MOUNT VERNON — The Knox County Democratic Party held its annual Jefferson/Jackson Dinner Thursday night at the Knox County Career Center. Rep. Zack Space, Ohio 18th District, was the featured speaker.
Space spoke on what he saw as the great number of serious issues facing the citizens of Ohio and of the United States as a whole. He was introduced by Mount Vernon Mayor Richard K. Mavis.
“I regret that the tenor of my speech will not be upbeat and optimistic tonight,” Space said. “It will be somewhat serious. But I think the times call for serious measures. We stand on the threshold of a new era and the dawn of a new day. Here we are 79 years almost to the day of the anniversary of the stock market crash in October 1929 — a chilling anniversary.”
Space said the country is facing challenges of awesome proportions. He said those challenges continue to mount at an accelerating pace.
“Let’s talk a little bit about what is at stake here,” he continued. “We can either choose to go blindly down the path that our leadership has led us down or we can stop and change directions.”
Space went on to identify what’s at stake, such as climate change, nuclear proliferation, a mobile economy that devalues labor, Iraq and the fight against terrorism, energy policy and dependence on finite energy sources, and an economy that is beginning to crumble under its own weight.
Space then explained his philosophy behind his vote for the Wall Street bailout bill.
“I have to say a word on the rescue plan voted on last week,” he said “Bush’s first proposal was quite simply a bailout plan. No oversight, no taxpayer protection and no limits on CEO golden parachutes. After very hard and long negotiations, we produced a bill, while not perfect, that was designed to avoid a catastrophic market collapse. It had safeguards and oversights and if it works, taxpayers will get their money back and maybe even then some. It has prohibitions against golden parachutes and contains measures to keep people in their homes and in the final analysis the cost of inaction was far too high. Times are indeed too difficult.”
Democrats in attendance were optimistic about the upcoming elections. They believed the Democratic ticket would be the surest way to positive change in the country.
“I think we are at a point in our country where we need a change and I think the Democratic ticket will achieve that,” said Mark Tuel. “I don’t feel there would be that much change with McCain. His record of voting 90 percent with the Bush administration means change isn’t going to come that way.”
“I don’t think there is any doubt that he (Barack Obama) is going to be our next president,” said Dude Conway. “I’ve met (Joe) Biden several times when I was active in union work. He’s always been for the working man. Obama was smart to pick him.”
Sam Barone, however was not going to bet the ranch just yet.
“I’m cautiously optimistic,” he said. “But having been burned in two previously elections where it looked like we were headed for victory, I don’t think anybody in the Democratic Party is going to take this election for granted.”
Paula Barone was also cautious in her feelings about the election.
“I think it’s a time when there are some very serious issues locally and abroad,” she said. “I know emotions are very high but I hope people’s intellect will override their feelings about who will be best for our country, and our county and city.”
