"American in 2008 is a mean place." (Michelle Obama, who apparently would like to become First Lady of this "mean place")
As you'll notice, my views about a Melissa Hart victory over Jason Altmire are not all that different from what McCain has to do to win over Obama in Pennsylvania. It's important to understand that Jason Altmire, who's one of Nancy Pelosi's and John Murtha's "pets" in Washington, will try to portray himself -- falsely -- as a centrist.
Also, as the campaign goes on, he and his surrogates and financial backers will try the same approach they relied on in 2006: to use their slime buckets in an attempt to heap mud on Melissa. Since Altmire will say anything and do anything to win, it's important that voters know exactly why so many observers describe him as a political guttersnipe
I'm working to get bloggers and other onliners to "link" (technically, emotionally, and politically) to Melissa's site -- and to keep going there. I also ask them to make small contributions (I mention $20 to $50) on the theory that if they make one, they'll make more. The 4th congressional district (north and west of Pittsburgh) is not a household term in, say, Texas or Oregon, but if it gets portrayed accurately as the most important congressional race in the country (and one that's critical to McCain's future), then it should get people's attention.
It's important to keep reminding people that Altmire called Murtha his "campaign manager" because, outside the 12th congressional district Murtha is as unpopular as it gets. I also link Altmire's name with that of Pelosi, on the basis that Altmire voted for her as Speaker and regularly votes with her on critical issues. On insignificant issues, Pelosi occasionally allows him to vote in accord with the wishes of voters in the 4th.
Also, on the Obama comments: he portrayed Pennsylvanians as a bunch of Bible-thumping, gun-toting rubes who take out their economic frustrations on immigrants and people who are "different" from Obama's supporters. Altmire apparently agrees on that point.
Finally, there's the issue of Altmire's radical donors, as revealed on www.opensecrets.org (go there and type in Altmire's name). He apparently believes he can accept huge amounts of money from radical left-wingers -- and somehow continue to portray himself as a centrist. In fact, Altmire is getting his "donations" from the same people who cheered Obama's sneering comments about Pennsylvanians and other average Americans. The contributors are people who believe in economic protectionism and in waging the War on Terror with rhetoric and platitudes rather than effective actions.
The America-haters of Moveon.org play as big a role in financing Altmire's campaign as they do in Obama's. (I'm going to write extensively in coming days about Altmire's money-men.) It's eminently fair to use Altmire's radical donors against him, because they're the ones who call the tune he dances to.
What's more, he needs to explain why he's taking money from union dues paid under duress by union bosses from members who support Melissa Hart. Because of his actions, Altmire should always be on the defensive -- right through November 4.
Overall, it's critical for people in the 4th who vote for John McCain to support Melissa Hart. She will back McCain's practical, yet often visionary, policies. Altmire would not.
In the 4th, the numbers look good. McCain will win the district by tens of thousands of votes (perhaps as many as 40,000 -- Bush having won in 2004 by 30,000). Thus, McCain should be putting wind in Melssa's sails.
Despite the vast amounts of money the far-Left is pouring into Altmire's campaign, Melissa Hart is looking more and more like a winner. Please visit her informative web site.
Bloggers who would like to reprint any of my material, including this column, are cordially invited to do so.
NOTE: ON MY OHIO AND NEW JERSEY SITES, WHICH I HOPE YOU'LL VISIT, I HAVE A SHORT PIECE TODAY ON BARACK OBAMA AS "AMERICA'S PET ROCK." Those sites are at: http://pennsylvaniaforjohnmccain.blogspot.com and http://newjerseyforjohnmccain.blogspot.com. In general, those sites focus on the particular states, although on occasion I cross-post. I have yet another site (yikes): http://pennsylvaniaforjohnmccain.blogspot.com. Its emphasis is on the relationship between the McCain Campaign and efforts by Republicans to take or hold congressional seats. I'm looking to hand off the Ohio and New Jersey sites to willing bloggers from those states.Your comments are always welcome.
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15 comments:
I wish Melissa Luck, but I hope that she gets back to true Republican values like family values and smaller government. In her last term, she was part of Bush's huge over-spending problem and she didn't do anything about abortion. I hope she does better if she gets another chance.
"...a loathsome creature named Jason Altmire. He won the seat in 2006 mainly by spewing falsehoods...and by making false promises to the voters"
"I hope you enjoyed your shower. Did you perchance take it with your boyfriend, Jason Altmire?"
Melissa Hart truly deserves to have someone with the intellect, wit and eloquence of Stephen Maloney speaking on her behalf. Keep up the good work. We're all counting on you.
Mike McNally, I don't think Melissa would totally disagree with you on the need to cut spending, and she's come out with many proposals to do just that, including an end to Altmire's favorite spending programs: earmarks. As far as doing anything about abortion: it isn't going to happen in Congress for many, many years. The last effort at a Human Life Amendment took place in 1983, and it fell 18 votes short of what it needed. The best hope there lies with the Supreme Court, and if Obama gets to appoint the Supreme Court justices that hope will also die.
As far as the other Mike, Usman, I'm sorry he didn't appreciate my effort at humor. Given the kind of campaign Jason Altmire conducted in 2006, my strong belief is that decent people will neither vote for Jason nor have anything else to do with him. He's a sneering fat boy, nothing more. He pours pig manure on his opponents, and he squeals when others do the same to him.
On Altmire being in favor of the biggest tax increase since World War II, the Hart Campaign released the following today:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 15, 2008 CONTACT: Alicia Collins
724-779-4750 office
724-612-9490 cell
ON TAX DAY JASON ALTMIRE VOTES TO BLOCK BILL THAT WOULD PREVENT THE LARGEST TAX INCREASE IN HISTORY
We Can’t Afford Altmire Much Longer
Cranberry Township, PA – Today Jason Altmire voted along with 220 other Democrats to prevent the Tax Increase Prevention Act (H.R. 2734) from being considered. This bill would have stopped the $683 billion tax increase passed last month with the support of Altmire and the House Democrats as part of their FY2009 budget proposal.
“As taxpayers across America file their income taxes today, Jason Altmire is in Washington voting along with the other tax and spend liberals to ensure our tax bills our higher,” said former Congresswoman Melissa Hart.
“With the economy slowing, Congress should be looking for ways to help hard working families keep more of their money so they can pay their increasing fuel and food costs. Instead, the Democrats continue to vote to keep their enormous tax increase on track, which will cost the average taxpayer in Western Pennsylvania more than $2,267[1] every year.”
“I am committed to fight for the tax payers, just as I always have. The tax relief enacted while I was in Congress needs to be made permanent to help working middle class families and small businesses thrive.”
“This Congress has made it clear they have no intention of cutting taxes or spending. If Jason Altmire and the rest of the Pelosi Democrats continue on this reckless path, the taxpayers are going to need a second job just to pay the tax-man.”
###
[1] http://www.heritage.org/research/budget/budgetres09.htm
Alicia Collins
Campaign Manager
People With Hart
P: (724) 779-4750
F: (724) 779-4714
Email: alicia@peoplewithhart.com
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[1] http://www.heritage.org/research/budget/budgetres09.htm
Look, again we all want lower taxes, but I think conservative Americans remember that it really is tax AND spend. It takes absolutely NO courage to lower taxes without reducing spending. John McCain supported a balanced budget, but Melissa let herself be sucked in by cowards who were not true conservatives. Sadly, President Bush and Vice President Cheney are NOT fiscal conservatives. We must be honest and admit that the Republican President and Congress outspent the Democrats - even without the war. Melissa needs to take a stand on spending - anyone can lower taxes, but a true conservative will not pass down these deficits to our kids and grandkids to pay our bills.
You may be right about abortion, but if so maybe we should stop kidding ourselves about political parties really caring about any moral causes. I agree with you about Roe v. Wade, but at least there are still segments of the population that disagree on that issue so I suppose the waffling is understandable. But so-called moral conservatives controlled all three houses of government for six years and never passed a law outlawing PROSTITUTION. Is there anyone out there who thinks prostitution is OK? But instead of passing a law about something that happens all the time, everyone agrees is immoral, and leads to sexual abuse of many minors in Nevada, we spent our time on stem cells that had almost no chance of ever being human beings. Now I am also concerned about stem cells, but its pretty clear that people who SAY they are all about morals are really all about politics.
Prostitution is not an issue for Congress. There is an old statute known as the Mann Act, the one Democrat Eliot Spitzer of New York violated by bringing a woman across state lines for the purposes of prostitution. Because of liberal judges, it's rarely enforced except in the case of children. Prostitution is a matter for states, as outlined by the 10th amendment. The federal government is not our mommie, and we need to take care of our lives on our own. That is something that mystifies most Democrats, because they believe in the "nanny state" -- and not in being a free people. That's precisely the reason why I deeply oppose Jason Altmire. He believes in the nanny state (as a way to buy votes), and Melissa Hart does not. Decent people in the 4th will vote for Melissa, and the others will vote for Altmire.
The only reasons you have given for voting for Melissa Hart is that she is a Republican and she is not Jason Altmire. What did she accomplish while in office? I can't think of anything other than voting the party line. What did she do for Western Pennsylvania?
Couldn't the Republican party have found someone better?
Everybody who supports Jason Altmire seems to be named "Michael." Someone who is elected to the U.S. Congress is supposed to represent the United States of America, not the teenie segment known as "western Pennsylvania." I have given compelling reasons for NOT voting for Jason Altmire -- and pointed out that Melissa takes a stand on those issues the opposite of Altmire. Michael Usman, Mike McNally, and Mike Pasternak either must refute what I have said, which they haven't done, or they must -- as a matter of moral and intellectual responsibility -- vote for Melissa Hart. I know that none of them look at reality in such stark (and responsible) terms. I find that frustrating, because it means the three Mikes are less than fully human, driven by forces that have nothing to do with facts and logic. If the three of you read what I've said and truly thought about it (not your strong points, I know), we would have something to discuss. My very serious point is this: you all could be better, more thoughtful people, but for a whole series of reasons, you choose not to be. Living in a free society, one where we're largely responsible for our own lives and security, makes heavy demands on human beings. None of you has come anywhere close to meeting those demands.
steve maloney
ambridge, pa
I gave you the perfect opportunity to list Melissa Hart’s accomplishments and instead you made some immature lame personal attack. I guess she didn’t accomplish anything during her entire career except for being a Republican or else you would have said so. If that is the case, we could have taught a monkey to vote the Republican Party line, and saved the taxpayers paying for her staff and her travel to and from Washington.
First, let’s start with Iraq. Congressman Altmire came to the well thought out conclusion that a deadline was necessary AFTER meeting with and being laughed at by the Iraqi leaders. They told him that they didn’t care if they made progress, and didn’t care how much American blood was spilled. Remember that the Iraqi Parliament took August off while our soldiers continued to die. Even if the dates are not made public, there needs to be some deadlines and some kind of exit strategy to get the Iraqi’s moving. Right now, there is neither. I don’t know your background, but it is simple Management 101 and common sense. If you want someone to do something, you have to give them a deadline and consequences for not meeting that deadline. Telling them we will not be there forever and that they have to take responsibility for their country will get them moving.
Supporting the troops means more that just waving a flag. It means, well, supporting the troops. Jason Altmire has always voted to fund the war even if it meant going against his own party. He brought to the forefront issues that Melissa Hart surely would have buried like troops getting electrocuted because of faulty wiring or not getting the benefits or bonuses they deserve.
Next, let’s talk about stem cell research. He said he would vote this way when he was running. He considered the legislation carefully to make sure that it fit in with his Pro-Life beliefs. These viable embryos are right now being destroyed, murdered, flushed down the toilet or however you want to describe it. They will NEVER become a full-term human life. Much like organ donation, why shouldn’t their parents give these embryos a chance to make a difference in someone’s life? It seems like such a waste to instead just throw them away.
If he was so liberal, then why did he vote to reauthorize FISA last fall? He drew a lot of heat from the Democrats, but he was following the will of his district. That is the key with Jason Almire. We elected him to represent OUR interests in Congress. That is why it is called the “House of Representatives”. Melissa Hart felt that she was responsible to the Republican Party and could care less about her district and the people she represents. That is why she lost, and if you represent her beliefs like you say you do, why she will lose again.
Now taxes. I have not heard one Democrat say that the ALL the tax cuts should be allowed to expire, and they will not expire for another two years. Most of the tax cuts will be renewed, but it must be done so responsibly so that the budget can be brought back into balance.
How about Barack Obama? Again, following the will of his constituents, he has not endorsed a candidate. One of Melissa Hart’s lame complaints is that he was somehow paid off by the Obama campaign. The first contribution was made two years ago before Altmire beat Hart the first time. The last one was last fall when Clinton was at the time running away with the election. Either Barack Obama was supporting a fellow Democrat, or he was clairvoyant and somehow knew that he would be in a tight battle with Hilary Clinton.
A good example of the real difference between two is McCandless’s Community Day. Two years ago, Melissa Hart sat in her car waving at us like the Queen of England as if she was too good to commune with us common folk. She then disappeared as soon as she could. Last year in a driving rain storm, Jason Altmire walked the entire length of the parade and talked to literally everyone. He then stayed around after the parade to talk to everyone else that attended. He listened carefully to everyone’s concerns including members of our Republican School Board, because he really cares about the people he represents. Those Republicans also thanked him for his help in issues that concerned them.
I am not directly involved in Jason Altmire’s campaign, because I simply do not have the time. However, I have gotten to know him over the past few years since he first decided to run for office. He is someone special that we will look back on and talk proudly about how we knew him back when he first ran for office.
I am also a moderate and thought about switching to the Republican Party when I moved here after being sick and tired of the Democratic machine in Pittsburgh. However, people like Melissa Hart, Rick Santorum, George W. Bush, Rush Limbaugh, FOX News and you convinced me that I didn’t really want to have anything to do with the GOP. I probably would have considered supporting John McCain, but not after what your party turned him into.
One of the big problems with this country is that among Democrats and Republicans we have too many people in office like Melissa Hart that care only about their party, and not enough people like Jason Altmire that care about the country and the people he represents.
I've already written thousands of words about the Altmire-Hart race and, God willing, will write thousands more. Jason Altmire, like Bob Casey, claims to be a Roman Catholic (as am I), but Altmire is in what is traditionally called a "state of mortal sin" in regard to his vote on embryonic stem cell research. He took a position at variance not only with the direction of recent science, but also with a primary teaching of the Roman Catholic Church. It is, however, a position that endeared him to Nancy Pelosi, another "cafeteria Catholic." In his campaign, Jason Altmire said he was against the "timetable" and that he would listen to "commanders on the ground." To people like Michael Pasternak, who can't get beyond the mindless liberal cliches, Altmire's promises to voters don't count. I doubt seriously that Iraqi "leaders" (none of them named of course) made fun of Altmire, although he does inspire mirth in serious people. Altmire lied to his constituents about his stand on Iraq, so he deserves to be defeated. I have demonstrated how Altmire's stand on tax cuts will lead to a massive tax increase, inluding a 50% tax increase on those in the (low) 10% tax rate. On earmarks, Altmire, like his patron, John Murtha, thinks they're just dandy. How does Melissa Hart stand on these issues? As I've explained at length -- and people like Michael Pasternak have ignored -- she takes the opposite position on all of them. How does Jason Altmire stand on the issue of guns? Of course, he will say publicly that he'd like to arm every Pennsylvanian with at least one AK-47. However, in backing people like Pelosi, Hoyer, (Alcee) Hastings, and David Obey, Altmire is helping put in power people who get an F-minus from the National Rifle Association. Melissa Hart backs not only legislation but also leaders (like John Boehner) who will vigorously support Second Amendment rights.
I told Michael Pasternak (and the other sad-sack Michaels, Usman and McNally) that they had an intellectual and moral obligation to support Melissa Hart. The notion of such obligations seemed to mystify them, and they reverted to their usual waving of pom poms when the name Altmire was mentioned. I certainly don't expect to convert them, because facts and logic are not their strong suits.
steve maloney
ambridge, pa
Steve,
You wrote,
"Altmire's promises to voters don't count". I agree. Campaign promises are not worth much. We need to judge people on their record - what they have done. And I am sure you'll agree that while Melissa "promises" to stop earmarks, her actions speak louder than her words, and I am sure that you can't be too happy about her free-spending history when she was in Congress. Fool me once, shame on me... Can you really trust Melissa Hart to reduce the size of government?
ps - I cannot speak for others, but I pledge to refrain from name-calling and insults, and again, I don't think that insulting people is the mark of a good conservative.
Steven,
You wrote, "Prostitution is not an issue for Congress"
I am quite surprised that you are against federal legislation outlawing prostitution. In fact, the federal government could do a number of things to eliminate prostitution including holding back federal funds. Actually, it is a virtual certainty that the Supreme Court would not rule a prostitution ban unconstitutional, and at worst, the Constitution could be amended to outlaw prostitution. Do you also feel that the federal government should do nothing about abortion and that it is also a "matter for the states"?
Yep, I am against federal legislation regarding prostitution, unless it involves minors. I have a libertarian streak in me. I believe in the states playing a larger role and the federal government playing a (much) smaller one. In general, I oppose tax increases. I believe in the 10th amendment, the one Democrats pretend isn't there.
I will be writing a great deal more about the need to elect Melissa Hart and replace the clown who's in there now.
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