Democratic Senate candidate Michelle Nunn unveiled a jobs
plan Thursday with a heaping of middle-of-the-road ideas and an attempt to reach out to conservatives by promising to simplify business regulations.
Nunn's seven-page plan, which you can find here, is another signal that last year's federal shutdown still looms large in the race for Georgia's open Senate seat. Republican David Perdue's pledge to reduce the deficit helped him emerge from a crowded GOP primary, and he's sought to tie Nunn to "outrageous spending" in Washington.
Nunn pledges to "end government shutdowns and self-inflicted crises" by supporting Sen. Mark Udall's amendment to require Congress to balance the budget and a "no budget, no pay" law that would block lawmakers from getting paychecks if they fail to pass a spending plan.
The plan, which she outlined at a campaign stop in College Park, includes a promise to support efforts to lower the corporate tax rate and allow small businesses to file for more deductions. She would also push to extend the research and development tax credit and wants Congress to streamline "overlapping and confusing tax benefits" to reduce paperwork.
She said in an interview her plan was "revenue-neutral," though it's not clear how that would work and there's no pricetag for her pledges, which include a push to upgrade aging infrastructure.
Perdue's campaign said it was a confusing and contradictory document that mimicked some of the Republican's ideas and ignores the Affordable Care Act. Perdue spokeswoman Megan Whittemore tied the plan to President Barack Obama and Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid.
"By talking out of both sides of her mouth on specific policies, Michelle Nunn is simply trying to cover up how she will support Obama and Reid's liberal policies for bigger government, the disaster that is Obamacare, amnesty and open borders," said Whittemore.
Parts of Nunn's plan was rehash from earlier policy positions, such as her push to complete construction of the controversial Keystone Pipeline. She also reiterated her support for a Senate-backed plan (derided by Perdue and other critics as amnesty) that would provide a 13-year path to citizenship for some undocumented immigrants.
On that last note, Nunn voiced support for finding ways to smooth the transition of undocumented "Dream Act" students, though it wasn't specifically mentioned in her jobs program. She talked of meeting with parents in Gainesville who were upset that their childrens' classmates "hit a wall" after high school.
Said Nunn:
"They hit a wall when they realize that jobs, education, all of that is cut off. That is not in our state's best interest. It's not in our community's best interest. And its not in our nation's best interest. I do believe that we do need to secure the borders and create a pathway to citizenship that enables people to go to the back of the line, pass background checks, learn English, but have a chance of giving back to their communities."
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