Meet Joe Sestak, AKA, Joe SaysTax - Watch the First Joe SaysTax Video

Allentown, PA – For many months, the Toomey campaign has acknowledged and commended Congressman Joe Sestak for being a person who honestly believes in the positions he espouses. That stands in stark contrast to Senator Arlen Specter, whose only discernable principle is his own reelection. But that doesn’t mean Joe Sestak’s sincerely held views are good for Pennsylvania.

As voters are now learning more about Sestak on their television screens, they should also get to know the real Joe. To help, the Toomey campaign is releasing a new video today, entitled, “Joe SaysTax.” It’s a bit of a tongue-in-cheek look at the not so funny way Sestak recklessly spends our tax dollars.

All across Pennsylvania, hardworking families and businesses are struggling, and what does Joe say? He says tax Pennsylvanians and spend more of their hard-earned money.

Joe SaysTax thinks the first Wall Street bailout wasn’t enough, so he voted to release a second Wall Street bailout even though 99 of his Democratic colleagues voted against it.

Joe SaysTax thinks the $787 billion stimulus wasn’t big enough and said he would have voted for a $1 trillion stimulus.

Joe SaysTax thinks the job-killing cap-and-trade bill wasn’t big enough and would have voted for even more burdensome regulations and taxes.

Joe SaysTax thinks the $2.3 trillion health care bill legislation did not go far enough and even voted for a version in committee that would have allowed states to outlaw private health insurance altogether.

Joe SaysTax is so outside the mainstream, it’s no wonder that last week Pennsylvania Democratic Chairman T.J. Rooney told Politico: “If we want to keep this seat in Democratic hands, the only person capable of delivering that victory is Arlen Specter. I can’t say, honest and true, if the shoe’s on the other foot, that we’ll have the same race in November. The results could be cataclysmic.” Rooney also said it will be easy for [opponents] to “paint Joe Sestak as a far-flung lefty.” (Politico, 05/06/10)

All in all, Joe SaysTax has voted for at least $4.71 trillion in new spending over the past year and a half:

Cap-and-Trade . . . . . . . . . $821.2 billion
Health Care . . . . . . . . . . . . $2.3 trillion
Auto Bailout . . . . . . . . . . . $105 billion
Stimulus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $787 billion
Wall Street Bailout . . . . . . . $700 billion
Total . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $4.71 trillion

“Joe Sestak is so liberal and so outside the mainstream, his solution for every problem is to impose more taxes on Pennsylvanians and spend more of their hard-earned money,” Toomey Communications Director Nachama Soloveichik said. “On issue after issue, from Wall Street bailouts, to the so-called stimulus, to government-run health care, to job-killing cap-and-trade, Sestak has pushed for legislation even more extreme than those endorsed by Nancy Pelosi. Now that’s really extreme.”

Documentation:

Cap-and-Trade
Sestak voted for the cap-and-trade legislation. (RC #477, 06/26/09)
Sestak thought the cap-and trade bill did not go far enough, saying: “I was disappointed in this bill because I thought it was eviscerated during the process too much.” (Netroots Nation, 08/14/09)
Cost: $821.2 billion (CBO, 06/05/09)

Health Care
Sestak voted for the final health care legislation. (RC #165, 03/21/10)
Sestak said the final bill did not go far enough, saying, “I’m disappointed in the bill frankly, frustrated, I wanted a robust public option.” (MSNBC, Andrea Mitchell Reports, 12/17/09)
Sestak voted for a version of the health care bill in committee that would have allowed states to outlaw private health insurance altogether. (Education & Labor Committee, 07/17/09)
Cost: $2.3 trillion (Senate Minority Budget Committee Report March 26, 2010)

Auto Bailout
Sestak voted to bail out the auto industry. (RC #690, 12/10/08)
Cost: $105 billion (CNNMoney, “CNNMoney.com’s bailout tracker")

Stimulus
Sestak voted for the stimulus. (RC #70, 02/13/09)
Sestak thought the stimulus did not go far enough, saying, “This bill is actually a bit small in my opinion, but it’s the right step.” (ABC WPVI, 02/27/09) He also said he “would have voted for $1 trillion.” (NBC WCAU, 02/27/09)
Cost: $787 billion (Associated Press, 02/14/09)

Wall Street Bailout
Joe voted for the first half of the Wall Street bailout (RC #681, 10/03/08) and for the release of the second half. (RC #27, 01/22/09)
Joe thought a year of Wall Street bailouts was not sufficient and opposed a bipartisan effort to let the bailout expire after one year. (Press release, 09/26/09).
Cost: $700 billion (New York Times)

Pat Toomey for U.S. Senate Mon, 05/10/2010 Contact—Nachama Soloveichik • 484.809.7994 • 646.528.1029 Tim Kelly • 484.809.7994 For Immediate Release—May 10, 2010

VIDEO CREDIT: ToomeyForSenate

Pat Toomey Releases First Campaign Ad; Future Generations Need Taxpayer Hero Toomey in the U.S. Senate VIDEO

Allentown, PA – U.S. Senate candidate Pat Toomey released his first TV ad of the election, introducing himself to voters across Pennsylvania. The ad begins airing today statewide on broadcast and cable TV stations, and will air for an indefinite period of time.

Titled “Generations,” the ad tells voters about Pat Toomey’s record of standing up for taxpayers. In a time of trillion dollar bailouts and deficits, government-run health care, and record unemployment, Pennsylvanians need a senator with a track record of opposing government waste and understands what small businesses need to thrive.

Pat is a former small-businessman who owned and ran a chain of restaurants with his brothers in the Lehigh Valley area. He knows firsthand how excessive government regulation and taxation hinder small business growth. When Pat served in Congress, he was called a “taxpayer hero” by the nonpartisan fiscal watchdog group Citizens Against Government Waste and was endorsed by the Allentown Morning Call in his 2000 Congressional race because “he put his principles ahead of party-line obedience” (Morning Call, 10/15/00).

Pat also has a history of standing up to both Republicans and Democrats in order to save taxpayer dollars. In 2000, Pat pushed Republican leaders to use a portion of the federal surplus toward paying down the country’s debt. The Morning Call was so impressed with Pat’s efforts, they wrote, “At a time when both parties were talking about reducing debt, tax cuts, and new spending, Mr. Toomey’s efforts kept everyone honest” (Morning Call, 10/15/00). Pat also led an unheard of “filibuster” on the floor of the House of Representatives in 2002 in order to force both Democrats and Republicans to reduce spending (Associated Press, 07/17/02).

Also appearing in a speaking role in “Generations” is Pat and Kris Toomey’s oldest child, Bridget Toomey, age 9. Younger brother Patrick, age 8, also appears in the ad. Pat and Kris welcomed their third child, Duncan Toomey, into the world just last Tuesday, May 4th. Keen observers might be able to detect that the ad was filmed prior to Duncan’s birth.

Transcript:

Voiceover: Trillion dollar bailouts and deficits, government-run health care, record unemployment. Had enough? Pat Toomey is a former small business owner who’s created Pennsylvania jobs. He’s been called a “taxpayer hero” who “puts principles ahead of party line obedience.” Toomey’s taken on both parties when they waste tax dollars.
Pat Toomey: I’m Pat Toomey and I approve this message because future generations deserve better.

Bridget Toomey (age 9): And I agree.

Voiceover: More jobs, less government. Pat Toomey.

Documentation:

“Taxpayer Hero”
Citizens Against Government Waste rates members of Congress every year based on how fiscally responsible their votes are. Members with a rating of 80% and above are deemed “taxpayer heroes.” Pat received the “taxpayer hero” status every single year he was in Congress.

“Put his principles ahead of party line obedience”
The Allentown Morning Call endorsed Pat Toomey in his 2000 congressional race over Democrat Ed O’Brien, writing: “After having talked in his 1998 campaign about going to Congress to work toward fiscal discipline, he put his principles ahead of party-line obedience. The best illustration of this came in March of this year when he pulled enough conservative allies together to force Speaker Dennis Hastert to negotiate with him to set aside $4 billion in projected surplus funds for debt reduction . . . At a time when both parties were talking about reducing debt, tax cuts, and new spending, Mr. Toomey’s efforts kept everyone honest.” (Morning Call endorsement, 10/15/00)

“Toomey’s taken on both parties when they waste tax dollars”

- Pat criticized Republican leaders in 1999 when they wanted to eradicate spending caps they had passed in 1997. Pat told the Morning Call, “What surprises me is that we have to have this conversation. In 1997, the President and Congress agreed to spending levels that I think were too high then. Now we’re saying, ‘Well gee, do you stick with those commitments or not?’ Well, I think that’s a no-brainer—you stick with the cap.” (Morning Call, 03/25/99)

- Pat took on the Republican leadership and won a guarantee to use a portion of the surplus to pay off the federal debt. The Morning Call wrote: “Just getting debt reduction into the $1.82 trillion budget resolution was a coup. But to do it knowing it could threaten a $9 billion supplemental appropriations bill supported by House Speaker Dennis Hastert, took moxie. The move surprised Speaker Hastert and House Appropriations Chairman Bill Young, and Rep. Young threatened to kill the budget resolution unless Rep. Toomey’s provision was killed. Finally, he agreed to that in exchange for the debt-reduction promise.” (Morning Call, 03/26/00)

- Pat was instrumental in convincing Republican leaders to maintain rules mandating term limits for committee chairs, originally passed in 1995. The Morning Call praised Pat for his effort, writing: “Constituents of the 15th and 8th Congressional Districts can feel a measure of pride in their Republican representatives for the leadership and wisdom they demonstrated in Washington this week. U.S. Rep. Pat Toomey was instrumental in convincing his Republican colleagues Wednesday to keep a three-term limit on committee and subcommittee chairmen.” (Morning Call, 11/17/00)

- Pat and other congressmen led a “filibuster” against his own Republican leadership in order to force House leaders to restrain spending. They offered a series of amendments on the $19.8 billion Interior Department bill, nearly $900 million more than the President’s request (Associated Press, 07/17/02).


Pat Toomey for U.S. Senate Mon, 05/10/2010 Contact—Nachama Soloveichik • 484.809.7994 • 646.528.1029 Tim Kelly • 484.809.7994 For Immediate Release—May 10, 2010

Pat Toomey Sends Letter to Sen. Specter about his Negative TV Ads against Rep. Sestak

Allentown, PA – U.S. Senate candidate Pat Toomey sent the following letter to Senate Arlen Specter, urging him to remove his attack ad targeting Joe Sestak’s military service.

Senator Arlen Specter
711 Hart Bldg
Washington, DC 20510

Dear Senator Specter:

It is a clear matter of record that I have very strong disagreements with Congressman Joe Sestak on many important issues affecting the economy, health care, taxes, and even national security. But I also have the utmost respect for his decades of military service to our country. It is highly regrettable that you have chosen to disparage an honorable man’s military service in order to promote your own political career.

Over the years, you have developed a reputation for political attacks ads. I had not even announced my candidacy last spring when you raced out of the blocks with an attack ad that was so wildly inaccurate it was quickly discredited by fact checkers and news organizations. You will recall that your ad was characterized by FactCheck.Org as a “scorched-earth slip-up” and you were forced to remove it from the airwaves.

But now you have stooped to a new low, attacking Congressman Sestak’s thirty-year military service. This is not only insulting to veterans across America who sacrifice so much to protect our nation, but to all Pennsylvanians. Is there no low to which you will not stoop in an attempt to win an election?

Our state’s Democratic primary voters will decide whether they prefer you or Congressman Sestak as their nominee, and that is their right. But it’s pretty clear that there will be two different races in the fall depending on their choice. Joe Sestak and I have already engaged in two spirited, yet civil debates. Pennsylvanians can rightly expect that we would continue in that manner, which is not only respectful to each other, but more importantly, respectful to voters. If you become your new party’s nominee, then it appears that Pennsylvanians will be in for one outrageous or blatantly false attack ad after another. Our state deserves better.

I hope you will do the right thing and remove your attack on Joe Sestak’s military service. And I hope you will pledge to the citizens of our state that should you make it to the general election, you will cease your brand of negative advertising that the Pittsburgh Tribune Review called “embarrassing.”

Sincerely,

Pat Toomey for Senate

• 484-809-7994 |
• info@toomeyforsenate.com |
• 3440 Hamilton Blvd, Allentown, PA 18103

Pat Toomey Time Running Out VIDEO

According to the Congressional Budget Office’s report, the Reid health care monstrosity will raise taxes by $518.5 billion and violates President Obama’s pledge not to raise taxes on the middle-class.

The $518 billion in new taxes include:

- A $149 billion tax increase on private health insurance plans that will affect many middle-class people in high cost areas.

- $43 billion in new taxes and fines on individuals and businesses as part of the bill’s new health insurance mandate.

- More than $100 billion in new taxes and fees on firms in the health sector, including a tax on manufacturers and importers of medical devises. According to the CBO, these taxes and fees “would be largely passed through to consumers in the form of higher premiums for private coverage.”

- $87 billion in new Medicare payroll taxes.

But President Obama was not the only one to break his pledge when Reid’s health care monstrosity was voted on in the wee hours of the morning today. Senator Arlen Specter had signed a Taxpayer Protection Pledge against raising taxes. Last night, he broke that pledge. (RC #385, 12/21/09)

Senator Specter was given the opportunity to vote separately against the huge tax increases in this bill, but preferred to be a rubber stamp for Harry Reid’s extreme agenda. Specter voted against an amendment to strip the bill of tax increases on people earning less than $250,000 a year. Even though five Democrats supported the amendment, Specter voted “NO.” (RC #376, 12/15/09)

“Over the past nine months, Senator Specter has gone from being opposed to a public option to being a rubber stamp for Harry Reid’s extreme liberal agenda,” Toomey Communications Director Nachama Soloveichik said. “It is shame to see Specter putting his political career ahead of the needs of Pennsylvania taxpayers. Unlike Specter, Pat Toomey supports commonsense health care reforms that will lower health care costs and introduce competition into the system. These include comprehensive tort reform, allowing individuals to purchase health insurance across state lines, allowing the formation of health associations, and giving individually purchased health insurance the same tax benefits as employee provided health insurance.”

“Pat’s principled and thoughtful approach to health care reform is just one of the many reasons why Pennsylvanians are rallying to his side and rejecting Specter’s rampant political opportunism.” -30-

TEXT CREDIT: Toomey for Senate 484-809-7994 | info@toomeyforsenate.com | 3440 Hamilton BLVD, Allentown, PA 18103.

VIDEO CREDIT: ToomeyForSenate

Countdown to Arlen Specter's Health Care Disaster VIDEO

The Evolution of a Rubber Stamp (AKA Arlen Specter)

Allentown, PA – Over the next four days, Arlen Specter will vote for a mammoth health care bill, totaling 2,733 pages and nearly $1 trillion, providing the Reid/Pelosi Congress with the crucial 60th vote needed to pass the bill. Over the next four days, we will inspect the worst elements of this monstrosity, starting with the bill’s huge tax increases.

According to the Congressional Budget Office’s report released on Saturday, the Reid health care monstrosity will raise taxes by $518.5 billion and violates President Obama’s pledge not to raise taxes on the middle-class.

The $518 billion in new taxes include:

- A $149 billion tax increase on private health insurance plans that will affect many middle-class people in high cost areas.

- $43 billion in new taxes and fines on individuals and businesses as part of the bill’s new health insurance mandate.

- More than $100 billion in new taxes and fees on firms in the health sector, including a tax on manufacturers and importers of medical devises. According to the CBO, these taxes and fees “would be largely passed through to consumers in the form of higher premiums for private coverage.”

- $87 billion in new Medicare payroll taxes.

But President Obama was not the only one to break his pledge when Reid’s health care monstrosity was voted on in the wee hours of the morning today. Senator Arlen Specter had signed a Taxpayer Protection Pledge against raising taxes. Last night, he broke that pledge. (RC #385, 12/21/09)

Senator Specter was given the opportunity to vote separately against the huge tax increases in this bill, but preferred to be a rubber stamp for Harry Reid’s extreme agenda. Specter voted against an amendment to strip the bill of tax increases on people earning less than $250,000 a year. Even though five Democrats supported the amendment, Specter voted “NO.” (RC #376, 12/15/09)

“Over the past nine months, Senator Specter has gone from being opposed to a public option to being a rubber stamp for Harry Reid’s extreme liberal agenda,” Toomey Communications Director Nachama Soloveichik said. “It is shame to see Specter putting his political career ahead of the needs of Pennsylvania taxpayers. Unlike Specter, Pat Toomey supports commonsense health care reforms that will lower health care costs and introduce competition into the system. These include comprehensive tort reform, allowing individuals to purchase health insurance across state lines, allowing the formation of health associations, and giving individually purchased health insurance the same tax benefits as employee provided health insurance.”

“Pat’s principled and thoughtful approach to health care reform is just one of the many reasons why Pennsylvanians are rallying to his side and rejecting Specter’s rampant political opportunism.” -30-

Contact: Nachama Soloveichik • 484.809.7994 • 646.528.1029 Tim Kelly • 484.809.7994 Toomey for Senate VIDEO: ToomeyForSenate

Pat Toomey on President Obama's Visit Jobs and the Economy VIDEO

Pat Toomey Press Conference on President Obama's Visit Jobs and the Economy

There is no more important issue today than the economic recession and the rising unemployment rate. All across the Commonwealth, hard-working Pennsylvanians are struggling to make ends meet and provide for their families.

But the approach taken by politicians in Washington is not working. Government bureaucrats cannot create sustainable jobs. When they try to create jobs by spending taxpayer dollars, they merely take money out of the private sector that would be better spent in the marketplace by the people who earned it.

Worse, the current Congress is favoring policies that actually discourage job growth. Instead of encouraging businesses to hire new employees, Washington is threatening new and heavy costs and burdens on businesses. If these policies are enacted, Pennsylvania businesses won’t be able to hire new employees and may even be forced to lay off workers to survive.

Instead, the government should be making it less expensive and easier for businesses to hire people. It can do this by cutting taxes and decreasing regulation. For example, if we rescind the stimulus and cut both employees’ and employers’ payroll taxes instead, every worker would see an immediate increase in their take home pay and it would be less expensive for businesses to hire new workers. If we eliminated the tax on capital gains and lowered the tax on businesses, it would make U.S. companies more competitive, and lead to major job growth.

Toomey for Senate 484-809-7994 | info@toomeyforsenate.com | 3440 Hamilton BLVD, Allentown, PA 18103.