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« Politicians 2009
Kathy Dahlkemper
- Kathy Dahlkemper's Photo
- From:
Erie, PA
- Office Sought:
U.S. Representative, PA-3
- Offices previously held:
None
- Kathy's reasons for seeking office:
I am running for Congress because I believe we need a change in leadership and in the direction of our country. The policies of Congressman English and President Bush have hurt this district. I believe we must put Congress to work for the hard-working middle class families of this district.
- Kathy's qualifications:
My real life experiences mean that I will bring the concerns of the people of northwest Pennsylvania to Washington. I have struggled and worked hard to get to where I am today. Before owning a successful business with my husband, Dan, I was a single mother. At one point, I needed to go on food stamps. I lost my insurance and couldn’t get another policy due to a preexisting condition called pregnancy. I know first hand what it is like to struggle, and I will never forget that as I represent the people of the third district. I also believe that my professional experiences give me the skills I need to fight for the people of this district in Washington. As a businesswoman, I know how to create and keep jobs in this area. My twenty years of health care experience give me the background and knowledge to tackle our country’s health care crisis and work towards affordable, accessible coverage for all.
- Where Kathy stands on the issues:
The most important issue right now is the state of our economy, both nationally and right here in the third district. The middle class has been hurting for a long time, and we must change the direction of our country. For too long, the policies of George Bush and Phil English have made it more difficult for hard-working families to make ends meet. To address the economic troubles in our region, I will focus on tax fairness and job creation. We must reverse the upside-down tax policy of the Bush administration. Instead of a tax giveaway to the wealthiest one percent, I support a tax break for the middle class. I would oppose a tax increase for any family making less than $250,000 and I favor tax cuts for 95% of working people. The typical family will receive well over $1,000 in tax relief under my plan. Instead of tax breaks for companies that send jobs overseas, we must create incentives for companies to keep and create jobs here. Additionally, I believe that many of the trade agreements, such as NAFTA and CAFTA, that Phil English favors have been devastating to this region. Congressman English has said he would have voted for NAFTA. He cast the deciding vote in favor of CAFTA. Those are the wrong priorities for Pennsylvania. I support trade only if it is both free and fair.
- Kathy's priorities if elected:
My number one priority is job creation and growing our economy. This district was once a strong manufacturing region, providing plenty of good jobs at family sustaining-wages. I am determined to implement my plan to bring new jobs for the hard-working middle class and strengthen the economy of our region. As a businesswoman, I know that if you give a business the incentive to do something, the business will usually do it. We need to take this approach with job creation. Instead of tax breaks for companies to grow overseas, we need to provide tax incentives for companies and start-ups to create and keep jobs here in northwest Pennsylvania. Additionally, I believe that we must support innovation and clean energy as a way to grow the economy and create new jobs. Innovation has accounted for half of all economic growth in America since World War II. It’s a proven engine for job creation. Americans have split the atom, spliced the gene, landed man on the moon, and created millions of jobs from inventions like the laser, transistor, and the Internet. Now, we must turn our innovative potential to creating the green jobs of the future. Finally, as a community leader, I worked successfully to build public-private partnerships to benefit our region. This approach brought all parties to the table to help improve our community, and I am determined to use this same approach and my business background to help create jobs and attract businesses. In Congress, I will work with local and state governments and the private sector to sustain and grow the infrastructure that allows businesses to thrive.
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