Photo courtesy of Legal Insurrection.
A crowd of over two hundred people packed into Clemens Center in Elmira, New York on the evening of Oct. 23 to get the chance to watch live the only debate between House Rep. Tom Reed (R) and his challenger, Democrat Martha Robertson ’75.
The auditorium itself only had capacity for roughly 160 spectators, and since Reed supporters had arrived earlier most seats went to them.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tXQEl6XSfWU
The debate questions were more or less what were expected. Topics included immigration policy, Obamacare, gun control, minimum wage, climate change, Medicare and Social Security, ISIS, and jobs. Interestingly, but not so unexpectedly (and quite coincidentally too), there was a question about Ebola and travel bans.
Here’s a rundown:
- Immigration Policy
- Reed: Doesn’t support amnesty and believes Senate bill gives amnesty; willing to compromise to give citizenship to illegal aliens’ children but not adults who come to the U.S. illegally
- Robertson: Supports Senate bill, criticized Reed and Republican House for blocking the bill, said bill was good enough for the Senate but “not good enough [for Reed or the Republicans] to vote”
- Impact of the Affordable Care Act (i.e. Obamacare)
- Robertson: Criticized Reed for being a medical debt collector and cited medical bills as number one cause of personal bankruptcy; ACA not perfect but can be reformed; told an anecdote about a friend named Phil who, without Obamacare, would have gone bankrupt; criticized Reed for voting 50 times to repeal Obamacare, 50 times to “bankrupt Phil”
- Reed: Said voting 50 times to repeal Obamacare “right thing to do”; need tort reform, promotion of hospices, “empower individuals and doctors, not insurance companies and government”; criticized Robertson for supporting single-payer (Robertson in rebuttal denied saying despite video of her doing so)
- Gun violence legislation, universal background checks
- Reed: Member of NRA for life with A+ rating, said Robertson has an F rating; real conversation should be about mental health; must defend 2nd Amendment rights; those who commit crimes with guns should lose right
- Robertson: Claimed against New York’s SAFE Act and wants to repeal though Reed later challenged this point which prompted Robertson to say “you’re lying”; for universal background checks and criticized Reed for voting to cut mental health services
- Federal minimum wage
- Robertson: Need an “economy that includes everyone”; wants higher federal minimum wage, referenced Wal-Mart indirectly receiving government welfare because its employees receive entitlements; said 2/3 of women earn minimum wage so this issue is also a women’s issue
- Reed: Should think about minimum wage as “starting wage” and instead focus on creating more opportunities for advancement; claimed Robertson supports living wage of $22/hour–“that’s extreme”; Robertson denied this in rebuttal, saying “facts matter”; wants local control over minimum wages not federal decree, what works in one area of country might not in another
- Climate Change
- Reed: Everyone can agree on preventing pollution; all regulations should have cost-benefit analysis
- Robertson: Says it’s a question of jobs, fighting climate change “biggest jobs generator”; criticized Reed for being “funded by the oil and gas industry” and for thinking “95% of scientists are wrong”; called Reed a “climate denier
- Senior Issues (i.e. Social Security and Medicare)
- Robertson: Opposes “disastrous” votes, raise Social Security cap to ensure people have “retirement with dignity
- Reed: By 2033 Social Security will be bankrupt; need reform but not affect those currently receiving benefits or those about to; reform for those “generation outside of receiving benefits”
- Common Core
- Reed: Against Common Core, calling it a “big government, one-size-fits-all” program; should empower parents, local governments,and teachers instead
- Robertson: Every child should have quality education, need basic educational standards; supports Common Core just not implementation; criticized “high-stakes testing”; mentioned she was a kindergarten teacher
- Ebola and travel bans
- Robertson: Need to keep U.S. safe; criticized Reed for “mindless cuts” to CDC and NIH; read from a note card a quote from the director of the NIH about cuts affecting ability to fight Ebola
- Reed: Supports travel ban or at least strong detention-type policy; claimed recent funding to CDC and NIH in areas related to fighting diseases like Ebola increased; said “Robertson wants to throw more money at problems”; need to hold government accountable (in rebuttal Robertson said Reed making cuts where U.S. needs most, must pay his “fair share”)
- Create more jobs
- Reed: 4 points- reduce national debt, reform tax code, reduce regulations, and have “all above energy plan”; claimed Robertson voted to raise taxes while on the Tompkins County Legislature
- Robertson: Criticized fracking (Reed mentioned it) and Reed for being funded by oil and gas industry; said Reed supports fracking except in “his own backyard”; mentioned Reed owns a vacation home in the Finger Lakes region; said only raised taxes 43 cents in 12 years
- ISIS
- Robertson: Said being a kindergarten teacher taught her how to make people get along; need to build coalitions, no boots on the ground
- Reed: Need “peace through strength”; need secure borders and protect homeland; denied supporting boots on the ground
- Questions for each other
- Reed to Robertson: Why she never responded to letters from him to help save Lansing power plant and 500 jobs it supported; Robertson claimed letters looked like “form letters”
- Robertson to Reed: Why Reed part of “war on women” (this elicited laughter from the audience); Reed: denounced “political rhetoric”
Robertson’s former career as a kindergarten teacher has prepared her well for facilitating the engagement of meaningful dialogue between; for example, Israel & Hamas, ISIS & the free world — NOT !
Reblogged this on New NY 23rd and commented:
This is a good “Facts Only” summary of the Reed vs Robertson debate in Elmira on Thursday, October 23.
Thank you, pystew.
If any organization needs a Kindergarten teacher it is the Republicans in the US Congress. The GOP has been behaving like preschoolers for years. Every time they do not get exactly what they want they either shut down the government, make up wild stories, vote no on everything and/or refuse to compromise. Sounds a lot like there are some things they missed in the Kindergarten class…play fair, respect others, be honest, you don’t always get your way and maybe…take a nap everyday. A Kindergarten teacher is EXACTLY what they need.
Josephurban, there is no point in calling Republicans preschoolers because anyone could just as easily apply the term to Democrats. The point of criticism here against Robertson is that she thinks her tenure as a kindergarten teacher qualifies her to take an active role in crafting or assessing foreign policy as it relates to ISIS. Regardless of your opinion of Tom Reed and the GOP, this admission by Robertson reveals her childish understanding of geopolitics and military strategy.
Sadly, this “facts only” is biased.
Within this summary, was a subtle ( but glaring to me) bias- the wording – very interestingly made Martha sound like a nag.
Eight times, Martha was described as ” criticising”, while Reed was described as “criticising” once; Reed was described as “claiming” ( something he didn’t agree with her on, and could be called “criticizing”) twice.
Two other things I noticed:
” mentioned she was a kindergarten teacher ” was thrown in as it were an after thought on her part –
” Why Reed part of “war on women” (this elicited laughter from the audience)…” read as though the laughter was warranted. Why mention the “laughter” at all? It was not part of the debate forum criteria on the candidates platforms.
Bravo, solodm. You have proved your intellectual prowess in identifying this publication’s conservative and libertarian slant. I am obviously against Martha Robertson, and I never intended this article to be a “facts only” review of the debate. If other readers get that impression, good for them. I can’t police how every single person reads my articles.
Here are some points for you to consider:
– As you have correctly identified, Robertson did come off as a “nag” during the debate. She came off as standoffish, made countless personal attacks against Reed, and gaffed on numerous occasions.
– Robertson criticized Reed much more frequently than Reed criticized her (in fact most of her answers started off with criticisms of Reed).
– Robertson did reference her tenure as a kindergarten teacher as preparation for a role in crafting and assessing foreign policy. Regardless of whether it was an after-thought or a planned talking point, it’s a ridiculous statement. It’s indicative of a rudimentary understanding of geopolitics and military strategy, and a fundamentally immature understanding of the importance of being a House Representative.
– The laughter was totally warranted because what she said was hilarious and untrue.
Well, Casey. It was not the Dems who have voted over 50 times to “repeal” the ACA. (We used to call that being a poor loser). It is not the Dems who are threatening to SUE the POTUS because they don’t like the way he governs. It is not the Dems who shut down the government causing the taxpayers to lose billions of dollars because they did not get their way. . It is not the Dems who hold a hearing on anything and everything they can think of while ignoring the real problems we face. No, Casey, a Kindergarten teacher has exactly the experience that is needed to deal with Boehner, Issa, Cruz and the rest of the children. They need a timeout. They need someone to help them learn that you don’t always get your way and when you lose you don’t take your ball and go home. The GOP-dominated House of Reps will go down as the least effective, most childish legislature in US history.
Well said Joseph, and I have only to add – Casey, your entire piece was merely an opinion and should have been labeled as such. You’re entitled to that of course, and I’m sure Tom Reed appreciates your bias. You might want to check yourself on the Libertarian slant though – it’s only “Conservatives” that find women’s equality a joke.
Don’t Conservatives and Libertarians believe in free speech? Interesting.
What is this comment even a reply or reference to?
Well, josephurban, it was not the GOP who gave us:
1. Benghazi coverup (“the disgusting video”)
2. Fast & Furious, which led to the murder of a Border Patrol officer
3. Lois Lerner invoking the 5th Amendment rather than explaining the whole truth to the people
4. To pass Obamacare, the democrat-majority senate had to change its rules
5. “If you want to keep your health plan you can keep your health plan” – NOT!
6. Healthcare.gov rollout
7. “We have to pass the bill so that you can find out what is in it.”
8. Solyndra and its ilk, bankrupt
9. Detroit, bankrupt
10. Unaccompanied Alien Children disbursed throughout the country, receiving taxpayer benefits
11. In-state tuition for illegal aliens
12. Drivers licenses for illegal aliens
13. EPA: carbon dioxide is a poison (don’t tell that to soda pop, champagne, or your exhalation)
14. Associate Press & Fox News journalist wiretaps
15. NSA snooping on everybody
16. Fort Hood massacre = “workplace violence”
17. Recess appointments overturned by Supreme Court
18. VA scandal
19. Ebola in New York City
20. Drone killings of U.S. citizens
21. Federal debt up by $7 Trillion under Obama
22. Attempts to implicate NJ Gov. Christie as responsible for “bridgegate”
23. No prosecution or Bar Review of Hunter Biden whose cocaine use led to discharge from Navy
24. No justice department pursuit of John Corzine who stole a billion dollars from his clients
25. Justice department pursuit of Gibson Guitar Co. over some imported lumber that harmed nobody
26. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner, tax evader, not prosecuted
27. Congressman Charlie Rangel, tax evader, not prosecuted
28. Senator Tom Daschle, tax evader, not prosecuted
29. Senator Al Franken, tax evader, not prosecuted
30. Executive amnesty
The democrat administration and democrat-dominated senate will go down as the most scandal-ridden, economy-killing, secretive, and evil in history. Americans’ health, welfare, wealth, privacy, due process, and collective future, have been subject to relentless assault by democrats who apparently think they’re the smartest people in the room. America has and will continue to become much worse off as a result, meanwhile our competitors and adversaries around the world who once feared us are now all LAUGHING.
Finally, solodm, here are some additional points for you to consider. Speaking of laughing, the audience-members attending the Reed-Robertson debate were exercising their free speech by laughing, and conservative analyst Casey Breznick was exercising his free speech when he wrote about it. From your questioning the propriety of the laughter, as well as C. Breznick’s mention of the laughter, one might assume that you indeed wished that the laughter had not occurred, and/or the reporting of it had been suppressed. Either way, it seems like you wanted some censorship.
David: I am glad to refer to the Benghazi “cover up”, Healthcare,gov and the “Fast and Furious” program. You make my point for me. Tell us. What was covered up ? In these cases all the facts, issues and consequences have been aired over and over again. Who has been indicted for illegal activities? Did you know that in some GOP governed states it was made ILLEGAL to help people sign up for health care? ILLEGAL to help citizens get health care for their families.!
These are great examples of how the GOP continues to keep the focus on non-issues while ignoring big issues. Every administration has shortcomings . That is obvious. And every administration makes mistakes. But an HONEST dialogue and disagreement is much different than a political party PLEDGING to make a president FAIL before he even takes office. And undermining a law that has given health care to millions of citizens for the first time.
Are you denying that the GOP has, from day one, made it their primary job to try to destroy the president elected by the people ? If so, I suggest you go back and read the comments of Mitch McConnell and other even BEFORE MR .Obama took office. Go back and listen to a GOP Congressman yelling out “you lie” like a petulant child when the POTUS is giving his required State of the Union address. You consider that “mature” behavior?There was never any attempt to work together with the POTUS to solve problems. You know it. I know it. All the rest is blowing smoke. (By the way, your “list” neglects to mention the most costly problem we have faced since the depression of 2007/2008… The shutdown of the government brought to us by the GOP. Costing us BILLIONS of dollars . For what ? Because they were throwing a tantrum over health care for American citizens.What was accomplished except a tantrum?)
By the way, in regard to your “newest” scandal…The Ebola (or as Representative Issa has called it: Eboli) virus. You are holding the Dems responsible for viruses ? BRILLIANT. Here’s a suggestion. Just let the head of the CDC take on the problem. WAIT. There is NO head of the CDC. Why ? Because the GOP has held up the candidate form being confirmed due to pressure from the NRA. BRILLIANT ! Just another example of the petulant child attitude I have documented.
Here, read something written with intelligence for a change -:http://theprogressivecynic.com/2014/03/05/the-gops-war-on-poor-women/
Could you provide the definition of “intelligence” you’re using, please? It seems to conflict with mine.
Rather let me define the opposite of intelligence:
When one can’t provide a straightforward response without using semantics to change the subject. Just as in your ” report ” on the debate – there is no there, there.
Perhaps this is a better definition: Intelligent people aren’t duped by the semantics of the phrase “war on women.” If you want to read about a real war where women are fighting on the front lines, look up the female Kurdish soldiers fighting in Iraq and Syria.
Anyways, Ms. Meeker and Josephurban, this has been fun, but I’m no longer going to respond to comments on this post. Feel free to continue commenting here if you wish or to begin discussions on other posts. There will be plenty to come.
Where do you think the conditions of the women of the Middle East originate? You choice for Congress – Tom Reed – agrees, and stands up for the Christian Taliban motto : “Keep women uneducated, pregnant and poor” , as do the majority of Tea Party politicians. It’s frankly moronic to suggest to any woman they might “look-up” topics on the issues we battle everyday. Casey, I won’t suggest you look up anything – instead I’ll suggest you try speaking with real live women ( not girls), as often as possible, and ask them whether they agree with Tom Reed’s voting record for the war on women.
josephurban:
Benghazi coverup: http://www.ijreview.com/2014/09/178074-former-state-department-official-claims-benghazi-cover/
Who has been indicted for illegal activities: These two quickly comes to mind
– Representative Jesse Jackson Jr. was indicted and is now serving a federal prison sentence for campaign fund fraud.
– Clinton supporter Marc Rich was indicted but fled to avoid prosecution for tax evasion and other crimes. He was later issued a full pardon by President Clinton.
There have been many others, both democrat and republican, and there will continue to be. It is unlikely that anyone associated with the current administration will be indicted because the powerful and politically-connected close ranks to protect themselves. When Lois Lerner invoked the 5th Amendment and her e-mails were mysteriously lost, so were the opportunities for indictments. So long as Attorney General Holder continues to refuse to release all the documents about Fast & Furious, indictments will have to wait, maybe indefinitely. Secretary Hillary Clinton’s staff shredded documents concerning Benghazi, likely eliminating the possibility of indictments. Do you see a common thread with this administration?
The democrat administration fails to protect Americans by allowing disease-carrying Unaccompanied Alien Children to cross the border and quickly disperse throughout the USA: http://www.libertynewsonline.com/article_301_36188.php
The democrat administration fails to protect Americans by allowing travelers coming from ebola hot zones in western Africa to enter the USA without being quarantined.
Meanwhile:
31. No Bar Review of Senator Elizabeth Warren for practicing law while in Massachusetts without a Massachusetts law license.
32. Four terrorists were released from prison in Guantanamo Bay for army deserter Bergdahl, without first notifying congress as is required by law.
33. No substantive negotiations with Mexico for the release of the U.S. Marine being detained there.
34. During the “government shutdown”, WWII Veterans were prevented from walking around the open-air memorial in D.C. by a contingent of federal guards who were following orders.
This will be my final post of this thread. I request that you review your two prior posts on this thread, paying particular attention to all your instances of hyperbole and name-calling. For example, you can just write, “A congressman showed indecorum when he yelled ‘You lie’ during the State of the Union speech.” No need for name-calling him (“petulant child”). Likewise, you can instead write, “You are holding the Dems responsible for viruses? Please elaborate.” No need for name-calling me (“BRILLIANT”).
David…I see you have changed the subject. Fine.I referenced three of your most important “scandals” created by the Obama Administration. Benghazi, Fast and Furious and Healthcare. Gov.. I asked who has been indicted for criminal activity based on these “scandals”. Your response is to talk about Jesse Jackson ? Jesse Jackson is not a member of the Obama Administration. And you talk about a former Clinton appointee who is also not a member of the Obama Administration. Looks like an attempt to change the subject. None of your examples has anything to do with the “scandals” you identified. Do you want to try again? I am more than willing to look at any indictments you can refer to.