Credo Amouzouvik, Democratic Candidate running in Tennessee's 7th Congressional District
Earlier this week we interviewed one of the Democratic candidates running against Rep. Marsha Blackburn in Tennessee's 7th Congressional District, Dan Cramer. Now we are interviewing the other Democratic candidate in the race, Credo Amouzouvik.
Just to point out: This isn't Amouzouvik's first run for Congress. He first ran in 2012 and received 24% of the votes vs. Rep. Blackburn who was re-elected by 71% of the votes. Obviously Amouzouvik's task of unseating Blackburn in 2012 was an uphill battle given the district's R+18 rating and the fact that Blackburn has never had a serious challenger before.
However, with Credo Amouzouvik making another run for Congress, both he and Dan Cramer (both Iraq War veterans) give the Tennessee Democratic Party an additional opportunity to increase its presence across the state given TN-07 is one of the more conservative regions in the state. Regardless of who wins the Democratic primary, the fact that both of them are campaigning gives TN-07 residents the chance to be more active in the Democratic primary process if they believe they're concerned for the state of the district and the direction of the U.S. at large. That depends on the approval ratings for Rep. Blackburn although many political analysts are likely to write off TN-07 as a competitive race.
Still, an important point that seems to be evident in interviewing both Dan Cramer and Credo Amouzouvik is that quite a number of residents in TN-07 are being neglected and not served by Rep. Marsha Blackburn so needless to say, whoever ends up being the Democratic nominee, will need to build enough support to make the case that TN-07 is in need for a change. After all, Blackburn rubber stamped the Iraq War and did no oversight on it so while her vote was just a vote, many others Republicans in the House of Representatives during President Bush's two terms (Blackburn's been in Congress since 2003) voted the same way she did so TN-07 may well be a district, where there's a lot of veterans from the military, but at the same time one that has not recovered well from the Great Recession and the debt incurred from Iraq War has made it harder for additional stimulus to apply in districts in the U.S. such as TN-07.
Our interview with Credo Amouzouvik is below the fold:
BACKGROUND QUESTIONS
KNOWLEDGE DEMOCRATS: Was there a moment or big factor that led you to make the decision to run for Congress?
CREDO AMOUZOUVIK: Yes, it was the accumulation of many factors.
Let me say that few years now, we the American people have come to realize that politics as usual in Washington DC hasn’t and is not working for the common hard working Americans living here in Tennessee. Even those working two jobs have a hard time making both ends meet. Families are really struggling to get by. This is not the America our forefathers had in mind for us, this is not the America with a dream that says if you work hard and play by the rules, you should be able to have a descent life, own your home and be able to save and put your children through college.
Furthermore, Tennesseans have been faced with the challenges of making ends meet, higher unemployment rate, drained on personal resources because of healthcare, minimum wages, and the issue of our service members, and veterans like me facing benefit cuts. The challenges we face are very significant and we do not have the proper representation in Congress right now to fix these issues, and as the records shows we can see that our current representatives has voted against any and everything that could have and would have made life better for us here in Tennessee.
They have voted for cutting benefits for our service members and veterans, voted against women issues, voted against extending the unemployment insurance that so many need in order to survive, they have voted to get subsidies to big corporations while voting against tax break for small businesses and hardworking Americans, they have participated in shutting down our government this past year. They have placed a bet against the American people, especially here in Tennessee, right here in our 7th congressional district of Tennessee, and I want the American people to agree with me that they lose that bet. We have been neglected for far too long, but I do acknowledge that this is the Great Volunteer State of Tennessee and we all know that we can do better, by engaging in more functional policies that will help us overcome these challenges we face.
That’s why I am running to represent the 7th District of Tennessee to be the voice of the people.
KNOWLEDGE DEMOCRATS: Like Dan Cramer (also running in TN-07), you're an Iraq War veteran and you also have a history in the U.S. Army. Any difference this experience has made in your life in general that you think would apply if you became Congressman?
CREDO AMOUZOUVIK: Absolutely, the Army values which we soldiers spell LDRSHIP (leadership), acronym for Loyalty, Duty, Respect, Selfless-Service, Integrity, and Personal Courage, along with my upbringing have prepared me to represent the people of Tennessee by being loyal to my district. Put my duty first in the representation of the people of this district. Respect any and everyone regardless to color, gender, age, and social status (I am to be the voice of the people, not my own). I have to be selfless by becoming the servant (always remember that I am here to serve the people and not the other way around). I’ll always honor my district by being faithful and open to the people. I will perform my duty with integrity, and display personal courage by voting for the people and not against my district. I will always follow the issues and not the party.
KNOWLEDGE DEMOCRATS: Understand you're originally from the African country Togo. As someone not born in the U.S., did any of those early years shape you in any way prior to coming to the U.S.?
CREDO AMOUZOUVIK: Yes of course. Like I’ve said it earlier, I was brought up in a Christian home, where we pray every morning with the whole family before going to school, have been taught hard work at a young age, I’ve learned very early to cook, clean, fish and hunt, and most importantly the respect to authority figure and others. You have to work hard to be a free man my dad always says. My mom taught us how to have compassion for everyone, trust the good in people and always be ready to a helping hand.
The most important thing I can say that my parents taught me is to stand up for those who cannot stand for themselves and always do my best to stand even when standing is not easy.
TENNESSEE and TN-07 CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT
KNOWLEDGE DEMOCRATS: What are some of the most important issues facing Tennessee's 7th Congressional District from your perspective and from what residents have mentioned to you?
CREDO AMOUZOUVIK: As I travel throughout this district, I can tell you that people here are hurting, some of the stories I hear bring sadness to my heart, which pushes me to try harder. The 7th congressional district of Tennessee has a very high concentration on military service members and Veterans (a very large military community). My first message to Congress is: LEAVE OUR SERVICE MEMBERS AND VETERANS ALONE. Congress, get your hands off our benefits. We have to extend the unemployment insurance (U.I) benefits, it’s that important for us as a nation.
Our teachers have been stripped of their collective bargaining right, the minimum wage is horrible. Our retired elders are hurting very badly; they are not making enough to take care of themselves, so most of them have to look for a job, again or beg for help. That’s not right for a country such as ours. When it comes to healthcare, some have gone bankrupt just trying to pay off hospital bills for themselves our love ones. We need jobs here in Tennessee, good paying jobs with benefits, and we all know that it will be nice to turn our minimum wage in Tennessee into a living wage; we owe it to the hardworking men and women of this district.
KNOWLEDGE DEMOCRATS: How would you describe TN-07 the district and residents, based on living in the district and also in your campaign?
CREDO AMOUZOUVIK: Tennessee is a great place to live, that’s why I call it home. This is the great Volunteer State, I love the people here because they have welcomed me and treated me great, treated my wife and children with love and compassion. Here in Tennessee, I love fishing and hunting, I’ve made so many friends in doing so. My family and I are members of a great church (Fifth Ward Missionary Baptist Church) here in Clarksville and we love it. In the course of my campaign couple years ago and this years as well, I have come to meet so many kindhearted Tennesseans I have break bread with and made many friends. The only problem is that we need new leadership. It is essential for us here in Tennessee.
AMOUZOUVIK'S CANDIDACY:
KNOWLEDGE DEMOCRATS: In making a distinction between yourself and Rep. Marsha Blackburn, what would you say are the biggest differences? For starters, we note Blackburn did not serve in the Iraq War nor has she ever been in the U.S. Army.
CREDO AMOUZOUVIK: Let me start by saying how grateful I am to have served in the U.S. Army, I was very proud to serve.
I would never vote to send our troops to war without concrete intelligence, without a plan to win, nor without a fighting strategy. I will never sponsor nor co-sponsor a bill that will take away benefits for our men and women protecting our national security, nor will I ever vote to cut benefits for our veterans. I will never vote to give subsidies to big corporations and big oil companies while refusing tax break to small business and also pushing mom and pop’s stores out of business by doing so. I will never vote to take the collective bargaining right away for the American people. I will never wage war on the women of this country (they are our mothers, sisters, wives, and daughters) by trying to take their rights away and paying them lower wages than men for the same work performed. I will never vote to cut funding from our education system, nor beat down on our educators.
All these things my opponent, our current representative has done to the American people especially the people in the 7th congressional district of Tennessee: These are the reasons the time for her to go has come, and it is now.
KNOWLEDGE DEMOCRATS: If you become elected to represent TN-07, what would be issues near and dear to you that you would be fighting for? Do you see yourself serving the U.S. first or party first?
CREDO AMOUZOUVIK: As a Congressman for the 7th district of Tennessee, I will devote myself to making needed necessary changes for our district concerning the creation of good paying jobs and reducing our unemployment, protecting veterans and military benefits, repairing our infrastructures and building new ones, and making sure healthcare is affordable to all, and certainly I will fight for no more governmental shutdown. I do believe there is a lot of changes needed here in Tennessee as well as in Washington DC, but the truth is: Even though I am up for the challenge, I cannot do it alone, but with the support of the people here in our great Volunteer State, together we can work to fix the most pressing issues facing Tennessee today.
With their help, we as a community can target the root causes of social issues plaguing us to create a real and lasting change that we seek here in Tennessee.
We all know there is still a huge opportunity gap that separates the “haves” and the “have-nots”, but it can and will get better if we do in fact work hand in hand, shoulder to shoulder, in helping one another. This is all the more reason why the voice of the people needs to be heard; we are all in this together.
The issues we face here in Tennessee are not democrats’ issues alone, nor Republicans; these issues are simply Tennesseans’ regardless to party affiliation.
HEALTHCARE
KNOWLEDGE DEMOCRATS: Do you believe the U.S. is better off now because of the Affordable Healthcare Act? Do you think there should be additional improvements (i.e. additional legislation) in Congress to improve healthcare?
CREDO AMOUZOUVIK: Yes, I believe our nation is better off now because of the Affordable Healthcare Act; for the first time in our history, no one can be turned down for preexisting conditions, college students under the age of 26 can be covered under their parents’ policies, more people are getting coverage, to this date millions are covered, and according to the Congressional Budget office (CBO) we will do better fiscally as a nation with the Affordable Healthcare Act.
However, there’s room for some improvement. Program as big as such always need improvement as years go by. Remember what happened with Social Security at its beginning? The ACA is not bad; it just need a little more time to get better.
We also need to expand Medicaid here in Tennessee.
EDUCATION
KNOWLEDGE DEMOCRATS: What's your view on the education? Is there a need to improve it particularly in TN-07?
CREDO AMOUZOUVIK: For the first time in the history of the south, we here in Tennessee are not grated in the bottom five. For the first time we are rated number four in the nation, both in primary and secondary education. A good education system produces well-trained and prepared workforce that leads to a flourishing economy. Education is the new world currency and America cannot afford to take the back seat, neither does Tennessee and especially the 7th congressional district, that is the reason why we have to heavily invest in the STEM program to secure a brighter future for our children in this 21st century global economy. Let me tell you that through Science, technology, Engineering and Mathematics, our children will ultimately make it to the top and keep America the superpower that we are.
We also have to remember our educators who work so hard in the upbringing of our children, they spend a lot time to make sure these children get trained and learn enough to secure a productive future. Our teachers deserve better than what’s offered to them right now. I am sure that we all know that something is wrong with our society when we pay and regard entertainers more that we do our teachers, let’s support our educators by making sure they have all the tools they need (allow them to have a collective bargaining right) and a good wage that will encourage them to do more in forming the next generation.
ECONOMY/WALL STREET
KNOWLEDGE DEMOCRATS: What's your view on income inequality? Is this an issue worth addressing?
CREDO AMOUZOUVIK: I strongly believe that everyone regardless to their gender should be paid a fair wage based, and we as a nation should acknowledge that it is wrong when we pay women less wages than a men for the same work performed.
This issue is worth addressing in a nation of justice and equality. So in all fairness, I support the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act.
KNOWLEDGE DEMOCRATS: Have problems on Wall Street and big banks affected TN-07? Do you think the Glass-Steagall Act should be reinstated or should there be a similar (and perhaps more robust effort) to reform Wall Street and the banking industry?
CREDO AMOUZOUVIK: The problems of Wall Street and big banks have affected Tennessee and our district greatly. I have many friends who are bankers that cannot to make loans to small businesses; it’s hard for them to issue real estate loans, small business loans as well as personal loans.
The big banks and Wall Street have made a huge mess, destroy the livelihood of the hardworking American people, almost crashed the global economy, and they have been bailed out, no one went to jail, and the small community banks, the small business owners, the American homeowners are paying a hefty financial price.
We need a more robust act than the Glass-Steagall Act to regulate Wall Street and the big banks. No more too big to fail.
KNOWLEDGE DEMOCRATS: Do you think it's more important to grow the economy or reduce the debt? Or do both need to be deal with?
CREDO AMOUZOUVIK: Both need to be deal with at the same time. We cannot afford to keep printing money; we cannot afford to keep borrowing from China. We have to go back to being nation that produces more; we want to see “Made in American” on things again instead of made in China or elsewhere. Let’s create new jobs, good paying jobs with good benefits, let’s give tax break to companies keeping jobs here in our nation, and tax those who are taking jobs outside.
KNOWLEDGE DEMOCRATS: On unions, do you consider yourself more supportive of union rights & issues or less so?
CREDO AMOUZOUVIK: Because of the unions, we as a nation have child labor law, 8 hours work day, weekends, sick leaves, vacations, etc. The collective bargaining that the unions promote gives voice to the people. We need the unions, and I am all in favor of them.
CIVIL RIGHTS/LAW
KNOWLEDGE DEMOCRATS: What's your view on the Citizens United case? Do you think it should be overturned/repealed?
CREDO AMOUZOUVIK: The Citizens United case is in my view unfair to the American people, and I think it should be repealed. We cannot and should not buy and sell campaigns, and representations in Congress, nor the office of the President of the United States. It just isn’t right.
SOCIAL PROGRAMS
KNOWLEDGE DEMOCRATS: Are you a supporter of chained CPI or anything related to reduce benefits in social security or are you against any cuts to the program? Should Medicare and social security be apart of addressing the deficit & debt or do they need to be out of the discussion?
CREDO AMOUZOUVIK: To anyone that wants touch or cut social security, I will firmly say: LEAVE IT ALONE.
Medicare and Social security need to be left alone.
NATIONAL SECURITY/FOREIGN POLICY
KNOWLEDGE DEMOCRATS: What's your feeling on the NSA and what its tactics have been? Do you believe their needs to be more transparency?
CREDO AMOUZOUVIK: I do believe there should be a comprehensive reform within the NSA, however we cannot compromise our national security in that process. Let’s not be naïve, many countries (foes and even some allies) will be happy to see us fall from being a superpower, and for us to be a nation that we are, many sacrifices have to be made. NSA aside, how much privacy does one have today with even Facebook?
OTHER ISSUES
KNOWLEDGE DEMOCRATS: What's your view on abortion and women's rights? And gay rights as well?
CREDO AMOUZOUVIK: We are a country of law, and I will always respect the laws of the land regardless of my view.
KNOWLEDGE DEMOCRATS: How would you like to see immigration reform unfold? What's your ideal legislation?
CREDO AMOUZOUVIK: In recent years, debate over immigration reform has often been portrayed as a false choice between amnesty and mass deportation. The real debate over immigration is whether we keep a broken system that undermines our economy and national security, or whether we work together to fix it. I know that real immigration reform will require both parties to set aside partisanship and come together around our country’s best interests. Immigration reform should reflect America’s tradition not only as a nation of laws but also a nation of fairness and responsibility, compassion, and prosperity. I will work across the aisle to pass a comprehensive legislation. We need to bring the 11 million undocumented immigrants out of the shadows and create a legal, fair, and economically viable system that holds both immigrants and employers accountable and finally ensure our borders.
I will support a comprehensive reform grounded in the principles of responsibility and accountability:
KNOWLEDGE DEMOCRATS: On climate change and global warming, are these pressing issues that need to be addressed? Do you think the Keystone XL Pipeline is necessary or a waste of time?
CREDO AMOUZOUVIK: Climate change is an important issue we cannot ignore, we have to face reality and take responsibility to be good stewards on this planet, let’s leave this place a better world for the next generation.
If you would like to support and get involved in Credo Amouzouvik's campaign for Congress in TN-07, links below:
Credo Amouzouvik for Congress: http://credoforcongress.com/
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