About the Author
Opinion Archives
E-mail Scott
Scott's Links


Bloomington debate: Baron Hill's hypocrisy on display

By Scott Tibbs, October 22, 2010

Baron Hill's hypocrisy was on display Monday night when he complained that there is "too much money in politics." After all, this is the same man who took $2.15 million in donations in 2008, compared to $1 million for his opponent. There is too much money in politics, Baron? Then why did you raise twice as much as your opponent? Then, less than three days later, the DCCC and the SEIU announced they would be giving $588,395 to Hill. There is too much money in politics, Baron? Really?

Of course, hypocrisy is not anything new for Baron Hill, who boasted that he does not wear religion on his sleeve for political gain and then posted a video of him praying on his campaign website.

Hill also cried during the debate about independent expenditures. "Some have been spent already in the Ninth District against me quite frankly. And, you know, the poor and the helpless can't compete against something like that," Hill said.

Seriously, Baron? You, as an incumbent Congressman, are actually lumping yourself in with "the poor and the helpless" and crying that you cannot compete against outside interest groups running commercials against you?

Hill attacked the Supreme Court's defense of free speech in January, which was expected. What was not expected was that "Libertarian" Greg Knott agreed with him. The First Amendment could not possibly be more clear when it says that Congress shall make no law abridging the freedom of speech. The essence of philosophical libertarianism is support for constitutional rights and limited government, both of which were opposed by the faux "Libertarian" candidate. Clearly, there is no reason for philosophical libertarians to support Knott after this gaffe.

I was very pleased to hear Todd Young bring up the Community Reinvestment Act and the role it played in the 2008 economic collapse. There were a number of reasons for the banking crisis, but the role government played in pushing banks to give loans to people who were never going to be able to pay them back cannot be ignored.

Baron Hill also bragged about "PAYGO" rules implemented in the 1990's but neglected to mention that it was the Republican Congress that presided over a balanced budget during that time. Democrats complained bitterly about "spending cuts" but by the year 2000 we had a $236 billion budget surplus. The last budget passed by the Democratic Congress in 1994 had a $163.9 billion budget deficit. Unfortunately, Republicans lost their way after George W. Bush was elected and abandoned fiscal restraint. I firmly believe Todd Young has learned from the mistakes of the past.

The incumbent's record on the deficit is far from pristine, as Young pointed out that Baron Hill voted to suspend PAYGO rules 85% of the time. When you consider that the budget deficit was rapidly shrinking in 2006 and 2007 and only exploded after Baron Hill and Nancy Pelosi took over in January of 2007, Hill and the Democrats have very little room to brag about deficit reduction.

The choice we will make in 11 days could not possibly be clearer. We can continue with the failed policies of Baron Hill, Nancy Pelosi and Barack Obama, with trillion-dollar budget deficits and 10% unemployment, or we can reform Washington with limited government policies that the 2010 freshman class will implement once the GOP takes over in November. While most people believe that the Republicans will take the House in 11 days, winning the Ninth District is nowhere near assured. We all need to get out and vote for Todd Young on November 2.