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Nazareth, Pa., United States

Tuesday, September 28, 2010

Callahan Ducks Chamber of Commerce Debate

If Congressional wannabe John Callahan has established anything, it's that he's a pretty good dodgeball player. He studiously avoided taking a position on the health care overhaul until after it passed. making him a day late and a dollar short. He's had four different positions on the TARP money that Congressman Charlie Dent supported. He's ducked my questions on a regressive national sales tax (while supporting a sales tax increase locally). At a Lafayette College debate, he even refused to say whether he'd support Nancy Pelosi as House Speaker.

Down in the polls, Callahan has supposedly clamored for more debate time, but he ducked a surprisingly good debate sponsored by the local tea party this Spring. Now, he's running from a local debate on jobs and the economy at the very time that Charlie Dent is being endorsed by one of the nation’s leading small business organizations.

On Friday, John Callahan backed out of an Oct. 18 debate with Congressman Dent hosted by the Nazareth/Bath Area, Whitehall Area and Slate Belt Chambers of Commerce. Maybe he's afraid that someone will question him about his own "simple jobs plan," something he was unable to explain at the Lafayette debate.

Also on Friday, the National Federation of Independent Businesses gave their endorsement to Charlie Dent, citing his strong and continued support for policies that help small businesses put people to work, and his opposition to Washington legislation that slows economic growth.

“I’m honored to receive the support of NFIB because they know what small businesses need to create jobs – and they know I will always support policies that help foster economic growth,” said Congressman Charlie Dent in a news release. “Meanwhile, John Callahan knows he can’t answer for the irresponsible, job-killing Washington agenda he supports, and a political career marked by higher taxes and more government spending. Callahan’s policies are the opposite of what job-creators need.”

32 comments:

Anonymous said...

Is that Nancy Pelosi playing Ben Stiller?

Bernie O'Hare said...

Yep.

Jon Geeting said...

Charlie Dent hasn't voted for a single bill that would create jobs in the 111th Congress. Not one bill. If he had gotten his way on each of the Job Bill votes, there's no question the economy would be worse off. He couldn't even get behind a very Republican plan to help small businesses struggling to get credit. Luckily the law passed over Dent's stupid objections. Ed Pawlowski was in Washington yesterday for the signing ceremony, no thanks to Dent.

Anonymous said...

Every bill this Congress has passed (with Callahan's support) has destroyed jobs. Hopefully Dent will keep opposing these terrible policies until Washington is more balanced.

Anonymous said...

Why go to a Chamber of Commerce debate? Its not like jobs or the economy is important in this election anyways. Callahan exposed himself as an empty suit in the first debate. Pathetic.

Anonymous said...

No bill ever coming out of Congress ever created a single job. Ever. Any politician or flack who claims otherwise greatly offends the people who take the risks and build the businesses that do create jobs. Stop claiming credit for things you didn't do.

On the other hand, bills coming out of Congress have destroyed countless millions of jobs.

Anonymous said...

The Obama Presidency - as predicted - has been a complete and utter disaster.

Deal with it, suckers.

Anonymous said...

Callahan is going to lose badly because he supports the Democrat policies of Reid, Pelosi, and Obama. Pelosi and Reid have run Congress for four years. Obama, in less than two years, has turned out worse than Jimmy Carter. Get ready for another change. A million debates would only make things worse for Callahan. He's more a sacrificial lamb than the last couple of slot fillers.

Anonymous said...

This isn't news. The Chamber is a republican front group. Why won't Dent do the Northampton Community College Debate?

Anonymous said...

"The Chamber is a republican front group."

More liberal fear mongering against anyone who owns a business.

Anonymous said...

I am still voting for Callahan no matter what you say. He has proven to me that he can take a city and make it better, regardless of Dent's ads. And the whole Lehigh Valley optional local sales tax that you blast Callahan for was initiated and endorsed by the republican controlled Lehigh Valley Partnership which just happens to be made up of mostly repubolican leaders of the major corporations in the valley. They should tell Dent top stop blasting them.

Anonymous said...

Dent sticks to party lines not because he truly believes that they won't help but because he wants to keep his job. With a large amount of potentially freshman congressman coming into office and hopefully in this district as well, maybe people will start to vote against party lines if it's in the best interest for the congressman/congresswoman's constituents. I also asked a friend at the OMB if he can find me any proof of any stimulus funds actually destroying jobs but he doesn't work with those type of statistics. If anyone could post up some hard facts, that would be greatly appreciated.( no Fox news links, those don't count.)

Bernie O'Hare said...

" I also asked a friend at the OMB"

Don't know where you are but this is the LV and we don't like people from Washington telling us what to think. That'w one reason why Callahan is so far beind. Instead of getting some real smart local people like Rob Hopkins to run his campaign, he relied on commisars sent by the DCCC. They are more interested in protecting the Washington message than electing
Callahan.

Anonymous said...

I'm glad I got my mail from Mr. Callahan. He made it clear that Mr. Dent voted to give Social Security to the Wall Street guys in 2005. Can you imagine.

Thank God that didn't happen or old folks would be out on the street. What a dumb idea that was. Dent should know better.

Thanks to that piece of information I am voting for Mr. Callahan.

Anonymous said...

Anon 8:58,
The Social Security argument is yet another reason why the DC run Callahan campaign is so far behind in the polls. Its the same strategy the DCCC is taking nationwide. It is a hail mary pass by desperate campaigns that will fail. Just like Callahan's campaign.

Anonymous said...

Giving SS to the Wall Street buffoons would have been just great. Are you people stupid or do you just try hard to sound that way.

Anonymous said...

"Giving SS to the Wall Street buffoons would have been just great."

More DC talking points.

Anonymous said...

@9:57 - Desperation setting in over there with the Callahan people?

Anonymous said...

More liberal fear mongering against anyone who owns a business.

Because no Democrats own and run businesses. Where do you get these nudniks?

Anonymous said...

Don't know where you are but this is the LV and we don't like people from Washington telling us what to think.

Yeah, we don't need no smarty-pants accountants that actually understand the federal budgeting process telling us numbers and stuff! We're Lehigh Valleyans, er, -ites, dag nabbit!

Bernie O'Hare said...

Well, all the social clubs are going out of business and there are no jobs, so they come here and are welcome, as are you.

Anonymous said...

if there was a 8.5 deficit how did he manage to get a 2 mill surplus in 8 months. smoke and mirrows

Anonymous said...

We hear from Mr Geeting again. Who in business wants credit when they do not knonw what the future holds for them? Mr Geeting, if you owned a small business, would you borrow money not knowing what the "health care" obligations would impose on you? Better yet, what bank wants to even lend you money in today's business environment. Pawlowski in Washington, wish they'd keep him there. Geenting, as I said before, you and your "positions" are a joke.
Bob Romancheck

Anonymous said...

We hear from Mr Geeting again. Who in business wants credit when they do not know what the future holds for them? Mr Geeting, if you owned a small business, would you borrow money not knowing what the "health care" obligations would impose on you and your and your employees. Better yet, what bank wants to even lend you money in today's business environment.
Pawlowski in Washington, wish they'd keep him there. Geeting, as I said before, you and your "positions" are a joke. Sir are you still an indpendent?
Bob Romancheck

Anonymous said...

A Risk Management 101 course would go along way for Mr. Geeting

V. LENIN

Anonymous said...

Mr. O'Hare.

Contact Mr. Grube the former City employee who can give you the inside scoop.

$2.8M surplus. BS, they have a $3.2M debt on their books owed to their healthcare provider. Plus a $4.6M loan due to the Bethlehem Water and Sewer Authority.

There are not enough mirrors in the City to balance the books. Good time Democratic "Cooking the Books!!!"

Dig Bernie, Dig. There is a House of Cards to expose.

noel jones said...

Geez Louise, why do so many people post Anonymously? Own your words!

What I want to know is whether or not the debate will still happen between Den and Towne without Callahan, or will Dent take his ball and go home if he doesn't have a Dem to play with?

Anonymous said...

i still want to know how much the dent campaign pays you.

Bernie O'Hare said...

" will Dent take his ball and go home if he doesn't have a Dem to play with?"

He committed and will be there. Noel, thi is actually the second time Callahan has ducked a debate, so I think it's safe to say he's the one taking hs ball and going home.

Mike said...

Chambers and members can form their communities at nualerts and stay connected with multiple channels (sms, email, etc). A lot of Bay Area Chambers are already using nualerts to offer members incredible marketing exposure. Check out our Chambers http://alturl.com/xve8a

Anonymous said...

How can Callahan back out of a debate he never agreed to participate in?

Your post is misleading. You can't back out of something you never agreed to do.

Stop the spin...it is hurting any credibility you have.

Anonymous said...

"How can Callahan back out of a debate he never agreed to participate in?"

Didnt Callahan want Dent to participate in the 10 debates around the area and criticized him when dent couldnt make a debate? Now all of a sudden Callahan is the one running from debates. Admit it, your boy wonder backed out because his first debate was disasterous.