The third of three Lou Picone interviews... the advisor to Congresswoman Honoria Torres of New Jersey.
LION RADIO INTERVIEW OCTOBER 11, 2018 3PM
SUSAN JAMES (SJ): Hi, we’re back, and this is Susan James filling in for the vacationing Sam Hanratty here on Lion News Radio. Our guest for the last hour has been Lou Picone, special advisor to Congresswoman Honoria Torres, and icon of New Jersey backroom democratic party politics since the Kennedy administration. We are delighted to be talking with him today!
LOU PICONE (LP): Great to be talking to you, Susan!
SJ: The question I keep getting asked, and I am certainly curious, is why is Mrs. Torres a democrat? She has several republican positions…
LP: Most of the congresswoman’s positions are democratic party ones… she is strongly pro-union, pro-education, pro-woman, pro-family, pro-fair taxation, pro-legal immigration, pro-healthcare, pro-military…
SJ: But she’s pro-life, and pro-gun. And some of those stands you mention can be claimed by republicans.
LP: Isn’t that interesting? Sometimes there ain’t a dime’s worth of difference between candidates, except the grudges they bear, and the grudges of their loudest constituents.
SJ: Her voting record has been mostly democratic, but she has a lot of “present” votes… is she considering a move for higher office? That was President Obama’s method, as a US Senator.
LP: Oh, goodness, I don’t think so. We have never spoken about it. And about voting. Yes, she is a good democrat and votes mostly along party lines. But in her conscience she will not vote against the interests of the people of New Jersey, her constituents. As I mentioned before, she has strong convictions and many democrats support her… and believe the same things.
SJ: What do you think her chances are in five weeks? Can she keep her seat? There’s a lot of Trump money out there to defeat her, and NARAL is showing some very graphic TV commercials against her, saying she is anti-woman, implying crazy things like endorsing pre-teen incestuous pregnancy and that sort of thing. And Bloomberg’s anti-gun PAC is running ads that imply that Torres wants to arm every high school kid, or doesn’t care about murdering children, or will force teachers to have guns, the whole nine yards. What say you?
LP: Well, we’ve already discussed her Pro-life stance. As to the second amendment, she supports that right. But please consider this: whether she supports, or anti-gun people don’t support, gun rights is irrelevant. It is a constitutional right. Sure, reasonable restrictions are okay, but there are many laws in place that are not properly followed. There are crazy people out there and we can’t legislate everything to outlaw completely unpredictable people at the risk of taking away what is inalienable. People should be able to defend themselves and their loved ones and their homes. But reasonable people can disagree, and we can make compromises.
SJ: What motivates Congresswoman Torres, as a politician, as a democrat, to be in the House of Representatives?
LP: I believe she sees a certain inequity on issues of the day. Couple that with the fact that most current Washington politicians really do not care to resolve these issues. The more your opponent has issues that fire up his base, the more money you raise, the more ink and TV time you get.
SJ: Do you mean inequality?
LP: No, I mean inequity. Injustice. Equality of opportunity and attention, but not of outcome.
Inequity is the real culprit here. Justice implies that people and its government act in the spirit of harmony in day to day living. The rule of law, and applying that law to everyone, regardless of social station, job, color or gender. You know.
SJ: And what issues does she hit the ground running with every day?
LP: There’s three: The national debt, national health, and national defense. She sees these as existential, and the responsibility of government. These issues may separate her from both parties, so Congresswoman Torres has carved out what should be the business of the day.
SJ: It has been wonderful to chat with you, Lou. I hope you come back soon.
LP: We’ll see if the congresswoman approves! Hehe.
SJ: Parting shot?
LP: Why, yes, thanks. Congresswoman Honoria Torres is a dynamo. After all my years in politics I believe she has taken the most risk to say and act on what she believes is right, and to do her job. To work for the people’s interests, now and into the future. I hope democrats and republicans alike will re-elect her to the seat. Please vote. Take a stand for America’s future. Vote for Torres, in New Jersey’s 16th congressional race on November 6th!
SJ: Thank you, Lou Picone, advisor to the incumbent congresswoman from New Jersey, Honoria Torres. We will definitely have you back soon!
LP: Why, thank you, Susan!
SJ: And now we cut to a station break…
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