ACORN

This past July – as Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac spread a financial tsunami of risky loans throughout our banking system –my opponent Patrick Murphy supported his party leadership's plan to mandate a permanent tax on these entities to create a slush fund for radical liberal groups like ACORN.
Rather than seeing the enormous risk posed by Fannie and Freddie for what it was, Murphy supported an out-of-touch tax on them to fund a permanent entitlement for radical liberal activist groups.
The press continues to report on state investigations linking ACORN and other shadowy 'community organizations' that would have benefited from Murphy's poor judgment in supporting this bill to shady partisan political activities, such as attempts to register duplicate and fraudulent voter applications.
Underhanded activities perpetrated by groups like ACORN and underwritten by Murphy undermine voters' confidence in elections. At a time when voters in Pennsylvania's 8th District are already cynical about the political games being played in Washington, it is decisions like this that further decrease their confidence in our Congress' ability to address the real challenges facing American families.
Although Murphy doesn't seem to realize it, the time for playing partisan games and passing laws to line the pockets of political allies is over. I look forward to helping change the focus in Washington to solving the real problems facing Pennsylvania, like bringing down energy costs for families and businesses and creating new jobs in the Delaware Valley.

More earmarks!

“…Congressman Fitzpatrick has shown he cares more about his campaign war chest than the integrity of his office," Patrick Murphy accused Mike Fitzpatrick during the 2006 campaign, promising to deliver change to district 8. "We need real ethics reform in Washington, to guarantee that the people's interests, and not special interests, always come first."

But it is the integrity of Congressman Murphy that is under scrutiny now. Murphy received $28,000 from the PAC and individual donors of EDO Corporation. EDO is the recipient of a $1.6 million dollar earmark obtained by Murphy. Which interest did Murphy place first?

Let's not forget New York Congressman Charlie Rangel. It's interesting that Murphy continues to support Rangel even as he undergoes an ethics review. Murphy has received $14,000 in campaign contributions from Rangel, and he voted to support a $2 million dollar earmark for Rangel's private library and office.

It seems to me that Murphy has forgotten his campaign promises very quickly. Where’s the ‘real ethics reform’ he promised? Between the earmarks and the donations it is hard to find. Murphy’s integrity has been squashed by his campaign war chest.

"Bailout is Just Too Much"

I would have voted no on the bailout, but I do see the value in both sides of this historic vote. I don't want taxpayers to bear the burden of government mistakes within our banking and finance systems. On the other hand, I am opposed to using these huge sums of taxpayer dollars to support a free market economy. I think we need to take more time to react and balance both of these concerns at this point. I will continue to monitor developments but won't support any legislation that is not in the best interest of the taxpayers.

My opponent Congressman Patrick Murphy voted in favor of the bailout bill rejected by the House, stating that “Politicans voting against this bill today caused the biggest point drop the Dow has ever recorded.” According to the Wall Street Journal and CNN Money, however, there were many factors that brought the stock market to this point.

Congressman Murphy’s vote would have saddled taxpayers with a $700 billion dollar bailout of mistakes made by our government. Perhaps this is no surprise, since Murphy has a history of spending taxpayer dollars. The citizens watchdog group CCAGW rates Murphy's fiscal policies as 15 out of 100.

Just last week, in the midst of this fiscal crisis, Murphy voted yes on a $60 billion dollar spending bill that contained nearly $7 billion dollars worth of earmarks.

Today's price tag for taxpayers?
Murphy: $760,000,000,000
Manion: $0

I'm calling for legislators to return to the drawing board and look at other options like infusing private capital, reforming Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and changing the mark to market accounting.

Pinwheels for Energy

“Sometimes the solution is right in front of you,” says Congressman Murphy in his newest campaign ad, referring to the energy crisis. Amidst sunny images of parks, solar energy panels and wind turbines, Murphy and a young friend play with a colorful pinwheel.

I agree, Congressman Murphy. One of the solutions to the energy crisis is right in front of us, and you have repeatedly voted against it. Increasing our domestic oil supply will bridge the transition from fossil fuels to alternative energy sources, and a pinwheel isn’t going to get us to work or heat our homes.

Not only does Congressman Murphy’s new ad neglect to mention that he has repeatedly voted against one of the best solutions to the energy crisis, but both of his campaign ads feature the Gamesa Corporation, located in Fairless Hills, PA. A manufacturer of wind turbines, the corporation has brought jobs to our area…unfortunately, they have also brought environmental emissions infractions and allegations of unfair labor practices.

In August, Gamesa was fined $639,161 for exceeding emissions levels and inadequate record keeping by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection. Just this week, three former Gamesa employees filed a lawsuit against the company for wrongful termination. The former employees allege that younger workers, brought in from out of the country, replaced them.

“I’m all for alternative energy and I think harnessing the wind is one of the keys to moving America off its dependence on foreign oil,” Manion said. “However, the hope for the future is that these other sources of power will be better for our environment. Touting a company that’s harming our environment in the process and is under suspicion for unfair labor practices isn’t something I’d be proud of.”

Green isn’t always clean, Congressman Murphy.

The No New Energy Bill

“Pelosi’s No, No, No, Energy Bill”
Murphy votes with Pelosi on energy, abandoning the more comprehensive bill he co-sponsored on July 31st

This is the no new energy bill. I'm refering to the offshore energy bill that was passed Tuesday evening. The American people deserve better from their leaders than rushed legislation that fails to include input from both parties. Our own Congressman co-sponsored a comprehensive energy bill just before his vacation, but abandoned it last night in favor of this hoax of a bill.

This new bill appears to open up limited areas to offshore drilling, but it does so without allowing states to share in the revenue. This provision significantly reduces the chance that states will exercise the option to drill.

“… This bill most certainly won't see the light of day in the Senate,” said Senator Mary Landrieu of Louisiana, a state familiar with oil revenue sharing. The more comprehensive Peterson-Abercrombie energy bill, named for the two Congressmen who drafted it, allows for revenue sharing and several other energy options. Congressman Murphy co-sponsored this bill on July 31st. A look at the two bills is below.

I don't know why Murphy would abandon the better solution that he co-sponsored just a few weeks ago or how he can say this is ‘the energy package he has been calling for all along.' I’m sure the voters of district 8 will see this vote for what it is – a pathetic attempt to cover up that this Congress hasn’t been able to find energy solutions and get the job done.

The Peterson-Abercrombie bill repeals the offshore ban and allows drilling beyond 25 miles, with states having complete authority from 25 to 50 miles off their coastline.
The Pelosi bill permanently bans drilling within 50 miles, where nearly 90% of known oil reserves exist.

The Peterson-Abercrombie bill strikes the ban on gas and oil production in the Eastern Gulf of Mexico.
The Pelosi bill maintains the ban on drilling in the oil-rich Eastern Gulf.

The Peterson-Abercrombie bill includes revenue sharing for the producing states and for investments into renewable sources of energy and the low-income home energy assistance program (LIHEAP)
The Pelosi bill denies revenue sharing to the states.

The Peterson-Abercrombie bill permits the development of oil shale in the Western states.
The Pelosi bill permanently prohibits oil shale leasing unless a state enacts a law to authorize it.

The Peterson-Abercrombie bill repeals the ban on federal agencies purchasing alternative or synthetic fuels such as oil shale, tar sands, and clean coal-to-liquid technology.
The Pelosi bill maintains this federal prohibition.

The Peterson-Abercrombie bill includes tax extensions and tax deductions for the production of renewable energy and energy conservation.
The Pelosi bill combines renewable energy tax incentives with tax increases on the domestic production of gasoline, home heating oil, and natural gas.

In addition; Under Pelosi’s bill, anti-production states like New Jersey would have to pass specific legislation approving of new exploration before pro-production states like Virginia could petition the federal government for the right to ask for it. All exploratory activities in federal waters along the Atlantic outer continental shelf would be cancelled in one fell swoop if states like New Jersey (adjacent to VA), South Carolina (adjacent to NC and GA), or Florida (adjacent to GA and AL) decide to black-ball it – irrespective of whether the rest of the eastern seaboard might be in favor.

A quick overview of Tom

Here is a quick overview of my beliefs:

I will be a citizen legislator.
I have 30 years of experience in the Marines, retiring as a Colonel, and I also have 18 years of experience in the corporate world.
I am not in this to become a career politician, with two careers already under my belt.
I was inspired by the sacrifice of my son Travis in Iraq to run for Congress.

I believe solving the energy crisis needs to be our top priority right now.
I want all options to the energy crisis to be on the table.
I have a three-fold plan to deal with the energy crisis:
Develop alternative energy sources.
Conserve the energy we have.
Expand domestic oil exploration and drill domestically.

I want an America where taxes are low.
I support making the 2001 and 2003 tax cuts permanent.
I support eliminating the death tax and the marriage penalty.

I believe that spending is out of control in Washington.
I support a moratorium on earmarks in order to prioritize our spending.
I will carefully review government programs to see where spending can be cut.

I support a health care system that gives patients more control, not less.
I believe health care should be portable for patients between jobs.
I support health care spending accounts and tax credits for health insurance.

I am opposed to a setting a timetable for withdrawal of troops in Iraq.
I believe we should follow the lead of our military officials on the ground in Iraq, who know best when the region is secure.

I support the physical and virtual border fence to protect our border.
I see the need for an employment verification system to ensure the citizenship of workers.
I support increasing the H1-B visa cap, within the specifications of the law.

I value the environment, and will encourage environmentally friendly business initiatives.

I will work “across the aisle” to find solutions to our problems that better us all.

Alarm Bells - the importance of education today

There is so much talk in this election process, and much of the talk surrounds our future. Our energy future, our economic future, the future of healthcare and Social Security. With all this talk, one might think that at some point the discussion would come around to focus on the actual future; our children, and the education of these children. Is anyone else alarmed at how little focus there is on education during this election?

It may seem to be a stale phrase to say that our children are our future. It will not be today's work force, however, that will work in the green buildings, with the alternative energy sources, in the increasingly global economy. It will be tomorrow's work force.

Nationally, 30% of our students are not even graduating high school. What are we doing to ensure that today's students are ready for tomorrow's work force? The mandated standardized testing required by President Bush’s No Child Left Behind Act, while a start, is not the answer. From my discussions with local educators, I've come to understand that a standardized test is not even the best measure of academic progress. From my experience in the business world, I know that American workers are prized the world over for their creativity and ingenuity. Continued success in the global economy depends on our educational system’s continued ability to produce the world’s most valued workers. Specifically, our schools should produce workers who are adept at twenty-first century skills.

In the twenty-first century, we find ourselves with vast amounts of information at our fingertips. Rather than simply regurgitating information, today's students need to become masters at analyzing and understanding information. In addition to that, business leaders want employees who can collaborate, work with technology, problem-solve and communicate. How can we improve our educational system to supply our workforce with employees that have these twenty-first century skills?

Many American businesses struggle with the dilemma of outsourcing jobs to other countries to reduce costs. Even with tax credits to keep jobs in the U.S., some jobs may leave the U.S. to follow the cheapest labor path. What can we do to retain the best jobs? We can reform our educational system to ensure it is producing the type of employees the workforce needs. With the right skills, employees can adapt to changes in the workplace, rather than falling prey to a changing economy. Our goal should be no employee left behind.

It has been many years since I took a standardized multiple-choice test, or asked it of one of my employees. Yet, every day in my workplace we collaborate, work with technology, problem-solve and communicate. Some schools here in Bucks County are already providing the relevant instruction that results in these twenty-first century skills. Student progress is already being measured with authentic, real world assessments. Schools should be accountable for their results, and we should build on the examples of our best schools. Instead of penalizing the struggling schools, let’s assist the schools to invest in staff development and training with proven, successful models. Most importantly, educators on the front line in classrooms should be an integral part of the educational reform process.

The new school year has begun, and I think it is time to ring the bell. The alarm bell. Why isn't anyone talking about supporting or changing our educational system? Was it not a shortsighted energy policy that led us to the current energy crisis? Let's not allow the same narrow vision to restrain the thinking and reform in our educational system. Such a vision will stifle the potential of our children, who are simply the most precious natural resource, and the foundation of tomorrow's energy.


Tom Manion
Candidate for the US House of Representatives, PA District 8