This page was last updated on November 7, 2016.
Times endorses McGinty for Senate; Editorial; Beaver County Times; November 6, 2016.
Below is a review of an editorial.
“If you’re tired of seeing the endless stream of television ads for U.S. Senate candidates Pat Toomey and Katie McGinty, join the club. In what has become the most expensive Senate race in the country, voters have been besieged by both campaigns with ads claiming that the opponent is an uncaring millionaire, a puppet of Wall Street, on the wrong side of Second Amendment issues, etc.
“It’s enough to make your head spin.
“Toomey, 54, an ultra-conservative who won a close election six years ago, has voted consistently with the far-right agenda in his first term. He has opposed the Affordable Care Act, commonly known as Obamacare; supports the Supreme Court decision that has allowed the so-called ‘dark money’ from outside groups to dominate many political races (including this one); and voted to shut down the government in a political squabble over raising the debt ceiling.”
[RWC] The BCT also referred to U.S. Rep. Keith Rothfus (R-PA12) as “an ultra-conservative.” Note the BCT didn’t tell readers how it defines “an ultra-conservative” and “the far-right.” That’s likely because the BCT knows most of us would disagree with what it thinks is “ultra-conservative” and “far-right.” As a childhood friend’s father told me, “I didn’t leave the Democrat party, it left me.”
The reference to “so-called ‘dark money’” is about Citizens United v. FEC (CU). The CU case was about free speech and the right of anyone (including groups of people) to take out their own ads, commercials, etc. expressing their position regarding candidates and issues. As groups of people, the ruling includes corporations – the NAACP, GM, and so on - and labor unions.
The editorial claims Sen. Toomey (PT) “voted to shut down the government in a political squabble over raising the debt ceiling.” That’s one way to look at it. The way I look at it is, President Obama (BHO) and then-Sen. Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) could have adopted the position of PT and other reps and sens and avoided the non-shutdown.
“He claims to be the more bipartisan of the two, citing his work with West Virginia Democrat Sen. Joe Manchin to put forth a bill, which failed, that would require background checks on gun purchases.”
[RWC] Earth to the BCT; current law already “requires background checks on gun purchases.” I don’t know all of the subject bill’s provisions, but one had to do with gun shows. I don’t know about other states, but Pennsylvania requires state-licensed sellers to perform background checks using the Pennsylvania Instant Check System operated by the Pennsylvania State Police. Depending on the firearm, private sellers must use a licensed dealer to make a sale and the dealer must perform a background check as he would if he were the seller. PA gun laws apply whether you buy a firearm at a local dealer, at a gun show, or from your neighbor.
What I first thought was simply a shot at PT’s failed bipartisan effort was really a twofer. The BCT’s other – and perhaps primary - goal was to get PT the negative attention of Second Amendment supporters unfamiliar with the subject bill’s details.
At the same time, the BCT said nothing about Katie McGinty’s (KM) position regarding gun control. That’s likely because CeaseFire Pennsylvania, a gun control advocacy group, endorsed KM. KM got a 100% on CeaseFire’s 2016 survey. KM said, “I am honored to have the support of CeaseFire Pennsylvania in this race.”
“McGinty, 53, served in the Clinton administration as an environmental official and is a former secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection. She supports changes to Obamacare, rather than repealing it, particularly in areas where the consumer is affected hardest. For instance, she would allow Medicare to negotiate with drug companies to drive down the cost of prescription drugs, and would make the costs of procedures and medical needs more transparent.”
[RWC] “[KM] supports changes to Obamacare, rather than repealing it.” Obamacare is the gift that keeps on taking. I received an early Christmas present last week from President Obama and Obamacare. Effective January 1st, my medical insurance premium will increase 57%, continuing an ugly trend. My medical insurance premium has increased 283% since Obamacare was signed into law in 2010. P.J. O’Rourke (an American satirist) was right when he once said, “If you think health care is expensive now, wait until you see what it costs when it’s free.”
I suppose I should feel honored, though. Mr. Obama says I’m one of only “a handful of people who don’t get tax credits” for whom “premiums are going up.” Yay!
“[KM] would allow Medicare to negotiate with drug companies to drive down the cost of prescription drugs?” A government program this large doesn’t negotiate; it makes an offer a pharmaceutical manufacturer can’t refuse. The government always has the implied threat it will unilaterally implement price controls and/or reduce patent protection should a drug company say “no, thank you.” To make up for the revenue lost to Medicare, those of us not on Medicare would have to pay higher prices. Bringing most new drugs to fruition is incredibly expensive and risky. One of the best ways to dampen pharmaceutical research is to increase the risk by the specter of price controls and/or flimsy patent protection. There’s more at my paper “Healthcare.”
“Among the more interesting campaign tactics that Toomey is using in television ads is a call for voters to elect him so as to prevent McGinty from giving Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton a ‘blank check’ in the Senate. It’s a curious move by Toomey because he’s pointing out McGinty’s support for Clinton, while repeatedly refusing to say if he supports Republican nominee Donald Trump. It also implies that a Clinton victory is on the horizon.”
[RWC] Seriously? What candidate doesn’t make similar claims? If I chose to waste my time, I would likely find a BCT editorial doing the same thing.
“Both candidates claim to have the support of law enforcement, with Toomey citing endorsements from several police unions, and McGinty pointing to the fact that she grew up in a household where her father served as a Philadelphia policeman.
“The most glaring difference between the two candidates comes down to their philosophies on creating jobs and economic opportunities. Toomey has consistently supported proposals that would end regulations on companies and cut corporate taxes, moves he said would spur job growth.”
[RWC] The BCT wants us to read “end regulations on companies” as “end ALL regulations on companies.” Just as there are “good” and “bad” taxes, there are “good” and “bad” regulations. For example, a regulation to prohibit discharge of raw sewage into our waterways is good. Telling a business owner how many paid sick days he must provide employees is bad.
As for “corporate taxes,” since proprietorships and partnerships don’t pay income tax, why should corporations? Taxing a business’ income results in double taxation, once by the business and once by the business’ owners. If your retirement plan includes stocks, the feds and some states tax the company’s income. Then, assuming you received dividend payments, you get to pay again on your personal income tax forms. Though eliminating business income taxes will never happen because taxation is power, PT is correct to support cutting/eliminating business income taxes.
“McGinty supports efforts to boost the middle class through an increase in the minimum wage, equal pay for women, affordable college education and investments in manufacturing and renewable energy. She said she is ‘deeply opposed to the idea of handouts,’ but believes that most Pennsylvanians simply want an opportunity to make better lives for themselves and their families.”
[RWC] Both KM and the BCT know the minimum wage doesn’t work. At its theoretical best, the minimum wage is a feel-good exercise that does nothing. In practice, however, the minimum wage does harm. In both cases the minimum wage is akin to a dog chasing its tail.
Regarding “equal pay for women,” please read “Don’t Blame Discrimination for Gender Wage Gap.”
College tuition has been skyrocketing for decades and government meddling is what makes tuition so expensive. The P.J. O’Rourke quote above also applies to education. The cheaper government tries to make education via grants, scholarships, subsidies, state owned and operated colleges, community colleges, and so on, the more expensive education becomes. There’s more at the Tuition link below.
Regarding KM’s “investments in manufacturing and renewable energy, here’s an excerpt from a review I wrote in 2014: “In the realm of ‘green energy,’ we had Solyndra, A123 Systems, Ener1, Abound Solar, et cetera. As a reminder, these four companies eventually filed for bankruptcy after receiving hundreds of millions of dollars in grants/subsidies/loan guarantees paid for by local, state, and federal taxpayers. It appears Solyndra alone will cost federal taxpayers about $528 million and tax-credit sweeteners thrown in to attract private investors could cost us a few hundred million dollars more. Adding insult to injury, A123 Systems (Red Chinese) and Ener1 (Russian) went under foreign ownership as part of their bankruptcy proceedings.”
There’s plenty of private venture capital available for deserving projects. We don’t need to use family paychecks to fund these projects.
“[KM] said she is ‘deeply opposed to the idea of handouts,’ but believes that most Pennsylvanians simply want an opportunity to make better lives for themselves and their families.” Based on this editorial, you can scratch everything before the “but” in the previous sentence. All of KM’s relevant programs above require “handouts” in one form or another.
“Ultimately, we believe McGinty has a keen understanding of the many issues confronting the nation and is best prepared to move the country forward in a bipartisan fashion. We endorse her in the race for the U.S. Senate and encourage voters to support her on Tuesday.”
[RWC] Who would have guessed?
If “McGinty has a keen understanding of the many issues confronting the nation,” she wouldn’t be a “progressive.”
© 2004-2016 Robert W. Cox, all rights reserved.