Earlier this month, I asked Jay Ovitorre to answer a series of questions in depth to further illuminate his views on issues that are important to North Carolina's 6th District. Of course, the most important issue facing Democrats is unseating Howard Coble, who has long outstayed his welcome, and long ago outlived his pledge to only serve 6 terms under Newt Gingrich's Contract on America.(Please note: though the sneaky legislators that wrote this language left a loophole that a constitutional amendment might be necessary to enforce term limits, Howard Coble signed a pledge to limit himself. He hasn't done that. That makes him a liar. He has broken faith with his constiuents.)

Look below the fold for my email conversation with Jay, edited to fit your screen.

You have not made a formal statement that I can find about immigration and the large numbers of undocumented workers in NC - many of them right in District 6. When you are in Congress, this is something that you will have to address. Please discuss this issue, how it affects District 6, and what responses can be made to this issue.

I believe we are a nation born from immigrants. The illegal immigration issue is not just starting to be a problem, it has been neglected for many years. As a house painter, I feel the direct effect of illegal immigrants in the workplace. I feel it in the wallet. I will hire workers from all walks of life, but I make sure they are citizens before they work a day. I still stand strong as a moderate on this issue. I know that we can not round up and send everyone home as the economic consequences would be fierce. I also know we must address those that are here and those who want to come here.

I do not buy into the fear mongering thoughts of the Mexican border is where Al-Quaida will come across and attack us. They would be better to do so in our ports without ever stepping into this country. I do fear the possible communicable diseases, like TB or small pox, that could come across the border undetected and cause an epidemic. I do fear the possible criminals that come here and continue to commit crimes against our children and in general, crimes that could be avoided. I do know we must secure our border. I do know that a 700 mile fence is 1400 miles short. I do believe that there are existing laws that are not enforced and this needs to be corrected. Allowing companies to hire illegal immigrants to increase their profit margin, depress wages and fail their workers in the area of workplace safety and worker conditions sends the message to keep doing it. A few major crackdowns that target companies that engage in this practice consistently, that hits them in the wallet, will surely send the correct message that the law is the law. In believing that the law is the law the term illegal immigrant points out the illegal entry into this country without a visa or passport. That too is breaking the law.

The solution is in the middle ground. We can not offer amnesty to those who have broke the law and we can not just deport 40 million people. Ellis Island worked well for our immigrant relatives. An idea of the like could be a viable solution to new immigrants trying to come to our country. Let's put immigrant processing centers at the border. Let's find a way to fast track the process of becoming a citizen. I have no problem with anyone being here, from anywhere. I do think they must come here legally. Those that are already here must be accounted for, fast tracked for citizenship and pay a fine for entering this country illegally. They must also learn English as a way to better communicate with people here. I do not want the people coming here to forget their heritage and customs, but I do expect that they learn ours. I would do the same if I was moving to another country. The people that are migrating here are doing so for an opportunity to work. They are a hard working people. We must assure them the same rights as we have and we must assure that businesses, large and small, are not depressing wages with illegal hiring practices.

There is no easy answer to this problem, but we must find compromises to ensure that we can grow as a people and as a country. As a very polarizing issue, neither side of the argument will get everything that they want and both sides must find a middle ground to have a viable long term solution.

Please comment on the "war on terror", and how you believe our nation can best be protected from foreign terrorists.

There are certainly people in this world who hate us for who we are. There is no denying that fact. We must secure our country, but not at the expense of our civil rights and liberties. When we give away our rights as a Democratic people, we lose. Spying on our own citizens outside of the existing FISA laws, that is a loss. Detaining people and denying them of their human rights is a loss. Suspending Habeas Corpus is a loss. Not being able to bring hair gel on a plane is a loss. Racially profiling people based on the way they appear will only breed more hatred. You get the point.

We must understand why they hate us, who they are and who made them who they are. They hate our socially liberal lifestyles, our Western culture. They hate us because we have different ideologies. These same people, the people who eventually became Al-Quaida were once funded, armed and trained by the US Government in Afghanistan to fight against the Russians who were at there northern border. Once these militant groups had done their Cold War job for us, we cut them off. Funding, arms and training was gone. This is a war between different ideologies that has been going on since before the Crusades. Our dependence on foreign oil has kept us entrenched in this region. It is in our economic interest as a nation to be involved. But, how much? Occupying a sovereign nation is too much. Sending in a Christian Army in Blackwater to crusade without accountability is too far. Our defense of Israel, which these groups believe is their Holy Land as well, is a huge factor in their hatred for the USA. We can help our ally, but not to the point of jeopardizing our National Security. They must also help themselves.

We must uphold our promise to the world from after WWII. No genocide shall ever occur again. Yet it has. Darfur, Somalia, Liberia and the former Yugoslavia are good examples. We must fight against human rights violations around the globe, with diplomacy first and force when needed. The use of force should always be the last resort. I believe a drop of American blood is a drop too many.

What we need to do is become the great moral role model we once were again. We can do this by sending medicines to areas that need them, but make sure they know where it came from. We can do this by helping educate children in foreign countries, letting them know where the books came from. We have lost most of the adults in the regions we have placed targets on, but we can get through to their next generations. We can not do this by bombing countries into Democracies and expecting them to be OK with it. Not every country can benefit from our form of government. We should not expect this. We should expect a mutual understanding for different cultures and the way they govern their people. We need not fear people who think differently and they may not fear us as well.

We should push diplomacy and dialog with countries that we have disagreements with, on a unilateral level. If we don't talk at all, there is no hope for a solution. We must make sure that our country and it's people are safe, but we must not forget that shredding the Constitution to do it will remove the very fabric that this country was built on and stands for.

One of your opponents in the primary, Johnny Carter, states on his website:

IF GOD'S PEOPLE DO NOT REACT POSITIVELY AND SUCCESSFULLY THE CHURCH, THE GOSPEL,
THE FAITH AND THE AMERICAN SPIRIT AS WE KNOW IT WILL PERISH. AT THIS VERY MOMENT
THE CHURCH AND OUR COUNTRY ARE A SPIRITUAL SHELL OF THEIR FORMER SELVES.

How do you respond to this statement, and what implications do you think this has for the Democratic Party and District 6 in particular?

I strongly believe that faith is a personal issue and that the separation of Church and State should be upheld at any expense. I pose the question to folks who ask me about faith: "If I was to publicly express my religious beliefs as a candidate, would I not exclude all the constituents that did not believe the same as I do?" If I was Catholic, what about the others who weren't? It would be wrong to impose my views on any person and it would be wrong for me to not respect all the spiritual views of my constituency. The people of faith who may feel that we are a spiritual shell of our former selves may have set the bar to high for how much inclusion, into free thinking peoples lives, their faith should have. There is certainly no shortage of religion in this country, just look at all the churches in the area in which you live. If this is a personal feeling by my primary opponent, then that may be attributed to a personal failure in his own faith.

I also believe that the American Spirit is far from dead. We may just have to be reminded what makes up that spirit. A sense of personal freedom, personal liberty, and a personal pursuit of happiness that has embodied the people of this country since we fought for our freedom from the British. We may be down due to the outsourcing of jobs and increasing cost of living, but we are far from down for the count. Faith has nothing to do with this. The Bush Administration's insistence to make faith an issue and to push the evangelical agenda with empty promises to his base have done more harm for our country then they have done good. A good example being the insistence that no Federal funds be used by scientists for the pursuit of stem cell research. This handcuffing of our scientists hands has led to a pair of German scientists finding that skin cells can be made into stem cells and the quest for cures continues without American involvement.

As a party, the Democratic Party as a whole should embrace all people. When we start pandering to any single issue group, religious or otherwise, we lose track of the diverse core message of our party. We shouldn't make the same mistakes the Republicans made with the religious right, we shouldn't promise things we can not deliver. The message we should send is that all views are important, but please engage us on the issues that effect all people, as we are a diverse group from one end of the spectrum to the other. The progressive movement was once a much stronger movement in this country, when they were a multi-issued group of progressive thinking people. As soon as the progressives became a lot of single issue groups, they lost their strength in numbers. We need to unite these groups and be strong as a party, united on multiple levels.

The 6th Congressional District here in NC is far from lacking faith. I do doubt that any one religious group would want the particular views of another religious group forced upon their children in the form of the school prayer that my primary opponent talks about. We all have to learn to live with the fact that not everyone believes the exact same thing as the next person. We need to be true to ourselves and our own personal faith. We need to learn to respect each others decision to believe one thing or another.

Mr. Carter advocates a year-round curriculum that would "reduce juvenile delinquency" and "allow high-school to be completed by grade 9". He also advocates for public funding for higher education (college or trade school). Please read his full statement (I'm sure you already have), and tell me how you feel about this.

I believe that my primary opponent is mistaken in his stance on year-round curriculum's and it's relation to juvenile delinquency. First, I believe that we have to let our children be children. Let them have a breather from instruction so they can have time to clear their heads and play like children are supposed to do. Second, my primary opponent first advocates year-round schools and the implementation of that system in California and then states that "California now has a deficit surpassing many countries." His view doesn't make much sense to me. I don't see a benefit to our children graduating by the 9th grade level. We should take more time with them to make sure they have the skills they need and not rush them through school at such a pace that they can not absorb it. We need to nurture a creative spirit in our children to become the next great innovators of our great country. We need to rid ourselves of No Child Left Behind. Standardized testing produces standard children. I want to see all of our children reach for the sky. I also want to make sure that children who need more hep get it in our schools. It is embarrassing that we do not have a higher ranked educational system then we do. I also want to make sure that the most important aspect of our children's education, teachers, get what they need in the way of pay and benefits. We should let teachers focus on their work at hand and not how they will pay their bills. It is an investment in our future.

I do agree with 2 years of community college paid for by each individual state as long as the student has a B average or above. This is not really a Federal issue as funding will come from each state government. It does give kids a chance to see what college has to offer, maybe go on to get a BA at a University or more. The current Congressman in the 6th District voted against cutting student loan rates from 7% to 3.5%. I would have given or kids a chance to go to college without the worries of it taking ten years to pay off loans while finding a lackluster job market once they get out. He didn't give them that chance. I will. The future of this countries economy and the very future of this country depends on it.

Schools do have some to do with gang recruitment into juvenile delinquent activities, but it stems from far deeper then our schools. It starts at our homes and in our communities. Usually in low income neighborhoods, with little infrastructure and little hope for the people who live there. What need to be done in these communities is an investment into invigorating these neighborhoods. We need to make sure that we rebuild what has been run down. In Greensboro the east side of town, which is predominately African-American does not have a real grocery store, unless you count the Super Wal-Mart. There is generally only fast food chains and little job opportunity for it's people. I always ask what you would do if you didn't have any job opportunity, an under funded school system in your neighborhood, food choices that will more then likely generate obesity and bills to pay with no way to pay them on the below-living wages that you are paid if lucky enough to find a job? I do not blame people for fighting out of a corner they are forced to live in. I also do not think that it is all the above problems. It is also a sense of personal responsibility. It has to do with the TV culture that is fed to our children and the parents that like to have kids and then fail to parent. A child deserves to be loved, nurtured, and deserves a fighting chance. When their families fail them, they look for other families, gangs. When their communities fail them they lack a sense of pride in a place to call home. I see the yet eradicated problem of segregation in many areas including Greensboro with my work on the Human Relations Commission and Housing Committee for the City of Greensboro. These problems are typical of more urban areas across the country. We would be a better people to live without class boundaries and the racial tensions generally caused by them. We must progress in this area to benefit all people from all classes and walks of life.

If you are elected, which committees would be the ones that interest you the most? Why? What are your qualifications for being on those committees?

The committees I would be most interested in would be the Committee on Education and Labor and the Committee on Veterans Affairs. Although, I would be assigned committees that have open slots.

I would want to be a member of the Committee on Education and Labor as it is a committee that deals with the issues that I stand firmly on, with respect to our children's futures and the job market and labor issues that are largely a part of our middle classes problem. The Committee on Veterans Affairs interests me as it pertains to an issue that I feel is severely neglected and underfunded.

My extensive knowledge on a personal level with our failing and underfunded educational system and the reality of all the empty mills through the district due to NAFTA and CAFTA, as well as being passionate about finding solutions in these areas qualifies me for the Committee on Education and Labor. The Committee on Veterans Affairs is a different story. My discussions with Vets that I talk with as well as my passion to right a ship that has sailed wrong for far too long makes me an ally to the Veteran community. I have never served in the Armed forces. I went straight into the workforce. I do not feel that my lack of service disqualifies me from this committee, as it gives a different perspective to the committee. I am of the firm belief that we mistreat our Vets and at the very minimum they should have mandatory health care at a facility of their choice. The fact that 1/4 of our nation's homeless are Vets tells a truth we can not ignore. We must find where the system is wrong for our Vets and correct these mistakes for current and future generations.

If you are elected, which committees would be the ones that interest you the most? Why? What are your qualifications for being on those committees?

The committees I would be most interested in would be the Committee on Education and Labor and the Committee on Veterans Affairs. Although, I would be assigned committees that have open slots.

I would want to be a member of the Committee on Education and Labor as it is a committee that deals with the issues that I stand firmly on, with respect to our children's futures and the job market and labor issues that are largely a part of our middle classes problem. The Committee on Veterans Affairs interests me as it pertains to an issue that I feel is severely neglected and underfunded.

My extensive knowledge on a personal level with our failing and underfunded educational system and the reality of all the empty mills through the district due to NAFTA and CAFTA, as well as being passionate about finding solutions in these areas qualifies me for the Committee on Education and Labor. The Committee on Veterans Affairs is a different story. My discussions with Vets that I talk with as well as my passion to right a ship that has sailed wrong for far too long makes me an ally to the Veteran community. I have never served in the Armed forces. I went straight into the workforce. I do not feel that my lack of service disqualifies me from this committee, as it gives a different perspective to the committee. I am of the firm belief that we mistreat our Vets and at the very minimum they should have mandatory health care at a facility of their choice. The fact that 1/4 of our nation's homeless are Vets tells a truth we can not ignore. We must find where the system is wrong for our Vets and correct these mistakes for current and future generations.

Why should Democrats in District 6 vote for you on May 6th?

I believe I am the correct alternative to the current representation and it's lack of effectiveness for the people of the district. I believe I represent the core values of the Democratic Party while being able to represent all people no matter what their party affiliation is. I am not another DC elitist, buying my way to office. I am a blue collar worker who genuinely cares about people. I am one of you. I have experienced real life problems. It has never been a hand out for me. I have worked hard for everything I have and I will work hard for the people of the 6th District. Yes, the current representative is a really nice guy, but shaking hands, kissing babies and expediting passports does not put food on your table, find you a job or get you the medical care you need. The main concern I hear from people in the district about changing their representative is in relation to the current constituent services. I have said publicly that I will offer the current staff the ability to keep their jobs under me and provide the same constituent services. It will be up to them to accept my offer. I also believe that the constituent services aspect of being a Congressman is only part of your job, not all of it. You will get the same service and an effective Congressman fighting tooth and nail for all of his constituents.

I have also taken part in the Democratic process, by way of an extensive voting record in municipal, state and federal elections. I can not say the same for my primary opponent. I was President of the Young Democrats of Guilford County and 3rd Vice Chair of the Guilford County Democratic Party up until the day I announced my intentions to run. I have participated in the Democratic party and it's auxiliary groups for many years now and will continue to be an advocate for Democratic principals and an activist for my passions. I will be accessible and I will listen to what my constituents are saying. I have established relationships with current US Congressmen and NC State Representatives. I believe I am the only candidate who can be a credible opponent to an entrenched, ineffective representative who has everyone believing in his self fulfilling prophecies ability to remain unbeaten. I will win in May and I will win in November. I wouldn't be running if I didn't believe this. I ask for your support and more importantly, I ask for your vote.

Thanks to Jay Ovitorre for taking the time to consider the questions, and for stepping up to the plate for District 6.

For what it's worth, in the interest of equal time, I'm going to send the same or similar questions to Mr. Carter, and Ms. Bratton as soon as I have contact information for her.