Three New Bat-Villains

In today's Philadelphia Daily News, Bill Bender takes a peek at three new names being floated to take on Sestak, especially Michael Chitwood.

Chitwood confirmed yesterday that he has been asked by Upper Darby Republican leader John McNichol to consider running for Congress.

If McNichol is backing him, what's McNichol hoping to get out of it? The GOP is certainly desperate to knock out Sestak now, while he is still a freshman, and they perceive him as vulnerable. (Clue: Joe was most vulnerable last year when he had no money, no name recognition, no political experience and running against a popular 20 year incumbent.)

Also on the list are John McMeekin II, a Philadelphia attorney and Radnor school board member, and Stephen Elliott, a deputy assistant secretary at the U.S. State Department.

McMeekin said he is "very serious" about a congressional bid, but would back anyone the GOP selected. Elliott could not be reached for comment.

How serious is McMeekin if he will just go along with whomever the GOP machine picks? There's a little thing called a Primary for those that are "very serious".

The rest of the article focuses mostly on Upper Darby Police Chief, Chitwood. (Let me guess, he's going to run on a platform of "law and order".) I don't know a lot about Chitwood's politics (yet) and it's unclear how his local experience will translate on nation issues like energy policy, education, Iraq, environment and health care. I wonder if he is for or against gun control. Does he think that terrorism is a military or police matter? Would people be concerned that a cop-turned-legislator would be a good defense against the trend to turn the US into a police state?

The article also mentions that Chitwood turned down an opportunity early last year to enter the gubernatorial race in Maine, where he had served as a police chief.

Now, that is interesting. Would the former Weldon-zombies repeat their chant of "carpet-bagger"? While I suspect that Chitwood is tough-as-nails and in good shape for his age, that I doubt he is ready to run a marathon campaign. Chitwood is 63 and I doubt he can maintain the same level of energy as Sestak (who outlasted his staff of twenty-somethings).

My recommendation for Chitwood: end your career with successes in Upper Darby, not as a sacrificial lamb for the Delco GOP machine.

Health Care Summit on June 25, 2007

From a recent message...
Rep. Joe Sestak

...will be hosting the 7th District's first Health Care Summit at West Chester University, Sykes Student Union Building. The event, which will be held from 8:00AM until 2:00PM [Monday June 25, 2007], will bring together health care stakeholders from across our District and region to create a forum where we can start a dialogue together to address the health care challenges facing our nation today. I believe in the value of fostering a partnership among patients, providers, employers, and their government.

Health security is critical for our collective prosperity, but it is not just an individual's responsibility. To meet the challenges of the future we need healthy, educated Americans who have access to high-quality, affordable health care. We must all be productive and proactive citizens within our community if we are to participate in a health care system that will flourish efficiently.

The Health Care Summit will consist of panels on providing Adequate/Quality Health Coverage, Affordable Health Coverage, and Accessible Health Coverage, and I have invited a wide range of individuals from policy experts to health advocates, nurses, doctors, hospital administrators, small business owners, workforce and labor leaders, and government to share their experiences and viewpoints as panelists.

Sestak campaigned on a platform of addressing health care issues in our country, and this is an excellent step in that direction. It also shows that Joe is committed to getting input from constituents and experts on the issues.

If anyone is able to attend, please comment.

Sestak's Bill to Restore Habeas Corpus: HR 2710

Last week, Rep. Joe Sestak introduced HR 2710, a bill to "restore the habeas corpus rights repealed by the controversial Military Commissions Act last year", according to the Constitution Project as quoted on The World Monitor.

This is a key action in rolling back one of the many actions of the Bush administration and the previous Republican-controlled Congress encroaching on civil liberties.

Joe knows what the Constitution is supposed to do, and restoring Habeas Corpus gets us back to those Constitutional rights eroded by Bush.

FYI, Habeas Corpus (according to Wikipedia), "is the name of a legal action or writ by means of which detainees can seek relief from unlawful imprisonment. The writ of habeas corpus has historically been an important instrument for the safeguarding of individual freedom against arbitrary state action."

Nice work Joe! Let's get this bill passed.

Disagreeing with my fellow PA-7 Watch blogger

I have not posted to this PA-7 Watch blog for a long time, mostly because I haven't taken the time to do so. In not paying attention, I've let a few things go by here that need to be addressed.

DD has posted a few disturbing posts here, taking Joe Sestak to task for his vote on the recent Iraq Ward funding bill, and commenting on the Delco Democratic County
Council candidates. On both of these issues, I completely disagree with DD.

On the Iraq War funding vote, Sestak made his choice and explained why he voted the way he did. This vote was a no-win situation for Sestak. Either way he voted he opened himself to criticism. And the votes were lined up to go the way it went.

Congressman Sestak's top priority is to get the USA out of Iraq. This vote was not going to get us out of Iraq. I believe that Sestak will continue to work towards the goal of getting the USA out of Iraq, and that's why I supported him in the 2006 election and continue to support him now. I'm not a cheerleader, but I do have loyalty and am willing to see things through. I will not I say I support something or someone that I don't believe in. But bashing Sestak on this vote is short-sighted and asinine. And I'm disturbed that DD has done so here.

I'm also disturbed that DD has used this forum to relay his viewpoints on the candidates for County Council candidates. Very simply, this blog is about the PA-7 Congressional elections and candidates. Besides that, I disagree with DD's qualms about the various issues he raised.

We will refocus our blog on our main topic (PA-7) and continue to discuss the pertinent topics as they arise. And it's obvious that we don't always agree! That's simply the way it is in politics I guess.