Schansberg encourages Hill to stand firm against bail-out

Schansberg encourages Hill to stand firm against bail-out

Dr. Eric Schansberg, an economics professor and the Libertarian candidate for the U.S. Congress in Indiana’s 9^th District, responded to the House defeat of the proposed $700 billion bail-out in the financial sector—and praised Rep. Baron Hill for voting against it.

Asked about Hill’s vote, Dr. Schansberg said, “It’s clear that Baron is not categorically opposed to another bail-out. And he’s not a fiscal conservative by any objective measure. So, I don’t know the reasons for his vote today. Maybe it’s the right vote for the wrong reasons. In any case, I’m thankful that he took a stand today for fiscal conservatism. Hopefully, he’ll continue to have a strong enough spine to hold that position.”

On fiscal conservatism in general and the bail-out in particular, Schansberg said: “At some point, we have to rely on markets again. And we can’t afford to borrow money to bail out industries and try to artificially boost the economy. All of our spending and debt threatens to devalue our dollar further and drive our economy into a ditch.”

On potential policy changes, Schansberg applauded Mike Sodrel’s proposal to suspend the capital gains tax and to revisit “mark-to-market” accounting rules: “From what I’ve read, ‘mark-to-market’ accounting rules are the most underrated cause of the current problems. Certainly, the sub-prime mortgage mess and government involvement in Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are at the top of that list. But ‘mark-to-market’ combined with aspects of Sarbanes-Oxley seems to be a major contributor.”

debate...

Will all of the people giving John McCain a hard time be giving Baron Hill a hard time for his recalcitrance in setting up debates for the 9th District?

Schansberg: “Are you kidding me?”

September 25, 2008

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Schansberg: “Are you kidding me?”

Dr. Eric Schansberg, an economics professor and the Libertarian candidate for the U.S. Congress in Indiana’s 9^th District, responded to President Bush’s call for a $700 billion bail-out in the financial sector—and called on Rep. Baron Hill to resist the urge to vote in favor of it.

Asked about the bail-out, Dr. Schansberg said: “There are many reasons—large and small—to oppose the President’s proposal. To start with, it’s not constitutional. Beyond that, it’s not ethical. Why should the government take money from taxpayers to subsidize bad decisions by lenders and borrowers? Finally, it’s unlikely to be practical.”

Expanding on how the bail-out would work in practice, Schansberg said, “Why would we want to give money to those who have misused it? Why would one expect the federal government to do a good job with this? We should have never got involved with Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac. We shouldn’t have subsidized risky decisions. This is welfare for the rich and a bail-out for bankers.”

On the broader issue of bail-outs and fiscal conservatism, Schansberg said, “President Bush and his Congresses have been spending money like it grows on trees: $300 billion for a farm bill, $168 billion to try to bail-out the economy, Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, AIG, etc. The list goes on and on. Unfortunately, the patience of lenders financing our expanding debt will not go on and on. The dollar has already taken a beating, resulting most notably in much higher gas prices. We must return to fiscal sanity or we risk driving our economy into a ditch. $700 billion? Are you kidding me?”

Referring to Rep. Hill, Schansberg said, “Baron’s claim to be a fiscal conservative is simply not supported by the evidence. But in this case, he has the opportunity to be a fiscal conservative on this one vote—by voting against any such proposal. I hope he will show leadership and courage on this issue.”

END

Libs and "wasted votes": Scott Tibbs and my reply...

From Scott Tibbs and Hoosier Access...

First, let me say I like Eric Schansberg. If he were representing Indiana's Ninth District, he would represent us well in Congress. I agree with him on limited government, and he is pro-life. I have met him several times and he is a good person. However, I will not be voting for him in November. I will vote for Mike Sodrel.

Schansberg's run for Congress as a Libertarian is actually an impediment to implementing a libertarian legislative agenda. The votes that Schansberg drains from Sodrel will help Baron Hill in his efforts to return to Congress. That would be destructive to efforts to limit government and protect the unborn, two issues where Schansberg and Sodrel are, for the most part, in agreement. Schansberg's run for Congress is unwise and counterproductive.

Last Monday, I attended the IU College Republicans call-out meeting because Mike Sodrel would be speaking to the group. Once again, Sodrel showed that he "gets it" on individual liberty and limited government....

---------------------------------------------

I like Scott too, but here are four thoughts...

1.) I agree that Mike is good at talking about “fiscal conservatism”. But as Baron illustrates on other issues (pro-life, drilling for oil), talk is not enough. The data from NTU, CFB and CAGW are clear that Mike voted like a fiscal moderate. If he had voted like a fiscal conservative– and this was not such an important issue right now– I’d be spending more time with my wife and kids (and quite happy to do so).

2.) My opposition to Planned Parenthood funding is not only counter to Mike’s voting record, but may be the reason for the Pence Amendment in 2007. Why weren’t Republicans talking about this before I brought it up in 2006?

3.) You’re assuming that I’m taking votes mostly from Mike. In 2006, the polling data indicate I got much more from Hill. Presumably because Iraq is less important (and perhaps because fiscal conservatism and the economy are more important), the polling data this time are more mixed. So, it looks like I won’t be able to help Mike out this time.

4.) Mike doesn’t seem to be running an active campaign this time– and according to the polls I’ve seen, he’s down by double-digits. If it looks like a blow out in November, then a vote for me, even by a pragmatist, will not be “wasted”. In fact, a “protest” vote for me would be far more valuable than voting for a major-party candidate who loses by 10%. In any case, I hope voters will be more principled than pragmatic.

Chris Spangle has more to say on this...

I’d like to remind all members of the Republican party that Libertarians are a different party, not a sub-group within the GOP. There are two types of Libertarians: Republicans who realized that the Republicans are no longer Conservatives, and Democrats who realized that socialism is wrong.

It’s time for Republicans to drop the incorrect line that Libertarians are just Republican votes. I am a Libertarian. I vote Libertarian. It is my vote. It isn’t a Republican vote.

And that is precisely the reason why many are leaving the parties. The average voter’s voice carries no weight with the party structure. If you espouse an idea different from the party platform, your voice is silenced, and you are labeled a traitor or a whacko. No debate or discussion is allowed within the party structure.

Neocons (Big Government Republicans) rule the Republicans with an iron fist. I’ll direct you to this post to highlight the treatment of Ron Paul. He is a Taft/Goldwater Republican. The Bush Republicans have effectively labeled him “crazy.”

Honest, thoughtful citizens lose their voice. As a result, you lose my vote.

It is my vote.

front-page of the C-J

From Lesley Stedman Weidenbener...

With the Nov. 4 election some six weeks away, two of the three candidates running in the 9th Congressional District have ads on television -- but Republican Mike Sodrel doesn't.

Democrat Baron Hill and Libertarian Eric Schansberg each have had commercials running for weeks touting their views on gas prices, benefits for military veterans and other issues.

Sodrel, though, has yet to run his first ad and said last week that money -- or a lack of it -- is partly to blame...

This year, Hill has run three ads -- all positive, issue-oriented pieces that look at energy, Internet safety and veterans' issues.

"It's been so great to see the response" to the tone of the ads, Moreau said. "It's been a bipartisan response."

Schansberg said he has noticed the difference.

"The race doesn't look nearly as close and the money advantage allows Hill to run a cleaner race," said Schansberg, an economist at Indiana University Southeast. "The advertising so far is pretty tame, and what I've seen looks pretty positive. I don't think Hill feels a need to go negative."

Hill also is feeling little need, apparently, for a debate. Despite invitations from media and other groups, the candidates have not been able to agree to any joint forums.

Sodrel says he's willing. So does Schansberg. But Hill's campaign -- which two years ago repeatedly called on Sodrel to debate about gas prices -- has said the Democrat won't take part unless Sodrel apologizes to district voters for problems in the office transition between the candidates two years ago....

Sodrel has dismissed the complaint as an excuse to avoid a debate. Schansberg has a similar take, calling Hill's request for an apology "ridiculous and hypocritical."

Schansberg, meanwhile, has been trying to build up his name identification, holding town hall meetings to talk with voters, speaking to groups throughout the region and attending fairs, parades and other events. He's also put nine different ads on the radio and two on cable television.

His goal is fairly modest -- to capture a double-digit percentage of votes on Election Day.

Sodrel, though, is still hoping to win and played down any concern that he's not yet on TV....

radio and TV ads underway

We're into week 2 of our paid media campaign...

Of course, we'd love to have your help this Fall in purchasing more time on radio and cable TV. In July, we bought 500 radio ads on gas prices. For the Fall, we've already bought another 1000 radio ads and more than 2000 cable TV ads.

And we can do more if we have your support.

We have nine radio ads and two TV ads in hand (with one more of the latter on the way soon). You can hear our radio ads here and see one of our TV ads here.

What can your money buy? $100 can purchase...
-11 ads on Dave Ramsey's show in Seymour
-23 ads on the Neal Boortz show in Southern Indiana
-16 ads on Discovery or TLC in prime-time in Bloomington
-50 ads on MSNBC, Food, or VH1 in prime-time in Columbus
-33 ads on ESPN2 or CNN in prime-time in Jasper

Beyond financial help, if you're local: let us know if you want a yard sign, car magnets, t-shirt, bumper stickers, etc.

thanks for your time and consideration...eric
http://ericforcongress.com/

Hill increases lead over Sodrel in poll as Schansberg increasingly attracts independent voters

September 11, 2008

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Hill increases lead over Sodrel in poll as Schansberg increasingly attracts independent voters

In the most recent Survey USA poll (commissioned by WHAS-TV in Louisville and WCPO-TV in Cincinnati), Democrat Baron Hill leads Republican Mike Sodrel by 50-39%. Dr. Eric Schansberg, the Libertarian candidate, polled at 5% (with another 5% undecided). Hill’s lead grew by 4% and according to Survey USA, Schansberg edged up by 1%.

Schansberg said, “We’re excited about improving in the polls—and in particular, about attracting so many independents [19%]. Nationwide, independents are 40% of the voting population. If we can get our message to that entire group, this race could get very interesting.”

Schansberg added, “We’ve been working hard—walking the business districts, appearing at all the county fairs, holding town halls, and so on. So, we’re hoping those seeds will bear more and more fruit as the campaign progresses. With our paid media campaign getting underway—1000 more radio ads and more than 2000 TV ads—we’re excited about getting our message out to people who are ready for real change.”

For more information on the campaign, see: www.SchansbergForCongress.com. To schedule an interview, contact Eric Schansberg at (812) 218-0443, Melanie Hughes at (502) 432-1930, or send an email to SchansbergForCongress@gmail.com.

END

re-cap in B'ton papers about town hall

nice article in the IU student paper (here's the Herald Times story)...

Eric Schansberg, Libertarian candidate for Indiana’s 9th Congressional District seat, held a town hall meeting Tuesday night to address potential voters.

About 15 members of the community attended the meeting at 6 p.m. at the Monroe County Public Library, including members of IU Students for Liberty.

The talk centered around tax policies, the national debt and health care. Attendees appreciated how Schansberg, who is an economics professor at IU Southeast at New Albany, was able to make the ideas easy to understand.

“The great thing about Schansberg’s spiel is it’s very tempered,” said Andrew Sharp, senior and IU Students for Liberty member. “He makes the Libertarian argument message seem very sensical.”

Schansberg said his economics knowledge greatly affects his understanding of government.

“If you’re an economist and you study public policy at the micro-level you see example after example where the government steps in and even with the best intentions causes all sorts of problems,” he said.

At the meeting Schansberg talked about Libertarian principles such as limited government, lowering taxes and spending, weakening the national government and strengthening state and local powers.

Schansberg is running for the second time in the hotly contested 9th District, which has switched between Republican Mike Sodrel and Rep. Baron Hill, D-9th District, for the past three elections. Still, Schansberg sees himself as “real change” to typical politicians.
“I’m not just some third-party fringe candidate,” he said. “I’m an economist. I’m credible; I know what I’m talking about. And your choice is either to send what we’ve already seen or you can send someone who is going to make an issue of these things.”
While he wants to win, Schansberg is not unrealistic about what he will accomplish.
“As much as I would like to win, make a splash, get double digits,” Schansberg said, “the other part of this is the platform.”

Schansberg said he is trying to change the national dialogue about politics and get more alternative opinions besides the two major parties.

“People really want change,” he said. “They want third parties; they want independence. The question is can a third party get enough above the radar?”

Brown County resident Barbara Gardner said people want more than two options.
“It’s important to have third, fourth and fifth choices. We need as many voices as we can get,” she said, adding, “It’s crucial. If we don’t have it, we don’t really have democracy anymore.”

Hill/Sodrel spat cont'd: is this a good enough reason to sack all public debates?

Another article on the Hill/Sodrel spat and its implications for debates this Fall-- this one from Dan Davis in the Seymour Tribune...

A disagreement over how a former congressman handled constituent files when leaving office two years ago has 9th District debates on hold...

Katie Moreau of Hill's campaign staff said the incumbent wants a clear explanation from Sodrel on how constituent requests were handled following his loss in the 2006 election.

Ryan Reger of Sodrel's campaign said that complaint has no merit....

Reger said he would like to see more debates.

Schansberg agreed.

"It should be a no-brainer to have the debates we had in 2006," he said. "As the incumbent, Baron Hill has the most control in arranging the debates. Given Baron's repeated demands for debates throughout 2006, I would expect him to be aggressive in setting up debates this time as well. Unfortunately, so far, that has not been the case."

Moreau said Hill wants to debate but first wants an explanation from Sodrel about complaints that his office failed to forward constituent case files when leaving office following his 2006 election loss.

"It caused a lot of work for the people from the 9th District who were asking for help," Moreau said.

She said Sodrel's "first response was an outright lie - that we didn't transfer paperwork in 2004 (when Sodrel defeated Hill). We had letters sent to people asking their permission to send their cases on to the next legislator. The people we heard back from, we handed over the casework file."

Reger was dismissive of Moreau's question.

"They tried to bring that up earlier," he said. "That question's been asked and answered. They're just changing the subject with something they think happened two years ago."

Questioned Wednesday about how constituent cases were handled, Reger referred to a Congressional Research Service Report outlining procedures and said they were followed.

"I spoke with the people who worked in Mike's congressional office at the end of 2006, and they told me that they received information from an office within the U.S. House that explained the proper closing procedure and that they followed it," he said.

He said a letter was sent from Sodrel's office to constituents with open files telling them of the status of their case and what they needed to do to continue them.

But Mike Self of Seymour said Friday he never received such a letter....

When Hill took office in January 2007, Self contacted the congressman's staff to ask about his disability request.

"They didn't have anything, so I had to fill out the paperwork again, but I heard real soon from Social Security after filing it with Hill's office," Self said....

Questioned about Self's case, Reger said Friday letters sent to constituents were by first-class mail....

Schansberg expressed dismay with the seemingly endless debate every election cycle over whether candidates will debate and the discussions about their formats.

"If I'm elected, I promise that I will always provide at least three debates for the voters of the 9th District," he said. "And I won't make things difficult for those who work so hard to arrange the debates."...

Hill, Sodrel, the office transfer of December 2006, and the congressional debates of 2008

In response to an email I sent to some reporters in the 9th District (at the bottom of this post), here's what I received from Candy Neal of the Dubois County Herald...
______________________

Back in late December 2006, I wrote a story about Sodrel's office closing and that included the Hill staff's complaint. Here's a copy of the story:

JASPER — Staff for Congressman-elect Baron Hill said Rep. Mike Sodrel, R-9th, has closed his district offices prematurely.

The area coordinator of Sodrel's Jasper office said federal officials made him turn in equipment weeks ago, and the phone system was disconnected Friday, rendering the office useless.

"About three and a half weeks ago, the General Services Administration called and said they wanted our computers back, and I had to turn in my Blackberry," coordinator Don Hayes said this morning. "It was pretty hard to talk to anyone else on the staff after that."

Sodrel's term will end Jan. 4, when Hill is sworn in.

Hill's chief of staff said Sodrel's staff did not transfer to them ongoing casework on residents' concerns.

"Unfortunately for the people of the 9th District, all pending casework and issues were not transitioned to our staff, so we cannot work on the problems," said Ryan Guthrie, Hill's chief of staff.

"Congressman Hill asks that anyone who has an open issue please resubmit it on Jan. 4 and we'll immediately get to work on it."

Federal officials said personal records and information on ongoing casework had to be returned to the residents involved, which took several weeks to complete, Hayes said.

"Every personal document had to be returned to the person. And the person had to be advised that they have to refile their concern with the new (Hill) staff on Jan. 4," he said. "That took us some time to do that."

Hayes gave the information on unfinished projects being handled by the Jasper office to Larry Ordner, U.S. Sen. Richard Lugar's southwest Indiana regional director.

Other records that weren't of a personal nature, including correspondence and meeting documents, were destroyed, Hayes said.

Sodrel's Jasper office opened in 2005 to serve five 9th District counties: Dubois, Spencer, Crawford, Orange and Perry. Its lease will expire at the end of December.

Hayes said the landlord is willing to lease the space to Hill for an office. The location of Hill's district offices has not yet been determined, a spokeswoman for Hill said.

Earlier this month, Sodrel had to vacate his Washington office. He had to work out of another congressman's office until the congressional session ended, Hayes said.

For the remainder of Sodrel's term, people having questions and issues on the federal level can contact Hayes at his home number, 482-2847.

Hayes will resume his role of chairman of the Dubois County Republican Party in January. The party made that decision last week.

Contact Candy Neal at cneal@dcherald.com.

_____________________________________

On Sep 7, 2008, at 3:44 PM, eric schansberg wrote:

From a press release a month ago and then in more recent events, it looks like Hill wants to use his claim that Sodrel badly botched the exchange between his November 2006 loss and Baron's seating in January 2007-- to avoid or limit debates between the three of us this Fall.

When I talk to Hill's people, the argument sounds reasonable. Their minor complaint is that offices and office furniture were moved early, making it unnecessarily difficult for Hill's people to set things up. The larger concern is that the Sodrel people did not make constituent case files available. One of Hill's primary staff said it was traditional to send those files to the next rep so that they could contact the relevant parties and see if they wanted the new rep to continue the intercession on their behalf.

When I talk to Sodrel's people, they claim that the GSA mandates the dates-- so that it was out of their hands. And they claim that one is not allowed to forward those files because it violates privacy provisions within the law. That sounds reasonable too.

I don't know what to think. Do you know anything about this? The only question I had that stumped the Hill people: if this was such a big deal, why didn't we hear much about it from the media? No (good) answer.

If this is a legitimate complaint, then I can say why Hill would want to bring attention to it. But if it's not legitimate, then it's sad that Hill would use this as a canard to try to limit/prevent debates. In any case, I hope you'll bring the appropriate facts to light.

Thanks for your time and consideration...eric

nice article in the Dubois County Herald

Libertarian offers third option for 9th

By CANDY NEAL

Herald Staff Writer

Eric Schansberg meets many people with varying opinions on his candidacy for the District 9 U.S. congressional seat.

"I meet a range of people, from those who are apathetic to those who are really excited to have an alternative," the Libertarian candidate said. "There are a lot of people who are not happy with the Democrats or Republicans right now."

"People are frustrated a lot by politics, especially since things have gotten tougher."

Schansberg hopes that frustration will play in his favor. The 43-year-old Jeffersonville resident and economics professor at Indiana University-Southeast, in New Albany, is making his second run for the House of Representatives.

"It's my profession to do public policy," he said. "I bring more expertise to the table."

Schansberg will campaign at the Dale Fall Festival parade Saturday. He's also indicated his willingness to participate in a debate at the Jasper Arts Center in October, something he also did at the center in 2006. In the meantime, he plans to continue canvassing the 9th District to meet voters and let them know what he is about.

"When they meet me, they're like, 'Oh, an economist. Maybe a little economics expertise would help.'"

Others aren't as optimistic. "I meet some people who say they really respect (me) but they are worried about me taking votes from one of the other candidates," Schansberg said. "People have told me, 'You have no chance, but I respect you for your effort.'"

Both of Schansberg's opponents have served as 9th District congressman — Republican Mike Sodrel for one two-year term and Democrat incumbent Baron Hill for four terms. While that could make Schansberg's challenge more difficult, "it's also easier because they must run on their record," Schansberg said. "Both parties have controlled Congress and there's a frustration that things aren't getting done. They don't move on important issues, or they didn't move on them when they were in control."

Schansberg's wife, Tonia, supports his run, but she and their children — Zachary, 9, Brennan, 8, Joseph, 5, and Daniel, 3 — aren't on the front lines with him. He doesn't want his family to become a campaign focus.

"My family has played a significant role in minor areas. They have helped out," he said. "But I want to talk about the issues."

But his family life does reflect his beliefs. For instance, two of his children are adopted. "I am pro-life. But too many times, pro-lifers are just anti-abortion," he said. "We need to promote adoption, not just be anti-abortion."

Schansberg took off from teaching this summer to work on his campaign materials, such as advertisements, to help him better maintain quality family time during the campaign. "I'm home most every night," he said. "I wouldn't do this (run for Congress) if it kept me away from my family."

Schansberg has challenged Hill to a debate on gas prices, and he'd like to talk about decreasing the payroll tax. "Eighty percent of wage earners lose more to (Federal Insurance Contributions Act taxes) and payroll taxes than to income taxes," Schansberg noted. "Republicans talk about cutting income taxes. Of those taxes collected, the wealthy pay 99 percent of those. Democrats are satisfied with criticizing Republicans for cutting those taxes."

Schansberg knows he has an uphill battle ahead of him. But he feels the effort is worthwhile. And if elected, he would work with the other representatives despite their party affiliation.

"It would be an opportunity to make some noise on the issues no one will discuss," he said. "I know one person can't do it all alone, but we must send someone there. Do you send someone who won't say anything? Or do we want someone who will actually speak up?"

On the Net: www.schansbergforcongress.com

Contact Candy Neal at cneal@dcherald.com.

Schansberg town hall in Scottsburg next Monday

September 8, 2008

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Schansberg town hall in Scottsburg next Monday

Dr. Eric Schansberg, the Libertarian candidate for the U.S. Congress in Indiana’s 9^th District, will hold a town-hall-style meeting in Scottsburg on Monday, September 15th, from 6:00-8:00 PM—at The Coffee House (36 E. McClain St.).

At the town hall, Schansberg will deliver prepared remarks for 15-20 minutes—and then field questions from those in the audience.

In his prepared remarks, Dr. Schansberg will address:

· gas prices and energy policy—policies that will work (domestic drilling and a stronger dollar) and policies that will not work (regulations on speculators, subsidies to energy companies, etc.)

· the dramatic but overlooked impact of fiscal conservatism

· our on-going efforts in Iraq

· the oppressive burden of payroll/FICA taxes on income and the need for Social Security reform

All interested parties are encouraged to attend. Audio and video recording are permitted.

END

Schansberg town hall in Bloomington on Tuesday

September 5, 2008

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Schansberg town hall in Bloomington on Tuesday

Dr. Eric Schansberg, the Libertarian candidate for the U.S. Congress in Indiana’s 9^th District, will hold a town-hall meeting in Bloomington on Tuesday, September 9th, from 6:00-7:30 PM. (The meeting will be held in Room #1C of the Monroe County Library, located at 303 E. Kirkwood Ave. in downtown Bloomington.)

Earlier in the day, Dr. Schansberg will be at the 2008 IU Student Involvement Fair from 11:00-2:00 with IU Students for Liberty. After that, he will be a guest on “The Afternoon Edition” with Darryl Neher on WGCL (1370-AM) from 4:00-5:00.

At the town hall, Schansberg will deliver prepared remarks for 15-20 minutes—and then field questions from those in the audience.

In his prepared remarks, Dr. Schansberg will address:

· gas prices and energy policy—policies that will work (domestic drilling and a stronger dollar) and policies that will not work (regulations on speculators, subsidies to energy companies, etc.)

· the dramatic but overlooked impact of fiscal conservatism

· our on-going efforts in Iraq

· the oppressive burden of payroll/FICA taxes on income and the need for Social Security reform

All interested parties are encouraged to attend. Audio and video recording are permitted.

END

Schansberg looks forward to Jasper debate and calls on Hill for at least two more

September 3, 2008

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Schansberg looks forward to Jasper debate and calls on Hill for at least two more

On Wednesday, Dr. Eric Schansberg, the Libertarian candidate for the U.S. Congress in Indiana’s 9^th District, welcomed the formal invitation to participate in the October 21^st debate at Vincennes University in Jasper. (It is not yet clear whether Mike Sodrel and especially Baron Hill will agree to participate.) Schansberg also took the occasion to encourage at least as many debates as there were in 2006.

Dr. Schansberg said, “It should be a no-brainer to have the debates we had in 2006—in Bloomington, New Albany, and Jasper. As the incumbent, Baron Hill has the most control in arranging the debates. Given Baron’s repeated demands for debates throughout 2006, I would expect him to be aggressive in setting up debates this time as well. Unfortunately, so far, that has not been the case.”

Schansberg said, “Even though it was completely hypocritical, I understand why Baron wouldn’t debate me on gas prices earlier this summer. I’d be surprised to see that kind of hypocrisy again in the Fall—by refusing to participate in at least three debates. But with major-party politicians, you never know….I can also imagine why he wouldn’t want to debate me.”

Further, Schansberg committed, “If I’m elected, I promise that I will always provide at least three debates for the voters of the 9^th District. And I won’t make things difficult for those who work so hard to arrange the debates.”

END