The Grassroots Make it Happen!

By Caomhin

Congratulations to everyone who made the 2010 elections unfold the way that they did.  Without question the candidates worked their tails off and put in a tremendous amount of work, but the hardiest work, and the thankless work was done by the voters of every district.   This work has paid off wonderfully.

I have not blogged much as of late but I am still here and I am putting in the work, albeit offline.  Yesterday we had the opportunity to make numerous phone calls and distribute slate cards at a local polling precinct for the GOP ticket here in Pennsylvania.  Like many people across the Commonwealth we are greatly pleased that today we can call Tom Corbett our Governor elect, Pat Toomey our Senator elect, and here in the 15th Congressional district we have someone like Charlie Dent to represent us in Washington.  Congratulations are also due to Pat Meehan, Mike Fitzpatrick, and Lou Barletta among others.  I mention them because they are from our neighboring districts.  We also have taken control of the Commonwealth’s Legislature.  Yes, those small donations and the hours of work absolutely pay off.

With regards to the national elections, we did very well, but I am not satisfied.  I am not satisfied when someone as clueless and inept as Harry Reid retains his seat.  I am not satisfied when we lose a race like this and I am not satisfied when we essentially forfeited a very winnable Delaware race.  We need better candidates and we need to understand that electability matters.  If you don’t believe me now just think of that each time you see Harry Reid and Chris Coons on TV for the next six years.

At this hour I am still hoping Dino Rossi can pull out the win.  I am very happy that Marco Rubio won his race handily, ditto for Rob Portman and Kelly Ayotte.  Special congratulations are due to Jaime Herrera and Raul Labrador as well, a couple of candidates from Washington and Idaho respectively whom we very much liked.  (To The Tea Party Express and their candidate of choice Walt Minnick, I hope you enjoy your losses.  The Tea Party Express jumped ship at the last second once they realized Raul was going to win.  The better candidate won, yet another example of being both electable and having strong conservative values.)

Work starts now for the next election, 2011, where many state and municipal elections are going to be held and if you live in a state where you feel that you’re up against big odds, that’s good.  First, you’re motivated, and nothing is better than motivation.  Second, there is no off season and even more reason for you to be involved and to take on a leadership role.  The grassroots has and will continue to deliver tangible results and will continue to hold elected leaders accountable.  This process never stops nor should it.  It is when people like us let our guard down that we get trampled or neglect local elections where real in roads can be gained.  When we stop looking we get people like Lisa Murkowski who desperately cling to power and will say and do anything to maintain power.  We don’t’ let our guard down and we certainly don’t forfeit.  Let’s gear up for next year starting now.  One last note I’d like to add is that if you are in the Midwest, Mid-Atlantic, or Northwest and are looking to contribute here or looking to network feel free to hit me up.

Toomey Leading Specter and Sestak by Double Digits

By Caomhin

Awesome news, and further proof that the Democrats’ efforts to paint those opposed to massive government expenditures, promises of tax increases across the board, sky rocketing debt, and inflation as “Astroturf” are anything but that.  Rather, we are the majority and there are so many more independents, Libertarians, and Republicans who are speaking out for the first time, it is overwhelming them.  Remember a few months ago when even squishy GOP insiders were saying that Pat had “no shot at winning” the seat in PA and were still backing Specter?  Yea, I do too.  Looks like we were right and the political mainstream, pundits, and media were all wrong.  Again.

The latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey of Pennsylvania voters shows 48% would vote for Toomey if the election were held today. Just 36% would vote for Specter while four percent (4%) prefer a third option, and 12% are not sure.

…

If Congressman Joe Sestak is the Democratic nominee instead of Specter, Toomey still leads but by a smaller margin. The polling shows 43% for Toomey and 35% for Sestak. In June, Sestak had a six-point edge over Toomey.

His lead over Specter should continue to rise as well, as Specter has performed so poorly at town halls, even saying that he “doesn’t have any requirement to be here.” This is true, and the more our great Commonwealth gets to know Pat, Specter won’t be there at all. Pat will be our new Senator, bringing much needed common sense to Senate and giving us a Senator in whom we can be proud.  There’s no video out yet, but as I tweeted yesterday, Joe Sestak gave a wonderful performance on Greta Van Susteren in which he dropped the gem that we need to pass Obamacare “in order to compete with China,” and “it doesn’t matter that 53% of Pennsylvanians oppose” Obamacare, he’s going to vote for it anyway.

Arlen Specter’s Speech PA Democrats Meeting Broken Down

By Caomhin

I’ve just decided to post the whole speech.  Of course, I’ve made some modifications to his speech to ensure the facts are protected and honesty is properly conveyed to the audience.  I have replace the filthier lies with the accurate portrayals of his views and opinions with handy strike-throughs and bold text edits:

Senator Arlen Specter

Prepared Text

June 6, 2009

Thank you for that very warm introduction. Your warmth and enthusiasm make me feel very welcome. I have so many friends there are so many suckers in this room.

Maybe it’s no coincidence that I feel so comfortable with Democrats because I’ve spent much of my life as a Democrat. My career voting record will accurately portray this.  Maybe it’s no coincidence that for many years I was derided by the far right as a Republican in name only.

Well I’m no longer a Republican in name only. I’m again a Democrat in name only. And I’m pleased and proud to be a Democrat to have run away from Pat Toomey.

My memories are bright from my boyhood days when the politics and policies of Franklin Delano Roosevelt were a beacon of light in the Specter home. Both of my parents, Lillie and Harry Specter, were immigrants – so-called “little guys” who looked to President Roosevelt to move the country forward from the Depression which hit the Specter family so hard. Because as we all know, the Specter family is the only thing that matters to me.

Years later in 1960, I was there when Senator John F. Kennedy came to the Democratic City Committee dinner in Philadelphia and my wife Joan, 8 months pregnant with our second son, Stephen, stood on a chair and screamed for the Senator from Massachusetts to kindly ask Teddy to stop hitting on her.

I knew John’s brother Bobby personally and some of my convictions in the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office followed up on Attorney General Kennedy’s work.

And I left my wife and two young sons for many months to work as a young staff lawyer on the Warren Commission investigating the assassination of President Kennedy. The magic bullet?  All me.

My first work in politics was as a young Democratic Committeeman in Center City Philadelphia. I found the job fascinating. I worked hard to elect Democrats and I was successful. I did the same many years later when I was called myself a Republican.

And, it may surprise you, this will not be my first race as a Democrat. I ran for District Attorney of Philadelphia as a registered Democrat on the Republican ticket.

After that election I became a Republican because I felt that was the right thing to do since I had been elected on the Republican ticket. And, I kept my registration that way with the hope that I could be a moderate voice, and at times a liberal voice, on the other side of the aisle.

But now those efforts are over. Those efforts ended when I cast a critical vote for President Obama’s stimulus package. And the cat was firmly out of the bag, that as I stated blatantly in the preceding paragraph, that I was a liberal who simply used the Republican brand to get myself elected.

I would not stand by and join the obstructionist Republican straight party-line vote when the country faced the imminent prevent the prospect of a 1929 depression, the one that hit my family so hard by pursuing sane, rational economic policies.  In fact, the stimulus has been more wasteful than I had even imagined as unemployment has grown from 7.2% to 9.6% since I sold out my constituents.

It’s been noted that as your senator over the past 29 years, I’ve often been more popular among Democrats than among Republicans.

And if I’ve been popular with Democrats, it’s because I’ve stood for what you’ve stood for. Because I am, in fact, a liberal self serving individual.

Yes to increasing the minimum wage, because every working man and woman deserves a living wage. With this higher minimum wage, the six of you out of the original ten who would have gotten hired can now afford the gasoline I’ve worked so hard to tax.  The other four of you will benefit from my votes to expand welfare.

Yes to the right of a worker to organize a union. I know I said I would vote against this, but that was before Pennsylvania Republicans finally got sick of me and I was down in the polls to Pat Toomey by monster numbers.

Yes to the right of every citizen to be healthy, to get healthy and to stay healthy. Because when we nationalize health care, God help you if you get sick.

No to those who would eradicate stem cell research. Hey, I don’t mind killing babies.

Yes to liberating science to cure cancer and Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s and other maladies. Because scientists refuse to work when Republicans are in charge.

Yes to reproductive freedom. Unless you’re a fertilized egg, in which case, you’re pretty much screwed if your parents are hardcore liberals.

Yes to civil liberties even in time of war, because the defense of the Constitution is a battle to be fought and won in every war. Which is why, as a Democrat, I will help get rid of that pesky document.

No to judges who are stuck in the 18th century like Robert Bork whom I helped defeat and caught hell from the far right along the way. Because as well all know, nothing that came from the 1700’s, like capitalism, individual rights, self empowerment, and limited government, mean anything to me.

Yes to educational opportunity for every American of every talent or skill. I will work tirelessly to ensure your child is stuck in a government run, failing school like everyone else’s child.

Yes to a clean environment and to the green jobs we need to create. I have earmarked $2 billion dollars for a green screen so that you can get a CGI rendering of you working after I help to destroy the economy with Obama.

And last but not least, yes to a stimulus for our economy special interest groups when we are facing the greatest threat to our economic security system of kickbacks in three generations.

Yesterday I was pleased to come to Braddock to announce an award of 115 million dollars from the stimulus package. The locks and dams and Pittsburgh’s inland waterway system support 218,000 jobs directly and indirectly. The additional 115 million dollars will add 3,000 new jobs for this community. You’ll be glad to know, that no one will be keeping track of the spending or the jobs, though.

So what was the reaction of the far right my constituents to my vote for the stimulus package? The far right used me for target practice. And they didn’t like it when I wouldn’t stand still. A far better candidate, one with morals and spine emerged and began beating me mercilessly in the polls.

So I’m especially glad to be here with you, where I feel so welcome where I am begging you not to let Joe Sestak run against me. So welcome and so comfortable because we share core beliefs. Beliefs I have advanced and defended for decades even when my party was against me, even when it might cost me an election, even when my wonderful wife Joan might disagree with me – now those were the really tough times to stand my ground. Those core beliefs?  Do anything to win, this is my seat, I’m entitled to it damnit!  Screw the will of the people!

But it is my independence that has made me strong, made me better able to represent Pennsylvania, deliver for Pennsylvania and strong enough to come back to the party, where I started as an FDR, Kennedy Democrat.

And it is that independence that may result in our disagreeing sometimes.

I have voted 10,000 or more times and I don’t expect everyone to agree with all my votes. And even I don’t agree with some of those votes.

But I promise you this.

I promise that I will make you proud and keep you proud of me as your US Senator.

I promise I’ll come to your meetings. To beg for money.

I’ll be available to help with constituent problems Joe Biden tie his shoes. My office is noted for its constituent service and my branch offices in Pittsburgh, Erie, Harrisburg, Wilkes-Barre, Scranton, Allentown and Philadelphia will be available to help you and our constituents.

I will work hard to replace our great cheesesteak sucking, corrupt Governor Ed Rendell with a new Democratic governor and for our entire ticket. Many have asked me to help with your candidates this year and my answer has been and will remain: Yes. If you pay me.

I promise that if I’m fortunate enough to earn your support and be your nominee for Senate next year that I’ll carry the Democratic banner high.

Because we don’t need a Senator from Pennsylvania with a 97 percent lifetime rating from the American Conservative Union.

We don’t need a Senator who’s a tool of the far right a man of conviction.  We need an Obama shoe licking lackey.

We don’t need a Senator who says it’s his intention to sit in the back row and vote no on everything all those terrible, terrible bills that I voted yes on as he did for six years in the U.S. House of Representatives.

We don’t need a Senator who is far outside the mainstream answerable to the people… a Senator who makes Rick Santorum look like a liberal… or a Senator who would take this state back to the political dark ages respectability.

We need a Senator who will say yes and vote yes when yes is the answer this state and this country need.

We need a Senator who can work with suck up to President Obama and who can help President Obama.

And we need a Senator who can work with Republicans the UAW and Democrats alike.

Because when the history of this century is told it must be a story your children and grandchildren are proud to tell.

Together, we can make that history when we’re destroyed by Pat Toomey in the general election and my pork loving, liberal leaning, self centered person is scouring the help wanted ads.  Thank you very much.

Toomey on the March

By Caomhin

After it became crystal clear that Arlen Specter didn’t have a shot at beating Pat Toomey in the GOP primary, Specter turned faster to the Democrats than Obama looking for his teleprompter at an impromptu event.  I didn’t put a post up on Specter’s jump, because, honestly, it doesn’t matter much to me.  Everyone knows I was going to do my damnedest for Pat no matter what no matter what Specter did.  Pat is exactly what this state and this nation needs.  I’m excited to be helping him in his bid for the Senate.

However, I will find it very satisfying if Specter loses to Joe Sestak in the Democratic primary, it will be a slap in the face for both Specter, who somehow fees as if he’s entitled to seat in the Senate, and to Obama, who now has Specter following him around like a puppy dog.  If I were a Pennsylvania Democrat, I’d be mighty angry at Obama and Specter for trying to impose their will upon me.  However, I’m not a statist.   I’m a fiscal conservative who wants this nation to return to capitalism, individual freedom, strong national defense, and the right to self determination.

Pat’s a realist and he knows how to make things work, he’s practical, highly articulate, and extremely intelligent.  He values individual rights and personal freedoms and he strongly believes in your right to make your own decisions in your personal life and to stop government from interfering.  He will fight to reel in government spending, lower taxes, control inflation rates, help you keep more of what you earn, and lower the unemployment rate.  Pat will be able to portray his positive message of growth and freedom and he will  handily win the US Senate seat in 2010.

In a very short period of time, Pat has closed a 20 point gap in the proposed general election race between himself and Specter.  The gap is now at 9% between he and Specter and Pat hasn’t even started yet.  Even before Pat announced, Specter was running TV ads attempting to smear Pat with false allegations.

I am fortunate enough to have had Pat as my Congressmen for two terms and to follow him as a member of the Club for Growth.  I had the opportunity to speak with him before and believe me when I tell you that he is a genuine person, very approachable, honest, and open.  I also had the opportunity to hear him give a speech.  His public speaking skills are impeccable.

If you haven’t already done so, please visit the official website at:

www.toomeyforsenate.com

The Social Networking aspect on the site is great as well, so please register for that as well.  Onward to Victory!

Toomey Makes it Official

By Caomhin

Supremely awesome.  If you’ve been reading this blog for a while then you know how stoked I am for this.  I signed up on the website pretty much as soon as it launched and I’m in it for the long haul.  Everything I can do within my power and capabilities I’m going to do to get Pat Toomey in the Senate.  He is EXACTLY what we need in Congress right now, and we need him desperately both as citizens of the Commonwealth and of the United States.  It’s been my honor to have voted for Pat in his successful races for the House of Representatives in my district and in the Senate primary in 2004, and I’ll have that honor at least one more time.  I won’t go all out here, mainly due to the past posts and the ones that will be forthcoming.  However, I’m going to ask you to do a few things.

1. Visit the official Website

2. Sign up for updates

3. Spend some time on the site to get to know Pat and his stance on the issues

4. Do whatever you can to help get him elected.

Let’s get Pat into Senate in a landslide, it’s our fight now.

Tom Corbett to run for Governor of Pennsylvania

By Caomhin

Good news for the Commonwealth as current Attorney General Tom Corbett has filed papers, forming an exploratory committee to run for the office of Governor.  Corbett won re-election in 2008, the only Republican to do so in a state wide race from the last election cycle.  Corbett has performed exemplary in his current capacity and the people of Pennsylvania have recognized this for quite some time.

With Pat Toomey set to challenge Arlen Specter in the primary for one of Pennsylvania’s Senate Seat in 2010, Corbett becomes the clear front runner to win the GOP Primary in the race for the Governor’s mansion.  I will strongly support this honorable man in his bid to so.  I have high hopes that in 2010 both Toomey and Corbett can win their races and help to improve the lives of Pennsylvanians.  Neither candidate has an official website as of yet, but I will be sure to link to them as soon as they do.  Also, please be sure to check out Chris Christie’s website in his 2009 bid to restore sanity to New Jersey by unseating Jon Corzine in New Jersey.

Toomey to Challenge Specter

By Caomhin

You’ll remember how amped I was when it seemed eminent that Pat Toomey would be running for Governor of Pennsylvania.  I had an opportunity a couple of weeks ago to meet Rep. Toomey and talk with him a few minutes.  I thanked him for all of his service that he gave to me as a constituent of his district and also shared a few choice words about Sen.. Specter with regards to his voting for Porkfest 2009.  I don’t recall the exact words, but it was something along the lines of, “if I have to pull out one more the daggers he’s put in my back, I’m going to bleed out.”  Rep. Toomey probably doesn’t recall me or my comment, who knows. I can guarantee, however, that I’m not the only one who’s said something like this to him.  In fact, he’s probably heard something similar many, many times.

I had the opportunity to hear the President of The Club for Growth give a rousing speech on spending and fiscal responsibility and how desperate Pennsylvania is for real leadership.  He gave an articulate speech about limited government, free markets, and empowering the individual.  The bulk of the speech was directed at how the government here in Pennsylvania has been run under Fast Eddy Rendell, but he made key points about the situation on the federal level as well.  It was an incredible speech and I was convinced more than ever that he would be our next governor.  I don’t mind being wrong, in retrospect.

I’m quite excited to hear the news that Pat Toomey has decided to run a primary challenge to Arlen Specter once more.  More so, I have no doubt he is going to win the primary, of that, I am sure.  I will do everything in my power to make this happen.  I will help him win the Senate seat in any way possible.   He is EXACTLY the kind of person whose leadership we desperately need.

There are just a few points I want to make here before I wrap this post up.  First, I distinctly recall over the last few days Toomey warning Specter about the Check Card Vote, to not go along with this disastrous liberal anti-secret ballot measure.  Today, there was news out that Obama has told the unions that Check Card will pass sometime this year.  It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out what this most likely means.  Specter is going to vote for this bill as well, further weakening the rights of individuals and harming the economy in the process.  I think Toomey knows this as well and he can’t sit idly by and let our economy face disaster after disaster coming out of Congress.  He’s the right man for the job and exactly what we need.  I know it, he knows it, and soon the majority of voters in the Commonwealth will show this to be true at the ballot box (in a secret ballot, by the way).

The last point I’ll make on the implications of this is that with Toomey running for the Senate seat, I think our Governor’s race is going to come down to Tom Corbett and Pat Meehan (a Specter ally) in the primary, unless Joe Scarnati gets involved as well.  In the end though, we could pull off something great in 2010 with Toomey winning in the Senate and Corbett going to Harrisburg as our new governor.  It’s going to be a great election cycle for the Commonwealth.

Pat Toomey Mulling A Bid For Governor

By Caomhin

Tremendous news from last night as it was announced that Pat Toomey is considering a run for the position of Governor of Pennsylvania.  I am thoroughly excited about this development.  As a member of the Club for Growth and a long time supporter of my former Representative to Congress, Pat is exactly what we desperately need in Pennsylvania.

While Pat is in the extremely early stages of exploring a bid, we should do as much as possible to encourage him to run.  For those of you unfamiliar with him, please check out his bio and take some time to explore the Club for Growth.  You can read a couple samples of his writings here and here, specifically they are pieces about his view on the most recent election results.  He will restore order to the budget in Pennsylvania, reform individual, property, and corporate tax rates, encourage and achieve economic growth, and bring true reform with him to Harrisburg.  I’ll post more as updates come in, but rest assured, if he’s in, we’ve got our candidate.