Esch-Terry Debate Focuses on Social Security

Press Release

Esch-Terry debate focuses on Social Security

BY ROBYNN TYSVER

WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER

Republican Lee Terry accused his challenger, Democrat Jim Esch, of "scaring seniors" Wednesday as the two congressional opponents rumbled over Social Security.

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Jim Esch, and Lee Terry
The verbal tussle came as the two locked horns in a debate that dealt with the $700 billion financial bailout and President Bush's political legacy. About 140 people attended the event at Bellevue University.

Terry and Esch are locked in what experts consider the most competitive congressional race in Nebraska. Terry is seeking his sixth term in the U.S. House of Representatives, while Esch is making his second bid for public office — again against Terry.

Esch came within 9 percentage points of unseating Terry in 2006 and is hoping to ride an anti-Republican wave into Congress. Terry is aggressively battling back, accusing Esch of lacking the experience to help steer the country through its current financial crisis.

For weeks, the two have been hammering each other in public and in political ads about their respective positions on Social Security.

In addition, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee began running TV ads Wednesday that accused Terry of putting Social Security at risk.

At issue is Terry's support of a 2005 proposal by President Bush to allow American workers to divert a portion of their Social Security payroll taxes into private accounts.

Esch said if the Bush plan had been in place this past month, senior citizens and others would have lost their savings in the volatile stock market. He opposes any "privatization" of Social Security.

Terry responded that he never said the money had to be invested in the stock market. He also said he supported the idea of giving senior citizens and others more ownership of their savings accounts.

Esch demanded to know where Terry expected workers to invest their money if they weren't investing it in the stock market.

"You're calling me a liar, and I want to know why you're calling me a liar," Esch asked.

Terry responded that people could invest in the government.

David Boomer, Terry's campaign manager, said after the debate that Terry was referring to such investments as bonds, certificates of deposit and money market funds.

Terry portrayed himself throughout the debate as a seasoned congressman. He argued that he had the "guts" to vote for the financial bailout despite intense opposition to it from many Nebraskans.

Esch said he would not have voted for the package because it did not include enough transparency and accountability to protect taxpayer dollars.

Terry fired back that it was easy to oppose a bill responding to a crisis without offering solutions.

"Any jackass can kick down a barn door, but it takes a carpenter to build one," Terry said.

Esch didn't respond to Terry's barn comment, but he accused Terry several times of being part of the problem in Washington, D.C.

He said Terry has walked in "lockstep" with Republicans over the past eight years, voting more than 90 percent of the time with the wishes of the Bush administration.

"You cannot say the last eight years have been a success in this country," Esch told Terry.

Terry responded that U.S. Sen. Chuck Hagel, R-Neb., who is known for crossing party lines, also voted more than 90 percent of the time in line with Bush.

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