Sam Rasoul touts congressional reform in longshot bid for 6th District seat

Sixth District Democratic congressional candidate Sam Rasoul said the single biggest issue facing the country is how elections are financed.

While Rasoul has raised about $250,000 during his 21-month bid to unseat Rep. Bob Goodlatte, the incumbent has about six times as much money in his campaign fund.

The challenger favors public financing of elections.

“Half of his [Goodlatte] money comes from PACs and special interests. They have given millions during his tenure,” Rasoul said.

During an editorial board meeting at The News Virginian, Rasoul reinforced his belief that systemic reform is needed to remove the special interests from government.

“The lobbyists and special interests have overrun the system,” said Rasoul, who accepts neither PAC donations nor money from the Democratic National Committee.

If elected, the small-business owner would support the platform of Change Congress, a group that would increase the transparency of Congress, rid the body of earmarks and offer comprehensive financial reform.

The current system, Rasoul said, “breeds corruption.”

Decades ago, Republicans and Democrats could meet and debate legislation without the pressure of lobbyists, Rasoul said.

Rasoul considers himself a fiscal conservative who believes the federal budget must be balanced. Still, he said he would have supported last week’s $700 billion congressional bailout of troubled financial institutions.

Goodlatte voted against the legislation, and supports a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution.

“Our economy depends on credit and the credit markets were frozen,” Rasoul said. “The markets could not function the past couple of weeks.”

Rasoul said Congress had little choice but to act and salvage a U.S. economy dependent on credit.

Increases in federal spending during the Bush administration have led to large deficits and taken money away from the taxpayers, Rasoul said.

Federal budget outlays have increased by more than a third and the deficit has more than tripled since 2002.

“With $3 trillion in spending, there are hundreds of billions that could be cut in spending,” Rasoul said.

Rasoul’s first choice on committee assignments would be the House Appropriations Committee.

Rasoul has proposed legislation to end federal earmarks. Instead, local projects should be funded through a competitive federal grants process, he said.

“The money would be based on merit and the projects would apply for grants,” he said.

Rasoul said he would hire a full-time grant writer to obtain the funds for projects in the Sixth District.

Rasoul supports a withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq over the next 18 to 24 months, a stand that he says is similar to Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama, President Bush and Virginia Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Mark Warner.

While he wants to see a withdrawal from Iraq, Rasoul believes a short-term push is needed in Afghanistan because of the threat of the Taliban.

Rasoul supports development of renewable energy sources such as wind, solar and others, but said no one source can solve the country’s energy problems.

“They must be part of a portfolio,” he said. That portfolio of energy sources would also include geothermal, biodiesel and nuclear energy.

As Rasoul comes to the finish of an exhausting campaign, he said he has had to rely on the old-fashioned approach rather than that of mass media.

He has visited the Sixth District’s 19 cities and counties repeatedly, and said he has participated in more than 60 “meet-and-greets” in an effort to focus with small numbers of voters.

The climb is steep. Goodlatte led by almost 30 percentage points in a SurveyUSA poll released in mid-August. That is on par with Goodlatte’s victory margins in the rare instances when he has been challenged during eight terms in Congress.

Rasoul said he his humbled by his candidacy. As the owner of two businesses in the Roanoke area, he is still paying off his student loans.

“It’s time for new ideas and a fresh approach,” he said of what he would offer if elected.

The two candidates debated Monday night in Roanoke, and will debate next on Thursday morning at the Holiday Inn in Harrisonburg.

That debate is sponsored by radio station WSVA 550 AM.

Independent Sixth District candidate Janice Lee Allen will also participate.