Rep. Hank Johnson Refusing to Debate Opponent
Decatur Metro | October 15, 201011Alive’s Doug Richards recently sat down with Rep. Hank Johnson and his Republican opponent Liz Carter about Johnson’s refusal up to this point to debate Carter prior to the November election.
I guess this sorta cements the fact that this particular election isn’t really about the debating the issues. It’s about getting re-elected.
h/t: Political Insider
You may recall that Cynthia likewise refused to debate her opponent(s). I’m not putting her and Hank in the same league, just pointing that out.
Pretty much the same.
Maybe Hank thought the stage would tip over if to many people were on it.. Oh wait, that was Guam.
Proudly moderated since 2009!
LOL. Every time I remove your moderation, you give me reason to put it back on.
It’s often our most difficult children whom we love the most…
Yes, I am learning that with the almost 5 year old. It seems the harder I have to work with her the more I love her. As if I couldn’t love her more already!
I like Doug Richards, but I don’t understand how he could have kept a straight face while interviewing Rep. Johnson about the tipping island.
Maybe he thinks the debate arena will tip over.
Oops! Didn’t see the joke was already made!
Heck, now that I read DM’s response, I see why I didn’t see it!
I just checked out Liz Carter’s website. She doesn’t have any substantial information on there for what she would do if she were elected. If she can’t even articulate exactly what it is that she would do on her website, why should Hank spend any time debating her? He has a record, you can vote for him or not based on that. Liz has an opportunity on a friendly forum to outline a plan and she doesn’t.
Len – really? You obviously didn’t read much of it. If you look at her blog posts over the past year you’ll see real solutions. She gives an honest opinion and solutions on her issues page – unlike Hank Johnson who can only say “I voted Yes for freaking every spending bill without accountability” and voted 98% party line. Heck, I don’t agree with my partner 98% of the time. I doesn’t list any opinion on ANY social issue. I’m pro-choice but still respect others who are pro-life – Hank voted to use federal money (tax dollars) to fund abortions – you know that’s wrong. If the black churches in our district realized he wanted to use their tax dollars, their bishops tax dollars to fund abortion – they’d run him out. Plus he ran as a Christian and truth be told he’s a Budhist. I don’t care if he’s a budhist, but do care that he LIED.
Hank won’t debate Liz because he can’t defend ANY of his votes.
He’s an embarrassment and you know it. Even Jay Leno is making fun of him.
Come on Decatur, we have a chance to have a business minded WOMAN in Congress who won’t embarrass us and who actually understands business.
Can you honestly vote for Hank? If you can, please skip this part of the ballot – your neighbor will thank you.
Kindly, a Decatur Dem who can’t stand Hank or his staff.
Actually, it’s illegal to use Federal money to provide abortions, so I suspect that’s incorrect.
“Hank voted to use federal money (tax dollars) to fund abortions – you know that’s wrong.” Um, I don’t know that it’s wrong. I don’t know that it’s right but I sure don’t know that it’s wrong. This is NOT to hijack this thread onto a discussion of abortion but just to say that that’s a false premise for some. But most political campaigns make generous use of false premises.
I must have missed the place that Hank “ran as a Christian.” He has openly acknowledged his Buddhist faith since his first run. I have seen him at forums at churches where it would be politically advantageous to claim to be a member of a Christian church, but he did not. He stated that he was a Buddhist.
I also concur in Rob’s comment: federal funding has not been allowed to be used for abortions since the Rep. Henry Hyde’s Amendment passed in the 1970s. Through a deal with President Obama, Rep. Stupak successfully worked to get the Hyde Amendment’s prohibition of federal funding for abortions (except for pregnancies that arose during rape or incest, or pregnancies that posed a threat to the life of the mother) extended to the new health care legislation that passed earlier this year. I suspect you were looking at a vote in the House where Hank voted against Stupak’s proposal. While I certainly understand your position, I support Hank’s vote.
What would happen if there were a debate? In 90 minutes, each candidate would give a well practiced speech. For a Congressional district, who would watch? A few highly motivated citizens who support one or the other candidate? Would they even talk to each other or talk past each other?
I looked through Liz’s Key Issues list again. Maybe I was a little quick to dismiss her website. There are a few more words than I previously admitted. But even on a second glance, much of it it is boilerplate tea party. It may hurt Hank a little in the PR department to not debate. Probably not though. I don’t see our district electing a full boat tea party candidate no matter what Hank does.
I don’t know that funding abortions is wrong. If I could, I would send a large chunk of my federal taxes to funding abortions. But that’s not the way government works. We pay our taxes and Congress decides where the money goes. I realize I don’t win every battle. I hope that I win many, I’m happy when I win some.
Methinks Linda works for the other candidate. Last thing I want is a “business minded WOMAN” in Congress, especially after the examples of Linda McMahan, Carly Fiorina and Meg Whitman. I want a genderless PUBLIC SERVANT who can work for all. I am glad to be on the John Lewis side of Decatur
I don’t work for the candidate, funny.
Get educated if you are going to make claims. House Amendment 509 – Vote to adopt an amendment to HR 3962 that prohibits funds authorized or appropriated by the bill from being used to pay for abortions or to cover any part of the costs of a health plan that includes abortion coverage, unless the woman would be placed in danger of death without the performance of an abortion or the pregnancy is the result of rape or incest. Voted on November of 2009. Hank voted against the amendment.
A “No” vote against this amendment is a vote to try to use tax dollars for abortion.
He ran openly as a budhist? I don’t think so and many Bishops are not happy about his lies.
Funny, for a community who values education and diversity, you’d think Decatur would be smarter than voting party lines and would want a woman in the Georgia congressional delegation. You’d also think that my neighbors would be sick of being embarrassed.
How’s this for an educated discussion during a committee from June of this year – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-x-eHrHg_xY
I don’t want to go out on a limb, but I’m not sure the “Yeah, you people are stupid! Now vote for my candidate!” approach is really the best route to victory.
Linda- It sounds like you may not be aware that was not only item in the bill. Perhaps you may want to glance it over.
This is a site that allows you to review legislation. Hope this helps!
http://thomas.loc.gov/