Photos by Josh Edge, APRN – Anchorage
Incumbent Republican candidate Don Young and Democratic nominee Harry Crawford came to the KAKM studios for the 2010 edition of Debate for the State, brought to you by Alaska Public Broadcasting.
Alaska Public Radio Network‘s Libby Casey served as moderator for Debate for the State. APRN‘s Lori Townsend of Anchorage and Dermot Cole from the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner also participated as panelists in the debate on October 27.
Here is the complete audio from U.S. House debate with questions listed below.
Q 1Â (2:00)
Demot Cole – Don Young
Only 12 percent of Americans think Congress has done a good job, and 62 percent of Americans say all of Congress should be replaced. That’s according to a national Rasmussen poll released today. So explain to us why you should be re-elected?
Q 2 (3:00)
Demot Cole – Harry Crawford
Representative Crawford, what would you actually do to make things different if you got to Washington?
Q3 (4:46)
Lori Townsend – Don Young
Submitted by Sue Sprinkle of Fairbanks:
She points out that you’ve spent more than 1 million dollars on lawyers who’ve helped you fend off Justice Department investigations. Those are now over, so Ms. Sprinkle wants to know what you were defending yourself against. She says it’s important for her to know before Alaskans decide whether to send you back to Washington.
Download Audio (MP3)
Q4 (5:48)
Lori Townsend – Harry Crawford
You have been so focused on criticizing Mr. Young – have you failed to focus on your own platform? Have you shown voters who Harry Crawford is?
Q 5 (6:53)
Libby Casey – Harry Crawford
Back in June when Congressman Young said the BP blowout in the Gulf of Mexico was not an environmental disaster, you argued that it was. Given the situation now, do you still hold to that?
Q 6 (8:10)
Libby Casey – Don Young
Since you made that statement in June, a lot of oil continued to flow… do you stand by your comments that it wasn’t an environmental disaster?
Q 7 (8:46)
Dermot Cole – Don Young and Harry Crawford
Private contractors now make up more than 50 percent of the Department of Defense presence in Iraq and Afghanistan. The reliance on security contractors is expected to grow as the number of American forces declines. Is this a problem for the United States?
Q 8
Dermot Cole – Don Young and Harry Crawford
As a 30 second follow-up, what are our next steps in the region as the U-S looks to withdrawal?
LIGHTNING ROUND (:15 sec answers)
Q 9 (14:11)
Lori Townsend – Harry Crawford and Don Young
David Lewis of Kachemak Bay asks if you support a national war tax that everybody would pay when the nation goes to war?
Q 10 (15:00)
Libby Casey – Don Young and Harry Crawford
Should we restate the draft to get more people invested in the wars we’re facing?
Q 11 (15:46)
Dermot Cole – Don Youg
I’ve been told you carry a knife in Washington, D.C. Why?
Q 12 (16:24)
Dermot Cole – Harry Crawford
What unique insights have you gained from your career as an iron worker that prepares you for politics?
Q 13 (16:57)
Lori Townsend – Dong Young and Harry Crawford
Do you support a subsistence priority for Alaska Natives who move to cities?
Q 14 (18:28)
Libby Casey – Harry Crawford and Don Young
The leader of U.S. House Republicans, Congressman John Boehner, has called for the “defunding” of public broadcasting – do you agree?
Q 15 (19:30)
Dermot Cole – Don Young and Harry Crawford
Should we extend the Bush Era tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans, that’s those making more than 200 thousand dollars?
CANDIDATES ASK EACH OTHER
Q 16 (20:49)
Harry Crawford – Don Young
Do you support the national sales tax, HR 25?
Q 17 (22:51)
Don Youn – Harry Crawford?
In your ten years in the Alaska legislature how many bills did you sponsor and hows many did you pass into law?
Q 18 (24:42)
Harry Crawford – Don Young
Many of the biggest contributors to your campaign are now in jail. Do you feel as though you own anything to your supporters?
PANELIST QUESTIONS:
Q 19 (27:18)
Lori Townsend – Don Young
You have opposed your party on earmarks, arguing that they are vital for the future of Alaska. Since your party opposes them, how will you have success in getting them approved by Congress?
Q 20 (29:24)
Lori Townsend – Harry Crawford
What’s your response?
Q 21 (30:50)
Dermot Cole – Don Young and Harry Crawford
Did you and the Senate delegation make a critical mistake in 2005 by going for the bridge projects in Ketchikan and Anchorage? They became national symbols of earmark excess and were stopped.
Q22 (33:35)
Dermot Cole – Harry Crawford and Don Young
Do you think the “Road to Nome,” the Susitna Hydro-electric Project, should be supported by federal funds?
Q 23 (34:25)
Libby Casey – Don Young and Harry Crawford
To what extent are humans contributing to climate change through fossil fuel emissions?
Q 24 (36:53)
Lori Townsend – Harry Crawford and Don Young
What’s the future of the Small Business Administration program that gives Alaska Native Corporations an advantage getting no-bid government contracts? The 8-A program is under scrutiny in Washington, and one Senator wants to end it. What do you say?
Q 25 (40:15)
Dermot Cole – Harry Crawford
Senator Mark Begich, who’s relatively new to Washington, says this about seniority: “It gets you a bigger office, better parking space, better seating when you’re in committee” and “you might get more people showing up to fundraisers in Washington DC. Is he correct?
Q 26 (41:21)
Dermot Cole – Don Young
What does your seniority actually get Alaska?
Q 27 (42:22)
Libby Casey – Don Young
You lost your ranking status on the Natural Resources Committee in December, 2008 after Republicans had concerns about the Justice Department investigations. Does that negate your seniority?
Q 28 (43:26)
Libby Casey – Harry Crawford
If you go to Washington, Nancy Pelosi is leader of the House Democrats. Do you feel like you’re aligned with her on many issues? Would you be able to work with her effectively?
Q 29 (44:06)
Demot Cole – Don Young
You have a flair for colorful language but sometimes it gets you into hot water. Do you regret calling Governor Parnell “Captain Zero” when he ran against you?
Q 30 (44:49)
Dermot Cole – Harry Crawford
Polls are showing that Republicans may indeed win the U.S. House. What would that mean to you in Washington?
Q 31 (45:32)
Lori Townsend –Â Harry Crawford and Don Young
Access to doctors is becoming a severe problem in Alaska for senior citizens on Medicare. What needs to change?
Q 32 (51:06)
Dermot Cole – Don Young and Harry Crawford
Do you favor tax increases, benefit reductions or do you have other ideas to preserve the Social Security system?
Q 33 (54:40)
Libby Casey – Don Young and Harry Crawford
This question comes to us from a viewer in Fairbanks: What’s your solution to illegal immigration?
