azza1625/createdebate-arguments huggingface dataset:
Debate: Who should I vote for in the 2008 New Hampshire Senate Race?
Side: Woman for the working man

There's a lot of media spculation going around as to whether or not Jeanne Shaheen supports unionization or the Employee Free Choice Act which would allow union members of NH organizations to vote on issues separate from their company. Sununu's campaign supporters are trying very hard to paint a black picture of Sheehan by misusing the legislation to cover all workers' rights in the ballot box. But how can they even think this to be possible when the head of the Letter Carrier Union in New Hampshire, Wayne Alteriso, calmly affirms her good intentions and union support? Does this sound like muddy politics to anyone else, or is it just another example of a disgruntled candidate trying to confuse Joe-Voter?
Debate: Who should I vote for in the 2008 New Hampshire Senate Race?
Side: Honest and Fair Campaigns Matter

Jeanne Shaheen of course. We cannot get our country out of this Republican mess by just electing Obama. We must send a Democratic congress.Bush and Chaney have dug such a deep hole I don't think we can get out in my lifetime.
Debate: Who should I vote for in the 2008 New Hampshire Senate Race?
Side: Lead in the Polls

In a recent independent poll conducted last week, Democratic Jeanne Shaheen has widened her lead over the incumbent Senator John Sununu to a margin of 51% over 40%. The increase of support for Shaheen in one of the more conservative states in the New England region reflects a noticeable trend in New Hampshire voters leaning towards Obama. The latest Rasmussen Report has Obama's previous 11-point lead over McCain in the state declining to a mere 1 percentage point over John McCain. New Hampshire, as has been already stated, has a crucial independent vote that (some argue) will most likely be favoring the Democrats this year. If this is in fact the case, it will be very interesting to see how this all pans out in the Senate race where Sununu finds himself facing a possible upset as his seat has been deemed "the most endangered" on Capital Hill.
Debate: Who should I vote for in the 2008 New Hampshire Senate Race?
Side: Jeanne Shaheen

The biggest difference between Shaheen and Sununu are the issues of taxes and education. In the face of educational crisis, Shaheen went against her previous commitment to not create any new taxes in order to help schools. Shaheen's work as a state senator and governor provide ample experience for the Senate. She also worked well in a bi-partisan atmosphere, when she served as Democratic governor to a Republican majority.Shaheen would be good a addition to the Senate Health and Education committees. Jeanne Shaheen would have a different approach than John Sununu, without lacking legislative background.
Debate: Who should I vote for in the 2008 New Hampshire Senate Race?
Side: Iraq Funding

In 2007, Sen. Sununu voted against a proposition to have our troops removed from Iraq more expediently (Levin Amdt. No. 2898) Former Governor Shaheen, while she did support sending the troops over in the first place, feels that they should be removed expediently, and while still protecting their security. These are issues she brings up on her own personal website. Sununu, however, has gone on the record saying he does not even want to setup a timetable for troop removal, and wants to continue the war effort currently.
Debate: Who should I vote for in the 2008 New Hampshire Senate Race?
Side: Shaheen Holds Slight Advantage

Former Gov. Jeanne Shaheen is likely to benefit from the greater passion Democrats feel for their candidates this election year than the lukewarm enthusiasm that Republican voters feel for their candidates. During the New Hampshire Primary earlier this year, nearly 50,000 more voters participated in the Democratic Primary than in the Republican Primary for President. In a state with just a half-million regular voters in national elections, those numbers are a big advantage for Senate challenger Shaheen and Democratic Presidential Nominee Barack Obama. Since New Hampshire's famous independents seem to be favoring Democrats this year, and the presidential race drives voter turnout, Senator John Sununu has a huge gap to close.
Debate: Who should I vote for in the 2008 New Hampshire Senate Race?
Side: Heating the Campaign and Homes

The New York Times suggests the New Hampshire Senate race between incumbent Republican John Sununu (R) and his Democratic rival Jeanne Shaheen (D) "a near-perfect petri dish for how the issues, and the dynamics of the presidential contest, are shifting in ways that give Republicans hope."Shaheen has led in the polls in New Hampshire for the better part of the past year and she is aiming to capitalize on Sununu's ties to the Bush Administration as well as his endorsement of it's tax policies to hold that lead all the way to the ballot boxes in November.Both candidates are picking up the pace with television ads this past week and don't expect them slow down. Sununu has a reported $5 million campaign purse that he has only begun to delve into and Shaheen is likely receiving ample contributions from the Democratic Party who realize that her victory in New Hampshire will mark a significant extension of their current 51 to 49 vote majority in the Senate.Sununu is banking on the energy issue to build himself a substantial talking point advantage over Shaheen whom he claims, "won't do nuclear...won't lift the ban on offshore drilling...won't pursue oil shale..." and "that's wrong."Nonetheless, the Republican senator's attack is a stretch as Shaheen has stated that she is not wholly against some additional drilling.Look for the energy issue to climb it's way higher and higher in the New Hampshire Senate race (as with all the other New England races) as voters' concerns increase as they face high fuel prices and devastating heating costs in their homes.Sununu is pushing offshore drilling and Shaheen has urged for more federal spending to help put a cap on the escalating oil prices.
Debate: Who should I vote for in the 2008 New Hampshire Senate Race?
Side: Back on the Campaign Trail

After defeating her Democratic challenger, Ray Stebbins, in Tuesday's primaries, Jeanne Shaheen (D) continued right back into her main arsenal against her rival John Sununu (R) (who defeated Rep. Tom Alciere the same day) by drawing the tightest parallels possible between Sununu and the Bush Administration.She claimed, "If folks want to continue the status quo, then they want to support John Sununu, because he has voted with George Bush 90 percent of the time," Shaheen said in a phone interview. "He has supported the policies that have gotten us to where we are today."Sununu responded by backing his record, which he argued still shows effective legislation passed despite the well-known fact that Washington "is broken." He pointed to his opposition of the Patriot Act (a proposal of the Bush Administration) and also criticized that Shaheen's stance against offshore drilling will "resign ourselves to permanently higher energy prices."
Debate: Who should I vote for in the 2008 New Hampshire Senate Race?
Side: Recent Statement

Jeanne Shaheen (D) wrote and published a statement in the Union Leader yesterday detailing her economic vision if elected to the United States Senate.She cites the unemployment rise to 6.1% and that the U.S. economy has lost up to 600,000 jobs since January. She reiterates that wages are at a standstill and that the conditions will continue to worsen if we persist with our current economic direction.As predicted, Shaheen is proposing a "new economic direction in this country [...] one where working families' interests - not the special interests - come first."She proceeds to characterize incumbent Republican Sen. John Sununu as a stalwart Bush support, even going so far as to label the Republican's term in the Senate "the Bush-Sununu era" during our federal government has engaged in "reckless, irresponsible spending that has doubled our national debt to $9 trillion and exploded the deficit."She vows to break from the current administration's fiscal approach and "demand real accountability and a return to balanced budgets through pay-as-you-go budgeting. I will fight to put an end to the no-bid contracts that shower billions of dollars on companies that fail to perform. And I will work to ensure the Iraqis pay their own bills with the billions they earn in oil revenue rather than relying on billions of our taxpayer dollars."She echoes the "Manhattan-style project" catch phrase that is gaining traction amongst politicians on both sides of the partisan line when discussing the specifics of how they are planning to improve the economy when she states, "We need a Manhattan-style project that brings together the public and private sectors to move us toward energy independence and addresses both the short-term high prices and our long-term energy needs."She is still persistent against offshore drilling and opts for drilling on pre-leased land already available to oil companies. She plans to cut the tax breaks that are currently being enjoyed by the oil companies and redirect the money to "make an unwavering commitment to the development of alternative and renewable energy sources."The message here from Shaheen is a typical one from a Democratic candidate at this point in the race. Yet, I think it's worth noting that she has yet to bend on her opposition to offshore drilling (a move a lot of Democrats are now making or are leaning towards as more and more polls show voters' support of lifting the ban.) While (like most political platforms) it boils down to competing theories on how to achieve the same goal, Shaheen's article in the Union Leader is a great snapshot of her stances on our economy and how it relates to the energy crisis, health care, and education.
Debate: Who should I vote for in the 2008 New Hampshire Senate Race?
Side: Shaheen for Senate

I think that Gov. Shaheen has done a great job as Governer and will bring about the change that Senator Sununu has failed to deliver to date in his role as Senator.
Debate: Who should I vote for in the 2008 New Hampshire Senate Race?
Side: Shaheen ARG Poll Lead

The polling season has picked up speed as we embark on the final six weeks before the elections. The New Hampshire campaigns between Jeanne Shaheen (D) and John Sununu (R) are favorite targets of the pollsters as many consider this Senate election a microcosm of the national political environment.The latest poll released by the American Research Group showed Shaheen with a commanding 12 point lead over John Sununu (at 52 to 40 percent and an undecided margin of 8 percent.)The poll surveyed 600 potential voters, 42% of which were independents, 30% Republicans, and 28% Democrats. The people surveyed were surveyed twice and to ensure they were potential voters. Once this was established, they were asked on a scale of 1 to 10 how likely they were to vote in November. If they answered between 7 and 10, they were included in the poll's results to guarantee an efficient conclusion as to the nature of the voting climate in New Hampshire.While Shaheen's lead is demanding, it is not an insurmountable advantage for Sununu to surpass. According to Dick Bennett of the ARG, ""If Sununu captured the same number of independents that McCain has, the race would be almost tied. Sununu may have stood against the Republican Party a few times, but he still isn't known as someone who pokes George Bush and the Republican Party in the eye."
Debate: Who should I vote for in the 2008 New Hampshire Senate Race?
Side: Shaheens tight lead

Whatever "demanding" (or rather, commanding) lead Shaheen was enjoying the polls according to my last post has been whittled down to a 4 -point margin where the Democratic challenger to Sen. John Sununu (R) is now holding only 48 to 44 percent lead (with a margin of error plus or minus 4.2 percent.) The race has significantly tightened up, which I find especially interesting given the fact that today marked a significant lift for Obama over McCain in the polls. Nonetheless, the race in New Hampshire is one that demands attention as it is perhaps the closest, most consequential races in the nation. As the week progresses, it will be interesting to see how Shaheen's support for tighter federal regulation on Wall Street plays to her benefit as voter's grow more skeptical of the economic decisions of Republican officials or (for that matter) anyone who has been in Washington the past few years.
Debate: Who should I vote for in the 2008 New Hampshire Senate Race?
Side: Jeanne Shaheen

I can't say that Shaheen was the best governor in NH, but she did get the tough on crime when there was a police officer killed in NH. And although her campaign ads bug me--the walking back and forth of Sununu with Bush--the Democrat ads push the fact that Sununu is not doing a thing for the people of NH. That is pretty graphic stuff.
Debate: Who should I vote for in the 2008 New Hampshire Senate Race?
Side: Sununu's big problem

John Sununu's (R) best chance of maintaining his seat against Jeanne Shaheen (D) in November is (I'd argue) contingent on exactly how well the Senator can distance himself from the Bush Administration between now and November. And last weeks market failures combined with the bailout to be decided upon (hopefully) this weekend, Sununu has quite the gamut laid out for him.It also doesn't help that he "Voted Four Times Against a Commission to Investigate How Federal Contracts in Iraq Were Awarded...[Senate Vote #228, 9/14/05; Senate Vote #259, 10/19/05; Senate Vote #316, 11/10/05; Senate Vote #176, 6/20/06]", according to Alex Reese, press secretary for the NHDP's Coordinated Campaign.Moreover, as a Senator, Sununu never addressed or questioned the millions of mismanaged relief funds after Hurricane Katrina, the $1 trillion in unaccounted military spending by the Pentagon, or the billions of dollars in no-bid contracts endorsed by the Bush Administration.With the economy at the top of voters' concerns and no sign of that fact changing in the near future, Sununu needs to hit the trail hard explaining how he will be "different" in regards to fiscal policy this time around in a way that can convince his base much less undecided voters to cast their ballots his way.
Debate: Who should I vote for in the 2008 New Hampshire Senate Race?
Side: Shaheen's Bailout Issue

Jeanne Shaheen (D) is drawing a hard line against the bailout plan while at the same time admitting that the economic circumstances demand a plan to put a check on the decline we are seeing in our markets. She said today, "Well you know I was hopeful that we were going to see congress act in a bipartisan way to address additional oversight for the Treasury secretary and for financial institutions and more taxpayer protection. But what we saw is that they added on things like help for Puerto Rican rum makers and for kid’s arrows --millions of dollars. And I think that’s what people are upset about Washington.”The talking heads of her Republican opponent have taken issue with the fact that Shaheen (who is running her campaign on the coattails of Barack Obama) is vehemently criticizing Sununu's vote in support of the bailout while Barack Obama and Joe Biden also voted in favor of the bailout.Their word against Shaheen, "For her to sit there and say she’d vote against the alternative minimum tax fix, which 93 senators voted for just the other day, this is retarded. She’s is running for United State Senator, she’s a former Governor. She cannot get away with this dodge and weave which a challenger probably has the luxury of doing."
Debate: Who should I vote for in the 2008 New Hampshire Senate Race?
Side: Holding the Lead

Two of the more recent poll results are showing Shaheen's lead over Republican Sen. John Sununu holding fast if not increasing.A poll conducted for the New Hampshire Institute of Politics at St. Anselm College by Abt SRBI in New York City has Shaheen leading 49 percent to Sununu's 35 percent.The latest Rasmussen results have her up 50 percent to 45 percent. The stability and/or increase of support behind Shaheen illustrates the mounting problems Republicans are having gaining voter support subsequent to the market fallouts of the past few weeks.
Debate: Who should I vote for in the 2008 New Hampshire Senate Race?
Side: Sununu's Senate Experience

Although the topic has been somewhat overplayed (most significantly in the bare-knuckled brawl and marathon that was the 2008 Democratic Presidential Primary), experience is also a pivotal issue in the New Hampshire Election along with taxes. Sununu has served in the House of Representatives (from 1996 to 2002) and in the Senate (from 2002 to 2008). His voting record exhibits a strong principle that, at times, exhibits a reluctance to comply with legislation proposed by many of his Republican affiliates in the Senate (most notably, his opposition to the Patriot Act and the Energy Bill of 2003). In addition to his experiential advantage over Shaheen as to the legislative process of the Senate, Sununu also shows more potential to bridge the bipartisan divide that has handicapped our Congress according to the evidence of his voting record.
Debate: Who should I vote for in the 2008 New Hampshire Senate Race?
Side: Sununu in Iraq

In addition to the advantage Sununu holds over Shaheen with regards to his legislative experience in the Senate and the House, he also has firsthand experience on the ground in Iraq. Although his favor among voters in New Hampshire has lessened as a result of his voting record against withdrawing our troops and his alignment with the foreign policy decisions of the Bush administration, the time he spent and the observations he made during his trip to Iraq in the spring of 2007 are important to consider in the context of his arguments in favor of a sustained military effort in Iraq.
Debate: Who should I vote for in the 2008 New Hampshire Senate Race?
Side: John Sununu (R)

A huge issue in the Senate rematch between between Senator John Sununu and former Governor Jeanne Shaheen concerns taxes. New Hampshire is the only state with both no state sales tax and no state income tax in the United States. With New Hampshire, like many states in the country, suffering both job losses and inflation, this issue could decide who wins the race. Mrs. Shaheen has shown a willingness to raise local taxes as governor, and she has not taken a pledge to not raise federal taxes as a Senator. Mr. Sununu, other the hand, has been consistently anti-tax, even as state revenues fell short. Recently, Sununu confirmed his position against any taxes on the Internet.
Debate: Who should I vote for in the 2008 New Hampshire Senate Race?
Side: John Sununu

Mean Jeanne Shaheen, the taxing queen!
Debate: Who should I vote for in the 2008 New Hampshire Senate Race?
Side: John Sununu (R)

Will organizations like the Envioronmental Defense Fund help Sununu support his environmental and energy policy with the citizens of New Hampshire. See the attached thank you note published.http://online.nwf.org/site/DocServer/NHAdFinal_1.pdf?docID=4041&JServSessionIdr009=f2ctww37r3.app44b
Debate: Who should I vote for in the 2008 New Hampshire Senate Race?
Side: John Sununu (R)

With the energy hurting all avenues of the economy, would it be advantageious to return the Senator who co-sponsored a bill to offer tax credits to alternative energy source.
Debate: Who should I vote for in the 2008 New Hampshire Senate Race?
Side: John Sununu (R)

Sunnunu has been able to raise close to 7 Million and has not had to spend more than a third of his funds on hand in comparision to Governor Shaheen's 4 million and has had to spend half her funds on hand. Will fundraising have an impact on this election and which is more important fundrising or advertising. What is the impact on fundraising on this election.
Debate: Who should I vote for in the 2008 New Hampshire Senate Race?
Side: Fuel and Conservation

Sen. Sununu is for keeping the prices down at the pump. I don't think there is anywhere in America that isn't seeing a spike in fuel prices, and Sen. Sununu wants to put into affect an energy policy that will lower prices, and concentrate on developing fuel types at home. If this comes to pass, we won't be so concerned with foreign oil.
Debate: Who should I vote for in the 2008 New Hampshire Senate Race?
Side: Sununu and Alaska Money

I think it's fair to say that ALL politicians are going to say that they are "for keeping the prices down at the pump." The issue is how and for how long and at what expense. Sununu's support for lifting the offshore drilling ban, while it may offer a "quick-fix" to the high price of gas (although this is also up to dispute), is inconsistent with his supposed support for pursuing clean energy initiatives. Perhaps for interests other than those of the American people, he has consistently voted in favor of those policies that will benefit the oil industry. America stands at a crossroads where we have to make the decision whether or not to persist with an energy source that has, in one way or another, caused massive damages to our economy, our interests abroad, and our environment or to invest in our scientific prowess and imaginations to create new and innovative sources of energy that will not only benefit us, but also subsequent generations to come.
Debate: Who should I vote for in the 2008 New Hampshire Senate Race?
Side: Sununu on Education

Senator Sununu has shown that he supports education, and helping to educate the poor by voting yes on H.R. 1429. This bill provides money to teachers to help compensate them on the costs of paying for their education (listed within the amendments). While this bill could have been more aggressive, it does help encourage future teachers of young children with the drive to have a degree the ability to have peace of mind when they complete it.
Debate: Who should I vote for in the 2008 New Hampshire Senate Race?
Side: John Sununu (R)

Sununu has served this state well over the past years and beleive he deserves another term. I have listened to him argue on the floor and for those that don't know how to do this watch cspan and you will be informed.One more note some one should confront shaheen about the money her law firm made off lobbyist last year to the tune of 1.5 million dollars tell me shaheen are you really going to washington to represent the people of this great state or the lobbyist in washington.
Debate: Who should I vote for in the 2008 New Hampshire Senate Race?
Side: John Sununu (R)

On domestic issues, Sununu comes closer to following the Constitution by helping restore American sovereignty and keeping government out of individual lives. He has been one of the most outspoken critics of the Real ID Act. If the current effort to pressure him to help end the war in Iraq is successful, this may be a major step in returning the Republican party to the foreign policy of nonintervention that it used to advocate.
Debate: Who should I vote for in the 2008 New Hampshire Senate Race?
Side: Legacy of Service

We are lucky to be represented by a man who brings a legacy of service - from him and his family. He has already beat this opponent once, why does he have to do it again? Bring us somebody new to beat!
Debate: Who should I vote for in the 2008 New Hampshire Senate Race?
Side: Fuel and Conservation

Senator Sununu has also voted to put into place Reid Amdt. No. 4737. This amendment puts forth that the government is suspending purchasing fuel for the Strategic Petroleum Reserve. This means that the additional 70,000 barrels a day that usually go there will be instead dispersed directly to local companies for processing.