Conservative Tim Graney Challenges 20-Year Incumbent Congressman Ron Paul in Texas District 14

As Parcbench readers know, I’ve recently spent a great deal of time discussing the foreign policy folly of Congressman Ron Paul and his enthusiastic supporters. With the Tea Party Movement in full swing during this critical mid-term election year, it is absolutely essential to remain vigilant about extremists on both sides – especially if they are seeking higher office. But it’s not enough to simply call out the 20-year incumbent congressman on his dangerous isolationism and blame-America-first tendencies, particularly when there is an excellent primary challenger in Texas CD-14, “flying low under the radar” in a bid to unseat him.

After “meeting” Tim Graney on Facebook and interviewing him over the phone, I am pleased to report that if residents of Texas CD-14 are seeking an alternative to Paul – and a congressman who will actually listen to their concerns and represent them in Washington, D.C., Tim Graney is their man.

What prompted you to take on a 20-year incumbent in a primary race?

Simply put, I love our great country and I do not like the direction it is heading in. I am not a career politician; I am a “geek” with a B.S. in Computer Science who ran my own tech development and consulting company for years. My decision to run for congress has been simmering for a while. About four years ago, I got involved in local politics in Katy, Texas, where my only choices were county or school board. I got involved in the latter, as I have always been proud of the fact that Katy is well-known for its excellent school system.

But although Katy and the entire state of Texas are doing pretty well, I am alarmed by what is going on nationally. There are some very serious issues facing our country, and I believe being a congressional representative is a 24/7 job, just as being a small business owner is a 24/7 job. My district deserves a congressman who will spend his time listening to their concerns, and representing them in Washington – not gallivanting around the country making speeches and promoting his own agenda.

Let’s talk about Congressman Paul for minute. What differentiates you from him?

There are two major areas where Congressman Paul and I are diametrically opposed – his foreign policy and his ultra-libertarian views. Post 9/11, Ron Paul had to be pressured by members of his staff to support the invasion of Afghanistan – a country harboring terrorists. Going in there was the right thing to do for the sake of American security, but our representative had to be dragged into it. Unlike Paul, I support a robust foreign policy and a strong military to back it up. I also support a military presence around the world, as we’ve had in places like Germany. This is crucial in Afghanistan and Iraq, another effort I supported, based on the evidence we had at the time. If you recall, even Colin Powell was fully confident about taking out Saddam Hussein. Powell may have made the wrong choice for President, but I still respect his leadership and foreign affairs knowledge from his years as a military leader.

And to ensure these nations never again harbor Al-Qaeda and other terrorist groups, we need a military presence for years to come. From a moral standpoint, we have an obligation to help stabilize a nation once we’ve eliminated the regime posing the threat to America and the free world. Look at what happened in the killing fields in Cambodia after we abruptly left. We cannot allow that kind of bloodshed to happen again. Let’s also remember that we are the only nation in the history of the world that uses our force in the defense of freedom – not to plunder land from other countries. And our relief effort in Haiti is just one of many examples of the humanitarian missions our military embarks upon whenever called upon in the name of humanity.

Further, Ron Paul doesn’t seem to understand the nature of this new enemy. Unlike the USSR, for whom the concept of mutually assured destruction was a serious consideration, radical Islam places no value on human life. Not only are they willing to die for their cause, they have no problem sending their women and children to die, too.

Finally, while personal liberties are important and must be protected, they must be balanced with the traditional American values that have made this the greatest nation on earth. Especially in an age of radical Islamic terror, we must strike the right balance in order to protect American lives and preserve our way of life.

What about auditing the Fed or eliminating the IRS?

Well, first of all, I believe Congressman Paul’s ideas are too radical. We need reasonable ideas and legislation, and a representative who is willing to work with others. At the end of the day, auditing the Fed is a good idea. But what happens if we discover something, is that a good thing? Or will it just create worldwide financial instability? It is interesting that Ron Paul is totally invested in gold and precious metals while he continually preaches the decline of the US dollar.

It all sounds great to say hey, let’s eliminate the IRS and audit the Federal Reserve. But let’s start with commonsense, actionable things like tax cuts and eliminating job-killing regulations on small businesses.

How would you grow America’s economy?

I believe the economy is the #1 issue. Here in Texas, just the threat of the Cap and Trade bill being passed is killing jobs. Think about it – the legislation hasn’t even been signed into law and it’s still having a detrimental effect. I am all for reasonable regulations, and as technology improves it gives businesses the capacity to grow and prosper while respecting the environment. Look at the damage excessive government regulations have wrought in terms of building necessary refineries and nuclear plants. We cannot allow the federal government to continue to stand in the way of responsible energy development.

As for large companies, the tax rate in the USA is 35% — way too high. The corporate tax rate needs to be somewhere between 10%-17% to encourage investment in America. Think about it: why would a large corporation set up operations in the United States when the tax rates in countries like Ireland are so much lower?

With respect to small businesses, we should let them keep their profit so they can reinvest in themselves and become long-term job creators. Allowing them to use their profits to expand their workforce, upgrade their equipment and otherwise make sound business decisions to help them prosper is a commonsense strategy that will yield tremendous, continual job growth.

What is your position on domestic drilling?

We must drill here, drill now. This would have the two-fold effect of creating meaningful jobs for American citizens, and of keeping American dollars here in our own country. Going forward, who knows? Yes, we should explore alternatives. But it will take 10-20 years before they will even be viable. In the meantime, we need to focus on our own sources of oil, which as I mentioned, would immediately put Americans to work. And the additional royalties the government would receive from the oil companies could be used to 1.) pay down the national debt; and 2.) invest in alternative research.

Let’s talk about healthcare. Does our system need reform, and if so, what would you do to improve it?

Yes, the system does need reform, but the current bill under consideration in Washington is NOT the answer. First and foremost, we need tort reform across the board, and immigration reform. But before we can even discuss the issue of health insurance, we need to understand exactly what insurance is and isn’t. Insurance is all about mitigating risk – insuring the risk of others. For example, if you have a mortgage, the bank is going to require you to have a homeowners’ policy, not for your protection, but for theirs. So we need to adjust the mindset regarding the purpose of insurance.

For instance, we buy auto and home insurance for calamities, not everyday expenses. And we shop around to get the best deal. Health insurance is all about protecting the financial risk of doctors and hospitals. You cannot force insurance companies to take on pre-existing conditions (risk) under the current guidelines. That’s not government’s role, or society’s role.

People need more skin in the game. I believe we should de-couple health insurance from employers, which would create a free marketplace for individuals. How many employees stay put in jobs they don’t necessarily like because of health insurance? Interstate competition is a good idea, but state mandates are a huge factor. If you live in New York, you cannot expect to buy a policy at Alabama prices and receive healthcare in New York where costs are substantially higher. So while buying across state lines helps, an even better deal would be for states to have fewer government mandates on insurance companies.

Health Savings Accounts are another excellent idea as the high deductibles force individuals to have discussions with their doctor about treatment options and the associated costs. HSA’s, in a generation’s time, can also play a role in reducing our Medicare costs. While young, individuals could start building up their HSAs to cover their medical needs as they get older.

The other issue no one seems to address is cost containment. Moving to a high-deductible HSA type of plan would not necessarily be as scary as it seems, and would direct individuals to consider the cost of their care more closely.

You mentioned illegal immigration. Please clarify your position.

If you break the law, you must pay a penalty. That means for the 12 million already here, there should be a mandatory registration period during which anyone here less than 6-12 months is deported. They can go home and apply for citizenship just like anyone else. Those who stay must be required to pay a fine and learn the English language. If you are a criminal illegal immigrant, you should be deported immediately. As for employers, banks and landlords, those who knowingly hire and do business with illegal immigrants should also pay a fine; there should be severe penalties for not complying with the law. However, if they made a good faith effort to verify citizenship, they should not be punished.  Concurrently, we must secure our borders with more manpower, assets and equipment. The money we collect from these fees and fines should be used to do it.

Did Ron Paul start the Tea Party movement?

No, I disagree with the concept of Ron Paul as founder of the Tea Party movement, although he’s done a great snow job on Americans. I can honestly tell you from my travels around my district, speaking to Republican women’s groups, business chamber of commerce organizations, etc. they are all ready for Ron Paul to go as they feel we have no voice in Washington with Paul as our representative. But as with all elections, it’s a question of whether or not they’ll go to the polls on Election Day.

Were you surprised by Debra Medina’s interview with Glenn Beck?

Debra Medina is a Ron Paul supporter; rumor has it she’s his protégée for his congressional seat, and running for governor was a way for her to garner name recognition. So I’m not really surprised by her response to Glenn Beck regarding the events of September 11, 2001. Many of the “truthers” are strong supporters of Ron Paul and Debra Medina.

Having addressed a Campaign for Liberty group in Lake Jackson, Ron Paul’s hometown, I can also report that these folks trust nothing and no one – not the government, not a single news source.

9/11 was clearly perpetrated by the radical followers of Islam and was not brought on by our “occupation” or foreign policy as Ron Paul seems to believe, but instead by their hatred of us and our freedom loving Western ways.

Where can people find you on the web to learn more about your positions and/or donate to your campaign?

At my website, www.graneyforcongress.com. I encourage everyone who has questions to contact me through my site. I’ll be happy to clarify and expand upon my policy positions and vision for a stronger, more prosperous America.