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Ethan Berkowitz is the former minority leader of the state House from Anchorage. He's running against Diane Benson in the Aug. 26 primary for the Democratic nomination for the U.S. House.Below, he talks about why he thinks he's better for the job than Benson, as well as about issues including ANWR and the Iraq war.
Q. Why should you get the Democratic nomination for Congress rather than Diane Benson?A. I have a clearer idea of where the state should go. I have a deeper understanding of the issues. I have a proven track record in terms of my commitment to the Democratic values I support. I've got a bigger ability to rally support across party lines and across the political spectrum. I like Diane, she's done a lot of great things; I just think I'd be a better congressman.Q. What do you believe is the most telling difference you and Benson have on the issues?A. Based on the debates we've had, the depth of my knowledge on the issues is greater than hers. The breadth of the information that I have at my disposal is more important. Particularly on the energy issues, my understanding of the potential energy solutions for the state is significant. On educational issues, these are questions that I've dealt with not only on a policy basis but on a personal basis; I've got kids in school. These are real things that I get.Q. What is your impression of the Republican incumbent congressman, Don Young?A. Don Young has given the state a lot of service over a long period of time, but I think that I can be a better representative for the state going into the future.Q. Young has said: "Anybody running for this job, ask them what they can do better than Don Young. In fact, ask them, really, what hasn't he done?" What's your response to that?A. What hasn't he done. He hasn't helped us get a gas line. He hasn't opened ANWR. He hasn't escaped the ethical scandals that have caught up the congressional delegation. And he hasn't been able to build bridges across the party lines. There's a lot of things he has done, but there is a substantial list of things he hasn't done. What I can do better is, I can be an effective voice for Alaska in the 21st century, talking about things like how to build a gas line from within the majority party; it's going to be a Democratic majority in Congress.Q. Republicans argue that, while someone like Ethan Berkowitz might say he's in favor of ANWR drilling, adding another seat in Congress to help what is an anti-drilling Democratic Party is not a good idea. What's your response to that?A. That's an odd strategy. What they are saying is, "We have failed and so we should continue to pursue a failed strategy." So, to me, it's more about clinging to power than about solving the problem. ... I've always been in favor of opening ANWR. I think I can make a persuasive case to Democrats and Republicans.Q. One thing you said Don Young has not done is get a gas pipeline. What do you think Congress could be doing right now that it is not to get that project going? (Congress approved loan guarantees for an Alaska gas pipeline project in 2004.)A. Some of the guarantees that producers or pipeline owners are looking for are possible. When the producers start warehousing Alaska gas to develop other resources, I think they can be compelled to develop American resources. But I also think one of the things that's going to be a significant change in the economic attractiveness of the project has a lot to do with the potential climate-change legislation. If you have climate-change legislation that imposes a carbon cost, particularly on imported foreign oil, then it makes Alaska gas look much more attractive as an economic alternative.Q. So are you advocating Congress do something to compel the North Slope oil companies to develop Alaska's gas?A. I want to see how AGIA plays out (AGIA is Gov. Sarah Palin's gas pipeline program), but if we get into a situation where they build it and the producers won't sell it, then I think that there's national security interests involved. ... I want to make sure that if there's an attractive alternative in Alaska's gas to provide America's energy, then we take it. And that multinational corporations don't use their business judgment to substitute for our national security interests.Q. What issue are you the most passionate about in this campaign?A. The energy issue. I think we ought to do more to make this state and this country energy-secure and energy-independent. And we have the means to do it, not just by developing our oil and our gas resources, and that's significant, but also in terms of developing our renewable energy resources. And you look at the high prices Alaskans are paying across the state and you look at the crises we are battling ... the consequences of high energy is huge, and we have the ability to do things right away, both in terms of developing sustainable and renewable resources and in terms of bringing gas from the North Slope or from Cook Inlet basin or from Nenana basin into the places that can take it.Q. What should be done about the Iraq war?A. We should withdraw our troops from Iraq, and I think we should do it for two fundamental reasons. The first is, our continued presence isn't making us any safer.The tragedy of the soldiers and sailors and airmen who are there is something you can't overlook, that's the basic part of this. But we haven't finished the job in Afghanistan; we should be able to finish the job in Afghanistan; we're not able to deploy troops to other parts of the world where hot spots brew because we've overextended the military. ...The second thing is, I haven't heard any of the proponents of the war talking about what they see victory as entailing.Q. What would withdrawal look like to you? Would you imagine immediate and complete withdrawal?A. I do not think you want Congress to substitute its judgment for the generals. Congress sets policy, you let the generals implement that policy. ... Any kind of withdrawal has to be done in a way that protects American lives and American interests. But Congress should set the policy that we want withdrawal as quickly as possible.