Stutzman's bid marked by criticism of Washington
FRANKLIN, Ind. — Marlin Stutzman has a one-in-five shot of earning the Republican nomination for the U.S. Senate seat for Indiana. Stutzman has served in the state legislature since 2002 and is currently a state senator.
At Monday’s U.S. Senate debate at Franklin College, he and his four opponents debated issues ranging from the tea party movement to health care, government spending, energy and education.
“This is not about Republican, this is not about the Democratic Party, independent or Libertarian, this is about America,” said Stutzman of the tea party movement. “In 1980, this country was right at $1 trillion in debt, [and] over the past 30 [years] Washington has added to that debt almost $13 trillion more. Conservatives need to stand up on those conservative values and not give into compromise.”
Stutzman’s view on health care was that decision-making should rest in the hands of local government. He criticized the federal government, saying that it usurps the role of the state government. Stutzman also said that the problem with health care isn’t insurance, but rather medical costs.
“The problems needs to be taken care of at a state level,” Stutzman said. “We also need to get back to a free market mindset, because that is what got us to where we were [once successful].”
Stutzman stressed that some areas of the system need a change, specifically when it comes to bureaucratic paper filing. He said that nurses were spending far too much of their working time filling out insurance forms.
On spending, Stutzman said that government needed to show fiscal restraint.
“We can’t spend more then we take in,” he said. “Our debt ceilings have increased and we can’t continue to give the government money for them to spend without a plan to pay it back.” He said he would favor a balanced budget amendment and would like to remove earmarks for certain public expenditures.
Stutzman told the more than 250 people in attendance he was a fourth-generation farmer and small time business owner in Howe, Ind. As a farmer, he came to appreciate that energy is a big factor in everyday work.
“Indiana has been one of the leading manufacturing states in the union. We built things that use energy,” said Stutzman. He referred to Indiana’s coal-rich resources as a vital energy source that could be tapped for that energy. As a farmer he wants clean air, soil and water.
“Indiana would be second to none next to Texas that would suffer if cap and trade legislation is passed. All of those green technologies, wind, natural gas and solar should be on the table for consideration if they are reasonable,” Stutzman said.
During a question-and-answer session, an eighth-grade student from Lebanon, Ind., asked what the next Congress will do to ensure her success in the global business world.
“The priorities pertaining to education in Washington are out of whack and education belongs on the state level,” Stutzman said. “What we need to do is get the federal government back in check and reestablish the separation between state and federal legislation.”
