Congressional candidates face off before election
Updated: November 2, 2012
CHAMPAIGN- It was the last time 13th Congressional candidates would "face off" in a debate before the election. It's just 5 days away.
The candidates touch briefly on several issues. Jobs and healthcare were two big ones as usual.
One consistent issue was how to change the campaign process. Mudslinging went on throughout the entire debate Thursday night. However, changing the way political campaigns are funded was one of the few issues all three candidates agreed on.
Democrat David Gill says big corporations should not fund campaigns. Republican Rodney Davis says the country needs to re-address the failures of finance reform. Independent John Hartman suggested a citizen election program, which would require candidates to collect small donations from "average Joe's" causing the government to pitch in more.
"There are so many people who are getting the short end of the stick because they are sending people to Washington who are funded by Wall Street banks. Then Congress people do the bidding of those big corporationss and ordinary men and women get left out," says Gill.
"Getting unstuck with tons of money being poured into campaigns and it results in negative ads," says Hartman.
"All of the economy, healthcare, all of those are important issues, but being able to work with one another is important and I don't think we can get anywhere without doing that," says UI student Sravan Suryadenvara.
Another topic was healthcare. Gill clearly outlined why the Affordable Care Act should stay. One of his reasons was that it's important for students to stay on their parents' insurance since the economy is preventing them from finding jobs.
Davis says "Obamacare" will cost more money and cut jobs. Rodney Davis left quickly after the debate before we could interview him.
The candidates touch briefly on several issues. Jobs and healthcare were two big ones as usual.
One consistent issue was how to change the campaign process. Mudslinging went on throughout the entire debate Thursday night. However, changing the way political campaigns are funded was one of the few issues all three candidates agreed on.
Democrat David Gill says big corporations should not fund campaigns. Republican Rodney Davis says the country needs to re-address the failures of finance reform. Independent John Hartman suggested a citizen election program, which would require candidates to collect small donations from "average Joe's" causing the government to pitch in more.
"There are so many people who are getting the short end of the stick because they are sending people to Washington who are funded by Wall Street banks. Then Congress people do the bidding of those big corporationss and ordinary men and women get left out," says Gill.
"Getting unstuck with tons of money being poured into campaigns and it results in negative ads," says Hartman.
"All of the economy, healthcare, all of those are important issues, but being able to work with one another is important and I don't think we can get anywhere without doing that," says UI student Sravan Suryadenvara.
Another topic was healthcare. Gill clearly outlined why the Affordable Care Act should stay. One of his reasons was that it's important for students to stay on their parents' insurance since the economy is preventing them from finding jobs.
Davis says "Obamacare" will cost more money and cut jobs. Rodney Davis left quickly after the debate before we could interview him.
