Enzi said that in the last attempt at comprehensive reform, six years ago, President Barack Obama led the charge to defeat that reform in his role as an Illinois senator. He said that ultimately the act fell on a dispute over a guest worker program.
Charlie Hardy, Enzi's Democratic opponent, said the penny plan represents laziness. Some programs should be cut more than 1%, and others need more funding, he said. Hardy believes that programs benefiting veterans, senior citizens and children should receive more attention.
A campaign spokeswoman for Enzi said the national debt is $17.5 trillion, or $55,000 for each US citizen. The penny plan is one in a series of steps to put the country on a fiscally responsible path, she said. "If Congress fails to make those tough decisions, then automatic cuts would be imposed to meet the 1% overall reduction."
CHENEY: "When I was 12 years old, my dad ran for Congress and we campaigned together as a family all across Wyoming. I'm running for the United States Senate because it's time for a new generation of leaders to step up to the plate."
Q: You say in that ad it's time for a new generation. But let's look at Mike Enzi's record. He has a 93% lifetime rating from the American Conservative Union, 100% from the National Right to Life Committee, and an A-plus from the NRA. Is there something wrong with that record? Or are you just saying that at age 69, he is too old?
CHENEY: It's not about age. He's been here for 18 years; when you're in a position like that, it's not enough just to say, "You know what, I'm going to go along and get along. I'm going to continue business as usual here in Washington." You've got to demonstrate results.
Though Liz Cheney has previously said her father wouldn't be campaigning for her, the former V.P. took the opportunity to accuse Enzi; however, we ran into trouble with Cheney's term "Washington-based PAC." In the Senate campaign cycle beginning in 2009, Enzi raised $1.64 million, with $1.19 million, or 73%, coming from PACs. Liz Cheney's campaign said they got to 84% by including a $74,463 transfer to the campaign from a joint fundraising committee, as well as $826,000 given to Enzi's leadership PAC from other political groups.
Using either figure, Enzi's percentage of PAC money is higher than any other senator--by quite a bit actually. The next closest received 66% of his donations from PACs.
So we rate Dick Cheney said as Mostly True.
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The above quotations are from 2014 Wyoming Senate debates.
Click here for other excerpts from 2014 Wyoming Senate debates. Click here for other excerpts by Michael Enzi. Click here for a profile of Michael Enzi.
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