Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Elliott, Hill debate racism, taxation, virus response
CONWAY — Debating Monday, Republican U.S. Rep. French Hill and his Democratic opponent, state Sen. Joyce Elliott, both criticized the federal government’s response to covid-19.
During their hourlong face-off, the two Little Rock residents differed over systemic racism, law enforcement, taxation and which candidate would be better equipped to work with members of the other party.
Arkansas PBS organized the forum and broadcast it Monday night.
Neither candidate was impressed with the nation’s original response to the ongoing global health emergency, which has resulted in more than 7.8 million U. S. cases and more than 214,000 U.S. deaths.
“I think when this pandemic swept across the United States from China early in January [ or] February, the United States was caught at low tide with no bathing suit,” Hill said. “We were not prepared for this pandemic. We did not have all the necessary precautions taken for years.”
It’s important for the nation to take steps so that it’s prepared when the next pandemic arrives, he said.
The U.S. medical supply chain shouldn’t be reliant on foreign manufacturers for vital supplies, he said.
“We should have those made in a way here in the United States, in addition to around the world, and be able to turn that on, on a dime,” he said.
Elliott stressed the importance of strong leadership.
“We need to make sure that we have a national plan, which we do not [have] right now. We need to have a state plan, but we need to also call on people on the most local of levels,” she said.
“We don’t have to keep making the same mistakes, but we will keep making the same mistakes if we keep sending the same people to Congress,” she said.
President Donald Trump was not the focus of conversation: Elliott never referred to him by name; Hill only mentioned him once.
Instead, the three- term incumbent peppered his answers with references to national Democratic leaders, including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of California (seven mentions); presidential nominee Joe Biden of Delaware (three mentions); vice presidential nominee Sen. Kamala Harris of California (two mentions); and single nods to U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont and U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York.
Hill denounced the “radical Democrats in Washington” and the “radical Democrats in the House” and said Elliott’s views on systemic racism in policing were “too radical for the average Arkansan.”
Elliott argued that her opponent has done the bidding of Wall Street instead of his Arkansas constituents.
In particular, she criticized Hill for supporting the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, saying that high-income Americans had received the lion’s share of the benefits. She argued that the tax cuts benefiting working Americans are temporary and will eventually expire.
“We’re always told time and time again that, if we just cut taxes for those who are the richest, that everybody is going to benefit,” she said. “If you are part of the richest in our country, life is good for you, Wall Street’s great for you. But if you are part of the middle class, we know who we are, we’re struggling.”
Hill argued that the legislation had benefited people of all economic levels. By lowering corporate tax rates, the law enabled U.S. businesses to better compete and to expand and flourish, he said.
“For Arkansans, it produced a $2,000-per-year savings in more take-home pay for them,” he said. “The act was important to our economy. It got our economy moving. It’s been good for our families.”
In addition to denouncing Democratic leaders, Hill also emphasized his ability to work with members of the opposing party on Capitol Hill to pass legislation.
“I’ve had bills signed into law by President [ Barack] Obama and I’ve had bills signed into law by President Trump. I work across the aisle on good ideas. I find the people who want to do what I want to do to build the better welfare for our country, build the better welfare for our state, and I go get it done,” Hill said.
During her time in the General Assembly, Elliott has also worked to build coalitions, she said.
“I don’t care if it’s a Democratic idea or a Republican idea as long as it’s putting Arkansas first,” she said. “There’s not a Republican in the Senate who will tell you I do not work across party lines because I do.”
The candidates took different approaches to addressing racism and law enforcement.
“My opponent has stirred controversy by saying, I think, something that’s too radical for the average Arkansan, which is that our police forces are systemically racist,” Hill said. “I think there are racist people in our society and in our police forces and I think we need to root them out, but to broadly label, I think, is too strong. I think it’s too radical.”
Elliott said no one should attribute to her things that she has not said.
“There is systemic racism. There is no question about it. That’s something we ought to deal with in its totality,” she said. “But let me talk about what I have done with and for the police, as a legislator. I’m the person who sits in that committee room and worked for the pensions for the [Arkansas] State Police, making sure that they have the health care they need, making sure that they have the protective gear that they need to keep themselves safe and to keep us safe.”
“What I have done is work with the police and work for the police to make sure they can do the jobs that they are supposed to do, but I’ve also called on the community [to] be a part of the solution,” she said.
The candidates also disagreed about health care. Elliott said Hill had voted repeatedly to repeal the Affordable Care Act and warned Republicans would strip away health coverage for people with preexisting conditions.
Hill insisted Republicans are committed to keeping preexisting conditions provisions in place. Hill also criticized Elliott for voting for Republican-backed legislation in the state Legislature that raised cellphone taxes in order to pay for enhanced 911 services.
Backing the bill, which was sponsored by a Republican, passed the Republican-controlled House 85-0, and the Republican-controlled Senate 29-3, was the right thing to do, Elliott said.
“You deserve to have somebody at the other end of the line when you dial 911,” she said.
Hill said Elliott should have proposed using some of the state surplus to fund the program, arguing that it had raised taxes “on the poorest citizens in the state.”
“If it’s a bad bipartisan idea, I’m still against it,” he added.