2012 Michigan Senate Debates: on Budget & Economy

Peter Hoekstra: TARP & debt ceiling increase were needed to fund two wars

Hoekstra said he was the guy that along with others that shutdown government and led the effort to stop No Child Left Behind, when only 20 Republicans voted no. He said his opponents were distorting his record. On cutting government, Candidate Glenn said he would like to see the IRS, Environmental Protection Agency and Department of Education eliminated for cost savings. Pete Konetchy also said he would require government to follow the constitution. "We cannot spend any money out of the federal treasury without a specific power. So anything being spent right now on things such as health, community services or education, energy, whatever at the federal level--it's unconstitutional," Konetchy said.

Peter Hoekstra: Cut agencies which are not in the constitution

Scotty Boman: The government is the problem: cut out welfare and warfare

"The government is absolutely the problem. It's not that we don't have enough tax money, it's that we have too much spending. Cut out welfare and warfare and we could really save some money," he said.