With Iowa residents making up their minds on the GOP presidential hopefuls before the state’s Jan. 3 caucuses, it is important for voters to focus on what the candidates say – or don’t say – about their plans to meet the country’s fiscal challenges.
With Iowa residents making up their minds on the GOP presidential hopefuls before the state’s Jan. 3 caucuses, it is important for voters to focus on what the candidates say – or don’t say – about their plans to meet the country’s fiscal challenges.
In an op-ed Monday in the Iowa City Press-Citizen, Sara Imhof, Midwest field director for The Concord Coalition, urges voters who have the chance to ask “targeted and pertinent questions” such as whether candidates can identify areas for bipartisan compromise to put the country’s budget on a more responsible path.
“Given the failure of elected officials to follow through on thoughtful recommendations from bipartisan groups — notably President Obama’s fiscal commission — candidates should explain how they intend to provide better fiscal leadership in a practical and balanced manner,” writes Imhof, who is an Iowa resident.
She urges voters to pay particular attention to what the candidates are saying about such issues as defense spending, taxes and entitlement reform.
“Ideally,” Imhof writes, “presidential candidates would be eager to clearly explain their plans for fiscal reform. But all too often, they fall back on clichés and vague rhetoric. Iowans can provide a valuable service for all by insisting that the candidates spell out how they intend to meet the difficult challenges facing the nation.”
Read more with Imhof: Questions to Ask Candidates Before the Caucuses
