Casey Jr. all about accountability
State Treasurer Robert Casey Jr. said he is all about accountability. Whether talking about the war in Iraq, the U.S. economy, health care issues or tax cuts, the words accountable and responsible continue to find their way into his speech.
And Casey said Thursday during a teleconference with the Herald-Standard’s editorial board that it is accountability, which separates him from Republican U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum, whom he’s trying to unseat in the Nov. 7 general election.
Casey said Thursday he likes his chances against Santorum.
“We need to be able to hold our elected officials accountable,” Casey said. “We need to ask the tough questions. We are facing a mess in Iraq…the troops in the field and their families are being held accountable but no one in Washington (D.C.) is being held accountable.”
Casey said if elected he would push for the termination of U.S. Defense Sec. Donald Rumsfeld because he has led a failed campaign in the war with Iraq.
Casey also said the key to success is in the three-year battle is too be more forceful in pushing for results with the Bush administration.
“There is no leadership and commitment. There is no questioning of the administration. They don’t enforce deadlines. They don’t insist on benchmarks. We need to make Iraq take the lead,” Casey said.
He said Santorum rubber stamps the president’s policy and does not ask “the tough questions” in regards to the war or most other administration decisions, something Casey said caused the current situation in Iraq.
“They didn’t ask the tough questions when the went to war. I want to win this war. I have not supported a timeline or withdrawal date. We just need a change,” Casey said.
Casey said changes are also needed to rejuvenate the economy both locally and nationally, noting that his opponent has aided the current administration in plunging the nation deeper in debt by supporting Bush’s tax cuts.
Casey said overhauling the nation’s health care is the key to future economic stability.
“We need to reduce health care costs. We need deficit reduction. And we have a tax cut for the wealthiest Americans. But we can’t do both…the tax cuts have undermined our ability to do anything about our health care situation,” Casey said.
Casey said if elected he would repeal the tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans but would not do so for the tax cuts for the middle class, noting they are “good” for the economy.
Casey said he would support federal funding for child health care on the state level as well as federal aid to states for Medicare expenses.
He also chastised the health care savings accounts calling the plan “good for the healthy, wealthy and young.”
Casey said he does not support the North America Free Trade Agreement, which he said, “undermines American workers.” He said the system rewards companies who make no investments in the United States work force; another contributor to what he said is a lagging economy.
Casey said he also recognizes North Korea and Iran as potential threats to national security and said if elected, he would leave all options on the table to combat the problems with the countries, including military action.
“I would use every possible power we have to stop Iran and North Korea from gaining nuclear capabilities,” Casey said.
Casey, 46, graduated from Holy Cross College in 1982 and received his law degree from Catholic University in 1988.
Casey held the position of state auditor general for two terms before becoming the state treasurer about two years ago.
He was born in Scranton and is married with four daughters.
Santorum did not respond to requests for an editorial board session or teleconference with the Herald-Standard.