Sorry for the delay. I’ve been gearing up for the 24th district campaign finance issues. Stay tuned to the Columbia Missourian Web site on Thursday for more info.
Monday night, all the Ninth District candidates came together to debate. Read the article about it here. Below the jump is more information about the issuesMost of the candidates focused on their experience, especially State Rep. Danie Moore, R-Fulton, who has served on the state budget committee and State Rep. Bob Onder, R-Lake St. Louis, who wrote a recent immigration bill signed by Gov. Blunt that placed restrictions on employers for knowingly hiring illegal immigrants, among other things.
Former MU football player Brock Olivo focused on what he called “political will” and Dan Bishir of St. Peters stressed that he has worked with a lot of people and said what sets him apart is his “dogged determinedness to fight for the people of the Ninth District.”
Blaine Luetkemeyer, former Missouri tourism director, opened by saying,” Congress is broken,” and applauded his opponents for the positive campaigns thus far.
The questions focused mainly on energy and the economy. All the candidates support some form of offshore oil drilling and also alternative fuel sources.
Earmarks
Columbia Tribune Managing Editor Jim Robertson, who moderated the Republicans, pointed out that Columbia had benefited from earmarks.
All the candidates favored stricter restrictions on earmarks. Bishir, Moore, Olivo and Onder said they would put stricter restrictions on earmarks but said they serve a purpose. They mentioned as solution a line-item veto and making the author of an earmark attach his or her name to it.
Luetkemeyer said he opposes earmarks and said it was one of the ways the budget can be balanced.
Taxes
All the candidates support lowering taxes and said they would not support deficit spending. Moore said she would definitely support a “fair tax.” Olivo and Luetkemeyer said it would be something they would consider and Onder said the country needs to eventually move toward a “fairer, flatter tax” Bishir said the entire tax system needs to be revamped.
Onder and Luetkemeyer said they would continue Kenny Hulsfhof’s “crusade” against the death tax.
Social Security
None of the candidates support raising social security taxes.
Luetkemeyer and Moore said they would support privatization of social security. Olivo said people are being double-taxed, something that should stop. Bishir suggested taking money that is currently spent on illegal immigrants and spend it on social security.
Stay tuned for more later.
Filed under: Elections, National Government, National Politics, Politics | Tagged: Blaine Luetkemeyer, Bob Onder, Brock Olivo, Dan Bishir, Danie Moore, debate, earmarks, economy, Forum, gas prices, Ninth District, oil drilling, Republicans, Roseann Moring, social security, taxes
