Just over a week to go until the Nov. 6 election, and Rep. Bill Owens is going negative — on government spending, not his opponent.

In a new TV ad, Mr. Owens waves a thick binder of recommendations to help the federal government run more efficiently. The report is from the General Accountability Office, and carrying out its recommendations could save $100 billion over 10 years. Mr. Owens frequently cites the report when asked how to pay for certain government measures: Pay for X by simply reducing the number of teacher oversight or food safety programs, for example.

Not mentioned in the ad: Republican Matt Doheny, his opponent.

The ad is tailor-made for a north country moderate, and posits a pleasant way of lowering the cost of government, without all the yucky business about reducing benefits to recipients of entitlement programs or cutting the military.

Here's the spot:

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