1st District candidates cite a different history

WATERLOO - Iowa's 1st District U.S. House of Representatives candidates Republican Rod Blum and Democrat Pat Murphy have the same ready answer for where they would focus their efforts should they win on Nov. 4.

'I think the top priority is still the economy,” says Murphy, 55, a Dubuque state lawmaker.

Blum, 59, a Dubuque businessman, echoes, 'My top priority, and …

more importantly, it's the top priority of most Eastern Iowans that I speak with, that's jobs and the economy.”

From there, though, the two candidates hoping to succeed U.S. Rep. Bruce Braley, who is running for the U.S. Senate, have different takes on how to address the issues.

Both men harken back to a time when jobs and the economy seemed to be on the right track. But Murphy points to the economic successes under Democratic President Bill Clinton and Blum points to the leadership of Republican President Ronald Reagan.

Blum has a list of actions that Reagan took to recover the economy from the 'malaise” felt during the Democratic presidency of Jimmy Carter.

Blum points first to decreasing tax rates, specifically for businesses. He adds the caveat that corporate loopholes need to be eliminated, along with the reduction in tax rates.

Blum also said Congress needs to reduce regulations, and points especially to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. He calls for a five-year moratorium on new regulations.

'Had President Obama implemented the same policies that President Reagan did, and had we had the same kind of recovery as we had under President Reagan, we'd have another 14 million jobs today,” Blum said.

Murphy, on the other hand, supports the proposed federal legislation that would incrementally increase the minimum wage to $10.10 an hour. He also supports the Paycheck Fairness Act, which would ensure men and women are paid equally for equal work.

'As Speaker of the House, I passed the Lilly Ledbetter Act, but the other problem is that's not enough. Women are still only making 77 cents for every dollar a man makes,” Murphy said.

Murphy also supports programs that address the labor shortage in advanced manufacturing and educational programs that focus on early childhood education, and science, technology, engineering and mathematics, or STEM.

'Education is still the best way to get into the middle class,” Murphy said.

Both men agree there is a need to balance the budget, but Blum stressed that the current deficit a hindrance to moving the national economy forward.

On the energy policy, both support incentives for renewable fuels and alternative energy. Blum said he is an 'all of the above” supporter for energy policies that make the country energy independent. Murphy focused more on the need to tackle climate change.

On federal health care reform, Murphy said trying to repeal it in the U.S. House 50-plus times is an example of 'playing partisan games” and he thinks focus should be on improving what works in the law. Blum agreed that an effort to repeal would not be successful with Obama in office, but he doesn't believe the law will help slow the rise of health care costs

Candidate Bios:

Rod Blum

' Age: 59

' Hometown: Dubuque

' Occupation: owner of Digital Canal Corp.

' Political experience: None

' Highest education: Master in business administration, Marketing, University of Dubuque

Pat Murphy

' Age: 55

' Hometown: Dubuque

' Occupation: state lawmaker

' Political experience: state lawmaker

' Highest education: Bachelor of arts in communications, Loras College