Bye Bye Arlen

Roosters Coming Home



In Tuesday's (tomorrow's ) primary in Pennsylvania voters are met with an interesting choice- the incumbent was first in the Senate as a Republican and now wants the Democratic endorsement. Joe Sestak, his opposition and deemed far to the progressive left of Specter is a true Democrat, and a true patriot who served admirably in the military then went to Harvard.

Arlen Spector has served the Senate, one must admit, with a mixed bag of results. He was a Republican for most of the time....all of the time until about a year ago. Even among Republicans he was considered a mixed bag of results. Now he is just considered a mixed up old bag.



I recall that my father, a senior executive of one of Pennsylvania's more prominent corporations in the Philadelphia area went to Washington to try to talk him into support for a piece of legislation that would have really meant significantly a huge number of Pennsylvania jobs. This was years ago- I was just around college aged and concerned more with our crew results than anything going on in Washington at the time, but nonetheless, this recounting of my Father, the exquisitely well dressed well spoken business executive trying to meet with Mr. Senator stuck with me. My father's impression was that he was singularly rude, unhelpful, arrogant, dismissive, condescending and my father thought that outrageous-not because he had an oversized ego, he was a rather humble man, but because Spector did not understand the positive impact that his help could provide to the company and in turn to many many people in Pennsylvania. My father didn't contribute to politicos much- and so he didn't get much play there. His father in fact was a democratic lawyer from Pittsburgh who sat in previous years on a commission that was a political patronage position from the Pittsburgh democratic political establishment. My father was instead, however a huge church donor, a Deacon in the Presbyterian world- and gave to a number of charitable efforts on top of his significant extended family obligations. But he wasn't a big monied Republican donor, and so Spector had no time for him.
As a result the company took a hit or two and had to lay off huge numbers of people which broke my father's heart.

Joe Sestak understands what it is to be in the trenches-literally. He served in combat in the military. I heard him speak here in Washington and was singularly impressed with how thoughtful and soft spoken he was about matters of national security, from a wise understanding that only someone who has done military service can. He is not a pacifist, he will tell you- he believes we should fight for our country, our ideals, and our friends. Some wars are just and fighting back necessary to stop, for example the madman of WWII. But Sestak also spoke about why it is critical to avoid unnecessary conflict- and deeply understands what the loss of casualties does to a family and community. For that and a hundred other reasons, Joe Sestak would get my vote if I still lived in Pennsylvania and I urge you to support him if you do.

Without a doubt or second thought
PILGRIMS, PATRIOTS AND PROPHETS endorsed JOE SESTAK for PENNSYLVANIA SENATOR.