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Taking issue with avoiding state issues

TV debate moderator: Mr. Pensler. As a GOP candidate for the U.S. Senate, what is your position on allowing guns in schools?

Sandy Pensler: I am not taking any positions on state issues.

Moderator: Mr. Pensler, what is your stance on raising taxes to fund mass transit?

Mr. Pensler: That’s a state issue and I’m not taking any positions on that.

Moderator: So I take it any state issues I ask you, you won’t respond?

Mr. Pensler: You got that right.

While the exchange there is made up, candidate Pensler’s steadfastness in not answering state issues while he is running for a federal office is real.

During a scrum with capitol correspondents he asserted that position several times.

Wow. Nobody has ever tried that before but can he get away with it, or more importantly should he be allowed to get away with that?

The old school notion is when you have a candidate who is not well known from either party and they are out there seeking your vote, you probably want to know what their thoughts are on a variety of issues. The objective, of course, is to provide you with some answers so you can decide is this person worthy of your support.

By taking state issues off the table, some might argue it’s a disservice to the citizens but yet the candidate is free to do as he or she deems necessary to win.

The exchange with millionaire private business guy Mr. Pensler was interesting to say the least.

He was asked about a very controversial proposed tax hike for the Southeast Michigan transit system which has been left unresolved going back to the Milliken administration in the 1970s.

He refused to support or reject the tax hike but he did say he was a mass transit supporter but most of the proposals to date have had more problems than benefits. He did assert that if elected he would not seek federal funds for mass transit.

A cynic might observe that voters down there have consistently balked at paying higher taxes to improve the bus system, yet high-powered business leaders, not to mention the governor and others, believe the growth of the region is linked to a modern day transit system that most major cities installed years ago. So, Mr. Pensler might figure, why venture in with a position when whatever I say will hack off someone?

Then there is the car insurance rate issue which shows up on his web page almost daily. Voters want to know what he will do about it? He has not responded because that is a state issue.

Yet the line is not hard and fast between state and federal problems as there is often overlap and in the case of Pipeline 5, Mr. Pensler did wade in.

He concludes the Enbridge line is the most effective idea both environmentally and economically but more safety provisions are needed. Having said that he does not favor an immediate shutdown while conceding the company has “lied” at times and undercut its “leverage to self-control.”

Mr. Pensler also had an answer on the election year favorite of all conservatives, will you sign the no tax pledge? Many from the right can’t wait to put pen to paper on that, but lo and behold, this candidate won’t sign. He calls it a “mistake” to sign anything until he gets to Washington to get the lay of the land.

It was a gutsy stance and one that could cost him votes in a conservative GOP primary with fellow candidate John James who has signed the thing.

But you have to wonder can he skate through the next three months stiffing every reporter’s or voter’s questions on state problems without any push back to do otherwise?

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