Pat Toomey is the only sane, rational choice on 4/27. I'll be there for him, and will be bringing several other Conservatives along to the voting booths.
I am glad to hear that! I send Toomey $100 maybe he needs more...
Also, check this out - Specter is running a dishonest and desperate campaign:
http://www.pattoomey.org/dishonesty.asp Arlen Specters Dishonesty
Arlen Specter has been in office for over 23-years and has established one of the most liberal voting records of any Republican Senator. Instead of defending his record, Arlen Specter has decided to launch dishonest, negative attacks against Congressman Toomey. In addition to being dishonest in his advertising, Arlen Specter has also made dishonest statements to the press. Below are the dishonest attacks from Arlen Specter, followed by the truth about Congressman Toomeys record. One misstatement maybe a mistake, two maybe acceptable, all of the following dishonest claims are unprecedented and unbecoming of a U.S. Senator.
Check back often as this section will be updated to debunk the dishonesty of Arlen Specter.
Specters Dishonest, Negative Attack Ads
Specters Dishonest Claim (Les Sheaffer) When I went to Pat Toomeys office and I asked for help and I followed up with 3 phone calls after that meeting and I never even got a phone call back.
Truth Congressman Toomey and his offices have had a long and productive working relationship with Les Sheaffer dating back to the Congressman's first term. The Congressman and his staff have been helpful to Les on a number of occasions. The office is not aware of an instance when a request of Les's went unfulfilled. Les has been a supporter of Congressman Toomey, so the campaign was surprised and disappointed by this ad and its claims. This is another sad action on Arlen Specters part, exhibiting that he will stoop to using a familys difficult situation for his own political purposes in an attempt to change the subject away from his embarrassingly liberal voting record.
Specter Dishonest Attack Toomey says hes for safeguarding teens but voted against and ridiculed Abstinence Programs that teach teens to make smart choices.
Truth Congressman Toomey has never voted to cut abstinence funding, however, he has voted against bloated federal spending bills that contained abstinence funding. Congressman Toomeys vote was for fiscal conservatism not against abstinence funding. In addition, Congressman Toomey has never ridiculed abstinence programs. The article that the Specter campaign points to as its source is a quote by Congressman Toomey being critical of overall federal spending not of any program dealing with abstinence. Senator Specter is grasping at straws.
Specters Dishonest Claim I authorized this ad to give you the facts about my record as a fiscal conservative.
Truth Senator Specter has voted for 5 major tax increases, including 2 that were the largest in history at the time of their passage. In addition, he has been rated as the second worst Republican Senator by the fiscal watchdog group, Citizens Against Government Waste
Specters Dishonest Claim Toomey says he is for protecting our children but voted against warning labels on violent and obscene records, movies and video games.
Truth - In the wake of the Columbine tragedy in 1999, the House of Representatives considered a Juvenile Justice bill. During the consideration of this legislation an amendment was offered that would have required labels rating violence in movies, video games, music albums, etc. Although the intent of the amendment was well intentioned, it would have superceded labeling already in place, like the ratings done by the Motion Picture Association (G, PG, PG-13, R). The amendment would have only labeled for violent material not for sexual content, sexual scenes, obscene language, etc. So if the amendment would have gone into effect, it would have actually given parents less information and made it harder to protect their children from this material. In addition, Federal Bureaucrats would have been the final say on the ratings rather than a group of parents, industry representatives, community leaders and government officials.
Specters Dishonest Claim I supported both of President Bushs tax cuts
Truth - Senator Specter did not support President Bushs $1.6 billion tax cut and in fact, voted with Ted Kennedy, Tom Daschle and Hillary Clinton to impede, reduce and undercut President Bushs tax cuts.
Specters Dishonest Claim Pat Toomey says hes for traditional moral values but voted for Internet gambling and failed to oppose thousands of slot machines across Pennsylvania.
Truth: Congressman Toomey has supported curbing gambling over the Internet and has supported a bill, H.R. 2143, during this Congress that would institute necessary regulations to prohibit Americans from using their credit cards to gamble on the Internet.
In addition, the slot machine issue was debated by the State legislature, not federal legislators in Washington Congressman Toomey has never had the opportunity to vote on slot machines in Pennsylvania.
Specters Dishonest Claim Toomey says he supports the military but voted against needed pay raises for the men and women fighting terrorism around the globe.
Truth Since his first term in 1999, Congressman Toomey voted for a pay raise every year he has been in Congress. (P.L. 106-65, P.L 106-398, P.L. 107-107, P.L. 107-314).
More importantly, Arlen Specter has voted against at least two pay increases for our military. He voted against the Defense Authorization bill in 1993 (P.L. 103-16) and again in 1996 (P.L. 104-201).
Specters Dishonest Claim Toomey was the only Republican Congressman in PA, the only one, to vote against an amendment allowing the military to be used to prevent terrorist from entering the US.
Truth Congressman Toomey has voted twice to allow our troops to be used on our borders to prevent terrorists from entering the country (5/10/02, Roll Call Vote 154 and 09/25/01, Roll Call Vote 356).
Specters Dishonest Claim Pat Toomey says he is effective but only passed two bills in Congress. One increased paperwork, the other renamed a building.
Truth Congressman Pat Toomeys bill that became law that increased paperwork, was a law that requires all federal agencies to do financial audits of their books to give Congress oversight as to how agencies are spending tax dollars. Agencies such as the FCC, the SEC and the FEC did not have to account for how and where money was spent.
In addition, the Congressman has passed several bills in the House that died in the Senate, which included a bill to reign in HCFA, and another that would allow businesses to get interest on their business checking accounts. Also, the Congressman has had many legislative accomplishments outside of passing bills. He saved area hospitals over $8 million per year from Medicare cuts, he had language added to the Ex-Im Reauthorization which will help to stem the tide of foreign steel, he made the U.S. seek reimbursements from its allies for the war in Kosovo and was successful in getting the federal government to specifically pay down debt with surplus dollars. Lastly, the Congressman is a leader working against budget increases and over regulation.
Ironically, during Specters first six-years in office he was able to pass bills commemorating weeks and days, including Afghanistan Day, Lupus Awareness Week, National Birds of Prey Week, Greek Independence Day Also, if you do a search of bills that have passed with Specters name as the lead sponsor, he has not passed a bill in the 107th or 108th Congress.
Specters Dishonest Claim Pennsylvania Republicans are demanding Pat Toomey return more than $500,000 of campaign money taken under false pretenses.
Truth - The funds were given to Congressman Toomey for election to federal office. Senator Specter had over $2.6 million left over from his 1998 election that would be categorized in the same manner. The argument would cut both ways, if individuals gave to Specter in 1998 to beat a Democrat it does not mean that were giving it to be used in this primary.
Specters Dishonest Claim The Inquirer reported in a front-page expose that Toomey has been caught playing a game of quote bait and switch.
Truth - The Inquirer did not say this was a bait and switch - Bob Holste of Congressman Englishs office was quoted as saying this.
Specters Dishonest Statements in the Press
Specters Dishonest Claim
January 7, 2004, Specter stated he is "now, and always [has] been, for the death penalty for Saddam"
January 8, 2004, Specter spokesman Bill Reynolds stated, Senator Specter has never voiced an opinion that Saddam Hussein should not face the death penalty. It's absolutely fallacious for them to say that.
Truth
I have been a very strong advocate of the death penalty as a deterrent for heinous criminals who commit outrageous crimes," [Specter] said. "Saddam certainly fits that bill, but I think that there is a little different dimension for Saddam Hussein. I think that if he were to rot in jail, tyrants would see that and it would be an ongoing example of the fact that you can't get away with it even if you are a head of a state." (The Daily American, Somerset, PA, December 16, 2003)
If he's in jail for a long period of time, he'd be a constant reminder to the world, said Specter. We have a societal interest in exposing him." (Doylestown Intelligencer, December 18, 2003)
I think that Hussein being imprisoned for decades would be very salutary for minor tyrants, said Specter, the former Philadelphia district attorney who normally favors the death penalty for "heinous criminals and outrageous crimes. I think society's best interests are served by keeping him on display, said Specter. (Times Herald, Norristown, PA, December 20, 2003)
What seems to be absolutely fallacious is the denial that Specter in fact changed his mind. (Doylestown Intelligencer, January 15, 2004)