Governor Jeanne Shaheen and Congressman John Sununu wrangled over issues ranging from taxes to abortion last night, while Libertarian Ken Blevens angled for the anti-war vote. NHPR?s Trish Anderton reports.
IN A FORUM BROADCAST ON PUBLIC TELEVISION, THE CANDIDATES SPENT SOME TIME COVERING FAMILIAR GROUND LIKE SOCIAL SECURITY: SUNUNU WOULD LIKE TO ALLOW SOME MONEY FROM THE PROGRAM TO GO INTO PRIVATE ACCOUNTS, WHILE SHAHEEN OPPOSES THE IDEA. THEY ALSO VENTURED INTO NEW TERRITORY. WHEN REPUBLICAN JOHN SUNUNU CALLED FOR SIMPLIFYING THE TAX CODE, SHAHEEN REPLIED THAT HIS KIND OF SIMPLIFICATION WOULD HURT FAMILIES. SHAHEEN SAID SUNUNU HAD PROPOSED ELIMINATING THE DEDUCTION FOR HOMEOWNERS?S MORTGAGE INTEREST.
Millions of Americans have depended on that deduction to be able to buy their homes. That would mean for many people they?d be unable to buy their own home.
SUNUNU CO-SPONSORED A BILL IN 2000 TO REPLACE THE GRADUATED INCOME TAX WITH A FLAT TAX OF 17 PERCENT. THE FLAT TAX WOULD HAVE A LARGE STANDARD DEDUCTION INSTEAD OF NUMEROUS SMALLER ONES. SUNUNU SAID THAT WOULD BE A GREAT IMPROVEMENT.
If you reform tax code, give all families a generous, aggressive deduction of 30k or 35k, they?ll have more in deductions than they currently have with or without home mortgage interest or other deductions that may be in the tax code.
LIBERTARIAN KEN BLEVINS BACKED SUNUNU UP. BLEVINS SAID HE DOESN?T LIKE ANY TAXES, BUT HE WOULD PREFER A FLAT TAX TO THE FEDERAL INCOME TAX.
Every time you give somebody a deduction on their taxes, you?re making somebody else make up the difference. That?s not right, that?s not fair, I come from nh, I believe in fair taxation.
THE TWO MAJOR-PARTY CANDIDATES ALSO BATTLED OVER ABORTION. PRESSED FOR HIS VIEWS ON THE U-S SUPREME COURT?S ROE VERSUS WADE DECISION, WHICH ESTABLISHED THE RIGHT TO ABORTION, SUNUNU SIDESTEPPED.
We don?t vote on those kinds of pieces of legislation, we vote primarily on the votes that gov shaheen has referenced, regarding federal funding for abortions, whether or not taxpayer money should be used to pay for abortions, I?ve voted no, except in cases or rape incest or danger to the health of the mother
SHAHEEN RESPONDED SHARPLY.
I think what we?ve just heard is Washington-speak from john sununu. The fact is he doesn?t want to tell us his position on roe v. wade because he has an extremist position on roe v. wade. He opposes a woman?s right to choose.
WHILE THE TWO MAJOR-PARTY CANDIDATES BOTH VOICED SUPPORT FOR PRESIDENT BUSH IN POSSIBLE MILITARY ACTION AGAINST IRAQ, BLEVINS DENOUNCED THE IDEA OF WAR. HE SAID CONGRESS? RECENT VOTE EMPOWERING THE PRESIDENT TO USE FORCE WAS UNCONSTITUTIONAL.
Our forefathers didn?t want country to go to war based on one persons decision. That?s why congress was given this authority, that?s why they should keep it, and not delegate it to the president. Especially to settle a dispute in iraq over oil or over a security issue that does not exist in this country.
SINCE THE FORUM WAS HELD AT THE UNIVERSITY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE, BLEVINS MAY HAVE BEEN COUNTING ON A SYMPATHETIC RECEPTION FROM THE AUDIENCE OF STUDENTS. BUT UNH SENIOR T.J. PAYTON SAID HE THINKS MANY YOUNG PEOPLE HAVE MIXED FEELINGS ABOUT POSSIBLE MILITARY ACTION.
006 35 there?s always a certain percentage of students that would attract but I don?t think it would attract enough.// a lot of students don?t really want the war but we are in support of ? not really getting revenge, but getting rid of terrorism.
AS FOR THE TWO MAJOR-PARTY CANDIDATES, SENIOR BRAD KURTZ WASN?T WOWED BY EITHER.
Shaheen kept pressing sununu in a negative way. I don?t think she needed to do that, I think we all know who she?s speaking against. But it bothered me more that sununu didn?t answer the questions.
ANOTHER STUDENT FELT SUNUNU WAS MORE POLISHED; SHAHEEN, MORE TENTATIVE. NONE OF THE THREE STUDENTS FELT THERE WAS A CLEAR WINNER. LIKE MANY ANALYSTS, KURT PREDICTED A CLOSE VOTE ON ELECTION DAY. FOR NHPR NEWS I?M
Delicious
Digg
Reddit
Facebook
Google
Yahoo