No Deal is Better Than a Bad Deal

I went to a rally on Saturday.  It was held in front of the local office of Representative Jim Gerlach (R).  He represents the Pennsylvania 6th Congressional District.  Of course, neither Jim nor his staff were there as they don’t work on weekends.  The Republicans in Congress want us to work until we are 70 years old before we can collect our Social Security retirement money.  On the other hand, they only want to work 1/3 of the year and still collect full pay and full benefits.

Rep. Jim Gerlach was re-elected in November and that is because he tells his constituents that he is a “moderate”.  That’s bullsh*t.  He is a placeholder for Republican votes and he votes as he is told to vote by the House Speaker, John Boehner.  Gerlach voted to dismantle Medicare and Medicaid yet the local press was silent about his vote.  His opponent didn’t have much money and he had a large territory to cover to get name recognition.  The media area is the greater Philadelphia area which makes it expensive to advertise.  Rep. Jim Gerlach refused to debate his opponent because he didn’t want anyone to know anything about his opponent, Manan Trivedi.  As for town hall meetings, they are held via the telephone because Gerlach does not want to be confronted by unhappy constituents.  Yeah, I’ll say it.  Rep. Jim Gerlach is a coward.

Enough of my rambling.  Here is a picture of the poster that I was holding.  H/T to Outstandinginthefield for the wording and thank you to everyone else for your good ideas.  I will hold onto those for possible use at another time.

Live in your strength!

The Real Jim Gerlach

When confronted with the real issues that effect Americans, Gerlach cuts and runs.

From a recent email…

Manan challenged Congressman Gerlach to six debates. He turned down invitations from a number of groups and only accepted two.

At the first debate, Manan said it was fine for the media to record. Congressman Gerlach refused to allow the press to audio or video record. His campaign told the press that “[W]e didn’t see a benefit for us.”

Well the news media wasn’t going to tolerate it anymore and they showed up with their cameras rolling to last night’s debate. And there was something interesting they caught.

Manan asked Congressman Gerlach why he keeps supporting tax breaks for outsourcing our jobs overseas. Manan pressed Gerlach on taking $700,000 from special interest groups. He had no comment. This is what is known as the “Silent Confession of Guilt.”

So following the debate, we decided to launch our latest ad because we think the public has a right to know what Jim Gerlach has been doing to the rest of us since he went to Washington.

We have less than three weeks to go before Election Day and we need your help now more than ever to make sure everyone knows what Jim Gerlach is hiding.

When you make a contribution today, it will help keep the public pressure on him.

Jim Gerlach has to answer for his failed record. He has to answer to us. He has to answer to the press. And we can’t let him hide.

Thanks for all your support.

Ed

PS – Even a $25 contribution will go a long way. Please donate.

—
Ed Niles
Campaign Manager
Trivedi for Congress
info@trivediforcongress.com
office: 610-370-9489

Does Gerlach Agree?

If the Republicans take control of Congress, the are planning on shutting down the Government.  This includes closing VA facilities.  This is what Rep. Lynn Westmoreland (R-GA) has to say:

WESTMORELAND: If we hold the line, if we get those courageous men and women to be part of our majority. If we say look, the American people we’re listening to the American people, this is what we’re going to do. If government shuts down, we want you with us. We want you with us. We gotta have you because later on you all will call us and say look I didn’t get my check. Daddy can’t go to the VA. You know, the National Parks are closed. We need to be sure that you are with us because let me tell you this, all Americans need to understand. We need to understand this and I hope you can help share this analogy with people. Just as when you talk about what is going to possibly happen, you know I was unfortunate to cut myself with a chainsaw. I don’t know how many of you have cut yourself with a chainsaw. Chainsaw is not the cleanest instrument if you’re going to cut yourself. […] He said this is going to sting a little bit and it hurt like crazy. But you know what, if he didn’t clean out that wound, it would have never healed. I would have got gangrene. I would have died from it. And what has happened with this country, we have put bandaids on things that need to be cleaned out. It’s going to take some pain for us to do the things that we need to do to right the ship.

ListenWestmoreland .

The most disturbing part of this audio is the cheering and clapping of the people that Westmoreland is speaking to.  Nothing but selfish and greedy people that don’t care about the welfare of others.

What’s Gerlach’s thoughts on this?  Will he shut down the VA?   Will he withhold Social Security checks?  Speak up, Jim.  We need to know what you have to say about shutting down the Government.

And Jesus wept.

Brown=”doesn’t share our values.”

This is Dr. Mark P. Campbell, Spokesman for Congressman Jim Gerlach.

This is a quote by Mark Campbell about Manan Trivedi from “The Hill”:

“What we are saying is that Trivedi is a far-left fringe candidate who does not share the common-sense values of the taxpayers, families or seniors of the 6th district,” said Gerlach campaign spokesman Mark Campbell.

“The only one who has played the race card here is him, by going to Indian-American groups to raise money,” said Campbell.

and

“doesn’t share our values.”

What values are those, Mark?

These Values?

Or Perhaps These Values?I suppose this means if Manan Trivedi shouldn’t go after money from the Indian-American community, Jim Gerlach shouldn’t go after PAC money?

Total PAC Money for 2010: $757,507 (from opensecrets.org: http://www.opensecrets.org/politicians/pacs.php?cycle=2010&cid=N00025025&newMem=N)

I’m guessing they decided to call a Decorated Iraq War veteran who happens to be Indian-American a “terrorist” like they did to Lois Murphy was a bad idea so this is their way of planting the seed. See? He’s not like us, he doesn’t share our values.

Sound Familiar?

It’s time we demand Jim Gerlach answer this question:

Do you agree? Is Mark Campbell speaking on behalf of your beliefs? Do you feel that brown people don’t “share our values”?

We need to call on Congressman Gerlach to fire Mark Campbell. Unless, of course, he shares in these “values”.

Please sign this petition calling on Congressman Gerlach to answer to these statements or fire Mark Campbell!

http://www.petitionbuzz.com/petitions/firemarkcampbell

Veterans Have Something to Say to Gerlach

Gerlach, We Are Waiting To Hear From You

Press release from PA 6th Congressional District Candidate, Manan Trivedi…

Manan Trivedi to Rep. Gerlach: Do you have the courage?

MEDIA RELEASE

2.10.2010

Ed Niles, Campaign Manager

610-370-9489

READING, Pa – The following is a statement from 6th district Democratic candidate for congress, Manan Trivedi on the President Obama’s proposed health care summit and the refusal by House Republican Leadership to commit to attending.

“President Obama, in an unprecedented move, has offered to host a publicly televised health care summit to finally come with a solution for health care reform, and so far, Republican leaders in the House are unwilling to attend. I hear the Republicans in Washington clamoring about wanting an open and transparent process, and just when President Obama makes a bold and transformational gesture to meet their demands, they change their minds.”

“What I don’t hear is Congressman Gerlach standing up to his leaders in Washington and demanding they come to the table and solve our health care problem. What I don’t hear is Congressman Gerlach’s conviction to do what is right. And what I clearly don’t hear from Congressman Gerlach, is a public servant who is willing to listen to the public he is supposed to represent. Congressman Gerlach, do you have the courage to tell your leaders in Washington to meet with President Obama on television and fix our health care crisis?”

“As millions of people go without health care today, Gerlach and the Republicans in Washington who tell him what to do, play political games with American’s lives. As a physician, I have dealt first-hand with the harsh reality of those who are forced to go without health care. And when I am in Congress, I will never let an opportunity to improve our health care system slip by for the sake of political posturing.”

Manan Trivedi is a primary care physician, a former Lt. Commander in the Navy and an Iraq War veteran.

Website.

$482 Billion Deficit on Gerlach’s Watch

The below post was from the Bob Roggio campaign.  Other than that fact that Roggio is not running again, nothing else has changed regarding Gerlach’s history.  I added the updates.

Gerlach is a suit that lives off of taxpayer’s money and gives nothing back to his constituents.

$482 Billion Deficit on Gerlach’s Watch
Can Jim Gerlach disguise himself as a “Champion” for Change?

MALVERN, PA – On Monday(2008), President Bush predicted that the next President would inherit a record $482 billion deficit in 2009. According the New York Times, this staggering figure doesn’t even account for military costs in Iraq and Afghanistan, another economic stimulus package, or losses in tax revenues. [The New York Times, 7/30/08]. While Washington continues to spend billions of dollars a month in Iraq, give tax breaks to people making over $300 thousand a year, and subsidize the oil companies, Americans are contending with the rising price of gas, a stagnant economy, and soaring healthcare costs.

In a recent mail piece, the Gerlach campaign boldly states “Change Has a Champion…Congressman Jim Gerlach.” Jim Gerlach has had 6 (8) years to change the direction of our country, but rather than taking responsibility for championing the policies that have led us to this record deficit, he is now masquerading as a “Champion” for change.

“Jim Gerlach is misleading the voters of 6th District using convenient political jargon, but not having the record to support his claims,” said Roggio Campaign Manager Liz Conroy. “There is a real choice for change this year. There is a choice between giving tax cuts to people who make over 300 thousand dollars a year rather and solving our healthcare crisis. There is a choice between subsidizing the oil companies and keeping social security around for our Grandchildren. There is a choice between spending endlessly in Iraq and paying down the debt. Change is about new priorities, not empty rhetoric.”

Vote Check: Champion for Change?
Does a “Champion” for Change vote with George Bush 100% of the time on Iraq?

Gerlach Opposed Setting Benchmarks for Success in Iraq

In July 2005, Gerlach voted against a measure requiring President Bush to set public benchmarks for measuring U.S. progress in Iraq in areas such as defeating the insurgency, establishing democratic institutions and bringing U.S. troops home. Representative Robert Menendez (D-New Jersey), who made the motion, urged benchmarks “so we know exactly what we need to do to achieve success in Iraq. Up to this point, Congress has abdicated its responsibility on Iraq. The Republican leadership has provided the administration with a blank check when it comes to Iraq.” [Aberdeen American News, 7/24/05]. The motion failed 203-227. [HR 2601, Menendez motion, Vote #398, 7/20/05]

Gerlach Opposed Investigation into Contractor Spending in Iraq

In 2005, Gerlach voted against an amendment to provide $5 million to establish a select committee to investigate reconstruction efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan, including contracting procedures, protection against money laundering, and the allocation of contracts to foreign companies and small businesses. In October 2004, the International Advisory and Monitoring Board released an audit of the Bush Administration’s management of Iraqi oil proceeds and other funds in the Development Fund for Iraq. Problems found involved hundreds of millions of dollars, numerous sole source contracts and missing and nonexistent contract files. [Committee on Government Reform Minority Staff, http://www.democrats.reform.house.gov%5D The $5 million would have been transferred from Pentagon funds to the congressional budget. [Washington Post, 3/20/05]. The amendment failed 191-236. [HR 1268, Vote #72, 3/15/05]

Gerlach Opposed Accountability in Iraq

In 2007, Gerlach voted against requiring the president, by July 13, to submit to reports to Congress on the progress the Iraqi government has made in meeting political and military benchmarks. Within seven legislative days of receiving the reports, Congress would then have two votes on releasing the remaining $52.8 billion “fenced” funds – one on an amendment that would require the Defense Department to use the fenced funds solely to redeploy troops from Iraq, and a vote on a joint resolution releasing the funds to the Pentagon for ongoing operations in Iraq. [CQ House Action Reports, No. 110-5, 5/09/07] The bill passed 221-205. [HR 2206, Vote #333, 5/10/07]

REAL CHANGE: Bob Roggio’s priority is to bring the troops home from Iraq. He will work with the new President to achieve a responsible withdrawal and work to encourage the Iraqi Government to take responsibility for reconstruction.

Does a “Champion” for Change vote to weaken ethical restrictions on Congress?

Voted To Weaken House Ethics Rules

In 2005, Gerlach voted in favor of curtailing the ways ethics investigations can be launched. Republicans passed a package of House rules that required at least one Republican to agree before the ethics committee begins an inquiry. Former Ethics committee Chairman Joel Hefley (R-Colo.) broke with GOP leaders on the House floor, saying he thought the changes were a mistake since they were done without bipartisan discussion. The rules passed, 220-195. [HRes 5, Vote #6, 1/04/05]

Opposed Closing the Lucrative “Revolving Door” Between Lobbying & Lawmakers

In 2005, Gerlach voted against a measure to prohibit Members of the House from negotiating lucrative job deals that capitalized on their committee membership. The measure was rejected, 196-219. [HRes 5, Vote #5, 1/04/05]

Voted To Allow Lobbyists to Wine & Dine Congress

In 2003, Gerlach voted to weaken House ethics rules, pushing through language that would allow lobbyists to cater meals to members’ offices and let charities pay for lawmakers to travel and stay at golf resorts and other locales. The rules passed, 221-203. [HRes 5, Vote #4, 1/07/03]

REAL CHANGE: Bob Roggio believes that we must fight for an accountable and transparent government. We need to go further than restricting the number of years that public officials have to “cool off” before lobbying Congress. We need to curtail the influence of special interests in governance by demanding a lifetime ban on ex-lawmakers becoming registered lobbyists.

Does a “Champion” for Change take over $90,000 in campaign contributions from Big Oil, and vote to subsidize the oil and gas industry?

Gerlach Voted for Final Energy Bill that Gave Billions to Oil, Gas and Nuclear Industries

In 2005, Gerlach voted for the energy conference report that exempts oil and gas industries from some clean-water laws, streamlines permits for oil wells and power lines on public lands, and helps the hydropower industry appeal environmental restrictions. One obscure provision would repeal a Depression-era law that has prevented consolidation of public utilities, potentially transforming the nation’s electricity markets. It also includes an estimated $85 billion worth of subsidies and tax breaks for most forms of energy — including oil and gas, “clean coal,” ethanol, electricity, and solar and wind power. The bill included $2 billion for “risk insurance” in case new nuclear plants run into construction and licensing delays. And nuclear utilities will be eligible for taxpayer-backed loan guarantees of as much as 80 percent the cost of their plants. The bill passed, 275-156. [HR 6, Vote #445, 7/28/2005; Washington Post, 7/30/05; Passed 275-156; R 200-31; D 75-124; I 0-1]

Gerlach Voted Against Bill that Would Repeal Big Oil’s Tax Breaks

In 2007, Gerlach voted against H.R. 2776, a bill that would add energy derived from waves, tides, ocean currents, free flowing rivers, free flowing canals, and other marine sources to the list of qualified energy sources for the purpose of claiming renewable energy credits, unless diversionary structures such as dams or impoundments are used (Sec. 102). This bill also repeals the 9 percent tax deduction for income attributable to “the sale, exchange, or other disposition of oil, natural gas, or any primary product thereof” (Sec. 301). The House passed the bill 221-189. Republicans voted 9-178 (Vote # 835, 8/4/07). NOTE: This bill was appended to the end of an omnibus bill H.R. 3221, which passed the House 241-172 and Gerlach voted in favor of H.R. 3221. Republicans voted 26-163 (Vote # 832, 8/4/07).

For a Second Time, Gerlach Voted Against Bill that Would Repeal Big Oil’s Tax Breaks

In 2008, Gerlach voted against H.R. 5351, a bill that would extend tax credits for wind facilities, closed loop and open loop biomass facilities, geothermal and solar facilities, small irrigation power facilities, landfill gas facilities, trash combustion facilities, and hydropower facilities for three years (Sec. 101). The bill creates new “clean renewable energy” bonds and designates a $2 billion limit on those bonds, which would be allocated to qualified projects of public power providers and cooperative electric companies (Sec. 104). It also prevents tax deductions to major integrated oil companies for income resulting from the domestic production of oil and gas (Sec. 301). The bill passed the House 236-182. Republicans voted 17-174 (Vote # 84, 2/27/08).

REAL CHANGE: Bob Roggio has pledged to not accept ANY campaign contributions from the oil and gas industries.

White House Scandal – UPDATE

Representative Jim Gerlach doesn’t want you to know about this and that is why he is throwing mud at Bob Roggio. Gerlach doesn’t have anything to offer except more of the White House shenanigans.

The Keystone Progressive has this to report.

The House Committee on Oversight has documented that senior Bush political aides used federal funds to support the re-election campaign of Gerlach and Murphy by sending federal officials to their Congressional Districts for campaign events disguised as official business. White House communication records show that the trips were specifically intended to help Gerlach and Murphy win re-election – the very definition of political activity.

The report shows that Rep. Gerlach accepted taxpayer-financed help for his 2006 campaign on four separate occasions. The four events were:

1) 3/10/06 – Visit by Commerce Secretary Gutierrez (Exton, PA)
2) 5/15/06 – Visit by Commerce Secretary Gutierrez (Malvern, PA)
3) 9/18/06 – Visit by EPA Administrator Johnson (Pottstown, PA)
4) 10/2/06 – Visit by HUD Secretary Jackson (Reading, PA)

Haven’t we had enough of all these White House scandals and dishonesty?

We don’t need more Bush politics after Bush leaves office and that is why it is time to “Fire Gerlach” and vote for Bob Roggio in the PA 6th Congressional District.

UPDATE:

We will advertise instead…

This is interesting, “fear” is preventing a Philadelphia radio station, KYW-AM “news radio”, from airing this advertisement by the DCCC. In this case, money isn’t talking. It is fear that rules, unless maybe KYW-AM is getting some sort of “support” from the current representative of the PA 6th Congressional District. You know him as Republic Jim Gerlach.

The Philadelphia area advertisement will have Jim Gerlach’s name instead of Robin Hayes.

Vote Bob Roggio for PA 6th Congressional District. We need a change in Washington. It’s time for Bush supporter Jim Gerlach to retire from Congress and get a “real” job. Gerlach’s been living off the public money for way too long.

Just look at the economy and the price of gasoline. Jim Gerlach supported Bush’s poor economic policies. Are you better off today then you were in 2000? Did you have more “discretionary” funds in 2000 then you do today? The price of oil is going to have a HUGE impact this winter so start thinking about which room in your house you want to heat because heating the whole house may break your household budget. A vegetarian diet might also become appealing since beans are cheaper than meat and you will need more money to heat your house and to put gasoline in your car, just to get to work.

From the Daily Local…

Bob Roggio for Congress.

Another little know fact about Jim Gerlach, he is one of the last Congressman to vote on ANY issue. He waits until he knows that his vote is “safe”. It’s a voting game that is played out in Washington DC all the time and Jim Gerlach is a master at this game. The real issue is exactly where does Jim Gerlach stand on anything? He’s all over the map on his voting record. He is spineless and has no real values or at least he isn’t sharing his real values with the voters.

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This is Music to My Ears

The House Republicans are getting very nervous about the general elections. Within the past 3 months, two formerly solid Republican House seats were won by Democrats in a “Special Election”.

Excerpt: Politico.com

Shellshocked House Republicans got warnings from leaders past and present Tuesday: Your party’s message isn’t good enough to prevent disaster in November, and neither is the NRCC’s money.

The double shot of bad news had one veteran Republican House member worrying aloud that the party’s electoral woes – brought into sharp focus by Woody Jenkins’ loss to Don Cazayoux in Louisiana on Saturday – have the House Republican Conference splitting apart in “everybody for himself” mode.

“There is an attitude that, ‘I better watch out for myself, because nobody else is going to do it,'” the member said. “There are all these different factions out there, everyone is sniping at each other, and we have no real plan. We have a lot of people fighting to be the captain of the lifeboat instead of everybody pulling together.”

I’m certainly not surprised by the “everyone for himself” statement. For the past 12 years, the Republican members of Congress have been all about themselves and didn’t give a hoot about the American people. They had their key phrases; “patriotism, flag pins, stay the course, cut and run (I can still see Jean Schmidt making an fool out of herself in the House), terrorists, be afraid, socialized medicine etc…” while working with a “borrow and spend” mentality which has put American jobs in jeopardy, raised gas and food prices, and sent our national debt soaring.

Now here’s a shocker for you… RNCC chairman, Tom Cole (R-OK) told its members that it doesn’t have enough money and that the members will need to raise their own money and run strong campaigns if they want to win in November.

Cole, on the defensive in the wake of special election losses in Louisiana and Illinois, pointed his finger Tuesday at his Republican colleagues, telling them that they had been too stingy in helping fund party efforts. He also complained that the Republicans ran weak candidates in both Louisiana and Illinois – a charge Cole made despite the fact that, as NRCC chairman, he could have played a major role in choosing the party’s candidates if he hadn’t made the decision to stay out of GOP primaries.

This is great news for PA CD 6 Democratic candidate, Bob Roggio. Jim Gerlach (R) will need to “work” for his campaign this year instead of relying on the RNCC to do his work for him.

But Cole’s overall message was clear, said members who sat through the meeting: “If you’re not out doing your own work, and you’re waiting for the NRCC to come in at the last minute and save you, it ain’t gonna happen.” That’s how one lawmaker characterized Cole’s talk, adding that the NRCC is “not going to have the resources” to help all members “and Democrats will have a lot more money.”

If the Republicans in Congress had listened to the American people instead of pandering to “K Street” lobbyists and big corporations, they wouldn’t have to be begging for money and votes. Regardless of who wins the White House in November, they will probably have to work with Democrats that will hold a strong majority in the House. Too bad, the criminals that currently occupy the White House will have already left office. Now, if we can only pull these criminals passports before they take off for Paraquay…