Bowman garnered loud applause at the forum hosted by the American Association of University Women for his plans to change Medicare into a universal health system, expand government fuel efficiency standards and pull troops out of Iraq in favor of an international force.

"Time after time, this Congress has abrogated its responsibility to a growing imperial presidency and that has to change," said Bowman, who had advocated impeaching President Bush and other members of his administration.

Weldon argued against having government take over health care and said the quality of care would suffer under such a program. He said he believed in conservation and alternative energy, but that the U.S. also has to look into increasing domestic energy production.

Bowman opposes additional drilling off the Florida coast or in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.

Weldon also opposed a quick withdrawal from Iraq.

"We can not keep a presence as we have in Iraq, and Iraqis have to start fending for themselves, but I don't believe we should just abruptly withdraw," said Weldon. He also touted what he said were advancements in homeland security as well as border security over the past five years.

The forum at the Richardson Center of the Mueller Campus of Indian River Community College also featured incumbent Indian River County School Board member R. Craig McGarvey and challenger Carol Johnson.

Johnson raised concerns about a possible pre-kindergarten to eighth grade school in Fellsmere, including having very young students with older students on the same campus. She also felt the campus would isolate students from the larger community.

"I don't think the pre-K to eighth grade school would work at all in Fellsmere," said Johnson. McGarvey said scare tactics were being used by opponents to such a school and said the younger students and older students at the campus would be separated. He also said students would not be isolated. He said children from Vero Lake Estates and north Sebastian would also use the school as well as those in Fellsmere and it could serve to ease overcrowding at Sebastian River Middle School.

Johnson and McGarvey also addressed the acrimony that has been going on at the School Board over the past few years, which McGarvey said was partly because of the removal of Tom Maher as superintendent.

Johnson said the removal of a superintendent during her previous stint on the School Board between 1984 and 1988 was done much more quietly and respectfully.

McGarvey, while admitting the past eight years at the school board have been difficult, said that there was also a School Board tussle over the removal of the superintendent during Johnson's term in office. He said both sides even hired attorneys to decipher the terms of the contract during that period and it cost the district $50,000.

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