Ideal Candidate for 6th PA: Leibowitz is Not Yet Ideal

Tuesday, January 15, 2008

Leibowitz is Not Yet Ideal

This just in: Mike Leibowitz says he's running

KP Exclusive: A Challenger for Gerlach | Keystone Politics

Ideal Candidate plans to stay in the race. IC will wait to see how Leibowitz's campaign develops to see whether he can assume the title of "Ideal Candidate." Unknown insurgent candidates cannot run a "safe" campaign and beat a well-known and well-financed incumbent. Insurgents must look for "break-out" issues that can appeal broadly and make Gerlach have to fight to hold his own base. See Ideal Candidate's talking points below.

1 comment:

Greg Palmer said...: Hi "Ideal,"

We'd love to have you blog about your thoughts on the 6th District race on Keystone Politics. Get in touch with me at greg@keystonepolitics.com if you're interested.; January 15, 2008 at 4:57 PM

Post a Comment

Ideal Candidate's Quick Talking Points

[Insert Candidate Name Here]

A New Type of Democrat for the PA 6th District

As a candidate I will ceaselessly talk about immediate measures needed to address our economic crisis. The 110th Congress and the President should immediately enact:

1. A timely, targeted and temporary $200 billion stimulus package that combines payroll tax rebates, enhancements to food stamps and unemployment benefits and increased aid to states. Money will flow quickly to folks who need it and will spend immediately.

2. A complete temporary freeze on mortgage foreclosures while medium-term measures are taken to restructure the mass of mortgage-backed securities and collateralized debt obligations weighing on the US financial system.

As your elected representative to the 111th Congress, I pledge to work with our leadership to enact legislation address our long-term needs, including measures to:

* Invest in Infrastructure Without Raising Taxes

-Rebuild our roads, bridges and water systems
-Invest in 21st century infrastructure improvements like high-speed rail
-Use government-issued credit NOT deficit spending

*Reduce Tax Burden on Middle Class Paychecks

-Reduce tax bias against Wage-earners
-Eliminate Alternative Minimum Tax for middle-class taxpayers
-Expand personal exemptions and earned-income tax credit to payroll taxes (SSI and Medicare)

*Launch an Apollo Program for Energy

-Accelerate move to electric/hydrogen transportation system and away from petroleum-based fuels
-Encourage growing role for Nuclear to generate electric power, reducing dependence on coal and natural gas over time
-Invest sensibly in renewables (i.e. solar, wind and cellulosics) and promote conservation, but avoid “biofoolery” (i.e fuels based on corn and other essential foods and seed oils)
-Integrate approach to climate change into overall strategy to build sustainable middle class prosperity

*Restore Sanity to our Capital Markets and create necessary “firewalls” to:

-Secure continued payment of private pension benefits
-Limit power of private equity and hedge funds to “tax” the productive enterprises through outrageous fees and up-front distributions, high-stakes “leveraged” bets on energy and essential commodities and other abusive practices

*Initiate an Entirely New Foreign Policy for Middle East and Asia

-Put war avoidance at center of strategy
-Lend US support for China-India-Russia economic cooperation
-Restore long-term US credibility vs. “political Islam”
-Move beyond stale “stay or go” debate on Iraq

Ideal Candidate for 6th PA

What investments should the US help fund in the 6th Congressional District?

Blog Archive

About Me

Tuesday, January 15, 2008

Leibowitz is Not Yet Ideal

1 comment:

Ideal Candidate's Quick Talking Points