Sodrel speaks to IU College Republicans

Rep. Mike Sodrel, R-9th, urged young people to get out and vote in his speech at the IU College Republicans call-out meeting Monday night.\n"It's important for young people to get engaged," he said. "They have more to win or lose in this next election. I'm in the fall of my career, but they're in the spring of theirs. If we pass the wrong laws and the wrong regulations now, they'll suffer longer."\nSodrel is facing Democratic candidate Baron Hill for the third time in what is expected to be another close race. In 2002, Hill won the 9th District seat by fewer than 500 votes. In 2004, Sodrel won the seat by fewer than 1,500 votes.\nAfter explaining the differences in political parties' beliefs, Sodrel took questions from the audience on a variety of issues, including the war in the Iraq, the "fair tax" and immigration reform.\nSodrel said huge strides have been made in improving technology in Iraq and that most of the country has been secured. He also compared the conflict to World War II.\n"The difference is that those fascists wanted to dominate us, and these fascists want to exterminate us," he told the crowd of more than 100.\nSodrel reiterated the comments he made about immigration at the first 9th District congressional debate Thursday, again calling for the borders to be secured.\nHe spent more time discussing in-depth the "fair tax," which he favors. Sodrel explained that the fair tax would abolish many kinds of taxes and eliminate the IRS.\nThose taxes would be replaced with a 23 percent federal sales tax on all goods purchased in the United States.\n"There are a lot of problems with the tax code as it is now," Sodrel said. "I could write a check for $10,000 to Bill Gates, and he wouldn't have to pay any income tax on it, and I wouldn't have to pay a gift tax, but if I leave a $5 tip for a waiter or waitress, they have to pay tax on it."\nThe crowd of College Republicans was supportive of almost everything Sodrel said.\n"It was a great speech," said junior Jon Lubitz, a member of the group. "He cleared a few things up and clarified a few of his positions."\nBefore the speech, College Republicans Chairman Shane Kennedy lauded Sodrel's character.\n"I'm glad to support this gentleman because he's the representative of the district I live in, and I'm glad to support him because he's a member of the party I support, but he's also very likeable, which in politics is sometimes very hard," Kennedy said.\nAfter his speech, Sodrel addressed the question of more debates. Sodrel prefers the multi-issue format such as the debate held Thursday on campus at the WTIU studios.\nHis opponent Hill said Thursday he is "holding firm" on a series of one-issue debates.\n"I understand his position, but this is a big district," Sodrel said. "I know we can stream things, but there are 20 counties and four media markets. I don't think single-topic debates would be productive. Maybe there's a middle ground, and we could limit a debate to four topics."\nLibertarian candidate and economics professor at IU-Southeast Eric Schansberg issued a press release Friday proposing a series of three single-issue debates on topics of each candidates choosing followed by a final open-format debate.\nHill and state Rep. Matt Pierce, D-Bloomington, will speak at the IU College Democrats call-out meeting tomorrow. That meeting is scheduled for 8 p.m. in Jordan Hall A100.