Dent Calls On Congress to Work Together

LV Congressman Charlie Dent: "Today as we celebrate the life and vision of Dr. Martin Luther King, Barack Obama was sworn in for his second term as the President of our United States. Dr. King's Dream continues to be a great statement on the possibilities that are available to all our citizens.

"I wish President Obama and his family success and happiness as he begins his second term. I believe the entire country has a dream that its politicians will work together to solve the big problems facing us. The American people do not fear solutions; they fear their elected leaders do not have the capacity to find the answers. We must do better."

Dent: An Argument For Bi-Partisanship

LV Congressman Charlie Dent (as quoted in The Morning Call): "When your house is on fire, you have to stop arguing about the escape routes," he said. "At some point you have to choose one and move forward."

Bipartisanship

A nice thing to see.

Dent & Democrat Bruce Braley Are an Item?

Traditionally, members of Congress sit with other members of their own political party in a divided chamber. But in 2011, that changed as the need for bipartisanship has become more clear. Tonight, during President Obama's State of the Union address, LV Congressman Charlie Dent with Iowa Democrat Bruce Braley.

“On a night the President outlines his vision for 2012, it is important elected officials illustrate to the American people our determination to tackle the major issues facing our nation in a bipartisan manner,” said Dent in a news release. “Sitting with my colleague and friend Bruce Braley is a simple gesture to show our shared commitment to working together. This show of unity is particularly poignant this evening, as we celebrate the service of U.S. Rep Gabby Giffords (AZ-8), who will soon resign from Congress to focus on her rehabilitation.”

“It won’t fix everything that’s broken in Washington, but sitting together in a bipartisan way is a good reminder that at the end of the day, we’re all Americans – not just Republicans or Democrats,” said Rep. Braley. “Charlie and I don’t agree on everything, but we’re friends and we do agree that when it comes to facing our nation’s challenges, we face them as a united people, not as members of political parties.”

No word on whether they will hold hands. But they are members of the same fraternity, so they probably know some secret handshake or something.

Gates: A Bipartisan Says Goodbye

When Robert Gates stepped down as Defense Secretary yesterday, President Obama awarded him the Medal of Freedom, the highest honor he can bestow on a civilian. He called Gates, who served four different Presidents in different parties, an example of  "citizenship over partisanship."

LV Congressman Charlie Dent commended Gates as well. “I have a great deal of respect and admiration for Secretary Gates. I will certainly miss his counsel, wisdom and sage advice. Secretary Gates will be remembered as a powerful and effective leader, having guided the American military establishment through extremely difficult times, including wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, with dignity and grace. His ability to serve under Presidents from both political parties speaks volumes to his honest and dependable style of leadership. I thank Secretary Gates for his years of service to our nation and wish him an enjoyable retirement."


Gates' biggest worry is a decline in bipartisanship, as the right and left continue to go their separate ways on everything, including our own national security.

Leon Panetta, who is succeeding Gates, has a pretty good record of bipartisanship as well.

Dent, Maloney Take Bipartisan Aim at Melanoma

The Lehigh Valley's Charlie Dent, a Republican in the House, and Manhattan's Carolyn Maloney, his Democratic counterpart, are taking aim at Melanoma, the most deadly form of skin cancer, by proposing new legislation to tighten federal standards on tanning beds. Before you dismiss this as silly stuff, you should know that people who use them increase their risk of getting this fatal disease by 74 per cent.

“Although Melanoma is often preventable, American families continue to lose loved ones to this destructive form of skin cancer,” said Rep. Dent in a news release. “While many Americans are aware of the dangers associated with Melanoma and take precautionary steps to prevent developing the disease, we must continue to educate the public about risks associated with too much exposure to UV light, especially from tanning beds. Our legislation ensures tanning bed standards are updated to minimize risk, and labels are positioned and worded to send a clear and prominent message about the real dangers associated with tanning.”

“Americans are aware of the dangers of smoking before they light up. It’s important they also know the risk of developing melanoma before they lie down,” Rep. Dent continued.

“Tanning beds are where cigarettes were in the 1950s: everyone knows they’re cancer-causing, and yet they are poorly regulated,” said Rep. Maloney. “Every year, almost 70,000 new cases of skin cancer are diagnosed, and 8,700 Americans die of the disease. Since the World Health Organization has reclassified tanning devices as ‘carcinogenic to humans,’ it’s time for the FDA to reexamine its classification of the devices—and that’s what this bill requires—because doing so will help save lives.”

The World Health Organization classifies UV-emitting tanning devices right up there with tobacco, asbestos and uranium as a definite cause of cancer.

Is Ryan's Budget Proposal a Solution or Starting Point?

Is Rep. Paul Ryan's budget proposal, which eliminates Medicare as an entitlement while simultaneously ending the top individual tax rate from 35% to 25%, a good or a bad thing? Incoming DNC chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz has already called the Wisconsin Republican's proposal a “death trap for seniors.” Fiscal Commission and Moment of Truth project co-chairs Erskine Bowles and former Sen. Alan Simpson offer qualified praise, but claim it falls short in cutting defense spending. Most important of all, they warn that it will never achieve the broad bipartisan support necessary to be successful.

That was the problem with the Health Care Overhaul. Instead of moving by consensus, sweeping legislation was just jammed down the throats of an unwilling public, who reacted at the polls.

That pendulum swings both ways.

At first blush, Ryan's proposal strikes me as an insulting attempt to balance the budget on the backs of those who can least afford it, mostly the working poor. But his changes to Medicare might be worth considering.

As explained by Slate's Jacob Weisberg, "Ryan's vouchers should provide excellent coverage. His change would amount to a minor amendment to the social contract, not a fundamental revision of it."

I'm all for a new austerity, but the pain needs to be shared. Instead of just the working poor, the "job creators" (who have not been creating much of anything) need to start tightening their belts, too.

While stopping short of an outright endorsement, LV Congressman Charlie Dent released a statement that appears to view Ryan's proposal as a first step.

“Chairman Ryan has produced a serious and sobering document that recognizes our unsustainable budget trajectory and offers remedies that will control excessive government spending, reduce the national debt and support economic growth. Chairman Ryan’s proposal stands in stark contrast to the lack of leadership displayed by the Obama Administration in the release of its Fiscal Year 2012 budget request, which fails to address excessive federal spending.

“I look forward to the crucial conversations this budget proposal will stimulate in the 15th District and across the United States. Our country is facing a spending driven debt crisis and Chairman Ryan’s proposal to reduce non-security discretionary spending to below 2008 levels, while freezing spending for five years, is an important step toward stabilizing our nation’s fiscal situation.

“Chairman Ryan has also outlined proposals aimed at ensuring the long-term sustainability of our national safety net programs for our children and grandchildren, as well as protecting the health and retirement security of those near retirement and retirees currently receiving benefits. These proposals are transformational and deserve thoughtful review."

Chairman Ryan’s FY12 budget proposal brings government spending under 20% of GDP by 2015; reduces the national debt by $4.7 trillion over the next decade; and simplifies the tax code and provides tax relief to encourage sustainable economic growth.

Charlie Dent's Message to Obama: We Can Work Together

Lehigh Valley Congressman Charlie Dent actually made a statement in advance of the President's powerful State of the Union address this evening. Every now and then, Obama sounds like the person who earned my vote. It was also nice to see Dems and Republicans sitting side-by-side.

U.S. Rep. Charlie Dent (PA-15) today issued the following statement in advance of President Barack Obama’s 2011 State of the Union address:

“During tonight’s State of the Union address, President Obama will outline his approach to addressing the complex issues facing our nation in 2011 and beyond, including ways to grow the economy and control government spending. Much of the President’s rhetoric will garner bipartisan applause, but it’s important to remember actions often speak louder than words.

“This evening, I hope the President will chart a course for jumpstarting our economy by providing regulatory relief to job creators, improving the competiveness of domestic industry and preparing young Americans for careers in science and technology. I am also eager to hear the President renew his dedication to restoring fiscal responsibility in Washington. The American public rightfully expects the President and Congress to work together in 2011 to reverse excessive government spending and tackle the growing national debt.

“If the President is committed to these principles, I am confident several of his proposals to encourage growth and promote austerity will receive strong bipartisan support. Although undoubtedly there will be places of disagreement over policy, I believe there are several key areas in which common ground can be established and positive results achieved. These areas include:

- Restoring fiscal discipline in Washington to reduce the burgeoning federal deficit;
- Modernizing and simplifying the nation’s complex tax code to encourage investment;
- Determining the economic impact of proposed and existing regulations, and addressing policies found to hinder job creation;
- Improving access to rapidly developing markets for American manufacturers and farmers through the completion of long-pending bilateral trade agreements with our allies Colombia, Panama and South Korea;
- Nurturing a competitive domestic workforce by focusing on Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Education.

“In 2011, I look forward to working with the President, as well as my colleagues in both parties and both chambers, to implement policies that will help achieve the American people’s goal of rejuvenating our economy and eliminating excessive spending.”

Right before the speech, Dent voted for a resolution that would set a limit on non-security discretionary spending at FY2008 funding levels. Those are deeper cuts than the President would like to make.

Corbett and Cunningham, Sittin' in a Tree ....

Purists from both parties will hate this. Governor Tom Corbett, a Republican, has selected Lehigh County Exec Don Cunningham, a Democrat, as part of his transition team. Cunningham is the Democrat many Lehigh County Republicans love to hate, but Corbett's selection is a positive sign of a post partisan attitude.

LC Commissioners' Chairman Dean Browning has previously stated stated that "[a] bipartisan approach is needed to solve problems."