Here is the second of many weekly analysis pieces detailing what Congressman Platts has voted on, or bills that he has sponsored/co-sponsored. Mike Koffenberger - Libertarian Candidate U.S. House of Representatives District 19 PAI will briefly describe his action, the bill, and then detail how I would handle the same. Since it is not my full time job to read the entire bill (yet – with your help), I will read the summaries and base my decisions on those. I will also try and describe how libertarian principles apply in my decisions. During weeks that Congressman Platts is not in session or co-sponsoring bills, I will re-visit some of his older votes on legislation that has a had detrimental effect on our liberties.

This week, Congressman Platts became a co-sponsor of HR 2966 which would amend the Horse Protection Act to prohibit a host of actions with horses that would result in slaughtering them for human consumption. With all the economic problems, numerous wars overseas, a falling dollar value, high unemployment and high taxes, our focus is turned to enacting legislation so that we do not eat horses? Perhaps they are anticipating harder times ahead where someone might have to do this to survive? All I can say is…this is unbelievable.

He also became a co-sponsor of HR 2250, which provides additional time for the EPA Administrator to review numerous standards it submitted earlier in the year. More specifically, for the EPA to submit “achievable” standards for industrial, commercial and institutional boilers, process heaters, and incinerators, and for “other purposes.” A better bill would find a way to eliminate much of the overzealous rules and regulations that the EPA has burdened this country with. Protection of life (via clean air and water in this case) and property (land) are two of the most important functions of the federal government detailed in the Constitution. The EPA has more than overstepped its boundaries. Regulations concerning the amount of water in your toilet and what light bulbs to use, are but two examples. Clearly there is a need to fully revisit the EPA. Let’s not forget that the EPA determined the air quality around the 9/11 World Trade Center attack was safe. How many people have died or become terminally ill as a result of lung diseases caused by breathing this air? The EPA has about 18,000 employees with a budget over 10 billion dollars. That alone is enough reason to revisit its functionality and usefulness.

The work week was short on Congressman Platts co-sponsoring legislation, and yet another week lost without him submitting a bill to return our lost liberties, regain fiscal sanity, bring our troops home, or return our government to its Constitutional limitations. This is one of the main reasons that I am challenging him in the 2012 elections. To my knowledge, he has never submitted one bill that would greatly affect a return to the principles above. He has been a consistent vote to the Republican Party and other leaders, while submitting small pieces of legislation that further regulate every facet of our lives.

For Liberty,
Mike Koffenberger
Libertarian Candidate, U.S. House of Representatives
District 19 – PA
www.mikeforpa.com

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