Daschle, Thune face off

By Chet Brokaw, Associated Press Writer | Wednesday, October 13, 2004

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PIERRE — Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle and former Republican Rep. John Thune clashed sharply in a televised debate Tuesday night on proposals for fixing Social Security and making health care more affordable.

In a debate sponsored by KDLT-TV of Sioux Falls and The Associated Press, the candidates were asked what they would do to preserve Social Security, which may be unable to pay full benefits after 2042.

Thune said he would support allowing younger workers the option of taking some of their Social Security money and investing it in personal retirement accounts regulated by the government. He said that would help extend the life of the Social Security system and safeguard the benefits expected by older people.

"We've got to do something, because the cost of doing nothing is horrible," Thune, who is trying to unseat Daschle, said.

But Daschle, who is seeking a fourth Senate term, said Thune's plan would lead to a 40 percent cut in benefits for those who continued in the traditional Social Security system.

"John's proposal is virtually the elimination of the Social Security system as we know it today," Daschle said.

Daschle said the Bush administration has tapped Social Security funds for other purposes, a practice he said jeopardizes the retirement system. Social Security should remain financially healthy for a long time if its funds are protected, he said.

"We've got to put it in a lock box. We've got to make sure we've got that money available," Daschle said.

Thune said his proposal would not threaten Social Security or cut people's benefits. "Social Security is headed for bankruptcy. Tom's solution is to do nothing."

Thune also charged that House Republicans have passed a number of measures aimed at cutting health-care costs, including capping punitive damages in medical lawsuits, allowing tax deductions for insurance premiums, permitting medical savings accounts and allowing the reimportation of prescription drugs from Canada.

Those measures all have been blocked by Senate Democrats, Thune said.

But Daschle said Thune's statements were misleading. He said Senate Democrats and Republicans reach agreement on issues but that the House Republican leadership loads those bills with special-interest measures that make the bills impossible to pass.

"John has a pretty good capacity for turning truth on its head," Daschle said.

The Senate minority leader said he wants to allow Medicare to negotiate lower costs for prescription drugs, cut fraud and waste in health care and allow people to pool their resources to get health insurance. He said he also believes premium costs should be tax deductible.

The debate was the first televised meeting between the two candidates since a nationally televised debate three weeks ago on NBC's "Meet the Press." Three debates were canceled in the past few days because Daschle needed to remain in Washington while Congress continued to meet.

The candidates shook hands before and after Tuesday night's debate, exchanging a few seconds of small talk when the hourlong debate ended. Both interrupted each other's answers several times, and Daschle interjected "That's not true" several times while Thune was talking.

On many of the questions, Thune repeated his charge that Daschle has grown out of touch with South Dakota and is siding with the national Democratic Party to block proposals supported by most people in his home state.

"Things that need to get done aren't getting done today in the United States Senate because of partisanship and political games," Thune said, noting that Daschle has been in Congress for 26 years.

Daschle said both parties worked in the Senate in the past week to extend middle-class tax relief, extend ethanol incentive payments and pass other legislation.

The Democrat said he has used his leadership position to get money for highway projects, water projects and other South Dakota priorities.

"I've used that opportunity every single day to make South Dakota stronger and better," Daschle said. "I've been guided not by what's right for our party, but by what's right for our future."