2014 NE Senate debate: on Budget & Economy

Shane Osborn: Free enterprise is the key to national prosperity

Osborn: Strongly Agree

Shane Osborn: Nation can grow out of fiscal woes by expanding the economy

The candidates were asked how they would work with Democrats to reduce the deficit. Sasse said both Democrats and Republicans in Washington have to understand that much of the nation's debt is the result of the growth in entitlements. However, Sasse did not say what entitlements he would cut or how he would go about changing Social Security and Medicare. "We're guilty of generational theft," said Sasse, president of Midland University in Fremont.

Osborn also indicated that he would support entitlement changes, but he did not give any specifics. "We have to grow the economy. It's the only true way out of it," said Osborn, a former Navy pilot and former state treasurer.

Shane Osborn: Combat spending instead of kicking the can down the road

"With a national debt of more than $16 trillion and current spending levels that are utterly unsustainable, the time to address the federal budget crisis is now," Osborn said in a news release. "Once again, Washington is kicking the can down the road rather than getting serious about combating spending," he said.