Candidates solicit students

Congressional hopefuls discuss immigration, health care reform

Education, health care and immigration reform were the focal points of a debate between two 38th District Congressional candidates, as Republican incumbent Stephen Horn and Democratic challenger Peter Mathews squared off in a lively contest in front of approximately 200 people Monday afternoon in the University Student Union.

The event was co-sponsored by the Associated Students and the Political Science Student Association. The 38th District includes the cities of Long Beach, Lakewood, Paramount and San Pedro.

Mathews, an American government teacher at Cypress College, said that education was not just for the upper class, but for all of the United States. He pointed out that only 2 percent of the federal budget went toward education and pledged to work for increased educational spending.

Horn countered by saying, "People can make major statements about changing spending, but the federal government is not going to pay for your education."

The former Cal State Long Beach president said that education was more of a state responsibility than a federal one. He blasted Mathews for overspending, claiming, "He (Mathews) has not seen a social program he didn't like."

"Government as a single monopoly causes more problems than it solves," Horn said.

On the issue of health care, Mathews called for universal health coverage with a single payer system but stopped short of endorsing Prop. 186, saying that employer mandate provisions written into the bill would kill small business.

Horn also did not care for employer mandates, but he denied that the current system of health care was a major problem. "About 85 percent of the people are happy with their coverage, it is that other 15 percent that are unhappy."

Referring to the most recent session of Congress, Horn said both parties were willing to come to an agreement but were thwarted by President Clinton's attempt to overthrow the entire system.

Horn and Mathews agreed that stopping illegal immigration is the responsibility of the federal government. Both men stressed that they didn't want to see medical or educational opportunities denied to children of illegal immigrants.

"The courts have been quite clear on this matter throughout the years," Horn said.

Mathews took a shot at Horn about halfway through the debate when he asked his rival to explain the circumstances regarding his 1987 resignation as president of CSULB and the alleged mismanagement of funds that caused Horn to be censured by the CSULB Academic Senate.

Horn wasted no time defending his record, providing a letter from University Controller Ray F. Soliman. In the letter, dated Feb. 24, 1991, Soliman told Horn, "Fiscal Year 1985-86 is the fiscal year in which the widely publicized CSULB appropriations deficit is assumed to have occurred. In brief, there was no deficit."

Horn called Mathews' shot a "desperate move" by a candidate trailing late in the campaign.

Two other 38th District candidates, Libertarian Lester Mueller and Richard Green of the Peace and Freedom party, will debate on Nov. 2.