By Ross Marrinson
rmarrinson@hgazette.com
—
Independent 5th district candidate Bob Clark, the sole independent in the race to unseat incumbent Democrat Niki Tsongas, has lived in Massachusetts since 1980. He is a self-taught computer engineer and has worked for Hopkinton-based EMC Corporation and Littleton-based Marathon Technologies over the course of his career.
Gazette: Why run? What sparked you? Was there a specific instance, piece of legislation or something that lit your fire?
Clark: This past January I looked at who was running — Golnik, Meas and Shapiro — and I said, "Nope, can't vote for these guys." I had two choices. I could complain or I could do something about it.
Gazette: With what views or issues didn't you agree for each of those candidates?
Clark: For Meas and Shapiro, there just wasn't enough information at that time to support them. For Golnik, I read "We are at war with terrorists" and "I support funding the military completely" on his website. I say fund the military no more than the money we have to spend, unless there is an imminent threat. Things haven't changed since we threw out Mossadegh from Iran in 1953. They don't want us there and don't agree with us being there, and I don't agree with us being there. Golnik is also for suspending the Constitutional rights of terrorists, and I'm dead set against that.
Gazette: The political spectrum is a bell curve. Most voters identify as moderates. How do you speak to them? How do you sway them?
Clark: I do have a winning position. The voters have two choices. Vote for an independent or a deficit spender. Both Republicans and Democrats are going to deficit spend. You can stay in the wars or you can vote for an independent. You can ignore the tough issues like entitlements, or you can face them.
I'm not hearing answers. Look at the defense budget. We spend more than the next 10 countries combined; that's the budget where we could most afford to cut back, but it's absolutely politically challenging. Being disassociated from the major parties, it's easier to make decisions like that.
Gazette: What's your hot-button issue?
Clark: Spending and debt. The rest of the country is just waiting for another alternative to put their money in, rather than the dollar or treasury. When that happens, that's when the country will feel real pain.
Gazette: What's wrong with how the current administration is facing it?
Clark: The biggest problem is the advice they're getting. They're saying, "We need to spend more and borrow to revive the economy." The problem is where the money comes from. That problems causes more additional problem than it solves.
Gazette: What would you do to fix it?
Clark: The fix is simple. Elect people who will say "No. We can't afford that." It's like the disciplined parent. "No, we can't buy that. We can't afford that." Just a little pushback will make people rethink how we're spending our money.
Gazette: What is the first piece of legislation that you'd author in D.C.?
Clark: Something to scale back the wars. That's something that's getting worse by the day. Let those countries deal with their own problems, as long as the American troops are safe. It's a more dignified position to have the restraint. Right now, we're the bully of the block. I would vote no on appropriations bills, and I would convince other members of Congress. Sending the troops into harm's way without the support of Congress and the people ... that's what's unpatriotic.
Gazette: How does that affect residents of the 5th District?
Clark: People would feel safer at home. Build back up the bases in the country instead of allowing them to dilapidate.
Gazette: Every candidate says that they're different. Why should voters believe you?
Clark: I don't report to a party. The people elected by a party are beholden to that party. I won't be. I report to the people.
Gazette: What is one thing Congresswoman Tsongas does well?
Clark: There are people that say that she's done a good job bringing federal money back into the district, including a veteran's center, and I applaud that.
Gazette: Would you support overturning Roe v. Wade?
Clark: I would not support it unless they came up with something better, like limiting abortion to the first trimester.
Gazette: Would you support a Constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage?
Clark; I would not support it. I would help to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act. It's unconstitutional. It's based on the writings of a single religion, and we as congressmen are sworn to support freedom of religion.
Gazette: Who is your political idol?
Clark: Ron Paul. He's a Republican, I think, in name only. I don't agree with him 100 percent, but I think he'd make a better president than anyone else I know.
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