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10
6

Chris Murphy (D)


David Cappiello (R)

Debate Score:16
Arguments:10
Total Votes:16
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Chris Murphy (D)
(5)
 
 
David Cappiello (R)
(5)

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Who should I vote for in the 2008 Connecticut 5th District House of Representatives Race?


Chris Murphy (D)

Side Score: 10
VS.


David Cappiello (R)

Side Score: 6
5 points

With an economically unstable housing market still preventing homeowners from selling, Americans no longer have any capital cushioning to provide stability in the event of sickness or the death of a loved one. In the past, one could mortgage a house at a reasonable interest rate when a family tragedy occurred. Now, with interest rates skyrocketing, people like Chris Murphy are looking for answers to depreciating home values.

During a roundtable discussion with Danbury, CT city officials, local banks and nonprofit organizations, Murphy held a discussion about his new federal mortgage bill organized last week at the Housing Development Fund on West Street. By getting various financial and political leaders at the city level together, Murphy will be able to see how the bill acts from the ground up, and he can make sure that his policies are doing what they are meant to do. Among his ideas for tax credits for homeowners is the Hope for Homeowners Program, which will put an extra $300 billion into the Housing Administration to alleviate some of the stress due to refinancing mortgages.

Supporting Evidence: Murphy with Danbury roundtable (www.murphyforcongress.org)
Side: Chris Murphy
2 points

Last week, Murphy responded to an outcry from the physically disabled patrons who are disappointed with the dirty inconvenient public transportation system in New Britain, CT. Accepting an invite from one of his constituents, Murphy rode a New Britain Transportation Co. bus from Bank Street to Farmington and concluded that the bus's age and lack of amenities were indeed problems, which require federal amending.

Murphy: “It’s great to have firsthand experience, seeing the problems we have with local buses. This way I can press the case for more federal funding.”

Murphy insists that since the economic stimulus package will not go into effect for another few weeks, emphasis should also be put on transportation renewal. The buses should be replaced every ten years, but the 12 year state mandate freezes funding until the buses are almost completely run down. Murphy has vowed to do what he can in Congress to shorten the cycle to ten years, but is concerned that the limited funds provided by the stimulus package ($38.9 million is available only to “urbanized areas” – those with more than 50,000 people) will keep the seriously underfunded transportation system from receiving adequate attention.

Supporting Evidence: Murphy checks out poor New Britain public transpo-system (www.murphyforcongress.org)
Side: Chris Murphy
1 point

For the past three years, American families have been concerned about the stability of their jobs and homes in the unstable market. Chris Murphy realizes that tax cuts made by the Bush administration for the wealthiest class in America were not only supremely unhelpful, but caused waves of mistrust in the middle class.

Murphy wants to go back to Washington and continue taking back middle-class money and re-distributing it via tax cuts for Americans in the middle income tax bracket. His great economic ideas have already been incorporated into very positive legislation, including reduction of Connecticut sales tax and qualified tuition and small deduction in 2007. In January of this year Murphy supported the bipartisan House economic stimulus package, which provided a comprehensive tax rebate to 1.5 million working famlies in Connecticut.

Regaining faith in the American workforce is necessary to help our economy find it's footing again, says Murphy, and he believes that he's the one to help Connecticut's 5th district play a part in Washington.

Murphy's website:

Our country desperately needs to embrace trade agreements that ensure a level playing field for American workers. The “free trade” paradigm championed by the current administration has eroded our country’s manufacturing base and caused irreparable damage to the American worker in recent decades. We need a new trade framework that forces our trade partners in the developing world to more rapidly increase their labor and environmental standards so as to move toward an even playing field with American companies.

Murphy's previous work for Unions and the Middle class
Side: Middle-class Connecticut
1 point

Bush released a bailout plan this month to prevent the economy from slipping into a major recession by using $700 billion in taxpayer dollars to buy up weakened business mortgaged to the hilt and hold them until the economy has stabilized.

The plan has been rejected by a majority of Congress and of public polled because of it's unsound economic thinking and lack of planning. Murphy is one of those Representatives who refuses to accept such a hasty plan. The sale of companies at the federal level would show no profit for shareholders during the holding period, including the employees with investments. Also, Murphy does not warm to the idea of the American taxpayers being saddled with another $700 billion of George W. Bush debt.

Murphy: “...taxpayers must be assured that not one dime of their money will go to failed CEO’s or executives in the process of this market rescue. Any solution passed by Congress must be a clean piece of legislation and not used as an opportunity to further any objective other than the stabilization of our financial markets.”

Supporting Evidence: Murphy rejects putting Americans into more debt for GW (www.murphyforcongress.org)
Side: Chris Murphy
1 point

The former Chase Brass Manufacturing Company stationed in Waterbury, CT is responsible for water and soil pollution in Waterbury Connectucut that has yet to be sufficiently dealt with by the state or federal government.

The House just recently passed an appropriations bill pushed by Murphy that provides funding to clean up contamination at Waterbury Industrial Commons in the 5th district, including $15 million to clean up the polluted site on Thomaston Avenue.

Should the bill manage to pass through the Senate and by the President, it will be one of the largest sums ever federally given to Waterbury and help to clean about 20-acres of polluted property.

Murphy has been pushing the bill for the last two years and is verry excited to see it finally take it's first steps. Murphy: “I’ve asked for a lot of things in my district and this is an unprecedented grant for brownfield remediation because, in the end, Waterbury can only survive if it grows its tax base."

Supporting Evidence: Murphy to clean up 5th district (www.murphyforcongress.org)
Side: Chris Murphy
2 points

David Cappiello (R) has released his first campaign ad entitled "Together" in which he neither criticizes his Democratic rival, Chris Murphy, nor does he really detail in any way (not at all, in fact) his positions on the issues.

The ad is more of a "getting-to-know" Cappiello through his relationship with his wife who is a Red Sox fan and a Democrat while he is a Yankees fan and a Republican. Regardless of their differences, she claims "David is someone who could work well with people from all walks of life" who will "make Connecticut a better place for our family, and for yours."

Now say what you will about the lack of substance in this ad regarding the "real issues", you cannot argue against the profound emotional impact of seeing (by all appearances) a successful marriage between a devoted Red Sox wife and a Yankee husband, especially in the state of Connecticut where the rivalry hits a dangerously hostile overlap anywhere you can find a television between Bridgeport and Mystic.

But, putting that aside, the ad seems the most appropriate response to Chris Murphy's equally as pleasant ad, which also aired this week, and also failed to launch any explicit attack against Cappiello or the GOP.

However, while these ads may seem all nice and warm and fuzzy, behind the scenes the same dog eat dog, mudslinging, fist fight that has escalated at the federal level is starting boil between these two candidates. Its only a matter of time before the real nature of this rivalry and their disagreements on the issues finally reaches your television set.

http://blogs.courant.com/capitol_watch/2008/09/chris-murphy-david-cappiello-b.html

Rivalry
Side: Rivalry
1 point

David Cappiello (R) began his career at age 25 when he was appointed to the Danbury Common Council in 1993. He served in the Connecticut House of Representatives from 1994 to 1998 when he decided to run for the State Senate.

His legislative priorities have focused on environmental conservation, support for non-profits, health care reform, and public safety. He was instrumental in passing legislation that provided 130 acres of farmland near Bethel with funding and services for preservation; he conducted a comprehensive review of Connecticut's Homeland Security operations, and drafted a law that mandated newborns to be screened for any potentially fatal metabolic disorders.

A fiscal conservative, Cappiello is a strong candidate behind lowering gas and property taxes and passing legislation that works to balance the state budget.

Supporting Evidence: Cappiello's Career (en.wikipedia.org)
Side: Cappiello's Career
1 point

Cappiello has been rated one of the top 2008 recruits for Congress. He openly supports the war in Iraq and thinks it is winnable, but has criticized the direction it has taken. A disadvantage for Murphy is his stance against domestic oil drilling that led him to have to work out a compromise and puts him at odds with the Republican platform as long as this is a hot-button topic. A Republican victory here would unseat an Obama supporter.

Side:
David Cappiello (R)
1 point

An opponent of the Bailout bill, Cappiello confronted Murphy last week about his supporting using taxpayer dollars to pay for the mistakes of private investors. Cappiello rejects the bill saying that it doesn't provide too enough taxpayer protection, and there is too little oversight on the industry that has raised nearly half a million dollars for Murphy’s campaign [financial services industry].

Cappiello argues further that keeping the money with the taxpayers should be Congressman Murphy's priority, but instead soothing Wall Street and large industry interests are what interests him.

Cappiello: “Politicians like Chris Murphy are too interested in raising money to keep their jobs rather than doing their jobs. Murphy’s bailout bill throws money to his political benefactors without providing adequate accountability or taxpayer protections. This financial crisis is a sad commentary on incompetence in Washington, D.C., and proves more than ever that Chris Murphy is not the change that voters deserve.”

Supporting Evidence: Cappiello condemns Murphy for supporting bailout (davidcappiello.com)
Side: David Cappiello
1 point

Congressman Murphy has joined the majority of his fellow Democrats in supporting both versions of the Wall Street bailout bill (see here and here). Cappiello seems to be only a slightly less risky choice by not being the incumbent, but voters may also want to consider one of the independent candidates for this seat.

Side:
David Cappiello (R)