Mr. Ashdown,

First, thank you for participating in this interview with Utahpolitics.org. In the coming months, you will be interviewed by many, many people, but it is my hope, that we get the good stuff here.

This will not be your typical interview; because while we would like to know what you stand on politically (and we will see this throughout the election process), many Utahns also like to understand the personality of their elected officials. Honestly, while some of these questions may seem goofy, difficult, or direct, it will be your answers that determine the value of this interview.

1. I’ll start with a softball pitch. Why do you want to represent Utah as a United States Senator?

First and foremost, my motivation sources from my children. I want all children to have the same opportunities I have had in America. My goal is to give children a world with less fear and more possibility. You can’t provide properly for children unless you are economically stable. Technology, innovation, health care and education are the keys to economic stability. America needs leaders like me who understand these principles and who are courageous enough to fight the good fight to leave the legacy of prosperity and health to our children.

Senator Hatch’s record on technology has been dismaying. He is out of touch with our people here in Utah.

2. You will be running against a Republican in a very Republican state (and you may even be running against a very well funded one depending on the outcome of the convention or primary). Although our society loves a good David v. Goliath story, we often end up sending Goliath back to Washington. What do you have in your sling that may change the outcome in 2006?

People are tired of the partisan politics and bickering. They are looking for someone who understands their needs above party agendas.

If you look back over the last quarter-century, the barriers towards entry have fallen in many fields. Publishing, business, film, music, broadcast, and reporting have all been opened by technology. Politics is the next wall to fall. My small business resourcefullness gives me the rock and my knowledge of the Internet is the sling. When Goliath falls, the people will be happy to see special interests fall along side of him.

3. My generation (those of us who graduated high school in the early 90s) grew up with a popular cartoon by Warner Brothers called Animanacs. Two rodent characters on this show, Pinky and The Brain, spent every episode “trying to take over the world.” Being a technological savvy guy, what advice would you give these two mice in today’s challenging world?

Pinky and the Brain need buy some government computers at auction and they’ll most likely find all the information they need. Seriously though, technology continues to transform our world and is the basis for all we do. In Neil Stephenson’s “Diamond Age” nanotechnology is commonplace. What is intriguing to me about this future is that creativity is the highest asset an individual can have. We are starting to see that occur on the Internet.

4. Presently, there are groups like the Minute Man Project sitting on the Mexican/American border concerned about those trying to cross north illegally. Utah recently changed its requirements for illegal immigrants to obtain driving privileges. Border state legislatures are working though similar employment, education, and health care issues related to immigration. There seems to be a growing concern about immigration to the US. What are your views on this topic? If you define this as a problem, what solution do you propose?

America was built on the backs of the brave souls who came to this country to seek opportunity and freedom from oppressive governments. In fact, my mother was a Danish immigrant who sailed across the Atlantic in the 1950’s. Today, immigration is poorly managed by the government. Much of our economy is currently dependent on guest workers, to close the door completely would be damaging. I propose rigid border security and a viable guest worker program with RFID digitally-signed green-cards. Guest workers would be permanently deported for crimes. There would be a track for citizenship otherwise. I do not advocate the national citizen RealID card, but I see no problems in putting that requirement on guest workers. Immigration should be controlled and not eliminated.

I do not support the H-1B program for importing engineers and tech workers.

In my own business, when we open a job position, we have hundreds of applications with dozens of qualified people.

5. Some have declared “No Child Left Behind” as a great success, while others feel it’s left good education, teachers, and much more behind. What are your thoughts on this? What are your plans in Washington for this issue?

I object to the increasing amount of testing NCLB requires. For instance in my daughter’s fifth grade class, precious time in the classroom that should be spent learning is exchanged for excessive testing. History, social studies, geography, and physical fitness are all subjects which inevitably get “left behind” by NCLB.

Recently, I became aware of studies that indicate test results have been called to question. All this time spent testing may not be yielding correct results.

It is not the job of the federal government to micromanage what happens in Utah classrooms. This is the kind of “big government” that most people in our state want to see eliminated. Instead, the Department of Education must take the role of advocate for working programs and a dispenser of funding. I also demand that the FDA take a stronger role in school nutrition. What is sold and eaten in most school cafeterias is simply not good for children. With obesity and behavioral problems on the rise, we need healthy food to nourish children’s bodies and minds. For many children, school lunch is their only meal of the day.

In addition, corporate branding of curriculum should be banned. I welcome corporations supporting our schools, but they should do so quietly.

6. Often, American’s like elected leaders that they feel they can relate to, but many of us have a very difficult time relating to the “tech people” that work in the basements of our offices and buildings. They often eat most meals out of the vending machine and only the computer monitor lights their cubicles. We don’t understand a word they say. I’m sure you know who I’m talking about — the stereotypical computer nerd. (Not that every tech person is like this description.) Most voters don’t speak “nerd” and many don’t regularly defrag their hard drives. Most of us don’t know the difference between a bit and a bite. Not that I am calling you a computer nerd, but I get the feeling you defrag often, among other computer related things. What is it about you that the people of Utah can relate to?

I was born, raised, and educated in Utah and I understand and listen to what Utahns need. I revel in the sports that Utah’s winters bring and love hiking with my dogs in the gorgeous Utah mountains. My family and I have camped and traveled all over this beautiful state and across this great country.

My business has been successful because of hard work and fiscal conservativism, two values Utahns hold dear. I have always put my customers and employees above my own needs and have given greatly to the non-profits of Utah. My professional time outside of XMission (and this campaign) is spent on Rotary, historic preservation, community redevelopment and educational boards.

I don’t defrag often because I run Linux and I don’t need to. ;-)

7. If you were to write an e-mail to the troops in Iraq right now, what would you type? How about to the military leadership? What about the elected and civilian leaders in D.C.? And how about to the Iraqis?

To the troops; I thank them for their service and loyalty, then ask them what they need from me and our government. I express my support for them, while they are doing their job in the field and also when they return home. Supporting our veterans and the families of troops killed in action is a high priority.

To the military leadership; I would want to understand their view and inquire as to their needs.

On the topic of Iraq; I tell the people in D.C. that the best experts we have on the situation over there are the troops on the ground. Washington needs to inquire and meet the troops’ needs. As long as the troops believe progress is being made, we should support them continuing. If they need equipment, it should be given. If the troops believe no progress is being made, they should come home.

To the people of Iraq; I apologize, as I do not think the war was justified.

8. If a Senate Bill to provide federal funding for stem cell research reached the floor, one that had already passed in the exact same form in the House, and the President was not threatening to VETO, and you were the deciding vote, how would you cast your vote?

I am in favor of stem cell research. The promise offered by this science is too great to cast it down. If the US takes a regressive role in biotechnology, the rest of the world will simply pass us by.

9. Energy and the environment, two issues that are often connected, have become spotlight issues these days. Where do you see America regarding these issues in 10 years? In 20? Maybe, where you see America and where you would LIKE to see America in the future are entirely different. Where would you LIKE to see America in 10 or 20 years.

Currently, oil prices will continue climb until they threaten to topple our economy. Tax-credits and incentives given to oil companies are immoral. These companies are making record profits and the government still needs to give them a hand up? If tar sands and oil-shale hold so much promise in Utah, you’d think the oil companies would spend a dime to make a dollar. Instead the government has to artificially guarantee pricing and pour money into it for oil companies to consider it viable. This scheme may provide more oil, but it will not lower the price. The high price is the problem.

Americans are intelligent, innovative and enterprising. Within ten years we should be able to have alternative sources of energy that are clean, cheap, and plentiful. America needs a Declaration of Energy Independence and should start a “Moon shot” style project to get there.

I support conservation, but I do not believe it can ever make a deep impact until it is economically sound. Witness hotels putting in fluorescent bulb replacements because it saves them more money than incandescent. Most people are motivated by economic benefits and conservation measures which produce immediate measurable monetary savings are more likely to succeed. Pleading with people to ride a bike only goes so far.

10. Imagine you found yourself in a position to greatly improve the quality of life for 1,000 people in an overseas country, but it would cost 10 Americans’ their jobs to do so, would you do it? What if you were in the position to create hundreds of American jobs but it would likely cost 10 small business owners theirs?

This is something that confronts me in my own business. I could take the money spent on an equipment upgrade or an employee position and employ many in another part of the world. However, it makes more sense in the long run to concentrate locally because a stable local economy spreads more benefit to the entire world.

I advocate small business. A small business creates better jobs, contributes to communities, and is more stable. If I was a CEO in New York, would I care as much about local communities in Utah?

11. Should you be victorious in 2006, which senate committees will you strive to hold a seat on? Rank them in order of importance to you.

I will list the top five based on my experience and what is important to Utah:

1. Commerce, Science, and Transportation 2. Energy and Natural Resources 3. Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions 4. Small Business and Entrepreneurship 5. Environment and Public Works

12. Do you consider yourself more of a cat person or more a dog person? Why?

Although I grew up with dogs, cats, horses, ducks, geese, fish, and even a peacock, I consider myself a dog person. Dogs are always happy to see you and display an example of unconditional love that is something to aspire for.


Mr. Ashdown, thank you for your time and your participation in this interview.