Contact CU Independent Staff Writer Lorelle Lynch at Lorelle.Lynch@colorado.edu.
The Oct. 28 undercard debate on the University of Colorado campus gave the GOP’s second-string candidates a chance to bring their campaigns to the forefront. Sen. Lindsey Graham, Sen. Rick Santorum, Gov. Bobby Jindal, and Former Gov. George Pataki were given two hours to explain their economic viewpoints, as well as other topics that would interest potential voters. Here is a recap of their talking points:
Governor Bobby Jindal
- Jindal wants to shrink the size of government by cutting taxes and growing the Republican party.
- He thinks that better benefits for Americans comes with a growing economy, not from mandates and
- He believes there should be a 2 percent tax on all families. Americans should earn success rather than receive help from the government.
- He believes that Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton will take us down a path to socialism.
Senator Rick Santorum:
- He wants to get rid of the death penalty.
- He wants to get rid of corporate taxes, and make manufacturing more competitive.
- Santorum believes that limiting immigration protects jobs.
- Santorum encourages vocational education and training in community colleges so that we can create more jobs for Americans and stop job competition.
- He doesn’t find corporate conglomerates a big issue, as there are government agencies that preside over operations.
- He wants to repeal Obamacare and other entitlement programs such as Medicare. Believes that health consolidation is ruining the economy and limiting competition.
- Santorum thinks there should be finance laws in place to level the playing field so America can compete with the rest of the world. America needs export financing.
Former Governor George Pataki:
- He wants to lower the manufacturing tax to 12.1 percent, and promises to cut more taxes than every other candidate combined.
- He wants to even the class gap by lowering tax rates and raising government-based incomes.
- Pataki thinks that the federal government should get out of manipulating the financial market, and put more money into banking systems.
- Pataki is in favor of federal reserve policies. Federal reserve interest rates haven’t been raised, and remain near zero.
- Global warming is created by Human activity, and Pataki embraces the science behind it.
Senator Lindsey Graham:
- Senator Graham believes that Global Warming is real and that it is backed by 90 percent of scientists. He does want to do something about it, yet no concrete plan was proposed.
- He believes the economy is lacking jobs because of a skill gap, and wants more blue collar jobs to stimulate growth.
- “We owe the best environment in the world to create jobs. Let’s lower business taxes so they don’t leave. Let’s help the middle class.”
- Graham wants to increase legal immigration because eventually immigration will decrease over time. Graham doesn’t want to deport illegal immigrants and their children, but wants to focus deportation on criminals.
- Graham wants to rebuild the military and use it defense spending smartly.
