By Tom Weber, KWMU
ST. Louis, MO – Three of the candidates for Dick Gephardt's seat in Congress debated a number of issues Tuesday night at Washington University.
The candidates were mostly polite, though Republican Bill Federer noted at a number of points throughout the debate missed votes or wrong votes that Democrat Russ Carnahan has cast as State Representative. Carnahan is the only candidate on the ballot who has held elective office.
Federer and Carnahan both agreed on one issue: They support importing prescription drugs from Canada. Libertarian Kevin Babcock does not.
Babcock says he's running to be a voice for smaller government. He wants, for example, to abolish the federal Education Department and the IRS. It doesn't matter which of his opponents people vote for, he said, both would support making government even bigger and more burdensome to taxpayers.
Democrat Russ Carnahan called the No Child Left Behind law, which sets national standards for schools to meet, a great slogan, but he criticized a lack of funding from Washington to help schools meet those standards. Federer, the Republican, says the law's intentions are good, but he thinks schools should be controlled more at the local level. Babcock called the law a failure and says the federal government should have no role in education.
To hear the hour-long debate, click here --->
To hear a question on the federal No Child Left Behind
education law, click here-->
To hear a question on Social Security
click here -->
To hear a question on roads in the Third District,
click here -->
To hear a question on reinstating the draft,
click here -->
To hear a question on Iraq,
click here -->
To hear a the candidates' closing statements,
click here -->