Wrong for Pennsylvania

SESTAK IS A RELIABLE VOTE FOR THE OBAMA-PELOSI AGENDA

Thus Far In The 111th Congress, Sestak Has Voted With The Democrat Party 97.6% Of The Time. (The Washington Post Votes Database, http://projects.washingtonpost.com, Accessed 9/14/10)

Sestak Voted Twice To Elect San Francisco Liberal Nancy Pelosi As Speaker Of The U.S. House Of Representatives. (Vote #2: R 0-202; D 233-0, 1/4/07, Sestak Voted Yea; Vote #2: Pelosi elected 255-174: R 0-174; D 255-0, 1/6/09, Sestak Voted Yea)

Thus Far In The 111th Congress, Based On The 83 Votes They Have Cast Together, Sestak Has Voted With House Speaker Nancy Pelosi 98% Of The Time (Thru Vote #518 On 8/10/10). (CQ Vote Report)

• In 2009, Based On 45 Votes They Cast Together, Sestak Voted With House Speaker Pelosi 100% Of The Time (CQ Vote Report)

Sestak Is A “Reliable Liberal Vote”

Sestak: “I Am A Democrat Out Of Core Beliefs And Convictions.” (Pennsylvania Democrat Primary Debate, 5/1/10)

NBC’S DAVID GREGORY: “You Voted For TARP, For The Bailout. You Voted For The President’s Stimulus Plan. You Voted For The President’s Healthcare Plan. Exactly Which Establishment Are You Not Part Of, That You’re Running Against?” (NBC’s “Meet The Press,” 5/23/10)

CNN’s CANDY CROWLEY: “[T]he Pittsburgh Post-Gazette in endorsing Senator Specter called you a true blue liberal who had little chance of winning. You’ve just gotten the endorsement of MoveOn.org, which is a liberal organization. When you look at your record, you are almost 100 percent voting with Speaker Nancy Pelosi. You have voted for every major spending bill so far in the Obama administration.” (CNN’s “State Of The Union,” 5/16/10)

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: Sestak Is “A Reliable Liberal Vote.” “The senator’s challenger is also a distinguished Democrat. Rep. Joe Sestak of Delaware County won election to Congress in 2006 and has been a reliable liberal vote for his party’s agenda. A retired three-star admiral, Mr. Sestak is the former commander of an aircraft battle group and cares deeply about restoring trust in Washington.” (Editorial, “For The Democrats: Sen. Specter Is Their Best Shot In November,” Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, 4/25/10)

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: Sestak’s “True-Blue Liberalism” Could Be A Liability In A General Election. “In a different political year, his true-blue liberalism might be just the ticket for the Democratic Party. But in 2010, with an insurgent challenge from the right to claim the seat and with grass-roots tea party activists railing against the role of government, whoever hopes to become Pennsylvania’s next senator will need to win votes from the center. Arlen Specter has a long record of being that kind of vote-getter.” (Editorial, “For The Democrats: Sen. Specter Is Their Best Shot In November,” Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, 4/25/10)

SESTAK SUPPORTS OBAMA’S MASSIVE GOVERNMENT SPENDING AGENDA

The National Debt Has Skyrocketed Since Sestak Entered Congress And The Democrats Took Control

When Sestak Was Sworn Into Congress, The Public Debt Was Roughly $8.7 Trillion. (U.S. Department Of The Treasury, www.treasurydirect.gov, Accessed 9/14/10)

Two Years Later, When Obama Was Inaugurated, The Public Debt Was Over $10.6 Trillion. (U.S. Department Of The Treasury, www.treasurydirect.gov, Accessed 9/14/10)

As Of September 13, 2010, The Public Debt Was Over $13.4 Trillion. (U.S. Department Of The Treasury, www.treasurydirect.gov, Accessed 9/14/10)

Sestak Voted For Over $4.6 Trillion In Spending In The First Four Months Of 2009, Then Voted To Raise The Debt Ceiling By $1.9 Trillion

Sestak Voted For The $787 Billion Stimulus Bill. (H.R. 1, CQ Vote #70: Adopted 246-183: R 0-176; D 246-7, 2/13/09, Sestak Voted Yea)

• Sestak Said The Stimulus Was “Bit Small.” SESTAK: “This bill is actually a bit small in my opinion, but it’s the right step.” (CBS 3, “Newsmakers,” 2/22/09)
• Sestak Said He Would Have Voted For A $1 Trillion Dollar Stimulus. ANCHOR: “This Stimulus bill that was passed, roughly $800 Million, is it too small? Are we going to come back in the summer and have another one?” SESTAK: “It’s the minimum amount needed. I would have voted for $1 trillion.” (NBC 10, 2/22/09)
• Sestak Said He Wanted Another Stimulus. SESTAK: “I hope that the talk begins again about having another stimulus plan.” (Fox Business Channel, 3/31/09)

Sestak Voted To Adopt The $3.5 Trillion FY2010 Budget Resolution. (H. Con. Res. 85, CQ Vote #192: Adopted 233-196: R 0-176; D 233-20, 4/2/09, Sestak Voted Yea)

Sestak Voted In Favor Of The $410 Billion FY2009 Omnibus Appropriation Bill. (H.R. 1105, CQ Vote #86: Passed 245-178: R 16-158; D 229-20, 2/25/09, Sestak Voted Yea)

Sestak Voted To Increase The Debt Ceiling By $1.9 Trillion. (H. J. Res. 45, CQ Vote #46: Adopted 217-212: R 0-175; D 217-37, 2/4/10, Sestak Voted Yea)

Since The Stimulus Passed, Pennsylvania Has Lost Jobs

Today, Pennsylvania’s Unemployment Rate Stands At 9.3 Percent, A Dramatic Increase From The 7.2 Percent Rate When The Stimulus Passed. (Bureau Of Labor Statistics Website, www.bls.gov, Accessed 9/14/10)

Since February 2009, Pennsylvania Has Lost 183,201 Jobs. (Bureau Of Labor Statistics Website, www.bls.gov, Accessed 9/14/10)

More Than 592,000 Pennsylvanians Are Currently Unemployed. (Bureau Of Labor Statistics Website, www.bls.gov, Accessed 9/14/10)

Sestak Supports Serial Washington Bailouts

Sestak Voted Twice For TARP – The Wall Street Bailout. (H.R. 1424, CQ Vote #681: Agreed To 263-171: R 91-108; D 172-63, 10/3/08, Sestak Voted Yea; H. J. Res. 3, CQ Vote #27: Passed 270-155: R 171-4; D 99-151, 1/22/09, Sestak Voted Nay)

Sestak Voted To Bailout Fannie And Freddie. (H.R. 3221, CQ Vote #519: Adopted 272-152: R 45-149; D 227-3, 7/23/08, Sestak Voted Yea)

Sestak Voted For A $14 Billion Bailout Of The Auto Industry. (H.R. 7321, CQ Vote #690: Passed 237-170: R 32-150; D 205-20, 12/10/08, Sestak Voted Yea)

Sestak Supports More Government Spending Programs And Job-Killing Legislation

Sestak Voted For A Second $154 Billion Stimulus. (H.R. 2847, CQ Vote #991: Motion agreed to 217-212: R 0-174; D 217-38, 12/16/09, Sestak Voted Yea)

Sestak Co-Sponsored And Voted For Cap-And-Trade Legislation. (H.R. 1590, Introduced 3/21/07; H.R. 2454, CQ Vote #477: Passed 219-212: R 8-168; D 211-44, 6/26/09, Sestak Voted Yea)

• “These Carbon Taxes Would Cost The Residents Of Pennsylvania $6.45 Billion Dollars In 2020 And $55.34 Billion By 2050 Through Increased Energy Prices.” (The Beacon Hill Institute, “The Economic Effects Of Proposed Cap-And-Trade Legislation On The State Of Pennsylvania,” www.beaconhill.org, 6/09)
• “The State Economy Would Shed 47,549 Jobs By 2020 And 480,852 By 2050.” (The Beacon Hill Institute, “The Economic Effects Of Proposed Cap-And-Trade Legislation On The State Of Pennsylvania,” www.beaconhill.org, 6/09)

• Reps. Altmire, Carney Dahlkemper And Holden Voted Against The Cap-And-Trade Bill. (H.R. 2454, CQ Vote # 477: Passed 219-212: R 8-168; D 211-44, Altmire, Carney, Dahlkemper and Holden Voted Nay, 6/26/09)

• Sen. Bob Casey And 10 Senate Democrats Expressed Concern About The Sestak Supported Cap-And-Trade Legislation’s Impact On The Manufacturing Industry. “Ten U.S. senators wrote to President Barack Obama today to outline the need to maintain a level playing field for American manufacturing in any climate change legislation. The senators expressed their support for a border adjustment mechanism and other initiatives that would ensure the future competiveness of U.S. manufacturing. A copy of the letter can be found here. The letter was signed by  . . . Robert P. Casey (D-PA) . . . Arlen Specter (D-PA).” (Sen. Bob Casey, “Casey Calls For A Level Playing Field For U.S. Manufacturing In Climate Change Bill,” Press Release, 8/6/09)

• Sestak Wanted A More Extreme Version Of Cap-And Trade Legislation Saying, The House-Passed Bill Was “Eviscerated During The Process.” “I was disappointed in this bill because I thought it was eviscerated during the process too much.  I did vote for it however because it’s better than not having it done” (Netroots Nation, 08/14/09).

Sestak Voted In Favor Of The House-Passed Health Care Bill, Which Included A Government-Run Public Option. (H.R. 3962, CQ Vote #887: Passed 220-215: R 1-176; D 219-39, 11/7/09, Sestak Voted Yea)

• “Sestak Said He Was ‘150 Percent Behind’ A ‘Public Option’ Of Government-Run Health Insurance To Compete With Private Insurers, A Priority Of Obama’s.” (Thomas Fitzgerald, “Specter, Sestak Spar In Pittsburgh,” The Philadelphia Inquirer, 8/15/09)

Sestak Co-Sponsored And Voted For Card-Check Legislation, Which Is Opposed By Business Groups. (H.R. 800, CQ Vote #118: Passed 241-185: R 13-183; D 228-2, 3/1/07, Sestak Voted Yea; H.R. 1409, Introduced 3/10/09)

• The U.S. Chamber Of Commerce: “The Chamber strongly opposes this legislation, which would upend decades of settled labor law in order to give organized labor an unfair advantage in union organizing, at the expense of both employees and employers.” (Chamber Of Commerce Website, http://www.uschamber.com/issues/index/labor/cardchecksecrbal.htm, Accessed 9/14/10)
• National Federation of Independent Business: “Card check would eliminate the long-protected and democratic principle of private-ballot elections. Instead, a union could be organized simply if a majority of employees sign cards, leaving workers vulnerable to misinformation, intimidation and coercion by union advocates. It also intentionally keeps employers uninformed about an organizing drive.” (National Federation of Independent Business Website, www.nfib.com, Accessed 9/14/10)

SESTAK’S EARMARK HYPOCRISY

Sestak Violates Own Ethics Pledge

Sestak For Senate Website: “If An Organization Or Individual Has Made A Request For An Appropriations Project, And Has Made A Contribution To His [Sestak’s] Campaign, He Returns That Contribution.” (Sestak For Senate Website, http://joesestak.com/Ethics.html, Accessed 9/14/10)

But Sestak Has Taken At Least $119,650 In Contributions From Companies He Steered Earmarks To

“Rep. Joe Sestak, Pennsylvania’s Democratic Nominee For Senate, Has Reaped At Least $119,650 In Campaign Contributions From Employees Of Companies To Which He Has Steered Federal Earmarks Since 2008, According To Public Records.” (Thomas Fitzgerald, “Sestak Steers Earmarks But Also Decries System,” The Philadelphia Inquirer, 7/15/10)

“There’s Nothing Illegal – Or Unusual – On Capitol Hill About The Practice Of Fund-Raising From Recipients Of Federal Appropriations, But Sestak, A Former Three-Star Navy Admiral, Has Held Himself To A Higher Standard. On his campaign website, he says he returns contributions from an ‘organization or individual [who] has made a request for an appropriations project,’ or earmark.” (Thomas Fitzgerald, “Sestak Steers Earmarks But Also Decries System,” The Philadelphia Inquirer, 7/15/10)

Daily News’ John Baer: Sestak’s Earmark Pledge Is “A Vague, Disingenuous Attempt To Polish His Own Credentials.” “And I understand that reforming anything as unreformed as congressional appropriations policies requires baby steps. But Sestak’s baby step should not be offered, portrayed or touted as anything more than it is: a vague, disingenuous attempt to polish his own credentials.” (John Baer, Op-Ed, “Sestak’s Tone-Deaf When It Comes To Earmarks,” Philadelphia Daily News, 7/28/10)

• “The Democratic Congressman And Senate Candidate Should Work A Little Harder To Reconcile Taking Campaign Contributions From Those Benefiting From Federal ‘Earmarks’ (Which Direct Money To Be Spent On Specific Projects) While Claiming ‘A Personal Policy’ Against Doing So.” (John Baer, Op-Ed, “Sestak’s Tone-Deaf When It Comes To Earmarks,” Philadelphia Daily News, 7/28/10)
• “The Campaign Web Site Clearly States That Joe Keeps No Dough From Earmark Recipients. The Congressional Web Site Offers A Narrow Variant Of That – So Narrow As To Be Meaningless. Anybody Can Give, Except In Springtime.” (John Baer, Op-Ed, “Sestak’s Tone-Deaf When It Comes To Earmarks,” Philadelphia Daily News, 7/28/10)