Letter to the Editor: Nominate Evan Feinberg

This year Republicans in PA's 18th District have a choice to make when they go to the polls. They can either vote to maintain the status quo—and keep Tim Murphy—or take a step to throw the brakes on reckless spending in Washington and nominate Evan Feinberg.

On the day Barack Obama took office, the national debt was $10.6 trillion. As of this writing, it is $15.6 trillion. This financial irresponsibility not only further delays a full recovery, but jeopardizes future generations of Americans. While it would be convenient to put all of the blame on the president or the Democratic Party, it would ignore the role of Republican lawmakers such as Tim Murphy.

In the five terms that Tim Murphy has been in Congress, he has cultivated a consistent record of spending. Never one to shy away from pork, Murphy voted for a transportation bill in 2005 that included the “Bridge to Nowhere.” While responsible Americans were suffering through the downturn, Murphy saw fit to vote for bailouts for the auto companies, and Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. As fiscal conservatives implored Washington to stop, Murphy had no problem voting to raise the debt ceiling while voting against the Mulvaney amendment to cut discretionary spending to 2006 levels. While his constituents live within their means, Murphy voted for a continuing resolution to fund the government without a budget. Quite simply, Tim Murphy cannot stop spending our money!

Thankfully, we do have an opportunity to retire Congressman Murphy and replace him with someone who understands that larger government is not the answer. As an aide to Senators Tim Coburn and Rand Paul, Evan Feinberg promoted substantive alternatives to a government takeover of healthcare and crafted proposals to fundamentally reform our nation’s unsustainable entitlement programs. Feinberg’s is precisely the thinking we need in Washington at this time.

On Tuesday, I suggest we make a step toward sanity in Washington by sending Tim Murphy home and nominating Evan Feinberg.

- Scott Burrows, of Venetia

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