tv Campaign 2022 Vermont U.S. Senate Debate CSPAN October 14, 2022 8:58pm-9:55pm EDT
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at the wba website and social media accounts. thanks to jonathan from appleton, james langa madison and giuliana from madison. >> >> thank you for joining us for tonight debate. this debate has been sponsored by our wba foundation to throw ground from the wisconsin association of independent colleges and universities and the wisconsin county association. our sincere thanks to the radio and tv stations who work together to produce this broadcast. to our candidates, our moderator, our panelists, our data team, as always wba member stations will be on duty to bring you the results. election day is tuesday, november 8. exercise your right as an american and vote. ♪ >> c-span is your unfiltered
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view of government, we are funded by these television companies and more, including comcast. >> do you think this is just a community center? it is way more than that. >> comcast is partnering with 1000 community centers to create wi-fi enabled a list so students from low income families can have the tools they needo be ready for everything. coast provides -- sponsor c-span, giving you a front row seat to democracy. >> coming up next on c-span, democratic congressman eder welch and republican gerald malloy debate for vermont's u.s. senate seat. topics include inflation and the use of solar energy programs. the winner, where replace patrick lahey. the event is hosted by vermont pbs and is about an hour. ♪
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>> welcome to the vermont public general election debate, i am the host of vermont's addition. today's the second in our series of debates ahead of the 2022 midterm election on november 8. you don't have to be -- wait until then to vote. today's debate is between the major party candidates for vermont's u.s. senate seat, the position will be vacated by senator patrick lahey who was -- patrick lahey who is retiring. joining me as the democratic candidate peter welch. he holds, vermont's sulci in the u.s. house of representatives -- soul seat in the u.s. house of representatives. also, gerald malloy, he is a
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u.s. army veteran who works in emergency management and defense. here's a format we're going to use today and for the rest of our 2022 general election debates. in our first segment i will ask common questions to both candidates. you will each have 60 seconds to answer. the second segment, candidates will ask each other questions. you have 30 seconds to ask the question and 60 seconds to answer we will turn to a series of questions submitted, candidates will have 30 seconds to answer. it is possible i will ask follow-up questions. then we will have a lightning round of questions with very brief answers, about 10 seconds. we will conclude with one a minute closing statements from each candidate. let's get started. please limit your answers to 60 seconds and a reminder, i may ask follow-ups. question one, you have both been on the campaign trail for quite a while. no doubt meeting many vermonters
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from many walks of life. can you tell us about a specific person you have met on the campaign trail, was changed or better informed the way you see an issue? congressman welch? rep. welch: i was at the school. one of the young women asked the question, about what the future was with climate change. what was so compelling to me was how prepared she was, how she was looking down the road into the future and how she wanted to be engaged but was also insisting that mr. malloy and i be engaged. it gave me hope that the kids are not just discouraged about what things are happening but want to be engaged in solution. >> congressman you are first elected to congress 16 years ago and since then state and national politics have become even more polarized, than they
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once were. i'm curious if you've had any conversations specifically with conservative vermonters while you've been on the campaign trail that would help you work across the aisle if elected to the senate, which is one of the most partisan places in the country. rep. welch: i have. vermont conservatives are problem-solving and they have mutual respect, those are the ones i have dealt with in the state senate. the best way that i found in washington, when i was in the state senate, that is were a common problem, you can have the people you represent. broadband is a huge problem in vermont. i created the broadband caucus in congress, and many of the 20 republicans who were part of that were people i approached and asked them how is broadband in your world district. we were talking about a common interest were the folks they represent in the folks i represented needed broadband. we have been successful,
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republicans and them across with the broadband caucus getting $40 billion deployed to rural america. the von -- the vermont approach do not talk ideology of the time talk shared programs -- problems and find common solutions to benefit each people. >> thank you. mr. malloy: i would have to say i agree with the congressman, that was fantastic, encouraging and inspiring. i would have to say a couple of weeks ago i met a gentleman at the landmark maple, started that business when he was 15, it is all vermont resources and machinery he creates wood products and sells them all over the country. just a great success story,. he told me about his business, 42 people employed, one of the things i look to do as a senator is the word small business and grow well-paying jobs in
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vermont. at the end of that i talked with him and i said, how can i help i'm a u.s. senator. he said let's reduce the amount of intervention from government he talked about some new regulations that have been placed upon him, that he didn't think were necessary. he increased his costs. i said i would try to do that, that is one of my positions not to have more government involvement in the industry. >> you mentioned the positions you feel strongly about, less federal regulation of business. on the campaign trail, if you have changed your stance on any issue or heard an opinion from a vermonter that has brought you closely in line with the vermont majority. one example here, i'm thinking of a recent poll that finds reports of vermonters support the upcoming ballot measure to protect abortion rights in vermont's constitution. do you oppose that? mr. malloy: you're talking about
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route 5 -- part five article 22. i'm not in favor of that. i look at the constitution of the people to be representative -- representing other values. the law in vermont, it would include third trimester of -- abortions i do not support that. most of vermont does not support that. that is on a value we want to enshrine on the constitution. i thought we would talk more about business but i was talking about another thing. even the chips act. i do realize that there are reasons to have government involvement at some level, national security for example. those going to be $52 billion, i was supportive of it. but one it went up to $280 million was not. >> but stay on this topic of this is the economy. particularly inflation. it's top of mind for many voters. i want to specifically discuss
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inflation and housing market. prospective homebuyers face interest rates which are above 7.5% for 30 year fixed mortgage. the fed has been raising interest rates to try to curb inflation. i'm curious how you would propose helping people get on the path to homeownership while also addressing inflation in the short-term? gerald malloy let's start with you. mr. malloy: to start off with that, the reason we have inflation in a recession is because of the massive overspending that has been going on for the last year and half. $2.5 trillion debt hike, arpa, ira, the chips act all of that overspending, what that has caused this going back to milton friedman and economics, if you print out money and injected into society, you are going to have inflation. in response to that, it is poor. you mentioned that the debt
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hike's, 2.5 -- height rakes -- rate hikes we have seen, has gone from 3% to 7% in mortgages. that's a big barrier for homeowners to make the purchase. >> you spoke about the reasons for current inflation rates. the truth about solutions for folks you are -- who are living through it, and may not care where came from but want to be able to afford a place to live. rep. welch: --mr. malloy: a couple of solutions. number one is to have a fiscal responsibility, and spend within the budget. we have a debt problem and 31 trillion, that is crushing our economy. it will continue to do so unless we address it and starts bending more within the budget -- spending more within the budget. on the local side we have act 250, which at the state level needs to be looked at to support the development of more homes. >> thank you.
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congressman welch? rep. welch: inflation is really a challenge for everyday vermonters. inflation is a challenge for everyone in america. inflation is a challenge for everyone and -- around the world. it's aftermath of covid. first, let's help folks who needed. i'm happy that the cost of living, for social security is going to be 8.7% this year. that will help. we have to have food banks will supplied. during covid, a lot of vermonters who never needed help, needed it. that will happen again this winter. we've got to maintain low income heating, i am working with the bernie and patrick on that. we had in the covid relief package hundreds of millions of dollars that came to vermont. governors and legislature are
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working on the private sector to build housing. we have to do two things, the federal government has to be involved in helping make housing affordable. that's by providing funding through tax credits. then, at the local level, are used to build housing. at the local level we have to start asking some questions. if we're going to build housing you have to have zoning that allows it. the more closer -- this isn't where urban areas are, there is to be local cooperation with zoning that will facilitate that. that's a big art of it. another challenge is so much of the housing has been taken off the market because of airbnb. so, you are an owner and that is a way you can make more money, that's understandable. i talked to executives who have offered jobs to folks and that person who wants to take the job, tries to get a place to live and can't. this has got to be an aggressive effort that includes federal,
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state and local. >> just a reminder to both candidates, you have a minute to answer each question. let's move on from the national to the international. since russia invaded ukraine in february, hundreds of thousands of refugees have fled the region and about 5800 people have died according to the u.n. putin is threatened to increase or use nuclear weapons on the battlefield. the u.s. has provided support to ukraine and i'm curious if you think that support should continue, increase, and if so, in what form? congressman welch? rep. welch: they do. let's be clear. this was a war of choice started by putin. number one. number two, the way he is prosecuting the war is to attack civilians, not just military personnel, civilians and he did that yesterday. we are all in. the u.s. in or out.
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when i was in the region, in latvia, poland, in slovakia, it was so reminiscent to those folks of world war ii and what had happened. they were getting completely involved and totally helping defend ukraine. we were all inspired by the extraordinary resistance and success of ukraine military. my view? we, and our allies, should provide military aid, we should continue providing humanitarian aid, and we should do all we can to help ukraine defend itself. >> gerald malloy? mr. malloy: thank you. i'm a retired army officer. i served 22 years on active duty, three years at with nato partners in nuclear surety positions. i am a combat victor and. my hat -- i am a combat veteran. i look forward to the peaceful resolution as soon as possible that is amenable. the people of ukraine, i
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support, and provide military equipment to ukraine, it has been disappointing to watch us take long for that equipment to get to ukraine, particularly the high mars. it should have taken that long but i do look for us to continue supporting and have a peaceful resolution as soon as possible. >> many members of the were -- republican party have shared sentiments ranging from admiration to support for russian president vladimir putin and the one ukraine. i'm curious how you would characterize vladimir putin? mr. malloy: he's the aggressor and he needs to be stopped. i am very encouraged by the recent progress by ukrainians and i think that day is coming soon, whether they continue to make congress i think the people of russia might take him out of power at some point in the near future. it's been a failure for him. >> i've a question for you.
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you first ran for congress on a platform, calling for an end on the war in iraq. he faced could ash you face criticism, for -- you faced criticism for supporting bells. what is your concerned that the u.s. is heading into another decade-long conflict with ukraine? rep. welch: any military action, and how it is good for the national security, the iraq war was a terrible decision. it has cost us trillions of dollars. none of it was paid for. it was all put on the credit card, which is a major reason we have to -- that i am concerned about. the situation in ukraine was a war started by putin. we are defending, we are helping defend ukraine. what we're doing is helping ukraine defend itself. the president has made it clear that we're not going to have boo
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ts on the ground during the war, ukraine has to win it but we and the u.s. and the allies can help them. >> more than 200 vermonters died from opioid overdoses last year, the largest number we have seen so far. what new ideas would you pursue to combat this epidemic? gerald malloy will begin. mr. malloy: it would be two parts. i support our law enforcement community. the defund police movement i am not in favor of. i want to support law enforcement. in terms of the opioid, what i think is happening is chemical warfare. china and mexico producing the synthetic opioid that is fentanyl and pushing up our southern border. 10,000 pounds were confiscated last year, enough to kill 2 billion people. i'm in favor of putting a wall on southern border.
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i support legal immigration. that is to curb the flow of fentanyl coming to our country and also trafficking. i made trips across vermont, i saw that absolutely fantastic effort to address the addiction problem that is happening here in vermont now. >> you brought up defund the police as the first item on your list in combating the opioid epidemic. that is been a conversation in vermont, in burlington particularly, but the fbi -- opioid epidemic hits every part of the state. wise is defund the police number one -- why is defund the police number one? mr. malloy: we have drug dealers and they may or may not be getting arrested. put them in jail, they are out there the next day doing the same thing. there were law-enforcement organizations across the state, even the state police organization that is well
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understaffed. i think, supporting our law enforcement community to be able to do their job, and catch and prosecute criminals like drug dealers will have an impact. >> congressman welch? rep. welch: i want to fund the police. but i also want to complement the place. many of our leaders and police force on the state know that there is a distinction between the drug dealers and let's get them, and folks who are addicted and, let's help them. i complement our law enforcement, were able to make that distinction. this is an incredible tragedy, aggravated by covid, the loneliness and despair people are feeling, this is an area in congress where there has been strong bipartisan support. the cares act. billions of dollars to get back to our local communities, to help local providers. in vermont we have this extraordinary network that includes mental health workers, also family -- the family has
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done extraordinary work. the federal government job is to get the resources back to the community and come up with sensible ways to help people who've made that decision to try to deal with addiction. >> congresswoman welch, gerald malloy bought a border security. in 2018, trump sponsored allow that you cosponsored that authorized $9 million for customs to end border control, the screen. do you think enough is being done to stem the flow fentanyl into the u.s.? rep. welch: as long as it is not coming in anyway. it's not just the southern border your dashboard or. we want to do everything we can to keep fentanyl out. my friend, the republican ranking member in energy and commerce committee describes this addiction, death of despair. it's for community has been
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hollowed out. we've lost jobs. there's no hope for folks. a big part of what we have to do is rebuild our communities so we have mutual support to get through some of the ups and downs of life. >> thank you. let's move on. now, the average yearly wage for child care workers in vermont is about 33 thousand dollars according to the bureau of labor statistics. they struggle to hire enough qualified numbers but they operate on slim manner -- mortgage -- slim margins, because they cannot afford to increase pay. vermont families with toddlers spent on average a quarter of the income on childcare. what is the role of federal investment in childcare workers, centers and parents? mr. malloy: i'm looking forward to looking at that role. i went to a meeting read last night. childcare in vermont. i learned quite a bit.
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what i would say is looking at the spending going on in overspending, causing the inflation we have now, i would take a look at the discretionary spending we have support something like childcare and early education programs, providing money to the states to do that. >> now, in the last -- existing senate, wrote it down, build back that are, president -- build back better, president bidens message. . -- massive spending package $400 billion towards childcare, and issue vermonters bring up. you said you are interested in looking at the issue but do you think that is something you would have voted for if you'd been in the senate? mr. malloy: no, i would not have a voted for $400 billion. i would want to take a close look. we went from work -- whatever it was come upwards to billion dollars, they estimated it
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would cost much more, we ended up being around $780 billion. the massive overspending is causing the inflation and recession we are in. i need to take a close look at what we are spending to get back to within a budget. i would reprioritize, i would not be spending $80 billion on 87,000 new irs agents. maybe some of that could go to early education and childcare funding. >> thank you. how would you address the childcare crisis? rep. welch: i did support the build back better fund for child care. childcare is critical for the kids. it's critical for the parents. it's critical for our employers. the problem we have in the workforce is when a family with two kids is doing the math, the couple decides, one of us is
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better off dropping out of the labor force because the cost of childcare, i'm going to correct you on this, my understanding it is 30% of the family income. you can't sustain that. there has to be a federal role. it does involve priorities. we spend a trillion dollars in the military budget, but we don't do much on childcare. so, we need universal childcare. we have to have it, for the benefit of our kids, that is a great investment for the security of our parents and for the strength of our economy. i would can eat -- i would continue to support it. >> if you found yourself in the senate, in january, in the minority, which is a possibility, what would you do to achieve that goal if don't know that folks are going to vote on party lines? you don't pick what the outcome of the election is. you accept it. and if the outcome, i was in the senate and i was in a minority, i would do everything i can, it
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would be harder to persuade the majority or a few of my colleagues to make daycare/childcare a priority. in the minority i have been successful. i will give you an example. >> maybe not the best example but thank you so much. we want to squeeze in one more question before go to break. i want ask each of you, why you think you're the best person to represent vermont in the senate? specifically, he served in the house since being elected in 2006. your 75 years old. many voters have reported, a deep dissatisfaction with the political status quo. i'm curious, why should vermonters send you to washington, rather than making space for someone of the younger generation? rep. welch: it's the values that are at stake, we have to address. january 6 made a big impact on me. i was in the building when it was attacked, when the shots are fired. then, 147 of my colleagues voted
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against certifying joe biden as the elected president for the u.s. and when i talked to vermonters, they had much of the same reactions that i did, what can i do? the urgency of what we need to do is right now, protecting democracy has to begin in january, with new congress. dealing with an economy that is in tough shape. it has to begin now. i have served vermont for 16 years. and have been able to establish a relationship with vermonters. i sense there deep concern about our democracy. i am in a position to carry on that commitment vermont has two our democracy. >> thank you. gerald malloy, you are also the baby boomer generation. you spent two decades in the u.s. army and you've worked in the private sector for defense contractors. to vermonters who may be wary of
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someone with a background in the latour industrial complex to represent them in washington, what would you say? mr. malloy: i have years of relative service to our government. with that and across that has been leadership and performance, willingness to make tough decisions and a lot of -- i'm not a career parson -- i am not a career politician. that is what is missing from vermont representation. i'm a parent, i have three children in vermont schools. my business backgrounds, look to that, i engage and listen and develop solutions for most. i'm going to take that and apply that to vermont issues and develop solutions and also try to grow well-paying jobs here in vermont. >> thank you. that concludes the first segment of this debate. when we come back the candidates 11 opportunity to ask each other questions. this is the debate with the candidates for u.s. senate, live
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on vermont public. >> this is the vermont public debate with the candidates for the u.s. senate. with us today are republican candidate gerald malloy of perkins well and democratic representative peter welch. the candidates will not have an opportunity to ask each other questions. the questions should not be longer than 30 seconds on the responses are limited to 60 seconds. you can ask a brief follow-up question. we will begin with gerald malloy . mr. malloy: mr. welch, you have been a representative for the last 16 years, the national debt has gone up by 300%, a little over. last 14 years the debt of the gdp ratio has more than doubled in the last 20 months he supported the $2.5 trillion debt hike and overspending that has been led -- that is led to
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inflation. we have a $31 trillion debt that is a cancer and is crushing our economy. can you explain your rationale to support overspending? rep. welch: i don't support overspending. i am a pay-as-you-go person. i will adjust one there is an emergency. let me tell you something, i began talking about this when i first went to congress, the war in iraq, on the credit card. i was arguing, this is a vital, national security interest, we should pay for it. that was refuted by george bush. the war in afghanistan, on the credit card, trillions of dollars. the trump tax cuts were unpaid for. the added $2.3 trillion. those tax cuts it didn't go to helping folks for childcare or building affordable housing, they went to multinational corporations, and the wealthiest 1%. i've always advocated for paying
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for things as we go, whether raising the money, or making adjustments in the military budget. for pay as way i go. in an emergency which covid was, i was absolutely supportive of the federal government doing what only he could do to help our businesses survive and get through and our employees to come up with the health to keep her hospitals running. -- the hospitals running. the job acts said it lowered a taxes for the looking -- working-class and increased revenue. mr. malloy: in that 14 years it was mostly democrat administrations. rep. welch: the war in iraq, afghanistan? on the credit card, both george bush's decisions. he would not pay for them. the tax cuts during the bush administration, during the trump
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administration, largely the high-end people and corporations. we had an opportunity to make investments in childcare and housing and we didn't. mr. malloy: can i ask one more? >> we will give congressman walter turn. rep. welch: i understand you support that decision, the supreme court has done something it has never done before, it took away the constitutional right women have to make their own choices. originally you said you are for nationwide ban, now you state is up to the state. if a vermont woman had to move to texas to take care of a family member or career opportunity, she would lose, by moving her right to make her own choice. do you think that's right for texas legislatures to take away that right of reproductive freeman -- freedom to a vermont woman? mr. malloy: i am in support, of defending the constitution of
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the u.s. i believe the supreme court made the right decision in accordance with the constitution, specifically the 10th amendment, make reproductive rights a state issue. it's a state issue and that is where it belongs and where it should stay. vermont will make decisions on how the law involves. i know the law currently as it is here in the state. i will support that law staying is a state issue. i will not supported coming back to a federal level. rep. welch: i will translate that. that means a woman's right to choose depends on which is the coach lives in. mr. malloy: the translation would be i am seeking to be a state senator, and i was -- i will support the constitution. the 10th amendment of the supreme court made it state issue. i will support that. >> to have another question for congressman welch? mr. malloy: sure. we're onto the second amendment. i believe in the second
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amendment, it shall not be infringed. you have an f rating for an airy, how do you -- nra. rep. welch: i think there should be background checks and a ban on assault rifles. i think having prudent and fair gun safety legislation is consistent with the second amendment. it will not infringe on the right of vermonters who have had a good history of gun safety use. what we have seen here is that vermont has always been blessed by not having gun violence. is no longer immune to it. look at what is happening to the shooting in burlington, shortly after there was a shooting in school and parkland, were right here in fairhaven, vermont, something the governor noted, that affected his physician on gate -- position on gun safety matters. we'll set a school shooting here.
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part of the equation should be about the safety of our kids and community. we can have gun safety legislation that protects the individual of vermonters right to the legitimate use of firearms. >> follow question -- follow-up question, congressman welch you have the final question. rep. welch: january is a traumatic day. i understand you say you wish you had been there. i was there. i wish it didn't happen. i was with my colleagues who voted to -- do you believe that president biden was freely and fairly elected by the people of this country to serve as the president of the u.s.? mr. malloy: yes i do. rep. welch: good. it's a position that has changed and i am glad it has changed in a direction i wish it had
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started out with. >> i am curious. mr. malloy: what i had talked about was, many times, the people on january 6 that when it broke the law, need to be held accountable. i believe that. the hundreds of people that went to washington that day to exercise their first amendment right, free speech, peaceably assemble, petition the government without breaking the law, i support that. that's my position. >> response to that? rep. welch: the big lie is what is doing damage. those people one there because they were encouraged by the person they believed in, that was the then president of the united states, said the election was rigged and stolen. and it's very disturbing to me that the president of the united states said that. president trump than show up to the inauguration -- didn't even
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show up to the inauguration. that is never happened before. i don't know if you approve of that conduct by then president trump to promote this lie, do you think it was a lie? mr. malloy: talking about conduct. one thing i don't approve of his one president biden -- when president biden led to the withdrawal of affect anniston, and didn't -- of afghanistan. he should have addressed those. >> that is all the time we have for this segment of the debate. when we come back the candidates will answer russian submitted by vermonters. this is the debate with the candidates for u.s. senate on vermont republic -- vermont public. >> welcome back to the vermont public debate for the candidates of the u.s. state senate. joining me and the vermont public studio is representative peter welch, the democratic nominee from norwich and
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republican nominee and u.s. army veteran gerald malloy from perkins will. time for questions from vermonters. just a reminder to candidates, please limit your answers to 30 seconds. if you have a question for candidates at governors debate or in the lieutenant governors debate, you can ascended to our website. -- ascended to our question. jack from middletown springs, asks, do you believe the earth is experiencing global warming and human activity is responsible for it in part. mr. malloy: yes. we are contributing to global warming. rep. welch: yes. >> he also asks how should we as a society address the issue of global warming, both through action taken by her elected government and through individual action? rep. welch: well, there has to
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be policy that sets in motion the market dynamics that can help the transition from fossil fuels to clean energy, affordable for vermonters and americans. in the legislation we just passed, while there was $390 billion allocated to energy efficiency to allergy, to installing electrical vehicle charging stations, it's the first step and represents a great victory against the folks who have posed governmental policy to help us get to directions that we need to be in for clean energy. individually, all of us if we can drive less, if it can turn our lights off. if we can retrofit our homes, which is something with tax incentives in the inflation reduction act we have, those are things individuals and steps
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folks can take. >> quick follow-up question. can you name an individual action that you have taken to lower your carbon footprint? rep. welch: we heat more with wood, which is a bit of a carbon reduction. we turn the lights off. my wife in particular is super concerned about climate change and is always looking for ways where we can reduce our usage. a lot of folks do that too to save money. >> gerald malloy. mr. malloy: what i was seek to do, as united states senator is, what i consider the young constitutional law to kill the oil and gas industry, we should not be backing into it, not the green new deal and causing a financial hardship. it would be great to have the oil and gas independence. i would look for industry to develop capability for future energy.
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i talked about wanting independence for the u.s., current energy, future energy, critical technology and food. i see much industry and government intervention into industry, we do not have the access and resources that we needed now, china does. >> he spoke about energy independence how do you tie that -- you spoke about energy independence, howdy tie that into global warming? -- how do you tie that into global warming? mr. malloy: as you think i am in favor of reducing. i look to have the actual proof provided for me and i haven't seen that yet. i do want to reduce emissions, part of that is for china india, since they are not reducing emissions on the world goes around, i would say, and even
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spending the $390 billion, there were reports, even without the spending the u.s. is going to be 30% at the 2005 levels. >> let's take a climate change, our next question is about solar energy from scott and underhill center -- in underhill center. >> i insulated home in a vermont can contain half or more of the energy needs for heating from passive solar energy. can you specify what policies you would implement to rapidly increase the use of passive solar in vermont? >> passive solar for those who do not know, means heating up a building by simple exposure to the sun. mr. malloy: i met all of the above. i want to have options for marmont -- vermont and all americans. that would be a vermont state issue, in terms of solar, but i do continue to support development by industry without
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government being overinvolved for wind, solar, and electric. rep. welch: the best thing we can do at the federal level is to provide tax incentives to make it more affordable for families to make that choice that they want to install solar or if they want to utilize wind or geothermal. i've been a champion of maintaining those tax credits to make it affordable. there is a state policy about the implementation and how that gets rolled out. the federal policy, where we can help this make that incentive, so that a person can make an affordable choice, that applies to retrofitting our homes. in their inflection relation act, includes my homes act, which is about to be -- in the inflation relation act includes the homes act. >> thank you. our next question comes from megan in burlington. let's take a listen. >> food insecurity rose during
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covid. i work with seniors who are low income and they were hard hit. what would you do to help older adults who are low income and struggling with even more food insecurity now? >> congressman welch? rep. welch: the federal government, this is where we have to support the local food shelters. we did during covid. we will have to continue doing that with what inflation is doing to people's abilities to afford to buy their groceries. i am so proud of what vermont has done and our extraordinary network of food hubs. i would continue to support them. i also want to give a shot out the vermont national guard that played such a major role during covid and food distribution at various airports around the state. >> gerald malloy? mr. malloy: thank you. so in terms of engagement, many
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vermont farmers, there seems to be too much government involvement in food production, which i would love to decrease. i would go back, even to the state we are in with the $31 trillion debt. i read an article where someone talked about the loop where we are going to have to keep borrowing to pay interest on the debt. in the future that will impact our ability to pay for social security, which goes to older folks and helps them survive and pay the bills. i would start off with fiscal responsibility. >> next, we have another question for -- from burlington. this one from sandy. she asks, do support the basing of the fighter jets. would you support moving the jets to a less populated area? mr. malloy: i support the fighter jets in should and county -- in the county.
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i called to the sound of freedom. if vermonters want to see change, i would collect all the stakeholders and their involvement, that would be the department of defense, the vermont government, from our business owners in the greater burlington area, that is a bringing investment and spending and supporting of the economy here in burlington. it would be a big decision. could we possibly move to a remote area in vermont? that would be a decision between all of the stakeholder partners. rep. welch: i have supported the basing of the f-35's. it was a decision the air force made. i support the decision made. every garden needs airplanes. that's the new model. i have heard from folks, it's tough. i am doing everything i can to do whatever can be done on
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mitigation noise. to address the legitimate concerns everyone in the flight path have. >> to you both. we have time for a brief lightning round before the end of the debate. please keep your answers as short as possible, hoping to keep you at 10 seconds or less. we will start with the big question. do you think the u.s. should ease trump era sanctions with venezuela as part of an effort to improve the situation in the country and stem migrants are flowing into the southern border? mr. malloy: no. i have talked about taking a good hard look at who we do trade with, if they are drug using communist, human rights, no fair trade policies to impose more sanctions. that would be disruptive but that would be better for the economy. rep. welch: i don't know whether it would work or wouldn't. i favor sanctions on venezuela. it's a collapsed government and
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inflicting pressure and suffering on citizens. if you ease that sanctions does that help citizens, that's really the question. >> if elected how many terms do you ideally hope to serve in the senate? rep. welch: i take it one term at a time. mr. malloy: i want to do one, a great job in the first one in no more than two. >> we chatted about this a bit. would you vote for or against the nationwide abortion ban? mr. malloy: i would not. that's a state issue. i would leave that up to the states. rep. welch: adamantly opposed a ban on abortion. mitch mcconnell said he would have the senate vote on it. the right to reproductive freedom is at stake. if there is a republican senate, the leadership has said they would have a vote on a nationwide ban. >> you see -- the population is
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larger than vermont's, the population does not have representation in congress, you support d.c. statehood? mr. malloy: it's a u.s. capitol and that is how we should keep it. rep. welch: i do. d.c. has taxation without representation. i believe that they should be entitled to statehood, if that's a decision they make. >> october 1 marked the first day of vermont's recreational cannabis marketplace. do you support full legalization of cannabis nationwide? rep. welch: are heading in that direction. it has been done because of leadership of states like vermont were citizens have debate. i have been supportive of making banking regulations. yeah. i'm not going to be an impediment to it. i'm more concerned about health care and climate change, reproductive freedom. >> have you visited one of vermont's new cannabis shops? mr. malloy:.
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yes. . rep. welch: i have it. >> what you think of a prop to, an amendment that would officially ban slavery in the state? mr. malloy: i'm going to have to take a good look at top two. vermont was the first state to ban slavery. >> you will be voting on it in november. rep. welch: i will be voting yes. >> what is one issue in which you fungus men welch disagree with president biden -- which you, congressman welch disagree with president biden, and gerald malloy, you with president trump? rep. welch: ethanol. it's bad for the environment and the dairy farms. it's a bad policy and have been clear that i disagree with president biden on that. mr. malloy: i think president biden should have fired anthony fauci. president trump. >> name seventh member -- a
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member of the opposite party who you believe you will work well with. mr. malloy: senator manchin. i would like to work on him with energy -- work with him on energy. he seems reasonable. rep. welch: senator collins. he displays a sensibility about trying to bring people together to see if we can make progress. >> what do you think, when you hear the term deep state? the line -- state? rep. welch: with all the stuff that is spreading around there is this concept that there are people, deep in the bowels of the education department, or the natural resources department that have their own power, i think it is bogus, but it is a way of dismissing a serious
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debate on the issues. >> gerald malloy. mr. malloy: i hear people mentioning it but i don't think it's out there. >> name one important issue regulated at the federal level that you think should be returned to the state? mr. malloy: i'm not thinking of one right off the bat. but i am in favor of pushing decisions to the state level. rep. welch: i kind of agree with that. i think the right regulation is just the minimal amount necessary to achieve the goal. the most that can be done at the local level, is the more it is there, the better. >> our final question, a fun one, what is your favorite vermont product? rep. welch: maple syrup. mr. malloy: maple syrup, i make my own. >> we ended on agreement. we have time for one minute closing statements from each candidate. the order was determined
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randomly before the show. mr. malloy:, you will start us off -- gerald malloy you will start us off. mr. malloy: i have engaged thousands of malarkey is across all 14 counties. vermont has realized that the economic, drum -- drug crises has been brought to us by the current administration, including my opponent. vermonters, i hear negative perceptions in terms of performance and even conduct. here we are with a war in europe. i will conduct myself and the values i learned at west point and ivan braced duty, -- i have embraced, duty on a far country and i offer my character. i will serve and represent all vermonters for a better future.
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i ask for your vote. i ask all of vermont to vote for your heart and conscience. i will deliver a better future, may god bless america, thank you. rep. welch: thank you vermont, and mr. malloy. this is the most consequential election i have participated in. the reason it is is because january 6 demonstrated that our democracy is very much in peril. what is so essential for us to maintain our democracy, is that it is the tool we as citizens have to resolve some of these extraordinary challenges our society faces. that is under assault. it only began on january 6. it was something that now continues to be in peril. i want to go to washington to bring vermont's commitment to a democratic process, where we listen to one another, where
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there is mutual respect, where there is a commitment to the common good, that that is how we will succeed. the other issues of inflation are so important, reproductive freedom, dealing with the supreme court that has gone rogue. that is what is at stake in the selection. i hope to continue to serve vermont in the capacity as a u.s. senator, i ask for your support. thank you. >> thank you congressman, and thinking of both candidates who joined us today -- thank you to both candidates who joined us today. thank you to the candidates, democratic candidate and vermont's current representative peter welch, and republican candidate gerald malloy. you can join us on tuesday, october 18. i will be monitoring the debate for vermont governor with incumbent reporter phil scott and democratic challenger.
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email your questions. the vermont public debates are produced by matthew smith, david littlefield, brian stevenson, fiona haskins, mike dunn, fully mumford, peter angus, thank you so much for listening today, both on the radio and on tv. we will catch up again soon. >> on sunday republican senator todd young and his challengers, democrat thomas mcdermott, a libertarian james cbn, participated -- james participate in a debate, liveerage begins at 7:00 eastern on c-span, c-span now are free mobile video app or online on c-span.org. ♪ >> american history tv saturdays
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