3rd Congressional District: BUTLER EVENT URGENT NOTICE

PA-3rd Congressional District Republican Candidate Forum
Proposed for Sunday - May 2, 2010
Location: Odd Fellows Gazebo-Alameda Park Butler, PA
Time: 2 PM to 5 PM

4/30/2010

We the undersigned candidates for the May 18 Republican Primary for US Congress PA-3rd District have elected to rescind our invitations to the Tea Party proposed by Freedom Patriots to be held at 252 Pittsburgh Road Butler, PA on Sunday, May 2nd.

After much deliberation and mutual agreement, we feel that the location of the venue offered as courtesy by Candidate Mike Kelly to the Tea Party organizers presents a non-neutral setting for the other candidates to present themselves and their positions in an open forum.

The property for the venue is part of Mr. Kelly’s business we have come to understand, and in light of this fact we have mutually proposed an alternate setting for an open candidate forum.

The event will be held from 2 PM to 5 PM on the same day at a location convenient to attendees from the original event and others to come hear the candidates speak. The location also provides under cover shelter should the forecast for rain that day hold. This will be a no frills event strictly to inform voters, and Mr. Kelly is more than welcome to join this event and speak with his fellow candidates at a neutral setting.

We extend our sincerest apologies to Freedom Patriots for any inconvenience, and hope that they recognize the need for fair and open debate in all aspects of this very critical election cycle for voters.

The location of the PA-3rd Congressional District Republican Candidate Forum will be at:

Odd Fellows Gazebo
Alameda Park
Butler County Parks and Recreation
184 Alameda Road
Butler, PA 16001

With Kind Regards,
(in alphabetical order)

Steven Fisher
Ed Franz
Clayton Grabb
Paul Huber
Martha Moore

ANNOUNCEMENT UPDATE--PLEASE READ:

After this announcement was received and published, we were notified by the Steve Fisher campaign that this announcement was sent out without his prior approval. Steve Fisher's response to this announcement is published HERE.


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I-80 Tolling: Continuing to Beat the Dead Horse

Written by Roberta Biros

Please pinch me. Grab a little chunk of flesh on my forearm and pinch it REALLY HARD. Do what ever you can to wake me from this horrible nightmare? Tell me that it is all a dream and that "no one actually shot JR".

What am I referring to? Well, according to the Pittsburgh Tribune Review, some brilliant bureaucrat in Pittsburgh (Joseph Kirk, executive director of the Mon Valley Progress Council) wants to submit the I-80 tolling plan to the Federal Highway Administration ONE MORE TIME . . . for good measure . . . read the full story HERE.

Stupid politicians in Harrisburg are still struggling with the hole that was left in the budget when the I-80 tolling project was turned down last month [READ HERE], and they are considering EVERYTHING that could possibly raise money. According to the article, "Legislators are suggesting other solutions: tolling Interstate 79 or Interstate 95, legalizing video gambling machines, enabling private companies to lease highways and charge tolls, contracting out highway maintenance, or raising the wholesale gas tax."

I'm sorry, but has anyone considered the possibility of CUTTING SPENDING as a way to make ends meet? NOOOOOOOOOOO. Instead, let's just keep putting through a proposal to toll I-80 and THEN continue to write the money into the budget (as though it is already approved). All this so that we can move along in an effort to quickly pass a useless, garbage budget before things ramp up for the November election.

In the words of Mike Kelly (candidate for Congress), "I'm sorry if I come off as ANGRY, but I am ANGRY". State legislators need to sit their rear ends down in Harrisburg and start cutting meat out of this budget and it better start soon. I'm not talking any whimpy thin sliced pork chops kind of meat . . . I'm talkin' big old thick porterhouse steaks kinds of meat . . . if you know what I mean.

Give it up already. I-80 is NOT an option. Find some other dead horse to beat for a while.

As always, just my opinion.

~Mercer County Conservatives

NOT AS SHEEP by Dr. Steven Porter

Summary provided by Roberta Biros

Please read these comments from Dr. Steven Porter. Dr. Porter and I have discussed the topic of independent candidates personally, and I valued his input and comments. He is "spot on" with his post on the topic [READ HERE]!

Dr. Porter is very closely tied to our area. He ran for Congress in 2004 and 2006. Most recently he ran for Congress in the 3rd District as an unaffiliated independent in 2008 against Republican Phil English and Democrat Kathy Dahlkemper. After gathering FAR MORE signatures that were necessary on his nomination papers, Dr. Porter's petitions were challenged by political insiders in an effort to keep him OUT of the election. The political insiders won their legal challenge. They may have prevented Dr. Porter's name from being included on the ballot, but they did not "defeat him".

Dr. Porter remains a political activist and he is confident that good government directed by "the People" is still within our reach. Read his comments HERE, and you'll understand what I'm talking about.

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PA-3: Is Kelly Using Blog Stalkers From Washington DC?

This is an interesting post by fellow Mercer County blogger, Rich Talbert. It is an interesting read as it illustrates activity that political bloggers are experiencing right now . . . Blog Stalkers (as Rich calls them). Read the story HERE.

Mercer County GOP Meet and Greet: Supporting Conservative Candidates or Selfish Self Promotion of Incumbents and Endorsed Candidates?

Written by Roberta Biros

It is with mixed emotions that I post this event announcement today. The event is sponsored by the Mercer County GOP and the details are provided below:

EVENT ANNOUNCEMENT

Meet and Greet of Republican Candidates
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Hempfield Station One
6th Avenue
Greenville, PA
7PM – 9PM

First, the event is a wonderful opportunity for the candidates that are facing challengers in the Primary (only three weeks away) to meet, mix, and mingle with the people of Mercer County. I am completely supportive of that concept, and I have attended more than my share of similar events in the past six weeks. I will be attending this event (as I have all of the others in the area) to document who is there and what they have to say. I do this to provide information to the voters of the area so that they are well informed when they go to the polls on May 18th. I also spend the time and effort in covering these events because NO ONE ELSE IN THE PRESS WILL. I write about all of the political activities in the area because we need to STIMILATE INTEREST in this election in order to generate REAL CHANGE in November.

Unfortunately, there are some that believe that this particular Meet and Greet may be hijacked by incumbent politicians in an effort to promote themselves (rather than the candidates that are struggling to win their respective Primaries). The two-hour event should be focused candidates for Governor, Lt. Governor, and Congress (3rd and 4th Districts). IT SHOULD NOT be spent on incumbents that have no opponents in the Primary or (in some cases) no opponents in the General Election.

If Senator Bob Robbins, Representative Michele Brooks, and Representative Dick Stevenson show up with the intention of upstaging the Primary candidates, they should be booted off the stage. (even better, they should be booted OUT OF OFFICE, but I digress)

I urge all of you to attend the event tomorrow night in order to educate yourself about the candidates that are competing in the Primary. I also urge you to watch carefully at “who” is politicking and “who” is there to simply support the conservative candidates that are seeking a place on the ballot in the fall.

I am committed to informing the people of Mercer County, the voters of northwest Pennsyvania, and the taxpayers of Pennsylvania of ALL political activities . . . good and bad. I present information in this forum in an effort to educate and stimulate. You are free to form your own opinion, but I think it is important that you have access to ALL of the details.

A Side Note:

I have a funny feeling that some attempt will be made to prevent me from attending this event. I intend on walking in and documenting the activities just as I have done since mid-March. I “dare them” to attempt to stop me.

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3rd Congressional Candidates Debate the Issues Again: Who will be the one to send Congresswoman Kathy Dahlkemper packing?

Written by Roberta Biros

Last night I attended another formal debate of the 3rd Congressional District Republican Candidates. The event was sponsored by Allegheny College and was held at Quigley Hall on the Allegheny College Campus. It was another standing-room-only event as it was a rare opportunity for the people of the 3rd Congressional District to determine which candidate can best represent them when we send Kathy Dahlkemper home in November.

All six candidates were in attendance. In order on the stage from left to right were Steve Fisher, Ed Franz, Clayton Grabb, Paul Huber, Mike Kelly, and Martha Moore.

The last formal debate was held a month ago on March 25th in Grove City (read about it HERE). It may have only been 4 weeks ago, but it seems like a lifetime. The last four weeks have been packed with events, get-togethers, meet-n-greets, fundraisers, and tea parties for all six of the Republican candidates . . . and the bloggers that follow them. The grueling schedule is beginning to take its toll on everyone involved, but it hasn’t dampened our determination to push through to November.

At the debate that was held a month ago, we met six candidates that were fresh, unpolished, and unique. Four weeks later, the six candidates are beginning to meld into one and other. The have all had an opportunity to tweak their presentations, and some are actually stealing each others quotes (i.e, I believe it was Ed Franz that stole Martha Moore’s “enough is enough” quote last night and it made me laugh).

I documented the entire evening, but you all know that I’m not one to simply provide a laundry list of the evening’s events. No, I’d prefer to paint you an abstract portrait of the highlights and lowlights of the night.

Highlights?

Anyone that attended last night’s event would agree hands down that the “star” of the evening was Dr. Martha Moore. At the debate in Grove City, Dr. Moore was noticeably nervous and she struggled at times to find the words to properly describe her stand on issues. That was simply not the case last night as Dr. Moore has found a comfortable place in just shooting straight from the hip. “Like what?”, you ask. Allow me to provide a few sound bites:

When discussing why she was running for office, Dr. Moore stated “Because I don’t want to be nauseated every time that I hear the President of the United States speak.”

She made a reference to a patient that recently visited her office who has over $90K in outstanding medical bills. She stated “Call Kathy Dahlkemper (and ask her to pay your bill)”.

When referring to the recent health care reform bill she stated “that stupid bill they passed . . . just stupid”.

The most precious references that Dr. Moore made were during her closing statements where she literally brought down the house. For instance . . . “When I go to Washington, I’m going to say NO a lot. They are going to say that I’m from the party of no’, but I’m the party of ‘STOP THIS’”.

I applaud Martha Moore for offering us “Martha Moore Unplugged” last night. She brought a level of straight talk and humor to an otherwise serious and sometimes lifeless event. I’ve said it before and I’ll take this opportunity to say it again. I really respect Dr. Moore for standing up as a concerned citizen and becoming involved in this race. I still don’t believe that she is necessarily the best choice to become our next Congresswoman, but I appreciate the perspective that she brings to the table. She says the things that many of us are thinking . . . but we’ve never actually said out loud, and because she is a candidate she is able to inject those thoughts directly into the formal debate conversation.

Her participation in last night’s event was “priceless”.

Interesting Notes on Each Candidate

I’d like to point out some interesting statements from each of the candidates presented in the order of the seating arrangement on the stage from left to right.

Steve Fisher

Steve Fisher continues to illustrate that he is the perfect mix of grassroots candidate and qualified representative. He presents himself as a “Statesman” and not a politician. He is polished in all the right places, but he remains human (and appropriately ‘unpolished’) in the way that he connects with the people of this area. He is sincere, honest, and approachable but also projects an unmatched level of confidence and professionalism.

On issues of the budget, Mr. Fisher pointed out that we need to make decisions that are “good for us”. He pointed out that too much attention goes to how our budgetary decisions will affect China and Japan and that we need to concentrate on how those decisions will affect us first.” He suggested that we reestablish an impartial review of the federal government and possible inefficiencies through an investigation similar to the Grace Commission (that was established during the Reagan administration).

In response to issues of our military and his willingness to respond to a strike against the United States, Mr. Fisher first stated that he is concerned “about how thin our military is stretched” and whether they are receiving the support that they need. He also pointed out that we need to “forget political correctness”.

In his closing comments, Mr. Fisher made a great statement worth noting. He said “I am not a politician. I plan on serving a maximum of three terms and coming back to the area to work in the insurance industry . . . if there is an insurance industry to come back to”.

Ed Franz

Ed Franz positions himself as the man who can “represent the average taxpayer in Washington DC”. He pointed out that “inside the beltway politicians have concentrated on healthcare legislation and not the health of this nation”.

Mr. Franz made reference to the “800 lb gorilla in the back of the room”. Some may have thought he was referring to one blogger that was seated in the last row of the auditorium, but he was referring to “the national debt”. Mr. Franz wants to be the voice in the debate that represents the average taxpayer.

Regarding budget deficits, Mr. Franz made his stand clear when he stated “We need to get out of deficit spending. We need to get out of financing bills and legislation that we cannot afford.” It was a short statement, but it hit at the heart of the problem.

In a humorus moment of the evening, Mr. Franz was discussing his thoughts on the strength of the military and his stand on responding to a strike on the US. To quote “If we are attacked we should hunt them down.” He then went on to discuss a reference to a movie . . . “Patton”, and he stated “Wasn’t that the way a war should be fought.” The reference sent chuckles across the crowd.

Clayton Grabb

Clayton Grabb continues to prove that he is the anti-politician. His concerns are not for “the Party” but for “the People”. He started by explaining why he decided to run for office. He stated “I believe our constitution is under attack”. He then went on to explain “I got tired of holding my nose to go and vote in the past. My Republican Party has left us down before. We need someone that will go to DC and stand up for the people and tell it like it is.” It is statements like these that explain why Mr. Grabb is not embraced by the Republican Party, but is, instead, embraced by people who have experienced the same frustrations . . . which are many.

He continued to separate him self from politicians by saying “(we need to elect people to) do the people’s work and then go home . . . we need a citizen legislator that does not want to be there.” (emphasizing that once they get there they get too comfortable)

When it comes to budgetary issues, Mr. Grabb offers common sense solutions to that too. He stated “How about we cut all government hiring. The government is the only sector of our economy that is growing right now. . . . we cannot continue to grow our government . . . the more (people) that depend on government the harder it will be for people like us to get in there and stop it.”

Regarding issues of the military, Mr. Grabb stated “We need to pull the politicians out (of the decision making process) and let the military do what it needs to do. We need to do what is necessary to be the biggest baddest dog on the block.”

Paul Huber

Paul Huber remains firm on his position as the businessman with the experience needed to represent us in Washington DC. In his opening statement his first words were “I’m a life long social and fiscal conservative”. I mention this because it raised a few eyebrows in the crowd as some people have questioned the fact that Mr. Huber only became a Republican last year.

Mr. Huber did, however, manage to present a very conservative stand on fiscal issues including his statement on budgetary issues as “I’m proposing that we go to 2009 levels of spending and that includes legislative salaries as well. It is a step in the right direction that sends the right message to the financial markets and the American people that we are serious about this.” Mr. Huber’s ideas for tackling economic problems are aggressive and bold and I like that.

Regarding job creation in our area, Mr. Huber offered a great explanation of the problem as “government doesn’t create jobs . . . they create an environment where jobs are destroyed or they can create an environment where free enterprise can create jobs”. Mr. Huber continues to offer the prospective of a business person, and he is quite clear on his vision of how that prospective is desperately needed in Washington DC.

Mike Kelly

Mike Kelly also offers the business owner angle, and he is quite direct in his approach. Unlike Huber (who is polished and refined), Mike Kelly offers similar ideas but with an extra “edge”. When explaining “why” he was running he simply stated “because none of us ran before.” He further explained that “We were all responsible people sitting back and didn’t have time to get involved . . . We forfeited our future . . . it is time to get people like ‘us’ into office.”

Regarding the issue of term limits, Mr. Kelly made his stand clear when he stated “people are sitting too long in the same spot and they aren’t held accountable.”

In response to a question regarding budget deficits and the President’s plan to freeze discretionary spending, Mr. Kelly boldly stated “I have a problem listening to anything that Obama says and taking it seriously.” Again in referencing the President he said “We’ve got a 3 yr old running the highest powered locomotive on earth.”

Mr. Kelly’s most important point of the evening was his repeated reference to “it’s the spending, stupid”. He continues to press the common-sense idea that spending needs to be addressed before this nation can move forward on anything. I agree.

Mr. Kelly did attempt to address recent comments that he “comes across as angry”. He explained that people might get that impression because “he is angry”. He explained that he is angry about the problems that we are facing in this country and he is serious about fixing them.

As a side note . . . After the debate I did ask Mr. Kelly that the next time he wants to quote me directly I only ask that he give me a public shout out. This is, of course, a reference to the fact that my written statements regarding Mr. Kelly were the catalyst to the conversations about his “anger”. Mike and I laughed about it and I reassured him that “I think he is just a big teddy bear”.

Martha Moore

Aside from the comments that I’ve already made regarding Dr. Moore, there were other points that did not go unnoticed. Regarding finding solutions to fiscal issues, she stated “don’t look to the Government to fix problems that the Government created”. It isn’t just a great quote . . . it is the truth.

Regarding budgetary issues and a proposed freeze on discretionary spending, Dr. Moore stated “a miniscule part of the budget is what he is freezing . . . then he passes a bill that will cost 2.4 trillion dollars . . . they said 1.4 trillion but they lied.” She then went on to explain “We are going to have to tackle the big items.” As a possible solution, she suggested that “we need to audit the federal government”, and I completely agree.

One key difference between the candidates?

After almost two months of following these candidates from event to event I was surprised last night when an issue surfaced which drew a very definitive line of distinction between them. That issue was regarding campaign financing and specifically the Supreme Court ruling on “Citizens United v. FEC”.

The issue has multiple facets that generated great conversation. The first is an issue regarding the First Amendment and free speech, and the second issue is that of campaign financing and the idea of “deep pockets buying elections”.

All of the candidates were in agreement on the issue of free speech (no shock there), but there were additional comments made by some that highlighted a serious problem regarding political campaigns in general.

Mike Kelly felt that the ruling helped to “even the playing field”. He explained that “corporations shouldn’t be pouring this much money into elections, but when you look at how the Democrats raise money you need to level the playing field.”

In drastic contrast, Steve Fisher was clearly against the concept of corporations funding elections. He stated “We spend far too much on elections already. I don’t think that corporations should be allowed to spend money to buy votes and buy elections.” He further explained “there is big difference between dollars between many candidates, but to take corporate money and throw it in there is unfair”. As a grassroots candidate, Fisher has experienced first had how deep pockets and large bank accounts can make the election process a particularly uneven playing field.

Ed Franz agreed with the Supreme Court ruling but emphasized that “we need to watch what special interests are financing which candidates . . . the voters need to keep an eye (on the process)”.

Clayton Grabb also agreed with the Supreme Court ruling and supported his comments by saying that “corporations ARE you and I”. However, as another grassroots candidate, he was quick to point out that “Campaigns should not cost what they cost!” [I say “Amen” to that.] He further went on to explain exactly how “big money comes in and they buy the Primary”. In closing he reminded everyone that the “grassroots people are the ones that need to be represented”.

Paul Huber agreed with the Supreme Court ruling, and he seemed to have no problem with the concept of corporations funding elections.

This specific debate drew very clear lines for me. 2010 is an election year that offers very stark contrasts. It is a year that pits “deep pockets” against “grassroots Average Joe’s” (as in the race for the 3rd Congressional District). It is a year that battles “endorsed candidates” against “unendorsed candidates” (read an example HERE). It is a year that will put unaffiliated Independents up against 20-year entrenched incumbents (read an example HERE).

In summary, 2010 is the year of David vs. Goliath.

In the race for the 3rd Congressional District, David is represented by Steve Fisher, Ed Franz, Clayton Grabb, and Martha Moore. Goliath is represented by Paul Huber and Mike Kelly. The Primary on May 18th will settle the debate and the battle once and for all.

As always, just my opinion.
~Mercer County Conservatives

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Sam Rohrer, Candidate for Governor, visited Mercer County

Written by Roberta Biros

Saturday, April 24 was a busy day for concerned citizens in Mercer County. The day kicked off with the Mercer County TEA Party at the courthouse at 10am (read more about the Mercer County TEA Party HERE) and it ended up with a personal visit from Sam Rohrer, candidate for Governor at 4pm. Sam Rohrer is, himself, a fellow Tea Partier, so the tie in between the two events was a brilliant idea and a great way to carry over the energy from one event to the next. Bravo!

The day may have been busy for us but it was especially action packed for candidate Rohrer. He was scheduled to arrive at Brandy Springs Park outside of downtown Mercer shortly after 4pm, but his arrival was delayed due to his extremely cramped schedule. The event organizers had planned for a festive welcome for Mr. Rohrer and event attendees as is illustrated by the ‘welcoming committee” at Brandy Springs Park (see photo below).


Even though our time with Sam was limited, he made the most of it. After a brief introduction, Sam devoted only a short time to his opening remarks. Instead, he preferred to spend his time answering direct questions from attendees. I appreciated the change of focus as it allowed us to discuss the issues that were important to those of us attending rather than hearing a pre-packaged campaign speech. The focus became the constituents and not the candidate. It was very ‘un-politician’ like.

There was time for about five questions to which Mr. Rohrer provided detailed answers. Question topics were nullification, elimination of property taxes, gun rights and the fire arms database, jobs, and sin taxes. I know that Sam Rohrer is a fiscal conservative legislator and I had heard that he was a strict Constitutionalist, but there is no substitute for ‘hearing it from the horses mouth’ and I was not disappointed.

Sam Rohrer provided answers that were absolutely spot-on. His vision for Pennsylvania was clear and unwavering. He made decisive statements like “I will not sign a tax increase bill in order to balance the budget . . . and I will not borrow”. He believes that “the tax dollars that come to Harrisburg are private property”, which supports the idea that taxpayers should control the government and not politicians and special interests.



This was a rare opportunity for Mercer Countians to have direct interaction with a Gubernatorial candidate. Attendance was less than 100, but those that were chose to attend were genuinely interested and concerned about Pennsylvania’s future. There were a few exceptions of course. Mercer County GOP Committee Chairman, Dave King, was on hand to welcome Mr. Rohrer to Mercer County. Dr. King’s attendance was surprising knowing what the GOP establishment thinks of ‘non-endorsed’ candidates. It should be noted that no other Republican state legislators chose to welcome Mr. Rohrer to Mercer County. Senator Robbins, Representative Brooks and Representative Stevenson did not feel that the event was worth their time. Shame on them . . . but do they ever show up to an event where they would be overshadowed?

I had an interesting conversation with Dr. King while we were waiting for the event to begin, and it is worth mentioning. I made a simple statement to Dr. King that “Sam Rohrer is a good guy”. Dr. King felt it necessary to correct me by stating “he is a good REPUBLICAN”. I responded with “no, he is a good CONSERVATIVE . . . not all Republicans are good Conservatives . . . and not all good Conservatives are Republicans”. We then went on to discuss very briefly the problem that not all “conservatives” are embraced by the Republican Party and Dr. King stressed that the problem seemed like an isolated incident involving only ONE individual . . . me. Well, Dr. King, I seem to meet more and more people like me every day. Perhaps Dr. King should have attended the Tea Party earlier in the day where he could have talked to hundreds of people just like me . . . but he did not.

Unfortunately for you, Dr. King, 2010 is the year that conservatives are going to stand up to the GOP establishment and make a statement. Endorsed candidates are no longer a ‘shoe in’, and many of us are seeing endorsements as the ‘kiss of death’ for a candidate as it ties them to the ‘elephant in the room’ . . . the self-serving GOP establishment. It is time that Dr. King wake up and realize that Tea Partiers, Independents, and disgruntled Republicans have become a force to recon with, and if the GOP doesn’t soon recognize that it will eventually go the way of the Dodo bird . . . perhaps sooner than later.

In closing, I’d like to thank Sam Rohrer for taking the time to stop in and visit good ol’ Mercer County. I’d also like to thank the event organizers for taking the time and effort to make certain the Mercer County is not a forgotten county in this election. Sam Rohrer’s interest in our area helps to put us on the map.

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SEIU Rallies for Higher Taxes

Written by Roberta Biros

I received the following YouTube video link from a friend and I felt it was worth sharing with all of you.



Are these people really this stupid?

I need to go buy some serious stock in Kool-Aid, because it seems that thousands of stupid people are drinking it by the gallons.

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Candidate Event: Thursday, April 29, 2010

EVENT ANNOUNCEMENT:

Day: Thursday, April 29, 2010
Time: 7:00pm – 8:30pm
Where: Station One, Sixth Avenue, Greenville, PA
What: Meet and Greet the Candidates


Details: Sponsored and organized by the Mercer County Republican Party

NOTICE:
This event announcement was submitted by the Candidate or by a Candidate representative. The event announcement is being published here as a community service in an effort to give concerned citizens an opportunity to meet the candidates. Candidates and committees are invited to submit announcements to this blog by email to roberta.in.mercer@gmail.com.

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CLAYTON GRABB Coffee with the Candidate Events

EVENT ANNOUNCEMENTS

An open forum for citizens to voice their thoughts, ideas and concerns for our region with someone who will finally listen…...someone who will bring the voice of Main Street to Washington DC.

Tuesday April 27 - Time: 7 - 8:30 pm - Perkins Restaurant, Meadville, Pa

Monday May 3rd - Time: 7 - 8:30 pm- Kings Family Restaurant, Franklin, PA

Thursday, May 6 - Time: 7 - 8:30 pm - Panera, Butler Commons, Butler, PA

Monday, May 10 - Time: 7 - 8:30 pm - Kings Family Restaurant, Kittanning, PA

NOTICE:
This event announcement was submitted by the Candidate or by a Candidate representative. The event announcement is being published here as a community service in an effort to give concerned citizens an opportunity to meet the candidates. Candidates and committees are invited to submit announcements to this blog by email to roberta.in.mercer@gmail.com.

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Candidate Debate at Allegheny College--April 26, 2010

EVENT ANNOUNCEMENT:

The six declared candidates in the Republican primary election for Pennsylvania’s 3rd Congressional District will debate at Allegheny College on Monday, April 26. Sponsored by Allegheny’s Center for Political Participation, the debate is open to the public and will be held in Quigley Hall auditorium at 7 p.m.

The six declared candidates are: Steven Fisher, 52, Cochranton, a health insurance salesman; Ed Franz, 48, Conneautville, an hourly worker at General Electric Corp.; Clayton Grabb, 47, Butler, a pharmaceutical salesman; Paul Huber, 65, Meadville, a businessman; Mike Kelly, 61, Butler, a car dealership owner; and Dr. Martha Moore, 52, Sandy Lake, a family practitioner.

“This will be an important primary election, and we’re quite pleased to be hosting a candidate forum,” said Daniel M. Shea, director of the Center for Political Participation and moderator of the debate. “Events of this sort really help the voters become more familiar with the candidates and the issues.”

Candidates are expected to field questions from the audience. For more information, contact the Center for Political Participation at (814) 332-6202.

Mercer County PA TEA Party was a huge success

Written by Roberta Biros


The Mercer County TEA Party last year (July 4th) was amazing. The weather was perfect and the crowd was large. Today's TEA Party on the court house lawn had additional hurdles of threats of rain and chilly temperatures, but attendance was even higher than last year!


Estimates for attendance ranged around 750 (last year's estimates were about 500). The crowd was polite and orderly yet invigorated and motivated.


There were some folks that obviously didn't belong, but they were tolerated. I managed to snap a photo of one 'fake tea partier' at the event. The event planners had decided that we would highlight fake tea partiers with small signs and we'd attempt to document the intruders with cell phone cameras. The example below was actually a two-for-one special. It exposed the obvious fake tea partier in the center of the photo, but it also exposed the yard sign for another fake tea partier (that was also in attendance) in the bottom left hand corner of the photo. In a single word, "Priceless".



I'd like to caption the above photo as "where is The Herald when you need them?"

Mark your calendars now, as the next TEA Party in Mercer County is scheduled for July 3rd . . . rain or shine!


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Transparency vs. Corruption: An Investigation in Search of a Rat

Senator Bob Robbins, Representative Michele Brooks, Representative Mark Longietti, and Representative Dick Stevenson hide and duck from important questions

Written by Roberta Biros

In a recent radio interview it was noted that I have a “big thing” with transparency, and that was no exaggeration. Those that know me also know that I am obsessed with the issue of transparency in government and public service . . . so much so that I am now running my second campaign on that very issue [read HERE].

Yes, this post is long (I know that fellow blogger Fred Mullner groaned when he saw it), but it includes details from research that has been going on for well over a month.

Notes from the Pennsylvania Leadership Conference

Last weekend I attended the annual Pennsylvania Leadership Conference in Harrisburg. The meeting brings together deep thinking conservatives to discuss topics of concern. Each year there are top issues of conversation like the budget and fiscal responsibility and there is always a great deal of conversation about politics and upcoming elections. This year there was one panel discussion that was worth the entire cost of admission . . . Beyond Corruption: Transparency, Accountability & Reform.

The panel was moderated by Chris Freind, Columnist. I scheduled my day around this particular presentation and Mr. Freind's opening comments did not disappoint. First, Mr. Freind referred to some politicians as the “business as usual crowd” and he made reference to their desire to “hide and duck” tough and probing questions. However, I was most intrigued when Mr. Freind referenced the recent BonusGate scandals involving Vion (and now Orie) [read more HERE]. Mr. Freind pointed out that some political insiders have stated that some of the investigations are “politically motivated”. Mr. Freind stated “The question is not whether it is politically driven . . . the question is ‘is it true’”. The most amazing part about Mr. Friend's comment is that I spoke the words aloud with him. These are the exact same things that I’ve been saying for quite some time and it was refreshing to hear a panel discussion begin on that note.

The presentation continued on for about an hour and included presentations by Joe Sterns (Citizens Alliance of PA), Curt Schroder (State Representative), Lyndsay O’Herrick (Citizen Activist), and Doug Reichley (State Representative). The details and discussions were too numerous to mention, but the entire conversation was invigorating. I left prepared to push harder for transparency because I knew that I was not alone in my quest.

I left with another specific quote that is worth repeating. This one was from Lyndsay O’Herrick who stated “Corruption is the conscious act of sustaining the status quo at the expense of future generations.” Gosh . . . that’s all really good stuff!

Corruption vs. Transparency in Mercer County: My Investigation

As most of you know, I’ve spent a great deal of time over the past year and a half asking questions of our legislators. Sometimes they answer, and sometimes they don’t. My recent line of questioning of our state lawmakers has left my phone and email empty, but I refuse to let this sleeping dog lie . . . it just isn’t my style. So, allow me to explain what I’ve been up to for the past several weeks as follows:

On Sunday, March 21, 2010, I sent an email message to the taxpayer funded email accounts of our four state legislators (Robbins, Brooks, Longietti, and Stevenson). The email message was titled “"harder" questions regarding the use of your staff”. The email message was a follow up to the earlier message regarding my concerns (and the concerns of others) regarding inappropriate use of legislative staff and resources for campaign activities. In the message I reiterated a number of questions that had been published in The Herald. The questions were very specific and I requested answers in writing by March 31st as a matter of transparency. ALL FOUR FAILED TO RESPOND.

On Monday, April 5, 2010, I sent a letter to the editor of The Herald regarding their lack of response. That letter was published on April 9th.

On Tuesday, April 6, 2010, I contacted all four legislators by fax. This time it was in response to the announced that State Senator Jane Orie was too be indicted on misuse of legislative staff for her sister’s campaign in 2009. As the third ranking Republican in the State Senate (just two notches above Senator Robbins), the news of her indictment hit unpleasantly close to the questions that I had asked each of the legislators. So, I asked the questions again. I stressed that the lack of transparency regarding this issue created a perception of corruption even if no actual corruption exists. I further noted that continued failure to avoid these very direct and specific questions makes many of us wonder what it is that they are trying to hide? ALL FOUR FAILED TO RESPOND.

On Tuesday, April 13, 2010, I contacted all four legislators again by fax. I repeated the same list of questions and noted the following:

“The questions that I’ve posed are not out of line. The questions raise valid concerns regarding the way that taxpayer dollars are used by you and your staff. As a taxpayer, I ask these questions as a matter of transparency, and it is your duty to answer the questions as a matter of accountability and public service. Perhaps transparency, accountability, and public service are a forgotten duty in government, but I feel it is my responsibility to encourage these characteristics from each and every one of our elected officials.”

ALL FOUR FAILED TO RESPOND.

On Friday, April 16, 2010, I began calling the offices of our legislators. First on my list was Senator Bob Robbins. I called Senator Robbin’s office and explained that I had sent numerous email messages and faxes to the Senator and had received no response. I was told that I would need to schedule an appointment with the Senator and that process could take 2 to 3 weeks. It was explained to me that Senator Robbins spends 3 days each and every week in Harrisburg and he finds it difficult to find time in his schedule to meet with constituents. I wanted to say “don’t pee on my leg and tell me it’s raining”, but I contained myself and asked that someone call me back to schedule an appointment.

The next call went to the office of Representative Mark Longietti. I explained who I was and why I was calling. After a few minutes on hold I was transferred to Representative Longietti. Representative Longietti stated that he was aware of my attempted communications and that he considers me to be a “media outlet” and he chooses not to correspond with my particular “media outlet”. He stated that he did not wish to contribute to my blog. I asked if my being a taxpayer provided me the right to answers, and Representative Longietti simply repeated his earlier statements. I thanked him for his time. All I can say is “at least he took my call”.

The third call went to the office of Representative Michele Brooks. I received an answering machine and left a detailed message as instructed. I then called again about an hour and a half later. I explained who I was and why I was calling. I was put on hold for several minutes. When the phone was picked up I was told that Representative Brooks was no longer available for the day and that they would giver her my message on Monday. Hmmmm. Interesting.

I did not bother to call Representative Dick Stevenson as I could see that this exercise was becoming a waste of time.

As of today, April 22, 2010, ALL FOUR FAILED TO RESPOND.

The Probing Questions?

Based on the lack of responses, you would think that the questions that I was asking were “way outside the box”. Well, allow me to review them with you here. They came from a list that was presented in an AP article [read HERE]. The questions that I forwarded were regarding campaign policies and the tracking of work by their staff; use of their legislative staff including caucus staff, bonuses, and over-time work; taxpayer paid mailings; and per-diems (and possible double-dipping related to those per-diems).

The questions were not beyond the scope of what should be open topics of conversation . . . unless there is something to hide.

Why are you pressing this issue so hard?

It is apparent that if we leave the “hen house unguarded”, the fox and the rooster will worry about no one but themselves. That is the case with many of those in our current state legislature . . . and we have four examples of that in Mercer County. If WE the taxpayers don’t hold our elected officials accountable, they won’t do it on their own. It is our responsibility to “keep them honest” (which assumes that they were honest in the first place, but I digress).

I had a discussion with a colleague over the weekend and he pointed out how blurry the lines between legislative staff and campaign staff have become. He noted a recent experience where he was approached for campaign purposes by a member of a local legislative staff. His radar went up and he noted “how can you tell if they are on taxpayer time or free time?”. Even if it is after hours, how do our legislators track the time. When we are having a conversation with a legislative employee, how do we know if WE are paying for the conversation or not?

Allow me to explain the problem that exists with a photo. The picture is posted in a public on-line forum at the website of the Mercer County GOP. They display the photo proudly and think nothing of the problems that it might illustrate. First, here is a screen shot of the website (before the details mysteriously disappear):

Here is a close up of the photo in question along with the published caption.

While this photo may not mean much to anyone outside of Mercer County, I’d like to describe why it is so disturbing. The photo is of State Senator Bob Robbins having a conversation with Diane Helbig. It is clear that Diane Helbig is campaigning for Representative Michele Brooks (the blue and fluorescent logo is hard to miss). However, for those of you that aren’t aware of the details, Ms. Helbig is also Representative Michele Brooks “Legislative Assistant” (I hope I got the exact title right . . . it is usually displayed on an ID tag that she wears at official events).

So when you look at the picture, do you wonder . . .

“Is Ms. Helbig discussing State business or campaign business?”

“Is she campaigning or is she filling some official capacity?”

“Is she on unpaid/donated time or is she somehow being compensated by the taxpayers (either directly or through bonuses or extra compensation)?”

“Is Ms. Helbig doing this voluntarily or is she pressured to do this type of work by her employer, Representative Brooks?”

My point in all of this is, why do we even need to ask the questions? Do our legislators not have enough friends and supporters that they must use legislative staff to fill their campaign needs? Can our elected officials not find enough loyal volunteers that they need to take taxpayer-paid employees to parades and fairs? If they are so comfortable with situations like the ones pictured above, what else do they do that might cross the line?

I don’t propose that we babysit our legislators and their staff. Instead, I demand that they change the laws so that these sort of questions are unnecessary. I made a proposal in a previous post and I’d like to repeat it here . . .

The solution is simple. The staff of elected officials should NOT be involved in partisan political activity of any kind. PERIOD. The Hatch Act of 1939 prohibits federal employees from engaging in partisan political activity. This same concept should be implemented at every level of government. Legislative staff (as well as County and Local) should not be permitted to be involved in any political activity (on taxpayer time or on their own time). For more information about his concept, please read the on-line article titled “Politically Uncorrected : IF MEN WERE ANGELS" which is available for on-line review HERE.

In Closing . . .

It is obvious that our legislators don't want to have this conversation with us (the taxpayers), but is it really their choice?

As always, just my opinion.

~Mercer County Conservatives

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REMINDER: Mercer County PA TEA Party: Saturday, April 24, 2010

IMPORTANT REMINDER!!!

EVENT ANNOUNCEMENT:

Mercer County TEA Party

Where: Mercer County Courthouse Lawn
Date: Saturday, April 24
Time: 10 AM - Noon

Speakers:
- Dr. Mark Hendrickson, Economist
- Mr. Ed Roberson, Constitution Party
- Rev. William Schafer, Veteran


All who want to renew our nation's Constitutional, Free Market, and Moral Foundations come join us!

IMPORTANT UPDATE REGARDING THE RAIN LOCATION!

The event will be held at the court house REGARDLESS of weather. It was originally reported that the backup location would be Mercer High School, but this plan has been amended. Come prepared for any sort of weather . . . we won't let the rain stop us!

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Sam Rohrer Candidate for Governor to be in Mercer on April 24th

EVENT ANNOUNCEMENTS

Come Hear SAM ROHRER and ask questions. A Grass Roots, Tea Party Conservative, And a True Constitutional Republican.

WHEN
APRIL 24TH 4:00 – 5:00 P.M.
(After the Tea Party in Mercer)

WHERE
BRANDY SPRINGS PARK (get a map HERE)
COMMUNITY CENTER, MERCER

the SAM ROHRER
FREEDOM AGENDA
Private Property Rights – Repeal the school property tax
2nd Amendment – Constitutionally protected gun rights
4th Amendment – Personal privacy rights
10th Amendment – Protection against the Federal Govt

the SAM ROHRER
FAMILY AGENDA
Pro Life & Pro Family
1st Amendment protection of religious expression
Parental rights and educational choices

MercerCountyForSam@yahoo.com

NOTICE:
This event announcement was submitted by the Candidate or by a Candidate representative. The event announcement is being published here as a community service in an effort to give concerned citizens an opportunity to meet the candidates. Candidates and committees are invited to submit announcements to this blog by email to roberta.in.mercer@gmail.com.

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CLAYTON GRABB EVENT: Friday, April 23, 2010

EVENT ANNOUNCEMENT:

Day: Friday, April 23, 2010
Time: 5:00pm – 8:00pm
Where: Trinity Lutheran Church, 120 Sunset Drive, Butler, PA (near Clearview Mall)
What: Grabb for Congress Spaghetti Dinner Fundraiser


Details: $10 per person with advance purchase through the website (http://www.grabbforcongress.com/) or e-mail Cindy@grabbforcongress.com if you wish to pay in advance by cash or check.


$12 per person At the Door
$5 kids (under 10)
Includes salad, dinner, rolls, dessert and drinks - 3 types of sauces


We will also have a 50/50 and Basket Raffles!!


NOTICE:
This event announcement was submitted by the Candidate or by a Candidate representative. The event announcement is being published here as a community service in an effort to give concerned citizens an opportunity to meet the candidates. Candidates and committees are invited to submit announcements to this blog by email to roberta.in.mercer@gmail.com.

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PRESS RELEASE: Roberta Biros to challenge Bob Robbins for PA State Senate (50th)

PRESS RELEASE

Roberta Biros of Delaware Township, Mercer County, Pennsylvania announced today that she will challenge current incumbent Senator Bob Robbins in the 2010 race for Senator in the General Assembly in the 50th District. In order to appear on the ballot in November of 2010, Ms. Biros, an unaffiliated independent, will need to gather a total of 827 signatures from registered voters in the 50th District (Mercer County, Crawford County, and parts of Butler and Lawrence Counties). These signatures must be presented in the form of nomination papers which will need to be filed with the Secretary of the Commonwealth in Harrisburg no later than August 2, 2010.

Ms. Biros, a small business owner, describes herself as a concerned citizen. She has been actively involved in issues of political and legislative activism through her blog, Mercer County Conservatives. Ms. Biros has published her Platform for Good Government on her campaign website at ElectBiros.com. In it she stresses her platform priorities and concerns as public service; transparency and accountability; fiscal responsibility; and limited government.

Ms. Biros stated, “Voters need a choice in every election, and 2010 is more important than ever. Taxpayers have had enough of career politicians who are more concerned with their careers than with the constituents in their district. As a firm supporter of term limits, it is my opinion that it is time for Senator Robbins to move on. Instead, Senator Robbins has concentrated his efforts on voting for pay raises for politicians, protecting cost of living adjustments for lawmakers, and hiding from his constituents and the press. The time has come for taxpayers to stand up to self-serving politicians and let them know that they work for us.”

Ms. Biros stresses that “as a high-ranking leader in the State Senate, Mr. Robbins should be working to correct the problems in Pennsylvania. Instead, Mr. Robbins has only been concerned with bringing ‘pork’ back to the District as a tool for re-election. Unfortunately, ‘pork’ is part of the problem. We need a fiscal conservative in the State Senate that will work to cut spending, decrease the tax burden on individuals and small businesses, and turn the State government around. I am that person. I feel it is my responsibility to offer the voters of the 50th district an independent voice in Harrisburg.”

When asked about the challenges of gaining access to the November ballot, Ms. Biros stated “I’m confident that we will gather far more signatures than are required. We already began the process of gathering signatures and our sampling of constituents has been very positive. Concerned citizens realize that the only way to fix the problem in Harrisburg is to purge the General Assembly of dead weight . . . and Senator Robbins is a perfect example of that dead weight.” She added “we realize that our campaign will meet with immediate challenges from political insiders in the District and we anticipate that our nomination papers will be challenged in August, but we are confident that we will be successful in pushing past the corrupt circle of political incumbents and their legal teams. We are motivated and the people of the 50th district are motivated. We will not be prevented from our right to a fair election. 2010 will be the year that the people of Pennsylvania and the United States of America make a statement and take their country back. A move to fresh ideas and a fresh face in the 50th district will be an important part of that movement.”

Ms. Biros will begin the task of collecting signatures this week and she anticipates that her message, which reaches across all party lines, will resonate with the people of the area during the petition process and well into November.

Link to official Press Release.

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2010 PA Leadership Conference: The Ultimate Conservative Political Playground

Written by Roberta Biros

I just spent a few very long but glorious days totally consumed in conservative politics and I feel refreshed. I attended the PA Leadership Conference in Harrisburg PA, and I returned home yesterday afternoon buzzing with ideas, energy, and excitement. If you are a conservative political geek (like myself), there is no where that you would rather be on a beautiful spring weekend than the Sheraton Four Points in Harrisburg. You would think that “conservative political geeks” would be hard to find, but that is apparently not the case. There were hundreds of us that showed up for the annual extravaganza.

The conference schedule was impressive, and the list of speakers and panelists was even more so. The list of names was a virtual who’s who of conservative politics. Names like Phyllis Schlafly, Dick Morris, Pat Toomey, and Kellyanne Conway topped the list of over 40 contributors who provided details, guidance, and inspiration during the two-day event.

Highlights?

The highlights of the conference were many, but I'd like to mention a few of the most interesting (from my personal perspective, of course).

Campaign Workshop, Version 2.0

Campaign School returned to the PA Leadership Conference again this year. It was slightly different than last year which provided some fresh material and additional conversation. The workshop is a great experience if you have any intention of running for office, and the standing room only crowd proves that it is a much needed service. I found the experience invaluable last year, and I’m hopeful that the refresher course will help me in the upcoming months as well (more on this soon).

Panel Discussion: State Spending: Going for Broke

As a fiscal conservative I’m always drawn to issues of dollars and cents, and this panel discussion did not disappoint. A very valuable contributor was Kathryn Klaber of Marcellus Shale Coalition. She provided information on an extremely pertinent topic. I offer a “Thumbs Up” for the inclusion of this topic in this year’s agenda.

Panel Discussion: Beyond Corruption: Transparency, Accountability & Reform

As a proponent of Good Government, transparency and accountability are at the top of my list of hot topics. This particular discussion had me taking notes and it will require a blog post of its own in the coming days as it brought up some very important points that are worth sharing.

Lowlights?

There were no lowlights. It was a class act from start to finish.

In Closing . . .

I am officially a “fan” of the PA Leadership Conference (Facebook link). This was only my second year to attend, and I have every intention of marking my calendar for next year. The format of the conference is such that you absorb valuable details and interesting topics, but you also get to share information with others.

The conference offers a networking opportunity unlike any other, and as a serious reformer I feel a responsibility to attend. It is for that reason that I would like to applaud the conservative elected officials that took the time to take part in the conference too. Rep. Curt Schroder, Rep. Doug Reichley, Rep. Mike Turzai, Rep. Todd Rock, Sen. John Eichelberger, and Sen. Jeff Piccola were all speakers or panelists. I also spotted Rep. Rosemary Swanger as an attendee again this year. I applaud these lawmakers for taking the time to mix and mingle with concerned citizens (and political geeks).

At this point in our political history, you are either a part of the problem or you are a part of the solution. The people that took the time to attend the PA Leadership Conference are definitely part of the solution, and I was proud to be a part of it.

As always, just my opinion.
~Mercer Conservatives

BTW . . . I'd like to offer a shout out to my friends (old and new alike) that I was able to catch up with at the conference. I was able to finally meet with some colleagues that I've been corresponding with on-line for months, and I was able to gather with fellow bloggers and their friends to form our own "super political geek conference". It was "all good".

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3rd Congressional District Candidate Event: Thursday, April 22, 2010

EVENT ANNOUNCEMENT:

Day: Thursday, April 22, 2010
Time: 7:30am
Where: MBA Conference Center, Erie, PA
What: Panel Discussion amongst 3rd Congressional District Candidates

Details: Sponsored and organized by the Manufactures and Business Association

NOTICE:
This event announcement was submitted by the Candidate or by a Candidate representative. The event announcement is being published here as a community service in an effort to give concerned citizens an opportunity to meet the candidates. Candidates and committees are invited to submit announcements to this blog by email to roberta.in.mercer@gmail.com.

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PAUL HUBER EVENT: Monday, April 19, 2010

EVENT ANNOUNCEMENT:

Day: Monday, April 19, 2010
Time: 6:00pm – 8:00pm
Where: Slippery Rock Township Building, 155 Branchton Road
What: Meet and Greet

NOTICE:
This event announcement was submitted by the Candidate or by a Candidate representative. The event announcement is being published here as a community service in an effort to give concerned citizens an opportunity to meet the candidates. Candidates and committees are invited to submit announcements to this blog by email to roberta.in.mercer@gmail.com.

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Mercer County PA TEA Party: Saturday, April 24, 2010

EVENT ANNOUNCEMENT:

Mercer County TEA Party

Where: Mercer County Courthouse Lawn
Date: Saturday, April 24
Time: 10 AM - Noon

Speakers:
- Dr. Mark Hendrickson, Economist
- Mr. Ed Roberson, Constitution Party
- Rev. William Schafer, Veteran

(Rain location is Mercer High School)

All who want to renew our nation's Constitutional, Free Market, and Moral Foundations come join us!

STEVE FISHER EVENT: Sunday, April 18, 2010

EVENT ANNOUNCEMENT:


“Get Together” for Steve Fisher

Day: Sunday, April 18, 2010
Time: 2:00pm to 5:00pm
Where: Elks Lodge #219, 15438 Highway 86, Meadville PA
What: CONCERT

Details: Featuring Abbey Road and the music of the Beatles. Tickets $20.00 each ($15.00 with two cans of food to benefit local food pantries)
Tickets available by calling 814-547-9580 or at Byham’s Insurance (1098 Park Ave., Meadville)

NOTICE:
This event announcement was submitted by the Candidate or by a Candidate representative. The event announcement is being published here as a community service in an effort to give concerned citizens an opportunity to meet the candidates. Candidates and committees are invited to submit announcements to this blog by email to roberta.in.mercer@gmail.com.

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CLAYTON GRABB EVENT: Saturday, April 10, 2010

EVENT ANNOUNCEMENT:

Day: Saturday, April 10, 2010
Time: 4pm - ?
Where: Hoss’s Steak and Sea House (Grove City, Meadville, or Erie)
What: Fundraiser Meal


Details:



Please consider visiting these Hoss's location(s) (Grove City, Meadville or Erie) on 4/10/2010 (after 4 pm) to aid us in raising money. Print visit our website at http://www.grabbforcongress.com/ -- 20% of your total check paid to Grabb for CONGRESS - If our group raises $1200 or more in sales, Hoss's will donate 25% - this applies to single day, single store events only (after 4 pm) -
Please say you are with Group #8048 – Grabb for Congress at the register.

NOTICE:
This event announcement was submitted by the Candidate or by a Candidate representative. The event announcement is being published here as a community service in an effort to give concerned citizens an opportunity to meet the candidates. Candidates and committees are invited to submit announcements to this blog by email to roberta.in.mercer@gmail.com.

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Candidates from the 3rd and 4th Congressional Districts Line Up for Inspection

Written by Roberta Biros

Wednesday, April 7, 7PM was the tip off for yet another “Meet the Candidate” night in Sharon. The meeting, which was hosted by the Pennsylvania Patriots in Action, was a gathering of all non-incumbent candidates that are vying for the Congressional Seats in the 3rd and 4th Districts. The event attracted a sizeable crowd that was a virtual “who’s who” in Mercer County politics.

The current office holders, Congresswoman Kathy Dahlkemper and Congressman Jason Altmire, were not present but they were still the main topics of conversation. Interestly enough, Congresswoman Dahlkemper was represented by a mole in the crowd . . . a member of her staff from the Hermitage office was hiding in the hall (and undoubtedly taking notes). The candidates each took the opportunity to explain why they would be the best choice to replace Dahlkemper and Altmire, and many of the more heated comments were pointed directly toward the incumbents (no shock).

I will outline my observations from the event below. PLEASE understand that I am trying to be as fair and unbiased as is possible, but this is a BLOG. I will offer my own spin on the events of the evening and I will interject my personal opinions and summaries where I see fit. Sorry, but those are the rules.

4th Congressional District

Mary Beth Buchanan and Keith Rothfus were on hand to battle for the Republican nomination for the 4th District against Altmire. I’ve met both candidates once before and I enjoyed another opportunity to hear them speak. I was pleasantly surprised, however, that an Independent candidate, John Vinsick, also surfaced at the event. Vinsick of Aliquippa was a highlight of the evening as he shot from the hip and added a bit of spice to the conversation.

Mary Beth Buchanan is a strong and spirited candidate who carries herself well in the debate style environment. She more than held her own and didn’t back down to some obvious shots that were sent in her direction. She focused on her platform of limited government, pro-life, and pro-2nd Amendment. She is extremely intelligent and very likeable. She makes me wish I was in the 4th Congressional District. For more information about Ms. Buchanan, you can visit her website at MaryBethBuchanan.org.

Keith Rothfus is an analytical individual with great ideas. He is a family man with 6 children who is running on a platform of limited government, lower taxes, repeal of ObamaCare, and traditional family values. Mr. Rothfus offered one of my favorite quotes for the evening when he stated that the first legislation that he would offer would be the “Restoring Edison Light Bulb Act”. He is a common-sense sort of guy with great ideas. For more information about Mr. Rothfus, you can visit his website at http://www.keithpa4.com/.

John Vinsick, the Independent candidate, was a treasure. His campaign slogan of “the will of the people must preside over the will of the politician” explains that his platform is anti-politics and pro-citizen. Mr. Vinsick will have an uphill battle in collecting the 3,731 signatures that will be required to get his name on the ballot, but he is optimistic about the process and he is even more optimistic about his chances in November. While he received some negative comments from hard-core Rs in the crowd (for threatening their Party), Mr. Vinsick hit home with a number of key points that were met with supportive applause. For more information about Mr. Vinsick, you can visit his website at http://www.johnvinsickforcongress.com/.

3rd Congressional District

For the 3rd District, Republican candidates Paul Huber, Steve Fisher, Clayton Grabb, Ed Franz, and Martha Moore were on hand. Mike Kelly was out of town and was not represented. The order of the six-minute presentations was based on a draw from a hat, and the speeches by 3rd and 4th District candidates were mixed together. Up first for the 3rd District was Clayton Grabb.

Clayton Grabb never fails to inspire me when he speaks. He is a conservative who is proud of his Tea Party activities, and his presentations are always geared toward the more "independent thinking" (that's me). He made a reference that struck a chord with me when he explained his reason for running as “If not me, who? If not now, when?” (NOTE: I’ll be using that quote as my own soon). Mr. Grabb speaks from the heart and is passionate about his country. For more information about Mr. Grabb, you can visit his website at http://www.grabbforcongress.com/.

Ed Franz is “just Ed”. Ed has a blue-collar/guy-next-door quality about him, and the people that support him like for exactly that reason. His platform is based on social conservatism, fiscal conservatism, and pro-life stands. He made a good point when he stated “this election year it’s government versus the taxpayers”. That simple statement summarized all of the political dancing that is going on in a few simple words. Mr. Franz pointed out that he feels that he is the best candidate to beat Dahlkemper in November because of his labor ties to Erie. For more information about Mr. Franz, you can visit his website at http://www.edfranzforcongress.com/.

Paul Huber, a fiscal conservative, took the opportunity to layout his plans for fiscal reform. He made the point that “all of the (government) spending is being put on a credit card”, and he explained his plan for freeing the taxpayers from that problem. He stressed that he was “born and raised on a farm and raised on values of honesty and hard work”. His presentation was analytical, but he manages to deliver his statistics with a personal touch that gives the distinct impression that his concerns are heart-felt. He closed his presentation with a statement that I liked . . . “when people find the courage, they can change anything” (NOTE: I’ll be using that quote as my own soon). For more information about Mr. Huber, you can visit his website at http://www.huberforcongress.com/.

Steve Fisher makes me smile. He is the perfect blend of intellectual, analytical, and personable. He is detail and fact oriented, but he connects with people on a personal level when he speaks. This is even more obvious if you get an opportunity to talk with Steve one-on-one. Mr. Fisher opened his discussion with an explanation of why he was running for Congress. He made reference to a quote “if you don’t want to be a part of the menu, you better take a seat at the table” (NOTE: I’ll be using that quote as my own soon). He went on to explain that his first goal in Congress would be to repeal the Health Care Bill . . . which met with positive feedback from the crowd. His experience in the insurance industry gives him a different perspective on the health care situation and offers a special value that should not be overlooked. For more information about Mr. Fisher, you can visit his website at http://www.stevefisherforcongress.com/.

Martha Moore continues to amaze me. As a country doctor from Stoneboro, she is not the typical candidate. She is outmatched in many ways by her fellow Republicans on the ticket, but she continues to show up . . . she continues to express her patriotism . . . she continues to quote Reagan . . . and she is beginning to gather a following. I had a great seat in the very back of the room and I was able to gauge the reactions of the crowd to each of the speakers. Dr. Moore got lots of nods and “I like her” comments from many of the women in the crowd. She began her comments with a simple quote that explained why she was running for office. She said “three words . . . enough is enough”. She is a concerned patriot that is running for office in an effort to stress the issues that are important to her. I give her credit for her courage and commitment. For more information about Dr. Moore, you can visit her website at http://www.moore4congress.com/.

Mike Kelly was unable to attend the event and there was no spokesperson available to speak on his behalf. For more information about Mr. Kelly, you can visit his website at http://www.mikekellyforcongress.com/.

In Closing . . .

I’d like to extend thanks to the Pennsylvania Patriots in Action for organizing the event. It was informational, but it also gives concerned citizens the opportunity to look into the eyes of the candidates to get a personal perspective of who they are.

I’ve been to several events, and I suppose that might seem unusual to some people. However, it is important to get to know the people that may soon be representing you. I make an effort to go to as many events by elected officials and candidates as possible. I do so to gain an understanding of them, and I do so in an effort to share information with those people that can’t be there themselves. I hope that my brief summaries give you a feel for the individuals, but I also hope that it encourages you to take a look for yourself.

I will begin publishing event announcements (as they are given to me) for all of the candidates listed above. If you are a candidate (or work for a candidate) and you would like your event posted here, email me (roberta.in.mercer@gmail.com) with the details and I’ll do what I can.

I’ve been waiting to publish my results from the Mercer Conservatives Index regarding the candidates from the 3rd Congressional District. I’ve been continuing to gather information and my final scores have been in flux. I’ve already published my results for Congresswoman Dahlkemper (F) as well as the four state legistlators that represent Mercer County [Senator Robbins (F), Representative Brooks (B), Representative Longietti (C), and Representative Stevenson (D)]. It is my intention to put the finishing touches on my summaries by the end of this coming weekend. Please be patient and keep an eye on this site for the final publication.

As always, just my opinion.
~Mercer Conservatives

BLOG POST UPDATE:

For those of you that are interested in a different political angle on the event, I suggest that you read the write up that was published in The Herald by Matt Snyder HERE.

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PA State Senator Jane Orie Arrested: Who else might be guilty of illegal activity?

Written by Roberta Biros

It was announced by WTAE Channel 4 News today that Senator Jane Orie was arrested today on charges that she allowed state funded staff and office resources to be used for campaign activities. You can read the full story on the WTAE website HERE.

The charges were brought by Allegheny County District Attorney Stephen Zappala, and some are screaming "Foul". The accusation is that Zappala (a Democrat) is bringing the charges against the Senator because she is a Republican. Some say, therefore, that the charges are simply politically driven.

For goodness sake, people . . . can’t we all grow up.

The Bigger Picture

In light of the charges against Orie as well as the recent guilty verdict against former State Representative Mike Veon, I'd like for us all to step back and wonder if there is a bigger problem here.

Is it possible . . . is there some remote chance . . . it there some odd circumstance where politicians might just break the law because they think they can get away with it?

Robbins, Brooks, Longietti, and Stevenson Dodge Questions

I've been engaged in a battle with our state legislators in Mercer County recently regarding this very issue and I’m becoming deeply concerned. Back in March I began a letter/email writing campaign to our state legislators (Senator Bob Robbins, Representative Michele Brooks, Representative Mark Longietti, and Representative Dick Stevenson). The conversation began after it was found that a staff member of Congresswoman Dahlkemper had published a nasty comment on my blog from a taxpayer funded computer during business hours. Since that time I’ve been repeatedly asking our legislators where they stand on the use of taxpayer funded staff and resources for personal/campaign purposes. They’ve dodged my questions repeatedly. I’ve asked the same questions in 3 or 4 different ways, but the responses are always the same . . . silence.

You would think that ‘honest politicians’ (oxymoron alert!) would jump at the opportunity to set the record straight about their own personal records. Sensible people would think that hard-working public servants would have a desire to be totally transparent in order to prove that Veon and Orie are exceptions to the rule, right?

Apparently those sensible thoughts are ridiculous. Instead, elected officials are running to their caucus legal teams and finding out exactly how deep they can hide to escape prying eyes and questions. What is the result? Well, the general rule seems to be “if you don’t NEED to answer questions, don’t”. For those legislators that are lucky enough to have no political challengers this year, they can hide in silence and hope that the storm blows over. Unfortunately, that is currently the case for every single state lawmaker that represents Mercer County.

Lack of Challengers Makes for Lack of Tranparency

Twenty-year incumbent Senator Bob Robbins, ten-year incumbent Representative Dick Stevenson, and relative new-comers Representative Michele Brooks and Representative Mark Longietti (who both began their first terms in 2007) are all running for re-election this year without challengers from their opposing parties. With no pressure to answer hard questions, all four of these lawmakers have chosen the “path of least resistance” by simply shutting up and hiding. They are hopeful that I will eventually disappear (i.e. become uninterested, suffer head trauma and lose my memory, move, die, etc.), and they’d like for me to do it quickly.

A Fine Line Between Legal and Illegal

The issue of using legislative staff members for campaign purposes is a sensitive and tricky topic. Technically, lawmakers can use their staff as long as those individuals do so on their own time and voluntarily. Unfortunately, in many cases staff members were not hired because of their amazing qualifications. Nope. In many instances, legislative staffers were hired because they were long time friends (or friends of friends) of the elected officials for whom they work. For that reason lines become blurred. It becomes difficult to draw a clean line between legislative work and campaign work. It all gets jumbled together into a big melting pot and it is hard to know the difference between legitimate work and illegal campaign activity. I believe that this may be the case with more than one of the lawmakers that represent Mercer County.

I’ve seen lots of things over the past few years. I’ve experienced situations that were questionable and I can direct you to photos that document equally confusing behavior. Rather than relying on politicians to “do the right thing”, maybe we should make the rules more straight-forward. A possible answer is available from my Platform for Good Government (see more about this below).

Solution: Draw a Thicker Line

The solution is simple. The staff of elected officials should NOT be involved in partisan political activity of any kind. PERIOD. The Hatch Act of 1939 prohibits federal employees from engaging in partisan political activity. This same concept should be implemented at every level of government. Legislative staff (as well as County and Local) should not be permitted to be involved in any political activity (on taxpayer time or on their own time). For more information about his concept, please read the on-line article titled “Politically Uncorrected : IF MEN WERE ANGELS" which is available for on-line review HERE.

In this example, legislation would prevent legislators from mixing paid staff with campaign staff. HOWEVER, legislation needs to be authored by and passed by LEGISLATORS! Sort of like the fox watching the chicken coop, don’t you think? If legislators aren’t honest enough to draw the lines without a law, how could they possibly be interested in drawing a line officially WITH legislation?

And therein lies the problem. This is the vicious circle of government. How do we fix it? I’m glad you asked!

Platform for Good Government

Those of you that know me realize that I’m passionate about the concept of “good government”. It is my opinion that our county, state, and federal governments could use a good “scrubbing behind the ears”. Government needs to be reformed from the inside out, and it needs to begin with a changing of the guard. “Out with the Old and In with the New” is a perfect slogan for what needs to happen. We need to replace dusty old politicians with fresh new public servants that (above all else) have a desire for “good government”.

How do we find those people? There are plenty of good, honest people out there that would qualify. Unfortunately, those people don’t attempt to run for office because it is too darn hard. Politics is set up in such a way as to discourage good and honest people from getting involved, and incumbents keep it that way. Here in Mercer County we have the “Mercer County Incumbent Party” that controls politics. They are a team of very dedicated Republicans and Democrats who work closely together to protect the inner circle (and keep out any chance of “good government” or “public servants”). The parties are not the answer. Instead, the movement needs to be grassroots in nature. Much like the Tea Parties are rallying concerned citizens, those same citizens need to step up and challenge the status quo.

It isn’t easy, and I say that from experience. However, once you realize what to expect, it becomes less threatening. I did it once (in 2009), and I’m determined to do it again . . . maybe sooner than later.

To set ourselves apart from “politicians”, we need to establish our own platform that goes against the “bad government” that we are trying to reform. For that reason I’ve established my own Platform for Good Government. The Platform is based on a list of specifics that I’ve found to be very wrong with “business as usual” in Mercer, Harrisburg, and Washington DC. It is my wish list of problems that need to be fixed, and it will be my main topics of conversation with elected officials and candidates that are running for office. If elected officials or candidates disagree with items on the platform, then they are part of the problem (and they need to go).

I don’t suggest that my Platform for Good Government is THE only answer. I am only suggesting that we should all take the time to prioritize our issues of concern. Take a few minutes to draft a platform of your own and stick by it. Make a list of the issues that are important to you, prioritize the list, and use the list to determine who is the most qualified to represent you as a public servant.

As always, just my opinion.

~Mercer Conservatives