Category: Pennsylvania GOP

Regarding The 2011 Pa. GOP Senate Primary

The Republican/Democrat Establishment Insiders, apparently, have concluded Pennsylvania’s incumbent U.S. Senator Bob “98%” Casey cannot be defeated because he is so likeable and guileless; they ignore the ObamaCasey fiscally-reckless policy agenda.  Therefore, below are presented policy issues that move Voters; in PART-II, the major Republican Candidates for US Senate 2012 are introduced, for your consideration. Remember, Sen. Bob Casey almost always votes with President Barack Obama.

Judging from public debates held during December, the Pennsylvania Republican Senatorial Primary race will be “positive.”  Competition for the Republican Establishment Endorsement [with no Big Government Establishment “favorite” having yet emerged] and the Primary Race [which some competitors are planning, regardless of whether they are endorsed] will be fiercely contested on issues but not personalities, since no candidate has any major “negative.”

In clear contrast to an anticipated effort of CaseyObama, they all eschew Big Government Command-and-Control Socialism, Centralized and Concentrated in the Federal Government; this will contrast with the self-interested and self-centered Corporatist/Lobbyist Political Network in Washington, D.C.  The focus of all Republican  Senatorial candidates will, likely, be to  contrast their Free Market Constitutional Limited Government positions with that of ObamaCasey on JOBS, ENERGY, GOVERNMENT SPENDING, DEBT AND DEFICIT, and FOREIGN POLICY.

Recommended Reading for these candidates are two key resources on policy issues:   Rick Perry’s “Fed Up!” articulates an intellectually rigorous federalism platform, and Pat Toomey’s “Road to Prosperity” invokes a set of Free Market CATO Institute economic principles.

For independent, intellectually honest and scholarly commentary on Middle East Issues and Israel, Daniel Pipes, President of the Middle East Forum, www.danielpipes.org and www.meforum.org is reliable and comprehensive. For a broader, academic view and topical commentary based on his background in American History and Middle East Studies, see Barry Rubin’s GLORIA CENTER at the Interdisciplinary College in Herzliya and Barry Rubin in PJMedia; he incisively critiques the Obama Administration’s dangerous policies.

Vote-Moving Issues of US Senate 2012 Election
To win an election, a candidate needs to support ideas and policies that move voters to vote for him/her. This is condensed to “the message.”  The core issues in 2012 are, in my opinion:
1)    JOBS, THE ECONOMY and ENERGY, that is, energy exploration and development in the USA and in Pennsylvania.  Energy, Marcellus Shale, and coal create productive, family-sustaining jobs, grow the economy, and raise the standard-of-living for all by providing affordable energy. Energy policy is inextricably linked to jobs, our standard of living, and national security.

2)    ENTITLEMENT REFORM, DEBT AND DEFICIT, GOVERNMENT SPENDING are essential to prevent further devaluation and debasement of the currency that impoverishes all but Government Apparatchiks and self-serving bureaucrats and corporatists feeding off taxpayer financed subsidies . Until the central government, and even state governments, cease siphoning off the productivity of the productive Tax Makers. Restraining the Leviathan’s inexorable growth is tied to creating meaningful and productive jobs which raise the standard of living for all of us. Included in this is the perniciousness of Unions in Pennsylvania and, particularly, PSEA and other public sector unions who are drivers of Alinsky Class Warfare of Have Nots v. Haves. Free Market Republicans represent the Tax Makers and the Union Financed Collectivist Democrats represent the Tax Takers who want money without working or producing;

3)    ISLAMIST THREAT AND NUCLEAR IRAN ARE EXISTENTIAL THREATS.  Islamism is a radical interpretation of Islam. Islamism is a totalitarian, violent, expansionist and fanatical ideology that is implacably, and unappeasably, opposed to American Liberty and Constitutional Limited Government.  Iran is Islamism with Nuclear Weapons. And it is an existential threat to the USA like Soviet Russia, Imperial Japan and NAZI Germany. Islamism, probably, most resembles, in its fanaticism, Imperial Japan;

4) Specifically regarding the funding of abortions and of organizations that advocate and perform abortions, compare the Pro Life viewpoint and Bob Casey’s record on Abortion, elaborated upon here and here.  Most citizens—even those not considered to be Pro-Life by the standards of the Pro-Life movement—are repelled when made aware that the Forgotten Taxpayer is forced to fund a BILLION dollar “nonprofit”; note the PPA’s Annual Reports  through June 30, 2009  which show corporate profits accrued from performing abortions and that salaries for individuals are generous, including that of Cecile Richards [$400K]

Embraceable You
Here is You-Know-Whom with Cecile Richards and Sen. Bob “98%” Casey, Jr.

The Values Vote and Abortion:  Abortion on Demand is unlikely to be an overtly pivotal issue because it is highly unlikely that Roe v. Wade will be overturned for another generation, if then. The Abortion issue, itself, is simply overwhelmed by the Economy, Jobs and Fiscal Instability of the Federal government and Nuclear Iran.

Like every election this is  a Values Election,  a choice between two competing world views:  Secular Humanist European Welfare Socialist State vs. an American Constitutionally Limited State built on American Exceptionalism and the principle that every life has a value endowed by Our Creator and that every life is a life worth living. The choice is between alternative value systems:  the Biblical (Torah) Worldview vs. the bloody and soulless Secular Humanism, Scientific Materialism, and Historical Determinism with the stultifying uniformity of the Leviathan Socialist State.

Fiscally, it amazes me that we, the Forgotten Taxpayer, are forced to fund a BILLION dollar “nonprofit” and PPA’s Annual Reports  through June 30, 2009)  from which some profit rather well and here(2010 CNS) Cecile Richards $400k   Note salaries paid.
(FYI:  I would not be considered to be Pro-Life by the standards of the Pro-Life movement.)

Second-Tier Issues
Restraining the Government Leviathan I would like to see Departments of Education, Energy and Commerce and the Export Import bank eliminated and their legitimate fact finding functions consolidated with, or merged into, other departments. These Departments and the Export–Import  Bank, in addition, to their functions of compiling statistics, are conduits  for massive amounts of taxpayer financed subsidies to the biggest American Corporations, corporatists all, corrupting both economic and political decisions for the benefit  of a few. Ethanol and Farm Subsidies come to mind; Boeing is prime beneficiary of Export-Import Bank guarantees, the centralization of education by the Carter Created Department of Education into a regulatory octopus that has not reduced cost or improved student learning.

TAX CODE and REGULATORY REFORM. Related to job creation and a growing, productive economy is restraining the kudzu growth of endless and incomprehensibly complicated Tax Code and business regulation.  Billions of hours of energy and work to comply with a nonproductive code would be re
leased to build and grow real, productive jobs and grow our standard of living.

BELLING THE CAT
BELLING THE CAT is mandatory.  Message and policies are not enough, for political campaigns (like businesses) are won by competently-executed plans employing quality personnel. The campaigns necessarily need  to create a statewide organization and to raise money (along with personal funds).  The challenges of money and fundraising are unrealistically ignored by TEA [Taxed Enough Already] Party Movement activists, who sometimes become fixated on policy rather than the reification of those policies.
The US Senate campaign for 2012 will likely require the Republican candidate to raise $20,000,000. Sen. Bob “98%” Casey, Jr. will have the support of every Pennsylvania and National Union who justifiably look upon him as one of their own.

From what I know, only Steve Welch and Tom Smith, and maybe Tim Burns (although Ray Zabourney is a huge drag) have the financial resources to create a state wide organization and raise the money to be competitive with Sen. Bob “99%” Casey’s financial tsunami.
Steve Welch’s campaign team, in addition to the competent Peter Towey, includes the very Establishment and very expensive BrabenderCox, which produced SEPARATED AT BIRTH video, the best I have seen, and Rick Santorum’s former fundraiser and well oiled insider Rob Bickart

Sam Rohrer has many loyal supporters but those supporters do not write checks and do not seem to coalesce into a coherent organization to deliver the message and to get out the vote. The Primary is 24 April and we will know a lot more by then.

Sam Rohrer has wide appeal and an organization but, as was shown in 2010 gubernatorial race, cannot raise the money to run a competitive race nor recruit an effective organization. Sam Rohrer’s messaging skills are exemplary and compelling.

Tim Burns is dragged down by the feckless but connected Ray Zabourney, a spawn of Self-Serving Senate Team of Jubelirer-Brightbill-Long-Nyquist-Crompton
It does not appear that Dave Christian, Laureen Cummings, John Kensinger have the financial or organizational resources or organization to run a primary.

The Candidates

It seems only Tom Smith, Steve Welch and [perhaps] Tim Burns have the financial resources to create a statewide organization and to raise the money to be competitive with the financial tsunami which will be mustered by  Casey.  Sam Rohrer must prove he can match these two criteria.

Opinion

Tom Smith is My Guy. “Independent of Leadership”; “No Squish” on policies and principles and has the resources to run a Primary.

Steve Welch is working hard and his “Separated At Birth” is a gem, maybe the best political ad I have seen.

Tim Burns is highly accomplished and solid.

Sam Rohrer brings very positive name-recognition with an ability to center the discussion on the Constitution and Limited Government and the underlying values of self-government.

John Vernon personified the excellence of our military, but has dropped-out.

Laureen Cummings has been at candidate debate forums and has been well received from media reports.

I have not gotten anything from Dave Christian or John Kensinger and don’t know them nor do I know anyone who does.

I have met with Steve Welch and am very impressed. Steve is building a solid campaign organization with Peter Towey, formerly of the Toomey campaign, and advised by Wayne Woodman, the talented and independent chair of Lehigh County Republicans. Steve is meeting with all the committee people around the state in a well organized effort to obtain the Republican State Committee endorsement and, in my opinion, is the candidate most likely to get the Republican Endorsement.

Tom Smith is unlikely to get the endorsement and has committed to running a primary against the endorsed candidate. Tom Smith as the resources and is building a state wide organization to do that. Steve Welch, also, has the resources and organization and will have to run a primary even with the Republican State Committee Endorsement.

I don’t know if Tim Burns intends to run a primary if he doesn’t get the endorsement. By hiring Harrisburg Republican Insiders, Ray Zabourney and Jan Holman, he is positioning himself to try for the endorsement. I haven’t met Tim Burns, personally, but my sense is his bio mirrors Steve Welch’s as an entrepreneurial, productive job creator.

The Candidates, Alphabetically

Tim Burns is highly-accomplished and solid, an entrepreneurial, productive job creator.  I haven’t met Tim Burns, but my sense is that his bio mirrors that of Steve Welch. By hiring Harrisburg Republican Insiders [Ray Zabourney (and fund raiser Jan Holman)], he is positioning himself to seek the endorsement.  Yet, some feel that he is dragged down by the feckless-but-connected Ray Zabourney, a spawn of the Self-Serving Senate Team of Jubelirer-Brightbill-Long-Nyquist-Crompton.  I don’t know if he intends to run a primary if he doesn’t get the endorsement. Tim Burns has high and positive name recognition in the Southwest and good relations with Rob Gleason, the chair of the State Republican Party.

Dave Christian is from Bucks County, but I have never met him. He has served our country well and is to be honored for that service, defending American security and freedom.
Skip Salveson at Lehigh Ramblings: Christian, a veteran’s advocate and Philadelphia businessman, has worked with various federal agencies including the U.S. Department of Labor, under four U.S. Presidential Administrations in Washington D.C.  He is especially proud of his work in developing jobs, outreach programs and assisting returning war veterans in transitioning back to civilian life. Christian has consistently demonstrated his commitment to veterans. He was responsible for drafting some of the first Agent Orange legislation and for founding assistance programs which established Pennsylvania as the first and only state in compliance with federal regulations with respect to serving employment needs combat veterans.
From Dave Christian’s web site:  In his civilian life, he has owned and operated a number of business ventures. He established DAC Consulting Firm which focuses on developing relationships between American and foreign companies for investment opportunities. He is the president of a defense manufacturing company located in Northeast Philadelphia which builds ground support equipment for US Navy Aircraft Carriers.
Tom Fitzgerald, The Inquirer, Big Tent, writes on 11 July 2011:  He said his exploration “is going to be short and sweet,” and that whether he can raise enough money would be the most important consideration. Christian said he would put some of his own money into a campaign as well as raise contributions from others.

Laureen Cummings—  I have never met her; I’m told she is exceptionally articulate and knowledgeable. She is “TEA [Taxed Enough Already”] Party”-oriented and, thus, committed to Constitutional Limited Government, Economic Freedom and Personal Responsibility.  Competition and choice are keys to quality and, thus, she merits a serious hearing.  Her Communications Director [@ 570-291-5658] notes that she had 20-plus years of business administration experience before starting her own business adding that, during the three years after she had started and grown her business, she was
•    awarded Businesswoman of the Year by the NRCC Business Advisory Council
•    nominated and served 2 years as Secretary on the Board of the Greater NE Chamber of Commerce
•    nominated to Who’s Who among Woman.
She is a tea party activist and the Founder of the Scranton Tea Party but she is much more.
She is currently serving as Republican Committeewoman, Old Forge Ward 3-0. Laureen recently testified in Harrisburg at the Right to Work hearing giving voice to the many wives of Union men that feel enslaved by the very system that provides their financial security.

She is a small business owner in the field of health care. As a nurse and a business owner in the healthcare field, she has personally seen the effect of the government on her business and the lives of her patients. She knows better than any of the other candidates how important it is to repeal “ObamaCare.”

She has worked with multiple campaigns and helped with her precinct, tea parties, at rallies and marches all the way to D.C., and has a history of fighting for the rights of the people as well as educating the people of their rights.

John Kensinger — I know nothing at all about this Bedford County pharmacist. The website suggests his campaign is thinly-funded.

Robert Allen Mansfield –I have met Robert several times and he is engaging, transparently decent and patriotic with a compelling biography and message; all good but not enough. Money and Organization are fatally missing.

Sam Rohrer —   is well-known as a conserver of Constitutional principles.  He brings very positive name-recognition with ability to center discussion on the Constitution and Limited Government and the underlying values of self-government; his messaging skills are exemplary and compelling.   He has many loyal supporters who, alas, do not write checks, as was shown in 2010 gubernatorial race; he must show that he can raise the money to recruit a coherent organization that will effectively deliver his message and get out his vote in a competitive race.

Marc Scaringi —  I have met him and he is polished without being slick. Like Laureen Cummings, he does not seem to have executive experience. He is an energetic and committed candidate, but his financial resources are limited; he seems to lack an organization that would enable him to run a statewide primary.

Tom Smith —  is My Guy. I want biases to be candid. He has extensive financial resources to run a very competitive primary against the Establishment’s Endorsed Candidate. Not only has he built a multi-million-dollar energy business [evidencing strong entrepreneurial and executive ability], he is solidly committed to Tea Party principles. In my opinion, energy, particularly, Marcellus Shale is the key to productive jobs that raise our standard of living; Tom Smith has real world experience in creating energy jobs.  Tom Smith on Energy: There is no quicker path to American jobs than American energy. Tom knows we need an energy policy that brings all options to the table to reduce costs and reduce our dependence on foreign sources. The Marcellus Shale, American oil, and clean coal are tremendous opportunities to bring the cost of energy down and create jobs.

Steve Welch — is working hard; I have met with him and I am very impressed.  He is building a solid campaign organization, led by Peter Towey [formerly of the Toomey campaign] and advised by Wayne Woodman [the talented and independent chair of Lehigh County Republicans]; it includes Rob Bickart [Rick Santorum’s former fundraiser and well-oiled insider]. Also assisting is the very Establishment and very expensive BrabenderCox, which produced the “Separated At Birth” video that is a gem, perhaps one of the best political ads ever created.   He is meeting with state Committee-People throughout the Commonwealth, promoting a well-organized effort to obtain the Republican State Committee endorsement.  Thus, he may be the candidate most likely to receive the Republican Endorsement.  If he does not receive it, he still has sufficient resources and organization to run a primary.

John Vernon – announced he was dropping  out  on Dec. 13.