My name is Rick Vilello and I am running for Congress in the Fifth District in Pennsylvania. I promised everyone in my last diary that I would come back and answer some more questions if you left them. I would like to address a series of questions left by Scubaval because I think they are very important issues and they deserve to be dealt with openly, honestly, and in-depth. She asked about a woman’s right to choose, torture, Guantanamo Bay, mountaintop removal mining, public financing of campaigns, and Iran. Scubaval also asked if I was comfortable running as a progressive in my district. I’d like to take these each in turn.
First, a woman’s right to choose. Let me be clear. I am pro-choice. I believe that it is wrong for the government to get involved in telling women what they should and shouldn’t be doing with their bodies. This is an issue that should be decided by the woman herself and those around her that she trusts enough to get their advice. It certainly should not be decided by a Congressional committee in Washington, D.C. What Congress should be concentrating on is making abortions as safe and as rare as possible. And we need to make certain that every child that is born in this nation has access to affordable health care and has every opportunity available to be a success in life.
Next, torture. I am firmly against torture. In order for America to remain safe and secure in the world, we need to regain our moral authority in the world. Today, our nation is viewed with suspicion and skepticism because we no longer represent the best values that our nation has traditionally been associated with: values such as fair dealing, due process, and a basic and general respect for human rights. In addition, torture is wrong from a practical standpoint. It just doesn’t work. People will just say whatever they think we want to hear when they are tortured. It makes no sense to me that we would use interrogation techniques such as waterboarding when they make us less safe and give us inaccurate intelligence.
Guantanamo Bay. This is an absolute embarrassment. We have abandoned the very Constitutional guarantees that made this nation the greatest in the world. Due process was one of the very reasons that our nation was founded, and the fact that current leadership has tossed it aside to try and look tough and macho is unfortunate and wrong. We can do better.
Given the picturesque and natural environment that makes up most of my district, this should not come as a surprise. I am firmly against mountain-top removal mining. Obviously it is important that we get the natural resources we need to power the engine of our economy. However, that doesn’t mean it must be done in an environmentally unfriendly way. We need a balance between development and the environment. Mountain-top removal mining just doesn’t fit into that balance.
I am a firm believer in public financing of campaigns. The power of powerful corporate lobbyists in Washington is only increased exponentially when we allow PACs and wealthy donors to control the political process. We need to return power back to the people. We need to make certain that our Representatives are truly representative. We need to bring our democracy back to the people.
Iran is at a critical moment and if we fail to deal with them appropriately, they could cause greater instability in the Middle East for years to come. We must use forceful diplomacy to ensure that Iran becomes a force for stability in the region and does not destabilize an area with such critical implications for national security. We cannot with the war for hearts and minds in the Middle East by being bullies. We are going to win by being Americans, by expanding freedoms, by solving problems like AIDS and hunger. We defeated the Soviet Union by being Americans and by being Americans we will more easily and effectively spread peace and stability around the world.
Regarding Iran’s nuclear capacity, it is worth remembering that Pakistan, India, China, Russia all have nuclear weapons. The failure of past administrations has led to a point where Iran could purchase a nuclear weapon on the black market more easily than they could produce one on its own. Rather than planning to invade Iran to prevent their acquiring a nuclear weapon, we would be better off engaging in a program that works to prevent nuclear proliferation and makes unprofitable for Iran to have a nuclear weapon of its own.
As you can probably tell, I am comfortable running as a progressive in my district. Progressive leadership will help restore America to her rightful place as a leader in this world. In addition, once the people of my district hear where I stand, they will realize that they are progressives too. They will realize that progressive values are best for them, their families, their communities, and their nation.
If anyone would like additional information, please feel free to visit my website and drop the campaign a line via e-mail. Also, if you would like to have a part in making this campaign a great success, please visit my Act Blue page and make a donation.