[NOTE] Vets for Buck will publish a weekly update on news relevant to Ken Buck's Senate race and veteran issues in Colorado.  To become more involved with Vets for Buck please click here.

 

 

(1) Ken Buck's statements regarding support for Veterans and VA Hospitals,

 

(2) Ken Buck's disagreement with Michael Bennet and big Washington on the upcoming tax hikes,

 

(3) Michael Bennet's reluctance to enter into debate with Ken Buck, and

 

(4) Ken Buck's current lead in the polls for Colorado U.S. Senator.  

 

 

ISSUE:  Ken Buck made a statement back in June about utilizing private medical care to supplement the current care veterans receive from the Veteran's Administration.  Michael Bennet has jumped at the opportunity to utilize that statement for his own purposes and promote a misconception about Ken's stand on the issue.  See below:

 

Sen. Michael Bennet’s camp has turned up the heat on a June statement made by Republican Ken Buck when he responded, “Would a veteran’s administration hospital that is run by the private sector be better run than by the public sector? In my view, yes.”

 

ANSWER:  The truth is that Ken believes our veterans deserve the finest available medical treatment.  However, he also believes that the big bureaucracy of the Veterans Administration (VA) contains too much red tape and too many administrative hurdles.  Big government does not work!  Ken wants to streamline the process, reduce the inefficiencies, and improve end state medical care for the customer. He believes government should retain responsibility for veteran care but, if private companies can provide better care at lower costs, he is willing to consider solutions beyond the VA alone.

 

 

ISSUE: Appointed Senator Michael Bennet has a record of spending and "rubber-stamping" those bills supported by President Obama and big Washington.  Sen. Bennet and the Democrats in Washington refuse to extend the current tax cuts, despite holding a majority in both houses.  Given another term in office, Sen. Bennet will raise taxes and continue his habit of spending on the backs of the Colorado people. 

 

ANSWER:  Ken Buck wants to extend the current tax cuts and stop the record of big spending in Washington.  Please see two relevant news articles below:

   

DENVER (AP) ― As Congress considers extending at least some George W. Bush-era tax cuts, Colorado Republican Senate candidate Ken Buck is saying again that he favors maintaining current tax rates for all Americans.

 

Buck appeared Sunday on CBS' "Face the Nation." He says low taxes will help generate jobs.

http://cbs4denver.com/news/Colorado.Republican.Senate.2.1932630.html

 

Senate Democrats are looking to punt the tax-cut debate past the November elections, facing pushback from Democrats facing re-election in 2010 who worry about getting tagged with raising taxes on small businesses, senior Democratic aides say. The party gathered Thursday afternoon for a caucus-wide meeting to set the pre-election agenda.

 

Democrats emerged from the meeting mostly mum about what final decision had been reached, though Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) said it was "generally accepted" that no vote would be taken before the election.

 

 

ISSUE:  It is critical that the Colorado general public get to know their candidates for U.S. Senate and understand their positions on the substantive issues.  The problem is that Michael Bennet cannot stand on his record of spending and is refusing to debate Ken Buck on the issues that matter to us veterans and the Colorado people.

 

ANSWER: We can only judge our appointed Senator, Michael Bennet, on his record of spending and "rubber-stamping" those bills supported by Pres. Obama and the Washington elite.  Ken Buck wants to address the issues that concern the Colorado public, but Michael Bennet does not want to discuss his record in Washington or Ken Buck's divergent positions.  Please see the article below for more on Michael Bennet's dodging of Ken Buck in meaningful debate: 

 

DENVER—For months, it’s become clear that appointed Sen. Michael Bennet is running away for his record, but now he’s even running away from debates.

 

The Buck for Colorado campaign worked with the Bennet campaign to schedule as many debates as possible in good faith. Now, the Bennet campaign has announced that the Appointed Senator does not want to give the people of Colorado the opportunity to hear the differences between him and Republican U.S. Senate candidate Ken Buck.

 

Bennet, who was appointed to the Senate by Democrat Gov. Bill Ritter, without any input from the people of Colorado, is the first incumbent senator from Colorado in  modern history to dodge so many debates.

 

“The people of Colorado deserve the opportunity to hear Appointed Sen. Bennet and Ken debate,” said Buck for Colorado manager John Swartout.  “After losing just two debates, it’s clear that the appointed Senator doesn’t want to discuss his failed record of 9.5 percent unemployment and the $13 trillion of debt he rubberstamped.”

 

Buck thinks that the formal debates are the most important part of the campaign for voters. The Buck campaign has pushed hard for a large number of debates.

 

Just two debates have been held in 2010—the Club 20 Debate on Sep. 11 and the KOAA-NBC/Colorado Springs Gazette Debate on Oct. 17.  And now the Bennet campaign has agreed to only four more debates—The Pueblo Chieftain, 9 News/Denver Post, Meet the Press and the Denver Chamber of Commerce.  This means that major news organizations, community groups and important geographic regions of the state that have hosted U.S. Senate debates over the years have been turned down by Senator Bennet.

 

“In 2008, Mark Udall and Bob Schaffer debated 15 times, and in 2004, Ken Salazar and Pete Coors debated 11 times,” added Swartout.  “In 2010, Michael Bennet will make history by committing to fewer debates than any other incumbent senator from Colorado in modern history.  Coloradans deserve a senator who won’t hide from them.”   

 

 

ISSUE: Michael Bennet was never elected by the people of Colorado.

 

ANSWER:  The people of Colorado will choose their U.S. Senator based on what they want in their Senator, not what big Washington wants.  Ken Buck is not running for the Republican party- he is running for the people of Colorado.  Ken Buck will not do what is best for Washington or the Republican party- he will do what is best for the people of Colorado.  That is why Ken Buck leads in the polls and that is why, with your support, he will win the election on November 2, 2010.  Please see the article below for more information on some good news for Colorado:

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What can you do to help?  First, spread the word by forwarding these weekly updates or printing and posting them in a visible place.  Second, volunteer to make phone calls or post a sign in your front yard by registering on Ken Buck's website at www.buckforcolorado.com.  Third, send additional veteran email addresses to me so that we can add them to our Vets for Buck contact list.  Finally, if you are a veteran and have a comment of support for Ken, email me your comment so that we can post on his website. 

 

Please contact me with any questions or concerns related to this email or Ken Buck's bid for Colorado's U.S. Senate seat.  Thank you for your support!

 

Very truly yours,

 

David James Fennell, Iraq (OIF) and Afghanistan (OEF) Veteran

Vets for Buck