There are only two weeks left until Election Day.
Monday night, the Democratic and Republican nominees for Hawaii’s First Congressional District squared off in a live televised debate, in our KHON2 News studio.
The debate between incumbent Congresswoman Colleen Hanabusa and former Congressman Charles Djou started off with a question about taxes.
"The so-called Bush-era tax cuts are due to expire at the end of December. Give us your position on the extension, or expiration of these cuts for the middle class," asked debate moderator Kirk Matthews of KHON2 News.
"I have taken a position in support of the Simpson-Bowles Bipartisan Deficit Commission recommendations that will comprehensively reduce our taxes by reforming and simplifying the tax code, and may include an expiration of the Bush tax cuts for the wealthiest citizens in our community," said Charles Djou, (R) Congressional Candidate.
"Yes I would support extension of the tax cuts for the middle class. However I would not support it for the upper income or the top two percent," said Rep. Colleen Hanabusa, (D) Congressional Candidate.
And our viewers were also given an opportunity to participate.
"I’d like to know if the candidates support rail and if they do support rail what they would do to ensure that gets built in a timely fashion," asked Erin Kippen of Mililani.
"I have taken the position that the people of the City and County of Honolulu voted by way of referendum in support of the steel on steel. And while I am a member of Congress I will do what I need to do to ensure that the funding that we believe is part of the package for Hawaii will come to Hawaii," said Hanabusa.
"I will respect whomever the voters of Honolulu decide to elect as the next mayor. If Ben Cayetano should win, it makes no sense to fund a city project opposed by the City administration," said Djou.
They closed by saying …
"Think about the visionaries. John Burns started it, President Johnson, Governor Ariyoshi, and of course Senator Inouye who’s preserved it all along. This is the vision of Hawaii and I hope you will see that I share that vision and I humbly ask for your vote," said Hanabusa.
"I want to make sure that American dream is there for my children and yours and that every child in Hawaii and America grows up where their future is charted not by the size of their debt but the size of their dreams. That’s why i’m running, that’s why I’m here, and that’s why I’m humbly asking for your vote," said Djou.
HPU Communication Chairman and political analyst John Hart was in the audience.
We asked him for his reaction after the debate.
"I’ve seen her debate much more aggressively than she did this evening. She’s clearly debating not to lose. But tonight that’s all she has to do Is not lose. And does she not lose this evening? No she does not. And that functionally is a win for her. In this kind of a debate ties go to the winner. Colleen’s playing to tie. She’s done that. functionally that means she wins," said John Hart, political analyst.
See the original article at: KHON2 Local News
