Live Blogging The NY Senate Debate

I just live blogged the NY Senate debate between Senator Kirsten Gillibrand and Joe DioGuardi over on Daily Kos. Andrew C. White live blogged the debate over at The Albany Project.

I think Gillibrand won this debate, just as she won last week's debate.  DioGuardi once again called Social Security a Ponzi scheme. Maybe Ponzi Joe is making that incorrect conclusion based upon his experience with Ponzi schemes.

Overall, Gillibrand scored her points, highlighting where her positions were in-line with New Yorkers, along with highlighting the hard work she's done for us since she was appointed to the United States Senate. It's important to remember that Senator Gillibrand favors the immediate repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell; that she favors marriage equality; that she favors the Recovery Act, without which the economy would be considerably worse off; that she favors protecting Social Security and not privatizing it or belittling it as a Ponzi scheme; that she favors a woman's right to choose.

On all these issues Joe DioGuardi stands in opposition. He thinks we should defer to the generals on one of the great civil rights issues of our time. He opposes marriage equality. He opposes the Recovery Act and thinks the answer is less regulation and that government shouldn't do anything to help. He keeps on calling Social Security a Ponzi scheme. And he opposes a woman's right to control her own body.

Thankfully, Senator Gillibrand is now comfortably heading towards winning the election to fill out the term of the seat she was appointed to (see New York Times article and data PDF, Siena College poll (warning: PDF), and even Rasmussen). There are still plenty of down-ballot races though where turnout can change the outcome, so it remains as important as ever to get out and vote to help Democrats keep control over the US House (there are at least 6 competitive races in Democratic House seats in New York State) and help expand the majority in the state senate.