Busby Is San Diego’s Best Choice for Rep.

Dear Editor,

UCSD students, staff and faculty are greatly impacted by who represents us in the House of Representatives for this area. Republican Brian Bilbray edged out Democrat Francine Busby in a special election last year to fill the vacancy of Republican Randy “”Duke”” Cunningham who is now serving over eight years in prison.

A few noteworthy issues affecting you include the ability of this congressperson to vote on issues such as whether students who were convicted on misdemeanor drug possession infractions remain ineligible for receiving any financial aid during their entire college careers. This person votes on whether we allow offshore oil drilling along our coast. This person votes on whether we “”stay the course”” in spending billions of dollars a month and American and Iraqi lives fighting in Iraq. This person votes on whether textbook companies can continue to reap highly inflated profits for overpriced new editions of existing textbooks.

Bilbray refused to list his main job on the ballot in the last special election. At the time, though, he was a lobbyist for anti-immigration groups as well as San Diego Gas & Electric Company. Instead he chose deception over transparency and listed “”Immigration Reform Consultant”” as his title. Bilbray received $7,000 in donations from the defense contractor lobbyist who funded Cunningham. Bilbray is now under investigation by a grand jury for possible perjury and fraud related to where he was actually living versus where he listed his primary residence, so that he would be able to run for this office.

Bilbray says our invasion of Iraq “”may take decades.”” Bilbray has accepted more than $140,000 in donations from oil and gas companies and has voted to lift the ban on offshore oil drilling along our coast. He voted to give himself a pay raise his very first day in office.

Busby supports a responsible exit plan from Iraq, opposes oil drilling off the California coast, refuses to accept any pay raises until Congress stops deficit spending, supports stem cell research, has been endorsed by the Sierra Club and the League of Conservation Voters and served as an adjunct professor at Cal State San Marcos. Please be aware as members of this institution of higher learning that we need to make an informed choice this Nov. 7.

– Paul Harris

Assistant Supervisor, Geisel Library