Economic Competitiveness And Community Values

Thursday, April 20, 2006

A CNP Distinguished Speakers Series Event With Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack

January 31, 2006

Summary

Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack called for greater focus on economic competitiveness and community values during his talk before the Center for National Policy on January 31, 2006. Calling community an “ignored value in American politics today,” Vilsack cited Iowa’s gains in job creation, energy independence, and access to education and health care as key components to helping strengthen Iowa’s local communities. Vilsack also discussed the war on terror, Iraq, containment of countries such as Iran and North Korea, and the critical role local government leaders play in homeland security.

Event Excerpts

Strengthening America’s Economic Competitiveness

“People [need to] have a sense that there’s a plan for improving the economy…there is no national economic plan other than tax cuts and that is not enough…there needs to be a national economic development strategy that’s based on innovation and creativity, a recommitment and investment in our public education system, and greater emphasis on basic research and development.”

Alternative Energy Sources and Energy Independence

“If you want to talk about national security, energy independence and a budget that doesn’t rely on as much foreign debt, are a pretty significant piece of being a secure country.”

“Ethanol is a renewable fuel. You never have to worry whether you need to drill in one part of the country or not. You certainly don’t have to depend on some other country for your oil supply. It is a cleaner burning fuel, preventing toxins from going into the air,” thereby providing a “strategy to communities that have to comply with clean air requirements. And it’s a great economic boost to rural communities because you not only create a market for crops…you do it locally so you don’t have to ship it halfway across the world.”

"[Ethanol is a] template for what the American economy has to become. We have a commodity-based economy and we need to become an ingredient-based economy where crops are specifically designed for a particular purpose. You can specifically design corn for fabric, ethanol, livestock feed, nutraceuticals, and pharmaceuticals.”

Iraq

“People believe that the president didn’t do what he should have, which is to ask all of the tough questions that need to be asked by the Commander in Chief before you ever commit a single person in harm’s way. That doesn’t mean asking for the intelligence, it means questioning the intelligence. It means asking enough tough questions so that you know there is a legitimate, factual basis for the most serious decision you’re going to make as president.”

“Congress needs to do its job. If the president doesn’t ask the questions then Congress needs to -- and if we need to expand the War Powers Act, so be it -- but Congress needs to get reengaged in this notion that the Constitution says it declares war.”

"We should have a plan based on worst case scenario, not best case scenario. Because it’s pretty clear we didn’t have enough troops…give consideration to how we would deal with day-to-day security issues.”

“I would probably approach it a little differently than the president…I’m not sure that this search and destroy concept is particularly effective…you have to create areas where there is tight security so people can see what regular, normal day-to-day life is like. At that point you’re going to have people who are willing to put their life on the line to keep their families and communities safe.”

Fighting Terrorism

“I think our first order of business in those weak and failing states is to make sure we do what we can in terms of coordinated financial assistance, trade policies, etc, to make sure that we actually have strengthened those weak and failing states…if we don’t, then clearly they become targets for terrorist organizations.”

"Terrorists…you gotta find them, you gotta capture them and kill them. Because if you don’t they’re going to find you and they’re going kill you…it means trying to find leadership and disrupting the leadership organizations, disrupting the financial networks of these terrorist organizations, it’s trying to develop much better intelligence gathering, much better analysis of intelligence.”

Homeland Security

“[Governors] are the ones on the front lines if a disaster hits. Again, with all due respect to President Bush, he wasn’t the first person on the scene at 9/11. Last time I checked it was a mayor and a governor. And that’s who people look to at the end of the day for security and for reassurance that things were going to be okay.”

“You’re challenged as a state…to find and figure out ways in which you can get benefit every day from your investment in homeland security. So, for example, when we invest in public health to deal with a biological attack, is there a way in which we can also use resources in that structure to deal with the flu? Is there a way we can deal with that through the public health system?”

Iran and North Korea

“[Iran and North Korea] have to be contained, and I think we have to continue to work with the international community in order to make sure that the squeeze is tight enough that they ultimately want to join the community of nations.”

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