SALEM – Fifth Congressional District candidates Mike Erickson (R-Lake Oswego) and Kurt Schrader (D-Canby) joined third-party candidates on Monday night for a debate focused on how major election issues affect on minority voters.
 
Erickson and Schrader were seated on stage at Willamette University’s Cone Chapel, and separated by a row of third party candidates seated between them. That set up, combined with a format of having panelists address the candidates, left the two major party candidates little chance to go head to head on issues ranging from the current Wall Street financial crisis, health care and education. But Erickson and Schrader occasionally managed to tangle on certain topics, such as immigration.
 
“A lot of people are afraid to go back,” Erickson said of illegal immigrants. “They don’t want to get back because they know it will take a year to get a real visa. We want them to know that there is a process to get here legally.”
 
Schrader, who advocated for comprehensive reform so that foreign workers could have a path to citizenship and American businesses could have the labor they need, accused Erickson of taking a slightly softer position than he had previously taken on the issue.
 
“My opponent at the far end of the table already switched his position. He wanted to send everyone home.” the State Senator from Canby said.
 
“He’ll say anything to get elected,” Schrader added after the debate.
 
But the Lake Oswego businessman stuck to his position of making English the official language in the United States. For Erickson, it is just a better deal for the American people.
 
“It should be goal of an educational institution to teach English so that they can become productive members of society,” Erickson said. “If someone sees a crime, and you can’t report to police officer because you can’t speak English, that’s a safety issue.”
 
Schrader and Erickson were joined by third party candidates Alex Polikoff of the Green Party, Steve Milligan of the Libertarian Party, and Doug Patterson of the Constitution Party. It was moderated by Willamette University President M. Lee Pelton.
 
All five candidates agreed that the financial crisis gripping the country was the most important issue facing all Americans. Schrader pointed out that as co-chair of the state Ways and Means Committee, he had already dealt with a legislative budget, and would be able to apply that experience to Washington D.C.
 
“We’re bailing out investors first, what about mortgage holders? They’re the ones that need help. I don’t care about shareholders. They take risk, I’d rather have my tax dollars help you,” Schrader said. “We put together some pretty neat programs to put low-income Oregonians into a house so they can pursue the American Dream.”
 
Erickson was fast to point out that in order for Schrader’s tax dollars to help others, the Canby State Senator needs to pay his taxes on time. Schrader’s tax record came into the spotlight a week ago after Erickson released a television ad accusing Schrader of missing deadlines for 17 tax payments in 15 years.
 
“If you are fiscally irresponsible with your own taxes, I don’t want you being irresponsible with my taxes,” Erickson said. “If he can’t manage his own budget, how is he going to manage a national budget?”
 
In the end, Schrader shrugged off the attack, and implored on the 50 voters in attendance that only one major party candidate had the whole package of skills that the district would want represented.
 
“It’s unfortunate that my opponent took a cheap shot at my personal situation,” Schrader said. “This race is about credibility. Who has delivered for you? Which major party candidate has actually raised a family? Which congressional district five candidate lives and works on the land? Which major party candidate actually knows how to cut a budget? That would be Kurt Schrader.”