Recent news accounts have food stamps being used for items such as liquor, Viagra and porn.

This is what happens when the government is in charge of something.

Congressional candidate Pat Meehan has some thoughts about the waste of your tax dollars at his blog.

"Rather than continuing to spend without regard for the future, Congress needs to buckle down and launch a more concerted effort to root out waste and abuse," Meehan writes.

Read the full post at the link below:

Food stamp abuse

Time magazine says former U.S. Attorney Pat Meehan, who is seeking Pennsylvania's 7th Congressional seat, could be the next Scott Brown, the Republican who orchestrated the Massachusetts Miracle in winning a U.S. Senate seat.

From an article by Sam Jewler:

Pat Meehan presents himself like a character from a crime show — a tough, GOP establishment candidate who made his name as a Bush appointee in the position of US Attorney for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. There he targeted terrorism, gangs, and the cronyism culture of Philadelphia government, a plus in Pennsylvania's 7th District, which has only had three Democratic congressmen since 1900. Decorated war veteran Bryan Lentz, the Democratic candidate, is a Pennsylvania state representative entering the race in an election cycle unfriendly to him. He faces Meehan, whose toughness persona may outshine his own, and who — importantly in this political climate — has no fiscal policy background to assail. The incumbent in this seat is popular Democrat Joe Sestak, who is leaving to mount a challenge for Arlen Specter's Senate seat. The district went for Obama by 13 percentage points in 2008, but Pennsylvania Democratic ambivalence could help Meehan. The question is whether District 7 will vote liberally, like it did the last two cycles, or conservatively, as it did for the previous two generations.

See who else made the list, "Republican Surprise: 10 More Scott Browns," at the magazine's Web site.

A couple of Montgomery County businessmen were spotted chatting with Congressional candidate Pat Meehan at a fundraising event on Wednesday, October 21, at The Café located at 2011 Walnut Street in Philadelphia. Meehan, former U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, is seeking the Republican nomination for Pennsylvania's 7th Congressional District. Pictured from left to right: Geoffrey McKernan of Blue Bell, President and CEO, NSM Insurance (headquartered in Conshohocken); Pat Meehan; and Mark O'Connor of Haverford, Co-Proprietor of the Irish Pub and The Café in Philadelphia.

Republicans should pick up at least one more seat in Congress in 2010.

Pat Meehan announced Monday he will seek the Republican nomination in the 7th Congressional District, which covers parts of Delaware, Chester and Montgomery counties. The seat is held by Democrat Joe Sestak, who will not seek re-election so he can challenge Sen. Arlen Specter in the May 2010 Democratic Primary.

Meehan is the favorite to succeed Sestak. The bulk of the 7th District is in Delaware County, where Meehan was a popular district attorney before serving as U.S. Attorney for SE Pennsylvania from 2001-2008.

Pundits are predicting a big comeback for the GOP as opposition grows to the big government/high deficit policies of Barack Obama and Congressional Democrats. Republicans are expected to pick up anywhere from 20 to 40 additional seats in the midterm elections.

"Traveling across the region and state these past months, I have had the opportunity to meet and speak with many local residents," Meehan said in a written statement. "They have told me they feel their voice is not being heard in Washington, that their representatives have sold them out to special interests, that government is being imposed on them, rather than working for them. It is time our elected officials be made to answer for the decisions they make about our money and about our children's future."

"Many of the challenges confronting us here at home transcend state lines — whether it's strengthening the economy, keeping down health care costs, or helping small businesses — and the solutions will be determined in Congress," said Meehan. "I am formally announcing my candidacy for U.S. Congress because I want to restore integrity to our nation’s capital and ensure that the voice of local voters is heard on critical issues like taxes, jobs, health care, and restoring fiscal responsibility to the federal government."

Meehan announced his candidacy at three stops in the district.

"People have watched the federal government spend billions of dollars to rescue a few huge banks while hundreds of community banks failed," said Meehan. "They have watched billions being spent to keep bankrupt General Motors and Chrysler in business, while local small businesses struggle to meet a weekly payroll. They see an $800 billion stimulus bill rushed through Congress, yet a half-year later, only 1 in 10 dollars is spent and a record 6.5 million Americans are out of work."

"Voters are concerned as our national debt is expected to double in the next three years and triple within a decade to an astonishing $10 trillion," said Meehan. "That translates into $33,000 of personal debt for every man, woman and child in America. This type of unchecked spending leads to inflation, higher job-killing taxes, and a burden of enormous debt that our children and their children will carry like a millstone for generations."

From the Pat Meehan for Congress Committee:

Pat Meehan has made a name for himself by rooting out government corruption, prosecuting tough criminal cases, and implementing innovative new programs to make communities safer. In addition to taking a nationally-recognized stand against "pay to play" politics in the City of Philadelphia, Pat created initiatives to combat gang violence, crack down on nursing homes for failing to provide proper care to our seniors, reduce domestic violence, and hold drug companies accountable to consumers for fraud.

As U.S. Attorney, Meehan established an Anti-Terrorism Advisory Council, held manufacturers responsible for illegally discharging hazardous materials into the region's waters, established a group to crackdown on predatory lending, and prosecuted cyber criminals who ran illegal, worldwide Internet pharmacy operations.

Pat, his wife Carolyn and their three sons Patrick, Jack and Colin, reside in Drexel Hill, Delaware County.

For more on Meehan, visit his new campaign Web site, www.meehanforcongress.com

Brad Bumsted of The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review has an interesting story about a possible Tom Corbett/Pat Meehan "dream ticket" for Pennsylvania governor/lieutenant governor in 2010.

Both men have announced interest in running for governor, but only one will get the Republican Party nomination. The lieutenant governor is elected separately.

Allegheny County Republican Chairman Jim Roddey is pushing a Corbett/Meehan ticket.

From Bumsted's article:

In the letter made public today, Roddey said: "I strongly believe the two of you would make a winning ticket — two tough prosecutors to clean up and reform state government. Based on Tom's ability to win in a tough political environment, I am asking you to refocus your efforts and running with him for lieutenant governor."

Both candidates have geographic bases and records as prosecutors, but Roddey noted that Corbett twice has been elected statewide, including a 380,000-vote victory in November during a Democratic sweep.

Meehan trails badly in most polls of perspective GOP gubernatorial candidates and isn't widely known outside the Philadelphia area, but he does make an attractive lieutenant governor candidate.

And keep in mind that there's no law that a governor or lieutenant governor has to run for re-election to a second term.

Bob Casey Jr.'s U.S. Senate term ends in 2012 and a high-profile Republican will be needed to challenge Casey.

Corbett could serve one term as governor and then take on Casey, clearing the way for a Meehan run for governor. Or Meehan could end up challenging Casey if Corbett wants a second term as governor.

The other high-profile Republican expressing an interest in running for governor is Congressman Jim Gerlach, who represents Pennsylvania's 6th District. Gerlach has the same weakness as Meehan; he is a relative unknown outside Southeastern Pennsylvania.

Unlike Meehan, who resigned last year as U.S. Attorney for SE Pennsylvania, Gerlach has a job and party leaders are worried that the GOP would lose the 6th District seat if anyone other than Gerlach ran.

Read the Bumsted's full story at the newspaper's Web site.

Former U.S. Attorney Patrick Meehan, who is thinking about running for governor of Pennsylvania, wants Pennsylvania Attorney General Tom Corbett, who is also interested in running for governor, to investigate Gov. Ed Rendell, who currently occupies the governor's mansion. Did you get all that?

Meehan for Pennsylvania, an exploratory committee set up for a possible 2010 run by Meehan, released a copy of a letter Meehan wrote today to Corbett asking the state's top law enforcement officer to open an investigation of "pay-to-play" allegations involving Rendell and a Texas law firm hired by Rendell under a no-bid contract.

The Wall Street Journal reported that Rendell received more than $90,000 in campaign contributions from attorney F. Kenneth Bailey between February and October 2006. In August 2006, Bailey's law firm -- Bailey Perrin Bailey LLP of Houston, Texas -- was awarded a lucrative no-bid contingency fee contract to represent Pennsylvania in a lawsuit against Janssen Pharmaceuticals, according to The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.

Rendell won a second term as governor of Pennsylvania in November 2006, far outspending his Republican opponent, former NFL star Lynn Swann.

From Meehan's letter:

I very much hope a thorough review will clearly establish that no wrongdoing occurred. All of us who have built the public trust know how important it is for the dealings of government to be truly transparent and free from the taint of corruption. It is long past time for Pennsylvanians to stop shrugging off allegations of improper dealings and "pay to play" as "business as usual."

Rendell has awarded more than $1 billion in no-bid contracts to politically-connected firms since he became governor in 2003.

Corbett is troubled by the contract with the Texas firm because he says the work the out-of-state law firm was hired to do could have been done by the Attorney General's Office.

Citing a recent editorial in The Wall Street Journal questioning the propriety of Rendell's relationship with the out-of-state law firm, Meehan urges Corbett to "assert your power as Attorney General and take control of this case on behalf of taxpayers."

The letter appears to take political shots at both Rendell and Corbett. Meehan accuses Corbett of enabling Rendell "to assume certain of your authority to pursue healthcare fraud on behalf of Pennsylvania taxpayers."

"Taxpayer dollars already underwrite a Medicaid Fraud Unit in your office," Corbett writes. "These lawyers should be in a position to pursue this litigation. By taking over this case from the Texas firm, the Commonwealth will be in the immediate position to realize the benefit of seven million dollars by settling with Eli Lilly, one of the defendants in this scope of litigation."

If Corbett doesn't want to pursue the case, Meehan said the attorney general should at least insist that a Pennsylvania law firm handle the case.

From Meehan's letter:

"The allegations and insinuations in the media concerning the award of this contract are serious. Pennsylvania has long been plagued by a 'pay to play' political culture that hinders our competitiveness as a state and undermines our citizen’s trust in government. Rooting out corruption and reversing perception must be a priority. A full investigation should be conducted to determine whether anything improper or illegal has occurred in this matter."

No comment yet from Corbett or Rendell about Meehan's letter, but I'm sure both will have plenty to say.

Salena Zito, writing in the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, says Patrick Meehan, the former U.S. Attorney for Southeastern Pennsylvania, has moved closer to announcing a run for Pennsylvania governor.

From Zito's post:

Former U.S. Attorney Pat Meehan for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania just did the closest to declaring his candidacy for the Republican candidate for Governor by posting a Web site called www.meehanforpa.com

Since he does not hold an elected office, this is as coy as he can get to putting it out there that he wants to run.

Congressman Jim Gerlach, R-6th, got the jump on the other GOP hopefuls a couple of weeks ago by announcing formation of an exploratory committee.

Pennsylvania Attorney General Tom Corbett is the leading GOP contender in the governor's race.