Harry Reid, Sharron Angle Face off in Contentious Nevada Senate Debate
Republican Senate candidate Sharron Angle speaks during a televised Nevada Senate debate with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid Thursday, Oct. 14, 2010, in Las Vegas.
/ AP Photo/Julie JacobsonIn Thursday night's hotly anticipated Nevada Senate debate, incumbent Sen. Harry Reid and his opponent Sharron Angle faced off for the first and last time in front of the cameras. They opposed each other on nearly every issue and traded personal barbs about the other's ethical credibility, "extreme" views, and - in one case - a candidate's masculinity.
"Man up, Harry Reid!" cried Angle in one of many impassioned efforts to distance herself from the man she has called a "career politician."
In an hour-long forum, hosted by the Nevada Broadcasters Association and moderated by Mitch Fox, candidates sparred over issues including illegal immigration, health care reform, abortion and Don't Ask, Don't Tell. Both Reid and Angle appeared at times uncomfortable and ill-prepared against the venue's brightly-lit green backdrop.
Angle was quick to attack the longtime Democratic Senator, accusing him of political careerism and emphasizing the differences represented by the two candidates.
"Tonight you will see the difference between Harry Reid and big government and Sharron Angle and limited, constitutional government," Angle stated in her opening remarks, adding, "I'm not a career politician... I was a teacher for 25 years... I live in a middle class neighborhood in Reno. Senator Reid lives in the Ritz-Carlton in Washington, D.C."
Health care was a primary point of discussion throughout the debate and Reid accused Angle - who conceded she does not believe there are any medical conditions for which there should be any government-mandated health coverage - of holding "very extreme" views.
"My opponent doesn't like any insurance companies to have to do anything," Reid said, emphasizing the candidate's opposition to funding for mammograms and colonoscopies.
"America is a country of choices, not forcing people to buy things that they don't need," Angle said of so-called "Obamacare," invoking a theme she cited frequently throughout the night. "The solution is simple: We need to get the government out."
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"Insurance companies ... don't do things out of the goodness of their hearts. They do it out of a profit motive and they have almost destroyed our economy," Reid fired back.
The candidates also differed on immigration, with Reid calling for "comprehensive reform" and Angle condemning his opposition to Arizona's controversial immigration legislation that was passed earlier this year.
"What we have here is an illegal alien problem and the solution is simple: secure the borders, enforce the laws," Angle said. "We should be supporting Arizona."
On economic issues, Angle reiterated her belief that job creation does not fall under the job description of a U.S. Senator: "Harry Reid: It's not your job to create jobs," she argued. "It's your job to create policies that create the confidence for the private sector to create those jobs."
Angle also pushed for extension of the Bush-era tax cuts, arguing that if they were not made permanent "we will experience the largest tax increase in the history of America."
"I personally am not in favor of giving billionaires tax cuts," Reid responded, before guaranteeing that he would not support an increase in taxes for middle class Americans.
Nevada currently suffers from the nation's highest unemployment rate, 14.4 percent, up nearly five percent from the national number. Thirteen-thousand Nevada homeowners received foreclosure notices in August alone, according to the Boston Globe.
Polls show the candidates locked in a dead heat: A recent study by Mason-Dixon Polling & Research for the Las Vegas Review-Journal and Nevada's 8NewsNow show Angle two points ahead of Reid, with 47 percent to his 45. Alternately, a Suffolk University poll released Wednesday shows Reid leading by three points, at 46 percent to 43 percent.
The two candidates have traded negligible leads in recent weeks, most of which fall within the respective polls' margins of sampling error. CBS currently rates the race a toss up.
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Promote not Provide. Forcing people who are citizens to buy health insurance or be fined and hopefully its not taken to the extent of jail is not what the government is for. Health insurance reform or an universal health care system is a social service. Not a right. If people want it then there is a cost or tax for a universal but not forcing people to buy insurance or face the penalty of breaking the law. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
You might want to try reading the Constitution as well: "The Congress shall have power To lay and collect taxes, duties, imposts and excises, to pay the debts and provide for the common defence and general welfare of the United States...." &&&
As for the rest of your post, as long as hospitals are forced to treat people REGARDLESS of their ability to pay, then said people should be forced to buy health insurance.
Our Constitution does not give the federal government the authority to set up a national healthcare system. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++If you actually READ the constitution, you would see that the "General Welfare Clause" does just that.
We have Federal agencies that deal with education, housing, environment, etc. Are these Agencies unconstitutional?
Nobody said it was unconstitution to arrest and confine people without a trial and inspect the American people's suitcases by fumbling through their undergarments and other person items at airports. The American people need to know periodically review the constitution and find out what is in there before taking a stance on something without backing it up.
Hey Angle, Emo Phillips just called. He wants his haircut back.
Hey jxknowles, Harry Reid wants your wallet so he can give it to someone else.
Go through the charts I presented.
Ask yourself - Do you want Spending to go up as it has done since Senator Reid was elected Majority Leader?
Do you think that Nevada will see the better services that government will offer due to raising taxes on the rich, or do you think that people who will see these better services are the vast amounts of Liberals in City areas?
Do you really think that by raising taxes on the people that spend the most in Reno and Vegas is going to create more tourism, or do you think that the raising taxes on wealthy Citizens will create a higher unemployment rate than the current 14.4% in Nevada?
Use common sense.
Which, is extremely hypocritical! He's acted as an 'enabler' to their bad behavior! They couldn't have done it without his help! So, we're supposed to believe his personal propaganda that he's against them, and for us?!
HIS ACTIONS prove otherwise!!
Your vote is a very powerful vote determining the future of the United States, and most importantly for you the State of Nevada. I know that Majority Leader Reid has a good heart. People in Nevada have told me that Senator Reid actually responds to letters written to him.
What the problem is the Majority Leader rubber stamping of the Democrat agenda, even when that agenda is too far Left.
Every chart I can show you shows that spending and unemployment began on a National level, and the State of Nevada began January 1, 2007 when Senator Reid became the Majority Leader of the Senate, and really escalated when President Obama became President.
Unemployment - http://data.bls.gov/PDQ/servlet/SurveyOutputServlet
National Debt - http://www.federalbudget.com
Federal Deficit - http://blog.heritage.org/2010/02/05/past-deficits-vs-obamas-deficits-in-pictures/
U.S. Government Spending As Percent of GDP - http://www.usgovernmentspending.com/us_20th_century_chart.html
When Senator Reid became the Majority Leader the State of Nevada had an unemployment rate of 4.4%, now 14.4%
I used to go to Nevada, was there 2 years ago and could see that tourism was down.
The Democrats want to raise taxes on everyone that makes over $250K.
That is exactly the profile that goes to Vegas or Reno, stays in nice places, and gambles.
All the taxes collected will go to the infrastructure of larger cities, Nevada will hardly see any of this money at all!
The tourism will drop in Vegas and Reno, and you unemployment will go up by voting for Majority Leader Senator Reid when the Democrats raise your taxes, and you will see no benefits from those taxes.
Your vote is so very important! Please do the right thing for the United States and for the future of the State of Nevada.
THE REPUBLICAN PLAN -- throw another $4 TRILLION in deficit spending at TAX CUTS that have already proven NOT TO CREATE JOBS INCLUDING PRIVATE SECTOR JOBS.
First... that's not the republican plan, since when are you the spokesman for the republican party?
WHat's your plan, spend $4 Trillion more and add to the deficit so we can not even afford the interest payments.
We need manufacturing jobs not government wasteful spending!