Paige out

Chris Paige has dropped out of the race for the Republican nomination in the 11th CD. That makes Hazleton Mayor Lou Barletta the presumptive nominee to face Paul Kanjorski or Corey O'Brien in the fall.




His statement:

Goodbye & Farewell


Recently, Mayor Lou Barletta decided to transform our primary fight into a legal dispute. Although I am confident that I would prevail, I am equally confident that a protracted legal battle would not advance the causes I believe in, and - ultimately - those issues are more important than my personal political fortunes.

I began this race because I had something important to say about the bailouts and their moral, economic and political costs to our society and because I was alarmed by the dangerous ongoing transformation in our country and its politics, and I sincerely regret that I won't have an opportunity to continue fighting for you and for the ideals we share. Realistically, I knew the forces in favor of plundering our wealth and subverting our democracy were likely to prevail in the end, but I believed that I had been called to try, and I tried with everything I had. Mother Theresa said it best, "God doesn't require that you succeed; He only requires that you try." And, by that standard, we won - we kept the faith, and we fought for what we know is true.

While I was campaigning, I met a great many people in desperate need of help, and I tried my best to represent them and their needs. I am profoundly sorry that I failed them and you, but the fight must go on. The continuing assaults on our liberties and our prosperity has claimed and will claim millions of victims, and those victims and their families deserve our support. Short of illness, nothing inflicts more damage upon a person and his or her family than job loss, so I always remembered that the fight against job-killing big-government policies was a fight to defend people, not economic abstractions. To me, this was not an intellectual debate; it was a fight to save my friends' jobs and my neighbors' homes and our society's freedom, and I only regret that I could not do more.

And to all of my friends and supporters, let me thank you again from the bottom of my heart. I am truly humbled and deeply honored by your friendship, and I profoundly regret that I was unable to justify the faith you placed in me. My wife and I need some time alone to grieve the loss of our child, but when that time has passed, we will organize a small party as a token of our appreciation for your hard work and sacrifice. No man is a failure who has won friends like you!

Again, I thank you all for your support and friendship, and I wish you all the best!

Goodbye and farewell,

Chris Paige

Ballot Challenges

According to the PA Department of State website 11th CD Republican candidate Chris Paige's nominating petitions are being challenged by Wm Maughan, Maureen Ace and Robert Ace. According to pa2010.com One of them is being represented by Lawrence Tabas, a Philadelphia lawyer who also serves as general counsel to the state GOP, which is firmly behind Barletta.

No surprise really because trying to knock your primary opponents is part of the game. I expected the Corey O'Brien camp to challenge Brian Kelly's signatures.


Paige responded to the challenge in the pa2010 comments:

Since I haven’t been served with either complaint, I can’t comment beyond the obvious: this is a deplorable cowardly move that flatly contradicts Mr. Barletta’s frequent comments to the media that he welcomed additional challengers into the race. Assuming this report is correct, we are pleased that discovery will allow us to investigate Mr. Barletta’s own activities.

McGruff admits that the Barletta campaign has information that provide the basis for the challenge.

In the Senate race Joe Sestak wants Joe Vodvarka off the ballot so people don't have 2 choices in voting against Arlen Specter.

Kanjo is running for reelection

“Corey O’Brien is a nice young man; he supported me in the past. I understand ambition.”- Congressman Paul Kanjorski

With no kickoff rally or other hoopla Paul Kanjorski announced on twitter that he is seeking a 14th term in the US House of Representatives. Congressman Paul Kanjorski's volunteers in PA-11 are circulating his nominating petitions. He's running for reelection.

He sat down with both the Times-Leader and Citizens Voice (but not bloggers.. Abbie?) to state his case that his seniority is more of an asset to the people of the district than ever before.
“If I were to leave this year, the longest-serving legislator in the region will be Sen. Bob Casey,” Kanjorski said. “We are losing state Senators Bob Mellow and Ray Musto, who are retiring. If I go and Sen. Casey is not re-elected in his next run, then we might as well close down the ballroom....“We must avoid the shock of having no legislator with clout,” he said. “When I leave and Sen. Musto and Sen. Mellow are gone, there could be a long desert to cross.”

He has some irons in the fire such as his "to big to fail" amendment and defended the stimulus bill that has brought $150 million to the district. He said the focus on health care reform was a disconnect from people's anxiety about the economy and jobs. He attacked the Senate Republican strategy of filibustering everything in the Senate in order to defeat the President.

"They've decided that it doesn't matter what's good for the country, 'let's bring him down,'" Kanjorski said. "It's not having an impeachment, literally, but it's a political impeachment. If you destroy the validity of a presidency, you don't have to worry, he's just putting in time and then he'll be out of there."

He gives an honest assessment of the political environment like he always does:


"If the election is decided as a referendum on the last 14 months, this coming November, the Democrats are going to lose."

For all you Cornerstone obsessed people he says that Bush Justice Department found nothing illegal.


“Don’t you think with a Republican president and administration that I was checked out thoroughly?” Kanjorski offered. “And they found nothing wrong.”

Lou Barletta's campaign owes money to Lou Barletta

According to lastest FEC report Republican 11th CD candidate Hazleton Mayor Lou Barletta has debt of $263,170 including $65,000 owed to Legacy Bank in Harrisburg that he says he is making the payments himself. The dean of local political reporters Borys points out that Barletta sent out a fundraising letter last November asking donors to help retire the debt but He has not paid off a cent yet. His campaign Manager Vince Galko said that will happen soon.


Barletta's Republican opponent, Chris Paige, charged that "The undisputed and indisputable reality is that Barletta is taking money from his campaign and putting that money into his own pocket."

Chris Paige Town Hall

I will be holding a Town Hall meeting at the Hazleton Elks Lodge on Thursday, February 4, 2010 at 6 PM. I will discuss Mayor Barletta's plan to sell the HCA's water assets, and I will answer questions from the audience.


Again, the meeting will be held at the Hazleton Elks Lodge on Thursday, February 4, 2010 at 6 PM. The Lodge is at the following address:


635 East Broad Street
Hazleton, PA 18201-6832
(570) 454-3901

The Standard Speaker has a back and forth between Paige and Hazleton Mayor Lou Barletta with Vince Galko chiming in. Chis Paige may be the first blogger candidate and now has a flame war going on with Sights on Pennsylvania.

Mother's milk PA 11th CD

The FEC year end campaign finance reports have been posted online. The 1st quarter 2010 reports will tell us more.


The Republicans

Chris Paige has $3500 cash on hand with no PAC contributions and raised $18,000 from individuals mostly from people outside of Pennsylvania. He kicked in $3473 of his own money for net receipts of $21,724.

Hazleton Mayor Lou Barletta loaned his campaign another $48,500 to bring his debt total up to $263,000 mostly owed to himself. He raised $49,000 from individuals and $17,500 from PAC's with a cash on hand balance of $52,330. Net receipts $119,480.

The Democrats

Lackawanna County Commissioner Corey O'Brien raised $208,000 including loans from himself of about $2500 and PAC's chipping in $17,500. Individuals contributed $194,000 leaving a cash balance of $109,456.

It's not surprising that Congressman Paul Kanjorski has the biggest war chest with just under a million dollars cash on hand pulling in $233,000 this quarter. $111,00 from PAC's and $121,000 from individual contributions.

O'Briens camp has sent out some hard hitting press releases attacking Kanjo's support from financial PACs.


WALL STREET ENDORSES PAUL KANJORSKI IN PA-11

Longtime Kanjo spokesman Ed Mitchell dismissed O'Brien's number saying it came from "low hanging fruit."

"Let's see what he does in the next quarter."


TT:
He challenged the suggestion that contributions from Wall Street bankers and political action committees influence Mr. Kanjorski's decisions. Mr. Kanjorski led the fight for Wall Street reform and developed legislation to break up banks that get too large, he said. The legislation is meant to prevent the failure of large banks from damaging the nation's economy.

"Maybe he takes some of their money, but then he does what he wants to do for the people of the district," Mr. Mitchell said, noting several contractors who do business with the county contributed to Mr. O'Brien.

Madam Speaker, The President of the United States

Ever since I became interested in politics I always loved ceremony of the State Of the Union speech from the President no matter who was the occupant of the White House at the time. I have to admit that the Brits do it better with the Queen's Speech or the Speech from the Throne as it officially called. I won't do the play by play because there is plenty of other bloggers that did that and no matter what he said it won't change the minds of people on one side or another.

Some local reaction from candidates in the 10th and 11th Congressional Districts

Congressman Chris Carney


“The president offered a hopeful message about our country’s future and I credit him with seeking to inspire optimism. Our economy is showing signs of recovery and I have tremendous faith in the resilience of our working men and women. But we must give our businesses and organizations the tools they need to make bold decisions that will lay a foundation for the future and do so by coming together in a bipartisan manner. I will continue to do everything I can to support the increased growth of our businesses and help our local economy, whether it be through small business tax credits or the elimination of capital gains on small businesses. I am also proud to have fought tirelessly in opposition to the tolling of I-80, a move that would have disastrous consequences on our local economy.


I was pleased to host Austin Burke, president of the Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce and a resident of Archbald, as my guest at the State of the Union. Mr. Burke knows all about being visionary. Rarely has a week gone by when we haven’t worked together to help get funding for an area business or business park. He is planning for northeastern Pennsylvania’s economic future in ways that should serve as a guide for others to follow.



While many families continue to struggle during this difficult economic climate, we must not forget about the sacrifices borne by our brave service men and women who are fighting on the front lines in Afghanistan and Iraq. We must not back down from the terrorists who threaten the security of our country.



I was disappointed the president did not discuss the failed Christmas Day bombing in greater detail and the steps he plans to avoid another near terrorist attack. Keeping our citizens safe is my top priority in Congress and we must feel confident that this administration has learned its lessons from the communications breakdowns and know that improvements are quickly being made.

Congressman Paul Kanjorski


“Tonight, President Obama spoke openly to the American people about the struggles we face and how we can improve the lives for everyone going forward. Now is the time to work together to address the complex problems that reach way beyond the partisan bickering that has too often overwhelmed real debate on the issues. As the President said, we owe it to the American people to move forward, create more American jobs, reform Wall Street rules, control excessive spending, and turn our economy around. I very much agree.

“During the past two years, far too many Americans have personally experienced the devastating consequences of the economic crisis. Since joining Congress, my top priorities have been job creation and economic development, particularly in Northeastern Pennsylvania. During these difficult times, I agree with the President that we need to enhance and expand efforts to generate more jobs.

“The Recovery Act has preserved jobs throughout the nation, but we can, and we must, do more, much more. With my support, the House has already passed the Jobs for Main Street Act to create more jobs here at home. We must also do everything reasonably possible to turn the tide of our economy and improve the well being of every American. I am committed to doing just that. As I have continued to stress, fixing our economy will not happen overnight, but I have faith that we will emerge from these tough times stronger than ever.

“As we work to create new jobs, more jobs, and better jobs, we must also take action to change the rules of Wall Street and rein in the biggest financial institutions which caused the current crisis. As the President stressed, reforming Wall Street is essential to preventing another economic crisis like the one we just experienced. In December, with my strong support the House passed a Wall Street reform bill. This bill included my amendment to limit the risk of financial companies by preventing them from becoming ‘too big to fail.’ The President’s remarks tonight only strengthened my resolve to enact into law a common-sense financial regulatory reform bill to better protect the financial security of every American and fundamentally change the way Wall Street operates.

“Finally, the President outlined his plan to address the looming federal deficit. Because I worked with President Clinton to turn a massive deficit into a sizable budget surplus, I know we can fix this problem. To reverse the vast deficit built up in the last 8 years, we must now make tough choices. By making prudent fiscal decisions and creating a bipartisan budget task force, as the President stated, we can once again work to reduce our budget deficit, focus on national priorities, and decrease spending.”


Hazleton Mayor Lou Barletta



“Is it any wonder we’re in the shape we are? I just watched the president and a room full of Washington politicians pat themselves on their backs for an hour. I’m not sure why they’re so happy. Like millions of Americans, I watched tonight’s speech looking for hope and solutions. What I saw was a pep rally and statements of the obvious. The House chamber was full of smiling politicians at the same time moms and dads are sitting around their kitchen tables worrying about how they’re going to pay their bills and make ends meet. I wasn’t hoping for a homerun tonight—just a good at bat. What we saw was a lazy fly ball. Tonight’s speech shows there is still a massive disconnect between the politicians in Washington and the residents of the 11th Congressional District. People here want smaller, more fiscally responsible government. They want to see meaningful reform enacted, not just hear lip service. They want to support programs that create new jobs, not new bureaucracy. They want common-sense solutions. They’re tired of the blank-check attitude of the career Washington politicians. More government programs and more spending are not the answer.”


Chris Paige

The President's impressive speaking abilities cannot hide the fact that he continues to defend the same tired old trope: the proposition that an omnipotent government can allocate our resources more efficiently than a free people acting through free markets. Whether it's increasing government spending or making our excessively complex tax code even more complex, the President seeks to allocate an increasingly large share of our resources through government programs. Ironically, he cites the experience of China and India in support of his call for bigger government, but those countries did not begin growing rapidly until they dramatically reduced the role of their governments in allocating resources.

The sad fact is the President Obama simply doesn't believe in our unique system of ordered liberty; instead, he prefers to govern as if the U.S. Constitution were an historical artifact of no practical significance. Our Founding Fathers did not create a limited government because they were insufficiently intelligent to create the virtuous omnipotent government that President Obama prefers; instead, they created a limited government because they were too wise to believe his platitudes about perfecting government through campaign finance laws, ethics reforms and bipartisan commissions.

In short, the President believes the American people cannot grasp the glories of his plans, but they have rejected his vision, and they, like me, are working to restore our freedom, which is the only path to prosperity. We don't need more clever presentations of 1970s style liberalism; instead, we need truly original thinking grounded in a firm understanding of traditional American values, and that's why I'm running for Congress.


I haven't received a statement from the other candidates yet.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

11th CD update

We will have to wait until the weekend for all the FEC reports to posted but Corey O'Brien sent out a press release today saying he has raised over $200,000 so far with $100K cash on hand. Congressman Paul Kanjorski had $800K cash on hand according to his last report and O'Brien's campaign manager claims that Kanjo will report he has over $2 million going into the spring. Lou Barletta's 3Q filing listed $6000 cash on hand with a debt of $263,000. Chris Paige's finances
will be known next week.


O'Brien is the first one on the air with a 30 second spot running on cable with footage taken from his 6 minute bio that is posted on his website.





Kanjo was on CNBC again and his debate with Ron Paul about Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke is making the rounds.






Not to be left out Chris Paige has a web ad.




America's Mayor Lou Barletta hasn't posted any new videos since his announcement.

Barletta agrees to debate Paige

We interrupt our hiatus from politics to bring you this breaking news.


From Chris Paige for Congress Official Blog:


Meeting Barletta


On Thursday, I met Mayor Barletta for the first time. He's quite charming, and he's a gifted speaker. Most importantly, Mayor Barletta agreed to debate me at the University of Scranton in early February, so I hope and expect he'll keep his word! I'll keep you posted, but don't be surprised if he - or his advisers - back out.


This should be fun if it happens. I'm working to find out the details of the format and venue, etc. If the sponsors of the event will allow it I volunteer to be on the panel.

End year messages

Tomorrow is the end of the fundraising quarter and my inbox has been deluged with donation requests from just about every politician running for office in Pennsylvania and other places. I don't send them anything because I have better things to spend my money on and I think a better way has to be found to finance campaigns. I did read a unique New Year message from 11th CD Republican candidate Chris Paige who didn't ask for a penny.



My Confession


It's almost the start of a new year, so I want to confess my sins - most notably, the fact that I am a RINO. All of you who have suspected that I'm a Democratic plant are absolutely right, and here's the proof of my crimes:


I raised property taxes by 70%,
I raised income taxes by 87.5%,
I raised garbage fees by 18%,
I've stated publicly that there's nothing left to cut in government spending,
I've stated publicly that the best way to reduce government deficits is to raise taxes,
I publicly refused to endorse the GOP's Presidential nominee in 2008, explaining that I was unable to decide whether Barack Obama or John McCain better represented my values,
I believe that government should limit CO2 emissions,
I believe that the government should "invest" your tax money in minor league baseball teams, amphitheaters, and solar power plants,
I believe that the government should require you to present identity papers whenever you engage in routine commercial transactions,
I believe that you should pass laws first and determine their constitutionality later,
I believe that you should do what you think is right, even if it violates the U.S. Constitution because government has to have to power to do whatever it thinks is right.


Oh, wait a second, I didn't do any of those things, but LOU BARLETTA DID!


You think I might betray you? Lou Barletta already has! Rejecting me for him makes about as much sense as prefering Benedict Arnold to the Marquis de Lafayette because the Marquis was a foreigner. Perhaps I can't prove that I'll do the right thing in Washington, but Lou Barletta has already proven that he won't. Whether its taxes, government spending, the environment, or respect for the Constitution, Lou Barletta has ACTED like a Democrat, so just imagine what he'll do when he gets to Washington. Apparently, he's already telling people that he believes his primary task in DC will be bringing pork back to the District - if that's what we want in our Congressman, remind me again why we would get rid of Cong. Paul "Pork" Kanjorski, whose seniority makes him far, far better at getting pork?


If Lou Barletta and his groupies think I'm a phony, then they should welcome my invitation to debate - it's not like he can't use the free publicity. Most importantly, Barletta claims to be the guy who will fight for you, but he won't even debate for you! And I'm willing to let him debate before a hometown audience! His groupies keep saying what a brave guy he is, but - strangely - he lets his groupies do all the fighting for him. Such cowardice is unforgivable.

In other 11th CD news Cory O'Brien had his first fundraiser and called for the creation of "family sustaining jobs," a vision for the future, the importance of education, a need to "rebuild the United States domestically," and "wean the country off foreign oil."

I have been hearing the same claptrap from politicians about bringing "good paying jobs" to the area because we have a "good work ethic" for as long as I can remember, Kanjorski included. Few tell us how they are going to pull it off.

Barletta raises taxes

The be all and end all for Republicans is lower taxes but the reality of falling revenues because of the Bush financial meltdown and ensuing recession has forced Hazleton Republican Mayor Lou Barletta to propose a tax and fee increase. Many property owners will fork out $250 or more under Barletta's plan which is almost double what they are paying now, he blames the shortfall on illegal immigrrants.

He then announced his secret plan to put Hazleton on a firm financial footing. Barletta wants to sell the local water department and use the proceeds to build a solar power farm at the Hazleton Airport with the idea of selling the electricity. Sounds good until you think about how much time it would take to sell off the water company then build the solar farm. When I first read about this it sounded like some big idea that Congressman Paul Kanjorski would come up with like the people mover.

I had a short chat with the other Republican candidate, Chris Paige, who ripped into the tax increase and venture capitol fund that Barletta is proposing. Paige has been the most prolific blogger of any candidate for office that I've ever seen. He wants to debate Barletta before the primary proposing a meeting in each of the 5 counties in the district just like Barletta wanted last time around.

Dear Mr. Mayor,

Welcome to what I hope and expect will be an exciting primary race. As you may remember, you complained rather frequently and vociferously when Cong. Kanjorski refused to debate you last year; consequently, I’m certain that you won’t violate your principles by refusing to debate me. In that spirit, therefore, I propose five (5) debates – the same number you proposed to Cong. Kanjorski and one for each county in this District. I am flexible on format and timing, so I’m sure we can arrange those details. Indeed, I suggest we hold the first debate in Hazleton, so you can have a hometown crowd to support and encourage you.


As you can see, I’ve included the press in this invitation because I hope they attend and because I want them to know that you are living up to principles you preached during your race with Cong. Kanjorski. Quite simply, I wouldn’t want them to think you are a hypocrite, so I want them to know how quickly and graciously you agreed to my request.

Barletta is running again

Borys is reporting that Hazleton Mayor Lou Barletta will try to knock off long time Democratic Congressman Paul Kanjorski in the Pennsylvania 11th District. This will be his third try to win the seat. I got an email from the Luzerne County GOP telling me that he would make his announcement on his website but when I try to go there I'm getting all sorts of error messages and requests for passwords.

You try it


http://www.loubarletta.com/

Here's the video




Reaction from Kanjorski spokesman Ed Mitchell:


“Hearing that Mr. Barletta is running for Congress again reminds me of what Yogi Berra said: This is like deja vu all over again.’ Having been rejected by the voters twice, I guess Barletta is looking for strike three and you’re out.

“The Congressman is busy reforming the financial industry, bringing jobs to the district and providing for affordable health care that protects Medicare. He also remains a champion for preserving Social Security, so we have no further comment at this time.”


And Republican candidate Chris Paige:

So, the real question is why would we believe that Barletta can win this race? The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again while expecting different results, and expecting Barletta to win after losing so many times before is just plain nuts.

Democratic primary challenger Corey O'Brien:


Earlier today, Hazleton's Republican Mayor Lou Barletta announced his candidacy for Congress in Pennsylvania’s 11th Congressional District. Despite higher taxes and rampant crime in Hazleton, Mayor Barletta will - for a third time - run for U.S. Congress and attempt to return us to the failed Republican policies of George W. Bush.

Our district needs new Democratic leadership to stave off Lou Barletta in 2010 and to keep PA-11 in Democratic hands. As a Lackawanna County Commissioner, I worked to balance three budgets without raising taxes, instituted a Code of Ethics which prohibits me from even accepting a cup of coffee from a county vendor, and replaced our fleet of inefficient, gas-guzzling vehicles with hybrids.

We need a Congressman with executive-level leadership experience and a long-term vision for the future of the district. A Congressman who has balanced budgets during difficult economic times, while still finding ways to invest in our communities. A Congressman who will focus on finding ways to create jobs, improve educational opportunities, restore confidence in our elected officials, and promote energy independence.

PA reaction to the President's Afghan speech

Senator Arlen Specter


“I oppose sending 30,000 additional American troops to Afghanistan because I am not persuaded that it is indispensable in our fight against Al Qaeda. If it was, I would support an increase because we have to do whatever it takes to defeat Al Qaeda since they’re out to annihilate us. But if Al Qaeda can operate out of Yemen or Somalia, why fight in Afghanistan where no one has succeeded?

“I disagree with the President’s two key assumptions: that we can transfer responsibility to Afghanistan after 18 months and that our NATO allies will make a significant contribution. It is unrealistic to expect the United States to be out in 18 months so there is really no exit strategy. This venture is not worth so many American lives or the billions it will add to our deficit.”

Challenger Congressman Joe Sestak


"President Obama has presented a plan that will allow us to finally complete a mission that is as indispensable today as it was eight years ago: the elimination of the Al Qaeda terrorists who struck us on 9/11," said Joe Sestak. "It is a difficult decision. After years of war and with economic challenges at home, the American people are justified in their concern about an increased commitment in Afghanistan. But the President has made the right call. If we leave Al Qaeda behind in a safe haven and are struck again, what can we ever say to those we swore to protect?


"From the outset of this debate, I have called for a strategy that is focused on Al Qaeda in Pakistan, is not overly dependent on nation-building in Afghanistan and is not open-ended. The President stated similar goals. But, while I support the President's overall approach, I will be looking for further details. First, the clear emphasis of our overall goal must remain focused on eliminating the safe haven in Pakistan. And second, we should measure our progress not by a fixed timetable, but by benchmarks of achieving America's security. We therefore must be provided those benchmarks of success and/or failure that trigger an exit or alternative strategy."


11th CD Democratic Candidate Corey O'Brien sent out out this email before the speech

As President Obama prepares to speak this evening about our troop commitment in Afghanistan, I am hopeful that the President will match any increase in troop levels with a renewed call for a bilateral relationship between the United States and Pakistan and for the Afghan government to root out corruption within its ranks. Corruption within Afghanistan has led to weakened popular support for the government, and a flourishing drug trade that has turned Afghanistan into the world’s largest narco-state. I believe that taking these actions will be critical to making real progress in Afghanistan, reducing the proliferation of nuclear weapons, and fighting global terrorism, a growing drug trade, and international corruption.

Unsure of our resolve in Afghanistan over the last eight years, Pakistan has been hedging its bets and has been friendly to both the United States and the Taliban at the same time. To achieve regional stability, however, we must engage Pakistan and secure their unwavering commitment as a serious and lasting partner in our fight to eliminate terrorism. By collaborating with Pakistan to root out terrorists and secure and upgrade the country’s military equipment pipeline, we can bring stability to the region and reduce the global terrorism threats we face at home.

Republican 11th CD hopefull Chris Paige

Senator John McCain got it right: the President's decision to send 30,000 additional troops to Afghanistan is correct, but his decision to set an arbitrary withdrawal date is ludicrous...and ironic. In the aftermath of the U.S. Civil War, the Democratic Party successfully demanded the premature withdrawal of federal troops from the South, and the result was the horrifyingly racist policy known as Jim Crow. Despite its flaws, Radical Reconstruction would have ended legal segregation in the 1870's instead of the 1970's, and one can only imagine how much suffering this nation in general and African-Americans in particular might have avoided if federal troops had remained in the South to protect the biracial governments (usually led by Republicans) that Southern Democrats, often in league with the KKK, overthrew once our troops left. Similarly, the President's policy might create a "stable" government in Afghanistan, but his policy virtually guarantees that Afghanistan's women and its religious minorities will be oppressed by whatever unholy Taliban-inspired government takes over after we leave. (After all, the Solid South was stable, even as the Democratic Party and its allies in the Klan moved quickly to deny African-Americans their legal rights.) The Afghan people deserve better; our troops and their families deserve better. In words of my fellow Republican Ulysses S. Grant, we should accept nothing less than the Taliban's and Al Qaeda's "Unconditional Surrender."

I'm sure Congressmen Carney and Kanjorski will have statements out later today and we may even hear from Lou Barletta. Other prospective candidates such as Malcolm Derk, Dan Naylor and Dan Meuser are welcome to send me their thoughts that I will be happy to publish.

Lu Lac analyzes the situation and Zen is his usual open minded self. My friends at CSPT heard want they want and advocate endless war.

Update:

Congressman Chris Carney


"It is critical that we not back down from terrorists who threaten our long-term security. Sending additional troops into Afghanistan will give us the military manpower to contain al-Qaeda and the Taliban while laying the groundwork for the Afghan military to step up and the Afghan government to implement long-needed reforms.


I am, however, concerned about the narrow timeframe that the president has presented. While our commitment cannot be open-ended, the reality on the ground in Afghanistan must dictate the actual timeframe. It could take 18 months for our troops to be fully deployed and trained and equipped for battle. The president did an excellent job laying out the reasons for the overall policy, but I will reserve judgment until I see the full details of the plan.


Demonstrating a commitment to our efforts in Afghanistan will signal our resolve to the region and help Pakistan focus its attention on fighting terrorism on its side of the border.”


Congressman Paul Kanjorski hasn't released a statement but had this to say


Kanjorski said he wants to give the president "the benefit of the doubt" on his decision but wonders if the pursuit of a stable Afghanistan will only shift the problem.

"I'm looking forward to having an exit strategy," he said. "I don't want to support a 10-, 20-year commitment. ... We could spend ourselves into bankruptcy in Afghanistan."