U.S. Sen. Carl Levin (D-Mich.) has a comfortable lead in the polls in his bid for re-election against Republican challenger Ronna Romney, but he's still working to get his message out.
And he has a lot to say. Levin said he battles government spending and serves as a champion of those things dear to the working class.
"I have probably been the greatest waste-fighter in the federal government," Levin said. "My changes in the procurement rules have produced $40 billion in savings in the last 10 years."
Levin speaks out on everything from affirmative action to missiles, offering strong opinions about them all.
On nearly every issue, his view opposes that of his challenger, Republican talk radio host Ronna Romney.
The two strongly contest the abortion issue this election season. Levin said he is pro-choice, and sides with President Clinton's veto of legislation that would have banned partial-birth abortions.
"I believe a woman - in consultation with her physician - is the appropriate person to make that decision," Levin said in a statement.
Unlike Romney, Levin supports gay rights. "This issue here is discrimination and that is wrong," Levin said.
He is always on the side of "average Americans," Levin said. One example is his fight for opportunities in education.
"Education becomes a much greater importance as we've been trying to increase the incomes for working people," he said.
Levin said he supports President Clinton's proposals for education - namely a $500 per-child tax credit, a $1,500 tax credit for the first two years of college for students maintaining a B average or above and a $10,000 per-year tax deduction middle-income college students.
"I am fighting efforts to close the Department of Education, and to slash funding for important initiatives like HeadStart, Goals 2000, AmeriCorps and School to Work," Levin said.
Levin said that contradictory to Romney's allegations, he is tough on crime. He said this is demonstrated in his support for legislation like the Brady Bill and bills requiring mandatory minimum sentences for drug-related crimes.
More work needs to be done to improve the economy, Levin said.
"We've already made significant progress toward balancing the budget," Levin said. "I am committed to finishing the job."
He voted for Clinton's 1993 deficit reduction package, Levin said. He said the package has cut the national deficit by more than half - from $290 billion to $117 billion. Levin said he will work for further deficit reduction and will make sure "priorities like education, the environment, Social Security and Medicare" are protected.
Stephen Serkaian, a spokesperson for Levin, said Levin's position on the Senate Armed Services Committee allows him to influence national defense policy.
Levin said he supports peace-keeping efforts "where everybody contributes."
"We should be very careful before we become involved anywhere, particularly where combat is a possibility, unless our vital interests are seriously or directly threatened."
Serkaian said Levin does not support the Strategic Defense Initiative, the so-called Star Wars program, an anti-missile defense system initiated in the 1980s. Serkaian said Levin instead believes defense funding should be directed to non-nuclear weapons systems.
Levin may have more opportunities to influence defense policy. Pending his win and two retirements, Levin will be the ranking member of the Senate Armed Services Committee and, most likely, the next chair of that committee.
- Daily Staff Reporter Laurie Mayk contributed to this report.
JOE WESTRATE/Daily
President Clinton confers with U.S. Sen. Carl Levin (D-Mich.) yesterday in Ypsilanti.