DENVER—Democratic Sen. Michael Bennet and Republican challenger Ken Buck took it easy on each other in their first Denver-area debate Monday, laying out familiar differences over tax cuts and immigration.
Bennet said the expiring Bush-era tax cuts should be extended for one year, regardless of income. He repeated his earlier position that Americans would be foolish to extend the tax cuts if they require borrowing.
Buck said the tax cuts should be made permanent regardless of income. Talking about the income tax rate, he said, “If we raise it, it feels like a tax increase.”
The two agreed on the need to rein in federal spending, though they disagreed on how to get there. Buck repeated his argument that Social Security should be partly privatized for younger workers, with the retirement age raised for middle-age workers.
Buck swiped at Bennet for criticizing Buck’s Social Security plan without laying out specific cuts of his own. “I’m trying to make Social Security available for younger people, putting something on the table,” Buck said.
On immigration, Buck and Bennet again disagreed on sending illegal immigrants home. Buck said it would be reasonable to send illegal immigrants to their countries of origin if a speedy guest worker program could be set up to get those people back into jobs where they’re needed. Bennet disagreed, not on the need for expanding guest worker programs, but on Buck’s suggestion to send illegal immigrants home to wait for permission to return.
“I don’t believe that sending 12 million people back over the border, and going through that expense, is particular common sense,” Bennet said.
Both laid out grim views of the war in Afghanistan. They disagreed on the need for a deadline to withdraw troops—Bennet backs one, Buck opposes it—but both candidates talked about getting out of the country.
“I don’t think we can bring peace to that region, so I would bring our young men and women home,” Bennet said.
Buck drew gasps when he said, “It’s a fundamental mistake to assume that people as backward as the Afghans are going to be able to build an industrialized nation,” and said he opposed a deadline for withdrawal.
Bennet said he opposes a divisive proposal to let unions organize by having a majority of workers sign cards instead of voting by secret ballot. That bill—the Employee Free Choice Act—has stalled in Congress, and Bennet has been criticized by both unions and business groups for not saying how he’d vote on it. Bennet said he believes in the rights of workers to organize, but not this particular measure. Buck also opposes it.
Buck and Bennet debate twice more this week.
