In second and final debate, Oberstar stands steadfast with House Speaker

GRAND RAPIDS, Minn. – Congressman Jim Oberstar once again embraced his steadfast support for House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s job-killing policies today during a debate with Chip Cravaack at Itasca Community College. In front of a capacity crowd, Cravaack clearly laid out his vision to create jobs, stop tax hikes, and control run-away spending in Washington.

“Even though he voted for a failed stimulus that created debt instead of jobs, a national energy tax cap-and-trade scheme that raises taxes on working families, and a job-killing health care bill that puts bureaucrats between patients and their doctors, Congressman Oberstar once again refused to take any responsibility for the mess created by the Pelosi-Oberstar policies,” said Cravaack, a 24-year Navy veteran. “After nearly 50 years in Washington Congressman Oberstar proved once again he has truly lost his way. He isn’t representing the interests of Minnesotans in the 8^th district; he’s representing Nancy Pelosi’s interests.”

As Cravaack explained to Congressman Oberstar, the private sector creates jobs, not the federal government. That means taking tax increases and other job-killing policies off the table – something Congressman Oberstar didn’t do when he joined Nancy Pelosi in refusing to allow a vote to stop the $3.9 trillion job-killing tax increases scheduled to take effect on Jan. 1, 2011.

Many in the audience agreed the debate showed stark differences between the candidates. While Cravaack supports lowering taxes, bringing good jobs to Minnesota, and repealing the new health care law, Congressman Oberstar continued trumpeting his support for Obama-Pelosi policies that increase government spending.

• Oberstar voted for cap-and-trade which will raise energy prices and cost Minnesota families $2,300 per year.
• Oberstar continues to push for a bloated $500 billion transportation bill which earmarks money for pork projects we cannot afford.
• Oberstar voted for the health care law which increases costs, decreases the quality of care, and puts programs that seniors rely on, like Medicare Advantage, in jeopardy. When asked if he would change anything with the law, Oberstar said, “I wouldn’t change a thing.”
• Oberstar voted with Nancy Pelosi’s tax-and-spend agenda 96 percent of the time.

Earlier this week, the independent, non-partisan Cook Political Report, one of the nation’s most reputable firms which analyze elections and campaigns, announced that Congressman Jim Oberstar’s race is no longer a “safe” seat for the 18-term incumbent. This announcement came just 24 hours after Congressman Oberstar scolded constituents and called them names during a debate Tuesday in Duluth. Recently, a poll showed Cravaack within 3 points of Oberstar, a strong position for a challenger heading down the final stretch of the race. The poll was conducted by Public Opinion Strategies, a national firm that also polls for the Wall Street Journal and NBC News.

Cravaack, who the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) recently named to be part of its “Young Guns” program (“On the Radar”), is a graduate of the United States Naval Academy and served in the U.S. Navy and Naval Reserve for 24 years. After retiring from the Navy, he was a pilot for Northwest Airlines and served as a union representative for the Air Line Pilots Association. Cravaack lives with his wife and two young sons in Lindstrom and was president of the local Parent Teacher Organization.