Sarbanes Talks Debt, Afghanistan to Democrats at Perry's

Bringing the country out of the current recession is going to take what Rep. John Sarbanes (D-MD) described as hard choices and sacrifice from everyone, and he told area residents in Odenton Thursday that he believes Democrats in both houses of Congress are in the best position to lead the way.

Sarbanes also talked about the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq and repairing the country’s infrastructure to about 30 members of the Anne Arundel County 33rd Democratic Club at Perry’s Restaurant.

“If we’re going to make choices, let’s make them in a smart way. Use a scapel, not a hatchet, and everything has to be on the table,” he said.

When club members asked about the raising the debt ceiling, Sarbanes said it was necessary because new Republican members had pushed through proposals around Christmas that would have left many Americans feeling more strapped economically than they were already. Congress also had promised obligations in a number of areas that it had to meet, he said.

“If we aren’t in a position to make good on it, there will be huge implications,” he said. “We’ve got to rein in this debt. We’ve been going on 10 years of Bush tax cuts and fighting two wars. It’s not surprising we’re in this situation. The Republicans are skillful at saying the Democrats created it, but people don’t want to hear it anymore. We have to go to everyone and say, ‘Come on, guys. You can be part of this solution.’”

One way to be part of the solution, Sarbanes said, was to fix infrastructure because doing so would create jobs.

An investment in infrastructure would answer Republican critics, such as those in the Tea Party, Sarbanes said.

“Congress is polarized with all the new Republicans,” he said. “What we need is a competing narrative. What the Democrats are about is rebuilding the United States of America.”

Sarbanes was talking to a mostly appreciative crowd. He spoke of his recent first trip overseas as part of a congressional delegation.

“I was with three Republicans, so I did my best,” as many listeners laughed.

When the country is ready to start withdrawing troops from Iraq and Afghanistan later this year, Sarbanes said Iraq is better equipped to deal with the aftermath because it has an educated population, an established middle class, bureaucratic infrastructure and a legitimate source of income in oil.

Afghanistan has none of these, and its terrain makes improvements difficult, he said.

“It looks like the surface of the moon,” he said.

Afghanistan is also a poor country with the world’s second-most corrupt government after Somalia and is a large exporter of opium, he said. Eighty percent of the Afghani people are illiterate.

“They can’t read and can’t count. The first thing we’re teaching them is to read. We’re teaching them to count so they know how many rounds are in their machine guns,” he said.

This was Sarbanes fifth visit to the club, and he’s always a popular speaker, said Rusty Vaughan, club secretary.

“He’s one of the best speakers we have. He brings solidness from Congress, and he’s a genuinely good person,” he said.

Other club members said they appreciated Sarbanes’ talk.

“It was good as usual. He’s careful. He has the right progressive values. He tries to be careful and lets facts mold policy,” said Jim Hoage, who helped found the club in 1982. “One reason I like him is he looks for the long haul. He’s an excellent congressman. He isn’t just his father’s (retired U.S. Sen. Paul Sarbanes) son.”