Moulton, Tisei square off

LYNN – Democrat Seth Moulton told a Porthole Pub audience he “knows what it?s like to live in the mud” as a Marine and Republican Richard Tisei underscored his legislative successes Friday during the pair?s first congressional debate.The Lynn Area Chamber of Commerce-sponsored exchange sparked skirmishes over health insurance, campaign finance and questions about which candidate will most effectively represent 6th Congressional District voters.Sixth Congressional voters on Nov. 4 choose between Tisei, Moulton and Independent Chris Stockwell.Tisei drew a quick response from Moulton when he called the Democrat “a vote for (former Democratic House Speaker) Nancy Pelosi – an extremist on the other side of the aisle.”?I?ve been an independent voice all my life. I served in a war I didn?t agree with,” Moulton shot back.Moulton told the Porthole audience Republicans “are holding Congress hostage” and said his experience as a Marine fighting in Iraq taught him how to help people with vastly different backgrounds find common ground.This is not the time, Moulton said, to send American ground troops to battle Islamic State fighters in Syria and Iraq. Political problems must be fixed as a part of what Moulton called “a long-term strategy” to bring peace to the region.?The president?s decision to arm rebels in Syria carries a lot of risks,” Moulton said.Tisei called President Obama?s decision to pull troops out of Iraq “a big blunder” but said he would give Obama “the benefit of the doubt” on the best course of action to take.Moulton branded Tisei “a career politician,” but Tisei said his tenure in the Massachusetts House and Senate proved “I have never been afraid to cross the aisle to do what?s right for Massachusetts. No party has a monopoly on good ideas.”He said he helped Malden city officials get the tax dollars they needed to rebuild schools and improve the city. Tisei said he can draw from his small business experience as a real estate firm owner to provide the same help to Lynn on the federal level.?I actually live and work on Main Street,” he said.Moulton said helping Lynn?s economic expansion means working to bring the Blue Line rapid transit to the city and tapping community college talent to spur job training efforts.Tisei exchanged jabs with Moulton over the federal Affordable Care Act, saying Massachusetts needs a “waiver” from the federal law. Tisei said 400,000 state residents lost health insurance because the federal law “superseded” Massachusetts health insurance laws.?It?s taken us backwards. Deductibles and copays are going up,” he said.Moulton told the Chamber audience a Massachusetts request seeking exemption from Affordable Care could trigger waiver requests in states across the nation and “then the whole thing falls apart.”?Access to health care is a civil right. Massachusetts ought to be a leader,” Moulton said.?Every state is different,” countered Tisei, adding, “The Affordable Care Act has driven up costs.”The two also sparred over where they are raising money to pay for their campaigns.?Seth raised more money on Wall Street than he has in the 6th District,” said Tisei.?You?ve been to Miami and Washington, D.C., to raise money,” Moulton shot back – “I?m not beholden to my donors anywhere.”Both men offered solutions in response to questions from debate moderator Sean Leonard about rising college tuition debt loads and the national debt. Tisei said $45 billion the federal government spends on “maintaining vacant buildings” could be aimed at debt reduction and Moulton said lack of immigration reform means undocumented workers are not paying an estimated $32 billion in taxes.The two talked about tax reform with Tisei saying solutions are needed to convince corporations to return $2 trillion invested overseas back to this country. Moulton said small businesses are taxed at a rate “higher than the biggest corporations in America.”?That?s wrong,” he said.