Sestak, Williams on the bailout
On Wednesday evening Congressman Sestak conducted number of impromtu community meetings in the district. The topic was the financial bailout legislation.
Sestak described the plan and the various parts of it. He described the process of how the plan had evolved from a 3 page bill originally from Paulson to a 100 page bill to a 400 page bill that eventually passed. Joe described this as the hardest vote he has had as a Congressman. And then he let the people yell at him.
Sestak traveled back from DC to meet with constituents, explain the bill and his position, and ask for feedback. And he certainly did get feedback. Some said that the government should let the market fail if it had to. Others said we should be putting the perpetrators in jail. Nobody that spoke liked it.
Many don't like this bailout and the problems that led to it. But I left the meeting with new respect for Joe Sestak. He used the terms "Representative" and "Congressman" to describe what he does. He gave his constituents the opportunity to tell him what they thought, and listened to them. He was their representative. In the end, he did what he thought best, even thought he know it was not popular.
Nobody knows ahead of time if this bailout will work, or if it was the right thing to do. I think Sestak felt the effects of a credit freeze and economic fall would be too dire to allow it to just happen. I think he cares less about Wall Street and is worried more about what will happen to the average middle class family. But anyway you look at it, he put his reputation on the line.
Contrast this will his opponent. Craig Williams has been all over the map on his position on the bailout. The Oct 3 Delco Times says: "Craig Williams, of Concord, the Republican challenger for the District 7 seat, agreed this new version of the bill needed to pass, but criticized his opponent for voting for the original bill."
I prefer Sestak style on this one. He showed a lot of guts. Williams showed a lot of willingness to flounder and say the politically expedient sound bite. Thanks Joe, no thanks, Craig.
Sestak described the plan and the various parts of it. He described the process of how the plan had evolved from a 3 page bill originally from Paulson to a 100 page bill to a 400 page bill that eventually passed. Joe described this as the hardest vote he has had as a Congressman. And then he let the people yell at him.
Sestak traveled back from DC to meet with constituents, explain the bill and his position, and ask for feedback. And he certainly did get feedback. Some said that the government should let the market fail if it had to. Others said we should be putting the perpetrators in jail. Nobody that spoke liked it.
Many don't like this bailout and the problems that led to it. But I left the meeting with new respect for Joe Sestak. He used the terms "Representative" and "Congressman" to describe what he does. He gave his constituents the opportunity to tell him what they thought, and listened to them. He was their representative. In the end, he did what he thought best, even thought he know it was not popular.
Nobody knows ahead of time if this bailout will work, or if it was the right thing to do. I think Sestak felt the effects of a credit freeze and economic fall would be too dire to allow it to just happen. I think he cares less about Wall Street and is worried more about what will happen to the average middle class family. But anyway you look at it, he put his reputation on the line.
Contrast this will his opponent. Craig Williams has been all over the map on his position on the bailout. The Oct 3 Delco Times says: "Craig Williams, of Concord, the Republican challenger for the District 7 seat, agreed this new version of the bill needed to pass, but criticized his opponent for voting for the original bill."
I prefer Sestak style on this one. He showed a lot of guts. Williams showed a lot of willingness to flounder and say the politically expedient sound bite. Thanks Joe, no thanks, Craig.
Labels: 7th congressional district, bailout, Craig Williams, Joe Sestak, Paulson
posted by Seventh Watch at 10:06 PM
3 Comments:
I saw Williams (and other GOPs) at Haverford Township Day. I don't recall seeing any "Williams" shirts outside of his staffers at the booth, though I saw several original Sestak and even "re-elect Sestak" shirts among the general crowds.
No one seems to know who Williams was and the Haverford Republicans booth was pretty much a ghost town.
By contrast, the Haverford Dems booth was bustling with activity, particularly selling Obama items (buttons, bumper stickers and lawn signs).
Williams sounds a lot like Gerlach in the 6th. Gerlach voted against the bailout, before he voted for the second version with all the pork/sweeteners.
This comes as no surprise. The Republican party has been rudderless with "leadership" by Bush and now McCain. Williams was pretty much 10th on the list to run against Sestak. The first nine asked said "Thanks. But No Thanks" to the campaign to Nowhere.
Funny that you mention Haverford Day. I can confirm David's comment about the Dems and the GOP booth as I was inside the Dem booth.
I also noticed some woman at the Haverford Republican booth who kept holding up a Williams sign to every group that walked by. Why they needed to do that to the Brownies and the other Youth Organizations was beyond me.
All the political parties have the right to win the election by hook or crook so they are using every possible means to convince people of their states and I hope the best leader would be the winner.
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Phiil6116
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