Barbara Boxer Interview

Senator Barbara Boxer is interviewed in the Progressive Magazine.

Q: You described having a change of heart after 9/11. You were going to retire. And you said it was Tom DeLay's aggressive speech to the Democrats not to criticize the Bush Administration that made you decide to stay.

Barbara Boxer: Yes. Absolutely. I've always thought the most patriotic thing you could do in a democracy is to speak the truth as you see it. And that's what we're supposed to be about in America. Freedom of speech. We were very upset because the economy was going down and education was not being funded after No Child Left Behind. There were so many issues being neglected. And we were very upset because there wasn't enough attention being paid to homeland security. So we went down and in a very appropriate way we talked about these things. And, boy, he came out and called us every name in the book. Said we were arrogant and unpatriotic, and that's when I said this is not the time to leave. The system itself of democracy is being threatened.

Senator Boxers disuses a wide range of topics in the interview such as Bolton, Democratic Party, GOP, her outspokenness, Patriot Act, Iraq, abortion, and birth control.

Q: What makes you stay hopeful that you can make change?

Barbara Boxer: I'm an optimist, and I think you have to be an optimist to be in politics. And the thing is, it's all about growing up. The day you realize you're a grownup is the day you realize that you have to do something. When we're kids, we don't have to do anything. Then all of a sudden you realize, if I want this to be better, I've got to do something. Every American at some point has got to make the connection between their own hopes and dreams and who is elected to office. It's essential. It's very easy to pull the covers up over your head and say, "I can't handle it. Too much." But we just have to handle it and we have to accept that it's our job. Each of us. Nobody is going to take care of it. Barbara Boxer is not going to make it all better. It's got to be everybody. Everybody in the progressive community. Everybody has to take part.

Go read the whole interview.