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 | | Pete Ashdown |
Chad Phares 13.DEC.05
BOUNTIFUL — Bounti-ful native Pete Ashdown says that citizens’ opinions are too often not valued by those in of-fice in Washington, D.C. While many people share the same belief, Ashdown is doing more than just complaining — he’s running for the U.S. Senate seat as a Democrat against Republican stalwart Orrin Hatch. Ashdown spoke to the Bountiful Rotary Club at the Joy Luck restaurant Thursday, Dec. 8, at the group’s weekly meeting. Ashdown, who grew up in Bountiful and now lives in Salt Lake City, said he realizes Davis County voters don’t elect many Democrats. Ashdown said if he were elected, he would strive to not get trapped behind party lines.
“I’m sick of the party situation in this country,” he said. “It’s baloney.”
Ashdown said voters would be at an advantage if they elected him because he would vote on issues according to how he felt and would look to having open, honest conversations with those in both parties.
“I’ve looked at the way Sen. Hatch has demonized Demo-crats and I don’t want to be a part of that,” Ashdown said.
While some at the meeting were skeptical that one person could make much of a change in Washington, Ashdown, who founded XMission, said he hopes his areas of expertise will allow for opportunities to bridge gaps between parties.
Ashdown said he would interact with people after taking office much as he interacts with them currently.
“I took the approach early on that I wanted to have open input from my customers,” he said.
Ashdown said he also tries to be as up front and honest about his successes and mistakes as possible. He said he would continue to be open about his doings if elected.
He said that many elected officials in Washington, D.C. are secretive about the people with whom they meet and what they discuss. Ashdown said if he were elected he would be more open about those things.
When asked about illegal immigration, Ashdown said it would be unwise to kick out all illegal aliens.
“There is a certain dependency our economy has with guest workers,” he said. “I think kicking them all out would be like cutting off our noses to spite our face.”
Ashdown said he would support a guest worker policy that would allow illegal immigrants the opportunity to work in the country.
President George W. Bush has also voiced his support for a similar plan.
Ashdown said it would be important to hold businesses to strict rules if the plan were initiated.
“A lot of business owners take advantage of the fact that the whole immigration system is willy-nilly.”
cphares@davisclipper.com
 
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