Sparks Fly Over Money In 6th Congressional Race

[wndycty]

Sparks Fly Over Money In 6th Congressional Race

Mike Flannery

(CBS) VILLA PARK One of the candidates in the sixth district congressional race is an Iraq war veteran, but it was money, not guns, that caused sparks Thursday.

CBS 2 Political Editor Mike Flannery reports on a marquee match that has the whole country watching.

Greeting supporters in front of a Villa Park post office where residents of the Sixth District were mailing in tax returns Thursday, Democrat Tammy Duckworth said she would work to reduce taxes on those earning up to $100,000 a year.

“My priority will always be on tax cuts for the middle class. Those are tax cuts I support,” she said.
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http://cbs2chicago.com/politics/local_story_103191834.html

[Bridget Dooley]

1. Defining a position

If the Duckworth camp is smart, they'll snap up Roskam's cute "class envy is really not productive" statement and paint him as completely insensitive to the needs of the average person in this district. After all, he is pretty wealthy himself and runs with the "haves and have mores" crowd. Between that and his IL Senate record, they would have plenty of ammunition to define him as the out-of-touch elitist that he is.

That said, if she is going to make taxes one of her major platform issues, she is going to need to better define her position and be much more decisive. Saying "I would need to take a much closer look at the Bush tax cuts before I would vote to extend them" is NOT going to cut it and gives the impression that she hasn't done her homework so therefore can't take the leadership role and make a decision. Not good! Peter Roskam's position is solid and he will grab the opportunity to crush her with it if she isn't careful.

I understand the position that the district is about 70% Republican and the perceived need to remain ambiguous on certain points to appease the masses. But I think that it just comes off as pandering or indecisive behavior.

Tammy Duckworth is smart enough to understand why the Bush tax cuts need to be repealed during a time of war, while social programs are being cut left and right, and while our deficit is growing daily. We cannot afford it, plain and simple. It would better serve her campaign to frame this point in a fashion that people can relate to rather than simply taking no position or saying "maybe I would, maybe I wouldn't".

[mopinko]

2. wasn't the point of the "fighting dems"

to have someone who was going to go out there and say- why are republicans slashing taxes on millionaires during WAR TIME!! wasn't she supposed to, you know, fight?