Camera Bartolotta for Senate

[flyingjunkie]

So I've been going back and forth with Camera, who is running to unseat Tim Solobay in Washington County. I'll put my questions in bold and her responses in plain text. This is in writing on my Facebook account, so if she tries to go back on it to appease the likes of MDA, CeaseFire PA or any of those other groups, she can be held accountable. I have to admit, I like her responses. They weren't "politispeak" or beating around the bush. Her answers were very pointed.

Give me a few bullet points on where you stand on some of the hot button issues in PA.

Just a few quick points, we need to address the corporate tax structure in Pennsylvania. It is the highest in the country, and therefore the world. We have to make it more enticing for businesses to come to Pennsylvania. Reforming the corporate tax structure is a big step.

We need to fight back against the EPA. It is ignoring it's clean air act requirement. It is required to consider its impact on jobs and the local economy when passing regulation. It is not doing that! The EPA keeps raising the bar, purposely closing down coal fired power plants forcing hundreds of workers out of good paying jobs and leaving families helpless.

We must address retirement reform. One of the largest issues in Pennsylvania is the pension problem. To keep the promises we've made to those living on a pension, or working now with that promise, we must reform the retirement packages for incoming workers or tax payers will be burdened with massive increases.

We must eliminate the school property tax. Thousands of seniors, who have had their homes paid off for years, are losing those homes because they can't afford the property taxes. There are many resolutions on the table, many that will benefit everyone in Pennsylvania and still provide for our public education.

Public education needs reform as well. Teachers must be allowed to teach! They are handcuffed by ever increasing mandated testing. Education should be a local issue. Teachers must be allowed to teach, motivate, encourage, engage, and allow students to participate in their learning process. The ever-increasing mandated testing eliminates all of those things. More money for public schools is not the solution. When you take in all the factors, nearly 80% of our stat's budget goes to education. More money has been given to education in the last two years than ever before. However, test scores keep falling, SAT scores keep falling, graduation rates keep falling, and college entrance is nearly flat. One of the greatest problems in public education is the fact that a huge amount of funds go to paying for teachers unions representatives and for pensions. There are 14 teachers union representatives in Pennsylvania making nearly 250,000 While the average teacher salary is about 60,000.

There are many other issues that I am passionate about.

We must dispel the myth that hard work is unworthy of our young people. There are incredible opportunities for kids as young as 19 to work in the booming gas industry. But for a generation, society has convinced our young people that getting your hands dirty is beneath them. There's never been anything wrong with hard work. We must also address the drug issue in southwestern Pennsylvania! Too many excellent jobs are available, however, far too many applicants can't pass a drug test. Heroin in southwestern Pennsylvania is destroying the lives of far too many.

I know this brushes the surface of several issues. I, along with my team, am working on a jobs program for southwestern Pennsylvania. I will post more details in the coming weeks. Thank you so much for your questions. Contact me anytime.

I must say that I definitely like what I hear. I plan to do more research as I feel there is nothing more dangerous to this country than an uninformed voter (which is how we got into the position we're in right now...).

That being said, I do have 2 more topics I'd like your opinion on, the first of which is VERY important to me. First, I saw on your site that you are pro-2A. What does that mean to you and how far are your pro-2A? How do you feel about AG Kane cancelling reciprocity agreements with other states for no reason? Where would you stand on an "assault weapons" ban? How about constitutional carry? Or magazine limits?

Second, you say that you're tired of career politicians. I am too, which is why I've chosen to take part in a movement to use a convention of states to under Article V of the Constitution to add an amendment imposing term limits on the members of Congress. That being said, what do you feel makes a "career politician?" How many terms would you serve, if elected, before you felt that you've done your duty and it's time to hand the reins over to someone else?

I was just going over all of my old messages and found yours again! I apologize for taking so long for me to get back to you, but I've been going door-to-door every single day, and hitting his many large events as possible, to get my message out. Your question about Kathleen Kane is a very important one! She has jeopardized all of us who conceal carry. She has rescinded the concealed carry reciprocity agreement with not only Utah, but Idaho and Florida. And those who do not know the change in the law, now become felons without their knowledge! This is ridiculous.

As for the "assault" weapons, the second amendment is not just for home protection and hunting… It is for the people to defend themselves from a tyrannical government. And he Obama administration seems bent on taking our freedoms from us on a daily basis.

As for the size of magazines, there have been countless reports of people who fire every bullet in their handgun and still can't stop the approaching criminal that is on drugs or bath salts.

The issue is not assault weapons, magazine size, or guns: the issue is mental health. We must reform our mental health laws so that people who may become dangerous can get help.

With most of the mass murders committed by guns, the perpetrator has a history of mental disorder. Our laws prevent parents from helping their adult children in need.

More murders have occurred using hammers and clubs than guns. We don't have a ban on them.

Now, for career politicians: my issue is with politicians that have no life to go back to. Those that have been in office for so long that they will do absolutely anything to stay there. They will appease special interest groups that give them the highest donations for their campaigns. That is a big reason why I am running.

The office of State Sen. has a four year term, if, after 2 terms, I haven't accomplished what the people truly want, I will step out.

One of my biggest issues is that politicians get into office to see what they can get for themselves. My opponent voted himself a pay raise of 45%, and a pension increase of 50%! I am disgusted with the fact that southwestern Pennsylvania is not receiving its share of attention that places like Philadelphia, Allegheny County, Harrisburg and others receive. How are tax dollars leave our area and support other regions. It's time for southwestern Pennsylvania to receive the attention it deserves.

[Didnotcomply89]

Not in my district for a vote. However after reading this:

As for the "assault" weapons, the second amendment is not just for home protection and hunting… It is for the people to defend themselves from a tyrannical government. And he Obama administration seems bent on taking our freedoms from us on a daily basis.

She has a very, very strong head start for my vote.

[LBaker]

There are very few in the PA senate that are as strong supporters of gun rights as Tim Solobay. Tread lightly here...

[Metz]

There are very few in the PA senate that are as strong supporters of gun rights as Tim Solobay. Tread lightly here...

Well, if he really increased his salary by 45% and pension by 50%, then he needs to go.

[HKusp 45]

Damn I think I need to move to Washington county

[TSimonetti]

There are very few in the PA senate that are as strong supporters of gun rights as Tim Solobay. Tread lightly here...

As far as protecting our 2nd Amendment goes, Camera appears to be a reincarnation of James Madison, and she is very personable and photogenic I might add.

That said, she has a very uphill climb. Solobay is well liked in Washington County, even among Republicans like myself.

Still, I could definitely be convinced to vote for her as I seem to agree with just about everything she is saying although I would like to hear her elaborate on how she is going to accomplish some of her lofty goals after attaining office.

[TSimonetti]

There are very few in the PA senate that are as strong supporters of gun rights as Tim Solobay. Tread lightly here...

Wow!! I just heard on the radio this morning that Camera Bartolotta won her race against Solobay.

Big upset. Solobay even had the strong backing of the NRA, and he's a decent fellow. Perhaps we could have trusted him to vote against any new gun control legislation under our new Governor Wolf, but I wasn't willing to take a chance. I voted for Solobay twice, but chose Camera this time.

[flyingjunkie]

Wow!! I just heard on the radio this morning that Camera Bartolotta won her race against Solobay.

Big upset. Solobay even had the strong backing of the NRA, and he's a decent fellow. Perhaps we could have trusted him to vote against any new gun control legislation under our new Governor Wolf, but I wasn't willing to take a chance. I voted for Solobay twice, but chose Camera this time.

You should have seen how ticked off a Solobay campaigner was when I Open Carried to the polls and told him that I was voting for Camera.

"But you're carrying a gun and Mr. Solobay has an A+ rating by the NRA and was endorsed by FOAC."

"Yeah, only because their official policy is to endorse the incumbent unless they've truly screwed over gun owners."

You'd swear I just shot his goldfish. He was devastated that I knew facts. I guess they're used to being able to just spout nonsense and expect people to just believe it without being informed. It was kind of sad, actually.

[LBaker]

Wow!! I just heard on the radio this morning that Camera Bartolotta won her race against Solobay.

Big upset. Solobay even had the strong backing of the NRA, and he's a decent fellow. Perhaps we could have trusted him to vote against any new gun control legislation under our new Governor Wolf, but I wasn't willing to take a chance. I voted for Solobay twice, but chose Camera this time.

Yes, this was a win for gun owners. She spoke at a FOAC meeting and said all of the right things. It bothered the shit out of me seeing Solobay cozy up with the rest of the democrats, read Costa and Leach, when we were fighting for HB80. He voted the right way on the bill but could have helped us on procedural matters.

[Emptymag]

Good news. I missed reading this initially.