On The Record: Duane Olney

For this episode of On The Record, we speak with Duane Olney, County Chair for the Washington County Democratic Party.

How did you get started in politics? Did you come to it in your youth or later on?

I got started about 50 years ago. I have always been a very active person as far as politics is concerned.

What would you say are the primary issues concerning Washington County?

The issues are the same here as they are in other places.

I became involved as a precinct chair and worked very actively here from 1972 to 1984. That was all in the Republican Party, but I was converted.

Republicans have had more than sufficient time to deal with their issues, but they haven’t. They stood for term limits but never did anything about it, and now they want a line-item veto. Clinton was the first that wanted a line-item veto, and the Republicans rushed to veto it. There is no accountability with these issues.

Who are some of your political heroes?

I can’t think of anyone currently. There are not any real statesmen out there right now.

What would you say has been the most defining moment in your political life?

Right now, the most concern I have is for going into the war in Iraq, but I don’t think that is a very unique moment in my life because a lot of people feel the same way.

What are you looking forward to in the coming cycle?

I hope people have seen the light and are aware and willing to make a change. People are disgruntled about the economy, and I am hoping we can take some congressional seats.

We have a good chance to take back Congressional District 10. McCaul has rubber-stamped everything the President wants.

Ankrum did a heck of a job with no money and a lot of shoe leather, and I think we have a chance to make some changes.

What one thing would you say a political organization never has enough of?

A good message. Republicans use a lot of sound bites that catch on, and we use dissertations. We need a concise message to get out. We need to sell our positions rather than explain our positions.

The Democratic Party needs more of an offense. Democrats find themselves on the defense many times.