U.S. Senate
Voters going to the polls Tuesday will have a clear choice in the race for one of the state’s two seats in the U.S. Senate. On the Republican ticket is Pat Toomey, a fierce backer of the conservative movement. On the other side is U.S. Rep. Joe Sestak, who makes no secret of his liberal views.
At its essence, this is a battle over what government should do: Sestak thinks it should help Americans live better; Toomey thinks it should wither away to nothing. With the number of serious problems facing the country – many of them exacerbated by a highly partisan Congress – we don’t feel now is the time many Americans can afford to go it alone. As such, Sestak gets the endorsement of the Herald-Standard Editorial Board for the seat currently held by U.S. Sen. Arlen Specter.
A two-term congressman from Delaware County, Sestak spent 31 years in the Navy, which gives him an excellent point of reference on military issues from budget cutbacks to ramping down involvement overseas.
Toomey, meanwhile, worked on Wall Street before serving three terms as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives from the Lehigh Valley.
Heath care is one of the major issues in the race and we agree with Sestak that the reform is not perfect, but that the changes are vitally needed. Toomey joins his Republican peers in opposing needed changes in our national health care system.
That’s unsurprising because Toomey has a very, very conservative track record, which would likely continue if he were to move to Capitol Hill. In fact, we find him simply too far right on too many major issues, including his desire to privatize Social Security.
The candidates also differ greatly over extending the Bush tax cuts. Sestak favors extending the tax cuts except for couples making more than $250,000 and others making more than $200,000. Toomey thinks the tax cuts should be extended for everyone. Given his constant talk about the deficit, Toomey is speaking out of both sides of his mouth on this issue. Sestak’s position makes much more sense to us.
For that reason and others, we think Sestak would best represent Pennsylvania’s interests in the U.S. Senate.