Says he'll be part of a new Senate majority to take the country in a different, conservative direction; opponent will be "just one more vote for Barack Obama's agenda"
NASHVILLE – U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander spoke at the Tennessee Farm Bureau's candidate forum Thursday morning, discussing issues of importance to Tennessee's agriculture industry and urging members to support his bid to become part of a "new Senate majority that will fix our broken system and take the country in a new direction" over his opponent, who would be "just one more vote for Barack Obama's agenda."
Alexander appeared alongside Democrat opponent Gordon Ball at Tennessee Tech University in Cookeville, taking questions from Farm Bureau leadership and the audience and drawing a contrast with Ball over what Alexander said is a "clear choice for Tennesseans on Nov. 4." Among the major issues Alexander discussed were the importance of the rural economy, how difficult it is for Americans to find a job, federal overreach burdening farmers and his conservative positions on Obamacare, the Second Amendment, abortion, Unions, and taxes and spending.
Alexander said in a statment: "From fighting to repair the damage of Obamacare to pushing back against overreach by the EPA, I will continue to stand with Tennessee farmers. The choice this fall is clear: I'm one more vote for a new Senate majority that will take our country in a different and more conservative direction, while a vote for my opponent is just one more vote for Barack Obama's agenda."
"Don't Let Him Fool You"
Alexander campaign releases comparison making clear opponent Gordon Ball's status as one more vote for the Obama agenda
The Alexander for Senate campaign today released the following comparison of the records of Lamar Alexander and Gordon Ball in relation to their joint appearance at the Tennessee Farm Bureau candidate forum.
Alexander noted that Ball was "trying to fool you with his slick talk." The following is a breakdown of seven issues on which Gordon Ball has tried to avoid or disguise his positions to escape his clear status as being one more vote for Barack Obama's agenda:
Obamacare
Alexander: Voted against Obamacare 23 times
Source: http://www.alexander.
Ball Supports Obamacare, wants to expand it.
“I support the Affordable Care Act, with a few modifications.”
Source: http://www.knoxviews.
A single-payer system "should be studied" if Obamacare fails.
Source: http://www.knoxviews.
Second Amendment Rights
Alexander: Endorsed by NRA, received an "A rating"
Source: https://www.nrapvf.
Ball: Supports new restrictions on guns, received an "F" rating from NRA
Gordon Ball supports universal background checks.
“I believe in the 2nd Amendment, but I believe that we need to have universal background checks.” (YouTube, “Gordon Ball For U.S. Senate - Education, Health Care, 2nd Amendment”
Source: http://www.
Gordon Ball supports restrictions on so-called assault weapons and high-capacity magazines.
Knox Views: “Do you support restrictions on high capacity magazines and military style firearms?”
Mr. Ball: “Yes. High-capacity magazines are used to kill more people more quickly and, from what I have read, have been used in more than half the mass shootings since 1982.”
Source: http://www.knoxviews.
Abortion
Alexander: Pro-life; Endorsed by National Right to Life
Source: http://www.nationalrig
Ball: Pro-choice
“So long as the termination of the pregnancy is safe and legal, women should be able to make this very difficult personal decision in concert with their doctors and their family.”
Source: http://www.knoxviews.
Unions
Alexander: Defends Tennessee's right-to-work law against assaults by the Obama administration
Source: http://www.nooga.com/
Ball: Endorsed by AFL-CIO
Source: http://www.nooga.com/
Taxes and Spending
Alexander: Would reduce the growth of out-of-control entitlement spending by nearly $1 trillion over 10 years.
Source: http://www.alexander.
Ball: Would consider raising payroll taxes
“I am not opposed to considering a modest, graduated payroll tax increase.”
Source: http://www.knoxviews.
Immigration Reform
Alexander: Voted in 2013 to secure the border and end perpetual amnesty for 11 million illegal immigrants already here by requiring them to pay a penalty before being able to apply a green card.
Source: http://www.alexander.
Ball: Supports a "legal path to citizenship" without any mention of a penalty -- the definition of amnesty
Source: http://www.
Common Core
Alexander: Has introduced legislation, supported by every Republican senator on the education committee, which would get Washington out of Tennessee's public schools and move decisions about education, including those about whether to adopt common core, back to states.
Source: http://www.gpo.gov/
Ball: Wants to tell Tennesseans what to do about common core, and every Senate Democrat on the education committee opposed Senator Alexander's legislation that would give Tennessee the right to decide for itself about common core.
Sources:
Ball statement: http://www.
Senate bill: http://www.gpo.gov/