TO THE EDITORS:
On Feb. 18, U.S. Rep. Joe Sestak was in Lancaster speaking on behalf of the Small Business Contracting Protection Act that he introduced in the House. Some of you may know him as the one Democrat willing to take on Arlen Specter in the senatorial primary this year.

I came away from the meeting with two desires. The secondary wish was that all registered Democrats in Lancaster County could have been in that room. The primary one was that all Pennsylvania Democrats could have heard what the man had to say. They will get that chance during the one televised debate Specter has agreed to do.

A lot can happen between now and November of this year, but today the political winds are creating a real tempest for our party. It is not inconceivable that the Republicans could not only take over the House, but the Senate as well. Hindsight is always 20/20, but the Senate Democrats should have noted to alter the filibuster rules at the beginning of this congressional session. If you thought we had gridlock in 2009, just wait until the Republicans get to organize Congress for 2011 and 2012! They'll spend those two years investigating what Obama did during his first two years. You don't need a crystal ball to divine that.

If we have any hope of limiting the carnage in November, it is to field our best candidates for every office, and Arlen Specter is not representative of Pennsylvania Democrats in this crucial year. I seriously doubt that voters in the general election will decide the race on who has the superior political survival skills. Life does not imitate reality TV.

The next time Mr. Sestak is in town, come see and judge for yourself.
John G. Grier
East Lampeter Township