Alex Pires in 2012 Del. Senate Debate
On Abortion:
Would vote to fund Planned Parenthood
An audience member asked if the candidates would vote to fund Planned Parenthood.
Pires said he would vote to fund Planned Parenthood. He noted the irony of men constantly trying to legislate women's health issues.
Source: Cape Gazette on 2012 Delaware Senate debate
Oct 19, 2012
On Civil Rights:
Women are treated disproportionately poorly
One audience member noted the political preoccupation with abortion and contraception, and if they thought human rights or religious rights were more important. "We have 100 Senators; 17 of them are women,"
Pires said. "I think women are treated disproportionately poor." The government should focus on human rights; religion is a personal matter, he said.
Source: Cape Gazette on 2012 Delaware Senate debate
Oct 19, 2012
On Civil Rights:
Gay people are equal
Carper said it is up to the states' legislatures to decide who can get married in their state.
Pires criticized Carper for speaking in "double-talk" while answering "I support gay marriage. Gay people are equal."
Source: Newark Post on 2012 Delaware Senate debate
Oct 19, 2012
On Corporations:
Corruption comes from taking money from the corporate world
In recent months, Pires has accused Carper of corruption, insider trading, domestic abuse and lying about his service in the Vietnam War. "I don't take money from anyone in the corporate world," Pires said.
Pointing at Carper, Pires said, "He is the world-record holder for taking money from corporations."
Source: Cape Gazette on 2012 Delaware Senate debate
Oct 19, 2012
On Corporations:
Less money on corporate subsidies; more on children
Pires said more federal money should be spent on children and medical services and less money should be spent on corporate
subsidies. "I'm interested in families," he said. "Why are we spending so much of our time and money on the corporate world?"
Source: Cape Gazette on 2012 Delaware Senate debate
Oct 19, 2012
On Education:
More education in math, science, technology & engineering
To compete globally in the job market, Pires said, the nation's children need more education in the fields of math, science, technology and engineering. "We are falling behind," he said. "We haven't put our efforts in the right place."
Pires said it is important to focus on science and math in early education because when students reach college, it is too late to put them on a different path.
Source: Cape Gazette on 2012 Delaware Senate debate
Oct 19, 2012
On Immigration:
Don't split up members of immigrant workers' families
Asked for his opinion on undocumented workers, Pires said he employs many Hispanic workers in his eight companies in Sussex County, and that while border-control should be reformed, he said he would never support legislation that split up members
of immigrant workers' families.Carper said he has worked to establish legislation that secures U.S. borders, and that children who have migrated here with their families should not be forced to leave.
Source: Newark Post on 2012 Delaware Senate debate
Oct 19, 2012
On Jobs:
Jobs come from small businesses; they need bank credit
Pires said the National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform is not the answer to the country's economic woes. "Simpson-Bowles is a good idea, but it hasn't gone anywhere," he said. "Jobs come from small businesses. They don't come from the
top, they come from the bottom." Pires said credit is key to the success of small businesses, which are suffering because of big banks. As a board member of Community Bank, Pires said he has lent more than $200,000 to small businesses.
Source: Cape Gazette on 2012 Delaware Senate debate
Oct 19, 2012
On Civil Rights:
Unequivocal support for legalization of same-sex marriage
Wade called same-sex marriage a "fringe issue" and a distraction to real issues of concern to voters. "They worry about jobs, their homes, this country and the future of their children and grandchildren," he said.Pires unequivocally supported
legalization of same-sex marriage. Carper offered more tepid support but said he supports the repeal of a Bill Clinton-era law that defines marriage as between a man and a woman. Carper only recently reversed his position on the Defense of Marriage Act.
Source: Delmarva Daily Times on 2012 Del. Senate debate
Oct 17, 2012
On Social Security:
Attack plans to privatize Social Security
Pires attempted to attack Carper on Social Security, accusing the senator of supporting a plan to privatize the government program by putting Americans' retirement funds in private accounts. He called Carper a "proponent of privatization," reading
quotes from 2005 that appeared to reflect Carper's support for the move.Carper said he only supported private accounts as an add-on to the traditional Social Security program.
Carper added that he opposed a full privatization measure proposed by President George W. Bush in 2005. In fact, he and other lawmakers sent a letter to then-President Bush on March 3 of that year calling on the
Republican to "publicly and unambiguously announce that you reject privatized accounts funded with Social Security dollars."
Source: Delmarva Daily Times on 2012 Del. Senate debate
Oct 17, 2012
Page last updated: Dec 04, 2018