The Inky Gives It Up For Mikey

(I had assigned myself the task of writing an omnibus post of sorts on Mikey, and here it is.)

The Philadelphia Inquirer endorsed Mike Fitzpatrick over Patrick Murphy this morning, and in a way, this didn’t surprise me a bit.

It didn’t surprise me because this paper has shown almost the same lack of inclination to report on Patrick Murphy and his positions on issues besides the Iraq war as the Bucks County Courier Times.

It didn’t surprise me because, though the paper will rail against incumbency and voters who exercise their franchise in a way that maintains the status quo, this is exactly what the paper and Philadelphia Media Holdings LLC wants to see.

Apparently, it is too much work for this newspaper anymore to vigorously examine the voting records of incumbent candidates and the positions on issues of both the incumbents and their challengers. So, as I did the other day concerning the Inquirer’s laughable and truly pitiable endorsement of Joe Pitts, it falls upon your humble narrator once more to do the work that this newspaper is supposed to do (and once did very well in a “pre-9/11” time).

So, without further ado…

Editorial Mike Fitzpatrick for Congress
Pa. Eighth District

This politically divided, GOP-leaning district covers Bucks County, parts of Montgomery County and Northeast Philadelphia.

The Case for Fitzpatrick

U.S. representative
Republican, 43
Levittown

Fitzpatrick's avowed aim to remain a moderate in the Republican caucus is convincing, and he backs it up by earning strong support from land-conservation voters and labor and, of late, by calling for a new Iraq strategy.

Apparently this is news to the Inquirer, but Republicans are running from Dubya left and right on Iraq. “Calling for a new Iraq strategy” is unoriginal. Calling for one instead of providing one yourself is a sad joke.

As a former Bucks County official, he has experience working with communities on regional issues such as flooding, transit and economic development. An interest in health-care reform and Internet safety are pluses.

I’ve exploded those in the past, and I’ll recall those posts soon.

The Opponent
Patrick J. Murphy
Attorney
Democrat, 32
Bristol

The Case for Murphy

The former Army captain and military lawyer is bright, in step with district residents on stem-cell research and abortion, and brings firsthand perspective to the challenges in Iraq.

Character / Ethics

Murphy disappoints with his go-along attitude on detainee rights in the war on terrorism…

Really? Insisting that detainees are guaranteed habeas corpus rights in accordance with the traditions upon which this country was founded “disappoints”? Insisting that we honor Common Article 3 of the Geneva Convention in the hope that other countries will do the same thing “disappoints”? And giving other countries a reason to abrogate Common Article 3 is acceptable?

I must have missed the memo…can someone tell me at what point this country turned into the United States Socialist Republic again?

...but Fitzpatrick took the low road with a Web posting that appears to link his opponent to the Mark Foley page scandal.

He also took the low road by “swift boating” Patrick and his failure to call for the resignation of House Speaker Dennis Hastert, who thought it was more important to protect an incumbent Republican politician than to protect congressional pages from a sexual predator.

Murphy Experience / Credentials

Both are accomplished, but Fitzpatrick's edge comes from his decade as a Bucks County commissioner. He knows the district intimately, while Murphy would have to learn on the job.

If I read this argument supporting Fitzpatrick one more time, I’m going to puke. Under that rationale, the paper should endorse Andy Warren, since Warren, as a one-time Republican, voted the same way as Fitzpatrick 100 percent of the time.

And here’s something else to consider; do you know what county commissioners are first and foremost? They’re bureaucrats. They move a bunch of paper from Point A to Point B all day and then call themselves successful for doing so (and also hold meetings in which the outcomes are prearranged behind closed doors in advance). I’m really not trying to attack them; I’m just describing what they do.

And that is what Fitzpatrick does – he writes letters, he makes the occasional phone call or holds the occasional meeting. Sometimes he actually accomplishes something, such as that open space tax credit he secured for farmers that are land rich but cash poor. OK, I’ll give him that.

But he doesn’t provide constituent service, and he never will (I’ve known precious few Republicans who ever have). He doesn’t follow up on issues. He doesn’t hold anyone’s “feet to the fire” (oh, he’ll say that he’ll write “a strongly worded letter,” but that’s more cotton candy that floats away when a stiff wind passes by).

I’m sure Fitzpatrick has a lot of familiarity with the area on some important issues, but he hasn’t used that knowledge or familiarity to the benefit of his constituents. And THAT is the difference; he has failed, but once Patrick acquires that knowledge also and more, he won’t.

Fitzpatrick Ideas / Issues

Both support a responsible plan to exit Iraq. Each backs conservation for a sprawl-threatened district. But they part ways on the tax-cut debate, with Fitzpatrick stridently backing Bush's cuts.

Oh, OK – so is THAT why you support Mikey? Because he’ll continue to make life comfortable for Bruce Toll, Brian Tierney and the partners of Philadelphia Media Holdings, all members of the investor class?

Even
The Edge: Fitzpatrick
Close Call: Two good choices

God, what an utter joke of an endorsement!

Well, I try to act as a representative of the reality-based community whenever I can, so please allow me to bring back some of these “golden moments” with Mikey to refresh our memories.

- Here’s Mikey failing the mothers of children suffering from autism as these women advocate exploring whether or not vaccines could be responsible for this awful affliction.

- Here’s Mikey sponsoring something called the Railroad Security and Public Awareness Act, which supposedly provides more funding for mass transit security; the problem is that the bill is currently stuck in a House subcommittee.

- Here’s Mikey doing nothing (nothing good, anyway) about rising personal property taxes, health care costs, and student loan costs.

- Here’s Mikey “considering” supporting legislation to allow Medicare Part D recipients to buy drugs in bulk for less money, even though Medicare Part D isn’t listed as an issue on his “Mike On The Issues” health care page.

- Here’s Mikey’s ridiculous criticism of Patrick Murphy for attending a fundraiser in Washington, D.C. hosted by Nancy Pelosi when, to quote the Doylestown Intelligencer, Mikey “never met a PAC contribution he didn’t welcome.”

- Here’s more evidence of Mikey the "independent moderate" supporting Bushco both on the Iraq war and its failed domestic agenda also.

- Here’s Mikey voting to fund something called the Secure Fence Act (as opposed to an “insecure” fence? Does it have self esteem issues?) which provides funding for a fence along the Arizona/New Mexico border nowhere near the 8th congressional district, while Mikey and the Repugs voted down a host of homeland security measures including increasing the number of border patrol agents.

- Here’s Mikey stating his support for adult stem cell research, which holds nowhere near the potential for curing life-threatening illnesses as embryonic stem cells.

(And by the way, to learn more about where Mikey really stands on this, watch this video here.)

- Here’s Mikey trying to get New York City to lower its reservoir capacity to 85 percent, which would yield a likely flooding decrease for Bucks residents along the Delaware River of about one inch.

- Here’s Mikey supporting Social Security privatization and taking campaign funding from Dick Cheney, though he proclaims himself an “independent moderate.”

- Here’s Mikey voting against homeland security measures (I know I mentioned that above also) though he DID vote to fund the infamous Bridge to Nowhere in Alaska.

- Here’s Mikey voting for a conference report allowing drilling in the ANWR, and also voting against investing in cleaner energy (the mailing in question here, by the way, has no mention of the fact that Fitzpatrick is a Republican, though it does contain a quote from JFK as well as the former president’s picture).

- Here’s Mikey stating that he’s abandoned Bush’s policy on Iraq (Dubya has one?) while Fitzpatrick offers no plan of his own instead.

- Here’s Mikey trying to include an estate tax cut in legislation to raise the minimum wage (the legislation was defeated).

- Here’s Mikey’s sudden conversion to exploring alternative energy sources to lower energy costs, though in ’05, he voted against bills to crack down on gasoline price gougers and creating a strategic refinery reserve.

- Here’s Mikey calling for hearings on Bucks County flooding, even though, as a member of the Delaware River Basin Commission, he should have been familiar with the issue already.

- Here’s a mention of Mikey’s “Deleting Online Predators Act,” which is still bad law, and mention also of receiving $20K from Tom DeLay and $800K from PACs overall.

- Here’s Mikey shredding the safety net for our most vulnerable citizens and remaining silent while Bush tried to raise acceptable levels of mercury in our drinking water.

- Mikey wasted no time here in calling Iraq war vet Patrick Murphy “a cut-and-run liberal” right after Patrick defeated Andy Warren in the Democratic primary.

- Mikey favored weakening House ethics rules, and his excuse was that he was trying to help pass a homeland security bill.

- Here’s Mikey supporting the House immigration bill punishing religious aid workers, including Catholics.

- Here is the context in which Mikey provided that wonderful “If Bush had a 50 percent or better approval rating” quote (the “gift that keeps on giving,” if you will).

- Here’s Mikey trying to fudge on the “honesty” pledge he signed for the Bucks County Courier Times almost right after he signed it (with Mikey’s great quote, “The truth is a matter of interpretation”).

- Here’s Mikey traveling to Iraq to check on our troops, including whether or not they have adequate body armor, but not saying whether or not they actually do (and as a bonus, he also channels “Crazy Curt” Weldon’s “Able Danger” nonsense).

- And FINALLY, here’s Mikey refusing to say whether he thinks Don (“The Defense Secretary You Have”) Rumsfeld should stay or go.

And somehow “the newspaper of record” in Philadelphia missed about 90-something percent of this.

To sum up, I have only this to say – to help Patrick Murphy, click here.

Update 1 10/23: I was wrong - Mikey only received $15,000 from Tom DeLay according to this link, which also notes Fitzpatrick's opposition to expanding the TRICARE health insurance program to reservists and national guard troops.