Specter’s Disregard for Debates Represents a Generation of Non-Transparent Politics that Has Failed Pennsylvania

By SESTAK FOR SENATE

MEDIA, PA – Joe Sestak has proposed to Arlen Specter a series of debates in each of Pennsylvania’s six media markets to give Pennsylvania voters a chance to assess the candidates at a time when people everywhere are calling for more transparency and accountability in government.

Specter’s campaign has said that as a Republican, the Senator has “traditionally” participated in only one debate. This is not a traditional campaign in traditional times, because so many people have lost faith in our elected officials, public institutions, and democratic process. One debate, viewable by so few Pennsylvania’s television markets, would be a disservice — and a disregard — to Pennsylvania voters and their demand for transparency in public servants.

“Senator Specter, you must understand that times have changed,” said Joe Sestak. “What most ails our country — even more than the recession, a broken health care system, and wars abroad — is a loss of trust in our public servants and institutions. We cannot fix the problems of our country without restoring the confidence that our leaders are in it for the good of the people, not their own careers. Your generation of politics has failed Pennsylvania, and your way of doing business has come and gone. You said you would take on all comers: Here I am. In declining to participate in a reasonable series of discussions — not on one small cable system, as in the past — you would not be refusing a debate challenge, you would be refusing an urgent demand of the people: that public servants fulfill their basic duties of being open, honest, and accountable.”

Joe has demonstrated his commitment to accountability by taking a clear, consistent stand on the issues and has even called out the Democratic Caucus for not living up to our principles of transparency. While Specter remained silent, Joe spoke out against the lack of transparency in crafting health care legislation as a “real disappointment” and called the dealmaking to secure the vote of Sen. Ben Nelson a “disgrace.”

“This is a critical time for our country,” Joe said. “Representatives have lost the trust of the people. We must all — incumbents, challengers, members of both parties, and at all levels of government — work to restore faith in our democratic process and our government. The only way we can do that is by remembering that we are public servants, and that our actions must be transparent and accountable to those we serve. That’s the principle I learned in the Navy, and the principle I’ve brought to Congress. I have taken every opportunity to let the people of Pennsylvania know where I stand. Arlen Specter owes the people he serves the same respect.”

Throughout this campaign, there have been serious discrepancies in Arlen Specter’s statements and positions:

After Arlen Specter switched parties, he declared his firm opposition to the Employee Free Choice Act, the health care public option, and Department of Justice nominee Dawn Johnsen; since Joe entered the race Specter has reversed each of those positions, as well as his support for the Defense of Marriage Act.
After declaring that he would “not be an automatic 60th vote,” Specter told Senate Democrats, “I came to this caucus to be your 60th vote.”
Arlen Specter has said he still stands behind every vote he cast in his nearly 30 years as a Republican Senator, and will not be changing the way he votes in the future.
Arlen Specter should be willing — and able — to explain to voters exactly where he stands.

“Arlen Specter said he didn’t want his record judged by Pennsylvania Republicans,” said Joe. “But perhaps the truth is that Arlen Specter doesn’t want his record of failed policies judged by anyone, so he tried to cut a deal and clear the field. That old generation of back-room politics has failed Pennsylvania. That’s why I am standing up for the principled, hardworking people of this state who are demanding accountability for what’s happened. We’re standing up and we won’t back down — there’s too much at stake for Pennsylvania.”

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January 12, 2010 at 6:22 pm

--pa2010.com Staff