I have the Congressional Debate DVR’d and and watching it and taking notes.

Opening Statements

Jon Elrod – I want to be your Neighborhood Congressman. My platform is based upon fiscal reform and constituent services. I will seek to fully fund Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid. We need a local office that will serve the seniors, veterans, disabled, and our elderly (kinda redundant Jon – we know its nerves). Enhance services for the non-profits and small businesses. One of us will sound like someone who is from the neighborhood and focused on the issues of the 7th District. The other will sound like standard party talking points and the same old tired slogans, with DC money and DC campaigns (PUNCH! POW! KAPOW!) Jon Elrod really came out of his corner swinging.

Andre Carson – Hey Andre – did you forget to shave this morning? Got a little of that Monroe “Sweet Pea” Gray fuzz going there. Grandma was a bold and courageous leader (who did absolutely nothing in Washington). I hate Bush. Bash Bush. Bash Bush. Bash Bush. I will vote to cut and run. Bring our troops home now. I will protect social security by raising your taxes. He has now said “Bold and Courageous” three times. We must fix our broken education system (who broke it? THE TEACHERS UNION that’s who!). I grew up in Indianapolis (no duh – so did Jon Elrod), I understand the concernsof the 7th District. He specifically thanks the Black Student Union for putting on this debate.

Sean Shepard – I’m not a Democrat nor a Republican. It’s all their fault.

[More after the leap]

First Question by Amos Brown

To Jon Elrod: One of the first issues confronting you if elected will be the Federal Budget. Do you agree with the budget passed by the Democrat house which ends the “Bush tax cuts” – in other words, increases taxes – that includes spending for welfare programs and Bush’s defense spending

Jon Elrod: I would get rid of all the earmarks or pork barrel spending in the budget. In a three trillion dollar (that’s Trillion with a T) budget there is lots of earmarks within that budget.

Andre Carson: We need to raise taxes. Too many tax breaks out there. More tax credits for babies mommas. Tax credits for servicemen and women (I’ll accept that by itself), We failed in Iraq, we must cut and run in order to balance the budget. We can save the economy by surrendering to the terrorists.

Sean Shepard: Earmarks is only 1% of the problem. We must surrender to the terrorists. He’s plugging the Ron Paul isolationist platform. We did that before between 1918 and 1941. Well all know how THAT turned out. Deceptive fact “We’ve been in Iraq longer than it took to fight WW2″. Umm, Sean recall that we’re STILL IN Europe as a holdover from World War II and the “Cold War” that followed. Do we need to bring up the Hoosier Access Radio recording where you said just that? Sean is also pushing for what sounds on the surface like unfunded mandates.

Second question by Jim Shella

To Andre Carson: If you are elected, you’ll be the second Muslim elected to Congress. How will your faith affect the decisions you make in Congress? For the other candidates – how much of a role does faith play in your decision making?

Andre Carson: My faith guides me and directs my set of values. My faith teaches me to respect people of all faiths, creeds, and colors. (*cough* bu***hit *cough*) Still no renouncing of Screwy Louie, huh Andre?

Sean Shepard: Changes the subject. Move on.

Jon Elrod: We have no religious test for office in the United States. One need not follow one or any religion to enter office. Very true. Some other blogger has it posted upon his front page. Jon says with pride he belongs to the United Methodist Church. His faith will likely shape his views while in Congress.

Third Question by Amos Brown

To Sean Shepard: Question about the IndyGo shuttle service to the Speedway and special shuttles for the State Fair and IBE.

Sean Shepard: Agrees. The FTA rules for these services are silly.

Jon Elrod: Would work for a waiver for IndyGo to provide these shuttle services.

Andre Carson: Agrees we should change this rule.

Fourth Question by Jim Shella

To Jon Elrod: Should we close the border between the US and Mexico, and what should we do with illegals already here?

Jon Elrod: We need to close the border. We need to be a sovereign nation and know who is coming in and going out. Its not just an issue of illegal immigration, it’s drugs and overall public safety. We need to ensure only LEGAL immigrants are employed, and for the illegals once the jobs are no longer available then they will leave on their own.

Andre Carson: We have a huge immigration problem (no s***, Sherlock!), I have experience in Homeland Security (puh-leeze!). We need to work towards a comprehensive immigration reform (sounds like amnesty to me!). Steals the thunder by saying we should crack down on employers who hire illegals (gee where did you get THAT idea, Andre??)

Sean Shepard: Secure the border.

Fifth Question by Amos Brown

To Andre Carson: Those sentenced for drug crimes have a lifetime ban on receiving food stamps and living in federally subsidized housing. Would you reduce the ban, how long should such a ban be?

Andre Carson: I be a former cop. We cannot hold the mistakes one makes against them for the rest of their lives. We need to reintegrate those convicted back into society.

Sean Shepard: [this should be good] We have higher percentage of population in jail (1%) than China (.3%). Granted China executes most of its prisoners immediately after sentencing. But don’t let facts get in the way of your story. We need to re-evaluate why we send so many people to prison in the first place (ummm because they commit crimes?). I thought Sean was going to go down the “legalize pot” road, he got close though.

Jon Elrod: He would work to assist the reintegration of convicted persons back into society once they have served their time.

First Public Question from “Kevin in Indianapolis”

To Sean Shepard: What is one federal program that could be cut or done away with?

Sean Shepard: Department of Agriculture

Jon Elrod: pokes fun at the Ad Council. We just need better adult supervision over the programs that are present.

Andre Carson: Wave the white flag. Surrender.

Sixth Question by Amos Brown

To Jon Elrod: I want to follow up on earmarks. I went to the OMB website and found three earmarks that directly benefit the 7th District: 1. 2.9 million for IndyGo 2. 6 million for Rolls Royce in Indianapolis for a defense contract 3. 1.7 million for Raytheon for a defense contract

Jon Elrod: It’s how the earmarks are done. Let the appropriations be more open and straight up and not dependent upon a particular Congressman’s clout in Washington DC.

Andre Carson: I like earmarks. He names the downtown canal that’s full of slime and the Children’s Museum “in the heart of the Ghetto” as examples. I will fight to continue the same old pork barrel spending that plagues Washington.

Sean Shepard: You have to take the good with the bad, but asks why the Federal Government taxes people and turns around and distributes it to the states according to the whims of a bureaucrat.

Lightning Round

to Andre Carson: What will be the first bill you will file?
Andre Carson: Socialized Health Care
Jon Elrod: Felon re-entry programs
Sean Shepard: Cosponsor HR25, which is a jobs program

To Andre Carson: Abortion – pro-life or pro-choice?
Andre Carson: Pro Choice
Jon Elrod: Pro-life
Sean Shepard: Pro-life

To Andre Carson: Whom Do you support for President?
Andre Carson: No Answer
Jon Elrod: Jim Shella
Sean Shepard: Ron Paul

To Sean Shepard: If elected, which committees will you seek membership and why?
Sean Shepard: Agriculture
Jon Elrod: Transportation and ones dealing with small businesses
Andre Carson: Banking, Transportation (the ones Grandma had) and Ways and Means (yeah right!)

To Jon Elrod: Should Social Security be privatized?
Jon Elrod sets the record straight on Social Security. He thinks we need to fully fund social security. People should be allowed to opt out when entering the workforce for the first time. Business has moved away from pensions to 401k’s. Choices need to be made in Social security.
Andre Carson: We must keep social security. We cannot “toss away social security to the stock market”. Plays the socialist card with his “privatize means to neglect” talking point.
Sean Shepard: Washington has pilfered the Social Security trust fund, now we’re trying to figure out how to finance it. States that instead of putting 13.5% towards Social Security, take 10% and put it into investments and you could retire without taking a pay cut.

Last Question: Should there be a date set for a troop withdrawl?
Andre Carson: Not a date and time but it needs to be done
Sean Shepard: We shouldn’t let the enemy know when we are leaving
Jon Elrod: Yes, I think we should eventually bring the troops home. As opposed to a mailer sent out that said I wanted to send more troops to Iraq. I never said that. Jon was cut off in mid sentence.

End of Debate