Sestak, J

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<h1 class="video-page-title" itemprop="name" style="margin: 0px 0px 5px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-size: 1em; line-height: inherit; font-family: adelle, Georgia, Times, serif; vertical-align: baseline; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; color: rgb(52, 73, 94); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><em style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-size: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;">It's Dangerous to Be Right When the Government Is Wrong</h1><div class="more_info" style="margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-size: 16px; line-height: inherit; font-family: proxima-nova, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(53, 53, 53); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><p style="margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-size: 1em; line-height: 1.4em; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(89, 89, 89);">Fox News senior judicial analyst <a href="https://www.c-span.org/person/?andrewnapolitano" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(41, 128, 185); transition: color 0.35s ease 0s; outline: 0px; text-decoration-line: none;">Andrew Napolitano</a>, author of <i style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-size: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;">It Is Dangerous to Be Right When the Government Is Wrong, talked with former <a href="https://www.c-span.org/person/?josephsestak" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(41, 128, 185); transition: color 0.35s ease 0s; outline: 0px; text-decoration-line: none;">Representative Joe Sestak </a>(<a href="https://www.c-span.org/organization/?44416/DPA" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(41, 128, 185); transition: color 0.35s ease 0s; outline: 0px; text-decoration-line: none;">D-PA</a>) and Milford, Pennsylvania, <a href="https://www.c-span.org/person/?seanstrub" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(41, 128, 185); transition: color 0.35s ease 0s; outline: 0px; text-decoration-line: none;">Mayor Sean Strub </a>about what the government should and should not do to protect American liberties</div>=club for growth spent 700k to beat

Joseph Ambrose "Joe" Sestak, Jr. (born December 12, 1951) is a former <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States" title="United States">American</a> politician and Navy admiral. A <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Democratic_Party%28United_States%29" title="Democratic Party (United States)">Democrat</a>, he served as a member of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_House_of_Representatives" title="United States House of Representatives">U.S. House of Representatives</a> from <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pennsylvania%27s_7th_congressional_district" title="Pennsylvania's 7th congressional district">Pennsylvania's 7th congressional district</a> from 2007 to 2011. He was the highest-ranking military official ever elected to the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U.S.Congress" title="U.S. Congress" class="mw-redirect">U.S. Congress</a>. Sestak defeated 30-year incumbent <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arlen_Specter" title="Arlen Specter">Arlen Specter</a> in the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Senate_Democratic_primary_election_in_Pennsylvania,2010" title="United States Senate Democratic primary election in Pennsylvania, 2010">2010 Pennsylvania Democratic Senate primary</a>. He was defeated in the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Senate_election_in_Pennsylvania,2010#General_election" title="United States Senate election in Pennsylvania, 2010">general election</a> by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pat_Toomey" title="Pat Toomey">Pat Toomey</a>.

A member of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Navy" title="United States Navy">United States Navy</a> for over 30 years, Sestak is a former <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vice_admiral%28United_States%29" title="Vice admiral (United States)">three star admiral</a> and was also Director for Defense on the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_National_Security_Council" title="United States National Security Council">National Security Council</a> under <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/President_of_the_United_States" title="President of the United States">President</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Clinton" title="Bill Clinton">Bill Clinton</a>. During his career in the Navy, he led a series of operational commands, including commanding the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_George_Washington%28CVN-73%29" title="USS George Washington (CVN-73)">USS George Washington</a> carrier strike group during combat operations in the Persian Gulf and Indian Ocean in 2002. Following the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/September_11_attacks" title="September 11 attacks">September 11 attacks</a>, he served as the first director of code-name "Deep Blue," the Navy's top secret counter-terrorism unit.

<h3>Legislative accomplishments</h3>

Sestak wrote various pieces of legislation that successfully passed Congress. Most significantly, he created the House Pediatric Cancer Caucus, which he co-chaired; extended benefits for those seeking work (<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Consolidated_Omnibus_Budget_Reconciliation_Act_of_1985" title="Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985">COBRA</a>), as a part of the JOBS bill; co-wrote the amendment to give small businesses tax credits, as a part of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Affordable_Health_Care_for_America_Act" title="Affordable Health Care for America Act">health care reform</a>,<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_Sestak#cite_note-23">[24]</a> and moved the first significant federals funds into <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Autism" title="Autism">autism</a> care and research, nicknamed the "Sestak Amendment."<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_Sestak#cite_note-Web_Page_Under_Construction-24">[25]</a>

Sestak also heavily advocated for the repeal of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Don%27t_Ask,_Don%27t_Tell" title="Don't Ask, Don't Tell" class="mw-redirect">Don't Ask, Don't Tell</a>, as Congress' senior veteran, and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dodd%E2%80%93Frank_Wall_Street_Reform_and_Consumer_Protection_Act" title="Dodd–Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act">Wall Street Reform</a>, ending the practice of tax-payer bailouts to banks. Those measures eventually passed.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_Sestak#cite_note-Web_Page_Under_Construction-24">[25]</a>

Sestak also voted for the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Recovery_and_Reinvestment_Act_of_2009" title="American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009">American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009</a>,<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_Sestak#cite_note-25">[26]</a> the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lilly_Ledbetter_Fair_Pay_Act_of_2009" title="Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009">Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009</a>,<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_Sestak#cite_note-26">[27]</a> the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Clean_Energy_and_Security_Act" title="American Clean Energy and Security Act">American Clean Energy and Security Act</a>,<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_Sestak#cite_note-27">[28]</a> and the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Affordable_Health_Care_for_America_Act" title="Affordable Health Care for America Act">Affordable Health Care for America Act</a>.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_Sestak#cite_note-28">[29]</a>

<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Party_leaders_of_the_United_States_House_of_Representatives" title="Party leaders of the United States House of Representatives" class="mw-redirect">House Majority Leader</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steny_Hoyer" title="Steny Hoyer">Steny Hoyer</a> named Sestak the most productive freshman member of Congress in 2007.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_Sestak#cite_note-29">[30]</a> In the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/111th_United_States_Congress" title="111th United States Congress">111th United States Congress</a>, Sestak's last term in office, Congress passed more bills written by Sestak than bills written by Pennsylvania's <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Senate" title="United States Senate">Senators</a>, combined.

<h3>Economy</h3>

Sestak supports requiring Congress to offset the cost of all new spending. The Congressman also supports expanding middle class tax cuts and letting the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bush_tax_cuts" title="Bush tax cuts">Bush tax cuts</a> expire. He voted for the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Recovery_and_Reinvestment_Act_of_2009" title="American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009">American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009</a> (the Stimulus) and the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tax_Extenders_and_Alternative_Minimum_Tax_Relief_Act_of_2008" title="Tax Extenders and Alternative Minimum Tax Relief Act of 2008" class="mw-redirect">Tax Extenders and Alternative Minimum Tax Relief Act of 2008</a>.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_Sestak#cite_note-59">[60]</a>

<h3>[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Joe_Sestak&action=edit&section=20&editintro=Template:BLP_editintro" title="Edit section: Education">edit</a>] Education</h3>

Sestak voted for the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Improving_Head_Start_Act&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Improving Head Start Act (page does not exist)">Improving Head Start Act</a> and the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=College_Cost_Reduction_and_Access_Act&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="College Cost Reduction and Access Act (page does not exist)">College Cost Reduction and Access Act</a>.[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed" title="Wikipedia:Citation needed">citation needed</a>]

<h3>[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Joe_Sestak&action=edit&section=21&editintro=Template:BLP_editintro" title="Edit section: Environment">edit</a>] Environment</h3>

Sestak voted for the Waxman Markey <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Clean_Energy_and_Security_Act" title="American Clean Energy and Security Act">American Clean Energy and Security Act</a> (<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Carbon_Cap_and_Trade_Program" title="United States Carbon Cap and Trade Program" class="mw-redirect">Cap and Trade</a>) program.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_Sestak#cite_note-60">[61]</a> Joe Sestak has a 96% lifetime rating from <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/League_of_Conservation_Voters" title="League of Conservation Voters">League of Conservation Voters</a> and a 100% rating from <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=PennEnvironment&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="PennEnvironment (page does not exist)">PennEnvironment</a>. He was endorsed by the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sierra_Club" title="Sierra Club">Sierra Club</a> in his 2006 and 2008 Congressional election campaigns. He voted for the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Renewable_Energy_and_Energy_Conservation_Tax_Act_of_2007&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Renewable Energy and Energy Conservation Tax Act of 2007 (page does not exist)">Renewable Energy and Energy Conservation Tax Act of 2007</a> and the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=New_Direction_for_Energy_Independence,National_Security_and_Consumer_Protection_Act&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="New Direction for Energy Independence, National Security and Consumer Protection Act (page does not exist)">New Direction for Energy Independence, National Security and Consumer Protection Act</a>. He was also an original co-sponsor of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Climate_Stewardship_Act%28H.R._620%29&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Climate Stewardship Act (H.R. 620) (page does not exist)">Climate Stewardship Act (H.R. 620)</a> and the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Safe_Climate_Act&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Safe Climate Act (page does not exist)">Safe Climate Act</a>.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_Sestak#cite_note-61">[62]</a>

<h3>[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Joe_Sestak&action=edit&section=22&editintro=Template:BLP_editintro" title="Edit section: Gun rights">edit</a>] Gun rights</h3>

Sestak supports <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gun_control" title="Gun control">gun control</a> and has a 100% rating from the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brady_Campaign_to_Prevent_Gun_Violence" title="Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence" class="mw-redirect">Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence</a><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_Sestak#cite_note-62">[63]</a> and an F rating from the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Rifle_Association" title="National Rifle Association">National Rifle Association</a>.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_Sestak#cite_note-63">[64]</a>

Sestak has called for the reinstatement of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federal_Assault_Weapons_Ban" title="Federal Assault Weapons Ban">federal ban on assault weapons</a>.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_Sestak#cite_note-64">[65]</a>

<h3>[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Joe_Sestak&action=edit&section=23&editintro=Template:BLP_editintro" title="Edit section: Healthcare">edit</a>] Healthcare</h3>

Sestak credits his support for health care reform as to "pay back" the country that provided him and his family health care while he was in the Navy (the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TRICARE" title="TRICARE">TRICARE</a> program), especially for successfully treating his daughter's brain tumor.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_Sestak#cite_note-65">[66]</a> He supports state-provided preventive care and voted for the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=CHAMP_Act&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="CHAMP Act (page does not exist)">CHAMP Act</a>. Sestak originally co-sponsored the Medicare Prescription Drug Price Negotiations Act, the Caroline Pryce Walker Conquer Childhood Cancer Act and co-sponsored H.R. 3800, which establishes a public-private Partnership for Health Care Improvement. He also announced the Pediatric Cancer Caucus, which he will co-chair.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_Sestak#cite_note-66">[67]</a> He is also a member of the Autism Caucus, Diabetes Caucus,<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_Sestak#cite_note-67">[68]</a> 21st Century Health Care Caucus, Congressional Mental Health Caucus, Nursing Caucus, and Cystic Fibrosis Caucus.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_Sestak#cite_note-68">[69]</a>

<h3>[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Joe_Sestak&action=edit&section=24&editintro=Template:BLP_editintro" title="Edit section: Unions">edit</a>] Unions</h3>

Sestak is an original co-sponsor of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Employee_Free_Choice_Act" title="Employee Free Choice Act">Employee Free Choice Act</a> and supports the original version that includes <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Card_check" title="Card check">card check</a>. He created the Labor Advisory Committee to address the challenges facing working families in his district.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_Sestak#cite_note-69">[70]</a>