Bobbitt's Fotothing

October 27-- It was the eighth debate between the two last week when John Barrow (left) and Max Burns faced off in Vidalia in the their run for the congressional seat in the newly created 12th congressional district.

For an hour-and-a-half, the democrat and republican sparred with each other on issues ranging from Iraq to immigration. Both are against leaving Iraq until the job is done, and both are for sealing the country's southern border to stop illegal aliens. Burns accuses Barrow of favoring amnesty for illegal immigrants already in the country, Barrow denies the charge.

Both candidates say they support an increase in the minimum wage, even though Burns qualifies his support. In a question from the floor, the candidates were asked, "We watch as our politicians vote themselves raises. At what point can we expect an increase in the minimum wage?"

Barrow said, "I'm glad somebody asked that question because nothing shows how screwed up our priorities are in Washington as much as the fact that congress gets an automatic cost of living adjustment without doing anything. Whereas, the people who are stuck at the bottom don't get a cost of living adjustment because congress doesn't vote on it. It's been nine years since we had a minimum wage adjustment and it's long overdue."

Burns, in response said, "I think it's important that we make reasonable adjustments for those on the lower end of the pay scale, but we also need to understand what that does to the rest of our nation and to the rest of our economy. We need to recognize that unions, which support my opponent, stand to gain the most from minimum wage increases because all those union scales are tied to the minimum wage."

The 12th District race is considered too close to call and President Bush is making his second trip to Georgia Monday to a rally in Statesboro in support for Burns.

Vidalia Communications Corporation, VCC Newspage, Monday, October 30, 2006, "Newsbreak News Clips”.