"Is this beginning to feel like root canal?"That's one question I asked congressional candidate Sam Bennett during a lengthy interview at the HamFam in May, and I probably should have asked the same question during Lehigh Valley Congressman Charlie Dent's two hour session today.
Unlike Bennett, Dent allowed me to record the interview, which gave him no wiggle room. There were thirty-nine detailed questions, and some were borderline unfair. Charlie answered every one of them, and then some. As a matter of full disclosure, I started out as a Dent supporter. After the interview, I am more convinced than ever that he is by far the best choice. Anyone who considers Dent an "empty suit" is in for a very rude awakening.
Tomorrow, I will begin posting Charlie's replies. Because of the detail involved, I will do so in several posts for the different topics discussed. I wish to thank Congreessman Dent for the time he took to answer some tough questions. You will see a detail-oriented, intelligent, focused and reflective Congressman who takes his job very seriously.
No matter what our policitcal affiliation, we're all very lucky to have him.
Charlie Dent is an empty suit.
ReplyDeleteBOH goes easy on Charlie Dent because he supports him.
Charlie Dent is in the pocket of big oil.
Charlie Dent votes with George Bush, and therefore is incapable of independent thought.
Charlie Dent is stealing from the citizens of PA.
Charlie Dent is an empty suit (oops, already said that).
Hope this covers all the negative stuff so we can discuss issues and views tomorrow instead of whether Charlie Dent is crooked or an idiot.
The Banker
McCall headlines: Mack moving headquarters, other facilities to North Carolina. Thank you Charley Dent. More jobs leaving the Lehigh Valley and what did he do to try and stop it. Again, thank you Charley Dent.
ReplyDeletePress release from the Gov. of North Carolina on the MC website:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.mcall.com/media/acrobat/2008-08/41614252.pdf
According to that release, the state put up big $$ (up to $11.3 million) to get Mack to relocate down there.
There are some jobs coming to the Mack's Macungie plant, but I have not seen that # so no idea yet on the net jobs impact.
Losing Mack is also Charlie Dent's fault (as Anon 228pm pointed out), please add it to my list in the earlier post.
The Banker
Is your wife concerned about this Dent lovefest of yours. I think she should be, bernie..I mean I like the guy too. He is one heck of a nice guy. He just doesn't vote for the working man. His anti- labor voting record is up around 80%. And of course he votes with the Bushys a majority of the time..
ReplyDeleteI don't equate being "pro-labor" with being "pro-working man."
ReplyDeleteFor example, how can big labor stand against increased oil production, which would mean good-paying union jobs here in the United States? Whose agenda are they serving?
Anon 3:26, what specific labor positions has Charlie Dent voted against? I'm not aware that he is so anti labor, need an education.
ReplyDeleteThe Banker
To Anon 2:28 regarding Mack trucks:
ReplyDeleteWhy not say thank you Ed Rendell and Ed Pawlowski for perpetuating a business tax situation in our state (and city) where we are vulnerable to losing businesses to lower-tax areas.
Of course, if you make a contribution to the right candidates you might get a cardboard check to make things a little more even.
The current situation of handing out cardboard checks to favored businesses should be replaced by across-the-board tax cuts to keep all Pennsylvania (and Allentown)businesses competitive.
a factoid passed along to me by charlie dent when i ran into him socially recently:
ReplyDeletefor every $1.00 of profits, the major oil companies generate about $3.50 in various taxes.
just thought it was about time someone actually said a kind word about "big oil".
good job, bernie. i look forward to reading the full acount of your interview.
Dent voted against the Employee Free Choice act..check off to organize..Anti-labor..and he's proud of the fact!
ReplyDeleteDave, he should be proud of that vote. "The Employee Free Choice Act" would have eliminated secret ballots and given unions the ability to strong-arm people into signing.
ReplyDeleteThis legislation was decidedly pro-union, but not at all pro-worker. As far as I'm concerned, Dent stood up for the worker against union coercion.
The Banker
That's your spin..mine says he's anti-union and worker..voting record proves it!
ReplyDeleteBanker, Dave, Consigliere,
ReplyDeleteThanx for the comments. I am really looking forward to writing this up and will do it in installments.
The biggest misperception about Dent, at least in my view, is that he is an "empty suit." I think people get this impression bc they only read one or two lines about an important and complex issue.
Giving that interview, word for word, is going to impres a lot of people.
Who's Dent?
ReplyDeleteWe'll all being saying this in a few months.
Why would we all be saying "Who's Dent" in a few months?
ReplyDeleteAssuming that the purpose of your snark is to indicate that you belive Charlie Dent will lose; what scenario do you envision that would cause people months after his defeat who are apparently unfamiliar with Dent to suddently blurt out "Who's Dent?"
Are you saying that he will still be well known enough perhaps to be brought up in random conversations that will lead to the interrogative from another party taking part in the conversation regarding his identity?
You know what goes good with Big Oil? Big Salad!
ReplyDeleteDave, my "spin" as you call it was to cite specifics in the legislation that were not acceptable. What in the legislation makes it acceptable to you?
ReplyDeleteAlso, cite specifics in his voting record. When I reviewed it (available online) it sure didn't look anti-worker to me.
The Banker
Bernie, looking forward to your postings - this is going to be educational and fun!
ReplyDeleteThe Banker
great I see I found the gathering of the goup "Blog Whores for Dent"
ReplyDeleteMack trucks leaving has to be the fault of Pawlowski and Rendell. They are responsible for a national energy policy that makes Diesel $5 bucks a gallon. Not Charlie, who supported the Bush Energy plan.
The Rogue Blogger
I get my voting info from AFSCME..All the reps and sen's are rated on issues that effect working people..blue collar workers! His rating is pathetic! He's a Reagan wanna be at best and tell me what landmark legislation he has brought to the house floor? He's Boehners lap dog!
ReplyDeleteDave, to be sure, organized labor is no fan of Charlie Dent, but he is nobody's lap dog. I will be telling you about legislation he introduced concerning the right way to w/draw from Iraq, which seems to be the way we will be doing it.
ReplyDeleteHe did vote against the Employee Free Choice Act. Although I agree with you on that point, I don't make up my mind about a candidate based on one issue.
His continued support of GWB inflames my senses! And yet..the Dem's give me NO CHOICE but to vote for him again! It makes me ill just thinking about pressing the button with his name on it. I know he's a decant person and he cares about a lot of the issues we all care about but he's no Jack Kennedy and he doesn't represent me or working stiffs in the valley! He smells of money to me..prove me wrong Chuck!
ReplyDeleteDave, of course AFSCME - the legislation was pro union bosses. If you took the time to read it though, you would have seen it was anti worker.
ReplyDeleteTo me, making a person's decision to form a union public puts that worker in the positon of being coreced and makes the whole process a joke. Let workers decide for themselves, without having to worry about what might happen to them if they vote no and the union forms anway.
This legislation had a very catchy name, but it had absolutely nothing to do with free choice. It had to do with union bosses leaning on the workers to prop themselves up.
You accuse Dent of being a lapdog for Boehner - don't put yourself in the position of being one for the union bosses. Read the legislation and form your own opinion, don't just do what the union tells you to do.
The Banker
Dave,
ReplyDeleteThis "continued support of GWB" argument is a common belief. It happens to be wrong.
According to the CQ Weekly published on 7/28, Congressman Dent is rated #11 among Rs who are least likely to support the president and party. This is on the basis of 2,646 roll call votes. Dent voted in support of the party 79% of the time. But he only voted to support Bush 60% of the time. Another Pa. Congressman like Dent is Gerlach.
http://www.usatoday.com/money/economy/2008-08-12-poor-workers_N.htm
ReplyDeleteHere is where the rubber hits the road. Charley Dent and Don Cunningham are responsible for this. How do they help workers in the Lehigh Valley when the poor are getting poorer and the labor union people are losing their jobs. Way to go Charley and Don.
Anon 11:12, I think a big part of this problem is the influx of poor people from NY and Philly into downtown Allentown. I work with a non-profit in Allentown and we see evidence of this literally every day - people without jobs or support relocating here. It's a huge problem. See Molinsky's blog for more on this.
ReplyDeleteThe Banker
I"m sorry - Molovinsky's blog.
ReplyDelete"They are responsible for a national energy policy that makes Diesel $5 bucks a gallon. Not Charlie, who supported the Bush Energy plan."
ReplyDeleteThe Rogue Blogger
That's the Bush Energy Plan that Obama voted for RB.