Rep. Wilson touts fiscal restraint, strong defense at Hilton Head meeting

U.S. Rep. Joe Wilson said Washington, D.C., needs to be steeped in conservative values during a strategy session and discussion of the country's political climate with a Hilton Head Island Republican lunch group Monday.

Addressing the about 100 members of Hilton Head Island First Monday Republican Lunch Group, Wilson said it was time for Washington to return to a more "conservative, positive point of view" with "real positive solutions."

Wilson touched on many of the Republicans' chief agenda items, such as strengthening national defense and opposing nationalized health care during his 30 minute speech at Aunt Chilada's Easy Street Cafe. He also focused on reducing the size and scope of the federal government.

"President (Barack) Obama said he wanted to cut the deficit in half," Wilson said. "But what he didn't say was that he was going to grow the deficit by 11 times its size before he cut it in half."

Wilson also said the threats posed by North Korea and Iran mean it is time to develop a comprehensive missile defense shield. He called the leaders of those countries "despots, dictators and autocrats who have no relation to the rest of the world."

He said a missile shield, which was the center of many political discussions during the 1980s, was another thing former Republican President Ronald Reagan "got right."

Wilson, who was elected to the House in 2001, represents South Carolina's 2nd District, which stretches from the Columbia area to Beaufort County.

Wilson also fielded questions from the gallery, many about how to retake the majority of seats in theHouse of Representatives and Senate.

Wilson said the quickest path is to campaign heavily in weak Democratic districts, and districts where former Republican Presidential nominee John McCain won but Republicans lost Congressional races.

He added that the latest batch of Republican freshmen are infusing the party with "fresh ideas" and would reinvigorate the conservative brand.

Republican State Sen. Tom Davis, R-Beaufort, answered questions about local politics and Gov. Mark Sanford's confession two weeks ago that he carried on a year-long affair with an Argentinean woman. Davis is a close friend of the Sanford family.

"The governor does not intend to step down from his position as far as I know, and to the best of my knowledge," he said after being asked the governor's plans.

The crowd applauded at that and one woman shouted out from the back, "Good for him."

Davis said it was important to return to the major issues affecting the South Carolina, such as the Jasper Port and fixing the educational system.

"They're not as sexy and salacious as the other things that are going on," he said, "but they're what matter right now in the state."