Candidates differ on many issues.
ALLISON RUPP Star-Tribune staff writer | Posted: Monday, October 6, 2008 12:00 am
The financial industry bailout bill proved to be a major issue for both candidates and a major difference between them during the candidate forum between Republican U.S. Sen. John Barrasso and his opponent Democrat Nick Carter.
While Barrasso was one of only 25 senators who voted against the $700 billion bailout bill, Carter said he would have voted for it during the hour-long forum that took place Sunday afternoon at Casper College.
"Any time there is a large vote in Congress there are folks that run for cover because it's not easy to stand up and do the right thing and take on something difficult," said Carter, an attorney from Gillette with no previous political experience.
Barrasso said this is a significant difference between him and his opponent. He said he and his staff spent the week discussing the bill and whether it would work and what the cost would be.
Although he agreed there were important concepts in the bill, he said there were loopholes and it was too expensive. He said Congress rushed into the bill.
"You could drive a truck through that loophole that would allow executives to take a lot of money. That doesn't allow for accountability and reliability," said Barrasso, an orthopedic surgeon from Casper. He was sworn in as senator in June 2007 after former U.S. Sen. Craig Thomas died.
Barrasso repeatedly said he was proud of his vote against the bailout bill along with fellow Wyoming Republican U.S. Sen. Mike Enzi. He said $700 billion was enough to run Wyoming for 173 years.
"Who is going to be asked to pay that?" Barrasso said. "That woman who asked the question and Wyoming taxpayers."
Carter said Barrasso took about $10,000 from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac for his campaign, which will now most likely be paid for by taxpayers. Carter supports federally funded campaign financing.
Even with the passage of the bill, Carter said, "The bailout doesn't fix the boat; it keeps it from sinking."
Here's how the candidates faired on other issues:
Health care - Carter said he proposes a comprehensive health care plan for catastrophic coverage to prevent people from having to declare bankruptcy because of a terminal illness or serious car accident. He said about two million people declare bankruptcy every year because they can't afford the health care they need.
As a physician, Barrasso said health care is "very near and dear to my heart," but the government shouldn't make decisions about a person's health care.
Energy - "This country needs what Wyoming has and we can do it in an environmentally friendly way," Barrasso said. "And we can protect the Wyoming we love for the future."
A bill he sponsored to protect the Wyoming Range will be up for debate in the U.S. Senate.
Without a comprehensive energy plan, which Carter promotes, he said the Wyoming Range won't be protected. He said Barrasso is against drilling in the range but in favor of drilling in Alaska and offshore.
"He has said drill baby drill with the Republicans offshore," Carter said. "You can't have it both ways with this sort of patchwork energy plan. It leads everyone to say, 'Not in my backyard.' But it ends up in everyone's backyard."
For Carter, a comprehensive energy plan would look years into the future, remove the country from dependence on foreign oil and develop alternative energy sources.
Iraq war - Barrasso, who mentioned his recent visits to Iraq and Afghanistan, said leaving Iraq shouldn't be on a timeline.
"You ask specifically how long we should stay - until the works is done. When the men and women in the field, their commanders say it's time," Barrasso said.
The time to bring troops home is now, his opponent rebutted. Carter said with the financial crisis, America can't afford to be spending $10 billion a month on the Iraq war.
Social issues - Barrasso said he is pro-life with a pro-life voting record.
His opponent said with five sisters and a daughter, he would never want the government to have that type of power over a woman's body. Carter said he is pro-choice.
Carter added Barrasso ran as a pro-choice candidate when he ran against Enzi for the senate seat in 1996.
On gay marriage, Carter said there should be equality for gay couples. Although, he said he didn't think Congress should worry about the issues of abortion and gay marriage when there are much bigger concerns for the country.
Barrasso said marriage is between a man and a woman and he voted against gay marriage while in the Wyoming Legislature.
Contact reporter Allison Rupp at (307) 266-0534 or allison.rupp@trib.com.