Siferd calls Jordan out in tour across Ohio's 4th

Two of several articles written about Rick Siferd's Tour of Ohio's 4th District yesterday.

It is time to show Ohio who our opponent really is. Check out our website: www.SiferdforCongress.com

Siferd touts military service record

The Findlay Courier
By MIKE SOBCZYK

Staff Writer

Richard E. Siferd, the Democratic candidate seeking the Fourth District seat in the U.S. House, believes the district "needs a war veteran in Congress."

And he just happens to fill the bill.

Siferd, a Lima attorney, and Republican State Sen. Jim Jordan of Urbana will square off in November's general election. The winner will succeed Rep. Michael G. Oxley, R-Findlay, who is retiring at year's end after a 25-year stint in Congress.

Siferd was unopposed in May's primary election, while Jordan defeated five other Republican candidates.

"I volunteered. I served. I fought and I led," Siferd told a small gathering of supporters Thursday at the Hancock County War Memorial located at North Main and Center streets. "My opponent (Jordan) has never served in the military."

Siferd, 61, served in the U.S. Army from 1965-1969. He received an honorable discharge as a staff sergeant in the field artillery, with combat service in Vietnam.

Siferd noted that in 1971, "three-quarters of our representatives had military experience." Today, that number has shrunk to fewer than one-third.

Siferd said that during World War II, Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt "would not think of sending the young men and women of America off to war, unless their own children also served -- and served they did, unlike the current generation of politicians who protect their children from serving."

In addition to citing the importance of being a war veteran for a leadership role in Congress during time of war, Siferd also pointed out that he is a small businessman, having been the owner of a business for nearly 30 years. "My opponent has never run a business," Siferd said.

Licensed since 1973 with the firm of Siferd & McCluskey, Siferd also served as Lima's law director from 1980-1984.

Siferd said while he and Jordan both have law degrees, he has practiced law for 30 years, while Jordan has never practiced law. "I have seen how the law affects the citizens of this district," Siferd said.

He added that while Jordan "constantly" criticizes government, the "only job he (Jordan) has ever had has been a government job."

Siferd noted that as the November election approaches, "the war talk will be dragged out again."

He said, "They want to create fear and talk about the flag and patriotism rather than a sinking economy, jobs gone to Mexico and China, pensions pawned off on the taxpayers, and a collapsing health care system, and inadequate veterans benefits."

The 1962 Lima Senior High School graduate said as the Fourth District representative, "I will fight for the jobs this district needs and to find solutions to the problems eating at the soul of this country. I know the sacrifice of war and do not approach that sacrifice with the flip and easy answers of the Washington politicians who have never worn the uniform."

Asked about the current conflict between Israel and the Hezbollah in Lebanon, Siferd said while he thinks Israel "has the right, the duty to defend itself," he thinks its response has been "disproportionate" to the threat by Hezbollah. Calling the situation a tragedy, Siferd said there needs to be a diplomatic solution.

Siferd said the United States' role should be to actively work with other countries in getting a diplomatic response.

As for his congressional campaign against Jordan -- where his financial warchest substantially lags behind that of his opponent, Siferd said, "I always figured from the outset it would be about 10 to 1 ... he has 10 times more than me and that's about what it is." According to the latest post-election campaign reports, Siferd currently has about $10,280 in his warchest compared with Jordan's $135,198.

Despite that, Siferd said, "I'm still going to win. Voters are dissatisfied with the economy and the national debt. People sense it's time for a change."

Siferd added that his campaign is receiving "a lot of Republican support." He also said winning the independent vote will be crucial.

Contact staff writer Mike Sobczyk at:

(419) 427-8421

mikesobczyk@thecourier.com

Congressional candidate says district needs war veteran

The Lima News

By BOB BLAKE
419-993-2077
07/21/2006
bblake@limanews.com

WAPAKONETA — The 4th Congressional District needs leadership from a man who’s been in combat, Democratic candidate Richard Siferd said Thursday.
Speaking to a group of supporters at the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 8445 in Wapakoneta, Siferd said fewer and fewer combat veterans comprise the membership of Congress, something he said he wants to change.
“In 1971, three-quarters of our representatives had military experience. Now, fewer than a third do and that number drops with each passing year,” Siferd, a veteran who served during Vietnam, said. “This district needs a war veteran in Congress. I volunteered, I served, I fought and I led.”
Siferd also said the United States should be pressing its ally Israel to end its military cam-paign against Hezbollah in Lebanon and should have been more aggressive in diplomatic ef-forts to end the conflict early in the crisis.
“The job of the United States is to aggressively push diplomacy,” Siferd said. “The policy seems to be hands-off. I think first of all we should have gone right up to the plate and say hey let’s get this under control before things get out of control.”
Despite the conflict in the Middle East and the conflict in Iraq, which Siferd said he believes was a mistake, there are other issues that should be dominating the discussions this year with elections looming in November.
“Of course the war talk will be dragged out again now that November is approaching,” Siferd said. “They want to create fear and talk about the flag rather than a sinking economy, jobs gone to Mexico and China, pensions pawned off on the taxpayers, a collapsing health-care system and inadequate veterans benefits.”
Part of the solution, Siferd said, is holding nations like China up and pushing them to trade equitably in the world markets.
“The trade policies have to be fairer,” he said.