As a Democrat first-term congresswomen in a Republican-dominated House of Representatives, Kathleen Rice faced long odds in initiating legislation the past two years.
That she was able to get two albeit modest-in-scope bills signed law speaks well for her and her ability to build relationships with people in Congress on both sides of the aisle.
Rice is now pitted against first-time candidate David Gurfein in her bid for re-election in the 4th Congressional District.
Gurfein, a Manhasset resident who grew up in Great Neck, has an impressive resume, having served in the first Gulf War before attending Harvard Business School and working for private companies. He re-entered active duty after Sept. 11 and was one of the first Marines to enter Iraq in 2003. He was later a congressional liaison for NATO’s supreme commander in Europe and the U.S. Special Operations Command, leading representatives on tours of Iraq and Afghanistan.
Unfortunately, the solutions he would propose as a Congressman do not match his resume.
Rice is the clear choice in this race.
Rice brings a strong law enforcement background to Congress, beginning her career as an assistant district attorney in the Kings County District Attorney’s Office, serving as assistant United States Attorney in Philadelphia and then winning election as Nassau County District Attorney —the first female to hold the position. She was re-elected in 2009 and 2013.
Rice used her legal experience in her first two years in Congress to lobby for adding technology to new cars to prevent drunken driving — a top priority when she was Nassau District attorney.
She also offers a sensible approach to the issues.
She said that she learned as a member of the Homeland Security Committee that border security needs to be improved both on the northern border with Canada as well as the southern border with Mexico.
But, she said, there was no need to wait to secure the border before providing a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants.
Both, she said, can be done at the same time — one of what she said were her top two priorities.
Rice also said the United States should not abandon “those strong American traditions that have made this country so great and so diverse” by not accepting countries such as Syria.
But she broke with the Obama Administration and joined 46 other House Democrats who voted for a bill last year that would have required tougher screens for refugees from Syria.
Rice said she was also willing to find a compromise that may include broad tax reforms to accomplish her other top priority — infrastructure.
Gurfein said he would use his experience in the military to help Congress craft a “clear strategy” for the nation’s defense and how to deal with its chief threat — the Islamic State and other Muslim terrorist sects.
He said that clear strategy should be developed before any decision is made on whether to put U.S. ground troops in Syria as well as addressing domestic issues such as health care and spending cuts.
Congress, he said, should have plans for a new health care system if it repeals the Affordable Care Act.
These plans seem sensible.
But Gurfein does not share this sensible approach on many other issues.
He said he doesn’t think Donald Trump’s proposed wall on the southern border may be necessary, but he suggested something worse — army troops.
He also said he opposes expanding background checks for gun purchases, banning semiautomatic weapons and banning people on the federal terrorist watch list from buying guns without being given a hearing. Here he gets downright scary.
People, he said, needed 2nd Amendment protections from this kind of legislation so they would have the ability to do what the amendment is intended to do — protect Americans from a tyrannical government.
He did not offer what he defines as a tyrannical government and who gets to make that determination.
“I don’t want a bureaucrat taking away my rights, or anybody’s right,” he said.
Gurfein said he is not endorsing Trump, but prefers him to Hillary Clinton because Trump has been “willing to learn and grow” while Clinton “believes [she] has all the answers” and makes choices “based on political expediency.”
He also said the answer to the Syrian refugee crisis is to screen them outside of the United States, and to destroy the Islamic State even if that means a declaration of war and lengthy occupation of the Middle East.
We endorse Rice.
Our Views: Congressional District 4 — Kathleen Rice for re-election to Congress
