Hard-working Pennsylvanians are being squeezed by 40-year high inflation, supply chain shortages, and unaffordable gas prices - thanks to misguided economic policies passed by elected leaders in Washington. Although they promised to fight for American families when they entered the majority nearly two years ago, congressional Democrats have instead delivered a crippled economy, crushing regulations, and burdensome, out-of-touch big government policies.
Twenty-two months of complete Democratic control of Washington has proven to be a failure for Pennsylvania. The reckless spending package passed under the guise of pandemic relief ignited the inflation crisis that is burdening Pennsylvanians, and the so-called “Inflation Reduction Act” has failed to justify its misleading name and will only make inflation worse in the long-term, according to nonpartisan analysis.
I hear concerns about the economy from Republican, Democrat, and Independent voters every single day on the campaign trail. Pennsylvania families are stuck choosing whether to fill their gas tank or buy groceries - and Democrats in Washington have no plan to deliver real relief. In fact, they have no agenda for prosperity.
John Fetterman wants people to think he’s a non-traditional politician, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. He would vote in complete lockstep with D.C. Democrats. When Fetterman says he hopes to be “that 51st vote,” he means that he will serve as a rubber stamp for Joe Biden and the Democrats' disastrous economic agenda.
Fetterman has done little to hide his love for big government, and has said that he believes the federal government should be spending more. He has supported the trillions in reckless spending passed by Washington Democrats that has burdened Pennsylvania families with high prices. Fetterman applauded the Inflation Reduction Act that exacerbated out-of-control prices, raised taxes during a recession, and created 87,000 new IRS positions to target hard-working Americans. Fetterman also supports the Green New Deal, which would not only raise taxes on Pennsylvania families, but wipe out thousands of our energy jobs and take billions out of the economy.
While supporting outrageous spending and tax hikes on Pennsylvania families, Fetterman has a long history of failing to pay his own taxes. At least 67 times, Fetterman was sued for failing to pay his taxes - while collecting a taxpayer-funded paycheck. As a career politician, this hypocrisy from Fetterman is hardly a surprise.
In addition to supporting tax hikes on Pennsylvanians while refusing to pay his own, Fetterman repeatedly neglected his elected responsibilities as Mayor of Braddock and Lieutenant Governor. In the selective instances he actually showed up for the job he was elected to do as Lieutenant Governor, Fetterman failed Pennsylvanians. Fetterman skipped dozens of town council meetings as Mayor of Braddock and was absent from presiding over the Pennsylvania Senate 33 percent of the time, but never missed a Board of Pardons meeting. Fetterman’s priorities are clear.
After shutting down Pennsylvania businesses for nearly two years during the pandemic - while he took a taxpayer-funded vacation - the Wolf-Fetterman administration never bothered to bring jobs back, leaving Pennsylvania with the fourth-highest unemployment rate nationwide. Fetterman’s failed leadership has set Pennsylvania communities back, yet he is asking Pennsylvanians for a promotion.
Fetterman is pitching himself to Pennsylvania as an outsider who will support responsible economic policy, but he will govern as another far-left Washington politician, driven by an extreme tax-and-spend agenda. As a doctor, I took an oath to “do no harm” and will govern with the same philosophy as Pennsylvania’s next senator. I look forward to working across the aisle to bring balance back to D.C. We are stronger when united than divided.