Dennis Rehberg in State of Montana Archives
On Government Reform:
It's not about campaign spending; it's government spending
Early on in the debate, both candidates were asked several questions about outside spending and the relentless negative advertising voters have been subjected to this cycle. Rehberg attempted to steer the topic back toward one of his favorite talking
points. "It's not about campaign spending," he said of the Senate race. "It's about government spending." This race has seen close to $20 million in spending by third party groups.Tester, ever the opponent of Citizens United, acknowledged the problem
in his closing statement. "We're back in 1912," he said, harkening back to the days of Montana's Copper Kings. "We've come back to a time when corporations can give unlimited amounts of money, secret money, and influence the political
structure of this country. And that's scary for a democracy."
But Rehberg, who had no response when asked directly how much outside interests had spent in this race, doesn't seem to be too troubled by where that money is coming from.
Source: Missoula News on 2012 Montana Senate debate
Oct 22, 2012
On Tax Reform:
End the inheritance tax completely
[The debate] marked yet another tired back-and-forth on the estate tax, referred to by conservatives as the "death tax." Tester favors extending the Bush-era tax cut exemption for couples inheriting estates worth less than $10 million;
Rehberg wants to deep-six the tax completely. The discussion between the candidates didn't, and never has, addressed the fact that, according to a study conducted by a trio of
IRS researchers, only two to three percent of all deaths in the U.S. were subject to estate taxation even under the Clinton-era exemption of $1 million.
In 1998, only 50,089 of the 103,892 people who filed estate tax returns actually paid any taxes. That's the type of fact we'd like to see dropped in a debate like this.
Source: Missoula News on 2012 Montana Senate debate
Oct 22, 2012
On Budget & Economy:
$787B stimulus package did not create jobs
Tester defended the $787 billion stimulus spending as critical at a time when the country was hemorrhaging jobs and spiraling toward a depression, while Rehberg criticized it as a failure.Tester said the spending was a step in the right direction
as it built infrastructure and created jobs, which would be his No. 1 priority if re-elected. "We're still not where we need to be. But it was a step in the right direction to help us move forward," he said. "We couldn't sit back and do nothing."
Rehberg called his opponent fiscally irresponsible, and drew again and again on Tester's record of aligning with the administration of President Barack Obama. "I didn't vote for it then and I wouldn't vote for it now,"
Rehberg said of the stimulus bill. "It didn't create jobs. You don't spend a trillion dollars and hope to create an asset. It's an expense, not an asset. The stimulus failed. Where are the jobs?"
Source: Billings Gazette on 2012 Montana Senate debates
Oct 15, 2012
On Energy & Oil:
Help avoid closure of Billings coal-fired power plant
Tester touted his Forest Jobs and Recreation Act, which he said aims to increase logging and wilderness. Rehberg attacked Tester for letting down business groups who needed help dealing with burdensome environmental regulations.
As a result, Rehberg blamed Tester for the closure of a coal-fired power plant near Billings. Tester countered that plant owner PPL Montana could pay for the environmental upgrades without compromising its profits.
Source: Billings Gazette on 2012 Montana Senate debates
Oct 15, 2012
On Energy & Oil:
Cap-and-trade policy is an energy tax
Rehberg went after Tester for supporting the federal stimulus bill, cap-and-trade policies that he described as an "energy tax," and particularly the Affordable Care Act that he warned will eventually be implemented with costly "entitlements" of
insurance premium subsidy and Medicaid expansion. Rehberg said, "I don't think government should be picking winners and losers. Government should be creating an environment of liberating Main Street."
Source: Daily Inter Lake on 2012 Montana Senate debates
Oct 14, 2012
On Environment:
EPA is heavy-handed; don't pick winners and losers
Rehberg said, "I don't think government should be picking winners and losers. Government should be creating an environment of liberating Main Street.""As the government grows bigger, we lose
our freedoms and our opportunities," Rehberg said, referring to the heavy-handedness of the Environmental Protection Agency and Dodd-Frank banking regulations that have hindered local lending and economic development.
Source: Daily Inter Lake on 2012 Montana Senate debates
Oct 14, 2012
On Government Reform:
Citizens United ok: political free speech is most important
Tester was critical of the Citizens United Supreme Court case that has allowed corporations to have unfettered involvement in political spending. "We've seen tens of millions of dollars of secret money come into this state to define me as something
I'm not," said Tester, who called for transparency about who contributes to political action committees.
Rehberg appeared to speak favorably of Citizens United, saying political free speech is the most important, but he added that he supports 100 percent transparency with campaign donations.
The problem,
Tester pointed out, is that Citizens United doesn't require transparency in reporting political contributions.
Source: Daily Inter Lake on 2012 Montana Senate debates
Oct 14, 2012
On Government Reform:
Supports cutting Public Broadcasting Service & Americorps
Rehberg was challenged about supporting cuts for the Public Broadcasting Service, Americorps and community health clinics that provide preventive care to women.That served as an opportunity for Libertarian candidate Cox to jump in: "They're only
talking about nibbling at the edges of some the proposed increases in federal spending," Cox said, adding that the country is likely to face $1.7 trillion in additional deficit spending next year. "We're talking about cutting PBS. Let's get real."
Source: Daily Inter Lake on 2012 Montana Senate debates
Oct 14, 2012
On Gun Control:
No Supreme Court Justices who are hostile to 2nd Amendment
On two occasions, Rehberg pointed out that Tester supported the confirmation of Supreme Court Justices Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan--justices he believes are hostile to the
Second Amendment. Rehberg said he would not have supported their confirmation. Tester did not respond on that particular issue.
Source: Daily Inter Lake on 2012 Montana Senate debates
Oct 14, 2012
On Tax Reform:
We need tax certainty ; make Bush tax cuts permanent
When asked about the so-called Bush tax cuts expiring on Jan. 1, a date that has been called "Taxmaggedon," Rehberg responded that he would vote to repeal the Affordable Care Act and make the tax cuts of 2001 and 2003 permanent.
He cited a need for tax certainty in the country.Tester didn't address the tax increases directly, but did say that that "House and Senate need to come together with a major proposal that reduces our debt."
Source: Daily Inter Lake on 2012 Montana Senate debates
Oct 14, 2012
On Tax Reform:
Eliminate the death tax entirely
Asked about an inheritance tax being reinstated on Jan. 1, Tester said he favors having an exemption for the first $5 million in inheritance.
Rehberg said he favors eliminating the "death tax" entirely.
Source: Daily Inter Lake on 2012 Montana Senate debates
Oct 14, 2012
On Budget & Economy:
Refused to toe the party line on CAFTA
Rehberg was one of only four House Republicans to vote against the GOP budget introduced by Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) and, in 2008, he voted against the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP).The six-term lawmaker recently ran an ad saying he "refused to
toe the party line" on such Republican priorities as "Bush's Wall Street bailout," the Central American Free Trade Agreement and "a Republican budget plan that could harm the Medicare program so many of Montana's seniors rely on."
Source: The Hill coverage of 2012 Montana Senate debate
Jun 25, 2012
On Government Reform:
There should be nothing more free than political free speech
Jon Tester stated that the widely criticized Citizens United ruling puts democracy at risk by giving corporations more power than people. The Supreme Court ruling undid past restrictions on political spending by corporations and special interest groups.
The decision has been derided by many Montana politicians. Montana, 21 other states and the District of Columbia have asked the high court to rule that Citizens United doesn't apply to Montana's or other state laws regulating corporate campaign
spending.
Rehberg said he supported the 2010 ruling, although he added that there should be full transparency on where campaign money is coming from. "There should be nothing more free than political free speech," he said.
Tester responded that "corporations are not people. Because of Citizens United, corporations have more rights when it comes to donations than people do," he said.
Source: The Republic on 2012 Montana Senate debates
Jun 17, 2012
On Technology:
Montana solutions: rural transportation infrastructure
Rehberg persistently hammered Tester as a front-man for the Obama administration. Tester touted legislation he sponsored or supported to help seniors, veterans and the uninsured.
Tester dismissed claims that he's sided with Obama and the Democrats on the vast majority of issues.
He cited the auto industry bailout, proposals to regulate farm dust and youth labor and the removal of wolves from the endangered list as instances when he's gone against members of his party.
Rehberg spoke of the need for "Montana solutions" and declared his support for government assistance to ensure rural areas of the state are provided adequate highways and air and train service.
Source: The Republic on 2012 Montana Senate debates
Jun 17, 2012
On Government Reform:
Citizens United: nothing more free than political speech
Rehberg defended the Supreme Court campaign finance ruling "Citizens United" as vital to free speech. Incumbent Democrat Jon Tester responded that the widely criticized ruling puts democracy at risk by giving corporations more power than people. The
Supreme Court ruling undid past restrictions on political spending by corporations and special interest groups.The decision has been derided by many Montana politicians. Montana, 21 other states and the District of Columbia have asked the high court t
Citizens United doesn't apply to Montana's or other state laws regulating corporate campaign spending. Rehberg said he supported the 2010 ruling, although he added that there should be full transparency on where campaign money is coming from. "There
should be nothing more free than political free speech," he said.
Tester responded that "corporations are not people. Because of Citizens United, corporations have more rights when it comes to donations than people do," he said.
Source: New England Cable News on 2012 Montana Senate debate
Jun 16, 2012
On Drugs:
Fund advertisements intended to reduce methamphetamine use
As part of the debate on the reauthorization of the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP), Congresswoman Capito joined four of her colleagues in offering an amendment to improve awareness of the methamphetamine epidemic. Capito joined Rep.
Rehberg (MT), Rep. Boozman (AR), Rep. King (IA), & Rep. Graves (MO) in offering the amendment.The amendment ensures that no less than ten percent of the national media campaign funds will be expended on advertisements specifically intended to reduce
methamphetamine use. The Director of ONDCP will also have the authority to award grants to private entities producing research-based public service messages, with the goal of reducing first-time meth use among young people.
Said Capito, "We need to do
a better job of reaching out to young people and educating them about the dangers of meth before it's too late." The amendment was adopted this afternoon by the House of Representatives with the overall passage of the ONDCP reauthorization act.
Source: Vote-USA.org on 2010 Montana At-Large House incumbent
Oct 4, 2008
Page last updated: Oct 13, 2021