If you happen to begin to tap Peter Visclosky (D-Ind.) into Google, one of the first choices with be "scandal" and it involves earmarks given to PMA Group, a lobbying firm that has since disbanded. The FBI did subpoena documents from Visclosky's office, but the OCE later abandoned the case against Visclosky and a few other legislators. So Pete Visclosky isn't afraid of the Office of Congressional Ethics anymore. But that doesn't mean that he does not have fears. Oh, he has fears!!!
1) Pete Visclosky Fears Joel Phelps
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Joel with wife, Jennifer, and their boys.
First, it is apparent that Pete Visclosky is afraid of Joel Phelps. He is SO afraid of Phelps, or more to the point, so afraid of DEBATING Joel Phelps, that he has blown off the very nearly entire Gary Community of Ministers!!!
Here is the press release:
1) Pete Visclosky Fears Joel Phelps
(1).jpg)
First, it is apparent that Pete Visclosky is afraid of Joel Phelps. He is SO afraid of Phelps, or more to the point, so afraid of DEBATING Joel Phelps, that he has blown off the very nearly entire Gary Community of Ministers!!!
Pete Visclosky has not even had the courtesy to respond to the invitation from
The Baptist Ministers Conference of Gary & Vicinity and the Catholic Diocese of Gary!
Here is the press release:
Phelps Accepts Congressional Debate
Invitation
Visclosky Fails To Respond To Debate
Invite
(Portage, IN) – Joel Phelps,
nominee for the US House of Representatives, today formally accepted an
invitation from the Baptist Ministers Conference of Gary & Vicinity
and the Catholic Diocese of Gary to participate in a Town Hall style
debate against incumbent Representative Pete Visclosky. The
invitations were sent to both candidates last week.
Phelps enthusiastically responded to
the invitation saying, “It’s fantastic that these organizations have offered
to hold such an event. I think it’s important for voters in the 1st
Congressional District to have the opportunity to ask questions and hear an
unfiltered comparison of Visclosky’s record in office against the fresh ideas I
have to grow the Region’s economy through job creation and bi-partisan
cooperation with local community leaders.”
The co-sponsors proposed the Town Hall
style debate be held either October 18 or October 25. As of today,
Representative Visclosky has not responded to the invitation.
Phelps
adds, “To date, Representative Visclosky is the only incumbent in the State
of Indiana not to agree to even just one debate against their challenger. After
nearly 30-years in Washington, the people of Gary and the 1st
District are owed a visit back home from Representative Visclosky and deserve
answers to their questions about the future before November 6.” Phelps
says, “I’m ready to debate on the date, time, and place of his choice …
whenever he can make time to visit Indiana.”
In the proposed debate format, each
candidate would be allowed a 2-minute opening remark, 1-minute responses to
questions posed by audience participants, and a 5-minute closing remark. The
debate would last approximately one hour at a location to be determined. The
event would be open to the public as well as print, radio, and television
media.
Joel Phelps is the Republican nominee
to represent Indiana's 1st Congressional District in the US House of
Representatives. This is his first political race in an effort to unseat career
politician Pete Visclosky, who has been in office since 1985. Phelps, who grew
up in Hammond and now lives in Portage, is a successful business leader and
entrepreneur. He graduated from Purdue University with a degree in Industrial
Engineering.
For more information or to schedule an
interview, contact Scott Sands at 317-496-7268.
Joel Phelps with a few of his biggest fans!
2) Pete Visclosky fears the informed voter!
I still remember the Town Hall meetings that Pete Visclosky held when Obamacare was being discussed. It so happens that a group of us used our resources wisely so that one or two of us managed to be at several Town Hall meetings. In every single venue where we attended, Visclosky and his handlers tried to turn the event into a monologue by Visclosky and allowing few, if any, questions. But we did not stand for that behavior. At the Cedar Lake meeting, we demanded that Visclosky stop his speech and answer questions about Obamacare. We read right from the bill itself and Pete was unable to explain what those passages meant nor could he defend the bill when challenged for a good reason Indiana residents would even want out Tenth Amendment rights violated.
At other venues he was usually forced to take questions and he always demonstrated a complete lack of knowledge about the Obamacare bill as well as really having no good reason to vote for it. But Barack Obama and Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi wanted it passed, so Pete voted for it.
Have you noticed that Pete holds a LOT fewer Town Halls now?
Pete Visclosky did NOT know what was in that bill. But he voted for it and voted against repealing it.
We came to meeting after meeting to demand that Pete Visclosky vote "NO" on Obamacare and yet he defied his constituency and supported it. In fact, Pete Visclosky has been an absolute rubber stamp for the liberal agenda and an absolute job-killing machine for Northwest Indiana. Look around you. What do you see when you drive through North Lake County? Empty factories, crumbling houses, trees and weeds overtaking properties where once people with a job lived. But so many of those jobs are gone and Pete Visclosky doesn't care. Don't believe me?
The US Chamber of Commerce has a rating system to rate candidates as friendly or unfriendly to job creation. When looking at Pete Visclosky they gave him an unbelievably bad score! Pete Visclosky gets 32 per cent!!! By comparison, Todd Rokita gets 94 per cent! Mike Pence and Dan Burton got 88 per cent. The only Congressman from Indiana more hostile to job creation and retention than Pete Visclosky for 2011 was...the null set. Nobody was as bad as Pete!!!
Pete
Visclosky is the worst-ranked Indiana Congressman by the US Chamber of
Commerce when considering job creation or retention. Worse than Joe Donnelly. Worse than Andre Carson. Dead last among Indiana Congressmen!
Whither Obama goest, Pete doth follow
Pete Visclosky is afraid you will find out what he stands for and will vote him out. So he spends a lot of money to get voted in. Which is why...
3) Pete Visclosky fears your money!
From a study of campaign spending efficiency in In the District one elections, Pete spent $3.96 per vote to defeat Mark Leyva rather easily in the last election. This year, with all the lobbyists and liberal boosters hoping to keep Pete in office, he has a massive amount of money to spend compared to Joel Phelps. From the linked site:
"During the current 2011-2012 election cycle, Visclosky has taken in more
than $508,000 in net contributions but spent about $478,000 in net
operating expenditures. His campaign has underspent its contribution
income by 6.0%, a total of $30,249. Phelps has had only $4378 in net
contributions in addition to $6324 of his own funds. His net operating
expenditures of $6336 are lower than his total intake by about 40.8%.
Visclosky received only 59.2% of the total votes cast between the
Democrat and Republican primaries. Each of his votes was accompanied by
net funds of about $0.72. That means $511.10 per percentage point. In
contrast, Phelps’ 24.1% of the total votes between the two primaries
represent net funds of $0.25 per vote or $181.45 per percentage point."
Pete Visclosky has been in office since 1985! Since he was elected, the Berlin Wall fell and the Iron Curtain became kaput. Harry Potter was discovered, became a phenomenon and faded. Pete kept getting elected. Hard rock gave way to Big Hair bands. Rap happened. Grunge happened. Alternative happened. Pete was still in office. The Chicago Bears have won one Super Bowl and lost another. From the Super Bowl Shuffle to Everyday I'm Shufflin' we've had Pete around. There is no Pest Control for Congressmen, so it is up to you and your wallet. Visclosky has the Democratic Machine to fund his reelection machine.
You have to get involved to eradicate the Visclosky stranglehold on the area! Joel Phelps needs MONEY! He needs Facebook likes, he needs tweets, he needs people talking to their friends about the election but especially JOEL PHELPS NEEDS YOUR MONEY! Because if Joel Phelps can get his message out, people will have a chance to compare him to the worst Jobs Congressman in Indiana's delegation and vote Visclosky OUT!
4) Pete Visclosky is afraid of his record
Pete Visclosky grew up in Gary, Indiana. His father was mayor of Gary! Pete claims to be a man of the people who grew up with familiarity of the life of the working man. So why is it that the steel industry has nose-dived and Gary has fallen to pieces while Pete Visclosky just keeps on going to Washington, DC and schmoozes with the Beltway Boys and lobbyists?
You can see all of his votes and what stands he takes. Check out this excerpt and YOU tell ME if Pete Visclosky stands for you or not? Meanwhile, a candidate who DOES represent Northwest Indiana named Joel Phelps needs your help to put an end to a record like this one, below:
| VoteMatch Responses
(Click here for VoteMatch quiz) | |
|---|---|
| VoteMatch Question & Answer (Click on question for explanation and background) |
Based on these stances: (Click on topic for excerpt & citation) |
|
Favors
topic 1: Abortion is a woman's right (+2 points on Social scale) | Rated 30% by NARAL, indicating a pro-life voting record: Strongly Opposes topic 1 Rated 0% by the NRLC, indicating a pro-choice stance: Strongly Favors topic 1 NO on banning federal health coverage that includes abortion: Strongly Favors topic 1 NO on barring transporting minors to get an abortion: Strongly Favors topic 1 YES on banning partial-birth abortions: Opposes topic 1 NO on banning Family Planning funding in US aid abroad: Favors topic 1 NO on federal crime to harm fetus while committing other crimes: Favors topic 1 NO on funding for health providers who don't provide abortion info: Favors topic 1 YES on banning partial-birth abortion except to save mother’s life: Strongly Opposes topic 1 NO on making it a crime to harm a fetus during another crime: Favors topic 1 NO on restricting interstate transport of minors to get abortions: Strongly Favors topic 1 YES on allowing human embryonic stem cell research: Favors topic 1 YES on expanding research to more embryonic stem cell lines: Favors topic 1 |
|
Strongly Favors
topic 2: Require hiring more women & minorities (-5 points on Economic scale) | Rated 94% by the NAACP, indicating a pro-affirmative-action stance: Strongly Favors topic 2 Ban discriminatory compensation; allow 2 years to sue: Favors topic 2 Stronger enforcement against gender-based pay discrimination: Favors topic 2 Honor the 100th anniversary of the NAACP: Favors topic 2 NO on ending preferential treatment by race in college admissions: Favors topic 2 YES on $84 million in grants for Black and Hispanic colleges: Strongly Favors topic 2 |
|
Strongly Favors
topic 3: Same-sex domestic partnership benefits (+5 points on Social scale) | More funding and stricter sentencing for hate crimes: Strongly Favors topic 3 Rated 75% by the HRC, indicating a pro-gay-rights stance: Strongly Favors topic 3 Repeal Don't-Ask-Don't-Tell, and reinstate discharged gays: Favors topic 3 NO on banning gay adoptions in DC: Favors topic 3 NO on Constitutional Amendment banning same-sex marriage: Strongly Favors topic 3 NO on Constitutionally defining marriage as one-man-one-woman: Strongly Favors topic 3 YES on prohibiting job discrimination based on sexual orientation: Strongly Favors topic 3 YES on enforcing against anti-gay hate crimes: Favors topic 3 |
|
Opposes
topic 4: Teacher-led prayer in public schools (+2 points on Social scale) | Rated 30% by the Christian Coalition: an anti-Family-Value voting record: Strongly Opposes topic 4 Rated 83% by the AU, indicating support of church-state separation: Strongly Opposes topic 4 NO on giving federal aid only to schools allowing voluntary prayer: Strongly Opposes topic 4 YES on allowing school prayer during the War on Terror: Strongly Favors topic 4 NO on constitutional amendment prohibiting flag desecration: Opposes topic 4 NO on protecting the Pledge of Allegiance: Opposes topic 4 YES on allowing Courts to decide on "God" in Pledge of Allegiance: Opposes topic 4 |
|
Strongly Opposes
topic 8: Death Penalty (+5 points on Social scale) | YES on replacing death penalty with life imprisonment: Strongly Opposes topic 8 NO on making federal death penalty appeals harder: Strongly Opposes topic 8 YES on maintaining right of habeas corpus in Death Penalty Appeals: Opposes topic 8 |
|
Opposes
topic 9: Mandatory Three Strikes sentencing laws (+2 points on Social scale) | Rated 20% by CURE, indicating anti-rehabilitation crime votes: Strongly Favors topic 9 Increase funding for "COPS ON THE BEAT" program: Opposes topic 9 NO on more prosecution and sentencing for juvenile crime: Opposes topic 9 YES on funding for alternative sentencing instead of more prisons.: Strongly Opposes topic 9 YES on expanding services for offenders' re-entry into society: Opposes topic 9 |
|
Strongly Opposes
topic 10: Absolute right to gun ownership (-5 points on Economic scale) | Rated F by the NRA, indicating a pro-gun control voting record: Strongly Opposes topic 10 NO on decreasing gun waiting period from 3 days to 1: Strongly Opposes topic 10 NO on prohibiting suing gunmakers & sellers for gun misuse: Strongly Opposes topic 10 NO on prohibiting product misuse lawsuits on gun manufacturers: Strongly Opposes topic 10 |
|
Strongly Favors
topic 5: More federal funding for health coverage (-5 points on Economic scale) | Rated 78% by APHA, indicating a pro-public health record: Strongly Favors topic 5 YES on giving mental health full equity with physical health: Favors topic 5 YES on Veto override: Extend SCHIP to cover 6M more kids: Strongly Favors topic 5 NO on repealing the "Prevention and Public Health" slush fund: Strongly Favors topic 5 NO on the Ryan Budget: Medicare choice, tax & spending cuts: Favors topic 5 NO on establishing tax-exempt Medical Savings Accounts: Favors topic 5 NO on subsidizing private insurance for Medicare Rx drug coverage: Favors topic 5 NO on allowing reimportation of prescription drugs: Opposes topic 5 NO on capping damages & setting time limits in medical lawsuits: Favors topic 5 NO on limited prescription drug benefit for Medicare recipients: Favors topic 5 NO on denying non-emergency treatment for lack of Medicare co-pay: Strongly Favors topic 5 YES on requiring negotiated Rx prices for Medicare part D: Favors topic 5 YES on adding 2 to 4 million children to SCHIP eligibility: Favors topic 5 YES on overriding veto on expansion of Medicare: Favors topic 5 YES on expanding the Children's Health Insurance Program: Favors topic 5 YES on regulating tobacco as a drug: Favors topic 5 |
|
Opposes
topic 6: Privatize Social Security (-3 points on Economic scale) | Rated 89% by the ARA, indicating a pro-senior voting record: Strongly Opposes topic 6 YES on strengthening the Social Security Lockbox: Opposes topic 6 NO on reducing tax payments on Social Security benefits: Opposes topic 6 YES on raising 401(k) limits & making pension plans more portable: Favors topic 6 |
|
Strongly Opposes
topic 7: Parents choose schools via vouchers (-5 points on Economic scale) | Rated 92% by the NEA, indicating pro-public education votes: Strongly Opposes topic 7 NO on reauthorizing the DC opportunity scholarship program: Strongly Opposes topic 7 NO on vouchers for private & parochial schools: Strongly Opposes topic 7 NO on allowing vouchers in DC schools: Opposes topic 7 YES on environmental education grants for outdoor experiences: Opposes topic 7 YES on $40B for green public schools: Opposes topic 7 |
|
Strongly Favors
topic 18: Replace coal & oil with alternatives (-5 points on Economic scale) | Preserve Alaska's ANWR instead of drilling it: Favors topic 18 Rated 70% by the LCV, indicating pro-environment votes: Strongly Favors topic 18 Rated 83% by the CAF, indicating support for energy independence: Favors topic 18 Set goal of 25% renewable energy by 2025: Strongly Favors topic 18 YES on tax incentives for renewable energy: Strongly Favors topic 18 NO on barring EPA from regulating greenhouse gases: Favors topic 18 NO on opening Outer Continental Shelf to oil drilling: Strongly Favors topic 18 YES on starting implementation of Kyoto Protocol: Strongly Favors topic 18 NO on raising CAFE standards; incentives for alternative fuels: Strongly Opposes topic 18 YES on prohibiting oil drilling & development in ANWR: Strongly Favors topic 18 NO on authorizing construction of new oil refineries: Strongly Favors topic 18 NO on scheduling permitting for new oil refinieries: Strongly Favors topic 18 YES on keeping moratorium on drilling for oil offshore: Strongly Favors topic 18 YES on removing oil & gas exploration subsidies: Strongly Favors topic 18 YES on investing in homegrown biofuel: Strongly Favors topic 18 YES on criminalizing oil cartels like OPEC: Favors topic 18 YES on tax incentives for energy production and conservation: Strongly Favors topic 18 YES on tax credits for renewable electricity, with PAYGO offsets: Favors topic 18 NO on enforcing limits on CO2 global warming pollution: Opposes topic 18 YES on $2 billion more for Cash for Clunkers program: Favors topic 18 |
|
Opposes
topic 19: Drug use is immoral: enforce laws against it (+2 points on Social scale) | Rated -30 by NORML, indicating a "hard-on-drugs" stance: Strongly Favors topic 19 NO on subjecting federal employees to random drug tests: Strongly Opposes topic 19 NO on prohibiting needle exchange & medical marijuana in DC: Strongly Opposes topic 19 YES on more funding for Mexico to fight drugs: Favors topic 19 |
|
Opposes
topic 20: Allow churches to provide welfare services (-3 points on Economic scale) | YES on responsible fatherhood via faith-based organizations: Favors topic 20 NO on treating religious organizations equally for tax breaks: Strongly Opposes topic 20 YES on instituting National Service as a new social invention: Opposes topic 20 |
|
Strongly Favors
topic 11: Make taxes more progressive (-5 points on Economic scale) | Rated 20% by NTU, indicating a "Big Spender" on tax votes: Strongly Favors topic 11 Rated 100% by the CTJ, indicating support of progressive taxation: Strongly Favors topic 11 NO on eliminating the "marriage penalty": Favors topic 11 NO on $46 billion in tax cuts for small business: Favors topic 11 NO on Tax cut package of $958 B over 10 years: Favors topic 11 NO on reducing Marriage Tax by $399B over 10 years: Favors topic 11 NO on eliminating the Estate Tax ("death tax"): Favors topic 11 NO on making the Bush tax cuts permanent: Strongly Favors topic 11 NO on providing tax relief and simplification: Strongly Favors topic 11 NO on retaining reduced taxes on capital gains & dividends: Strongly Favors topic 11 YES on paying for AMT relief by closing offshore business loopholes: Strongly Favors topic 11 YES on extending AMT exemptions to avoid hitting middle-income: Opposes topic 11 |
|
Favors
topic 12: Illegal immigrants earn citizenship (+2 points on Social scale) | Rated 0% by FAIR, indicating a voting record loosening immigration: Strongly Favors topic 12 Rated 17% by USBC, indicating an open-border stance: Strongly Favors topic 12 NO on more immigrant visas for skilled workers: Opposes topic 12 NO on extending Immigrant Residency rules: Opposes topic 12 NO on reporting illegal aliens who receive hospital treatment: Strongly Favors topic 12 YES on preventing tipping off Mexicans about Minuteman Project: Strongly Opposes topic 12 NO on building a fence along the Mexican border: Strongly Favors topic 12 |
|
Strongly Opposes
topic 13: Support & expand free trade (-5 points on Economic scale) | Maintain anti-dumping restrictions against foreign importers: Strongly Opposes topic 13 Rated 20% by CATO, indicating a pro-fair trade voting record: Strongly Opposes topic 13 Tariffs against countries undervaluing their currency: Opposes topic 13 Review free trade agreements biennially for rights violation: Strongly Opposes topic 13 Impose tariffs against countries which manipulate currency: Opposes topic 13 NO on 'Fast Track' authority for trade agreements: Strongly Opposes topic 13 NO on Permanent Normal Trade Relations with China: Strongly Opposes topic 13 NO on withdrawing from the WTO: Strongly Favors topic 13 NO on implementing US-Singapore free trade agreement: Strongly Opposes topic 13 NO on implementing free trade agreement with Chile: Strongly Opposes topic 13 YES on implementing US-Australia Free Trade Agreement: Favors topic 13 NO on end offshore tax havens and promote small business: Favors topic 13 NO on implementing CAFTA, Central America Free Trade: Strongly Opposes topic 13 YES on assisting workers who lose jobs due to globalization: Opposes topic 13 NO on promoting free trade with Peru: Opposes topic 13 |
|
Favors
topic 15: Expand the armed forces (-3 points on Social scale) | Rated 89% by SANE, indicating a pro-peace voting record: Strongly Opposes topic 15 YES on $266 billion Defense Appropriations bill: Favors topic 15 YES on deploying SDI: Favors topic 15 YES on emergency $78B for war in Iraq & Afghanistan: Strongly Favors topic 15 YES on continuing military recruitment on college campuses: Favors topic 15 YES on restricting no-bid defense contracts: Strongly Opposes topic 15 |
|
Favors
topic 16: Stricter limits on political campaign funds (-3 points on Economic scale) | YES on banning soft money and issue ads: Favors topic 16 NO on banning soft money donations to national political parties: Opposes topic 16 YES on campaign finance reform banning soft-money contributions: Favors topic 16 NO on restricting independent grassroots political committees: Favors topic 16 YES on requiring lobbyist disclosure of bundled donations: Strongly Favors topic 16 |
|
Strongly Favors
topic 14: The Patriot Act harms civil liberties (+5 points on Social scale) | YES on Veto override: Congressional oversight of CIA interrogations: Strongly Favors topic 14 YES on requiring FISA warrants for wiretaps in US, but not abroad: Strongly Favors topic 14 NO on extending the PATRIOT Act's roving wiretaps: Strongly Favors topic 14 NO on making the PATRIOT Act permanent: Strongly Favors topic 14 NO on continuing intelligence gathering without civil oversight: Strongly Favors topic 14 NO on allowing electronic surveillance without a warrant: Strongly Favors topic 14 NO on removing need for FISA warrant for wiretapping abroad: Strongly Favors topic 14 |
|
Favors
topic 17: US out of Iraq & Afghanistan (+2 points on Social scale) | No contact & enforce sanctions on Iran until threat is gone: Strongly Opposes topic 17 Boycott & sanctions against Iran for terrorism & nukes: Opposes topic 17 Sanctions on Iran to end nuclear program: Opposes topic 17 YES on removing US armed forces from Afghanistan: Strongly Favors topic 17 NO on authorizing military force in Iraq: Strongly Favors topic 17 NO on declaring Iraq part of War on Terror with no exit date: Strongly Favors topic 17 YES on redeploying US troops out of Iraq starting in 90 days: Strongly Favors topic 17 YES on investigating Bush impeachment for lying about Iraq: Favors topic 17 |
| Peter Visclosky is a Hard-Core Liberal.
Click here for explanation of political philosophy. Click here for VoteMatch quiz. |
