Issue: Government Spending
Tim Walberg:
· Received the “Taxpayers Hero” Award from Citizens Against Government Waste in 2008.
Mark Schauer:
· Voted for the $800 billion spending “stimulus” package. [Roll Call Vote 46 on 1-28-09]
· Voted for the $410 billion omnibus appropriations bill that increased spending by 8.4%, included over 8,000 earmarks, and raised spending for the operation of Congress by 11%. [Roll Call Vote 86 on 2-25-09]
· Voted for Speaker Pelosi’s almost $4 trillion Budget that increases the national debt by $5.3 trillion over the next five years. [Roll Call Vote 192 on 4-2-09]
Issue: Health Care
Tim Walberg:
· Introduced legislation to allow people to purchase health insurance across state lines, let small businesses join together to purchase health insurance for their employees at a more affordable price, end lawsuit abuse, expand the flexibility of medical savings accounts, and give individuals the same tax benefits as corporations when purchasing health insurance.
· Strongly opposed the Obama-Pelosi government takeover of health care and signed a pledge to repeal the legislation so patient-centered reforms can be implemented.
Mark Schauer:
· Voted twice in favor of the Obama-Pelosi government takeover of health care that will cost trillions, raise taxes, reduce access to care for seniors, result in millions of families losing access to their current coverage and add over a hundred new bureaucracies. [Roll Call Vote 887 on 11-7-09 and Roll Call Vote 165 on 3-21-10]
Issue: Taxes
Tim Walberg:
- Introduced the Tax Increase Prevention Act to stop higher taxes on work, savings, investment, marriage, small businesses, and having and adopting children.
Mark Schauer:
· With Michigan in a recession, Mark Schauer voted for Governor Granholm’s income tax increase and sales tax on services. [Senate Roll Call votes 397 and 398 on October 1, 2007] Schauer even introduced a bill to raise the income tax by 18%. [Sen. Schauer introduced Senate Bill 605]
Issue: National Debt
Tim Walberg:
· Fought to rein in federal government spending and never voted to increase the national debt limit.
Mark Schauer:
· Voted for Speaker Pelosi’s Budget that increases the national debt by $5.3 trillion over the next 5 years. [Roll Call Vote 192 on 4-2-09]
Issue: Energy Costs
Tim Walberg:
· Supports developing alternative sources; exploring for more oil and natural gas; increasing wind, solar, and nuclear power; building refineries; and promoting conservation.
Mark Schauer:
· Voted for “cap and trade” legislation [Roll Call Vote 477 on 6-26-09] that the Congressional Budget Office predicts will increase gasoline costs by 77 cents per gallon and could increase utility bills by 40-50%. [Rep. Upton Press Release 6-26-09]
· President Obama said ‘cap and trade’ policy would cause “electric rates” to “skyrocket.” [San Francisco Chronicle interview of Obama 1-17-08]
· Congressman John Dingell, a key Democrat and longtime Chair of the Energy and Commerce Committee, says that "nobody in this country realizes that cap and trade is a tax, and it’s a great big one." [Congressman Dingell speaking in committee on 4-27-09]
Issue: Life
Tim Walberg:
· Pro-Life
Mark Schauer:
· Voted against a ban on partial-birth abortion. [Senate Roll Call Vote 15 1-22-08]
Issue: Secret ballot for workers
Tim Walberg:
· Supports the secret ballot for workers.
Mark Schauer:
· Original co-sponsor of H.R. 1409, “Employee Free Choice Act of 2009” on 3-10-09, which allows union bosses to bypass the secret ballot in union organizing.
Issue: Marriage
Tim Walberg:
· Believes in and will defend “one man, one woman” marriage.
Mark Schauer:
· Opposes defining marriage as between one man and one woman. [Battle Creek Enquirer 3-6-04]
Issue: Illegal Immigration
Tim Walberg:
· Opposes driver’s licenses for illegal aliens.
Mark Schauer:
· Voted to allow illegal aliens to obtain a Michigan driver’s license. [House Roll Call 61 2-7-02]
Issue: English
Tim Walberg:
· Believes English should be our official language.
Mark Schauer:
· Opposed making English our official language. [Battle Creek Enquirer 3-16-06]