Posted on 01/09/2008 1:12:04 AM PST by Kurt Evans
The candidates for South Dakota's lone U.S. House seat debated again Sunday night, and, for the most part, refrained from direct attacks and addressed questions from citizen panelists.
The forum, at the South Dakota Public Broadcasting studios in Vermillion, was broadcast on radio and television. It featured five panelists and audience members asking questions of Democrat Rick Weiland, Republican John Thune and independents Stacey Nelson and Kurt Evans.
Most of the questions dealt with economic matters. One panelist, noting that the net worth of the three richest people in the nation is three times the value of all of South Dakota's farmland, asked the candidates what they would do to stop the growing gap between rich and poor.
People in both major parties are concerned about the trend, Weiland said. "We need to do something about it because it is tearing at the very fabric of our society," he said, adding that he would try to close some tax loopholes for wealthy individuals and corporations.
Thune said the government needs to take less of what people earn and let the economy grow. Don't take a piece of the pie from someone and give it to someone else--make the pie bigger, he said.
"Government doesn't understand that you do that by lowering the tax burden, not raising it," the Republican said.
Evans said the money that wealthy people invest helps drive the economy. The gap will take care of itself if people continue to pursue the principles of economic freedom on which the United States was founded, he said.
Another panelist asked what specific tax cuts the candidates would propose if the federal budget is balanced.
Thune said the tax base should be broadened and the tax rates lowered. A balanced budget is imperative, he said. "If we can't do that, we don't cut taxes."
Weiland said he "aggressively" disagrees with GOP presidential candidate Bob Dole's call for an immediate 15 percent tax cut. He said he favors things like encouraging first-time home-buyers and making college tuition and vocational and technical training tax deductible.
Evans was direct. The nation should repeal the federal income tax, enact a national sales tax and abolish the Internal Revenue Service, he said.
Thune said the issues in the House race are a balanced budget, lower taxes and a smaller, more efficient federal government.
Nelson, who spoke next, chided Thune. "Nice goals, but we need ideas," he said. Nelson said he was the only candidate with specific ideas for revamping the economy to make it more fair.
Asked what role the federal government should play in creating good-paying jobs, Thune said, "I think the best thing the federal government can do is keep the tax burden low and minimize the regulations as much as is possible."
Weiland said the government must provide opportunities for people to go to college or vocational school so the work force becomes better educated.
The candidates had some good things to say about the new federal farm bill, which phases out crop subsidies. Thune called it a move in the right direction because it focuses on demand, is flexible and loosens regulatory burdens.
Weiland said he was concerned that the law removes the safety net for farmers.
Rush Limbaugh is dramatically underestimating the conservative credentials of many of us who are supporting Governor Huckabee for president:
http://freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1950692/posts
One trivia note regarding the above article is that Rick Weiland was essentially a lifelong aide to Congressman/Senator Tom Daschle. I’m probably a little biased, but I thought John and I pretty much ripped him to shreds in the debates.
Give it up. It will never happen. The Fair Tax will not work.
How do you get past the fact that the NEA endorsed Huckabee?
The NEA is a socialist organization. Meaning pro-homosexual agenda and doing everything they can to advance atheism without openly admitting it.
propaganda evangilistas on parade...
Huckabee should rethink his stance if he thinks that conservatives will support a plan of larger government presence in our lives while drinking the Fair Tax kool aid that we are abolishing the IRS, and we all hate the IRS, right? The idea that you will depend on the government to make the proposal equitable by sending me a monthly “prebate”, rather than an annual tax refund.....what a joke!!! I would rather the government have an integral say in my family affairs on a monthly rather than an annual basis? How about let’s get the government out of our lives by getting them to ADMIT that the SSA is an accounting service for who put what into the FLAT BROKE OASDI trust fund Fair Tax does not address this problem....WOW), convert the federal retirement plan into the SSA so that we all get the same treatment, privitize SSA so that we can abolish it, and enact a flat tax so that we can essentially reduce the IRS to a government bank account.
Out-on-a-limb prediction: watch for John Thune in 2016, he has the stuff to be a presidential contender.
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