Frank Kratovil Panders In Ocean City
August 31, 2008 by Cato
Filed under Democrat Campaigns, Healthcare, Liberalism, Maryland, Maryland Politics
Democrat congressional candidate Frank Kratovil was in Ocean City Thurday appearing before a group of federal retirees. Unable to decide whether he was a smaller, whiter version of Bill Clinton or Barack Obama, Kratovil seems to going for both.
He told the group he’s running as an independent thinker, one tired of “politics as usual” like negative campaigning and “ridiculous campaign promises.”
Where’s the evidence that Kratovil is either independent or a thinker? To quote Jeb Babbin, “liberals haven’t had an original idea since the day Bobby Kennedy died”. Kratovil certainly isn’t presenting any. Case in point – Kratovil is tired of “politics as usual”. That’s not only a joke, it’s a really old line.
Of course, Kratovil reached even deeper into the old Democrat grab bag and pulled this dusty ditty out:
“My view of partisanship is like JFK’s: Principle is more important
than party, and party loyalty sometimes represents too much.”
Sure Frank, and the sun ain’t going to rise tomorrow morning either. What principle? To date, the only principle Kratovil has displayed is “Elect Frank!”. I don’t think that’s what John Kennedy had in mind.
I realize that Kratovil has to run this way. If he told the truth and said, “I want to go to Washington and:
- Raise your taxes.
- Spend every dollar we can grab… and then some.
- Regulate until every business that can moves offshore.
- Cut military spending, because that’s the only government spending that is wasteful.
- Bring our troops home BEFORE there mission is complete.
- Appease our enemies.
the good people of the First District would laugh him right back to Prince George’s County.
One interesting development, and moment of semi-honesty, was Kratovil’s new found love for HillaryCare:
“Health insurance is a right,” he said. “We cannot continue to treat it as a privilege.”
When people start talking about healthcare as a “right” that always translates into a government program. While Kratovil and his pals like Mike Pretl will claim that they don’t necessarily support a single payer, Medicare-type plan, we all know that this is the end goal. In fact, I happen to agree with Kratovil and Pretl on this one – if you are going to socialize medicine, a single-payer plan is the only way to go. Of course, I don’t consider health care a “right”, nor do I believe that government is the solution to all of our ills.
As we edge closer to election day, Kratovil is proving ME wrong and Andy Harris right. The Harris campaign, and many others, has always painted Kratovil as a leftist. I’ve always believed that Kratovil was simply totally void of ANY principle. However, with Kratovil promoting government program after government program – and now pushing for socialized medicine – I have to admit that Kratovil may just be the died in the wool socialist that many others believe him to be.
Sphere: Related Content
He’s from Queen Anne’s, not Prince George’s.
Try to keep your facts straight.
Sorry Anon-
Kratovil lives in Queen Anne’s County. He’s from PG. Daddy is (or was) a judge there.
Oh right I forgot, unless you’re a 6th-generation Delmarvan, you’re not really “from” the Shore. Screw you small-minded locals. Kratovil is from QAC, he’s been living here his entire adult life.
I dont’ defend him, or Dems, I would argue this point for anyone with a pulse.
The JFK quote is incorrect and it changes the entire context. What Frank said was “My view of partisanship is like JFK’s: Principle is more important
than party, and party loyalty sometimes asks too much.”
By this he means that he will be a congressman who makes his decisions independently and in the interest of his constituency over party.
Look, this is just another ridiculous blog that continues to misrepresent the facts. His family is from the shore and the time Frank spent in PG was as an attorney when he first passed the bar. You misquoted him as well and worst of all you failed to mention that the organization that he spoke to was the National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association, the president of this specific chapter even expressed his support of Frank on behalf of all Federal employees in his chapter. That organization has it right.
Healthcare is a right and not a privelage and 47 million uninsured Americans is a disgrace and FK wants to fix it by creating a comprehensive health insurance plan something that should have been done years ago to protect our elderly from rising drug costs and health care. Have you no soul?
Furthermore, the Andy Harris paints everyone as leftists even the Honorable Wayne Gilchrest who did nothing but represent this district with honor. Harris degraded a sitting US Congressman and then wants to contest values with Frank Kratovil… GET REAL! Andy Harris has the sixth worst environmental record out of 188 legislators in the MD Legislature.
When the legislature voted on whether or not provide OBGYN coverage to all women who need it the senate voted 46-1 the only nea was Harris.
There are many votes like that but none worse than Andy Harris campaigning at a Special Olympics event after having been the only senator to vote against legislation to extend care to special needs children out to thier 21st birthday. Nice job Andy!
To Andy Harris Mussollini is a liberal. Andy Harris is so far right ring that a major contributor to his campaign is the Eagle Forum, an orginazation whose president said women shouldn’t have men’s jobs like police, fire fighters and military. Please hold Andy Harris’ hand as we slip back into the 50′s and have to fight for civil rights all over again.
Andy Harris should be ashamed of himself for being so outrageously dishonest.
The problem with people running for national office without a voting record is that they can say anything. If they do have a liberal voting record, they say nothing.
Anon -
Take a deep breath!
If you would do a little research you would find that the First District has not been represented by someone from the Eastern Shore for most of my lifetime (I’ll be 48 on Wednesday).
Tom Johnston(?), from Worcester Co. was congressman when I was born. He was defeated by Rogers Morton (from KY) when I was two. When Rogers retired from Congress he was replaced by Bill Mills, who I am pretty sure was a shore native. Bob Bauman was not from here. Roy Dyson is from St. Mary’s County. Wayne Gilchrest is, I believe, from New Jersey.
I for one am not very parochial. The reason that I bring it up is because Kratovil loves to infer that he is from Queen Anne’s. He’s not.
It is Kratovil that is attempting to play to parochial interests, not me. I’m merely reminding folks that Kratovil is not being honest. Of course, what’s new?
Mr. Reid -
Health care is a right? How is that going to play with Kratovil’s claim to get tough on illegal immigrants? If health care is a right, just as public education has been deemed a right, then illegal immigrants will have to be given health care on the backs of hard working taxpayers.
You remind me of a frequent commenter of years past. If you don’t like our little enterprise, don’t read it. While we welcome all comments (except profane ones), why comment if you feel that you are lowering yourself?
People are going to start think that you are on Frank Kratovil’s payroll. We already know that you’re shilling for him.
I appreciate your characterization of Phyllis Schlafly and Eagle Forum. This merely provides more evidence that Kratovil and his hard core supporters are merely leftists pandering for moderate votes.
Phyllis Schlafly NEVER claims that women shouldn’t be police, firefighters or in the military. She is opposed to women in combat. She lead the fight against the so-called Equal Rights Amendment and used the fact that women could be drafted into the armed forces if it was enacted.
Mrs. Schlafley does believe, as do most Americans, that it is wrong to change or eliminate physical tests merely because women are not able to pass the same test in as great a number.
The Eagle Forum is merely a grassroots organization that supports traditional family values. As a Kratovil shill, we can only surmise from your attack on the Eagle Forum as extremist that both you and Mr. Kratovil are opposed to traditional family values. That’s fine, but at least you and Blue Dog Frank should be honest about it.
For the record I am no shill, I posted my real name without regard for the research that would show I have donated to Frank’s campaign and I did so because I think he’s the right choice; in addition, I have tried to support his campaign in anyway possible and I thought no better opportunity than to refute the nonsensical arguments that are right out of the Andy Harris playbook posted on this blog. But again, I am no shill and I don’t believe you are either there is no reason to attempt to drag me through the mud. Our country remains strong because of the citizen’s ability to discuss and debate before making their individual informed vote. That’s all I am participating in, so try to remember what makes our democracy great and hopefully feel disconcerned that you demeaned it.
While I agree with the sentiment, I diasagree with your arguments. You make claims about Harris, me, Schlafly, etc. yet simply switch to another false claim when you are refuted.
Be a man! Stand by your arguments or admit that you’re wrong. This is what seperates liberals from Reaganites. With liberals it’s all about feelings. With us it’s about ideas.
You portray Harris as some form of”right wing nut” yet he is the closest to Reagan of all of the Maryland elected officials that I know. Your rhetoric merely shows how dangerous people like Kratovil are.
Pandering to honest voters by Dems is almost as disgusting as when it is done by members of my own party. This is one reason why I was an early McCain supporter. I may disagree with him on things, but at least I know where he stands. I agree with Palin on more issues, but she is equally straight.
This is why I despise politicians like GW Bush and Frank Kratovil. Give me Andy Harris any day – and twice on Sunday.