Nov. 1, 1999
By
Victoria Carrington
CyberCaucus 2000 News Service
Drake
University
DES MOINES, Iowa--The Republican presidential candidates squared off Oct. 28 for a town meeting in Hanover, N.H., sans front-runner Gov. George Bush. The absence of Bush, who had declined two previous debates to attend fund raisers, was noted by Publisher Steve Forbes who remarked, "If we called this town meeting a fund raiser, he'd probably show up."
The five remaining candidates, Sen. Orrin Hatch, Allen Keyes, Steve Forbes, Sen. John McCain, and Gary Bauer, were asked questions that were prepared in by audience members in advance.
Each candidate was allowed to present his stance on taxation, and all candidates agreed the tax system needs an overhaul.
Hatch said, "I favor throwing out the current system." He said he would like to get rid of the IRS code and he'd get the best experts to help with the tax problem. "I worry about a flat tax because I'm on the Senate Finance Committee," Hatch said. He said he would like to start over, but did not state a definitive plan for the new system.
McCain called for reform saying that average Americans are not represented in Washington, D.C. He said he would eliminate the influence of special interest groups that "rule in Washington." He favors a flat tax that could be filled out and sent on a postcard. McCain called the present tax system "a chamber of horrors for average citizens and a cornucopia of good deals for the special interests."
Keyes said, "We have lost our economic freedom, and we don't even know it." He said an income tax is unconstitutional, and gives government control of money made in the economy. "The issue isn't the tax rate and the issue isn't whether it's flat or progressive. The issue is the income tax itself," Keyes said. He would eliminate the federal income tax, and he advocates the use of sales and excise taxes on transactions in an open marketplace. He proposed revamping the entire tax system to "get rid of the socialist income tax in this country and return to the original Constitution."
Bauer said he favors a flat tax, 16 percent across the board, with only charitable and mortgage deductions. He criticized Forbes' flat tax plan for allowing businesses an investment write-off. He would offer a 20 percent payroll tax cut instead.
Forbes said that under his plan a family of four would be free of income tax on the first $41,000 of income. Above that level, the tax rate would be 17 cents on the dollar. There would be no pension, capital gain or death taxes. "You'll be allowed to leave the world unmolested by the IRS," said Forbes. "Sort of a new principle of taxation--no taxation without respiration." He said he would add an incentive for investments to allow businesses to survive and provide employment.
Bauer and and McCain were queried about educational issues.
Bauer, with regard to higher education, said he believes the current system of grants and loans is working well. He said that Americans must "make sacrifices" when funding a higher education. Bauer who was Secretary of Education under Ronald Reagan, advocated the use of school choice and vouchers in underprivileged elementary and secondary schools to improve education.
McCain proposed teacher testing and merit pay to solve many of the problems of public education. He said that choice and competition would raise the standards of education, and he would use test vouchers as a means to achieve this goal. McCain also said he planned to use ethanol and sugar subsidies towards educational costs. Health care cost issues were posed to Forbes, Bauer and Hatch.
Forbes said the best plan is "putting you in charge." He favors offering a choice of plans and removing barriers to medical savings accounts to empower individuals. "Consumerism works," Forbes concluded.
Bauer said "I'm against big bureaucracy in Washington making health care decisions." He advocates medical savings accounts, and deductions for insurance payments. He promised to reveal a health care plan soon that would encompass those principles.
Hatch said he has spent 23 years enacting health legislation that has already benefited people, such as providing generic drug programs to cut pharmacy costs. "I have spent most of my career trying to solve health problems," said Hatch. "I'm not just talking about it, I've done it."
Bauer responded to immigration issues by saying, "I believe that our immigration policy is a mess." He would secure the borders and establish appropriate immigration levels. "Everybody coming into the country should want to become an American," Bauer said. "They should want to learn the English language." He said his presidential platform will be based on a return to family values.
Keyes identified a "moral crisis" as the most pressing issue facing Americans today and blamed the lack of moral values as a core cause of many pressing social issues, such as drug abuse. "The problem is very simple, said Keyes. "You can't sustain self-government without self-discipline. And the drug problem is a symptom of that. We proliferate laws, we have even have started to invade property rights and do other things that our tearing down our system of liberty. Why? Because we are out of control. I think government's involvement has been detrimental. They have botched it up."
Keyes said the best way to help others is to put charitable programs back into the hands of the private and faith sectors.
Hatch cited his experience as the keynote of his candidacy. He mentioned several bills that he's sponsored, among them the juvenile justice Bill and the Hatch 10-20-life policy (a mandatory sentence of 10 years for having a gun to commit a crime, 20 years for using the gun and life for hurting someone), to combat crime.
He took issue with Federal judges on two occasions, saying "they've become activists" and that their job is to interpret not make laws. He stated that he's a strong supporter of "Reaganism" and one of his goals is to balance the federal budget. Hatch said he supports campaign finance reform to return government to the "everyday working person."
McCain said his main goal is to reform government. He vowed he would not cave to specialist interest groups. McCain spoke of wasteful government spending in the military --"6.4 million in projects we don't need or want" -- and he said he seeks to give higher pay to trained military personnel. He also said the United States is "losing the war on drugs" but added, "I can't support legalization" of medical marijuana.
Forbes said he is not susceptible to lobbyists, because he is able to fund his own campaign and "serve the people." He would allow individuals to give as much as they want to a candidate with full disclosure, reducing the need to serve special interest groups. He emphasized the freedom of choice through a free marketplace.
The only unexpected conflict throughout the political discourse was a protester who loudly exercised her freedom of speech in a verbal protest, interrupting the meeting. She was quickly and mysteriously quieted.