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Nazareth, Pa., United States

Thursday, July 28, 2011

Another Protest Rally at Dent's Office on Friday

In apparent reaction to LV Congressman Charlie Dent's unusually candid newsletter about the debt ceiling, 18 members of MoveOn cascaded into his Allentown office on Tuesday, demanding that he protect the middle class. They call themselves, "We, the People." Dent, of course, was in Washington. He's under the goofy impression he represents everyone, including people of limited means.

Now Dent's still in Washington, working on a debt ceiling solution. But now it's the LV Democratic Coalition's turn to invade. An "urgent action item" from Norco Vice Chair Lorraine Pasquali is calling all Democrats to visit Dent's Allentown office on Friday at 3:30 PM. You're supposed to bring signs that say "Don't be reckless with the economy" and "It's time to compromise."

If Dems want signs like that, they should ask the Republicans. Just before the vote on Obamacare, they had lots of signs that said pretty much the same thing.

Who knows, maybe the Fleckster will arrange for a fringe festival there or bring mimes.

18 comments:

Anonymous said...

I love it!! NO TEABAGS FOR YOU!!!!!

Rushon Zuidema said...

May the curse of thousand tons of camel dung engulf these protester's nostrils.

Anonymous said...

Charlie. Keep fighting to protect the top 2% from any tax increases even if it causes a depression.

Why not make it a pledge? I hereby promise that I will not endorse the elimination of any tax deduction or any even minute increase in taxes for corporations and the corporate elite.

Anonymous said...

Jobs Jobs Jobs. Thats what the Republicans are all about. Look at all the great legislation they have passed to faciliate job creation in the private sector.

Lets see there was Act No.?, 2011, Act No. ???, 2011. Oh the list could go on and on.

Gain control of the Senate and banish Comrade Obama and then we will have another utopia like the Bush 8 years of total Republican control.

Jobs, jobs, jobs.

Jon Geeting said...

"people of limited means"

As if! Bob Greenstein of the Center for Budget and Policy Priorities calls the plan Dent likes:

"“tantamount to a form of ‘class warfare’” that “if enacted, it could well produce the greatest increase in poverty and hardship produced by any law in modern U.S. history.”

Dent's not even trying to share the sacrifice. He's putting all on the backs of the poor and middle class.

Anonymous said...

48% of whom pay NO federal taxes. Their backs must be very tired.

Bernie O'Hare said...

Jonathan,
If you read Dent's latest newsletter objectively, as opposed to reading it with an eye out for talking points to the DCCC, you'll see that he discussed at least three or four plans. The one he favored most is the one proposed by the deficit commission, which calls for cuts AND tax hikes. Now you can be honest about that, Jnathan, or you can try to mislead people with statements you know are not true.

Anonymous said...

How come the little o isn't sharing in the sacrifice? He's pretty generous to himself, vacations, parties, etc. We are paying for it, while those who provide jobs are being squeezed every which way. When will you people wake up and understand the truth about economics 101? This guy is president, not king. Where is his plan?
Dent is doing the right thing and his staff does not deserve to be terrorized by these people, especially since they no idea what they are talking about.

Chris Miller said...

I would like to have answers to those of you who want to higher taxes. First show me you latest TAX form and the extra amount of money you gave to the government last year. Then I want you to tell me why we need to give more money to the government.
Then I would like you to reach into your pocket or wallet and pull out a bill, the denomination doesn't matter, and tell me what is the worth of that bill and what backs it. Your thought for the day.

Anonymous said...

The question is does Congressman Dent support raising the debt ceiling? The other stuff is just distractions from the real and increasingly dangerous unresolved issue.

The Repubs ultimately will raise the debt ceiling by itself because none of these plans will be passed by the 11th hour. So the question remains, why is the Congressman participating in a partisan game of chicken with the world economy?

Bernie O'Hare said...

As I said to Jonathan, perhaps you should learn to read objectively, and read Dent's newsletter objectively. Dent has signaled a willingness to support several proposals, including a revenue-raising measure proposed b the deficit commission.

Lighthouse said...

Depending how this debt-ceiling/budget-tightening plays out, this summer and Fall could be an awakening for a lot of voters as to who represents their interests where it counts most: their wallet. Take away issues like gays, guns, immigration, and abortion, and focus on the pocketbook, and a lot of (old term, but I think still apt to describe many PA voters) "Reagan Democrats" (some who became Republicans over time), may vote more heavily Democratic in 2012 if they show up at the polls. PA is a swing state. With the right candidate, the above scenario works. That was part of the shrewd beauty of picking Casey in 2006: a lot of those social issues got neutralized, and the number 3 Senate Republican got bumped off as the campaign focused on other issues. Or, go back further to 1992 and Clinton’s “it’s the economy stupid.” Perception is reality in politics.

How does it help Dems, if Obama is at the helm with the current unemployment? Because, it is becoming clear that the purge of "Reagan-Dem Republicans" that began a decade ago with the anti-RINOs and Club for Growth cleared out many "moderates" and now that the full force of who the Tea Party policies really represent when stripped of their rhetoric becomes evident (upper 2% and Corporations), I think the Republicans are going to continue their two-steps backward, one-step forward numerical slide (though many at the grass roots level are somewhat "useful idiots" for the Corporations, and will continue to vote against their interests for a time).

Full circle back to Dent. He has long appealed to Valley voters, as he has a nice guy persona and cultivated a “work across the isle” image from his General Assembly days. As an observer of politics, I think IF he had the right opponent (not “CHARLES !”, Sam, or “Johnny Casino”) the current Tea Party-dominated policies of the Congressional GOP could be enough to bring him Santorum’s fate, in an albeit close election. He must breath a sigh of relief not to have such an opponent on the current radar screen. The national GOP-Tea Party really is becoming rigid ideologues. Dent was a member of ALEC (American Legislative Exchange Council), as were many members of the current House GOP. This is heavily funded by corporations, including the Kochs, who also help fund Tea Party groups. The Koch family perspective, as I recently read in a John Birch Society (conservative, pro-Tea Party) publication (I read across the spectrum to avoid inbred, echo-chamber, viewpoints) was spelled out by their father: “Koch warned that American institutions were honeycombed with communist subversives, from labor unions and tax-free foundations to universities and churches. Art and newsprint, radio and television — all these media had been transmuted into vehicles of communist propaganda.” (and that was pre-Fox) And, as I read in the Nation (liberal, anti-Tea Party) publication, “The Kochs have not just multiplied the wealth of their dad; they’ve repackaged and amplified his worldview. David’s latest venture, Americans for Prosperity, subsidizes the Tea Party movement, which repeats this “socialist” smear.”

Of course, we don’t know how our Congressional district will look after the subtle Gerry-mandering we call redistricting, but if the Dems follow a 2006 Casey strategy of neutralizing the social issues, and focus on the pro-Corp Tea Party policies, Dent could actually face a real fight (coupled with any anti-GOP feelings as the Corbett-Gen. Assembly cuts trickle downward for local taxpayers to deal with this year and next) ….. The track record of local Dems, though, means Dent probably doesn’t have to worry too much unless the national backlash is such that Mickey Mouse could be on the ballot against him.

Anonymous said...

Oh, you mean like last time ... Dent running against a DNC-backed Mickey Mouse?

Anonymous said...

Good old Chris, why not tell us the answers Chris. You are the public pension receiving "history" teacher.

Harry O' Bern said...

Damn -- I think Charlie will be out of his office at 330pm, playing golf with James Miller, CEO of PPL. Phil Mitman will probably be there as well as it is golf day.

Anonymous said...

Who's side is Dent on? The middle-class or the business class? Dent was "in Washington" on Friday? This photo tells the truth. Prosit, Charlie!
http://www.mcall.com/news/local/mc-bethlehem-pa-musikfest-opening-nig20110805,0,2406503.story

Bernie O'Hare said...

Are you being deliberately dishonest or are you just plain stupid? Dent was in D.C. on 7/28, when this blog posted. You use a picture taken on 8/4 to present the truth about Dent's whereabouts on 7/28?

Bernie O'Hare said...

Are you being deliberately dishonest or are you just plain stupid? Dent was in D.C. on 7/28, when this blog posted. You use a picture taken on 8/4 to present the truth about Dent's whereabouts on 7/28?