Rehberg, Lindeen differ on Iraq, energy and more

By Chandra Johnson
Community News Service
UM School of Journalism

From their stands on Iraq to the way they campaign, the differences between Republican Congressman Dennis Rehberg and his Democratic challenger, Monica Lindeen, couldn't be starker.

Although their campaign for Montana's lone seat in the U.S. House of Representatives has been somewhat overshadowed by a raucous Senate race, the two have been debating since June, offering contrasting views on issues ranging from security to the environment.

Perhaps the candidates differ most on the prosecution of the war in Iraq. Rehberg, who has visited Iraq twice in his three terms in office, defends the presence of U.S. forces in Iraq as essential to the war on terror.

"I work every day to help create a secure future for Montana's families. In order to do this, we must win the war on terror," Rehberg said.

"Calls for immediate withdrawal from Iraq are irresponsible and undermine our fight against global terrorism."

Lindeen, who trails her opponent in both name recognition and campaign cash, says the U.S. continues to fight a war with expired ideas behind it.

"The status quo is a failed policy," Lindeen said. "What we need is a representative who will listen to the facts and make independent decisions to win back the confidence of the world while decreasing the cost of war in terms of lives and money."

Given the war and instability in the Middle East, Lindeen and Rehberg agree that the U.S. must become more energy independent. They both endorse alternative energy resources but differ in their emphasis on options like wind, solar and hydropower and grain-based ethanol.

Traveling the state in a green bus fueled by "biodiesel," Lindeen, a Huntley resident and four-term state legislator, is making energy a central theme of her uphill campaign.

Coming from a farming family, Lindeen says she's not only concerned about the environment, but also about Montana's role in the future of alternative fuels.

"Energy security is one of the biggest issues facing this country," Lindeen said. "Montana can be such a leader in renewable fuels because the crops used can be grown right here."

That may be, Rehberg said, but oil and coal should remain part of the energy picture too. "We must increase our domestic energy production to ensure that we are no longer reliant on unstable, foreign sources," Rehberg said. "That means implementing the technologies we have in our toolbox to both explore for fossil fuels and ensure that our environment is preserved for the future generations."

Rehberg said he is also aiding future generations through his work to help Montana's education system. Rehberg said he is working to increase Montana's share of support from the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, which calls for the federal government to fully fund special education.

"Last year, Montana kids were shortchanged $25 million by the federal government for IDEA funding," Rehberg said. "I am working hard to fully fund IDEA so that all Montana's kids have the educational opportunities they need."

Lindeen, who headed a legislative task force on educational funding in Montana, agreed that special education deserves federal money, but she said schools face other pressing issues, including the demands of the federal No Child Left Behind law.

"No Child Left Behind is an example of an under-funded mandate," Lindeen said. "I disagree that on the federal level, all we need to do is raise money. We need to start rethinking a policy that holds our school system accountable by forcing standardized testing on students rather than encouraging critical thinking."

As a former small business owner, Lindeen also attacked Rehberg's stance on health care for rural areas. Rehberg, a member of the House Appropriations Committee, is co-sponsoring the Small Business Health Fairness Act, which would allow small businesses to pool their resources to purchase health insurance for their employees. Rehberg said his work is paying off.

"We must renew out commitment to increase health care access for all Montanans," Rehberg said. "I have made rural health care one of my top priorities by fighting for a $25 million increase in rural specific health training funding and a $65 million increase in rural health funding grants."

But Lindeen maintains that the Small Business Health Fairness Act merely takes away the state's right to set health-care standards while overlooking one crucial ingredient to lowering medical bills: prevention.

"The cost of health care is becoming a critical problem for families in this country," Lindeen said. "Preventative care is more efficient in the long run and if people have access to it, they won't have to worry as much about cost."