GOP opponents discuss defense, farm, highway bills
By Jack "Miles" Ventimiglia, The Daily Star-Journal, Warrensburg, Mo. | |
McClatchy-Tribune Information Services |
DEFENSE
The candidates both answered the same questions on issues of importance to the district and nation, starting with their positions on the National Defense Authorization Act. The act is important to the district, which contains two major military installations --
HARTZLER: "One of the most important things that the
WEBB: "I would not have voted for it as is. My understanding of the bill is that it permits the government to hold, without trial, indefinitely, in the opposite of our Fourth and Fifth Amendment of our United States Constitution, anybody that the government might call a terrorist. ... We're talking about anybody that the government declares a threat."
Webb said such authority is dangerous because the
"Their sweep was pretty broad," Webb said.
The Associated Press reported in
FARM BILL
The candidates addressed the long-disputed Farm Bill, which ultimately passed in January with less money for "food stamps" and expanded crop insurance for farmers. Hartzler, a member of the Agriculture Committee, voted for the bill.
HARTZLER: "Overall, it's a good bill by providing the basic safety net for American consumers to ensure they continue to enjoy an affordable, safe food supply, while at the same time reducing spending overall and eliminating some farm programs that have outlived their times. It also reauthorized ... the nutrition programs for those who need temporary help during this recession."
WEBB: "The United States Constitution ... says that the government shall be limited to the 'enumerated powers' in the Constitution. All other powers are reserved for the states or the people and therefore I question a significant amount of the things that our government is involved in, because if you believe the Constitution's power and you believe the authority that it gives and restricts, then you have to question ... what it is authorized to be involved in. ... We need to look at the enumerated powers to make sure (the Farm Bill) is in fact something that is allowed."
HIGHWAY BILL
The House passed a stopgap measure, with
Hartzler and Webb talked about what is needed, or whether there is a need, to get a long-term highway bill passed. Hartzler, a member of the Budget Committee, voted for the stopgap measure in July, with the highway fund projected to go broke by August unless funded.
HARTZLER: "I support a proposal that was rejected by
WEBB: "Highways are a portion of the enumerated powers. I've not been privy to those particular groups within the
NO. 1 ISSUE
HARTZLER: "It's getting our economy going again and the way to address it is to get
WEBB: "The biggest issue may be a constitutional issue that we have right now, where we have all kinds of organizations that are not authorized to make laws making laws. According to the Constitution, the legislature is the entity that's supposed to be making laws, so bureaucrats, agencies, presidents, 'judicials' are not supposed to be making laws. They all have different responsibilities regarding the laws, but making them is not supposed to be their purview."
DIFFERENTIATING CANDIDATES
The candidates took the opportunity to differentiate themselves.
HARTZLER: "My life experiences -- being a lifelong farmer, being a public school teacher, being a small business owner and having a father who was in the Army Reserves -- give me that firsthand, practical understanding of many of the issues facing our country, and then in the past four years, me listening and learning from the good people of the
WEBB: "The biggest difference is I am more constitutional. I believe that we should be enforcing and following the laws, rules and regulations of the Constitution. ... There are a lot of people that are willing to set some of that aside for other agendas. Say the budget: We should use the Constitution to define the budget, specifically going back to a government that's limited to the enumerated powers. If it's not an enumerated power, technically, it's illegal for the federal government to be involved in it."
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