Durbin, Oberweis see red over environmental issues
It was jab, left hook, eye roll, but no knockout punch Wednesday as U.S. Senate candidates Dick Durbin, the Democratic incumbent, and Republican state Sen. Jim Oberweis sparred in the last major debate of their campaign.
The two traded barbs over some recurring themes but broke new ground on environmental questions during the forum held by WTTW 11 Chicago, such as drilling for natural gas in Lake Michigan.
"It's something I'd have to consider," said Oberweis of Sugar Grove, who supports the Keystone oil pipeline. "I generally believe in doing the right thing to bring down energy costs so we're no longer dependent on Middle Eastern oil."
"Is it appropriate to say, 'Hell, no?" asked Durbin, of Springfield. "I'll just say no."
When asked by moderator Phil Ponce if climate change was caused by humans, Oberweis said Chicago's arctic temperatures this winter called into question research on global warming. He asked for more evidence "before we destroy the economy with huge regulations."
Durbin said "overwhelming evidence" from the scientific community required Congress to act to reverse negative effects of climate change.
However, both supported fracking in Illinois, with some caveats by Durbin.
On an anti-tax pledge sponsored by conservative Grover Norquist's Americans for Tax Reform group, Oberweis, who signed the pact, said: "It's a pledge saying I'll work to lower taxes."
"That's not what (the pledge) says," countered Durbin, contending it stifled bipartisan attempts at tax reform.
When Durbin criticized the Republican for being affiliated with the Tea Party, Oberweis countered that its members were "middle-class Americans who believe the government is overreaching. The founders of the country were Tea Partyers. ... (Democrat Gov.) Pat Quinn was a Tea Partyer."
"I don't think so, Jim," Durbin said.
On reducing gun violence, Oberweis, chairman of Oberweis Dairy, said the key is to grow the economy.
"The problem is kids get involved in gangs because they don't have an alternative. The average family has lost $5,053 on average because of Dick Durbin's policies."
"My policies? No, Jim, it's the policy of George W. Bush's of tax cuts for wealthy people and thinking you could wage war and never pay for it," Durbin said. He accused Oberweis of "ducking the question."
"Now he's blaming George Bush for things that are happening today because he's been in power for 32 years," Oberweis shot back.
The two candidates did agree generally on several areas, including cost of living increases for wealthy people on Social Security not being automatic, private funding for President Obama's presidential library, and legalizing prescription medical marijuana at the federal level.