Charlie Summers in 2012 Maine Senate Debates

On Abortion: Must consider incest or rape

Pro-choice. Quote: "I believe there are times such as the life of the mother or incest or rape when abortion is something that may have to be considered." Source: Public Broadcasting "Your Vote 2012" Maine Senate debate Sep 1, 2012

On Civil Rights: Marriage is between a man and a woman

Opposes same-sex marriage. Quote: "I believe that marriage is between a man and a woman." Source: Public Broadcasting "Your Vote 2012" Maine Senate debate Sep 1, 2012

On Energy & Oil: Off-shore exploration for oil, plus nuclear and coal

Supports domestic and off-shore exploration and development of oil, nuclear and coal. Favors greater efficiency standards, as well as alternative energy sources, but doesn't believe that's enough to meet future needs. Quote: "Even if we were to go to complete green energy tomorrow, that wouldn't do anything to bring the cost of energy down and help someone get back and forth to work." Source: Public Broadcasting "Your Vote 2012" Maine Senate debate Sep 1, 2012

On Social Security: Remove disability coverage from Social Security

Believes that Social Security has morphed over decades from a program designed to provide a supplement for retirees, into a program that covers a host of disabilities. Quote: "While I think that the issue of disability is an important one, it shouldn't funded through Social Security, it should be funded through Human Services." Source: Public Broadcasting "Your Vote 2012" Maine Senate debate Sep 1, 2012

On War & Peace: Iraq & Afghanistan have taken a turn for the positive

Quote: "We're never going to have a democracy in Iraq and Afghanistan like we think of here in the United States, but we can afford them the ability to feed their family, to have an income and to live in relative security." Believes the U.S. effort in both Iraq and Afghanistan have "taken a turn for the positive," in terms of reconstruction. Source: Public Broadcasting "Your Vote 2012" Maine Senate debate Sep 1, 2012

On Free Trade: I support free trade, but protect shoe factories

Charlie Summers and Angus King both sought to stake out the high ground as the pro-jobs candidate.

King visited shoe factories in Madison and Skowhegan and called for continued trade protection for New Balance Athletic Shoe. "There are more than 900 jobs at stake in Maine, and it would be a terrible blow to the region and the state if these jobs are lost," said the former governor, who is running as an independent.

Cynthia Dill, the Democratic nominee, joined in afterward by issuing her own statement supporting fair trade protections for Maine workers. "There's no reason at this time to consider dropping tariffs against foreign products that compete unfairly against those produced in Maine," she said.

Summers also said New Balance and its jobs need to be protected, & that trade agreements that affect other industries need to be revisited as well. "I'm very much a supporter of free trade," Summers said. "But with companies like New Balance, you have to make sure they are able to compete."

Source: Portland Press Herald on 2012 Maine Senate debate Aug 15, 2012

On Government Reform: OpEd: Pushes for voter registration, with his name on ballot

Maine Secretary of State Charlie Summers faced criticism from Democrats questioning his ability to hold one elected office while seeking another.

Only two weeks ago, Secretary of State Charlie Summers put out an official press release reminding Maine voters of the need to vote in the June primary along with information about filing an absentee ballot. Summers says he was only following a fairly perfunctory notice that has been issued by his predecessors--both GOP and Democratic. This year's Republican ballot will be a little different than those past notices, though, because Summers will be listed on it as a Republican candidate for the US Senate nomination. Democrats criticized Summers for what they said was skating dangerously close to a conflict of interest even as the secretary officially launched his Senate campaign.

But Summers was unfazed. "I can certainly come up with a scenario where if that press release didn't go out, I would be criticized for not putting it out," Summers said

Source: Maine Public Broadcasting on 2012 Maine Senate debates Mar 27, 2012

The above quotations are from 2012 Maine Senate Debate. Click here for other excerpts from 2012 Maine Senate Debate. Click here for other excerpts by Charlie Summers. Click here for a profile of Charlie Summers.
*Charlie Summers on other issues:*
Abortion Budget/Economy Civil Rights Corporations Crime Drugs Education Energy/Oil Environment Families Foreign Policy Free Trade	Govt. Reform Gun Control Health Care Homeland Security Immigration Jobs Principles Social Security Tax Reform Technology War/Peace Welfare
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Page last updated: Dec 04, 2018