Try as he might, Sen. Michael Bennet is not getting any traction with his “fiscal austerity” mantra–as he and his Republican challenger, Ken Buck, argue over the stimulus, Social Security, health care, and tax cuts:

National Republicans helping Buck have seized on Bennet’s own language, including a quote where he tried to further explain his “nothing to show for it” phrase. Of the trillions in debt, Bennet said, “It’s immoral to leave this to our children.” […]
“It’s hard for Democrats to come out now and sound fiscally conservative, at a time when fiscal conservatism is probably a winning strategy,” said Colorado State University political science professor Kyle Saunders.

Among the pronounced differences between the two candidates, highlighted in the excellent piece by Michael Booth of the Denver Post, Bennet favors allowing the “death tax” to be reinstated at the end of the year, while Buck favors the tax cut’s extension. Bennet’s touted pay-as-you-go budgeting stands in contrast to Buck’s support for a balanced budget amendment.

Buck responded to Bennet’s charges that he is the “extreme” candidate at a recent Republican meeting by pointing to Bennet’s own votes on deficit spending and the national debt: