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My Choices for Election Day
Posted
11-06-2000
Well here we are a few days from the election, and it is clearly crunch
time. The Presidential election appears so close that it may come down to
who gets their voters out in a few key states, including Pennsylvania. As
you may guess, I’m supporting the Democratic candidates, and I’d like to
share with you why.
The Presidential election
really is a "no-brainer". Al Gore is much brighter and more qualified to be
President than GW Bush. His foreign policy experience, knowledge of domestic
policies, and plans for the future are simply superior to Mr. Bush'. While
the Republicans have tried to saddle him with Bill Clinton's personal
problems, they are not Al Gore's responsibility. The Republicans have tried
to use scare tactics about guns, health care, and taxes to make American
voters think somehow that Gore does not have the vision to lead. He has been
a large part of the effort to reinvent government, has been deeply involved
in the effort to reduce government spending, and to pay down the national
debt. So do not be deceived by any Republican propaganda, experience and
qualifications do matter the most, and Al Gore is the man for the job.
The race for US Senate in
Pennsylvania has been bitter and though Rick Santorum has tried to
"reinvent" himself as a moderate, his voting record tells a different story.
He has been a strident right-winger who will say anything to get re-elected.
Ron Klink is tuned in to the needs of the working people of Pennsylvania. He
has a solid pro-working family voting record and really has been one of the
hardest working members of Congress. He is not changing where he stands on
issues because it is election time and will continue to serve the interests
of all Pennsylvanians.
Another important race for
federal office is the race for Ron Klink’s old seat in the 4th Congressional
District. What I said above for Santorum can be repeated for Melissa Hart.
She is simply the female version of Santorum. She is another election time
moderate who only moved into the 4th District to run for the job. Terry Van
Horne has been a legislator for twenty years and has been voting for the
needs of working people. He will be a capable congressman and certainly has
demonstrated a voting philosophy in tune with the people of the 4th
District.
The last race I’ll mention is
one for the 39th State Senatorial District. Allen Kukovich is running
against the man that he beat four years ago in the Democratic primary,
Eugene Porterfield. Eugene is a turncoat who now claims to be a Republican.
After an undistinguished career and a resounding defeat to Allen, he’s back.
Kukovich has been a highly respected leader in Harrisburg and is known
nationally for his legislative work for children’s health care. The choice
in this race is simple. Kukovich is brighter, more qualified, and is more
successful as a Senator.
I’ll plead partisanship with
a capital "P". But if you believe "we" are the government, not some unknown
"it" and you think government can be a positive influence in our lives, the
people I’ve identified above, as my choices should be your choices. If you
believe your government is evil, mistrust the world around you, and think we
have no social responsibility, then the other guys are your choices. Our
future and our children's future are at stake, so please vote for a better
nation where everyone can share in the good fortune. |
