Some fire, some brimstone

The two faces of Newport-Mesa’s congressional representation were

on display Wednesday morning as Reps. Chris Cox and Dana Rohrabacher

spoke to a joint breakfast meeting of the Newport Beach and Irvine

chambers of commerce.

Cox, well-pressed and well-dressed in a Washington power suit,

spoke matter-of-factly and professorially about the national budget

and the country’s economic hard times of late. Rohrabacher, in what

approached an army jacket and khakis, lobbed some fiery rhetoric

about our national security.

The two talks fairly well demonstrated the different characters

and characteristics that Newport-Mesa has sent to Capitol Hill, an

interesting one-two punch that both congressmen played up as

beneficial to the area.

Cox, though, noted that with redistricting Newport Beach no longer

will be represented by both him and Rohrabacher, a loss of “twice the

muscle” the city’s enjoyed.

Cox’s talk focused on the return of deficit problems in

Washington, which he attributed to increased spending, as opposed to

an economic downturn or loss of revenue from taxes.

“The real reason we’re running a deficit is we’re growing spending

like we haven’t seen in a very, very long time,” Cox said to the

crowd of about 180 tightly packed audience members.

Of note, he added, “It’s not obvious this should be happening in

Washington.”

The reason? There’s a Republican in the White House and the GOP

controls the House of Representatives.

That fact, of course, opened the door for Cox eventually to zero

in on an appropriate election year target: the Democratic Senate,

which he pointed to as the main source of freewheeling spending.

But, typical of Cox, there was no shaking of fists or shouting

down the Democrats. His attack was subdued, but nonetheless clear.

And, seemingly, it was as much an attack against any talk of tax

increases, a regular Cox pet policy that has included efforts to

repeal the estate tax (readers likely are more familiar with its

politically tinged name, the Death Tax) and reduce capital gains

taxes.

“It’s important to focus on spending both because it’s important

to control it and to get focus off tax increases,” Cox said.

Rohrabacher echoed Cox’s position, calling it a “good briefing”

and added his own two cents: “We have to do the right thing

economically because everything depends on a strong economy.”

But the economy was not the main thrust of his comments. And while

Cox gravely went through the country’s economic status, Rohrabacher

was unhesitant and unrestrained in pointing to his enemies: both Al

Qaeda and Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein, whom Rohrabacher called a

“gangster.”

Rohrabacher also was unhesitant in saying that the United States

made a mistake by not removing Hussein from power 10 years ago and made this prediction: “It will be easier for us to dislodge and

overthrow Saddam Hussein than it was to overthrow the Taliban.”

That move, he added, would not amount to an invasion, but would be

one that liberated the people of Iraq from a tyrant whom they hate.

He also summarily dismissed the lack of support from Europe, where

he had just been as part of a U.S. delegation.

“They think we’re a bunch of cowboys,” he reported.

European leaders also picture themselves playing chess when it

comes to defense and foreign policy, Rohrabacher added, while they

think of the United States as playing poker.

But, he added, the truth is this: In Europe, while the leaders

play chess, they play it to end in a draw. Here, leaders play to win.

An interesting analogy, though the stakes in these games are far

higher than your typical Vegas card game.

A change of policy?

Another bit of news to note. During President Bush’s trip to

Orange County last week, Henry Segerstrom could be seen in some of

the pictures of the president. It will be interesting to see if

Segerstrom’s limited political donations changed during that visit.

Those numbers should appear during the next filing period. That

filing date is Sept. 20.

* S.J. CAHN is the managing editor. He can be reached at (949)

574-4233 or by e-mail at steven.cahn@-latimes.com.