PORTLAND — He believes in a free marketplace. She believes in government intervention.
The wide differences in philosophy between Republican Dean Scontras and Democratic U.S. Rep. Chellie Pingree were clear Tuesday night in their third and final debate of the campaign.
A week before Election Day, Scontras and Pingree charted different courses for the country during a half-hour discussion on WCSH-TV.
Scontras continued to beat the drum for lower taxes and lower regulation as a way out from under a burdensome federal debt and deficit, and again pushed the idea of eliminating the Internal Revenue Service.
Pingree acknowledged the difficult economic times and reminded Scontras that eight years of a Republican administration turned a budget surplus into an enormous deficit before she took office in 2009. She said the best solution is to end military involvement in Afghanistan and allow the Bush tax cuts to expire for the nation’s highest earners.
Scontras said he has been equally critical of Republicans as Democrats in running up the deficit. He also said the stimulus has not led to any job creation.
Pingree said she thinks even more targeted investment is needed in Maine to boost the economy and add jobs.
She defended health care reform legislation and noted that major provisions won’t take effect until 2014. “We’re attempting to change the entire system,” she said, “which doesn’t happen overnight.”
Scontras vowed to repeal and replace the health care bill and spoke of a voucher system that would promote competition and lower costs.
He also described Social Security as a “glorified Ponzi scheme” that’s in danger of going insolvent. Pingree described it as a “vital safety net” with a $2 trillion surplus.
The issue of marriage equality, as in earlier debates, drew the sharpest differences. Pingree reiterated her support of same-sex marriage and brought up her co-sponsorship of a bill to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act. Scontras avoided a direct yes-or-no answer and instead said he supports “the will of the people and the rule of law.”
When she reminded him of the uncompromising tone he took two years ago as a candidate in the Republican primary, he said he has never “been opposed to gay rights.”
The entire debate will be available on wcsh6.com.
Staff Writer Glenn Jordan can be contacted at 791-6425 or at: gjordan@pressherald.com
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