Full Name: Timothy F. Murphy
Born: September 11, 1952
Residency: Born in Ohio, Lives in Pennsylvania
Current Position: US Representative, Pennsylvania’s 18th District (since 2003)
Party Affiliation: Republican
Background: Murphy holds a PhD in psychology, Has worked as an assistant Professor of Psychology at the University of Pittsburgh, and has co-authored several books (e.g., ’The Angry Child’).
Why People are Listening To Him:
- Because he is seen as a ‘mental health professional’
- Because people respond to those in power (and he’s been a politician for over a decade)
- Because people get scared and want someone to have the answers
Why People Might Want to Think Twice About Listening To Him:
- In 2010, Murphy was named among the 22 most corrupt members of Congress by the Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington. (www.crewsmostcorrupt.org)
- According to www.opensecrets.org, Healthcare and Pharmaceutical employees are two of Murphy’s top three campaign funders
- Murphy has also regularly practiced opportunistic tactics that capitalize on the fear of US citizens, appearing on television to promote his agenda each and every time there is a tragedy in the country (see image to the left where Murphy takes a similar tactic, comparing Ebola to “dealing with terrorism”)
- He has openly attacked and mocked activities in the peer-to-peer community and consistently ignores evidence that does not support his personal agenda
For more about Tim Murphy, see his Wikipedia entry here.