{"id":39196,"date":"2012-04-24T06:47:11","date_gmt":"2012-04-24T12:47:11","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.nmpolitics.net\/index\/?p=39196"},"modified":"2012-04-25T07:04:33","modified_gmt":"2012-04-25T13:04:33","slug":"gop-senate-candidates-talk-about-federal-debt","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/2012\/04\/gop-senate-candidates-talk-about-federal-debt\/","title":{"rendered":"GOP Senate candidates talk about federal debt"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"The<\/a>

The U.S. Capitol Building in Washington D.C. (Photo by Heath Haussamen)<\/p><\/div>\n

Heather Wilson says she\u2019s willing to seek bipartisan compromise \u2018if it means getting things done,\u2019 while Greg Sowards says the \u2018biggest problem is politicians who vote on omnibus bills that are, for example, 90 percent good legislation and 10 percent bad.\u2019<\/h4>\n

This post continues a series on the\u00a0U.S. Senate<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a01st Congressional District<\/a>\u00a0candidates\u2019 stances on various policy issues.<\/em><\/p>\n

Heather Wilson<\/a> supports a balanced-budget amendment to reign in the federal government\u2019s spending and also wants to \u201csimplify the tax code and\u00a0broaden the base,\u201d while Greg Sowards<\/a> has a seven-step plan to create the right conditions for a balanced-budget amendment and turn around America\u2019s economy.<\/p>\n

Wilson, a Republican U.S. Senate candidate, pointed out that the federal government balanced its budget from 1998 through the first half of 2001 and said, while \u201chard to remember today\u2026 the week before 9\/11 we were debating what to do with a $300 billion surplus.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe all know there is a better path for America, because we have been down it before,\u201d she said. \u201cWith the right leadership, and both parties working together, we can find that path again.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut it\u2019s going to take leaders who aren\u2019t afraid to make tough decisions, even when they\u2019re unpopular,\u201d Wilson said. \u201cI will fight passionately for what I believe, but I\u2019m also willing to seek bipartisan compromise if it means getting things done\u00a0on the biggest problems facing New Mexicans.\u201d<\/p>\n

Sowards, Wilson\u2019s primary opponent, advocated a plan that includes doubling the research and development tax credit for business owners, repealing the estate tax, removing restrictions on taxes for America\u2019s multinational businesses, cutting the corporate tax rate, reforming \u201cregulatory regimes,\u201d redirecting the Environmental Protection Agency and \u201ccultivating energy independence\u201d by, in part, lifting moratoriums on offshore drilling and uranium mining. He also supports a balanced-budget amendment.<\/p>\n

Sowards said the \u201cbiggest problem is politicians who vote on omnibus bills that are, for example, 90 percent good legislation and 10 percent bad, unnecessary or too expensive,\u201d which he said \u201chas placed us on the slippery slope toward bankruptcy.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe lack of vision from our leaders is striking. They can\u2019t see a society that doesn\u2019t have the federal government involved with every aspect of daily life,\u201d Sowards said. \u201c\u2026If we want to change Washington, we have to change the kind of people we send to Washington.\u201d<\/p>\n

The questions<\/h3>\n

The Republican U.S. Senate candidates made their comments in response to questions from NMPolitics.net about the economy. NMPolitics.net gave them no word minimum or limit, telling them to say what they had to say. The only criterion was that they not engage in personal attacks.<\/p>\n

Here are the questions NMPolitics.net asked:<\/p>\n