Blumenthal & McMahon – The Issues – Part VIII– Miscellaneous

This is the eighth in a series of postings on the policy proposal of the two major Senatorial candidates, Attorney General Richard Blumenthal and former WWE Executive Linda McMahon.

The eighth topic is Miscellaneous Issues. Each candidate had some issue statements that are not complemented by the other candidate. This posting will present those issues from each candidate. Since “Senator” McMahon was first last time, “Senator” Blumenthal leads off this eighth part of the series. In both presentations, I have cut out some of the background and only left in the action statements. That makes for a much shorter presentation.

“Senator” Richard Blumenthal

Protecting Children & Families
In the Senate, I will continue to stand up for children and families and take on the special interests in key fights:

Keeping Kids Safe Online
As your Senator, I will work for new rules that keep pace with technology and protect our children online. The laws regulating internet pornographers and predators are badly outdated.
Standing Up to Big Tobacco
As your Senator, I will fight to ensure that the tobacco companies are not able to undermine the authority the FDA needs to protect our children.
Keeping Unsafe Toys Off the Shelves
In the Senate, I will keep working to protect our kids from toxic chemicals in toys… As your United States Senator, I will work to expand and tighten toxic chemical standards to better protect us all, and especially our kids.
Ending Domestic Violence
I will take my fight all the way to the U.S. Senate, standing up to the special interests threatening our kids and our families.

Seniors
As Connecticut’s U.S. Senator, I will fight to honor the hard work and service of our senior citizens, and the obligations we’ve made to them.
Protecting Seniors from Fraud.
Ensuring Access to Medicare Benefits
Fighting Deceptive Advertising
As your U.S. Senator, these would be my priorities:
Protecting Medicare and Social Security… I support aggressive measures to reduce waste, fraud and abuse in all federal spending. But I will not and do not support any effort to balance the budget on the backs of our seniors.
Reforming Nursing Homes. .. our nursing home regulations are inadequate, inconsistent, and ineffective. I’ve testified before Congress advocating stringent national efforts to reduce corruption and abuse, and to improve the quality of care provided in nursing homes. As a U.S. Senator, I will work to enact those proposed reforms.
Negotiating Prescription Drug Prices. If we’re serious about cutting health care costs, we’ve got to get serious about negotiating down drug prices.
Prohibiting Drug Company Exploitation of Dual Eligibles.
Ending the Medicare Part D “Donut Hole”.
Building a National “Silver Alert” System… In the U.S. Senate, I will push for legislation establishing a standardized national alert system to ensure we can always respond rapidly to a loved one’s disappearance.


“Senator” Linda McMahon

Fiscal Discipline - “Deficit spending must end.”
As Senator, I would support a balanced budget Amendment to the Constitution because in the alternative, endless budget deficits and unthinkable debt will cause long-term damage to the economy.
Deficit spending must end. You can’t spend your way out of debt. Fiscal discipline — true fiscal discipline — means not only cutting taxes but also reducing spending.

Bailouts -“The ‘Culture of Bailouts’ must end.”
It is time we immediately shut down TARP and use all unspent or paid-back portions of the program to pay down the debt. I oppose the use of TARP funds for public programs, subsidies and bailouts.
The President has proposed a new tax on banks to recoup roughly $120 billion in TARP funds, even though the majority of TARP funds that went to banks have already been paid back. Most of the funds that were not recouped were used to bail out AIG, GM, Chrysler, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac — none of whom should have been bailed out to begin with. I oppose this proposal because it raises taxes during a recession and it will make it more expensive for people and businesses to borrow money as banks pass those added costs onto consumers.

Card Check
I’m opposed to Card Check legislation because I believe the private ballot must be protected and I’m opposed to giving government bureaucrats control of the workplace. Workers should continue to have the protection of a secret ballot. It prevents unions from intimidating workers, and it ensures a fair outcome for both workers and employers.

Death Penalty
I support current state law on the death penalty, which allows for capital punishment.

Illegal Immigration
I support legal immigration and I believe much of this country’s strength and prosperity has come as a result of the immense contributions immigrants have made. We have historically welcomed the best workers and the best minds from every country, and I believe we should continue to do so provided it is done legally. We are a nation built on the rule of law, and immigration laws — like all laws — must be enforced. While I believe immigration reform is needed, I believe reform starts with securing the border. Border enforcement should be followed by interior enforcement and a revamp of the visa process. I’m opposed to amnesty.

Second Amendment
America has a long history of gun ownership, and I fully support 2nd Amendment rights.


Comments
It is interesting to see which topics each candidate chose that was not the same as the other. “Senator” Blumenthal focused on children and seniors while “Senator” McMahon focused on conservative hot button issues such as fiscal discipline, Union “Card Check”, the death penalty, illegal immigration, and second amendment rights. These topics show a very different emphasis by the candidates. Which one do you want in the Senate?