Meet PA's GOP Freshman Class

http://thinkprogress.org/2010/11/03/gop-frosh-class/

REPORT: Meet The 2010 GOP Freshman Class »

Following last night’s election, over 100 freshmen Republicans will take their seats in the 112th Congress. These GOPers come from disparate backgrounds, but they are united by their adherence to the extreme wing of conservative ideology.

A new ThinkProgress investigation has found that the incoming GOP freshman class is rife with legislators who not only oppose climate change legislation, but deny that manmade global warming even exists. They are pushing not just to end birthright citizenship, but also demand that the United States reduce the number of legal immigrants.

Here is a snapshot of the GOP Class of 2010’s extremism:

ENVIRONMENT

- 50% deny the existence of manmade climate change
- 86% are opposed to any climate change legislation that increases government revenue

IMMIGRATION

- 39% have already declared their intention to end the 14th Amendment’s guarantee of birthright citizenship
- 32% want to reduce legal immigration

TAXES/SPENDING

- 91% have sworn to never allow an income tax increase on any individual or business – regardless of deficits or war
- 79% have pledged to permanently repeal the estate tax
- 48% are pushing for a balanced budget amendment

This is where individual incoming GOP freshmen stand on each issue(We're listing PA only. For the entire report use the link above):

Key

GW: Global warming denier		CC: No climate change legislation
BC: End birthright citizenship		RI: Reduce legal immigration
TP: No tax increase pledge		ET: Repeal estate tax
BB: Balanced budget amendment

Pat Toomey (PA-SEN) GW TPET

Mike Kelly (PA-03) CC TP ET

Pat Meehan (PA-07) CC TP ET

Mike Fitzpatrick (PA-08) CC TP ET

Tom Marino (PA-10) CC BC RI TPET BB

Lou Barletta (PA-11) CC BC RI TPET

PA Congress 2010 Predictions- Dems pick up one seat

The Congressional Quarterly (CQ) Congressional Seat Ratings have been posted online.
http://www.cqpolitics.com/wmspage.cfm?docID=ratings-house

Overall, the ratings predict a three seat gain for the Dems. In PA, they see the 6th CD as a possible pickup for the Dems with Gerlach deciding not to defend his seat. Here are the ratings for all PA seats:

LEANS DEMOCRATIC
Pa. 6 – Gerlach, R*

DEMOCRATIC FAVORED
Pa. 3 – Dahlkemper, D
Pa. 4 – Altmire, D
Pa. 7 – Sestak, D*
Pa. 10 – Carney, D
Pa. 11 – Kanjorski, D
Pa. 12 – Murtha, D

REPUBLICAN FAVORED
Pa. 15 – Dent, R

SAFE DEMOCRATIC
Pa. 1 – Brady, D
Pa. 2 – Fattah, D
Pa. 8 – Murphy, D
Pa. 13 – Schwartz, D
Pa. 14 – Doyle, D
Pa. 17 – Holden, D

SAFE REPUBLICAN
Pa. 5 – Thompson, R
Pa. 9 – Shuster, R
Pa. 16 – Pitts, R
Pa. 18 – Murphy, R
Pa. 19 – Platts, R
*= Incumbent not running

REPORT REVEALS REP. JIM GERLACH AND REP TIM MURPHY PARTICIPATED IN WHITE HOUSE POLITICAL SCANDAL

REPORT REVEALS REP. JIM GERLACH AND REP TIM MURPHY PARTICIPATED IN WHITE HOUSE POLITICAL SCANDAL
Both used taxpayer funds for re-election campaign.

Reading, PA – A report released by the House Committee on Government and Oversight Reform shows that Rep. Jim Gerlach and Rep. Tim Murphy directly benefited from the improper and unethical use of taxpayer money to support his 2006 re-election bid.

The House Committee on Oversight has documented that senior Bush political aides used federal funds to support the re-election campaign of Gerlach and Murphy by sending federal officials to their Congressional Districts for campaign events disguised as official business. White House communication records show that the trips were specifically intended to help Gerlach and Murphy win re-election – the very definition of political activity.

The report shows that Rep. Gerlach accepted taxpayer-financed help for his 2006 campaign on four separate occasions. The four events were:

1) 3/10/06 – Visit by Commerce Secretary Gutierrez (Exton, PA)
2) 5/15/06 – Visit by Commerce Secretary Gutierrez (Malvern, PA)
3) 9/18/06 – Visit by EPA Administrator Johnson (Pottstown, PA)
4) 10/2/06 – Visit by HUD Secretary Jackson (Reading, PA)

The report shows that Rep. Murphy accepted taxpayer-financed support for his re-election campaign on six separate occasions. The six events were:
1) 1/6/06 – Visit Energy Secretary Bodman, with Melissa Hart (Pittsburgh, PA)
2) 3/17/06 – Visit HHS Secretary Leavitt (Pittsburgh, PA)
3) 5/12/06 – Visit EPA Regional Administrator (Cannonsburg,, PA)
4) 8/25/06 – Visit HHS Secretary Leavitt (Philadelphia, PA)
5) 9/14/06 – Visit Education Secretary Spellings (Pittsburgh, PA)
6) 9/26/06 – Event HHS Secretary Leavitt (Washington, DC)

“Congressmen Gerlach and Murphy have some explaining to do to the people of Pennsylvania,” said Jeff Garis, Executive Director of Penn Action. “Using tax dollars for campaign purposes is clearly unethical. We’re calling on Representative Gerlach and Representative Murphy to reimburse Pennsylvanians the public funds that the Bush White House spent on his campaign.”

Full documentation can be found at http://oversight.house.gov/story.asp?ID=2222
www.keystoneprogress.org
www.pennaction.org