Bob Robbins Endorsed by the Pennsylvania Progressives

This post was Written and Published by Roberta Biros, Independent Candidate for State Senate

I’ve spent the last two years explaining to concerned citizens that all is not as it appears. Just because an elected official belongs to a certain party doesn’t mean that they embrace the beliefs of that party. That is exactly why I finally decided to define myself as an Independent for Good Government . . . because any other label would tarnish what I stand for.

I have a perfect example for you today. I am running for State Senate against 20-year incumbent and self-servant Bob Robbins. If it isn’t bad enough that this so-called “lifetime Republican” is running this year as both a Democrat and a Republican, Bob and his friends have done it again. They have provided their own proof of exactly what Bob stands for. Bob may claim to be a conservative, but he is clearly embraced by progressives. Would the real Bob Robbins please stand up!

PLEASE READ THIS LINK:

http://progressivevotersguide.com/2010/pennsylvania/general/legislature/7th/

In the link above you will find the candidates that have been endorsed by the PA Progressive Voter Guide. The PROGRESSIVES of Pennsylvania have chosen their slate of candidates. The PROGRESSIVES, who represent such groups as the Sierra Club, Clean Water Action, SEIU, Planned Parenthood, AFL-CIO, and Pennsylvania State Education Association PACE, has provided a list of the candidates that they support.

Who is included in the list?

For Governor . . . Democrat Dan Onorato

For U.S. Senate . . . Democrat Joe Sestak

For U.S. Congress . . . Democrats Kathy Dahlkemper and Jason Altmire

For State Senate . . . Democrat/Republican Bob Robbins

For State House . . . Democrat Mark Longietti

Hmmmmmm.

So, I respectfully ask all of you . . . does the PA Progressive Voter Guide reflect your values? Do you agree with the endorsements of the Sierra Club, Clean Water Action, SEIU, Planned Parenthood, the AFL-CIO, and PSEA? If so, please note the candidates that you should be cheering for. IF NOT, I urge you all to get out and vote on November 2nd and be sure that you DON’T VOTE STRAIGHT TICKET! If you do, you will be voting for a Democrat/Republican. Instead, I urge you to vote carefully and make selections for Good Government.

On November 2nd, vote for Roberta Biros . . . INDEPENDENT for GOOD GOVERNMENT!

Thank you.

Senator Robbins' vote for HB 2497 is a vote for Big Government and Big Spending

The vote on HB 2497 occurred this afternoon at roughly 2:10pm.

HB 2497 has been labeled as the "SERS & PSERS pension reform bill".  Unfortunately, the bill doesn't provide real reform at all.  Instead, it provides a way to finance the unsustainable pension system.

The Bill passed the State Senate 41 to 8.

Senator Bob Robbins of Pennsylvania’s 50th Senatorial District voted for the bill. Once again, Senator Robbins voted for big government and big spending.

In contrast, I feel strongly that the State Pension system is completely unsustainable. If elected, I WILL NOT become part of the problem. I have signed a promissory with EmpowerPA.org whereby if I am elected I will decline a state pension. That document is available for on-line review HERE.

If I were a member of the Pennsylvania State Senate, I would have joined with Senators Folmer, Eichelberger, and others and voted AGAINST HB 2497.

The bill is essentially a 30-year mortgage on current and future generations of Pennsylvanian’s. This ‘mortgage’ will be used to bailout the Unions as a payback for past and future financial support and donations. This is highlighted by the PSEA's overwhelming support for the bill and their efforts to push for it's passage (read HERE).

The Bill FAILS to move the state pension system to a 401K-style plan, which is the ONLY way to properly reform the pension system. Instead, it was amended to include the creation of a new ‘fiscal office’, which is just another layer of unnecessary bureaucracy in an already bloated legislative staff. Our legislators need to understand that we need LESS spending, LESS bureaucracy, and LESS self-service. What we need is MORE fiscal responsibility, MORE relief for taxpayers, and MORE public service.

Today Senate leadership, including Bob Robbins, voted to bankrupt future generations of Pennsylvanians by voting for HB 2497.

If Senator Robbins’ past voting history FOR 2AM pay raises . . . FOR unconstitutional budgets . . . and FOR himself and his pension are not enough reason to vote him out on November 2nd, today’s vote FOR a 30-year mortgage to fund his pension should give voters of the area good reason to vote Bob Robbins out of office on Election Day.

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Why You Can’t Trust Bob Robbins and Good Reasons Not to Vote For Him!! (Part III)

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Part III of a Series


Part I can be read HERE
Part II can be read HERE


(The following statements are my opinions, perspectives, and views after several years of volunteer work within the Mercer GOP. I served 12 years as a precinct committeewoman and 2 years on the PA GOP state committee.)




While driving around the county the other day I was pleasantly surprised to see that there are Republicans out there who refuse to support the continued reign of Senator Bob Robbins. This refusal is evident when you see a display of Republican campaign signs and either the Robbins sign is missing from the front yard OR, better yet, a BIROS sign is displayed. This could provoke Robbins and no doubt his people will be taking names and addresses. Robbins does not tolerate criticism or the audacity of non-support. Is there something seriously wrong with a local political machine, that has the operating principles of a Banana Republic? Allow me to share a few examples of how The Republic of Robbins retaliates against anyone who disagrees with the long-standing incumbent Senator.


First, there is the systematic purging of the local Republican committee to eliminate volunteers who may have a questionable loyalty to the incumbent circle of control. You may wonder what does it take to be part of the circle of control. I have an opinion about this; my view is that their judgment is based solely on self-interest, not on any higher principle (what an unfortunate, intolerable trait). I have witnessed the Senator aggressively forge ahead with a committed action to interfere in the democratic processes of the local Republican committee, not caring about the fall-out or damage to the character of hard-working committeepersons. Of course you have read in Part I and II of this series how Senator Robbins vilified, threatened, and screamed at me during an executive committee meeting (more details on this later in this article). Many other volunteers endured character assassination from his cronies, and as far as I know these people left the committee, thereby playing directly into the plans of the Republic of Robbins; viz., elimination of all contrary viewpoints. There are a couple brave souls who believe that the way to reform the Republican committee is from within, and they retain their precinct positions. These brave souls already have targets on their backs, and a recent perfect example of this, as reported to me, is that Senator and Mrs. Robbins groaned aloud during this past summer’s reorganization meeting when one of these brave souls was elected to a regional leadership position on the local Republican committee. The Senator complained audibly in a stage whisper, “There goes my support in that region of the county.” The only evidence that the Senator needed to make his judgment was the excellent reputation of this newcomer for fairness and honesty.


The second example of Senator Robbins and his Circle of Control’s vicious tactics occurred during a February 2008 executive committee meeting, when a planned attack was directed by this group on a newly appointed assistant chairman. The “straw man” that the group used to disrupt this meeting was that the assistant chairman had been appointed without the required quorum (the committee never has a quorum but business is conducted anyway as long as it does not contradict the interests of the Circle of Control). The real reason for the disruption of the meeting was simply “Pay-Back”; the new assistant chairman had once written a mildly critical letter to Senator Robbins about the sneaky, midnight pay raise vote. I have read that letter and in no way was it disrespectful; in fact, it is a letter which every voter would agree to sign. During this meeting, several of us were stunned to be subjected to the devious and harsh behavior of The Banana Republic of Robbins, including one disturbed individual repeatedly jumping from his seat, pointing his finger at the assistant chairman, and screaming at him. It was so bad that I was concerned for the safety of the assistant chairman as well as my own safety, and I contemplated calling 911. It was obvious that this attack was pre-planned with assigned disruptive “roles” to certain elected officials--three incumbents who jealously guard their dominant position within the Republican committee. If these three spent as much time on their elected offices as they do with the minutia of local politics, Mercer County citizens would be enjoying better service from their representatives. I might add that the assistant chairman endured the upheaval and conducted a stellar meeting.


Finally, during the turmoil of 2007 and 2008, there was a question raised about the failure of the local Young Republicans, to grow and assume a role in county politics. At that time, the YR‘s was led and advised by a co-sponsor whose residence was apparently out-of-state. This co-founder, clearly a member of the Robbins Banana Republic, appeared at meetings when a show of force was called for by the Senator and cronies. In an inquiry about the YR organization, a phone call was made to a staff member of the Harrisburg state YR office. What transpired thereafter is not fully known, but Senator Robbins bragged that the Harrisburg office immediately reported the inquiry to him. The Senator boasted that he “finds everything out, one half hour after it happens.” Next, the committee called a meeting of the Vice-Chairs to discuss the matter, and in response, Senator Robbins individually and privately pressured each of the Vice-Chairs to sign a document which the Senator had drafted, to prevent attendance at the meeting. This was a blatant and unnecessary action of the Senator, who escalated a helpful inquiry to a battle skirmish. This was his way of “bringing out the artillery”, a phrase which he enjoys using.


And now comes the irony: If the inquiry had been allowed to proceed, the local Republican committee would have discovered that the out-of-state resident YR co-founder was a Class III pedophile sex offender/felon in his state of residence (Class III connotes use of force). Instead, the discovery occurred accidentally when a mother of one of the felon’s victims saw the felon on a local television news report. Just imagine, if that mother had not called the television station, Senator Robbins would have succeeded in perpetuating the control of the YR organization by a convicted sex offender, and one can only wonder, was this person using his stature as a co-founder of a youth organization as a source of victims.


I offer this information to the public in order to shine a light on what is wrong with continuing another term of Senator Robbins. Fortunately, the voters have a choice this Fall election, and it is not inevitable that they must re-elect an ineffective incumbent. A grassroots, patriotic American who wants to do better things for our voting district, is the perfect alternative.  She is Roberta Biros. 

NOTES:
 
This article represents Part III of a Series

Part I can be read HERE

Part II can be read HERE

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