Republican Senate candidates offer variety of solutions to inflation problem
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — As Pennsylvanians go to the polls next Tuesday to pick their nominees for U.S. Senate, inflation is a key issue on the minds of many.
In interviews with the Republican candidates for that office, KDKA political editor Jon Delano asked each for their solution.
Rising prices at the gas pump, in the grocery store, at a favorite restaurant, inflation is hurting us all. Seven Republicans want to be their party's nominee to replace U.S. Sen. Pat Toomey.
Recent polls suggest a statistical tie between TV celebrity doctor Mehmet Oz, businessman and hedge fund CEO Dave McCormick and cable TV commentator Kathy Barnette. Real estate developer Jeff Bartos, former Ambassador Carla Sands, and Philadelphia attorneys Sean Gale and George Bochetto are also on the ballot.
Most had more than one solution to the inflation problem.
"We need to stop the excessive spending," McCormick said, adding, "The energy policies have turned us overnight from a net exporter of energy in America to a net importer, and that's driven up the price of fuel."
McCormick has a third solution: "Make the Trump tax cuts permanent and deregulate."
"It's the Federal Reserve," Barnette said. "It's the reason why we have inflation. And right now if you turn your television on, everyone is looking to the Federal Reserve to fix what they broke."
"In the United States Senate, I'll be doing everything I can to help our fellow Pennsylvanians clear out the government, clear out bureaucracy, get pipelines in the ground. And until we can get the pipelines in the ground, make sure our gas, oil, energy resources are transported to market however it makes sense," Bartos said.
"Stopping the out-of-control spending, meaning I'm not going to vote on any of these big bad deals, big bad bills that are stuffed through with Green New Deals, regulation," Sands said.
"Inflation is caused by printing of money and out-of-control spending," Gale said. "That's what causes it. And we've been out of control in both of those places, and really you have to start reigning that in."
"We need federal legislation that requires the federal government to have balanced budgets. We can no longer afford this crazy deficit spending," Bochetto said.
Despite several requests, Oz declined to participate, saying he was unavailable.