Dan Sainovich – 2/28/06

This page was last updated on February 28, 2006.

Go to the source of the poll; Dan Sainovich; Beaver County Times; February 28, 2006.

Below is a detailed critique of the subject letter.

“There is an old saying that you should watch what company you keep.

“I believe that voters should heed that advice. Tuesday’s article, Jay Paisley and state Rep. Mike Veon in a dead heat in the 14th Legislative District is a classic example.

“The poll was conducted by a group that goes by the name Pennsylvanians for Effective Government. Sounds good to me so far.”

[RWC] According to the PEG website, “PEG is an ‘umbrella’ business association, open to individuals, sole proprietorships, partnerships, subchapter ‘S’ corporations, and multinational corporations. Business-related non-profits such as trade associations and chambers of commerce are also eligible for PEG membership.”

“Upon investigating, I found that some of the things they support or, better yet, do not support are working people. On one of its Web pages is a voting record for Veon.”

[RWC] In the mind of folks like Mr. Sainovich, groups that are “pro-business” are “anti-worker” by definition.

“Thankfully, he does not grade out very well according to PEG. He voted wrong when it came to protections of work place safety, workers compensation protections as well as providing quality health care to workers.

“He voted to provide or protect these rights where PEG supported the reduction of benefits or workplace protections.

“PEG goes so far as to say that Veon voted the wrong way on House Bill 1534, which, at final passage, requires the Department of Health to study Lyme disease and calls for all health care policies to cover prescribed treatment for Lyme disease and related tick-borne diseases as prescribed by the patient’s attending physician.”

[RWC] Mr. Sainovich fails to note Mr. Veon also voted the “right way” according to PEG. Using Mr. Sainovich’s language, Mr. Veon voted against “working people” as much as 37% of the time.

“What a terrible thing to think that health care policies should cover sick people with Lyme disease.”

[RWC] Why does the government need to impose this requirement? Shouldn’t it be between the insurance companies and the people paying the premiums?

“Voters should ask themselves, when voting: Is Paisley going to be endorsed by PEG, a big business anti-worker organization. PEG has only endorsed Republicans, according to its press releases. What does it see in Mr. Paisley?”

[RWC] I suspect PEG merely wants change given that Mr. Veon’s positions consistently support Pennsylvania remaining unfriendly to business. They know Veon mostly opposes their positions and figure Paisley can’t be worse.

“Veon has always backed working men and women. If Paisley is elected, who will he be beholden to?”

[RWC] Except for those very, very few people born into independent wealth, we’re all “working men and women.” I can guarantee Mr. Veon’s economic, political, and social positions don’t back me.

“Voters should not make this a single issue election. As the saying goes, I like Mike.”

[RWC] Translation: Forget Mr. Veon’s payjacking and that he is still unapologetic and refuses to return his unconstitutional pay raise.