Burns-Testers race dominates talk

By Dan Testa
Community News Service
UM School of Journalism

You can learn a lot about the U.S. Senate race at lunch counters in the Bitterroot Valley.

Ted Ralls of Corvallis said he's done voting for Republican incumbent Sen. Conrad Burns. Ralls, a maintenance worker at Rocky Mountain Laboratories, has voted for Burns three times in the past.

What's different about this year?

"I think Burns has lost a lot of credibility with the people of Montana," he said, while waiting to order at Mary's Place, a Stevensville café. "I think people have a bad taste in their mouth with what's going on in Washington."

That goes for his wife, Cathy, too. "Everybody might start out being honest when they go in there, but then they get tricked," she said.

The Ralls said Burns hasn't been straightforward about his ties to convicted felon and lobbyist Jack Abramoff. And they dislike Burns' television ads. Too negative, they said. "I don't like the taste of his campaign," Ted Ralls said. "I think Jon Tester is a breath of fresh air and people are looking for that."

But taste is a personal thing.

Up the valley at "The Kitchen" in Hamilton, Tester, the Big Sandy Democrat and former state House majority leader, was running behind in the political conversation. Burns' supporters say his seniority - and his ability to bring federal dollars to Montana - are too valuable to lose.

"He's in a position now where he has some clout in Washington," said Linda Martin of Stevensville.

"He's done a good job," added Jim Matteson of Hamilton. "He got caught up in a little bit of scandal, but it's not his fault."

Character, effectiveness and the public's reaction to a slugfest of negative TV ads from both sides are sure be factors in what has become part of one of the nation's hottest campaigns - a race that could decide control of the Senate.

But Tester and Burns also offer contrasts in their views on key issues:

THE IRAQ WAR

While the candidates differ sharply on the Iraq war, neither offers a clear strategy to end the conflict.

Aligning closely with President Bush, Burns describes Iraq as "the focus of terrorism in the world."

"With a timeline we send a signal to our enemies. We send the wrong signal," Burns told a Hamilton audience last month. "We've got to stand united and resolved for freedom-loving people everywhere and we must win. That is the solution."

Tester says Iraq distracts from the larger war on terror and Iraqi forces should take on more responsibility.

"It's a quagmire," he said. "It's time to have the president develop a plan and bring the troops home and let's start fighting the War on Terror," said Tester. "It's an open-ended conflict that we cannot afford either from a blood standpoint or a monetary standpoint."

ENERGY

The candidates agree America should be less dependent on foreign oil and say Montanans can help by developing new fuels from coal and grain and by harvesting the wind. They differ on whether the federal government is doing enough.

Burns touts the 2005 federal energy bill, which Tester criticizes as being "crafted by multinational oil." Tester said it does little to encourage farmers who could grow grain for ethanol and "raise oil seed like crazy."

As for conservation, Burns opposes stricter emissions controls or tougher fuel efficiency standards for cars and trucks. Tester agrees, but says the government could motivate automakers with tax credits for those who buy hybrid vehicles.

"If they (automakers) aren't ready to make the move, we've got to do it," Tester said.

AGRICULTURE

Both Tester and Burns back "country of origin" labeling, lower rates for captive shippers, and legislation creating incentives for young people to remain in farming.

Burns, a former livestock auctioneer and broadcaster, has sponsored legislation that allows captive shippers, customers serviced by only one rail provider, to contest high rates. He has tried repeatedly to pass a drought relief bill for Western states, but has struggled with it against critics who say the legislation is too expensive.

Tester, an organic farmer from Big Sandy, sees marketplace competition and future global trade agreements as the main issues facing Montana farmers. He has said subsidies for agribusiness should be cut out of any new farm legislation. That would create true market competition for farmers who may receive lower subsidies in the future.

HEALTH CARE

The candidates agree health care is too expensive for most Montanans. Tester and Burns both favor reducing administrative costs by centralizing medical records.

Burns is co-sponsoring a legislation that would allow small businesses to group together to buy health insurance, and he supports a cap on medical malpractice lawsuits.

Burns voted for the 2004 Medicare bill and Medicare Part D prescription drug program, which he says lowers prescription drug costs for seniors.

Tester calls health care costs "may be the number-one problem facing Montanans today." Tester criticizes Medicare Part D as complicated and "written by the prescription drug companies."

He favors extending the Medicare enrollment period; Burns voted against extending it.

Tester says Medicare should negotiate with drug companies for lower prescription drug prices and he wants to offer current children's health insurance programs to everyone under 18.

EDUCATION

The candidates disagree on the federal No Child Left Behind Act and differ over who's to blame for the rising cost of a college education.

Burns voted for NCLB in 2001 and stands behind that vote, though he has also said the law must be "refashioned to be more flexible for rural states."

"What is wrong with asking for accountability?" Burns asked a Hamilton crowd last month.

Burns says he supports more federal money for grants and loans for college students and tax incentives for college savings accounts. But he has come under attack from newspaper editorials for voting for the President's tax bill, which discontinued a provision allowing tax deductions on tuition payments.

Tester, also a former music teacher, said NCLB "made teachers into bureaucrats." "We have accountability in public education," Tester said. "It's called your local school board."

Like Burns, Tester wants to lower the higher education costs by increasing money for grants and work-study programs, and by making low-interest loans more widely available. He also wants a loan-forgiveness program for teachers and nurses who agree to work in rural areas where such professionals are scarce.

Editor's note: Dan Testa is a graduate student in journalism at The University Of Montana. These election previews are courtesy of the University of Montana and the School of Journalism.