Steve Pearce in 2008 New Mexico Senate Debate between Tom Udall & Steve Pearce
On Energy & Oil:
Set aside 6.4M acres in New Mexico for solar panels
Udall talked of traveling with [returing incumbent Republican Sen. Pete] Domenici to talk about energy policy and military bases in New Mexico. “I know the people are mad. I know they’re angry... and I intend to do something about it,” Udall said.But
Pearce later brought up an example that he said showed Udall declining to work in a bipartisan manner. He said he sent a letter to Udall, who supports solar energy, asking him to sign on to a bill that would set aside 6.4 million acres of public land in
New Mexico for solar panels. Pearce said Udall refused to support it. “You couldn’t find it in your heart to sign on to that,” Pearce said.
Udall said he was not aware of the bill and criticized its timing. “Many bills he’s introduced are only in the
Senate campaign, they don’t have anything to do with what he legislated in the previous five years. To me that really isn’t a bill to drop it in the middle of a Senate campaign. Show that your heart and soul is in it,” he told his rival.
Source: 2008 N.M. Senate Debate reported in Silver City Sun-News
Oct 19, 2008
On Health Care:
Safety is an issue for reimporting drugs
On issues important to senior citizens, the two sparred over prescription drug policies, Udall said the
U.S. should allow the reimportation of drugs from other countries and the government should be allowed to negotiate with the drug companies to lower prescription drug costs.
Pearce said safety is an issue for reimporting drugs. “When we start bringing in medicines from out there that are not approved by the (Federal Drug Administration), we’re going to get things that are made in a bathtub in Nigeria,”
Pearce said. “Tom, that was probably the riskiest vote that you took.” Pearce said the prescription drug bill that passed Congress has meant savings for senior citizens.
Source: 2008 N.M. Senate Debate reported in Silver City Sun-News
Oct 19, 2008
On Social Security:
We must improve the rates of return on Trust Fund
The two sparred over Social Security. “I think that privatization of Social Security is a very bad idea,” Udall said. “I don’t agree with Steve Pearce’s approach that privatization is the way to go. I think privatization is really a step to undermine
Social Security.”Pearce said the big problem with Social Security is that Congress has robbed funds from the program and needs to refund them so the program can remain solvent.
But when Udall charged Pearce had continuously voted for privatization,
Pearce challenged him. “Tell me one piece of legislation,” Pearce said, later adding, “You’re making stuff up. Tell me one vote, one bill.” Udall said Pearce was a supporter of Pres. Bush’s plan to privatize social security, which ultimately failed.
Pearce said Social Security has a rate of return of about 1% and supports giving retirees the option of having targeted funds like members of Congress have. “We must improve the rates of return, otherwise Social Security will never work,” he said.
Source: 2008 N.M. Senate Debate reported in Silver City Sun-News
Oct 19, 2008
On Corporations:
Less regulation on businesses
Udall spoke out against tax subsidies that favor large corporations and said more attention needs to be paid to small businesses. He also spoke out against the growing national deficit.
Pearce echoed the call for lower taxes on small business and said there should be less regulation as well.
Source: 2008 N.M. Senate debate report in N.M.Business Weekly
Aug 22, 2008
On Energy & Oil:
More domestic oil production & more nuclear power
Pearce supports more domestic oil production and developing more nuclear power facilities. However, he also said renewable energy should be part of a long-term energy plan.
Pearce said he advocates drilling off the Florida coast and in Alaska, specifically, and said that officials at Sandia National Laboratories have told him the country is at least 30 years away from relying on solar and wind power.
Udall said he helped pass legislation in the House for a renewable electricity standard on public utilities of 20 percent by 2020, but it failed in the Senate by one vote. “One vote can make a difference,” he said.
Source: [Xref Udall] 2008 N.M. Senate debate
Aug 22, 2008
On Government Reform:
Pay contractors on time; reforms to contract smaller firms
When asked by an audience member how the federal government could make it easier for small companies to do business with it, Pearce said there should be mechanisms in place to make sure the government pays its contractors on time, which he said is a
big issue. That brought some applause from audience members. He also said bundling contracts hurts the ability of small firms to get government contracts.
Source: 2008 N.M. Senate debate report in N.M.Business Weekly
Aug 22, 2008
On Health Care:
Allow small businesses to group together for health plans
Udall said he supports the idea of tax credits for businesses that offer wellness and preventative health programs. Udall said the goal should be universal access for everyone and he supports the idea of making the plan that members of
Congress benefit from available to small businesses. He also supports expanding the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) to cover all children.
Pearce said he supports legislation to allow small businesses to group together and use that increased leverage to negotiate lower prices for health care plans.
He also said curtailing health-related lawsuits, which he calls tort reform, would lower health care costs.
Source: [Xref Udall] 2008 N.M. Senate debate
Aug 22, 2008
On Immigration:
Supports path to legalization for illegal immigrants
Both candidates said that a border fence would do little to address the issue of illegal immigration but said that it’s necessary to secure the border with technology and more personnel.
Pearce flatly rejected the idea of legalization for anyone here illegally, while Udall said there should be a path to legalization.
Source: 2008 N.M. Senate debate report in N.M.Business Weekly
Aug 22, 2008
On War & Peace:
If Iraq falls, so will other moderate regimes in the region
Asked about the war in Iraq, Pearce invoked images that recalled the falling domino theory during the Vietnam war, in which he served, and said other Middle East leaders have told him that if Iraq falls, it could mean the downfall of other moderate
regimes in the region and Israel and that will push oil prices to astronomical levels.Udall said it’s time to start working on a troop pullout and it’s also necessary to ensure that medical and other benefits are in place for returning soldiers.
Source: 2008 N.M. Senate debate report in N.M.Business Weekly
Aug 22, 2008
Page last updated: Dec 01, 2018