Helena native who first served as a state senator, made in the meeting.

He began with an emphasis on local matters.

“One area I take pride in is constituent services,” he said. “My job is not just how I vote in Congress.”

He pointed out that his staff in Napa and Washington is often at work straightening out problems local individuals have obtaining veterans and Social Security benefits or dealing with passport and immigration matters. His campaign literature notes that his staff answered 80,000 calls, e-mails and letters from constituents in 2007.

In another aspect of local advocacy, Thompson is a reliable supporter of the wine industry who sought and got federal funding for research into beating the glassy-winged sharpshooter and other pests. He said that his advocacy for the slow-and-go Napa flood control project has brought in $27 million above what the president has allocated over the years.

This money, which also can be credited in part to California’s two senators and local officials from the county and the city who trek to D.C. twice a year on lobbying trips, has kept this vital project going. Yet the project remains underfunded at the federal level — a victim of higher U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ priorities such as the rebuilding of New Orleans’ levees — and is about a decade behind schedule.

On matters of national interest, Thompson has been consistent in his criticism of the war in Iraq. He first pushed for a hard timetable for withdrawal of troops, a timetable that was tied to President Bush’s mandate for the country to draw up a new constitution. He later co-sponsored failed legislation with Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., to redeploy troops and continues to advocate “to get troops have as quickly and safely as we can.”

As for Congress’ recent performance, Thompson admitted frustration at the pace of change, but noted that Democrats lack the super-majority needed to beat a filibuster.

Accomplishments of Congress he cited included fending off potentially harmful cuts to the Medicare program and passing the first increase in mandatory fuel-performance standards for vehicles in more than three decades. He said the so-called CAFE standards bill also included little-noticed provisions boosting energy efficiency in appliances and new structures.

In the course of the meeting, Thompson offered comments on a number of other matters, from a Calistoga wine controversy to the prospect of hostilities in Iran. We will share his comments on those matters Wednesday.

12 comment(s)

kevin wrote on Sep 9, 2008 4:48 AM:

" How about increasing domestic oil production? You couldn't ask about Drill Here, Drill Now?

With record fuel prices, you didn't think to ask what his solution is? "

musikluvr wrote on Sep 9, 2008 8:09 AM:

" I wish the voters would make the case to end Mr. Thompson's time in office. I would prefer a vacancy to him. "

Ruff Limblog wrote on Sep 9, 2008 9:32 AM:

" The Usual Suspects sound like a broken record - they don't support their Republican - and they wish the rest of Napa County voters wouldn't support the Democrat.

Kinda whiney to me.

RMD "

PlasticPinkFlamingo wrote on Sep 9, 2008 11:35 AM:

" That's how it is in Napa, wine, wine, wine.

Thompson should just be grateful he has a guaranteed seat because of his funny looking district boundaries. Were it not for that, he would have to get a job actually doing something useful.

But I will be interested to read his case for continuing his phony baloney representation. Should be a lot of good one-line zingers to follow . . . "

musikluvr wrote on Sep 9, 2008 12:51 PM:

" I have more faith in the voters than some of these posters. What I see is that many people vote for the best candidate and not just by party - as do the Democrats. "

vocal-de-local wrote on Sep 9, 2008 3:00 PM:

" I wish Thompson, and other elected officials would address the problem (and yes it is a problem) of crowding in the State of California, mostly as a result of immigration. We are increasingly making environmental regulations more stringent (which is a necessity at this point) because of "crowding". More people are making more demands on limited water resources for example. Many people continue reproducing at high rates because they are not the least bit troubled by the possibility of limited resources in the future and the impact it will have on the lives of their children.

We live in a world of "let's have it all now and forget about the impact on future generations". It reminds me so much of what goes on inside the brains of my drug addicted relatives, the ones who have had a minimum of 5 children per female for two generations, haven't raised even one child fully, and remain completely dependent on social services. No, they don't care about the future of the world or even the future of their offspring. Think this is an isolated case? Wake up.

Similarly, politicians and businesses do not care about the influx of immigrants and the impact on our environment and social fabric. It's such a mentality of "take care of ME now and forget about the mess we're leaving future generations. It's drug addict logic.

So please, start addressing the foundation of all environmental problems. Quit pretending it doesn't exist, the relationship of increased population with increased environmental problems which then trickles down to more regulation. Population assault on our environment is the greatest threat we face in California. Do something about it. Start by seriously limiting immigration into the country. Address governmental programs which lead to "population enabling". "

Napanee wrote on Sep 9, 2008 3:46 PM:

" PU! "

AgCommish wrote on Sep 9, 2008 3:56 PM:

" I normally don't enter the fray... But, I must let readers and bloggers alike know that Congressman Thompson has been a tremendous supporter of Napa County Agriculture. Congressman Thompson, his staff in Washington and in Napa have all been very responsive to my needs as Napa County Agricultural Commissioner. He and his staff have always made time for me and the issues important to Napa County and he has served the 1st Congressional District well from my perspective. As a local public official, I can not envision a more in touch nor better representative for Napa County agriculture! "

Rich wrote on Sep 9, 2008 4:38 PM:

" We're not Fonda Baghdad Mike. "

musikluvr wrote on Sep 9, 2008 5:59 PM:

" To Agcommish: I'm sure the Ag commissioner likes this guy. Lots of cozy wine tastings and $1,000 per person dinners, huh? Its ok for you, but how about the little guy who Thompson buries in taxes? Thompson has backed every sales tax increase and every school bond in Napa County, but he won't tell you that they are the most regressive taxes affecting the elderly, poor and young families the most. "

Raven wrote on Sep 9, 2008 7:34 PM:

" it is very simple......convince enuff voters he should be replaced and then provide an alternative that people will be ready to vote in to replace him....since it hasnt been accomplished yet, enuff voters must like the job he is doing "

Joe B wrote on Sep 11, 2008 10:34 PM:

" Enuff said Mike has my vote. "

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