2nd Congressional candidates spar at debate

VIRGINIA BEACH

Voters were offered differing views Friday on Social Security increases and the military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy during a debate among the three men running in Virginia's 2nd Congressional District.

The forum, less than three weeks before the Nov. 2 election, highlighted their key differences but showed some candidates share similar views, such as reforming health care. The event was organized by the Central Business District Association of Virginia Beach. The 2nd District includes Virginia Beach, the Eastern Shore and parts of Norfolk and Hampton.

U.S. Rep. Glenn Nye, a first-term Democrat, said the announcement that seniors will go a second year without a cost-of-living increase in Social Security payments shows that automatic process for raising the monthly checks needs work.

"Clearly, I think we need to change the formula," Nye said, adding that he would support new legislation that no longer ties Social Security changes to overall inflation but would instead tie cost-of-living increases to rising expenses specific to older people, including prescription drugs and medical care.

Nye said he would seek to make the change in time to put in place an increase by early next year.

Republican Scott Rigell, owner of Freedom Automotive, countered that he would like to see laws changed so that working people over age 65 and their employers would be exempt from paying the Social Security tax.

"We need an incentive to keep seniors working," Rigell said.

Rigell said he would not support changing the formula for cost-of-living adjustments.

"I would not vote for an increase this year," he said, because of the "extraordinarily difficult economic environment."

Nor would independent candidate Kenny Golden, who said that given the recession and the need to cut federal spending, "we all have to make sacrifices." He reiterated his proposal to cut most federal spending by 2 percent, including entitlement programs.

The three disagree about the future of the military policy toward gay service members.

Rigell said a federal judge's ruling blocking the use of the "don't ask, don't tell" policy is "yet another example of egregious judicial overreach."

The Republican, who served in the Marine reserves, said the policy "seemed to be working" and he would not support ending it over the objection of some military leaders.

Golden, a retired Navy officer who said he discharged five sailors for being gay during his 31-year career, said the policy should remain but should forbid third parties from being allowed to report a gay service member.

"It should be 'don't ask, don't tell and we don't care,' " Golden said.

Nye said he supports the current military review of the policy and the endorsement by top Pentagon officials that it should no longer be enforced.

Nye, a former foreign service officer, said that in his conversations with military personnel, "most said to me, 'We'd rather just be honest with each other and get our jobs done.' "

All three said they disagreed with the new health care law and want to either replace it or make major changes to it. Rigell reiterated his belief that it is unconstitutional because it forces people to buy health insurance.

Nye, who voted against the bill, said it has to be changed so rising health care costs are controlled now rather than in later years.

Golden said before Congress writes new health care laws, it needs to fix the financial problems with Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid.

Bill Bartel, (757) 446-2398, bill.bartel@pilotonline.com