Mansfield On the Issues - Part One: Taxes

My Fellow Pennsylvanians,

Many people fail to understand that there is a breaking point to all of these taxes -- to all of this spending. Liberals, Progressives, and Democrats need to understand that, at some point, you run out of money. As Margaret Thatcher, former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and leader of the Conservative party, once said: "The problem with socialism is that eventually you run out of other people's money [to spend]."

We have seen what happens when politicians in states like California and New York continue to raise taxes on the productive citizens. Those overtaxed individuals leave. They go to a state whose leaders appreciate the businesses and jobs these people create. They go to a state that will reward them for pumping money into their economy, not tax them to death on their legally-earned profits.

Going forward, with Robert Allen Mansfield (photo right) as governor, Pennsylvania would be a state to which people would flock. As part of his take on the issues, Mansfield would move away from PA's progressive tax system and "[phase] out of all corporate and personal income taxes…"

Compare that to one of Mansfield's opponents, Republican Tom Corbett (photo below: KDKA), who recently changed his tune about taxes when faced with the mounting pressure of the Tea Party movement. According to a March 8 article from KDKA in Pittsburgh, Corbett has now come out and said he will never raise state taxes.

"No tax increases during the course of the next term...," [Corbett] said. "That's what we're going to aim for -- no tax increases whatsoever."

Sounds great, right? Not quite.

What should bother you about this is the flip-flopping that is going on with Corbett. To me, being for a tax increase in January (whether it be a last resort or not) and then saying you will NEVER raise taxes on March 8 is a rather quick 180 there by Corbett -- one that is not rooted in his own core beliefs. It's simply a change on the issues to accommodate the Tea Party voters.

That just sounds like more of the same. I rather stand with a guy who holds true to his values and principles and doesn't waver in his views and beliefs. Pennsylvania needs a governor who will do right by the people of the state. I'm tired of more of the same.

Mansfield will eliminate corporate and personal income taxes. Corbett may or may not raise taxes depending on what is in his best interest -- not the state of Pennsylvania's. That's not change. That's what we need to get away from -- both as a state and as a country.

I read an article today about how uninsured people were celebrating the passing of Obamacare, basically calling it Christmas in March. One reader made a comment explaining how he couldn't understand how it was greedy for him to go to a job and want to keep the money he legitimately earned, yet it was not considered greedy for the people who want his money to simply take it. To me, it seems that with the Democrats, and many Republicans, there is a double standard.

What happens, like Thatcher said, is that you eventually run out of productive citizens' money. Raise taxes. People leave. Raise taxes because people left and you need to fund the next entitlement program. More people leave. Repeat this until your state is bankrupt of both money and hardworking citizens. For more information and a "how-to" guide to have the same effects in your state, please refer to California over the past decade or two.

I say, "NO!" I'm done with that and you should be, too. It is time for a change. The country has been ready for it -- and now it's PA's turn.

We need Mr. Independent. We need Pennsylvania's "anti-politician."

Said G. Terry Madonna, director of Franklin & Marshall's Center for Politics and Public Affairs, in a Feb. 24 article on LancasterOnline.com: "This is the kind of movement where Mr. No Name can actually win an election."

It's time we give Mr. No Name both a face and name -- Robert Allen Mansfield.

The state of Pennsylvania needs Robert Allen Mansfield. Let's elect him in Nov. 2010.

- The Refounding Father

Introducing “Mr. Independent”: Robert Allen Mansfield

My Fellow Americans (and Pennsylvanians),

First, it was the elections of Republicans Bob McDonnell as Virginia governor and Chris Christie as New Jersey governor.  Then, it was the election of Republican Scott Brown as the successor to Ted Kennedy for the Senate seat in Massachusetts.  And, now, at least if it were up to me, it will be the election of Robert Allen Mansfield (photo: right) as governor of the state of Pennsylvania.

As I sit here and watch the health care coverage on Fox News, I can’t help but wish we had leaders who were more in tune with the American people.  If the Founding Fathers saw America today, I firmly believe they would not recognize it.  They did not foresee an America with out-of-control government spending.  They did not foresee an America with Big Government.  They did not foresee an America whose leaders infringed upon the people’s liberties.

Between the Tea Party movement and the 9/12ers, we know the people are tired of “more of the same.”  That is why it is so important for the good people of Pennsylvania to realize the opportunity before them in November 2010.

What is that opportunity you ask?  It is the opportunity to elect a man that understands what America is going through and can help right the ship in the great state of Pennsylvania.

That man is Robert Allen Mansfield.

As his campaign website explains, “Robert Allen Mansfield was born on January 28th, 1971 in Philadelphia to a heroin addict mother who put him up for adoption.  He spent his first two years in foster care before being adopted by the Mansfield family.”  If you read further, you begin to see how this foster child grew to love public speaking at a very young age – so much so that he was nicknamed “The Politician.” 

From there you see the picture of this young man, with seemingly everything going against him at first, become an entrepreneur and join the Army National Guard.  But, Robert didn’t just join the National Guard, he volunteered to go to Iraq.  That’s right – he volunteered.

Robert Allen Mansfield is a true American.  Like George Washington, he is qualified to lead others because he served this country at wartime.

Mr. Mansfield gets it.  He understands the people of America and the people of Pennsylvania.

Just browse through his campaign website and you will see for yourself.  Tell me Pennsylvania, would you not vote for a guy who would eliminate the state’s progressive tax system?  What about a candidate who would “[phase out all] corporate and personal income taxes over the next 6 years…”?

As governor, Mansfield would “reduce every department and state agency budget by a minimum of 2% per year,” including legislative staff.

Mansfield is Pro-Life and a Second Amendment supporter.  He is an advocate of  School Choice and Charter Schools.

And if those reasons alone don’t sway you to vote for Mansfield, maybe this will.  Mansfield believes that Free Market Solutions are the only way for this country and the state of Pennsylvania to get back on track.  As his website states: “The individual has pulled this country out of the breech before. In order to allow this to happen, government has to step out of the way and let them thrive.”  Let it be known that Robert Allen Mansfield is a man who knows what “We The People” are capable of.

However, and what clinched it for me with Mansfield, was his message to all young males in the state of PA: “Pull up your pants and wear a belt properly!”  You can’t go wrong voting for a man like that.  If you didn’t realize it before, you should know now that Robert is a true conservative.

I’m currently reading a book by 2008 Libertarian Vice Presidential nominee, Wayne Allyn Root, called The Conscience of a Libertarian: Empowering the Citizen Revolution with God, Guns, Gambling, & Tax Cuts and I wanted to share a quote with you from the book that I think captures the essence of what Mansfield stands for.  On page 95, Root writes:

The only way to make a change from Big Brother and bigger government to more power for the people, is to elect anti-establishment, anti-status quo, anti-politicians from outside the Beltway.  We need to elect politicians who understand that the best government is that which governs least.  It is time to elect politicians who will downsize and dismantle government---the politicians who are not afraid of limiting their own power and influence.  It is time for a political Hippocratic Oath: Above all else, do no harm.

Robert Allen Mansfield is anti-establishment.  Robert Allen Mansfield is anti-status quo.  Robert Allen Mansfield is an anti-politician.  He is the type of candidate Root describes so perfectly – it’s almost as if Root was writing about Mansfield.  He is the only candidate in the Pennsylvania gubernatorial race who can truly be considered from “outside the Beltway.”

And as I’m writing this now, I realize that Robert does have his own version of Root’s political Hippocratic Oath.  As Robert puts it: “If I cannot help you, I will not hurt you.”

Is it just me, or is that the type of governor we need in Pennsylvania?  Citizens of PA – do the right thing and support this great man.

Robert Allen Mansfield for Pennsylvania governor in 2010!

- The Refounding Father

The Refounding Father Endorses Robert Allen Mansfield for Pennsylvania Governor

My Fellow Americans,

The Refounding Father has made his choice for the Governor of Pennsylvania -- Robert Allen Mansfield.  Mr. Mansfield is running as an Independent.  For more information on Mansfield's campaign, please visit his website.

As a resident of PA myself, I certainly would like to have a governor in office that has the principles and leadership capability of Robert Allen Mansfield.

I will have more information on Mr. Mansfield's campaign in the coming days (and hopefully an interview at some point).

- The Refounding Father

Freedom Fest at Independence Hall on Saturday, March 6

My Fellow Americans,

Please join me and other Tea Party Patriots at Independence Hall in Philadelphia, PA this Saturday (March 6, 2010) from 12:00 pm to 3:00 pm.

From the description on the rally’s Facebook page:

It's time to get back to Constitutional values. Join us on Saturday, March 6th in Philadelphia for a Freedom Festival and Tea Party rally in Independence Hall National Park.  It is here on this historic ground where the Founders wrote and signed the Constitution, the laws our nation was built on. But after generations of activist judges legislating from the bench and scores of politicians thumbing their nose at it, it's time to remind the nation to WAKE UP and demand we return to Constitutional values.

Come fully clad in patriotic garb with signs and all at this Tea Party event which is more than just a rally but also a discussion and a convention on amendments to the Constitution. Any amendments made or suggested at this event will be sent to both houses of Congress and every state legislature in the nation for review. Join us and be a part of history.

Speaking:

Keynote - Michael Johns, Tea Party Leader and former speechwriter for President George H.W. Bush
David McCleary, Author "The Flawless Leader Papers"
Robert Allen Mansfield and Sam Rohrer, Gubernatorial Candidates
Russ Diamond and Steve Johnson, Candidates for Lt. Governor
Peg Luksik, for U.S. Senate
Clayton Grabb, for PA's 3rd Congressional District
Congressman Jim Gerlach, PA's 6th Congressional District
James Jones, for PA's 8th Congressional District
William Russell, for PA's 12th Congressional District
Josh Quinter, for PA's 13th Congressional District
(Damion Dachowski?)
Frank Ryan, for PA's 17th Congressional District

INVITE YOUR FRIENDS TO JOIN US AT THIS TEA PARTY EVENT!
"LET FREEDOM NEVER PERISH IN YOUR HANDS"

High & Tight: Bunning Throws Dems a Curveball

My Fellow Americans,

Let me start off today by saying I sympathize with the unemployed out there – scratch that – the unemployed who are actively looking for work.  I get that it’s hard – and it just flat out sucks.  I know that because people close to me suffered through tough times during periods of unemployment.  It’s not a pretty picture.

But, let’s break down the decision of Senator Jim Bunning (R-KY) (photo: Google) to block “Democratic attempts to enact a short-term extension of unemployment benefits and COBRA subsidies for a million Americans” (ABC News).  While the immediate backlash from the mainstream media is nothing new, Bunning should be commended for taking a stand.  What Bunning wants is for the bill to be paid for before it is passed.  What a novel idea wouldn’t you say?  Given the trillions of dollars of debt in which the United States finds itself, $10 billion in unemployment benefits can certainly be considered a “drop in the bucket.”  And rightfully so.  But, we should at least start somewhere, right?

I thought Stuart Varney, Fox News contributor and host of “Varney & Co.” on the Fox Business Network, put it best on Sean Hannity’s March 2 radio show when he asked why no other senator stood up there with Bunning when he held his ground for the American taxpayer.  Why wasn’t anybody else up there?  Should we be more worried that other senators didn’t accompany Bunning as he took a stand against more out of control government spending – or that one million unemployed individuals didn’t get an extension on their benefits?  To paraphrase Varney, when do we say no?  We need to stop the spending, stop the borrowing – we need to get the money from somewhere and not just pass the debt on to our children.

Luckily, for us, Bunning said no.  He did the difficult thing.  He had that uncomfortable conversation.  "I believe we should pay for it," Bunning said. "I'm trying to make a point to the people of the United States."  And thank God somebody was willing to take a stand for the American.

As I said – it was a difficult thing for Bunning to do – especially in tough economic times.  As Yahoo! News blog contributor, Brett Michael Dykes, explains it:

Since cutting health and unemployment benefits isn't the most popular thing to do in a job-starved recession, the Senate had reached near unanimity on extending these programs. But near-unanimous isn't enough when senators are looking to stretch out the lifespan of benefits about to lapse-they need to reach unanimous consent. And that requirement has delivered a great deal of power into Bunning's hands-- power that has allowed him to block the extension until the Senate find $10.3 billion in spending cuts elsewhere to fund the safety-net spending.

Unpopular?  Sure.  Fiscally prudent?  Well, it helps.  Bunning’s move comes at a time when American reliance on the government is at an all-time high.  Consider what Patrice Hill of The Washington Times had to say in a March 1 article:

The so-called "Great Recession" has left Americans depending on the government dole like never before.

Without record levels of welfare, unemployment and other government benefits as well as tax cuts last year, the income of U.S. households would have plunged by an astonishing $723 billion — more than four times the record $167 billion drop reported last month by the Commerce Department.

Moreover, for the first time since the Great Depression, Americans took more aid from the government than they paid in taxes.

[…] "Governmental support was critical in keeping the economy, particularly consumer spending, from completely collapsing during the crisis," said Harm Bandholz, an economist at Unicredit Markets. He said he is concerned that so much of the economic rebound is a result of government spending rather than a revival of private income and jobs. That situation is unsustainable, he said, because the government has had to borrow massively to prop up the economy and cannot continue that binge for long.

[…] The massive shift into dependence on the government, while essential in promoting an economic revival last year, has postponed a reckoning for many consumers who went too far into debt to maintain their lifestyles during the boom years, Mr. Bandholz said.

While the government was lavishing aid, banks were cutting credit to consumers by a record $250 billion, nearly as much as the amount consumers gained from government transfer payments.

"This shift only postpones a solution to the problem" by substituting government debt for consumer debt, Mr. Bandholz said. "These elevated debt loads will at least result in sluggish growth rates for the time being — and if the problem is not tackled with determination, it might very well lead to another crisis."

Very interesting.  So, maybe, just maybe there is a method to Bunning’s supposed ‘madness?’ 

"If we cant find $10 billion somewhere for a bill that everybody in this body supports, we will never pay for anything," Mr. Bunning said.

Say what you want, America, but the man has a point.