Congressman Thompson visits town

Congressman Mike Thompson spoke to the Windsor Times during a
recent trip home from Washington D.C. to discuss local and national
issues at work in the upcoming November election.
Thompson said his work on topics like healthcare, the
environment and the economy is constantly influenced by his contact
with voters. He said he is available to local constituents through
his many trips home and via his local staff. “I take back there
what I learn from folks in the district. They are clearly impacted
by all the things that are hurting in the rest of the country and
the world.
After spending some time looking at local health care projects
in the past weeks, he said he is proud of his work on health care.
“It’s kind of been my issue since I was in the State Legislature
and I’ve worked a lot with the people that deliver health care at
the local level.” He said he’s helped facilitate increased
reimbursement rates for rural providers, promote electronic health
care options and increase access at the local level.
On the local level, he said his office has been involved with
the proposed Native American reservation at the intersection of
Windsor River Road and East Side Road. He said he’d met with people
on both sides of the issue and his stance on expanding a
reservation remains the same. “My standard always is that the local
government needs to be involved before we expand any
jurisdictions.”
He said he considers himself a trusted broker that can work with
tribes and local officials. “I understand that they’re sovereign
nations and I respect that but so are we and sovereign nations need
to be able to work together on issues that impact a community.”
Thompson said he’s also been active in promoting and protecting
Sonoma County’s wine country with efforts to thwart additional
taxes on wine, working with the wine caucus, promoting interstate
shipping of wine and securing funding to research potential
disasters such as invasive insects and sudden oak death. “All of
those things are front and center in large part because I’ve been
pushing for those.”
Thompson said his job in Congress is to represent the sometimes
diverse interests of his constituents while balancing his personal
beliefs in what is right. “Most people in congress are there as a
representative of their district and there to represent what their
district wants,” he said.
While acting as a representative, he said a Congressman still
has to act on their conscience and cited his opposition to the Iraq
war as an example of taking a stand. “I had other Democrats say ‘I
wish I could have done that but I can’t go home and do that,’” he
said. “I think I would have done that no matter because at some
point you’ve got to do what you believe is right.”
Thompson said he voted for the Federal bailout and stimulus
bills and said he thinks both were vital for preventing the economy
from getting worse. “Had it not been for those two bills, we’d be
in a depression right now,” he said.
He said he favored spending Federal money on infrastructure
projects as a means of providing short term jobs and improving the
country’s longterm health. “(construction) creates jobs, it’s money
spent in that community and when you get it done its improved
infrastructure that future generations receive value from.”
Thompson said he favored tough marijuana enforcement and
eradication efforts in northern California as a way to protect the
environment and fight criminal organizations. “There are organized
crime elements that take this money and put it to bad use somewhere
else. Its just a domino effect all going to a bad place.”
He said he has worked with other government officials to secure
funding to restore the environment damaged by marijuana plantations
and will continue to support local law enforcement in their
efforts.
He said protecting the local environment, including fish habitat
is a high priority because in addition to increasing quality of
life, protecting the environment can be an economic boon. “If you
mess around and let the salmon numbers continue to slip, every job
tied to that river or that fish is going to continue to get
wacked.”
He acknowledged that the Democratic party was in danger of
losing several federal races this November but said he didn’t think
the losses would be as bad as predicted.
He said the historic cycle predicted the President’s party would
lose seats during an off-year election and predicted Democrats
would retain a three seat majority on the House of
Representatives.
“I think I’m in pretty good shape. I hope that I’m able to stay
in office as long as I’m able to do good for our district an have a
little fun once in a while doing it,” he said. “I don’t have to
stay in congress for the rest of my life, but I’d like to choose
when I leave.”
Thompson invites all members of the community to attend a rally
featuring former President Bill Clinton. On Sunday, October 17 at
the Uptown Theatre (1350 Third St. Napa, CA). Doors open at 1 p.m.
and the rally begins at 2 p.m. Seating is first come, first
serve.