Deb Fischer in 2012 Nebraska Senate Debates
On Abortion:
I believe in the sanctity of life
KERREY: I trust women to make that decision. It's a difficult decision. There are a lot better ways to reduce the number of abortions than to regulate women. I think the government should stay out of it.
FISCHER: I am pro-life and I believe in the sanctity of life. I do believe there should be an exception for the life of the mother.
Source: 2012 Nebraska Senate debate excerpts
Sep 28, 2012
On Abortion:
Exception for life of mother but not incest nor rape
On abortion, Kerrey said, "I trust women to make that decision.""I am pro-life," Fischer declared. She said the only exception she approves of is the life of the mother. She did not include exceptions for incest or rape.
Fischer distanced herself from Missouri Senate candidate Todd Akin's controversial comments about women's bodies being able to reject pregnancy as a result of rape.
Source: Grand Island Independent on 2012 Nebraska Senate debate
Sep 28, 2012
On Budget & Economy:
Balanced budget amendment forces tough decisions on cuts
KERREY: Senator Fischer's plan would take spending [down] to 18% of GDP. That would at least double and maybe even triple unemployment as a consequence of the cuts that would be required by that amendment. We don't need a constitutional amendment.
We balanced the budget in the 1990s by making difficult decisions, many of which Senator Fischer now objects to. But it got the job done. We balanced the budget; we were paying off debt. But to impose a constitutional amendment would be devastating to
the state of Nebraska. FISCHER: I support a balanced budget amendment. Here in Nebraska we balance the budget every year. It's required by the [Nebraska] constitution. We need to do that at the federal level as well.
Any time that you don't have controls on Congress, on spending, on politicians, they will spend every dime that they can get their hands on. We need to make the tough decisions, we need to control spending, that's how we can move this country forward.
Source: 2012 Nebraska Senate debate excerpts
Sep 28, 2012
On Budget & Economy:
Congress spends every dime they can get their hands on
Kerrey all but ridiculed Fischer's backing of a balanced-budget amendment to address the nation's debt, saying such an approach was overly simplistic. "I've looked at your plan," Kerrey said. "Your balanced budget amendment would double unemployment in
this state. It's a fact. This is not me exaggerating here."Fischer shot back that without controls on congressional spending, politicians "will spend every dime they can get their hands on," adding that
Nebraska has a constitutional requirement to balance its budget every year.
"First of all, you balanced the budget in 2009 and 2010 with Nebraska's share of federal stimulus money," Kerrey retorted. "That was the second highest use of stimulus money
to balance the budget of any state in the nation. The federal government would not have that flexibility under the Fischer plan, under her constitutional amendment."
Source: Beatrice Daily Sun on 2012 Nebraska Senate debate
Sep 28, 2012
On Foreign Policy:
Leadership & strong messages make the world safer
FISCHER: We need to have a strong administration who's going to make it clear [to Iran] that a line needs to be drawn. We have an administration that has sent mixed signals.
KERREY: It's not as simple as saying we're just going to go in there. I believe we've got to draw a line, but I think we've got to be very conscious of what it means when we do.
FISCHER: I would just reiterate that we need to have leadership here in this country when it comes to foreign policy. We haven't seen that in the last four years. And we're witnessing now the turmoil which
I believe is due in part to that. This world is not a safe place. It's become less safe. And if we don't have strong messages sent from Washington, it makes it even less safe.
Source: 2012 Nebraska Senate debate excerpts
Sep 28, 2012
On Health Care:
I won't steal $700 billion from Medicare
KERREY: The question is not: Are we going to keep our commitments? But the question is: Are we going to do the right thing for our future?FISCHER: Well, I wasn't in government when those commitments were made.
But I can tell you, as a state senator for eight years, I took my job very seriously. And when I made a commitment that meant I was going to keep it.
That meant that I was hoping the people that came after me and served in the Legislature would keep that commitment also. I can tell you what I won't do, though. I will not cut benefits,
I will not raise taxes, and I won't steal $700 billion from Medicare.
KERREY: We've got a commitment we can't fund.
Source: 2012 Nebraska Senate debate excerpts
Sep 28, 2012
On Social Security:
Don't change benefits for people over the age of 40
FISCHER: I believe that we cannot change the benefits for people over the age of 40. We need to be honest with our younger citizens in this country. They all know, you all know, that the programs you have aren't sustainable.
But if the government is honest with you, saying that things need to change--that maybe those under 40 need to look at means testing, maybe we need to look at changing the age of eligibility--then our younger citizens can make plans.
But we need to have a government that's honest.KERREY: What she's saying, basically, is that if you're over 40, you're not going to have to participate in the solution.
The question is not: Are we going to keep our commitments? But the question is: Are we going to do the right thing for our future?
Source: 2012 Nebraska Senate debate excerpts
Sep 28, 2012
On Social Security:
Raise retirement age & limit benefits
Fischer and Kerrey agreed that the government must transform its entitlement programs, including scaling back Social Security, but Kerrey charged that Fischer's plan for cutting federal spending was impractical and would cause serious damage to the
economy. The two also disagreed on how to reform federal programs like Social Security and Medicare. Kerrey's plan would expand the payroll tax to higher income levels and would gradually increase the age of eligibility for benefits to 69 in 2075.
Fischer's plan would increase the retirement age for people who are now younger than 40 and would limit benefits for the wealthy.
Both candidates strived to take cautious, balanced positions when asked whether America has become an entitlement nation.
Fischer distanced herself from Mitt Romney's statement in which he said 47% of Americans don't pay income taxes and many feel entitled to government support; Fischer said, "People sometimes need help and government should be there for them."
Source: Beatrice Daily Sun on 2012 Nebraska Senate debate
Sep 28, 2012
On War & Peace:
Draw a line on Iranian nukes; no mixed signals
KERREY: We can't allow Iran to acquire nuclear weapons. But what happens afterwards? We have to be very, very careful.FISCHER: Iran cannot be allowed to acquire nuclear weapons. But we have an administration that has sent mixed signals.
We have a strong, strong ally in Israel, the only democracy in the region. This is not just their problem. We're looking at the country of Iran, where it's estimated that in three years they will have ICBMs that can reach the United States.
This is a concern for the world. It's a concern for our country. We have an administration that hasn't been clear on foreign policy, and there's been a lack of leadership. We need to have a strong administration who's going to make it clear that a
line needs to be drawn. If the United States of America is going to be a leader in foreign policy and keep stability in this world, as has been our mission in the past, then we need to make it clear. We have an administration that has sent mixed signals.
Source: 2012 Nebraska Senate debate excerpts
Sep 28, 2012
On Health Care:
Replace ObamaCare with free market reforms & competition
Fischer said, "Today's Supreme Court ruling on the constitutionality of ObamaCare means the responsibility of repealing ObamaCare has been placed solely on the shoulders of Congress. ObamaCare is an attempted government takeover of our healthcare
system that is burdening American families and small businesses with crushing taxes and regulations. I support the full repeal of ObamaCare. More government and bureaucracy is not the solution, it is the problem. We can reduce health care costs in
America by promoting more competition between insurance companies, enacting medical malpractice reform, updating information technology, and embracing preventive care.
In the Senate, I will work across party lines to implement free market reforms that will lower health care costs and improve accessibility for the uninsured.
Source: KCAU-TV9 Eyewitness News on 2012 Nebraska Senate debate
Jun 28, 2012
On Social Security:
Look at means testing & higher retirement age
Kerrey said he supports the federal health care reform enacted in 2010 and knows it is unpopular with many Nebraskans. He said those people should vote for Fischer.Fischer spoke about possible changes to
Social Security, while noting many lawmakers won't take a stand on the topic. "We need to look at means testing. We need to look at (raising) the eligibility age," she said.
Source: Sioux City Journal on 2012 Nebraska Senate debate
May 17, 2012
On Principles & Values:
Ran underdog primary campaign on shoestring budget
All eyes are on Deb Fischer, a Republican state senator and Sarah Palin's pick for the seat, whose underdog campaign appears to have surged past her rivals' in the final days before the primary. For months, state Attorney General Jon
Bruning had a clear double-digit lead over Fischer and state Treasurer Don Stenberg. Few Republicans saw a realistic opportunity for Stenberg to overtake Bruning, and even fewer thought Fischer could pull off an upset victory.
But a series of last-minute surveys shows Fischer surging despite her shoestring campaign and millions of dollars in ads that Bruning, Stenberg and their allies have aired. "Nebraska's got a pretty good record of supporting underdogs. [Sen.] Mike
Johanns [R-Neb.] was an underdog," Fischer told The Hill.
The winner of Tuesday's primary will face former Sen. Bob Kerrey (Neb.), who is running unopposed in the Democratic primary.
Source: The Hill coverage of 2012 Nebraska Senate primary debate
May 15, 2012
On Principles & Values:
Do Nebraskans want more career politician in Washington?
Bruning has been accused of greenlighting grants to a farm group that donated to his campaign days later and of releasing a student-loan company from a $1 million settlement despite co-owning a home with officials from the company."It's going to
come down to: Do Nebraskans want to send the same type of career politician back to Washington?" said Fischer. "Jon seems to be particularly establishment. I'm running a grassroots campaign."
Source: The Hill coverage of 2012 Nebraska Senate primary debate
May 15, 2012
On Abortion:
Look at the record: Opposes abortion
Following a question from a debate panelist asking each candidate to describe what weaknesses of the other two candidates that could be exploited by the Kerrey campaign during the general election campaign,
Fischer declined to name any weaknesses she sees in her opponents and instead touted her own record as a state lawmaker who has supported tax relief and opposed abortion.
Source: AP in The Republic on 2012 Nebraska Senate debates
May 1, 2012
On Health Care:
Repeal ObamaCare health overhaul
Nebraska Attorney General Jon Bruning, state Treasurer Don Stenberg and state Sen. Deb Fischer answered questions Tuesday night during a debate sponsored by
The Omaha World-Herald, with all calling for reducing federal spending and the national deficit and repealing President Barack Obama's health care overhaul law.
Source: AP in The Republic on 2012 Nebraska Senate debates
May 1, 2012
On Government Reform:
Against earmarks and would oppose them
Flynn said he didn't like government earmarks, saying, "It's not my duty if elected to bring home the bacon." Each of the other three candidates also said they were against earmarks and would oppose them.
In response to Bruning's statement that he does not support earmarks, Stenberg said, "I'm surprised to hear that because he asked Senator Ben Nelson to get him one a few years ago."
Source: West Point News on 2012 Nebraska Senate debates
Apr 19, 2012
On Gun Control:
Support stand-your-ground self-defense laws
The candidates all declared their support for such conservative platforms as federal spending reductions and repeal of the national health care reform law. They also all stated support for stand-your-ground self-defense laws,
which give people latitude to use deadly force rather than retreat from danger. That type of law has been much discussed following the February fatal shooting of an unarmed teenager by a neighborhood watch volunteer in Florida.
Source: Lincoln Journal Star on 2012 Nebraska Senate debates
Apr 12, 2012
On Government Reform:
No campaign contributions from industry tied to your office
Fischer challenged Bruning for accepting campaign contributions from industries that benefit from his actions as attorney general.At one point, Stenberg asked Bruning if he would support the
Republican nominee in a general election battle with former Democratic Sen. Bob Kerrey if Bruning is not that nominee. "Of course," the attorney general replied.
Source: Lincoln Journal Star on 2012 Nebraska Senate debates
Apr 11, 2012
On Jobs:
More crop insurance in the new farm bill
Fischer said crop insurance should be the major program in the new farm bill that will be fashioned by Congress.Bruning said his record as attorney general shows he has fought consistently
against "the grab for power" by the federal government.
Stenberg said he would go to Washington for the purpose of "changing government, not fitting right in."
Source: Lincoln Journal Star on 2012 Nebraska Senate debates
Apr 11, 2012
On War & Peace:
Prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapons capability
The four candidates participating in the debate expressed strong support for Israel and urged the United States to stand alongside its traditional ally in trying to prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapons capability.
There was far more agreement than disagreement, and no sudden confrontations, during the debate before about 150 in the Johnny Carson Theatre at Norfolk High School.
Source: Lincoln Journal Star on 2012 Nebraska Senate debates
Apr 11, 2012
Page last updated: Dec 04, 2018