D2 Congressional Candidate Holds Court in Anderson

Unopposed Debate Allows Republican McEwen to Friendly Policy Display

By Tim Beechuk
QueenCityForum.com Magazine

Anderson Township--Generally a debate involves two or more people, but in this case one would have to be enough. Rep. Jean Schmidt (OH-R) chose not to enter into the debate with Bob McEwen held at The Mercy Healthplex Wednesday evening in Anderson Township. However, the presentation continued as it had been planned, minus one.

The candidates are vying for a May 2nd primary victory that would send them to the general election against the Democratic primary victor. Ohio’s District 2 is one of the most heavily Republican districts in the United States.

The moderator explained the rules as originally agreed to by both candidates, before a pro-McEwen audience.

McEwen’s opening speech focused on the importance of economic freedom in government to garner wealth in society vs. using tight governmental regulations which would stifle the economy. He also spoke of his background in politics which include three terms in the Ohio state legislature and six terms in the U.S. House.

Questions had been previously sent in and also accepted from the audience prior to the start of the debate. Some of the former representative’s answers were short and to point. In these he focused on the crafted Karl Rove-eque “stay on message” strategy, pleading for, “extension of the Voting Rights Act,” and maintaining that “outsourcing of delicate jobs to foreign soil” shouldn’t happen.

McEwen covered free trade, saying that it helps everyone but that there is a need for a level playing field to enable the U.S. economy to compete fairly in more detailed answers.

McEwen asked, “With manufacturing moving to other countries, how do we maintain & grow U.S. workforce?”

McEwen expressed the need to control the spiraling costs of higher education through an extended teaching approach that mirrors our other technological triumphs.

The current topic of immigration brought the lone candidate to propose reducing the problem by inducing immigrants to become Americans, rather than remaining immigrants in America.

McEwen stated that he was in favor of capital punishment in certain cases, emphasizing that a quicker process in the actual carrying out of the punishment.

Incumbent Congresswoman Jean Schmidt did join McEwen yesterday in a television debate filmed at the WLWT Channel 5 studios in Cincinnati.

Rep. Schmidt has hired well known class-action attorney Stan Chesley to represent her in a possible suit involving Mr. McEwen’s Ohio state residency

McEwen On...
… National debt: Currently 60% of GDP, it’s been much higher and we got out of the problem
… Bringing troops home from Iraq: The premiere question we will face for the rest of our lives.
… Drilling on Alaska National Wildlife Refuge: Nothing lives there, we need our own oil, let’s dig
… Admitting openly-gay Americans to the military: no one else does it; if it ain’t broke don’t fix it.

QueenCityForum.com Magazine writer Marc Beechuk contributed to this article
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