Family Life

10.21.10 | FL News Team

(Philadelphia, PA)  --  Health care reform, government bailouts and social security were all major themes of last night's debate between U.S. Senate candidates Democrat Joe Sestak and Republican Pat Toomey.  In their first of two televised debates before the general election, the men vying to succeed five-term U.S. Senator Arlen Specter portrayed one another as too extreme and out of touch with Pennsylvanians.  When asked about whether the candidates favor privatizing social security, Representative Sestak said "no way."

Sestak went on to accuse the former one-time congressman of wanting to take the "security out of social security," and invest the funds in Wall Street.  Toomey fired back, saying he would never sponsor any legislation that would jeopardize retirees or those who are about to retire.  He said that while a member of the House, he proposed making it out of order for congress to even consider legislation that would cut social security benefits.

Throughout the hour-long debate, Sestak put the economic downturn on Toomey's back, calling his short time in office the "Bush-Toomey era."  Toomey inturn accused Sestak of being a "reckless spender," and supporting Washington's agenda that had a "chilling effect" on the U.S. economy.  Last night's debate was sponsored by ABC6 and the League of Women Voters of Pennsylvania.