Opinion 04/20/12
Altmire vs. Critz on Women’s Health Issues
by Tina Shannon
April 20, 2012
Several people have expressed concern regarding Mark Critz’ voting record on women’s health issues. If you look at actual votes, Altmire’s record is only slightly better than Critz’s. You can see their actual votes at the site below.
Scored Votes on Women’s Health
Interesting, isn’t it, how we can be affected by the negative ads Altmire is putting out? I was having the same sort of feelings, wondering if I could really support & vote for Critz.
My experience with Altmire shows me that he votes very carefully, voting yes at times for a Bill he knows will fail just to manipulate his record so he can make certain claims about it. That’s how he’s unsuccessfully attempted to keep labor on board with his destructive program.
There’s not very much difference between Altmire & Critz when it comes to women’ health voting. Add to that the fact that Altmire has been put in place to destroy the Democratic Party from within, and the criteria for our strategic/tactical choice becomes clearer.
Just something to keep in mind, we’re all vulnerable to negative campaigning, no matter how smart we are.
It Time to Stand Together for Our Voting Rights
by Tina Shannon, Pres.
PA 12th CD Progressive Democrats of America
March 29, 2012
April 4th at 7:00 pm, people from all over Beaver County and the surrounding counties will gather at the Beaver County Courthouse. We will light candles and contemplate our future. This event has been put together by a coalition of folks from labor, the African-American community and progressives, promising greater unity in the people’s movement for justice.
We are tired of being lied to by politicians like Elder Vogel. He told us not to worry about a Bill being passed that would eliminate and discourage people from voting while planning to vote for it all along. We will gather to hear what the ACLU and the State Democratic Party have to say about a possible lawsuit and injunction to stop this voter suppression law.
We know that our strength lies in standing together to keep the upcoming Presidential election from being stolen. The national Republican Committee believes that if they are able to shave a few hundred thousand votes here by suppressing the vote they just might manipulate the system enough to win PA. They’ve run the numbers in their computer model. They’re looking at other states and trying to chip away at democracy around the country.
So we will come together and say what our common interests are. We will talk about how these voter suppression tactics are aimed at disenfranchising the elderly, minorities and youth. These are the very constituencies here in Beaver County that vote for politicians who support union organizing, civil rights and programs that serve the needs of working folks.
We will remember Dr. King’s march on Washington and his Dream in order to defend it. We will hear an account of someone who attended that march as a young person. Elected officials will stand with us, as will those running for office that actually support democracy instead of trying to tear it down.
Please join us. Although it may seem discouraging that such bad legislation as this Voter Suppression Bill is being passed, here where you live people are gathering together to find common ground and make things better. It’s a wonderful thing.
John Moretti said
At least Jason Altmire has some fiscal sensibility. The 2000 page bill is a mess and should not be forced down our throats. Our country cannot afford this monstrosity, despite the arguments of the progressives, and the biggest cost of any move to a single payer system is a loss of freedom. The gov’t has not succeeded with any other such program to believe this can be any different. Medicare is bankrupt. We will rue the day when rationing rears its ugly head…just ask those in the UK who don’t have access to certain procedures or cancer drugs. It should not be up to the govt to decide. Medicare already denies more claims than any private payer. Forget competition — the govt will always “price” the equivalent premium lower than the natural market can bear. That will force employers looking to lower costs to drop current options and dump employees into the govt plan without choice. But that is in the plan all along.
The Republicans have been shut out from including meaningful reforms, while the current bill includes fluff such as nutritional regulations for vending machines! Reform should include tort/malpractice reform, permitting insurance companies to compete across state lines, coverage portability, eliminating pre-existing condition clauses, provide savings accounts and tax credits to help those without employer coverage to purchase insurance. We do not need one step toward a single payer model, nor the government controlling our healthcare in order to achieve meaningful reform.
carldavidson said
If Altmire had real ‘fiscal responsibility,’ he’d support HR 676, get out of the wars and cut the defense budget. He’d also support a Tobin tax to help the steelworkers start up a string of new worker-owned coops to build the infrastructure of an oil-independent clean energy economy. That would punish waste and destructive speculation, while rewarding and investing in the creation of new wealth that actually puts people to work.