Jun 12, 2012

Kevin Cramer – Wrong for North Dakota Seniors and Middle Class

Kevin Cramer is a flawed candidate with an extreme agenda that is wrong for middle class North Dakota families and seniors. Kevin Cramer supports dangerous policies that will cost seniors and the middle class more while giving tax breaks to millionaires and companies that ship American jobs overseas.

Cramer’s out-of-touch agenda is only part of his problem.  Cramer is tainted by ethics issues, has had trouble raising money from small donors and North Dakotans, and even failed to get the endorsement of his own party. Instead, Cramer is beholden to a Washington-based special interest group that spent $65,000 trying to get him elected and whose top priority is defeating the farm bill which is crucial to North Dakota’s farmers and ranchers.

Just like in 1996, 1998, and 2010, North Dakota voters will reject Kevin Cramer’s extreme policies that prove he is simply too out-of-touch for North Dakota.

Kevin Cramer is Wrong for Seniors and the Middle Class. Kevin Cramer would privatize Social Security and thinks drastically cutting Medicare for seniors while protecting tax breaks for millionaires and corporations that ship American jobs overseas is the right blueprint for a budget in Congress. Even in these tough economic times, Kevin Cramer’s tax plan would cut taxes for corporations and the rich, shifting more of the burden onto the middle class.

Supported Privatizing Social Security. The Bismarck Tribune reported that “Cramer called for allowing individuals to invest some Social Security money they contribute into private accounts, instead of all the money being put into the same pot.” [Bismarck Tribune, 10/31/98]

Said He Would Use the Republican Budget to Drastically Cut Medicare as a “Blueprint.” In a March 2012 interview on the conservative Say Anything Blog, Cramer said of the controversial Republican Budget that cuts Medicare while protecting tax breaks for millionaires, “I would certainly like it as a blueprint to start with.” [Say Anything Blog, 3/29/12]

Said a Flat Tax Would Be His Top Priority. In December 2011, The Forum asked Kevin Cramer what his first pieces of legislation would be and Cramer responded, “One of the most important ones in my mind would be a flat tax of some sort.” [Fargo Forum Youtube, 12/24/11]

Endorsed by Group Who’s Chairman Wants to Abolish Social Security and Medicare. Cramer was endorsed by FreedomWorks for America. FreedomWorks Chairman Dick Armey has called for the abolition of Medicare, saying, Medicare is “a program I would have no part of in a free world.” On Social Security, Armey said, “I think we’re going to have to bite the bullet on Social Security and phase it out over a period of time.” [Freedomworks, accessed 6/12/12; Chicago Tribune, 7/11/95; Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 3/09/02]

Kevin Cramer Is Out of Touch. Not only will Cramer pull the rug out from under North Dakota seniors and leave the middle class out in the cold, he also holds extreme positions that are out of step with North Dakota farmers and Agriculture.

Would Not Support Extending the Wind Energy Production Tax Credit. In an appearance in June 2012 with host Tom Becka on 101.9 TalkFM, Cramer said, “I will not support an extension of the Production Tax Credit for wind farms.” [101.9 TalkFM with Tom Becka, 6:00, 6/05/12]

Endorsed and Financially Supported by Group Working to Defeat the Farm Bill. In May 2012, Cramer was endorsed by Club for Growth. In May 2012, Club for Growth told The Hill that it opposed the Senate Farm bill and would exact political retribution against members of Congress that supported the legislation. Club for Growth Action has spent nearly $65,000 in order to elect Cramer. [Club for Growth, 5/17/12; The Hill, 5/29/12; FEC.gov, accessed 6/12/12]

Kevin Cramer Is a Flawed Candidate. Kevin Cramer is a career candidate who has run for Congress and lost three separate times. This year, he was not endorsed by the state party, his candidacy has been tainted by ethics issues, and he was outraised by both his Republican and Democratic challengers.

Bismarck Tribune: Cramer’s Actions “Raises Questions” About His “Impartiality.” In June 2011, the Bismarck Tribune Editorial Board wrote that Cramer and his PSC colleague, Brian Kalk, “should not be taking campaign contributions from officials representing companies with business before the agency. To do so raises questions about the commissioners’ impartiality when it comes to making PSC decisions, despite empathic denials from the two men.” [Bismarck Tribune, 6/29/11]

Fargo Forum: Cramer Having an “Ethical Lapse” Because of “Political Ambition.” In May 2012, the Fargo Forum Editorial Board wrote about Cramer and his PSC colleague, Brian Kalk, “That they can’t see the problem suggests an ethical lapse that often is a consequence of political ambition.” [Fargo-Moorhead Forum, 5/31/12]

Lagged Behind Opponents in Fundraising. Cramer was outraised by his Republican primary opponent and Democratic candidate Pam Gulleson even though she was not facing a competitive primary. Cramer received $57,000 in new contributions during the same eight-week period that his primary opponent raised $65,600. [Fargo-Moorhead Forum, 6/01/2012]

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