Published: February 01, 2008 11:49 am      

Deibert seeking congressional seat held by Bartlett

CUMBERLAND - For Democratic candidate Robin Deibert, the 6th Congressional District race is a personal battle between her and Roscoe Bartlett.

Never mind the other four Democrats against her in the primary. She's currently running in the top three there, she said, but her focus is on unseating the eight-term Republican in-cumbent.

Many years ago, Deibert said, she and four other former soldiers visited Bartlett's office to discuss military issues. It's a conversation, Deibert said, that she'll never forget.

"He looked at me and said he didn't believe women should be in the military," Deibert recalled Thursday in an interview at the Times-News, where she discussed the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, alternative sources of energy, economic development, natural re-sources, health care and education.

Deibert said the congressman gave her an idea of where women did belong - which included being barefoot in the kitchen and baking cookies.

"I've never forgotten that," said Deibert, a business systems analyst. "There were decisions that he made that directly affected my (military) career."

This is Deibert's first attempt at running for office. Her only political experience includes serving the last year on the Washington County Democratic Central Committee, to which she was appointed.

Deibert, 41, doesn't believe Bartlett represents the majority of residents living in the district. If elected, she said she will put to use the practical skills that make her successful in business - the art of listening.

The Washington County native and certified radiographer has worked as an X-ray technician in Palm Springs, Calif.

Deibert relocated to Houston and began her work in the computer industry in the late 1990s with San Diego-based SAIC, a systems, solutions and technical services company. She returned to Washington County five years ago and now telecommutes for SAIC's Houston office from her Fairplay home.

Deibert listened Wednesday at the public hearing in McHenry on placing wind turbines on public land. She understands the need for energy conservation, she said, but that might not be the answer.

It made sense in Palm Springs, where wind produced energy 300 days each year, she said. But those turbines were not in residential or tourist areas. Some of the broken turbines there, she said, were deemed too expensive to repair and "became permanent monuments."

She said BP Solar Inc. in Frederick is expanding its plant. Its products could be used almost immediately to provide a "quick hit" in energy conservation across the state. She also supports new construction and renovated buildings using geothermal energy.

Some places in the world are experiencing success in becoming energy-independent, Deibert said. Brazil turns sugar cane into ethanol. Deibert said the process generates eight times more energy than what's put into the process. Corn - used in the U.S. - generates only 75 percent.

"Why are we not looking at what has been done?" Deibert said.

Growth isn't necessarily bad, Deibert said, but it must be done to support new jobs and ensure sufficient water resources. Build where there's a need, she said, and consider the impact to the environment.

She said the idea of tourist towns, similar to Branson, Mo., could appeal to Western Maryland.

"We have that kind of hometown feel in all these little cities," Deibert said. "There's no reason we can't expand on that."

Deibert supports withdrawing U.S. troops from Iraq but didn't commit to a deadline - at least a public one.

Troop withdrawal, she said, must be completed while keeping the soldiers safe. Announcing a pull-out date might not accomplish that goal. Even then, she said some experts recommend a gradual withdrawal that might take six to eight months.

Deibert believes in a single-payer health care system - promoted in House Resolution 676 - that would provide comprehensive health care coverage for all Americans.

"This is a way that has been in use for over 60 years all over the world except here," Deibert said.

Deibert doesn't believe in repealing the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 but does believe some of its mandates need to be amended to include funding.

Contact Kevin Spradlin at kspradlin@times-news.com.