Still waiting

It's now been a month since I challenged Tommy Sowers to support his assertion that I made "false claims" about his fundraiser at a gay bar in Washington. He previously had said I was "pathetic" and "desperate."

He said, in essence, "You lie." So, I asked him two questions: One, whether or not he held a fundraiser at Local 16 on "U" Street in Washington, D.C., and two, whether he denies that it's a gay bar. I also offered to pay for the space to print his answer.

To repeat a point I made to Mr. Rust, I've met Tommy Sowers, and we spoke for an hour and a half. I do not believe he's a homosexual. I do think his gay bar gala reflects poorly on his judgment, if not his values.

From his silence on this symbolic issue, however, we get another insight on this man who would be congressman. He's not willing to level with the people he's asking to trust him.

On his website, under the title "Accountability," Tommy Sowers wrote: "Just as I was held accountable for my actions in the military, I will hold myself accountable to the people I serve in the district."

That sounds great, of course, but why, then, did he remove the "Issues" section from his website?

Perhaps he should have done it sooner. The few national issues he ever spoke about put him in lock-step, item for item, with Nancy Pelosi's "to do" list.

If Tommy Sowers even has core convictions, he's keeping them to himself. He's practicing his own political version of "don't ask, don't tell."

Even those in the liberal blogosphere, where he's raised so much money, are worried. They fear he might betray them, like Ben Nelson, Blanche Lincoln or even Barack Obama, and turn moderate.

The following exchange, following his announcement last September, illustrates:

One commenter wrote: "More important than whether Sowers calls himself a Democrat is where does he stand on Democratic platform issues? Where does he stand on universal health care? Where does he stand on Employee Free Choice (card check)? On the Defense of Marriage Act (gay marriage)? On global warming (cap and trade)? Democrats do not need any more DINOs (Democrats in Name Only). He portrays himself as a problem solver, but we have no idea what he perceives to be the problems he intends to solve, and how he intends to solve them. His announcement provides no clues."

But, someone came to his defense, writing: "I think it's a little harsh to call him a "Democrat in Name Only." He's just introducing himself to the voters; I'm sure he'll be rolling out his proposals very soon."

Nearly 10 months later, we're all still waiting. There's been no "rolling out." There's been a "rolling up" -- of the issues section on his website.

So, just to kick things off in the second half, I'll extend my offer and echo what the liberal Dems want to hear as well.

Mr. Sowers, if you will tell us what your position is on: card check, gay marriage and cap and trade (in 250 words or less) in this space, I'll pay for it. (You've raised a million dollars. Why not spend some of George Soros's money and pay for all the others yourself?)

We now know that you can walk great distances, carry a flag and fire a shotgun. But, psst, you're not running for "stuntman." You're running for "congressman." Seriously, what here qualifies you to serve in the Congress of the United States?

We know that you served in the military, just like 70,000 other veterans in this district, and we honor that service. And we know you're not Jo Ann Emerson, but over 600,000 other people in this district can say the same. Is that really all you've got?

We live in serious times:

Item: Last week, former Clinton Chief of Staff Erskine Bowles, co-chair of the National Debt Commission, said, "This debt is like a cancer. ... It is truly going to destroy the country from within." Bowles said if the U.S. makes no changes, it will be spending $2 trillion by 2020 just for interest on the national debt.

"Just think about that: All that money going somewhere else to create jobs and opportunity somewhere else," he said.

"We can't grow our way out of this," Bowles said. "We could have decades of double-digit growth and not grow our way out of this enormous debt problem. We can't tax our way out."

Item: Moody's has warned that the AAA credit rating of the United States is in peril.

Item: For the first year ever, Social Security will be spending more money this year than it'll take in. It has begun.

These are important issues Tommy, not whether you like "Throwed Rolls." Nobody cares whether you can fire a shotgun, how much you like your dog or what your favorite color is. Try replacing "Boots on the Ground" with "Issues in the Campaign."

You've invited people to come meet you and "kick the tires." Well, I don't know about New York, but most people around here won't buy a car without looking under the hood. And, if the salesman won't "open her up," we begin to smell a lemon.

Bring back the "Issues" section on your webpage. Liberals, conservatives, and moderates alike -- we're all waiting -- still.

P.S. And, I'd still like to know why you held your fundraiser in a gay bar. It just baffles me. What on earth were you thinking?

P.P.S. Sorry, just one more question: "Is there anything Nancy Pelosi supports that you oppose?" That's not an ambush question. So far, your record is 100 percent.

JOSH BILL, 1002 N. Ranney, Sikeston, MO 63801