Richmond, VA - At today's debate hosted by the Fairfax Chamber of Commerce and NBC4, Tim Kaine laid out specific, workable proposals that will grow the economy, avoid sequestration, and responsibly reduce the deficit while George Allen offered Virginians reelection rhetoric and few details, as he doubled down on the same policies that helped cause the challenges we face.
“In today’s debate, Virginians heard Tim Kaine lay out specific, bipartisan solutions to the challenges that face the nation and the Commonwealth," said Kaine for Virginia communications director Brandi Hoffine. "On the pressing issue of sequestration, Tim Kaine and George Allen were both asked to offer a compromise solution that would avoid these damaging cuts. George Allen called for a 34th, party-line vote to repeal the Affordable Care Act, a move the Congressional Budget Office says would add to the deficit and make our fiscal situation worse. Allen showed no interest in working across the aisle to find common ground and avoid these cuts. On the other hand, Tim Kaine articulated his compromise solution which finds common ground on the Bush tax cuts by allowing them to expire at $500,000, changes Medicare negotiating rules to save $240 billion through cheaper prescription drugs, and ends taxpayer funded giveaways to large oil companies. This is the clearest difference between these candidates: a specific, common ground solution versus a previously failed partisan show vote that will make the problem worse.
"George Allen also reminded Virginia women why they can't afford another six years of him in the Senate. Allen dismissed women's issues as secondary and unimportant compared to economic issues, while Tim Kaine pointed out that wage disparities, access to health care, and family medical leave are economic issues for millions of Virginia women and families.
“Virginians know what they would get from another term of George Allen in the Senate because they’ve seen it before and are still recovering from the bloated deficits and trillions in debt that helped create today’s economic and fiscal mess. As he runs for reelection, Allen has promised to take the same uncompromising approach that helped downgrade our credit rating and prevents agreement to reduce our deficit and avoid sequestration. And, his all cuts approach that doubles down on deficit busting tax breaks for the wealthy and large corporations who don’t need them instead of investing in infrastructure and education, would harm our economic recovery.
“Today, the choice in this election crystallized for Virginians. Do they want Tim Kaine’s track record of results or George Allen’s reelection rhetoric? Do they prefer Tim Kaine’s commitment to partnership, or George Allen’s consistent calls for partisanship? And will they choose Tim Kaine’s plans of substance that will reduce our deficit and grow the economy, or George Allen’s campaign sound bites? On each question, we’re confident that today’s debate and this campaign have shown Virginians Tim Kaine is the candidate with the proven track record of bringing people together to forge workable solutions to today's tough challenges."
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