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Endorsements |
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| This campaign is proud
to have received the endorsements of the hard-working men
and women of this district. These are some of the
organizations that are supporting Mark B. McCracken for
Congress in 2008.
Union Endorsements -
Newspaper & Magazine Endorsements -
Veterans' Organizations
| Newspaper
& Magazine Endorsements |
(top)
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This open seat sets local
Republican ward heeler Glenn Thompson against
Clearfield County commissioner Mark McCracken. The
former promises hard national-party loyalty softened
by layers of pork; the latter promises steadfast focus
on local issues.
Esquire endorses:
McCracken |
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10/18/2008
Our endorsement: For Congress, it's McCracken
Our endorsements are not intended to tell readers how
to vote. Rather, they suggest how this newspaper would
vote if newspapers could cast votes. We hope they help
to clarify thinking for voters, but readers should
make up their own minds.
That said, there are three candidates for the Fifth
District seat in the U.S. House of Representatives
listed on the ballot: James Fryman, Libertarian,
Venango County; Glenn Thompson, Republican, Centre
County; Mark McCracken, Democrat, Clearfield County.
All three would be credible Congressmen. The choice is
a pleasant one: Who would be best?
McCracken, in our view.
Two factors stand out: Fiscal
responsibility/conservatism, and successful
experience.
McCracken prophetically said this past spring that it
won't matter much what candidates promise; unless
Congress reins in federal spending and reduces the
deficit, nothing else can get done. And that was
before the financial meltdown added another trillion
dollars or so to the $10 trillion national debt.
That is blunt talk. It's also on target.
McCracken has walked the walk. Though not as
conservative as fellow Commissioner Mike Lytle (Who
is?) in his first term, McCracken led the way for
Clearfield County to have saved close to $1 million by
chipping away at health care costs for employees,
working with other counties (a great trait in a
Congressman), and starting small (three counties),
then growing the consortium (now 12 counties) in
responsible fashion.
Before that, he was a school director - the most
thankless, demanding job in local-level government, in
our opinion. He did that job so well that he was
elected commissioner, then re-elected.
A vote for McCracken could be construed as a vote for
(shudder) Speaker Nancy Pelosi and the liberal
Democratic leadership. But Democrats will control the
House in any case this year. As a member of the
majority party, McCracken stands a better chance of
being able to translate his "Blue Dog" fiscally
conservative beliefs into alliance with like-minded
Democrats, and perhaps actually slow the spending
tendencies from within the party, than would Thompson,
in minority party status, or Fryman, in "voice crying
in the wilderness" lonely league with Ron Paul and
perhaps one or two others in the 435-member House.
We especially liked McCracken's own caveat: This is a
24-month term, he said. "If you don't like what I do
in Washington, vote me out in two years."
With no negatives toward his opponents, we endorse the
candidacy of Mark McCracken for the Fifth District
seat in the federal House of Representatives.
- Denny Bonavita |
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| Veterans'
Organizations |
(top)
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10/24/08
Veterans and Military
Families for Progress endorses Mark McCracken for
Pennsylvania’s Fifth Congressional District.
Washington, D.C.: Veterans and Military Families for
Progress (www.vmfp.org)
enthusiastically and proudly endorses Mark McCracken
in the upcoming Pennsylvania Fifth Congressional
District election. Founded in 2005, VMFP is dedicated
to ensuring that the rights and needs of veterans,
active-duty service members
(including national guard and reservists), and
their families are understood by the American public,
endorsed by our elected officials, and protected by
legislation, regulation, and public policy
initiatives.
McCracken’s service to our country cannot be
questioned. He is the son of a World War II veteran
and shares the values of our military forces.
McCracken’s strong commitment to the issues
that are critical to veterans, those serving now, and
their families is unsurpassed. His public support for
mandatory full funding of the Veterans Administration
and his declared determination to
provide for the
establishment of a national veterans and military
family policy
give veterans and their families hope that at long
last a Congressman will vote in such a way as to keep
faith with those who have served and sacrificed.
Additionally, McCracken’s
decision to support the passage of a 21st
century GI bill, and his deep understanding of the
need for providing and guaranteeing full health
coverage for National Guard and Reserve personnel,
demonstrate that he is a candidate who has the
character and courage to do what is right for those in
service to our country. We
feel that veterans, active duty, military families,
and in fact, all people of Pennsylvania’s Fifth
Congressional District will be well-served with Mark
McCracken as their representative by ensuring that
America remains strong in national defense and in
fighting terrorism.
Veterans and Military
Families for Progress is a 501(c)(4) non-partisan,
not-for-profit veterans
organization headquartered in Washington, D.C.
It is a 21st Century organization made up
of members located
throughout the
country, and from across the breadth of rank and
military services, who served, are serving, or are
family members of
those who have heeded the call to serve their country
in the U.S. military. |
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