News
Tom White's New TV Ad: More than a 'little White lie'
Terry leads White in fundraising
September 24, 2010
Tom White’s new 30-second TV ad is a good example of misrepresentation and hypocrisy.
The ad accuses Rep. Lee Terry of repeatedly voting to raise congressional pay. The accusation is false. The fact is, Congressman Terry has voted repeatedly to freeze such pay. (H.R. 5146, April 27, 2010, vote #226)
White then goes on to state that congressional pay should be frozen or cut until the budget is balanced—something Terry has long advocated. But that’s not what White has done in Lincoln.
White supported a bill to place a constitutional amendment on the ballot that increases legislator pay from $12,000 to $22,000—an 83 percent increase. (LR 1CA, May 30, 2007) Meanwhile, White voted against LB 5 in last fall’s Special Session—a bill that cut spending by $32 million. (Legislative Journal, Nov. 20, 2009, page 141) The Omaha World-Herald specifically noted that LB 5 was a “key part of efforts to close a $334 million gap in the state budget… .” (Omaha World-Herald, November 14, 2009) The final vote tally was 40 senators in favor of the bill, seven (including White), against.
Tom White supports raising legislative pay but then refuses to cut spending to balance the state budget. His record is of doing the exact opposite in Lincoln of what he says he’d do in Washington.
White’s first TV ad stated that “it’s just wrong” to pile more debt on our children. But all Tom White would do is make the problem worse—he is on record as supporting $2 trillion more in spending and debt than Terry. White has endorsed the failed stimulus and government healthcare programs—$2 trillion in cost—that Terry voted against.
The fact is, Terry has voted to cut trillions in spending in 2009 and 2010 alone. He has cast 83 specific votes on the floor of the House to cut spending. (The complete list of votes is available for review on the campaign’s web page: www.leeterry.com, click issues)
One could possibly excuse a “little White lie” once in a while. But Tom White’s new TV ads are real whoppers.