Rep. David Price, D-N.C. and a former political science and public policy professor, spoke to a small crowd Tuesday evening in the West Union Building, hoping to inspire students to become more involved in politics. The event, which was sponsored by Duke Democrats and Duke Political Union, also included an open discussion forum, in which audience members posed questions about Price’s opinions on current issues in politics. Price is a member of the U.S. House of Representatives and represents North Carolina’s fourth congressional district, which includes all of Durham and Chapel Hill, as well as portions of Raleigh and Cary.
“My assignment here tonight is to say something about the Congressional section of what’s going on in [Washington, D.C.] as well as to say something about the campaign and the issues that are before us this Fall [in the 2010 midterm elections],” Price said.
In his speech, Price focused on the U.S. economy, which he characterized as slowly coming out of “the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression.” Price praised the University and other institutions for swiftly taking advantage of research funds to create jobs, but reminded the audience that economic recovery is still unfinished business. He added that regulatory reforms are needed to protect consumers and identify threats to the economy before they become serious.
Price also discussed how the Republican Party’s use of stall tactics and accusations has hindered America’s ability to move forward. The Republican Party’s accusation of fiscal irresponsibility “is like being called ugly by a frog,” he said. Price added that the lesson of the past eight years is that the recession hit us during a “profound moment of weakness” created by the Bush administration’s fiscal mistakes, and that enacting financial policies similar to those of the 1990s will create fiscal balance in the future.
“These guys put us in a ditch,” Price said. “The notion that you want to turn the keys of the car back to the Republicans is unbelievable.”
Price concluded his speech by advising Congress to focus on fixing the economy, giving people confidence and creating more job opportunities.
In the open discussion forum, he addressed questions about transparency in financial regulatory reform. Price noted that effective regulatory reforms should stop predatory practices by financial institutions that harm consumers.
Regarding President Barack Obama’s decision to end the U.S. combat mission in Iraq, Price said he was pleased that the Iraq War was ending, noting that he never wanted to go to war in the first place. He added that America’s involvement in Iraq is not over, since there will be residual U.S. forces which will train Iraqi forces to handle violence in the country.
Senior Ben Bergmann, president of Duke Democrats and co-president of Duke Political Union, said he was pleased about the turnout of the event. Because Price represents all of Durham County, Bergmann noted that all Duke students should be interested in events that allow them to meet their congressman face-to-face.
Sophomore Ming Jiu Li said he was also pleased with the opportunity to see and hear Price in person, although he said he had hoped to hear more about the healthcare bill. Nevertheless, as a Women’s Center intern involved with the voter registration drive, Li said he was hopeful about future collaboration with Duke Democrats and DPU.
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