Yesterday Suzanne Bonamici (D) and David Cornilles (R) debated to fill the vacancy in Oregon’s First Congressional District of the US House to be filled in a special election on January 31. To someone politically knowledgeable, Bonamici was the clear winner. To the uniformed, it might not have been so obvious. Here are my observations.
Experience: Bonamici has public service experience as an attorney, a FTC consumer advocate and a state legislator. Cornilles owns a sports marketing company with five employees.
Infrastructure: Cornilles favors infrastructure spending and would cut social programs to pay for it. So does Bonamici, but she did not specify how to pay for it.
Job Creation: Cornilles favors tax cuts for corporations and deregulation to create jobs. Bonamici would invest in job creation by ending the Bush tax cuts for the top 2%.
Health care: Bonamici said universal health care is a right. Cornilles said to increase access by reducing cost.
Medicare: Cornilles likes the Wyden-Ryan plan. Bonamici dies not. (Nobody actually knows what it is, but many think it is optional privatization).
Housing Market: Bonamici would reinvigorate it with strong consumer protection. Cornilles would by deregulating banks.
Scandals: Cornilles blamed a bookkeeper for the payroll $83,000 tax lien on his business. (Horse Feathers) Bonamici denied covering up the Wu scandal.
SOPA and PIPA: Both oppose.
Social Security: Bonamici said raise the cap, don’t cut benefits, and do not privatize. Cornilles said he opposed cutting benefits and preferred the bipartisan Simpson-Boles plan. (The Simpson-Boles plan was to cut benefits, raise the retirement age, and reduce CPI increases, so Cornilles was lying).
Undocumented immigrants: Cornilles said no amnesty and strengthen border. Bonamici prefers a path to citizenship for undocumented workers, who have obeyed the law while here.
Keystone XL Pipeline: Bonamici opposes it. Cornilles supports it.
Iran: Cornilles prefers not to attack UNTIL we have a plan and an exit strategy. Bonamici favors diplomacy, development efforts and sanctions.
Online Charter Schools: Bonamici opposes funding private schools with public funds. Cornilles supports funding them.
Global Climate Change: Bonamici recognizes it. Cornilles does not.
Citizens United: Cornilles supports the decision. Bonamici does not.
Cornilles made a big deal about how Bonamici has never created a job. That was a lie, because Bonamici hired her staff as a lawyer. As much as Cornilles pretends to be a big time job creator, his company employs five.
The issues alone make it clear that Bonamici is the only sane choice, but I have failed to convey the emotional tenor of the debate. Bonamici treated Cornilles with courtesy and respect through out. Cornilles was openly hostile, repeatedly accused Bonamici of lying, and stayed in attack mode. His advertisement against Bonamici have earned him a “pants on fire” rating.
Protect Oregon’s future. Elect Suzanne Bonamici!
16 Responses to “Debate: Bonamici v. Cornilles”
Sorry, the comment form is closed at this time.
Cornilles is a Repub in all policy matters. I hope that Bonamici beats the pants off of him!
As do i, Lisa.
I seem to recall about a week ago or so that Cornilles was trying to paint himself as a moderate in the style of previous well known Republicans. I said then that he would be forced to goosestep once and if he hits Washington. This debate synopsis clearly shows that he is not the moderate he claimed to be — he is already goosestepping. Additionally, he didn’t seem to have command of the social security issues which according to polls, are still important to middle class republicans and democrats alike. Me thinks that his hostile and antagonistic attitude is an indication that he is feeling the pressure. I really like one statement from her ad as follows:
Bonamici: “Rob, I’ll make you an offer: You stop misleading voters about me, I’ll stop telling the truth about you.”
Go Suzanne Bonamici!
I am assuming that PIPA is the Personal Information Privacy Act. What is SOPA?
Lynn. in western Oregon Republicans have to pretend to be moderate.
SOPA is the Stop Online Piracy Act and is essentially the same.
Another useless RUSHpubliSCUM, hellbent on destroying America. What a shocker.
Surpiise, huh? 😉
In the “Good News Department” – Suzanne Bonamici has an 11 point lead in the latest poll:
http://www.oregonlive.com/mapes/index.ssf/2012/01/surveyusa_bonamici_holds_11-po.html
Today she also received endorsements from the Oregonian, Willamette Week and a newspaper on the coast.
We are all pulling for Bonamici, the only sensible candidate in the race.
Thanks Jack!
It’s very clear the Bonamici is the only candidate deserving of the voters of Oregon’s support.
Agree with this-
Me too.
Gee I wonder who you support?! I’m surprised that a corndog can even survive in Oregon – unless Oregon’s gone totally corporate! Seems like a no brainer!
He has a lot of secret corporate money behind him.