Posted on Jul 6, 2018
LTC Kopser, Democratic nominee for Texas’ 21st Congressional District, here for a live Q&A on 7/12/2018. Questions?
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*RP Staff will be monitoring this Discussion. Please be advised that attacking or insulting comments will be deleted.*
Joseph is here to discuss the following topics:
Why he decided to run for office
What work he’s done to support veterans as an entrepreneur and community leader
Why veterans make good lawmakers
How he’ll work across the aisle if elected
Politics needs a culture of servant leadership and integrity
Joseph is the Democratic nominee for Texas’ 21st Congressional District. In a district that includes 10 counties from San Antonio to Austin and parts of the Texas Hill Country, Joseph spends his days on the campaign trail meeting voters and local leaders. TX-21’s current Congressman, Lamar Smith, is infamous for denying scientific fact and refusing to engage with his constituents. As he seeks to replace this 30-year incumbent, Joseph is building a new coalition of voters who believe the values, priorities, and expectations of Texas’ 21st congressional district will serve as a model of service and representation for Texas and the United States. His priorities include health care for all, moving towards a 100% renewable energy economy, and passing a real 21st century Jobs Act.
Joseph Kopser graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1993 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Aerospace Engineering. After graduating Ranger School, Joseph requested to go to Texas and was assigned to Fort Bliss in El Paso. In 2002, he earned his Masters in Public Administration from the Harvard Kennedy School of Government, with a focus on Campaigns, Elections, and Special Advocacy. Joseph taught as an Associate Professor in the Department of Social Sciences at West Point from 2002-2005. In the summer of 2004, Joseph deployed to Baghdad to assist with the Iraqi elections. From June 2005-February 2007 he was Cavalry Squadron XO and S3 Operations Officer of 1-9 Cav with the 1st Cavalry Division, and deployed to Iraq for the second time. From April 2007-May 2008 he was Battalion XO of 2-7 CAV with the 1st Cavalry Division. From 2008-2009, he was Strategic Planner for the Future Force Integration Directorate, where he worked with Major General James Terry to communicate the Army's priorities of modernization to Congress and Industry. From 2009-2011, he served at the Pentagon as Special Assistant for the Army Chief of Staff, General George W. Casey. His final Army assignment was as Department Chair and Professor of Leadership and Strategy with the Texas Army ROTC at the University of Texas at Austin. He retired in 2013 at the rank of Lieutenant Colonel.
Joseph is here to discuss the following topics:
Why he decided to run for office
What work he’s done to support veterans as an entrepreneur and community leader
Why veterans make good lawmakers
How he’ll work across the aisle if elected
Politics needs a culture of servant leadership and integrity
Joseph is the Democratic nominee for Texas’ 21st Congressional District. In a district that includes 10 counties from San Antonio to Austin and parts of the Texas Hill Country, Joseph spends his days on the campaign trail meeting voters and local leaders. TX-21’s current Congressman, Lamar Smith, is infamous for denying scientific fact and refusing to engage with his constituents. As he seeks to replace this 30-year incumbent, Joseph is building a new coalition of voters who believe the values, priorities, and expectations of Texas’ 21st congressional district will serve as a model of service and representation for Texas and the United States. His priorities include health care for all, moving towards a 100% renewable energy economy, and passing a real 21st century Jobs Act.
Joseph Kopser graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1993 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Aerospace Engineering. After graduating Ranger School, Joseph requested to go to Texas and was assigned to Fort Bliss in El Paso. In 2002, he earned his Masters in Public Administration from the Harvard Kennedy School of Government, with a focus on Campaigns, Elections, and Special Advocacy. Joseph taught as an Associate Professor in the Department of Social Sciences at West Point from 2002-2005. In the summer of 2004, Joseph deployed to Baghdad to assist with the Iraqi elections. From June 2005-February 2007 he was Cavalry Squadron XO and S3 Operations Officer of 1-9 Cav with the 1st Cavalry Division, and deployed to Iraq for the second time. From April 2007-May 2008 he was Battalion XO of 2-7 CAV with the 1st Cavalry Division. From 2008-2009, he was Strategic Planner for the Future Force Integration Directorate, where he worked with Major General James Terry to communicate the Army's priorities of modernization to Congress and Industry. From 2009-2011, he served at the Pentagon as Special Assistant for the Army Chief of Staff, General George W. Casey. His final Army assignment was as Department Chair and Professor of Leadership and Strategy with the Texas Army ROTC at the University of Texas at Austin. He retired in 2013 at the rank of Lieutenant Colonel.
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Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 39
Healthcare for all? How? Who pays for it?
Those are your priorities? What are your positions/goals for immigration, taxes, foreign policy, and the use of our military? Are you going to jump on the Trump bashing bandwagon or actually find ways to work not just "across the isle," but with this President? I ask this not as a Trump fan, but as someone who has become very apathetic to the back and forth antics in rhetoric.
Those are your priorities? What are your positions/goals for immigration, taxes, foreign policy, and the use of our military? Are you going to jump on the Trump bashing bandwagon or actually find ways to work not just "across the isle," but with this President? I ask this not as a Trump fan, but as someone who has become very apathetic to the back and forth antics in rhetoric.
LCDR (Join to see)
I'm not falling into any 'trap'. I'm just stating that -- in a free society-- people should be free to purchase what they want rather than have some government entity mandate to them what they need to purchase. One of the concepts I have always found off-putting about the Democratic Party (even before their apparent embrace of straight socialism) was this idea that they 'know best' what the minions--I mean We the People-- should do and how we should live and think. I prefer to have the freedom to make my own choices.
And you completely misread the flood insurance analogy. It had nothing to do with health care, but rather was used to illustrate the fallacy of requiring someone to purchase something they will definitely never need in order to 'bulk price' that something for someone else. That is how socialism works... Not capitalism.
And what you call 'slippery slope debating fallacy' I call the law of unintended consequences. Did the people who voted for the ACA 'intend' for small businesses to fire all but 49 employees in order to get under the mandate? Did those who voted for the ACA 'intend' for people's hours to be cut below the threshold when they intentionally lowered the definition of 'full time' to less than 40 hours per week? Businesses did those things-- not out of greed or some sycophantic desire to screw their employees, but to keep the lights on. Those calling for $15. Min wage probably don't 'intend' for people to lose their jobs to automation or businesses closing because they can no longer afford the government mandated minimum. These are OBVIOUS second-order effects to policy, as will be dictating of our health choices and rationing of care when it is completely handed over to government control. I concede that we likely will not digress to a 'master race' scenario, but it is not at all a far stretch to imagine we will get to a point of compulsory abortion of 'defective' babies or death panels for those above a certain age.
And you completely misread the flood insurance analogy. It had nothing to do with health care, but rather was used to illustrate the fallacy of requiring someone to purchase something they will definitely never need in order to 'bulk price' that something for someone else. That is how socialism works... Not capitalism.
And what you call 'slippery slope debating fallacy' I call the law of unintended consequences. Did the people who voted for the ACA 'intend' for small businesses to fire all but 49 employees in order to get under the mandate? Did those who voted for the ACA 'intend' for people's hours to be cut below the threshold when they intentionally lowered the definition of 'full time' to less than 40 hours per week? Businesses did those things-- not out of greed or some sycophantic desire to screw their employees, but to keep the lights on. Those calling for $15. Min wage probably don't 'intend' for people to lose their jobs to automation or businesses closing because they can no longer afford the government mandated minimum. These are OBVIOUS second-order effects to policy, as will be dictating of our health choices and rationing of care when it is completely handed over to government control. I concede that we likely will not digress to a 'master race' scenario, but it is not at all a far stretch to imagine we will get to a point of compulsory abortion of 'defective' babies or death panels for those above a certain age.
COL William Oseles
SSG (ret) William Martin - The Flag on the right appears to be that of the Chief of Staff of the Army flag. If he is using that picture in his campaign he is on shaky ground, here it just declares his background to people that understand that.
I notice he did not include it in his background section on serving in the Pentagon description.
I notice he did not include it in his background section on serving in the Pentagon description.
LTC Kevin B.
Regardless of what you say, it is a position that puts you into a trap. Every business wants to provide customized goods and services so that they never, ever have to compete on price. Your freedom to purchase what you want means health insurance companies get to develop highly individualized policies, and by doing that, they can charge unnecessarily high premiums. That's why we have the most expensive healthcare in the world, but we don't have anywhere near the best health outcomes.
I didn't misread your analogy. I was making the point that if the individual states had intervened with their own policies, the federal government would never have needed to intervene with a blanket policy. Thus, the wealth transfer analogy you made falls flat.
Name some businesses who fired people to get below the 50-person threshold. Name some businesses who cut employee hours to get below the 30-hour threshold. If you can name a company or two, then try to validate how a small handful of examples can be generalized across all of the economy. When doing so, also explain why unemployment actually dropped over the entire time frame that the ACA was in place. Anecdotal stories are always cute, but data trumps story-telling every time.
Lastly, there's no empirical evidence supporting the notion that increasing the minimum wage will decrease employment. That argument makes theoretical sense, but the historical evidence does not support your inference. Again, data trumps story-telling.
I didn't misread your analogy. I was making the point that if the individual states had intervened with their own policies, the federal government would never have needed to intervene with a blanket policy. Thus, the wealth transfer analogy you made falls flat.
Name some businesses who fired people to get below the 50-person threshold. Name some businesses who cut employee hours to get below the 30-hour threshold. If you can name a company or two, then try to validate how a small handful of examples can be generalized across all of the economy. When doing so, also explain why unemployment actually dropped over the entire time frame that the ACA was in place. Anecdotal stories are always cute, but data trumps story-telling every time.
Lastly, there's no empirical evidence supporting the notion that increasing the minimum wage will decrease employment. That argument makes theoretical sense, but the historical evidence does not support your inference. Again, data trumps story-telling.
PO1 Todd B.
The 'Hatch' act only applies IF he uses the uniform to promote himself specifically for election in advertising, at real life public discussions and venues in person etc.. You can use a photo of yourself as he did above to make the point you are former military but you cannot wear the uniform to promote yourself specifically for an election in person.
Integrity is one of the most important traits of leadership. After taking an oath to defend the US Constitution, how do you balance current Democrat party politics/platforms with the enumerated powers of Article I Section VIII while maintaining integrity?
PO3 Donald Murphy
I personally do not feel that we have any true democrats or republicans anymore. I believe the last true democrat was Kennedy and the last true republican was Eisenhower. Now...you're welcome to disagree with me if you like. But in my opinion, neither side is worthy of my vote on many issues.
Cpl (Join to see)
I can agree with that, but Reagan was a JFK Democrat and even stated that he "didn't leave the democrat party, the democrat party left him." JFK couldn't get the democrat party nod today and we'd see the mcconnel's and mclame's fighting against Reagan.
Neither party are representative any longer. There are a few individuals within the party, but they are vilified by the leadership and attacked just for identifying with a party by the media. They usually don't last. Party plays games of one-up-man-ship to bribe citizens for a vote. It's time to reread the founding documents and make a commitment to stop voting down party lines and begin voting for those who value not only their oath, but the citizens of this country.
I'm not opposed to congressional gridlock, because when they can't agree nor collaborate within their bubble, we maintain our freedoms and natural rights. George Carlin once said "it's a big club and we ain't in it." He was right and it's time to remedy that with an Article V Convention of States with term limits being the number one item on the agenda.
Neither party are representative any longer. There are a few individuals within the party, but they are vilified by the leadership and attacked just for identifying with a party by the media. They usually don't last. Party plays games of one-up-man-ship to bribe citizens for a vote. It's time to reread the founding documents and make a commitment to stop voting down party lines and begin voting for those who value not only their oath, but the citizens of this country.
I'm not opposed to congressional gridlock, because when they can't agree nor collaborate within their bubble, we maintain our freedoms and natural rights. George Carlin once said "it's a big club and we ain't in it." He was right and it's time to remedy that with an Article V Convention of States with term limits being the number one item on the agenda.
LTC Joseph Kopser
I will support and defend the Constitution against all enemies, foreign and domestic.
Cpl (Join to see)
Now that's a politicians response. It's too bad I don't live in TX-21, I'd be voting for Lamar.
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Also, how much of the military system do you actually use? The administration for the military system is horrible! We have great doctors (trained outside the military by the way), but getting to them is a huge challenge.
Sorry, can't support you on this position. I look forward to the responses to my other questions. Thanks!