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George Allen

U.S. Senate candidate George Allen is pushing ahead with a campaign that seems to be aimed solely at Democrat Tim Kaine. During a stop at the City Market Building in Roanoke today, Allen took a couple of shots at Kaine but didn’t mention any of his fellow Republicans running for the GOP nomination.

The Allen campaign also released a web video trying to tie Kaine to President Barack Obama — a tactic it’s used for months and will likely continue up through election day. (For his part, Kaine is hitting Allen on his term in the Senate and also trying to tie him to the social legislation currently in the General Assembly.)

Allen’s spending more time in western Virginia this week, speaking to veterans at a breakfast tomorrow morning in Vinton before swinging down through Pulaski, Wytheville, Bristol, Abingdon, Hillsville, Patrick County, Martinsville and Danville.

Allen continued to call for “unleashing America’s energy resources” by cutting back on regulations. He called for extension of the Keystone XL pipleline from Canada to the midwest.

Since we were in the Market Building, I mentioned the health department regulations that helped shut down the building for a few weeks in 2008 because of rodents. That closure cost the food vendors tens of thousands of dollars and arguably helped contribute to one or more of them eventually going out of business.

With that in mind, I asked Allen: How do you find a balance between protecting public health and allowing business to flourish?

“My view on regulations is determine what the purpose is,” Allen said. “If the purpose is a worthwhile goal or mission, then determine what is the best way to achieve that goal with the least burdensome approach to whomever the entrepreneur is. A matter of safe food, that’s essential. People expect that. Even if you had problems here, people getting sick, business would suffer anyway.”

I asked about how that balance worked when applying it to the environment and public health.

“As far as the environment is concerned, gosh, I want clean water, clean land, clean air, and I think there are new technologies that will help achieve that,” Allen said.

He said new technologies will help cut emissions from coal-fired power plants that will help prevent smog and acid rain.

Allen also said that regulators need to take an approach that will help businesses to comply with the requirements, “rather than making it adversarial.”

He also called for any regulations with an estimated economic impact of more than $100 million to be voted on by Congress.

Allen continues his swing through western Virginia tomorrow.

For more, check below the fold for the latest fusillades from the Kaine and Allen campaigns.

– Mason Adams

From Allen:

New Web Video: “I’m Doing What The President Wants Me To Do”

Henrico, VA – On the eve of the third anniversary of the passage of the failed $800 billion stimulus, the George Allen for U.S. Senate Campaign today released its newest web video entitled, “I’m Doing What The President Wants Me To Do,” highlighting Tim Kaine’s loyal, unabashed support for President Obama and his agenda, which has led to an unprecedented spending binge in Washington over the last three years.

Chairman Kaine campaigned across the nation claiming the $800 billion failed stimulus would “help jumpstart the economy” as well as “create or save over 3 million jobs.”   Instead, Americans have endured 36 straight months of unemployment over 8%, Washington is now borrowing $48,000 a second, and we have seen the first ever downgrade of the U.S. credit rating.

“’I'm doing what the President wants me to do,’ those are Tim Kaine’s words, not mine.  On every major issue over the past several years, Chairman Kaine has been in lockstep with President Obama and out of step with Virginia families and small business owners,” said Dan Allen, Allen campaign senior advisor.  “And now he’s running to be President Obama’s Senator, not Virginia’s.”

“Wants Me To Do”

Transcript:

TIM KAINE: Hello everyone, I’m Tim Kaine.

PRES. OBAMA: Former Governor of Virginia and one of my greatest friends.

TIM KAINE: I’m an unabashed supporter of the President.

SUPER: President Obama’s Senator. Tim Kaine.  Unabashed support for the $800 billion failed stimulus.

TIM KAINE: … a stimulus plan that will help jumpstart the economy …

SUPER:  JUMPSTART

PRES. OBAMA: … a major milestone on our road to recovery.

SUPER: MAJOR MILESTONE

SUPER: 36 straight months. Unemployment over 8%.

TIM KAINE: We’ll create or save more than 3 million jobs.

PRES. OBAMA: It will save or create more than 3.5 million jobs over the next two years.

SUPER: Factcheck.org [MASTHEAD]: “Stimulus Has FAILED To Live Up To Initial Expectations”

TIM KAINE: I’m doing what the President wants me to do.

SUPER:  “I’m doing what the President wants me to do”

SUPER:  We know, Tim.  But what about us?

From Kaine:

WHAT VIRGINIANS SHOULD KNOW ABOUT GEORGE ALLEN

Richmond, VA – As George Allen heads through Southwest and Southside Virginia, he will talk a good game about supporting the region.  But, Allen can’t hide from a voting record that consistently put special interests before the needs of Virginians, jeopardized critical programs that protect the health and well-being of seniors across the state and added more than $3 trillion to the deficit.

Allen probably won’t mention that while serving in the Senate, he fought to shift Social Security funds to private accounts– a move that, if adopted, would have staked the futures of millions of seniors on a market that bottomed out in 2008. He likely won’t highlight his strong support for Rep. Paul Ryan’s Medicare overhaul, that would effectively end Medicare as we know it and turn it into a voucher system. And he will certainly avoid discussing the votes he made in Washington that helped turn a record surplus into a record deficit.

With a record like that, it’s no wonder Allen doesn’t like to talk about his six years in the Senate.  But voters need to know, if he is reelected to serve in Washington, he cannot be trusted to put Virginians first.

GEORGE ALLEN SUPPORTED SHIFTING SOCIAL SECURITY FUNDS TO PRIVATE ACCOUNTS

Allen Voted For Amendment Designed To Divert Social Security Funds Into Private Accounts. In 2006, Allen voted for an amendment sponsored by Senator DeMint (S.Amdt. 3087) that called for diverting Social Security’s annual surpluses into a reserve fund, which would have been used to set up private accounts. [Vote, #68, 3/16/06]

• Roll Call: Senators Go On Record On “Bush’s Proposal To Set Up Personal Investment Accounts Under Social Security.” In an article headlined, “Private Account Language Fails; But Vote Puts Senators on Record,” Roll Call reported, “In a little-noticed vote last Thursday, the Senate went on record, apparently for the first time, against President Bush’s proposal to set up personal investment accounts under Social Security, with some unexpected Republicans helping a unified Democratic Caucus defeat the nonbinding proposal. . . . Eight Republicans joined all 45 Democrats in opposing the DeMint amendment, which would have directed the creation of a reserve fund for Social Security, but only after the Senate produced legislation allowing younger workers to divert a portion of their Social Security taxes into personal investment accounts or permitting some other type of ‘legally binding ownership’ of a worker’s Social Security money. . . . Though the Senate voted on several Social Security-related amendments during last year’s budget debate, this is the first time Senators have actually voted on anything resembling Bush’s personal account proposal.” [Roll Call, 3/20/06]
• Senator Olympia Snowe’s Spokeswoman: “This Clearly Was A Way To Try to Advance Private Accounts Under Social Security.” Roll Call reported, “Eight Republicans joined all 45 Democrats in opposing the DeMint amendment . . . ‘This clearly was a way to try to advance private accounts under Social Security, and Sen. Snowe has been clear that she’s not against private accounts, per se, but she does have concerns about diverting money away from the traditional Social Security program in order to create private accounts,’ said Snowe spokeswoman Antonia Ferrier.”[Roll Call, 3/20/06]

GEORGE ALLEN HAS ENTHUSIASTICALLY PRAISED THE RYAN MEDICARE PLAN

Allen Commended Ryan For Offering A “Constructive Plan.” In April 2011, George Allen commended Rep. Ryan’s leadership for offering what he called a “constructive plan.” Allen said, “I commend Congressman Paul Ryan’s leadership for offering a constructive plan to put America back on the path to prosperity… Many tough and smart decisions need to be made to spur economic growth and stop the endless spending that is burdening our children and grandchildren with unsustainable debt… I have been a longtime advocate of reducing the tax on job creators to encourage investment and job creation. Rather than fear mongering, it is time for Democrats to come to the table and offer constructive solutions to make America more competitive.” [Washington Examiner, 4/19/11]

GEORGE ALLEN VOTED FOR RECORD DEFICITS, HELPED PUT THE ECONOMY ON A PATH TO FISCAL RUIN

As Senator, Allen Voted For Every Appropriations Bill That Came Up, Adding Over $3 Trillion To The National Debt.PolitiFact Virginia wrote, “Under the budgets approved during Allen’s term, debt climbed by $3.202 trillion. Congress sets budgets through a series of appropriations bills, and Allen supported all of the roughly four dozen bills to hit the Senate floor during his term. . . . Radtke said debt increased by $3 trillion during Allen’s Senate term, a figure equal to $16,000 per second. The actual figures were $3.202 trillion, or $16,896.68 per second.”  [Richmond Times-Dispatch, “PolitiFact Virginia,” 4/15/11]

• Allen Voted for Every Deficit-Growing, Budget-Busting Bush Budget. [Vote 74, 3/16/06; Vote 363, 12/21/05; Vote 114, 4/28/05;  Vote 58, 3/12/04;  Vote 134, 4/11/03; Vote 98, 5/10/01; Vote 86, 4/6/01]

Allen Took America’s Largest Budget Surplus And Turned It Into A Record Federal Deficit. When George Allen took office in the United States Senate in January 2001, “the federal budget surplus for fiscal year 2000 amounted to at least $230 billion, making it the largest in U.S. history,” according to CNN. By July 2003, after Allen was in office for only two years, the budget deficit had already hit a record $455 billion. [CNN, 9/27/2000; Chicago Tribune, 7/16/03]

Allen Voted Against Restoring PAYGO Rules At Least Six Times.Allen voted against restoring pay-as-you-go (PAYGO) rules at least six times, which would have required tax cuts and new entitlement spending to be offset with revenue increases or spending cuts. [Vote 38, 3/14/06; Vote 340, 11/17/05; Vote 283, 11/3/05; Vote 53, 3/16/05; Vote 38, 3/10/04; Vote 200, 5/23/03]

Allen Voted to Raise the Debt Limit Four Times.[Vote 148, 6/11/02; Vote 202, 5/23/03; Vote 213, 11/17/04; Vote 54, 3/16/06]

Newport News Daily Press: “Allen Spends With the Best of Them.” In March 2004, the Newport News Daily Press editorialized that “while decrying ‘big government,’ Allen spends with the best of them. He just signed onto a $318 billion highway package, exceeding President Bush’s proposal by $62 billion. (What, no referendum for that one, senator?) Explaining his vote, Allen said, ‘I care about spending restraints too, but I also want to get Virginia its fair share!’” [Editorial, Newport News Daily Press, 3/3/04]

Virginian-Pilot: “Allen Is Part Of A New Breed Of Borrow-And-Spend Republicans.”In January 1994, the Virginian-Pilot editorialized that “Allen is part of a new breed of borrow-and-spend Republicans who want to extend fiscal irresponsibility from Washington to Richmond. Ignoring the cost to public schools, state colleges, transportation, public safety and human services, the senator exhorts Republican lawmakers to fight tax increases. Fortunately, some of those very same Republicans are driving efforts to stabilize Virginia’s finances. They understand what Allen apparently does not – there is no free lunch.” [Editorial, Virginian-Pilot, 1/29/04]

Washington Post: “As Governor, Mr. Allen Expanded State Spending Dramatically…” [Editorial, Washington Post, 8/3/11]

PolitiFact: As Governor, Allen Increased Spending 45.6%; His Claim That He Reined In Spending Rated “False.”In September 2011, PolitiFact Virginia wrote, “[Allen’s] campaign web site says that when Allen was governor, ‘He challenged critics and sentiment that suggested it couldn’t be done, reining in government spending and substantially reducing the size of the state workforce.’ . . . Allen endorsed $6 billion in additional spending when he was governor — a 40.7 percent increase. But looking at overall spending may be unfair. Slightly more than half of outlays during Allen’s years came from the non-general fund, over which a governor has limited control. . . . A better gauge comes from examining the general fund, which supports public education, health programs and public safety. It’s mostly supported by state income and sales taxes. The general fund was almost $6.8 billion when Allen took office. At the end of his term, he proposed a $9.9 billion general fund budget for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 1998. That means Allen endorsed $3.1 billion in additional general fund spending when he was governor — a 45.6.percent rise. . . . Our ruling: Allen takes credit for ‘reining in state spending’ when he was governor. . . . We rate the statement False.” [PolitiFact Virginia, 9/12/11]