The Truth About Bishop Vs. Altschuler

Dear Fellow Suffolk County Residents,

As we rapidly approach the most critical election of our lives, it’s time to talk about the truth. The Altschuler campaign has been gleefully promoting some deeply dishonest allegations against our Congressman, Tim Bishop. Because Tim has been an exemplary congressman, and because there is no way they can beat him on the actual issues, the Altshchuler people have decided to go after him by way of character assassination. This is something that has been mercifully rare in our politics here in Suffolk County until now. It is “swift-boating” of the nastiest kind- using tired charges that are clearly unsubstantiated to destroy a reputation. Unfortunately, these are the same dirty tricks that the Republican National Committee is urging onto its candidates all over the country this year.

Tim Bishop’s supporters are already exposing these falsehoods for what they are, and I trust that they will do a good job clearing the air.

But I want you to be aware of some other disturbing truths about the Altschuler campaign that are even more serious than “swift-boating”. Not only has Altschuler wrongly and hypocritically  portrayed himself as  a”job creator” and “problem solver” ( he actually made his money by outsourcing American jobs to Asia and boasted about it before he decided to enter politics) but he willingly identifies himself with the policies of the new Republican Party, and that’s the real problem.

Let’s face it. The once respected Republican Party that most of us remember - the party of Javits, Rockefeller, and even Ronald Reagan - is dead and gone. It has been replaced by a coalition of far right radicals, southern fundamentalists and tea party activists who are bought and paid for and egged on  by  special interests. These people have only contempt for our country’s time honored traditions of moderation and compassion. They have eliminated, one by one, almost every remaining “moderate” Republican in the House of Representatives and Senate. They have already stacked the House with ideologues who have voted “no” on every effort to lift us out of of one of the worst recessions  in our history. They have richly earned the 90% disapproval rating  which the American public has accorded them. Yet, the y are even now planning to stack the Senate in the same way.

Make no mistake about this: if they are successful, these new Republicans mean to drastically change America. Please read, as I have, their speeches and writings (Paul Ryan’s among them). It will quickly become  obvious to you that their entire agenda is based on advancing the interests of wealthy individuals and big corporations at the expense of the middle class, the elderly and the disadvantaged. They intend ultimately to privatize Social Security and reduce Medicare to a meager voucher system for everyone below age 55. In addition, they will sponsor a whole series of measures that are clearly anti-women’s rights, anti gay; anti –education;  anti-workers ; anti-environment. In the words of writer Lawrence Downes “they want to bleed the government so it has no money to help people, but provide it with all it needs to wage war."

The ugly fact is that , as a freshman Congressman, Altschuler, whatever his real principles are ( like Romney, he has been entirely reluctant to tell us) would have to conform in every detail to the new Republican agenda. The Republicans have always been notorious for forcing their elected people to toe the line and obey party leaders on all matters. Never believe that Altschuler, whatever he tells you, will be anything but a silent, obedient soldier marching in lockstep with their policies.

For the past ten years, Tim Bishop has done an outstanding job representing all the people of Suffolk County. He has fought consistently for the middle class, for senior citizens and for veterans. And no one has gained a greater understanding of the particular issues facing us here on Long Island. Last time around, Tim defeated Altschuler by only a few hundred votes. It would be a tragedy this time if the “swift boating” worked, if big Republican and special interest money were able to defeat Tim Bishop and replace him with the shallow, untruthful, Mr. Altschuler, who is totally beholden to the tea party and its supporters. Tragic for Suffolk County. Tragic for America. And that’s the truth. 

P.S. I’ve written this as as an independent citizen. I am not a personal friend of Tim Bishop nor do I have any ties to his family. I’ve received no compensation from the Bishop campaign or any Democratic Party committee. I am a long-time resident of the East End and a senior citizen who served in the U.S. Army in Korea. I do believe in truth and in the American traditions of decency and fairness that I defended so long ago.