BJ Lawson for Congress in the 4th District

Representative David Price is up for election Tuesday, and as this blog and B.J. Lawson's website www.davidsprice.com show, Price is not very progressive and cannot be counted on to oppose the unprovoked wars the next president will try to launch.  According to Lawson's site, which has references, Price voted for Bill Clinton's wars and invasions (Somalia, Haiti, and Yugoslavia), the sanctions that killed a huge number of Iraqis, the act that made overthrowing the Iraqi government policy in 1998, a bill letting Bush invade any country on the pretext of al-Qaida activity, and the attempt to put severe sanctions on Iran and bring us closer to war.  Lawson does not mention another of Price's pro-war votes, his full support for Israel's war on Lebanon in the summer of 2006, no doubt acting as a proxy for the Bush administration.  Lawson mentions some other unprogressive votes, such as Price's vote for the Patriot Act, the Violent Radicalization and and Homegrown Terrorism Prevention Act, REAL ID, to deny bail to people merely charged with terrorism, to expand the Federal death penalty, for the 2005 act that made it harder for people to declare bankruptcy, for the bailout, and his early support for the NBAF.  Yes, Price voted against the authorization for the Iraq War (under pressure from demonstrators) and recently helped make military contractors more accountable, but look at his other votes that helped Bush and Cheney create these problems.  On some social issues Price is a liberal and left of Lawson, but on imperialism and the rise of fascism he hasn't done enough and has even voted for the reactionary proposals.        

 

Lawson (www.lawsonforcongress.com) is a libertarian Republican who is actually running to the left of Price on many issues.  I don't agree with Lawson's libertarian economics, opposition to the income tax (but instead of a flat tax or sales tax, he advocates a carbon tax), the possibility that he would put too much reliance on incentives and local initiative for environmental protection, and his mild opposition to abortion.  But there are many things I agree with him about, and it seems that he will be much less likely to vote for imperialist adventures, restrictions on civil liberties, and transfer of tax money to the rich.  He supports a bill to overturn many of Bush's attacks on civil liberties and the rule of law.  Lawson is also against the death penalty and for measures to end the "War on Drugs."  Unlike Democrats like Kay Hagan, Lawson recognizes that trade and agricultural policies create immigration, though he wants people to leave the country to apply for legalisation.  

 

Some argue that we will lose Federal funds and clout without Price's seniority, but I think it is more important to have a representative who will oppose unjust wars and violations of the Bill of Rights.   

 

I am reluctant to vote for a Republican for national office, but they are finally trying to outflank Price on the left.  Maybe the Republicans will eventually decide to replace the Democrats as the USA's version of a social-democratic party. 

 

With his medical and small business background, Lawson appears to be on the left side of the small capitalist class, and so he is an potential ally in fighting imperialism and the fascistic wing of the capitalists and he has my vote.