Letter to the Editor: 'The Kid' Replies

Born and raised in southwestern PA, I made the decision to run for Congress this year because of the grave challenges facing our nation. My opponent, Tim Murphy, and his supporters have made little effort to explain his liberal, big-government voting record, choosing instead to take veiled personal shots at me—that I’m too young, too conservative and, in stunning news to me, not from Pittsburgh.

The Post-Gazette detailed some of these attacks in a recent story: “Dr. Tim vs. the Kid.”

Let’s set the record straight. I am deeply rooted in Pittsburgh. The people of western PA want and need conservative leaders to turn the tide against big government. And it is imperative the people of my generation replace career politicians who put their next election before the next generation.

My great-grandfather Rubin Feinberg emigrated from Eastern Europe after World War I and settled in the Canonsburg area, opening up a shoe store in Charleroi, PA. Through the hard work of Rubin, my grandpa Bernie and my dad, Don Feinberg, that family business (Union Shoes) ended up putting me through college.

I was fortunate to grow up in Peters Township, a great community and school district. I grew up Jewish but became a Christian by faith when I was 18 years old after being confronted with important questions about my meaning and purpose in life. Attending , I learned a great deal from Pastor Ron Moore, bolstering the well-rounded education I received from Grove City College.

Along the way, I learned what makes this region and our country great: It’s the hard work and ingenuity of the American people, which can only be unleashed when government is limited and economic growth is encouraged. It’s having civic institutions where politicians work for the people rather than the other way around. That’s why my campaign is based on three simple principles: limited government, pro-growth economic policies and honest governance.

These ideas are hardly too conservative for western PA. Just ask Arlen Specter, who back in 2004 lost this district to Pat Toomey by roughly 20 percentage points. Pat Toomey later won the Senate seat by cleaning up in Pennsylvania's 18th Senatorial District—beating Joe Sestak with over 60 percent of the vote.

And yes, I’m 27 years old and proud of what I have accomplished for conservative values. Washington D.C. is ripe with career politicians who have been there for decades, running our country into the ground and fully earning their 9-percent approval rating. My son, Luke, can’t afford to pay off the debt self-interested politicians have heaped on his innocent head.

Let’s put it this way: my generation has three choices. We can become the ultimate entitlement generation, embrace socialism as my peers in the Occupy Wall Street movement are suggesting and end the American experiment. We can continue with the status quo and our current crop of politicians, losing the American dream one “Bridge to Nowhere” at a time. Or we can bring a fresh perspective to our nation’s capital—restoring America by recommitting to the Constitution and our founding principles.

I choose the option that saves America from decline, which is what brought me to Washington in the first place. I made a difference working in premier conservative institutions and offices: The Heritage Foundation and the offices of Senators Tom Coburn and Rand Paul. And I now bring that experience and policy acumen back to the people of western PA and humbly ask to use them in the service of my region and country.

I’ll gladly run as “The Kid,” who has extensive experience in the conservative movement. Besides, only one candidate in this race was born and raised in Pennsylvania. I grew up watching Lemieux hoist the cup, Bonds throwing weakly to home plate and Neil O’Donnell frittering away one for the thumb. I imagine Tim Murphy grew up a Browns fan—he’s from Cleveland.

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