Democrats for Congress debate economy, Iraq

PINELLAS PARK -- The three Democrats competing to challenge Rep. C.W. Bill Young for his congressional District 10 seat had their second debate tonight.

The candidates are Samm Simpson, of Dunedin, who earned 34 percent of the vote against Young in 2006; Max Linn, of Treasure Island, who ran for governor with the Reform Party in 2006; Bob Hackworth, who is the mayor of Dunedin.

Here are some highlights:

On immigration:

Simpson: The North American Free Trade Agreement sent subsidized corn into Mexico and starved families. “If we’re going to change immigration we have to realize that we’re part of the problem.” She said immigration is an issue of economics and labor. If we have more jobs and food, people will get along better.

Linn: Immigration is part of America, but immigrants are taking American jobs and stressing social services. The impact on social services is the biggest problem. “What we need to do is set the standard if you’re going to come over here and work it has to be legally and you have to contribute to the system,” Linn said.

Hackworth: Agreed that immigration is part of American social fabric and said he supports Barack Obama’s plan for comprehensive immigration reform. “We also have to recognize those who are here, even those who are here illegally, must have path to citizenship.”

 

On Iraq and talking to hostile countries

Hackworth: Said he supports Obama’s positions both on careful withdrawal from Iraq and talking to foreign leaders.

Simpson: Said she has felt the same way about the Iraq War all along, “I just grieve a little bit more today. We absolutely have to be out of Iraq.” She also supports talking to foreign leaders.

Linn: Said he’s seen the atrocities of the war at Walter Reed and through the Military Families Foundation. “We need to get out of there no matter what the military leaders say,” Linn said, adding he will hold Obama to his promise to withdrawal because he met with Obama for about 15 minutes in 2006 to talk about Linn’s unpublished book on the candidate.

 Why they’re the best candidate to face Bill Young

 Linn: argued he’s the only one who has changed policy statewide through his fight for term limits. “I think I’m the only candidate who realistically can beat Bill Young. If I’m lucky enough to get your vote on August 26 I will squash Bill Young like a tomato come November.”

 Hackworth: Beating Young won’t be easy, and he’s the only one who can talk about what he has done, rather than will do, as an elected official. “That’s going to be an incredibly important distinction in the general election.” He said whoever wins the district, which is mostly Republican, will have to win independents and Republicans. “That’s the math,” he said.

 Simpson: Said she showed leadership and vision by challenging Bill Young in 2006, when she won 34 percent of the vote. “I’m the only person up here who’s been a Democrat longer than six months. I think that qualifies me to be a Democratic congressperson.”

On healthcare

Linn: Supports a single-payer universal healthcare system. “I think in Obama’s heart that’s where he wants to go, but I think he’s playing the political dance.” He added,“Healthcare is a right not a privilege.”

Hackworth: Said he supports the idea that Americans are entitled to affordable, universal healthcare. But he said he’s willing to work with Republicans to compromise and offer something better. “I think part of the problem is the insistence on a single idea.”

Simpson: Said she supports single-payer healthcare, or H.R. 676, as a candidate who’s been endorsed by the National Progressive Democrats of America. She agreed to be open to other ideas, but added that America should foster the health of its people in addition to addressing the issue of healthcare.

On the economy

Hackworth: Would invest money into rebuilding infrastructure and improving mass transit. “It will work because it’s worked in the past,” he said.

Simpson: Supports fundamental monetary reform and questions why credit cards can charge huge interest when a user misses a payment but banks can borrow cheaply. She suggested Congress should control the printing of money instead of the Federal Reserve. Also wants to make sure “that these lenders and these congressmen that created these kinds of loans need to go to jail.”

Linn: Said the economy is his No.1 issue as a former financial planner. He wants to put up tariffs to keep jobs from flowing overseas. He said the middle class is growing in China and India and diminishing in the U.S. “Unless the people stand up and say we need fair trade, not free trade, we’re going to continue in a deep, deep recession.”

--Stephanie Garry, Times Staff Writer

Comments

Why do you feel the need to copy and paste? It was all there in plain english. As you can see the other refer to each other as the time they have posted. You made sure to leave out the fact that she knows the issues, and you can't deny that!
No drugs in my head, and I have chosen not to drink the kool-aid either.

Sorry to confuse you.

I am a usual forum poster. New to the blogs. The way we quote the forums is quoting portions and responding. I didn't want to have a big wall of text.

[It's all a joke]

I want to know the real issues, like how many bike races was Mr. Hackworth in?

hackworth has announced that if he loses he plans on challenging lance armstrong to a bike race, he thinks he is the most qualified to win that bike race because he is the mayor of dunedin pop. 36,000

Kevin:
the "kids" have a job. it's mid-morning, you obviously are the one that needs a job. Maybe Young could help you out, loser.

Other than his position on the war, Ron Paul is an anathema to any self respecting Democrat: whether Progressive, or DLC.

As such, Ms. Simpson's support for his candidacy shows she is still a one trick pony and, should she win the nomination, would be destined for the same fate if not worse as that experienced in '06. With the relative strength of Democrats at the top of the ticket this cycle(Obama/McCain is much better for the D's than Davis/Crist) such an outcome would bolster the perception of Rep. Young's invincibility as well as that of the Democrats inability to field a serious candidate against him. I wasn't there, but the comments about metaphorically using terms such as stairs, and bannisters, and birdseed, do not surprise me. Rather, they only serve to reinforce my point.
Hackworth or Linn, in that order, and for entirely different reasons, at least have the opportunity to prove they are credible, and give Rep. Young the competitive, and possibly even successful race that the Democrats' advantage in this cycle demands.

[drman321]

What all of you Simpson fans need to realize is that she is out of touch with the electorate as a whole. Last election there were just under 200,000 people who voted and they OVERWHELMINGLY went with Young. Now I ask you folks, how many people were at the debate? A hundred, surely not more than 200. And the majority of these people who were in attendance were much more involved in politics than the average joe, therefore not terribly representative of the population.

In an election year like this one you need someone who can reach out to everyone and someone who is charismatic enough to grab people's attention. None of the democratic contenders are a particularly good choice but Simpson is hands down the worst.

The 34% of voters she got last year are probably the highest numbers she will ever see in a general election. She is able to motivate a certain fringe base, and of course there are those who will vote for a democrat no matter what, other than that though she is done. She turns too many people off because her values and ideas are so far out there. I know that some of you truly feel that she is best for this job but think about it for a moment and realize that Americans are looking for someone who is stable, they don't quite want a revolutionary. Samm Simpson is too in love with the idea of being a revolutionary to appeal to the electorate enough to actually win.

As far as you people who are saying that electability isn't an issue; you must not understand how American politics works. We have a winner take all system. It does not matter how honest and brilliant someone is if they aren't able to get elected, this is the problem with the Democratic party. If you keep beating your head against the wall over things you don't need to then you will never get anywhere. Honesty and competence are a must but so is electability, without that you have a candidate who is worth less than nothing.

10:08... Let's take this point by point:

You wrote: "If she's such a die hard Democrat, why did she want to change her affiliation to Republican in January to vote for a Republican?"

This issue has been addressed at length on her blog at www.sammsimpson.com, but in a nutshell, she DIDN'T change her party, the Republican she was referring to was Ron Paul, and she wanted to support his lonely stance on the Republican ticket as the only candidate who was talking about ending wars of imperialism, calling the Patriot Act out for it's attack on civil liberties, the scam that is the Federal Reserve, and the power grab that the executive branch has pulled off during the Bush administration -- with the help of Mr. Young. Plus, she didn't feel that any of the Democratic Presidential Candidates were literally dangerous to the safety of the constitution, while there were several on the Republican side who very well may have been.

You also write: "Her pro-life stance surely isn't democratic." What about "safe, legal, and rare" isn't Democratic? Actually, there's a very interesting Youtube clip from 2006 that lays her position out quite eloquently.

And you had a problem grasping the analogies... The birdseed analogy was crystal clear to everyone I spoke with about it. And it showed she was totally in touch with the American people. Very simple: when you have plenty of birdseed in the back yard, birds of all colors and breeds exist peacefully. If you're short on birdseed, they fight. That's what's happening right now with the immigration situation. Too many people chasing after scarce resources when it comes to the working class. And as a result, the working class starts hating folks who are different than themselves. Prosperity breeds peace, and we should have economic policies that that insure that working class folks aren't gouging each others eyes out to stay afloat.

The stairs reference... Agreed that it needed clarification. One of the dangers when you speak in metaphore.

But I'll guarantee you that she has a much firmer grasp of the intricacies of the federal reserve, the Military Commissions Act, the Patriot Act, and the other legislation and policies enacted by congress and the Bush cabal that have fundamentally damanged freedom, liberty, and the persuit of happiness for the average American than either of her opponents, or her eventual opponent, Mr. Young.

[bmi]

Samm Simpson was the clear winner of last night's debate. Linn thinks his past financial business experience makes him a credible candidate for congress. One doesn't need to be too intelligent to know that we don't need another business man in Congress. Hackworth thinks being the Mayor of Dunedin qualifies him for Congress. We don't need to be too intelligent to know it isn't another politician we need in Congress. We need a courageous, independent minded human being in Congress who will speak for the people. Samm Simpson fits the bill. She will be a voice for the people and she will speak truth to power in the halls of Congress when she is elected this November.
This nation is falling apart before our eyes. Forward minded people like Samm Simpson is our only hope to avert the catastrophe that awaits us if real change doesn't come about in our government. Ms. Simpson is the only candidate that will work for real change. She is also the only candidate that is standing up for us. The other candidates are our there for themselves. Samm is out there for us. Elect a patriot. Elect Samm Simpson.

[Reality Check]

The classic line "don't confuse me with the facts" certainly applies to drman321 and his attempt to spin "electability" as the key determinant in the CD-10 Dem race.

On paper, Bob Hackworth may appear to be "electable." But in person, the overwhelming consensus of the room was that he was floundering for words and absolutely overmatched on the issues.

The sense of defeat was extremely apparent on Greg Wilson's face.

I understand you're being told to "spin" for your candidate. But let's have a little Reality Check when it comes to the issue of "electability."

As I recall, that was John Kerry's trump card in winning the Demm nomination in 2004. And we all know how that worked out!

The smart money said George Allen was far more electable than Jim Webb (Too honest, too outspoken, etc, etc) in the 2006 VA Senatorial race. We know who won that race, too.

Don't underestimate Samm Simpson's appeal. She's got the power, the passion, and the positions that 2 out of every 3 Americans endorse!

Seems pretty mainstream to me !!!!

drman321:

Samm's 34% in 2006 -- the best run Young had seen since 1994 -- was due to her lack of name recognition and exposure, not her platform.

What's out of touch with Dist 10 voters about saving social security; healthcare for all, taking care of our veterans (she's endorsed by The Veterans Post AGAIN); not bankrupting our country and damaging our military with imperialistic wars; insuring that your private information and correspondence remains private; that you have access to a fair and impartial judicial system; that we don't live in a Monarchy -- regarless of what the Bush Cabal tells us -- and that we have 3 equal branches of government; that impeachment is so important to the security of this system that it's mentioned 6 times in the constitution; that our oil addiction must end; that we're a government of, by, and for the people, not the corporations; and that we all owe it to each other to try to make the world a better place for all?

These are all mainstream, 50%+ positions.

No, Samm got beat last time because people didn't know of her message.

And kudos to the St. Pete Times for recognizing it's civic duty and following this race.

And before the money lovers here start typing, let's remember, there are losing candidates every race who have radically outspent their opponents.

Ground game CAN beat money, so long as the message is populist -- and Samm's is -- and the candidate is likeable and sincere. No question, with the exception of a few folks who post here whose parents evidently failed at teaching them the value of civility, most folks see Samm as the kind of gal you'd like to have as your next door neighbor.

And she's the kind of PATRIOT that this country needs. She's the only candidate of the 3 who regularly states she's willing to GIVE HER LIFE to protect and defend the constitution of the United States, and the rights, freedoms, and liberties for ALL Americans described within.

That's "crazy" like Jefferson, Madison, Paine, and their contemporaries. And that's exactlty the kind of courageous leadership this country desperately needs.

Samm will fight to remind us all that this is supposed to be government "of the people, by the people, for the people", not the corporations and the hyper wealthy.

Hardly "conspiracy crowd" stuff. Just good, solid, citizenship. And I have to believe that the people -- not money -- will make the difference.

But then, I'm not a professional campaign type who is dependent upon the money that has corrupted this system. I'm just a concerned citizen. How about you?

"Hardly "conspiracy crowd" stuff. Just good, solid, citizenship. And I have to believe that the people -- not money -- will make the difference."

Form you post to God's ears!

samm simpson is going to ride on hackworths handle bars to the interstate where max linn lands his plane because she thinks she is seeing a ufo

[drman321]

I'm with you on the whole concerned citizen stuff, I just think realistically Samm Simpson doesn't stand a chance in a general election. She appeals to most dems. That will net her around 30% of the vote just fine, maybe a little more since nationally the dems are doing so well right now. The problem with Samm Simpson is that she doesn't play well at all to Republicans or Independents. Nobody can win the 10th district without broad appeal across the board, the numbers of republicans and democrats are too evenly matched. Over the years Young has done fairly well with all but the most liberal dems and even with the Bush stink sticking to him a bit, he was never a big name associated with Bush's shenanigans so he won't be hurt too bad by it.

And for the record I am not spinning for any particular candidate, I am merely calling it as I see it. I have absolutely no interest in propping up an unworthy candidate. Take that for what you will.

11:02 and 1:25
Hillary was said to have been the more "electable" and look what happened.
The times they are a changin'

I think Samm is hot!

[drman321]

Time will tell but I am calling it now, Simpson will win the nomination but will be hard pressed to beat her 34% showing in 2006, I won't even say I told you so when that happens, just keep me in mind.

4:34, have you ever seen Samm in person? she is FAR from hot.... more like strung out

"Take that for what you will."

Coming from a dude who goes by a teen chat room screen name... I'll pass thank you very little!

I still say Samm is hot!

[drman321]

Original Quote by:

"Take that for what you will."

Coming from a dude who goes by a teen chat room screen name... I'll pass thank you very little!

_____________________________________________________________

Now that's a valid counter-argument

Immigration will be the sleeper issue in the ’08 elections, and no candidate is on the right side of the issue.

Immigration will be the sleeper issue in the ’08 elections, and no candidate is on the right side of the issue.

[jmt]

Max Linn's ego is so big, How big is it?He actually said, "For those of you who are fortunate enough to work on my campaign." He may have just got a wee bit tongue tied, or it could have been a freudian slip? It is however, very obvious that he does not lack in the ego dept!

bill young is on the right side of the fence issue, i mean immigration issue.