Talk Elections

I know this topic has been beaten to death, but she is the subject of my government term paper.  If anyone happens to read this before 5 PM EST tomorrow, please let me know if you find any mistakes/have any suggestions.  Thanks!

Allyson Schwartz:  Fighting For Her District

   Congresspersons have several influences on the way they vote.  They include voting strictly with the political and economic interests of the district, gaining representation on committees of particular interest to the constituency and voting in line with interest groups that contribute to the representative’s campaign.  One representative who is able to fulfill all of these requirements is Allyson Schwartz, a Democrat who represents the 13th district of Pennsylvania.  Schwartz, a freshman in the House of Representatives, has been able to stand up strong in support military issues, including fighting to keep a local base open, to use her membership on the Transportation and Budget Committees to her district and state’s benefit and to vote in line in with the interest groups that contributed to her past campaign, notably the pro-abortion group, EMILY’s List.  During her short tenure in Washington, Congresswoman Allyson Schwartz has represented her district very well.
   The main way which a Congressperson is able to represent their constituency is through their voting record.  By voting in line with the economic, demographic and ideological interests of their constituents, these voters are in turn more likely to support the politician’s re-election campaigns in the future.  “Decisions on legislative issues are shaped by the potential need to explain and defend them in future campaigns” (Kernell 198).  In addition to just voting with their district’s interests, Congresspersons also take part in credit claiming which is:
[…] acting so as to generate a belief in a relevant political actor that one is personally responsible for causing the government, or some unit thereof, to do something that the actor considers desirable.  The political logic of this, from the congressman’s point of view, is that an actor who believes that a member can make pleasing things happen will no doubt wish to keep him in office so that he can make pleasing things happen in the future (Mayhew 52).

By voting and taking credit for initiatives popular in their home districts, United States Representatives often face simple re-election campaigns.
   Another way that members of Congress are able to represent their constituencies is through the committees in which they are appointed to serve.  “Members pursue committee assignments that allow them to serve special constituent interests as well as their own policy and power goals” (Kernell 216).  For example, a Congressman from Iowa would try to get a spot on the Agricultural Committee, rather than the Transportation one.  Additionally, someone who was elected on a campaign promise of reducing the federal deficit would seek spots on the Budget or Appropriations Committees.  Moreover, members who serve on certain committees are able to use their influence to help gain funding for projects in their home districts.  For instance, a member of the Transportation Committee would be able to secure more funding for local highway projects.  Committee assignments play a large role in how well Congressmen and women are able to serve their home districts.
   A third way in which Congresspersons represent vote is in accordance with the interest groups and political action committees (PACs) that donate to their campaigns.  The main reason for this is to continue to have these organizations’ endorsements and donations.  At times this has caused “members [to] vote with an eye more to the interests of their PAC donors than to those of their constituents or the nation” (Kernell 496).  While this has led to concerns about “vote buying”, “PAC officials counter that they are merely helping to elect legislators who share their own conception of the public interest” (Kernell 497).  Additionally, interest groups help with “the informational needs of politicians and create a basis for mutually beneficial exchanges” (Kernell 487).  Considering both the positives and negatives of interest groups and PACs, they play a large role in fundraising and determining how government officials vote.
   One congresswoman whose record in Congress falls in line with the aforementioned criteria is Allyson Schwartz.   Schwartz was born on October 3, 1948 in Queens, New York to her father, who worked as a dentist and her mother, who fled Austria in 1938 after the German invasion (Pennsylvania:  Thirteenth District).  Schwartz “received a B.A. from Simmons College in 1970, and a Masters degree from Bryn Mawr College in 1972” (Allyson Schwartz).  After she graduated college, Schwartz founded and became “the executive director of the Elizabeth Blackwell Center, a women's health care center in Philadelphia” (Allyson Schwartz).  From 1981-1983 she served on the Governor’s Committee on Health Care Cost Entertainment (Representative Allyson Y. Schwartz (PA)).  She then left the Blackwell Center in 1988 to become the Deputy Commissioner for the Philadelphia Human Rights Department and in 1990 successfully ran for the Pennsylvania state senate (Pennsylvania:  Thirteenth District).  Schwartz’s most notable accomplishment in the Senate was her health insurance initiative.  She:
led the effort to create the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). The Pennsylvania CHIP program has been nationally heralded as a model program to cover children with health insurance. Today in Pennsylvania 150,000 children of middle and working class families have access to health insurance because of CHIP (Allyson Schwartz (1948-)).

This effort paid off for Schwartz as:

she was re-elected in 1994, 1998, and 2002. In 2000, she was the runner-up in a hard fought six-way primary for United States Senate in which she won Montgomery County and Philadelphia with impressive numbers (Allyson Schwartz).

However, Schwartz took advantage of an opportunity in 2004 when U.S. Representative Joe Hoeffel ran unsuccessfully for the Senate against Senator Arlen Specter (Pennsylvania:  Thirteenth District).  Schwartz ran for the seat, which incorporates Northeast Philadelphia and neighboring southeastern Montgomery County, however, she:
faced serious competition in both the primary and the general election.  In the primary she faced Joe Torsella, an aide to Governor Ed Rendell when Rendell was mayor of Philadelphia, and more recently head of the National Constitution Center in Philly.  Torsella won 57% of the vote in Northeast Philadelphia, which had a larger turnout, but Schwartz carried the affluent suburbs of Montgomery County with 62%, for an overall win of 2,000 votes, 52%-48% (Pennsylvania:  Thirteenth District).

In the general election, Schwartz faced pro-choice Republican ophthalmologist Melissa Brown, who narrowly lost to Hoeffel in 2002 and in 2004 survived a bloody three-way primary (Pennsylvania:  Thirteenth District).  The election was a bitter one and "the two opponents proved that women can sling mud as capably as any men” (Heller) with Brown referring to Schwartz as a “radical” and Schwartz deeming Brown “sleazy”.  With respect to the actual issues, a major issue was health care as Brown called for changes in tort reform and Schwartz discussed her record in the state senate and the CHIP program.  In the election, Schwartz won handily receiving 56% of the vote to Brown’s 41% (Pennsylvania:  Thirteenth District).  Allyson Schwartz’ career promoting health care in both the private and public sectors helped to make her a United States Congresswoman.
   Schwartz’s district, Pennsylvania’s thirteenth, contains a number of different regions and is split between Northeast Philadelphia and Montgomery County.
    

[Northeast Philadelphia] is relatively new urban territory, with more than half its houses built after 1950.  When the alley-wide streets of North and South Philadelphia and the river wards were already teeming and the Main Line suburbs were already well-settled, the workers of Philadelphia’s docks, factories and Center City offices were just starting to fill up vacant land here  They settled in neighborhoods like Bustleton, Somerton and Torresdale.  Many of Philadelphia’s Hispanics live in the industrial river wards along the Delaware River, but the other wards of Northeast Philadelphia are still mostly white and ethnic, the kind of places were city cops and firefighters live and the kind that gave big margins to [Republican] Mayor Frank Rizzo in the 1970s and 1980s.  Construction of federal Section 8 housing for low-income tenants caused a local furor.  More recently, outside investors and Hasidic Jews from New York have bid up residential prices (Pennsylvania:  Thirteenth District).

41% of the votes cast in the 2004 race were from Northeast Philadelphia, of which Schwartz won 60%.  The other part of the district, southeastern Montgomery County is “the most populous and second most affluent county in metropolitan Philadelphia, with solid job growth prospects” (Pennsylvania:  Thirteenth District).  From a political standpoint:
Historically, Montgomery was quintessentially Republican, with a style of politics set for years by Ivy-educated Republican men, and with Republicans of more modest and sometimes ethnic backgrounds, but like other affluent suburbs in the Boston-Washington corridor, swung toward the Democratic Party in national politics in the 1990s, with abortion and other cultural issues usually trumping economic interests.  The same county that voted by large margins for Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush in the 1980s has voted strictly for Democratic presidential candidates since then.  In 2002 Montgomery County backed Democrat and former Philadelphia Mayor Ed Rendell for governor by a 2-1 margin (Pennsylvania:  Thirteenth District).
The remaining 59% of the votes in the 2004 race were cast in Montgomery County, of which Schwartz won 53% of the vote.  On the whole, the district is more affluent than the both the state of Pennsylvania and the national average (see chart for details).  It is alsoPA-13   Pennsylvania   National
Median  Household Income   $49,319   $40,106   $41,994
% Below Poverty Line   7.1%   11.0%   12.4%
Race   85.9% White, 9.9% Black, 3.1% Hispanic   84.1% White, 9.8% Black, 3.2% Hispanic   75.1% White, 12.3% Black, 12.5% Hispanic
% Urban   98.5%   77.0%   75.2%
PA-13 data:  “Pennsylvania:  Thirteenth District”
Pennsylvania data:  “Pennsylvania at a Glance
National data (except % Urban):  “Census 2000”
National % Urban data:  “Population 1790 and 1990”

more urban and racially homogeneous than the rest of the state and nation.  Additionally, the district has a large military presence with Northeast Philadelphia’s Naval Support Activity facility which employs 5,700 people (Representative Schwartz’s Statement) and Montgomery County’s Willow Grove Naval Air Base which employs 6,200 people (Rendell) but was slated to be closed by the Base Realignment and Closure Commission.  Pennsylvania’s thirteenth district contains several areas with distinct social and industrial characteristics.
Allyson Schwartz followed up on her campaign rhetoric with respect to Health Care by sponsoring legislation in the United States House similar to her CHIP program she implemented in the Pennsylvania Senate.
Kids First, HR 1668, would establish a federal/state partnership to provide all children and teenagers under 21 years of age with health coverage. At a time when many states are struggling with financial burdens, Kids First would provide substantial financial incentives to state governments in exchange for their commitment to expand their participation in the State Children’s Health Insurance Program, SCHIP (Representative Schwartz Leads Efforts).

This decision to sponsor this bill sends a message to her constituents that she does deliver her campaign promises.  Additionally, in the press release issued by Schwartz on the matter she prominently mentions several times that she worked with Senator John Kerry (D-MA) in drafting the bill.  Just six months before Kids First was introduced, Kerry received 56% of the votes in the district (Pennsylvania:  Thirteenth District) and by associating herself with a popular figure such as Kerry, she in turn has attempted to boost her own popularity.
   Schwartz has shown solidarity with military interests of the region by fighting for veterans’ benefits.  She introduced the Veterans Employment and Respect Act (VERA) which “would aid returning soldiers from Iraq and Afghanistan in quickly finding gainful civilian employment by offering tax incentives to employers who hire them” (Representative Allyson Schwartz Introduces Bill).  Additionally, Schwartz joined with:
206 other Members of Congress [in sending] a letter to President Bush demanding that he address the recently announced $1.3 billion shortfall in the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) budget for healthcare (Representative Schwartz Calls on President Bush).

By promoting veterans’ benefits, Schwartz was able to improve her standing with that community and the large military presence in the district.
Schwartz was able to gain additional support among the military community by opposing the closing of the Willow Grove Air Force Base. 
On Friday, May 13, 2005, the Department of Defense released a list of U.S. military facilities that included a recommendation that NAS JRB Willow Grove be closed as part of the 2005 Base Realignment and Closure Commission (BRAC) process (Join the Coalition).

The base is important to the district because “currently, there are 1,200 active-duty personnel and 5,000 reservists [stationed at the base]” (Rendell).  Additionally, the “decision would remove a critical element of our National Security, our Homeland Defense, and have an enormous negative effect (dollars/jobs) on everyone in this region” (Join the Coalition).  Immediately after the announcement, Schwartz issued a press release stating “I am dismayed that the Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Willow Grove has been included on the Department of Defense’s list of bases recommended for closure” (Representative Schwartz’s Statement).  Schwartz followed up on her statement by voting “to overturn the recommendations of 2005 Defense Base Closure and Realignment Commission” (Representative Schwartz Votes).  Schwartz’s opposition to the closing of Willow Grove demonstrates to her constituents her willingness to stand up for the economic and military interests of the district.

Allyson Schwartz’s committee assignments also allow her to stay in touch with the district.  She currently sits on the Budget Committee and the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee as well as subcommittee assignments on the Highways, Transit & Pipelines and Water Resources & Environment subcommittees.  Schwartz explained how her appointments to both committees would make her able to help the district.  With respect to the Budget Committee, she said:
As the sole member of the Budget Committee from the Pennsylvania congressional delegation, I will work to ensure that the priorities of the 13th congressional district and of the Commonwealth are heard (U.S. Representative Allyson Y. Schwartz Appointed).

Additionally, when Schwartz was appointed to the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee she stated:
The work of this committee affects the everyday lives of the 13th congressional district and I welcome the opportunity to address issues of critical importance to my constituents such as controlling sprawl, mass transportation, and infrastructure improvement.  I intend to use my position on the committee to ensure the region receives its fair share of funding (Congresswoman Allyson Y. Schwartz Appointed)

Being on the Water Resource subcommittee was especially vital for Schwartz because the district contains “Philadelphia’s docks [… and] industrial river wards along the Delaware River” (Pennsylvania:  Thirteenth District).  Schwartz has already started to fulfill her promise of using her clout and leverage to support projects in the 13th district as she was able to “secure $42 million for critical local transportation and infrastructure projects” (Representative Schwartz Secures).  According to Schwartz, the funding will “create new jobs, improve business opportunities and spur economic growth” (Representative Schwartz Secures).
Allyson Schwartz has also voted in lines with interest groups that supported her campaign, especially with respect to the abortion issue.  In her primary campaign against Torsella, Schwartz:
was backed by EMILY’s List [an abortion rights interest group] which made a $170,000 independent expenditure on Schwartz’ behalf in March and April, and raised other funds, phoned voters and sent out mailings that even a Torsella strategist said were the best he had ever seen” (Pennsylvania:  Thirteenth District). 

Overall, EMILY’s List raised over $370,000 for Schwartz’ campaign (Top Contributors).  Schwartz has responded with two key pro-abortion votes thus far.  Schwartz voted against “a bill that prohibits the transportation of a minor across state lines to obtain an abortion without the consent of a parent or legal guardian” (Child Interstate).  Additionally, she voted for a measure “to allow military personnel and their dependents overseas to use their own funds to obtain abortion services in overseas military hospitals” (Overseas Military).  The correspondence between Schwartz’s votes and campaign contributions signify the importance of political donations.
Allyson Schwartz is an example of a Congresswoman who is able to serve her constituents, voters and donors well on several accounts.  The large military presence in the district is supported in her voting record by her support for veterans’ benefits and for keeping the Willow Grove Naval Air Base open.  She has followed through on her campaign promise by promoting health care for underprivileged children.  She has also satisfied her campaign’s largest donor, EMILY’s List, by voting in favor of abortion rights measures.  In her brief tenure in Congress, Allyson Schwartz has done an excellent job representing her constituency.






WORKS CITED
“Allyson Schwartz”.  Wikipedia.  2 Oct 2005.  13 Nov 2005.  <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allyson_Schwartz>.

“Allyson Schwartz (1948-)”.  The American-Israeli Cooperative Enterprise.  2005.  16 Nov 2005.  <http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/biography/ASchwartz.html>.

“Child Interstate Abortion Notification Act”.  Project Vote Smart.  24 Oct 2005.  13 Nov 2005.  <http://www.vote-smart.org/issue_keyvote_detail.php?vote_id=3510&can_id=BS023316>.

“Congresswoman Allyson Y. Schwartz Appointed to House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure”.  10 Jan 2005.  29 Oct 2005.  <http://www.house.gov/apps/list/press/pa13_schwartz/pr_050110_transportationcmte.html>.

Heller, Karen.  “She’ll Stand Out”.  Philadelphia Inquirer.  07 Nov 2004.

“Join the Coalition – Save the Base”.  Save Willow Grove.  13 May 2005.  13 Nov 2005.  <http://www.savewillowgrove.com>.

Kernell, Samuel and Jacobson, Gary C.  The Logic of American Politics:  Second Edition.  Washington: CQ Press, 2003.

Mayhew, David R.  Congress:  The Electoral Connection.  New Haven:  Yale University Press, 1974. pp. 52-53.

“Overseas Military Facilities Abortion Amendment”.  Project Vote Smart.  24 Oct 2005.  13 Nov 2005.  <http://www.vote-smart.org/issue_keyvote_detail.php?vote_id=3531&can_id=BS023316>.

“Pennsylvania at a Glance”.  National Journal’s Almanac of American Politics.  15 Aug 2005.  13 Nov 2005.  <http://nationaljournal.com/pubs/almanac/2006/states/pa>.

“Pennsylvania:  Thirteenth District:  Rep. Allyson Schwartz (D)”.  National Journal’s Almanac of American Politics.  22 June 2005.  29 Oct 2005.  <http://nationaljournal.com/pubs/almanac/2006/people/pa/rep_pa13.htm>.

“Population:  1790 to 1990”.  U.S. Census Bureau.  27 Aug 1993.  15 Nov 2005.  <http://www.census.gov/population/censusdata/table-4.pdf>.

“Rendell Says Base Will Stay Open”.  Save Willow Grove.  29 Aug 2005.  12 Nov 2005.  <http://www.savewillowgrove.com>.

“Representative Allyson Schwartz Introduces Bill to Aid America’s Troops”.  U.S. Representative Allyson Y. Schwartz.  20 Apr 2005.  17 Nov 2005.  <http://www.house.gov/apps/list/press/pa13_schwartz/VERA.html>.

“Representative Allyson Y. Schwartz (PA)”.  Vote Smart.  2002-2004. 29 Oct 2005.  <http://www.vote-smart.org/bio.php?can_id=BS023316>.

“Representative Schwartz Calls on President Bush to Fix the $1.3 Billion Shortfall in Department of Veterans Affairs Healthcare Budget”.  U.S. Representative Allyson Y. Schwartz.  29 Jun 2005.  17 Nov 2005.  <http://www.house.gov/apps/list/press/pa13_schwartz/VAFUNDING.html>.

“Representative Schwartz Leads Efforts to Cover All Children with Health Insurance”.  U.S. Representative Allyson Y. Schwartz.  2 May 2005.  29 Oct 2005.  http://www.house.gov/apps/list/press/pa13_schwartz/KidsFirst.html>.

“Representative Schwartz Secures $42 Million for Philadelphia and Montgomery County Projects in National Highways Bill”.  29 Jul 2005.  29 Oct 2005.  <http://www.house.gov/apps/list/press/pa13_schwartz/HighwayBill.html>.

“Representative Schwartz Votes to Overturn BRAC Process”.  27 Oct 2005.  29 Oct 2005.  <http://www.house.gov/apps/list/press/pa13_schwartz/BracVote.html>.

“Representative Schwartz’s Statement on the Navy Support Activity Facility”.  15 May 2005.  29 Oct 2005.  <http://www.house.gov/apps/list/press/pa13_schwartz/NavySupportActivityFacility.html>.

“Top Contributors:  2004 Race:  Pennsylvania District 13”.  Open Secrets.  22 Jul 2005.  29 Oct 2005.  <http://www.opensecrets.org/races/contrib.asp?ID=PA13&cycle=2004&special=N>.

“U.S. Representative Allyson Y. Schwartz Appointed to
House Committee on the Budget”.  14 Feb 2005.  29 Oct 2005.  <http://www.house.gov/apps/list/press/pa13_schwartz/pr_050214_budgetcmte.html>.

“U.S. Summary 2000”.  U.S. Bureau Census.  July 2002.  15 Nov 2005.  <http://www.census.gov/prod/2002pubs/c2kprof00-us.pdf>.
   

*gag*

I never knew Schwartz was the rancid bitch who created CHIP. If anything, I loathe her more than ever.

Yes, I found a mistake:


The election clearly was stolen and Melissa Brown is their actual representative.

Are you allowed to cite Wikipedia as a source? I've always shied away from doing so because anyone could go and write anything on there.

God bless you for finally accepting this.



Tell me about it.

Allyson Schwartz did not create CHIP. She interjected herself into the conversation at its ending c any member of the legislature. As for the base, the neighboring congressman did more to keep it open than Schwartz and its in the 13th!!!
Further, she does not vote in line with her district. The 13th is a moderate district; no lean. The district is prolife while Allyson ran an abortion clinic and has yet to change her views on the issue.
I do not know anyone in the district who has any strong view on Rep. Schwartz as she sorta disappeared once she got elected.

Beg to differ there buddy.  She votes in line with the district on labor, environmental, and fmaily planning issues, but there are some dissenters like yourself in the district and it's duly noted. 

Overall, I think that is an excellent paper.  Good work!

I thought it was Kukovich? ???

Where are you getting that the district is pro-life from?  Obviously, some parts in NE Philly but Montgomery County is very, very pro-choice.

Thanks for the props, Flyers.

DMK has this Knights of Columbus mentality that is prevalent in some parts of NE Philly.  West of US 1/Roosevelt Blvd., NE Philly is heavily pro-choice barring parts of Fox Chase and Somerton.  Even on the primarily Catholic east side of US 1, it is only a slight lean pro-life and even that I question.  I do not know where DMK is getting this data from. EVERY PA 13 poll showed the district is about 65% pro-choice overall with the NE Philly section averaging about 50-55% pro-choice. 

I will give Keystone Phil, DMK, and a few others this.  You guys are very vocal about your pro-life convictions and I see pro-life bumper stickers at Acme parking lots, however few and far between.  They are also a particularly angry group here because they know they're in the minority.  However, in a few state House seats, such as Perzel and O'Brien's districts, pro-lifers are a force to be reckoned with and can't be discounted at all.   

Let me start by saying this... Allyson Schwartz is doing much better than I thought she would do - I still think others would be more suited to Represent 13 in the House, she is not doing a terrible job.
If every pro-lifer in the district were to vote against Allyson Schwartz, every pro choicer to vote for her and every "in the middle" were not to vote at all I would bet that it would be a VERY close race. (and No, I am not willing to guess who would win).
I do recognize that MOST of 13 is not pro life but I also recognize that it is not pro choice either. It is very much moderate -- every poll you show me that has a pro choice lean, I will show you one with a pro life lean. It depends on who is pushing the poll and you know it. I am willing to admit that this district does not have any heavy lean -- you are not and you are just pushing an agenda.
Allyson Schwartz's stances are NOT in line with the district. If she were to say vote in against abortion in cases other than rape and incest, I would say she is in line with 13. If she were to vote in favor of civil unions but against gay marriage, I would say she is in line with the district. (Her view is in favor of marriage, I am not citing any vote that has or has not occurred) If she voted to give tax breaks to small business instead of against drilling in ANWR (which the Alaskans overwhelmingly favor) I would say she is in line with the district.
Oh, and the criteria I just used would apply to any Republican from 13 as well. I may not agree with it but when it comes to being in line with PA 13, that criteria is quite accurate. For better or worse Allyson is not in line with the district and its that easy. I am not using that against her because frankly, I am not in line with the district.
PS: thank you Congresswoman Schwartz for your actions on the Floor that called for the House conferees to the Fiscal Year 2006 Science, State, Justice and Commerce appropriations bill to look into Gasoline Price Gouging. That WAS in line with the district.

I know where PA 13 is pro-choice and where it is not.  We are a lean pro-choice district, sorry!  I also realize we are not Massachusetts' 8th district either and pro-lifers are a strong constituency.  I will concede on parental notification and PBA Allyson is out of line with the district, but overall no.  I personally oppose parental notification requirements, but I know the district favors them.  Dennis O'Brien would be more out of line with this district on abortion than Allyson Schwartz.  The middle 20th percentile in the district pretty much has my position plus the parental notification which would come out to on demand outside of the 3rd trimester.   

Let me make a comparison here. Dennis O'Brien's position on choice PA 13-wide would be equivalent to that of me representing your PA House district in terms of being "out of step".  There is a formidable pro-choice population in PA 169, but I know you guys are in the majority there.  Same goes for PA 13 Congressional, but the other way around. 

You are way more out of step in PA 169 than O'Brien would be in PA 13 when it comes to abortion.

Did you read my whole post?  There are pro-choice Catholics in PA 169, though not the majority.  Your pro-lifers are more vocal there and pro-choicers are generally sheepish and moderate about it I'll admit.

There is no underground Pro Choice community that is just waiting to rise up. Whether they're vocal or not, they're still in the clear minority and you are still out of step even with them.

As are pro-lifers in PA 13.  You are the minority, get over it!  Schwartz votes in line with her district.  If anything I would have a legit complaint if I lived in PA 8.  Fitz votes WAAAAAAY out of step on choice there.

Okay, maybe your partisan glasses are too tinted. PA 13 is not nearly as pro-choice as you are making it out to be. And guess what, I never said being out of line with the district was good or bad - in fact, I said that I am out of line with the district. Further, what does Representative O'Brien have to do with anything?! Did anyone ever say his stance on murder of babies with beating hearts was in line with 13? I didnt. You brought it up for whatever reason... i dont know why.

I was simply making a comparison with regards to O'Brien and yes I have checked his voting record on the issue.  Can't say I agree with it, but anyway...  On that note I am out of line with PA 13 on many of my social views, but then again they may simply be youth and I have never raised a family, so that may change (or so u hope :) ).  I also can't stand how dramatic some of you pro-lifers are on abortion.  I'm not trying to be PC here, but I have reasons for being pro-CHOICE.  This does not mean I openly advocate "baby murder" or some sick twisted right wing thing you may concoct.  I simply advocate the most humane method possible given a set of cicrumstances beyond my control and feel the woman herself has the power to make that decision.   

Humane? That's amusing.

would you like to know why we get so dramatic? becuase it is MURDER of innocent babies! Its that easy. and the fact that you pro-murder of innocent baby folks do not see that really makes us sick. In many cases, it STOPS A BEATING HEART! It also physically hurts the baby... watch an ultrasound of a baby when an abortion is taking place... as soon as the "tools" make contact with the baby, the babies mouth opens... thats called a SCREAM FOR HELP. the silent scream. you sick pigs who take this lightly and say I am being dramatic can all go to hell because I am right.  Does this make me a crazy conservative as you are likely to make me out to be? I dont know but IF it does I will sure be proud of that title because of the "silent scream." Ya see, we pro-lifers work in reality and we hear the silent scream. Liberals dont see it so chose to ignore it. Pathetic!!!!

You didn't see where he basically encouraged women to get abortions so he can have a relationship with them...(no lie)

Thats quite sick

Harvard Medical Study just proved you wrong.  Fetuses feel nothing up until 30 weeks.  And who strongly supported the pro-choice Melissa Brown in 2004?  Exactly!  I disagree with partial birth abortion, but I'm not going to hold that against Allyson.  Remember, Melissa Brown had to change her position from basically being no different to a little more anti-choice, but that was to appeal to NE Philadelphians.

Schwartz is my friend's aunt.  It's actually pretty funny, because I was acquainted with PA-13 before I even got here.

well thats BS because ask any doctor what the mouth opening means they will tell you it is a silent scream. they do feal the pain... why in God's name would the mouth open EVERY SINGLE TIME an abortion is taking place and the "tools" touch the baby... also, why do all the babies frantically try to move AWAY from the "tools" turing an abortion? is it because they "dont feel anything?" you pig.... but you wanna talk about Harvard medical studies? lets do it...a Harvard medical study said that life ends when the brain wave ends. numerous other studies have shown that there is a brain wave within the first months of conception... within the time where a murder is still allowed by law. So, according to the Harvard study saying life ENDS with the ending of a brain wave, wouldnt that mean life BEGINS with the beginning of a brain wave?!
and by the way, jack, i never once defended Melissa's stance on abortion, she is dead wrong so to bring that up was a low blow from someone who didnt have any real defense. and by the way, brendan boyle, bobby casey jr., US Rep. Oberstar, US Senator Ben Nelson and many more are allll pro life democrats. (ya know just because for some outlandish reason, you felt like telling me of a Republican pro-abortion pol)

Why do you have to have to be so insulting to have an abortion conversation with me?   Gee, you never called Melissa Brown a "pig" for virtually having the same abortion posiition as myself.  How partisan.  I am aware of people like Brendan Boyle, Joe Driscoll, Mike McGeehan, Bob Casey, and Bart Stupak who are adamant pro-life Democrats and I have even told the first three square to their faces I don't agree with them.  At the same time I have told them why I don't agree with them in a respectful manner and they likewise were the same with me.  Why can't you be?

A brain wave is an electrical impulse, it is not technically living so you cannot use that comparison.

Sex without guilt or baggage is a wonderful thing!  BOOYEAH!

Thank God you'll never have a chance to reproduce.

How do you know?  I might have already did.....

God help us.

flyers, i told a friend of mine who worked at planned parenthood about your "sex without guilt or baggage is a wonderful thing! BOOYEA!" comment and she replied "well thats silly and irresponsible. that isnt the motive behind abortion, it isnt a form of birth control.. what that person said was just ignorance"

you are a sick sick b@st@rd if you really meant that quote and even pro-abortion girl agrees with me.

How can you not feel guilty about someone aborting a child after you suggested it?

Nah, I just wanted to rile you up!  The fact you even mentioned that to someone what was posted on a Forum is frightening.  Wow, and you have a friend that works at PP?

You have to work on better excuses, my friend.

I mentioned it to her cuz I was talking to her when I read that disgusting quote. And the fact that I told her is not nearly as frighetning as the quote itself you sick b@st@rd. yes, i do have a friend who worked for PP because I look past people's political philosophy and I also realize that we all have our faults. She believes its an issue of choice but never would have on herself. She is wrong about it being a "choice" but she does recognize that the procedure itself is so terrible that it should only be used for an emergency. she actually said a lot more about your quote but this is a PG board.

The reason I said that was to compare what you just said right here to what I said jokingly as a "pig".  Because I am pro-choice I am a pig?  Because your friend who works at PP is pro-choice she is therefore a pig?  Because Melissa Brown is pro-choice therefore she is a "pig"?  Yes, and Phil I took back my previous pro-choice statement because it was a rant and something I found out greatly affected that viewpoint and I apologized and feel very guilty for it.  That does not mean I am no longer pro-CHOICE.  Please DMK, don't whine to this person about how much of an ass I am without telling the full story.

Update on the paper - unfortunetly there was a problem with electronic submission thing so I probably won't be getting it back till Friday or Monday.

I'd also like to ask Phil and DMK, if the district is so pro-life, why were 98% of the votes cast in this race (and 70% or so in the Republican primary) for a candidate who supports abortion rights?

One thing I have to give them is in PA 13 there are a lot of pro-life Democrats in NE Philly (McGeehan, Boyle, Driscoll, etc.) with Sen. Stack being a question mark and pro-choice Republicans in Montgomery County (Brown, Bard, Greenleaf, etc).  There was no pro-life Dem option the past primary unless State Rep. Mike McGeehan stayed in the race.  Had that been an option he would have surely cut into a lot of Joe Torsella supporters who are in fact pro-life.  That being said, the majority of PA 13 is pro-choice end of story.   

I don't believe that PA 13 is a Pro Life district but it's not as extremely Pro Choice as Flyers wants people to believe.

I have not said nor have tried to leave you to believe PA 13 is an extremely pro-choice district, but it nonetheless leans that way.

Flyers, you said the next time i whine my friend to make sure to tell the whole story... what did I leave out?  and secondly, I was not whinning... I asked the opinion of a pro-abortion friend of mine on a sick quote that someone made. And NO, not all pro-abortion folks are pigs. Just you and those who made comments like your "sex without baggage" comment. In fact, pro-choice people i know said that was a sick comment.  The day my friend, Melissa Brown or any of those people say "abortion is good because i can have sex with whoever i please without worry because i can just abort the baby" is the day I call them pigs. But until then you are the only person who I know of who made that comment. It was sick and you should be ashamed that you are that irresponsible for your actions.

and not only that... I dont know any (other than you) pro-abortionish who thinks the act of abortion is a good thing to use whenever they make a msitake... they all think it is a "woman's coice"

Hence, that what my opinion is all joking or sarcastic comments aside.  I feel it is a woman's choice and a necessary evil in many cases.  I even favor a 3rd trimester ban except for the mother's life or physical health.  I so think we should also try to reduce the number of abortions through comprehensive sex education and encourage the use of birth control such as condoms and the pill.     

My comments were to dichotomize the extremities of your comment calling us pro-choicers "pigs."

lets say you start reading (or comprehending) everything I say. I never once called you "pro-choicers" pigs. I called YOU a pig for your disgusting comments. Did you notice how no pro-choicers on this forum came to your defense on those comments? It is because they do not think abortion is for "sex without baggage." That "Sex w/out baggage" comment is why i called YOU a pig. I never once called pro-choicers as a whole pigs... only you and so did another pro-choicer because it was a sick and disgusting comment. joking or not. I am not being dramatic in the least... what you said was awful, shameful and disgusting. I really wish EMILYS list, pro-choice america and PP used that quote as their headline because IF they did, there is no doubt in my mind that a VAST majoirty of americans would change their view on abortion. The only reason many people are pro-choice now is because they think of it as a "choice" and if they did not think of it in that way.... and they thought of it was "sex without baggage" they would change their opinions... without a doubt

If you want to make me be your personal enemy, great!  Yeah, I'm sorry I went to 12 years of Catholic school, live in Northeast Philly and disagree with you on a woman's right to choose.  Some of us don't take what we've learned in Catholic school and look at the issue with blinders on when we reexamine the issues later in life.  Of course I did the pro-life rose selling thing in grade school when I was about 8 or 9 and thought abortion was baby killing and it was awful.  I then asked myself the simple question of WHY someone would do that.  When you live a comfortable life, you really have no clue as to the factors that may lead someone to arrive at the decision to terminate her pregnancy.  I also remember the GOP slanted literature handed to my family the Sunday before every election basically priaising the GOP candidate and making the Dem look like trash.  What are you trying to prove with me?  What more do you want me to say regarding the sarcastic, yet meant to be facetious comment I made? 

So because we have Pro Life beliefs that means we have not examined our position and we're dumb? This wasn't even about you being Pro Choice. This is about your digusting "Oh well I don't care if they get an abortion! As long as it means some ass for me!" comments. Abortion is still a horrible procedure, whether you are Pro Life or Pro Choice.

What you also FAIL to realize is that the Church holds conservative positions on most of these issues so when you see conservative literature being handed out, accept the fact that this is what we, as Catholics, believe. Get over it.

You're an obnoxious slimeball. I wouldn't call you that if you presented your views respectfully but you're the trash that you post warrants that response.

well flyers, i have not ever made the decision to make you a personal enemy. in fact, i met you and like you.  i do however think what you said is disgusting. any my pro-life beliefs has NOTHING to do with my Catholic education. It has everything to do with stopping a beating heart and the silent scream. Wanna know what? I DONT CARE WHAT THEIR REASON IS FOR AN ABORTION!!!!! I DONT CARE!!!! It is the stopping of a beating heart. That is EXACTLY what it is in many cases. You have no right to make a decision to stop a beating heart... no matter how much of an inconvenience it may be for the mother.
Oh, and something I just though of..... you implied I am pro-life because my Catholic education. I am in favor of the death penalty which makes your point WRONG. I am pro-life because those babies cant speak for themselves. They try when their mouths open but we cant hear it. If the mother's life is at risk, I am sorry to say that I do not have a position on that because I just cant bring myself to think about it.

Well, I have a lot of respect for you too and I think you definitely have a future in politics.  I might have got a little hot and bothered when you called me a "pig" and maybe I should have reacted differently and addressed why I am truly pro-choice instead of some bonehead rant and I'm sorry.  Hopefully we can look past that. 

I'm also glad you admit your inconsistencies of your personal beliefs with the Catholic church's regarding the death penalty.  Too often people think they're holier than thou because they are "pro-life" and also favor the death penalty.  The one thing that bothers me is that position is omitted from pre-election literature after Sunday Mass is the death penalty.  It's all abortion, abortion, abortion and maaaaybe vouchers. 

Well, no one likes to admit they abort for incovenience, but the fact of the matter is that's the case in over 50% of abortions.  Look, I take socioeconomic factors into consideration when evaluating my position on choice.  More times than none, a woman will decide to keep her baby.  She will have the guilt of having something ripped from her, but that is for her to deal with, not a judge, clergy member, or legislator.     

Yet I do the same thing and you go into one of your hyper-partisan rants. I have stated my differences with the Church and it's always "You're brainwashed!"

You want to disagree? Fine. Just do it more respectfully when you're dealing with me and others and maybe we won't always be personally attacking each other.

Do you have to be so rigid towards people that don't agree with you?  I realize I'm not the most couth person in the world and I tend to slip and lot of stupid things, but unlike DMK, you have a lot of issues to deal with yourself if you were to enter politics.  Notice how he said my "views" were disgusting.  Ok, fine, I respect that.  Over the past few threads you have resorted to personal attacks and name calling.  You nailed Demoteen for that when I brought him on here for the same thing and have even tried to correct him when I talked to him personally.  Guess what?  You are acting just as childish if not worse.  You have a history of doing that to other Forum members on here and they have told me so.  I also love how you defend NixonNow and Naso for making personal attacks just because you are in the same party as them.  I have only defended NixonNow from getting banned because I think that's authoritarian, not on what he said.  I know I would have never been extended the same courtesy from you had I said 1/4 of the stuff they said and in fact you'd be the first in line to call for my head.  

Uh, you go on one of your crazy rants and you expect me to just treat you equally? I'm tired of this "You don't like people that disagree with you." I can prove that wrong in so many different ways. I call you a slimeball and you get mad. DMK calls you a pig and it's ok. You're deal is that you're afraid of someone here. You either kiss up to him because you're afraid or attack me because you're afraid. You're totally inconsistent.

  
I defend Naso and NixonNow because they are unfairly accused of stuff. It's not partisanship. I don't defend people like yourself because you openly don't care about what you say and you mean what people think you mean.

I start personal stuff when people get personal with me. When you go into one of your drunken "You're brainwashed. GOODBYE GERLACH, FITZPATRICK, WELDON!" stuff, I attack back.

I wouldn't call for you to be banned. Shows how much you know.

For the record, I got an A on the paper, although my professor found a couple typos.

I knew you would.  Paper was excellent.

No, it was the damn liberal professoriate ;)

Thanks Flyers.  And, yes, the professor is very liberal.  He's actually a local Democratic officeholder and usually starts class with a 20-minute rant discussing the problems facing the Republican party.

Well, there maybe a liberal bias, but still a good paper.  I do sometimes think that conservatives suffer under PC liberal professors and seen it myself at Temple.  I had one ultra-feminist that subtly favored women and pushed women's studies classes on us and this was a history class.

My friend did his on Eric Cantor (although my friend is very liberal).  I should ask him what he got on it.

Each student in my Gov class has to pick one member of the House, analyze their last ten votes, give a reason for each of their votes and a description of the district.

I picked my least favorite member - Bernie Sanders of Vermont (I get to describe Vermont. What fun!). My liberal girlfriend wanted me to pick someone for her so I chose Pete Sessions of Texas. Those that are different from us are always the most fun to analyze.  :)

I would have had so much fun with Pat Toomey!