Paul Lang for State Senate, 6th Senatorial District

Background:

I left Pennsylvania for the United States Coast Guard Academy in 1995. After graduating with honors, I served in the Coast Guard as a law enforcement officer. During this time, I injured my back in the line of duty in a law enforcement accident where my team and I were thrown into the Bering Sea due to equipment failure. After my accident, I was transferred to Washington, D.C. to advocate for better military funding as a member of the Congressional Hearings Team. While working with numerous elected officials and various House and Senate committees on legislative issues, I also became a founding member of the Department of Homeland Security. My back, however, did not recover to the military's standards and I was given the honor of being retired as a full Lieutenant. I am now back in Pennsylvania and ready to serve again. I broke my back for my country and I am ready to do it again for the 6th Senatorial District.

Goals:

My goals in office are to bring to Pennsylvania the type of government that has been promised to them for years and never delivered. After returning from the military, I was shocked to see that promises like property tax reform and improved healthcare were still untouched. I will bring to Harrisburg the necessary leadership to make real changes. In a district like mine, where the integrity and pride of the people often outweigh their incomes, my goal is to doggedly advocate for their economic needs through improving health care, increasing the minimum wage and holding our elected officials accountable.

Issues:

Economy: The middle class is my #1 priority. The gap between the middle class and wealthy has never been greater. The price of gasoline is making all of us poorer. I believe raising Pennsylvania's minimum wage is a morally responsible and financially sound approach to supporting working families. I also stand ready to fight the corporate welfare in Pennsylvania where citizens are forced to subsidize the health care costs of big businesses.

Health Care: Access to affordable health care should be available to all Pennsylvanians. I support expansion of the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) and measures to make cost-prohibitive care for our senior citizens more affordable. I will fight in the state Senate to provide affordable, long-term health care to our senior citizens.

Ethics Reform: I am running to make changes, not friends. Despite voting against a minimum wage increase, my opponent voted himself a 50% pension increase. Thus, I will fight for ethics reform to prevent late-night runs on legislation and betrayal of constituents by weak-kneed legislators. I fully support requiring lobbyists to register and provide full disclosure of their activities. Through these steps, I will continue to speak truth to power as the next state Senator from Bucks County.

Grassroots Support:

I need to out-hustle, out-sweat, and out-work my opponent to win this campaign. The biggest challenge in this race is showing the voters that by choosing me they will finally get a progressive and responsive government.
As I learned from the great people at Camp Wellstone, the best way to overcome voter apathy and an entrenched incumbent is to start at the grassroots. With the support of a dedicated grassroots network, I plan on reaching out to the voters and showing them that they can make a difference in their government and offering them a better choice.

DFA Values:

I believe in efficient government. Fiscal responsibility means providing a high return on investment of tax dollars for all citizens and not special interests. I will work for a greater return on investment for citizens by preventing corporate welfare, enhancing services to constituents, and growing the middle class through greater job and educational opportunities.
In a country where states like South Dakota infringe on women's rights, I stand ready to be a champion for individual rights in Pennsylvania. When I almost died for my country in my military service, I was injured protecting all Americans. With that record of service, I will continue to protect the Constitutional rights of all citizens of Pennsylvania when I am elected.