Stevan Drobac, Jr. – 7/1/05

This page was last updated on July 3, 2005.

Why all the complaining …; Stevan Drobac, Jr.; Beaver County Times; July 1, 2005.

This is a strange letter.

While an editor’s note states, “The letter writer was the Democratic nominee in the 4th Congressional District in 2004 and 2002,” it fails to acknowledge Stevan and Nikola Drobac are brothers. I know this from pictures on their websites. (Stevan Drobac’s campaign website no longer exists.) If Nikola and Stevan are not brothers, their fathers are identical twins.

Below is a detailed critique of the subject letter.

“Letter writer Nikola Drobac needs to write or visit U.S. Rep. Melissa Hart, R-4, in person. He’s constantly demanding answers to explain the logic about being in Iraq? He writes Iraq had no ties to al Qaeda terrorists; had nothing to do with 9/11; had no weapons of mass destruction; and was no threat to the United States.

“In 2002 and 2004, he supported Hart, who supported/supports President Bush 100 percent in his decision and actions of U.S. involvement in Iraq.”

[RWC] This is the second strange part of this letter. The sole purpose of Nikola Drobac letters appears to be the incessant bashing of Republicans. During the past year alone, Nikola Drobac wrote 19 anti-Bush and/or anti-Republican rants. Are we to believe that a man who wrote a letter in which he hoped all Republicans would face financial ruin in retirement would support a Republican?

Another important point is, based on their letters and websites, Messrs. Drobac appear to support the same position on each issue. They even use the same defective “facts” and illogic.

I’d almost be more willing to believe John Kerry voted for George Bush than I would to believe Nikola Drobac voted for ANY Republican, let alone a Republican running against his brother.

“So why is he complaining so harshly to the public? He should be directing his questions to the person he supported.

“Letter writer Skip Haswell praised Hart for passing legislation to help all veterans based on facts she approved a budget well above President Bush’s request. Yes, she did.

“The true problem was the Veterans Administration needed a budget of $40-42 billion. The Veterans Administration submitted a $35 billion budget just to keep up with cost-of-living adjustments and an attempt to compromise.

“The problem: President Bush cut the compromised proposal to $25 billion. Hart and the Republican majority agreed to a $28 billion budget proposal. This still left our veterans $7-plus billion short over all.”

[RWC] I’d like to know where Mr. Drobac gets his “data.” A review of the 2006 federal budget shows Department of Veterans Affairs spending increased approximately 51% under President Bush (five years) vs. approximately 27% under Bill Clinton (eight years). Is it enough? I don’t know, but it’s incorrect to refer to a 51% spending increase as “cutting VA benefits.” Actual 2004 DVA spending was $59+ billion and total 2006 proposed DVA spending is $68+ billion.

Both from his website (now closed down) and e-mail exchanges with him, I’ve come to expect fact-challenged positions from Mr. Drobac.

“I guess as long as we do not need those benefits she did a wonderful job. Those who lost their benefits continue to suffer. But as long as it doesn’t affect me, who cares? Isn’t that the way it always is?

“I have concluded if former President Bill Clinton would run against Hart, he would lose in this well-known Democratic region. How soon will the Republican Party win state offices and eventually local ones as well?”

[RWC] Mr. Drobac believes in blind party loyalty. Here’s a quote from his now-defunct campaign website: “It’s time for the Democratic Party leaders themselves to confront those elected Democrats who commit treason against their party.” Mr. Drobac was referring to Democrats who supported Republicans when they felt the Republican was the better candidate.

“Such will be the case with U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum. There will be Democratic leaders who will fail to support Robert P. Casey Jr. in the end as well.”

[RWC] Though Ms. Hart won, she did not win by big margins. The truth is Mr. Drobac was his own worst enemy. He was a weak candidate at best. Here’s a link to my critique of his campaign website to show you what I mean. That said, I’ve stated previously – and I still believe – that Mr. Drobac could have beaten Ms. Hart if Democrats had gotten behind him.