Rendell job approval sinks as budget deal unravels
It's deja vu all over again as the latest Quinnipiac University poll reveals that Pennsylvania residents still have a low regard for both Gov. Ed Rendell and the Pennsylvania Legislature.
I'm going to go out on a limb and speculate that the three-month-old budget stalemate has something do with it.
Rendell's job approval rating remains negative, 42% approve - 51% disapprove, a slight improvement from his record low of 39% - 53% recorded July 21, according to a Quinnipiac University poll released Wednesday.
Only 26 percent of voters approve of his handling of the state budget, while 53 percent say he has been too inflexible and 30 percent call him courageous, the poll says. (The Sept. 18 budget deal reached by Rendell and leaders of three of the four legislative caucuses appears to be dead as rank-and-file lawmakers balk at the new taxes and spending cuts contained in the agreement.)
More from the Quinnipiac Poll:
Only 31 percent of voters approve of the budget agreement, while 37 percent disapprove and 31 percent aren't sure, the poll finds. Rendell is most responsible for the impasse, 27 percent say, as 21 percent blame legislative Republicans; 9 percent legislative Democrats and 30 percent say they are equally to blame.
"Gov. Ed Rendell remains at the low ebb of his governorship when it comes to public opinion, perhaps not surprising given the lengthy budget stalemate. He does better with women, who disapprove 49 - 44 percent, than with men, who disapprove 54 - 41 percent. The legislature's rating, where 27 percent approve and 64 percent disapprove, is even worse," said Peter Brown, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute.
For more poll analysis and to review the numbers (including who has the edge to replace Rendell next year), go to the Quinnipiac University Web site.
There have been three special elections so far this year to fill vacant seats in the Pennsylvania Legislature.
Republicans have won all three seats, two in the Senate and one in the House, by safe margins.
The success the Republican Party has had bodes well for 2010 when all 203 seats in the state House and 25 of the 50 seats in the state Senate are up for re-election.
(The GOP lost its majority in the House in 2006 thanks largely to the backlash over the legislative pay raise and was unable to recapture the majority in 2008 primarily because of the Barack Obama landslide in Pennsylvania. With no major Democratic names on the ticket in 2010, the GOP has a chance to retake control of the House.)
The most recent contest, Tuesday's victory by state Rep. Bob Mensch in the 24th Senatorial District, was by far the GOP's biggest win of the year. Mensch defeated his well-financed Democratic opponent by a 2-1 margin.
Republican Party of Pennsylvania Chairman Rob Gleason took note of the GOP's undefeated streak in releasing the following statement congratulating Mensch:
"It is clear that Bob Mensch's message of reform and fiscal responsibility resonated with the voters," Gleason said. "We are confident that Bob Mensch will be a great leader for Pennsylvanians living in the 24th Senatorial District and a welcome addition to the state Senate."
"The Republican Party of Pennsylvania was proud to support the Mensch Campaign in this important race. This year, our Party has gone undefeated, enjoying three dominating victories in special elections around the Commonwealth. Our Party feels confident that these victories will provide our candidates with momentum heading into the upcoming statewide judicial elections where we will elect Judge Joan Orie Melvin to serve as our next Supreme Court Justice."
The 24th state Senatorial District consists of portions of Bucks, Lehigh, Montgomery and Northampton counties. Mensch was elected to fill the term of former state Sen. Rob Wonderling, who resigned earlier this summer.
Voter turnout was small but the victory was decisive.
State Rep. Bob Mensch won a landslide victory over Democrat Anne Scheuring to fill the vacant 24th Senatorial District seat.
Mensch defeated Scheuring by a 2-1 margin. In his home county of Montgomery, Mensch defeated Scheuring by a remarkable 72% to 26% margin. In Lehigh County, Mensch won by a 64% to 30% margin. In Bucks County, Mensch won by a 68% to 29% margin. The tightest race was in Northampton county, where Mensch beat Scheuring by a 53% to 42% margin.
With all 123 precincts reporting results, Mensch finished with 12,496 votes. Scheuring had 5,730 votes. Libertarian candidate Barbara Steever had 660 votes.
After three years in the state House representing the 147th District, Mensch moves to the state Senate, giving Republicans a 30-20 majority.
The 24th Senate District has been vacant since July when former state Rep. Rob Wonderling resigned to become president and chief executive of the Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce.
There's no indication when Mensch's seat in the state House will be filled. While Senate Pro Tempore Joe Scarnati, a Republican, got to decide when to hold a special election for Wonderlng's seat, the task of filling Mensch's seat falls to Speaker of the House Keith R. McCall, a Democrat.
With Democrats holding a slim 104-99 majority in the House, don't look for McCall to move quickly on replacing Mensch in one of the safest Republican districts in the state. Don't be surprised if McCall puts off a special election until next year.
One other interesting note. There have been three special elections this year to fill vacancies in the state Legislature and Republicans have won all three races by wide margins. That does not bode well for Democrats heading into the 2010 election cycle when all 203 House seats and 25 Senates seats are up for grabs.
State Rep. Bob Mensch has won the special election to fill the vacant seat in the 24th Senatorial District, winning all four counties that make up the district by comfortable (and in some cases 2-1) margins.
Here are the final unofficial vote totals from Montgomery County: Republican Bob Mensch received 5,704 votes or 72% of the ballots cast. Democrat Anne Henning Scheuring finished with 2,056 votes or 26% of the ballots cast. Libertarian Barbara Steever received 162 votes or 2% of the ballots.
In Bucks County, Mensch received 2,597 votes or 68% with Scheuring receiving 1,105 votes or 29% and Steever trailing with 112 votes or 3 percent of the ballots cast.
Here are the final unofficial results from the Northampton County portion of the 24th state Senatorial Distric.
State Rep. Bob Mensch, a Republican, finished on top with 1,855 votes or 53% of the ballots cast. Democrat Anne Scheuring received 1,464 votes or 42% of the ballots. Libertarian Barbara Steever tailed with 153 votes or 4% of the ballots cast.
Mensch also won Lehigh County and is ahead in Bucks and Montgomery counties.
The special election was held Tuesday to pick a replacement for former state Sen. Rob Wonderling.
Final vote tallies are still coming in, but it appears that state Rep. Bob Mensch will win the special election to fill the vacant state Senate seat for the 24th Senatorial District.
Mensch, the Republican candidate, is ahead in all four counties that make up the district: Montgomery, Bucks, Lehigh and Northampton.
The Lehigh Valley numbers are complete. Mensch finished with 2,340 votes or 64% of the vote. Democrat Anne Scheuring is a distant second with $1,105 votes or 30% and Libertarian Party candidate Barbara Steever brings up the rear with 233 votes or 6% of the vote.
If Mensch wins the seat formerly held by state Sen. Rob Wonderling, it will be the third special election for an open state Legislature seat won by Republicans in 2009.
At the 90-day mark in the new fiscal year, Gov. Ed Rendell announced he is setting an Oct. 4 deadline ... or maybe Oct. 6 ... for the Legislature to have an approved budget on his desk.
We know how well the Legislature meets deadlines. It took the leaders of three of the four caucuses 80 days into the fiscal year to reach a budget agreement acceptable to Rendell. (House Republicans still don't want any part of the deal.)
So why the new-found sense of urgency on the part of the governor? Because people are beginning to figure out that the "deal" reached on Sept. 18 was just another red herring to distract Pennsylvanians from the ineptness of the governor and Legislature.
"We've had time," Rendell said Monday. "We should be able to get this done, no ifs, ands or buts about it. And there are a lot of people out there who are depending on us to get this done."
The reality is there is no deal. Rendell and the legislative leaders don't have the votes to get the so-called compromise agreement passed in the state House. They've been trying for 10 days to gather enough votes, but they keep coming up short. And every day that goes by, the "deal" loses more support.
Some house members won't vote for the "deal" because of the controversial tax on admission to arts venues, museums and zoos. Others object to the plan on environmental grounds. Some are upset with the proposal to tax games of chance and bingo operations at fire halls.
It's clear that Rendell and the legislative leadership jumped the gun on Sept. 18. While the Senate could probably come up with 25 or 26 votes to pass the budget deal, the votes are not there in the House, where up to 30 Democrats could bolt.
Democrats hold a slim 104-99 majority. Even if 10 Republicans can be bribed into voting for the deal, that's still not enough votes to make up for the Democratic defectors.
Forget about Rendell's latest deadline. It will come and go. I'm thinking Halloween before a real budget agreement is reached.
Check out more on the unraveling of the "budget deal" at POLICY BLOG
U.S. Rep. Ron Paul will be making a return appearance on The Daily Show Tuesday, Sept. 29 to talk about his latest book, "End The Fed," which challenges the constitutionality of the Federal Reserve.
From www.CampaignForLiberty.com:
The Congressman's latest release recently entered the New York Times' bestseller list at number six, mirroring the success of his previous book, "The Revolution: A Manifesto."
"End The Fed," has served as a rallying point for supporters of Paul's bill, H.R. 1207 The Federal Reserve Transparency Act, meant to shed light on the practices of the nation's central bank. Last week, the House Financial Services Committee held hearings on bringing more transparency to the Fed, this development came after increased support and a super-majority sponsorship of the bill in Congress.
The success of Congressman Paul's book and the "Audit The Fed" movement has given him a greater platform to spread his message of sound money and economic stability to the public, which seems to be growing ever more receptive since the economic crisis of last year.
The episode will air on Tuesday at 11:00 pm EDT, and again Wednesday at 7:00 pm EDT.
U.S. Transfers 3 Guantanamo Bay Detainees to Foreign Nations
The revolving door continues to swing at Gitmo. Here's something you probably didn't know: Since 2002, more than 550 detainees have departed Guantanamo for other countries including Albania, Algeria, Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh, Bahrain, Belgium, Bermuda, Chad, Denmark, Egypt, France, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Libya, Maldives, Mauritania, Morocco, Pakistan, Portugal, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Sweden, Sudan, Tajikistan, Turkey, Uganda, United Kingdom and Yemen.
The government won't say how many of the released "terror suspects" have taken up arms again against the U.S. and its allies.
Here's proof that reporters at The Mercury will go to any length (or height) to get the story. Staff writer Brandie Kessler jumped out of an airplane from 10,000 feet Saturday as part of the Community Day festivities at the Pottstown Municipal Airport. And she lived to talk about it ... and write a first-hand account of the experience. Pick up a copy of Sunday's edition of The Mercury for stories and some incredible photos from the ground and from the air. Also check out The Mercury's Web site, www.pottsmerc.com, for video of the event. That's Brandie above with tandem instructor Chuck McElwee of Keystone Skydiving Center. The top photo was taken by videographer Ali Abdullatif. The bottom photo was taken by Kevin Hoffman of The Mercury.
Here's this week's State Capitol Roundup courtesy of state Rep. Bob Mensch, R-147:
Republicans Call for Reform While Awaiting Budget Details
House Republicans are calling for reform in the budget process as House Democrat and Senate staff finalize details for the three-caucus budget agreement recently announced. Republican Leader Sam Smith (R-Jefferson) maintains that the $27.945 billion, three-caucus plan needlessly raises taxes, contains more spending than the Commonwealth can afford and also completely drains the emergency Rainy Day Fund and the MCare Fund, leaving Pennsylvania ill-equipped to face future challenges. With these concerns in mind, Rep. Glen Grell (R-Cumberland) has requested that House Speaker Keith McCall (D-Carbon) take immediate action to appoint a bipartisan Speaker's Commission on Budgetary Reform. Grell has outlined some of the duties of the commission, including establishing fixed time lines and milestones in the budget process and affording greater involvement in the process by every member of the House. For the latest budget-related news, visit PAHouseGOP.com
House Republican Initiatives Included in Proposed Budget Agreement
A revenue-generating tax amnesty proposal developed by Rep. John Bear (R-Lancaster), calling for a 90-day tax amnesty period to be declared by the governor during the 2009-10 fiscal year, is a key component of the three-caucus budget agreement. The proposal would generate an estimated $190 million for the Commonwealth. In addition, a plan introduced by Rep. Dave Reed (R-Indiana) that would expand environmentally safe natural gas harvesting on state forest lands is also being considered. The Commonwealth would receive up-front payments to lease the land and royalty payments based on the amount of natural gas harvested from the property, and the plan would help create 7,000 new private-sector jobs. In Reed's bill, the state would share some of the new dollars with local governments and conservation districts. However, initial reports suggest budget negotiators are planning to use all of the new revenue to fill the state budget. Although these proposals are being considered, House Republicans remain concerned that the three-caucus budget plan raises taxes unnecessarily and spends too much. For the latest budget news, visit PAHouseGOP.com
Overwhelming Bipartisan Support for Effort to Halt Adoption of Graduation Exams
As public opposition to adopting high school Graduation Competency Assessments (GCAs) or the Keystone Exams grows, bipartisan legislative opposition has also increased. There are currently 161 House members that are co-sponsors of House Resolution 456, which would halt the implementation of the exams until official policies are enacted legislatively. While the administration continues to press forward with the exams, House Republicans maintain the need to focus on enhancing the overall quality of K-12 education - not overly burdening high school seniors. Another concern is the estimated $200 million it would cost to institute the exams, when the state faces a $3.2 billion budget deficit. The Independent Regulatory Review Commission is set to decide whether or not to move forward with the plan after the state Board of Education last month approved the tests. The future of the exams faces an uphill battle, as the tentative three-caucus budget agreement does not contain funding for the exams, but the issue remains a priority for the governor. For the latest legislative news, visit PAHouseGOP.com
Inflation Could Spell End of U.S. Financial System
This is scary stuff. If the policies of Barack Obama and Congressional Democrats are not stopped, we will see the collapse of the United States.
From the National Inflation Association:
It took 25 years for our national debt to double from $257 billion in 1950 to over $533 billion in 1975. Most recently, our national debt has more than doubled from $5.8 trillion in 2001 to its current level of $11.8 trillion in just eight years. Our national debt is now growing three times faster that it did decades ago, which means we should expect a very minimum of three times faster inflation.
This is indoctrination at its worst. And this is a public school, supported by tax collars. Does the separation of church and state apply when your church is Government and your deity is Barack Obama?
If you can't make out the sound, here is a transcript of the lyrics (2nd song sung to "The Battle Hymn of the Republic" -
Song 1: Mm, mmm, mm! Barack Hussein Obama
He said that all must lend a hand To make this country strong again Mmm, mmm, mm! Barack Hussein Obama
He said we must be fair today Equal work means equal pay Mmm, mmm, mm! Barack Hussein Obama
He said that we must take a stand To make sure everyone gets a chance Mmm, mmm, mm! Barack Hussein Obama
He said red, yellow, black or white All are equal in his sight Mmm, mmm, mm! Barack Hussein Obama
Yes! Mmm, mmm, mm Barack Hussein Obama
Song 2: (sing to the Battle Hymn of the Republic - everyone!) Hello, Mr. President we honor you today! For all your great accomplishments, we all doth say "hooray!"
Hooray, Mr. President! You're number one! The first black American to lead this great nation!
Hooray, Mr. President we honor your great plans To make this country's economy number one again!
Hooray Mr. President, we're really proud of you! And we stand for all Americans under the great Red, White, and Blue!
So continue ---- Mr. President we know you'll do the trick So here's a hearty hip-hooray ----
Hip, hip hooray! Hip, hip hooray! Hip, hip hooray!
Now that he is a candidate for Pennsylvania governor, Montgomery County Commissioner Joe Hoeffel has resigned from the county's Board of Elections, according to Keith Phucas of The Norristown Times Herald.
Hoeffel, who has served as chairman of the elections board since 2008, was asked to stop down by the county solicitor, Phucas reports.
Hoeffel, a Democrat, notified fellow commissioners James R. Matthews and Bruce L. Castor Jr. on Wednesday about his resignation.
Although Montgomery County Republican Chairman Bob Kerns issued a press release Wednesday calling for Hoeffel to step down fro the elections board, Hoeffel told Phucas that he made the decision on Tuesday.
The Commonwealth Foundation has launched a new Web site and public service campaign called BankruptingPA to educate taxpayers about "wild and unaccountable government spending."
The Foundation is looking for feedback to help it choose the most effective message and imagery to make this effort as successful as possible, says Commonwealth Foundation CEO Matthew J. Brouillette.
Visit the new Web site at www.BankruptingPA.com, click on the "VOTE" buttons n the right side of the page and leave comments or criticisms.
"Time is of the essence. Please help us ensure BankruptingPA is successful," Brouillette adds.
Mensch earns support of state, regional business groups
The business community is lining up behind state Rep. Bob Mensch for the special election on Sept. 29 to fill the 24th Senatorial District seat vacated by former state Sen. Rob Wonderling.
Groups backing Mensch include ChamberPAC, the political arm of the Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry; the National Federation of Independent Businesses (NFIB); the Southeastern Pennsylvania Area Chambers of Commerce (SEPAC); the Tri-County Area Chamber of Commerce, and the Pennsylvania Business Council
"With an economy in crisis, it is essential to have someone in office who understands what it will take to move Pennsylvania forward," said Gene Barr, PA Chamber vice president of government and public affairs.
Barr said Mensch understands the concerns of job creators and has voted consistently for policies that promote economic growth and job creation.
"Bob Mensch has been a strong supporter of legislation to improve Pennsylvania's small business climate by voting to lower taxes, eliminate needless government regulation, and make health care affordable for small business," said Lucien Calhoun, Chairman of the NFIB's Pennsylvania (SAFE) Save America's Free Enterprise Trust, citing some of the reasons for his organization’s support.
Those sentiments were echoed by Ken Russell, the Board Chairman of SEPAC. "Bob Mensch understands what is required to improve the business climate in the state, including addressing increasing health care costs and promoting sound energy policies," said Russell.
Tim Phelps, President of the Tri-County Area Chamber of Commerce, stated that in addition to his legislative record, Mensch also brings real-world knowledge to the legislature. "He brings a valuable insight to the legislature with his experience as a business professional," said Phelps, who noted Mensch worked at AT&T for 28 years.
"We need more lawmakers in Harrisburg with business backgrounds, who have seen first-hand the effects government policies have on businesses and their ability to create jobs and prosper," said David W. Patti, President & CEO of the Pennsylvania Business Council. "He will be a welcome addition to the Pennsylvania Senate."
"One of my top priorities in the Pennsylvania Senate will be to rebuild our state's economy and create new jobs by addressing burdensome taxes and regulations," said Mensch. "We need to fight the brain-drain and the out of state loss of college-educated workers critical to the new economy. We also must invest in our transportation infrastructure for the movement of people and goods, encourage private sector investment in alternative energies, and revitalize main street business districts. Working together, we can help jumpstart the state and regional economy and put more Pennsylvanians back to work."
Mensch is running on a platform of returning fiscal responsibility to Harrisburg, opposing tax increases on working families and seniors, improving the state's economic environment and job creation, and enhancing local open space preservation efforts.
In addition to the endorsements from the business community, Mensch has also picked up key endorsements from law enforcement and the Pennsylvania Coalition of Taxpayer Associations.
Tax: A Required Contribution or Fee Levied by a Government
George Stephanopoulos, former senior advisor to Bill Clinton, on ABC's "This Week" grilled the President on how his health care overhaul would raise taxes on the middle class.
The President tried to dance around the issue -- just as he has done on numerous occasions regarding abortion funding in the health care bill. However, he can't dance away from this fact, either.
Politico reports today that page 29 of the bill introduced Sen. Max Baucus (D-Mont), says: "The consequence for not maintaining insurance would be an excise tax."
President Obama has developed a serious credibility problem as Factcheck.org, Politifact.com, and now Politico have reported on the President's misleading statements on his health care bill.
However, the American people can't be misled so easily. They instinctively know that imposing new taxes or involuntary payments (mandates) combined with massive spending will only further burden families and the next generation of Americans.
Montco GOP calls for Hoeffel to step down from Elections Board
Montgomery County Republican Chairman Bob Kerns has asked Democratic County Commissioner Joe Hoeffel to step down from the Montgomery County Board of Elections.
Hoeffel announced this week that he will seek the Democratic nomination for Pennsylvania governor in the May 2010 primary election.
"Joe Hoeffel chairs the Montgomery County Board of Elections and can act in that capacity to advantage his candidacy for governor, Kerns said in a written statement. "He needs to step down immediately and allow for an alternate to be appointed in his place."
County commissioners who have run for office have traditionally resigned from the Elections Board "and I think Hoeffel needs to step down now," Kerns said.
"Elections should be free and fair. Hoeffel needs to step aside immediately to ensure he’s not setting the table for himself," Kerns said, noting that Hoeffel remained on the Board of Elections when he was a candidate in a contested election to be a Hillary Clinton delegate to the 2008 Democratic National Convention.
The President Judge of the Montgomery County Court of Common Pleas has the legal authority to appoint a replacement to the Board of Elections once Hoeffel steps aside.
Hoeffel has been criticized frequently over the past two years for politicizing Montgomery County government. Under Hoeffel's tenure, several losing Democratic candidates have been hired to well-paying county jobs, prompting charges of cronyism.
Poll: 60% view Obama's handling of economy as negative
A new Harris Poll released shows growing discontentment over Barack Obama's handling of the economy.
Three in five Americans (60%) rate the job the president is doing on the economy as negative while two in five (40%) rate his job as positive, according to The Harris Poll.
The numbers are virtually unchanged from last month when 39% rated President Obama's economic job performance as positive and 61% rated it as negative, according to The Harris Poll.
More from The Harris Poll of 2,334 adults surveyed online between Sept. 8-15, 2009, by Harris Interactive:
Confidence in the White House
Confidence in the White House and the Administration to produce policies to help fix the economic crisis has dropped in the past month. In August, over half of Americans (53%) had confidence while 47% did not have confidence. One month later, over half of Americans (52%) now are not confident that the Obama Administration can produce policies to help fix the economic crisis while 48% are confident they will.
Financial conditions ahead
Overall, two in five Americans (40%) expect the economy to improve in the coming year while just over one-third (36%) say they expect it to stay the same and one-quarter (24%) believe it will get worse. In August, almost half (46%) of Americans believed the economy would improve in the coming year.
When it comes to household's financial situation, about half of Americans (48%) believe it will remain the same in the next six months while one-quarter (23%) say it will get better and three in ten (29%) believe it will get worse. This is almost unchanged from last month when 48% said it would remain the same, 24% said it would get better and 28% of Americans believed their household's financial situation would get worse.
The job market
When it comes to the job market, attitudes are mostly negative. Two-thirds of Americans (68%) say the current job market in their region of the country is bad while just one in ten (10%) say it is good and 22% believe it is neither good nor bad. Last month, 71% of Americans said the job market in their region was bad and 8% said it was good. Those in the West and Midwest are most negative about the job markets in their region (77% and 70% saying it is bad respectively) while 15% of Southerners say it is good.
Cap and Trade Legislation Would Increase Uninsured by Millions
Irony or hypocrisy? Democrats say they want to insure all Americans, but if Barack Obama signs the Cap and Trade bill backed by Democrats, it would eliminate health coverage for millions of Americans.
Democrats are pulling out all the stops to push for government-run health care. A Democratic senator thinks government regulation and taxing of Internet gambling could help pay for part of the massive cost of Obamacare.
An amendment offered by Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR) would dedicate Internet gambling tax revenue generated through implementation of the currently pending Internet Regulation, Consumer Protection and Enforcement Act (H.R. 2267) to increase low-income subsidies provided through the America's Healthy Future Act of 2009, according to a group called the Safe and Secure Internet Gambling Initiative.
I wonder if Obamacare will cover addiction to Internet gambling?
A PricewaterhouseCoopers analysis shows that collecting taxes on regulated Internet gambling would allow the U.S. to capture up to $62.7 billion over the next decade, says the Safe and Secure Internet Gambling Initiative.
"We applaud Senator Wyden's proposal to collect and put to good use tens of billions in Internet gambling revenue that would otherwise be lost in the underground marketplace," said Michael Waxman, spokesperson for the Safe and Secure Internet Gambling Initiative. "The Senate Finance Committee should approve the resolution, finally putting to an end a failed prohibition on Internet gambling that leaves Americans unprotected and unlicensed offshore operators as the only beneficiary in a thriving marketplace."
The Internet Gambling Regulation, Consumer Protection and Enforcement Act of 2009 (H.R. 2267), introduced in May by House Committee on Financial Services Chairman Barney Frank (D-MA), would establish a framework to permit licensed gambling operators to accept wagers from individuals in the U.S., says the Safe and Secure Internet Gambling Initiative.
Is this the same Barney Frank who presided over the financial collapse of the past year? And just one more question: If Obamcare will cost at least $1 trillion, how is $62 billion going to cover the cost? I'm sure Barack Obama and Barney Frank have it all figured out.
U.S. Rep. Jim Gerlach is one of 28 members of Congress who signed a letter sent to the Inspector General of the Housing and Urban Development asking for a review of how the liberal activist group ACORN used taxpayer funds.
Gerlach (PA-6th District) wants HUD officials to make sure ACORN is held accountable for every dollar of taxpayer funding it has received, according to a press release issued Monday.
From Gerlach's press release:
In a letter to HUD Inspector General Kenneth M. Donohue, Gerlach requested a comprehensive audit of ACORN's finances to give the public some peace of mind that their hard-earned tax dollars have not subsidized corrupt or illegal activity.
"In the wake of new, but not unfamiliar, reports of criminal and illicit activity involving ACORN, I believe it is imperative that this organization’s finances be reviewed and investigated by your Department to determine whether improper and illegal use of federal dollars has occurred since ACORN first began receiving federal funds in 1994," Gerlach wrote.
The letter signed by 26 Republican members of the House Financial Services Committee and GOP Congressmen Mike Pence of Indiana and Pete Sessions of Texas.
Video of ACORN employees in New York and Maryland giving illegal advice to two filmmakers posing as a prostitute and a pimp prompted the U.S. Census Bureau to end its partnership with ACORN on Friday. The Senate voted 83-7 on Monday to cut off Housing and Urban Development funding slated for ACORN.
ACORN – which stands for the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now -- has been the focus of voter-registration fraud investigations in recent years.
Locally, two ACORN workers in March 2008 pleaded guilty in Berks County Court and were sentenced to jail for creating phony voter-registration forms in order to collect cash from the organization, according to the Reading Eagle.
In July, Dauphin County election officials have investigated over 100 suspicious voter-registration applications submitted by ACORN
And In September 2006, nearly 100 fraudulent voter registration applications were filed in Delaware County, prompting the District Attorney’s Office to issue an identity theft alert. All 100 applications were filled out by four individuals working for ACORN.
Rep. Doug Reichley: Budget deal 'not in the best interest' of many PA residents
Rep. Doug Reichley (R-Berks/Lehigh), Republican vice chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, issued the following statement Monday following the announcement Friday of a tentative budget agreement between Gov. Ed Rendell and three of the four legislative caucuses:
"I think all Pennsylvanians welcome the end of the embarrassing spectacle of our budget impasse over these last three months. Not only are we the last state in the nation to reach a budget agreement, we were also the only state in the country where the governor was proposing to increase spending in the midst of the worst economy in 70 years. Regrettably, the agreement reached by the governor and Senate Republicans, House Democrats, and Senate Democrats is not in the best interest of the many residents of our state who are struggling with job losses and lower household incomes.
"The governor and these three caucuses have brokered a deal where many businesses will look at a retroactive increase in the Capital Stock and Franchise Tax. This 53 percent increase will then be continued over the next three years, instead of permanently phasing out the tax as was currently stated in law.
"Individual consumers will see a 25 cent increase per pack in the cigarette tax, a new tax on small cigars, a new 20 percent tax on the proceeds from small games of chance, such as raffles and punchcards, and a new sales tax on the ticket price for admission to concerts, museums, and zoos.
"In addition to these new taxes, the concocted plan calls for taking every last cent out of the $750 million Rainy Day Fund, and raiding the state medical insurance fund which is meant to protect health care providers from disastrous litigation awards. This is not a prescription for fiscal stability either this year or next year when we may be faced with similar budget shortfalls.
"What is even more troubling than the tax hike binge is the absolute lack of detail being provided to the general public. We still do not know how libraries, hospitals, service providers, and school districts will be impacted. The governor was pleased that an additional $300-plus million of state tax dollars will be invested in education as well as his other pet programs, but the question remains whether those funds will be distributed equitably or primarily used to benefit Philadelphia, as has happened in the past.
"For five months, House Republicans have proposed budget plans calling for greater reductions in spending than agreed to last week. Our plan balanced the budget without raising a single tax on businesses or individuals. Unfortunately, the governor has convinced the other caucuses to increase taxes and maintain spending at last year's $28 billion budget level.
The governor and the other three caucuses have made their deal. Now let them put up the votes to raise taxes and spending."
Republican state Senate candidate Bob Mensch has picked up the endorsement of the Pennsylvania State Lodge Fraternal Order of Police, as well as the Fraternal Order of Police Lodges in Bucks, Lehigh, Northampton and Montgomery Counties.
Mensch, a two-term member of the state House is seeking the vacant state Senate seat in the 24th Senate District held by former state Sen. Rob Wonderling. A special election is scheduled for Tuesday, Sept. 29, to fill the remainder of Wonderling's term, which runs through the end of 2010.
"It is our privilege to stand with Fraternal Order of Police Lodges in Bucks, Lehigh, Montgomery, and Northampton Counties to present you our highest endorsement for your special election campaign to the Pennsylvania State Senate," said Les Neri, President of the Fraternal Order of Police, Pennsylvania State Lodge, representing more than 41,000 law enforcement officers across Pennsylvania. Neri noted that Mensch has "always been an active supporter of the law enforcement community, the officers, and their families."
"I have the utmost respect for the men and women who serve in law enforcement and put their lives on the line to keep our communities safe," said Mensch. "The members of the Fraternal Order of Police are on the front lines in the fight against crime and it is an honor to have their endorsement and support."
Mensch has supported legislation that would add 10,000 police officers to the streets in local communities and cities throughout Pennsylvania. The bill would provide funding to local counties, in the form of block grants, and empower local municipalities to decide how best to spend the money and select how many additional officers are needed.
"Putting more police officers on the streets allows law enforcement to be more proactive in preventing crime in our communities," said Mensch. "Numerous studies have shown that the more police officers we have on the street, the more crime rates go down. We need to provide local municipalities with the support they need to keep our neighborhoods safe."
Mensch has taken a leadership role on a number of other legislative initiatives that help keep our communities safe or are priorities of the Fraternal Order of Police, including:
· House Bill 1144, legislation to combat the growing problem of prescription drug abuse. The bill targets some of the main methods in which prescription drugs are diverted to street and motorcycle gangs and other drug dealers, groups that are increasingly trafficking and selling controlled prescription drugs.
· Mensch is an original co-sponsor of House Bill 1926, legislation that will strengthen Megan’s Law registration and restrictions for sex offenders.
· He is a co-sponsor of House Bill 1758, legislation that would increase the amount of state death benefits to the survivors of firefighters and police officers who die in performance of their duties.
Mensch has also received major endorsements from business organizations and citizen taxpayer groups across Pennsylvania.
For more information on Mensch visit his campaign Web site at www.electmensch.com
Gov. Ed Rendell said Friday night that there are no winners or losers in the compromise that ended Pennsylvania's 80-day-old budget impasse.
Don't believe him. There are always winners and losers in every budget agreement and this one is no exception.
If you smoke, you're going to pay more. If you support the arts in Pennsylvania, you are going to pay more. (The deal expands the state sales tax to cover tickets for concerts, museums, theaters, etc.)
If your church or nonprofit group uses bingo or other small games of chance as fundraisers, you're going to have to pay the state under a new tax inlcuded in the deal.
If you're a business owner, you're going to continue paying some of the highest business taxes in the country. And so on.
Although details are sketchy, (Rendell purposely declined to reveal many details until the rank-and-file state lawmakers are briefed next week), The Commonwealth Foundation offers some instant analysis based on what we do know.
The budget deal includes $821 million in tax increases and fails to address at least $1.7 billion in deficit spending from last years' budget, according to the Foundation.
The state's "Rainy Day Fund" will be exhausted with legislative leaders agreeing to spend the entire $775 million to balance the budget, according to the Foundation.
That's a risky move because the economy isn't getting any better and we could sitting on another huge budget deficit next summer.
The Associated Press is reporting that a deal has been reached between legislative leaders and Gov. Ed Rendell to end the state's 80-day-old budget stalemate.
Pennsylvania had been the only state without a budget for the fiscal year that began on July 1, 2009. The last budget ended up $3.25 billion in the red.
Gov. Ed Rendell is scheduled to announce the agreement at an 8 p.m. news conference from the Governor's Reception Room in the State Capitol.
From the wire service:
Negotiators struggled all summer to resolve a partisan dispute over whether to fill the state's multibillion-dollar budget hole with new or higher taxes, cuts in state programs or a combination of the two.
A week ago, Republicans and Democrats in the Legislature announced a $27.95 billion budget deal that included $1.2 billion in recurring revenues — mostly new taxes — but Rendell threatened to veto it unless significant changes were made.
Rendell, leaving the Capitol earlier Friday, told The Patriot-News of Harrisburg that he had "good news. It's not the budget I would have chosen, but it fits my two markers."
The plan still requires approval from the Legislature, where minority House Republicans are adamantly against new taxes, but Republicans who control the Senate and House Democratic leaders confirmed they would join Rendell at the announcement.
Barack Obama and his media allies are jumping on the slightest bit of positive economic news to tell the American people that the recession is over.
Just tell that to the 15 million Americans who are out of work. Millions of those jobs have been lost during the Obama administration and most of them will never come back.
Today's headline: 42 states lose jobs in August, up from 29 in July
From The Associated Press:
WASHINGTON — Forty-two states lost jobs last month, up from 29 in July, with the biggest net payroll cuts coming in Texas, Michigan, Georgia and Ohio.
The Labor Department also reported Friday that 27 states saw their unemployment rates increase in August, and 14 states and Washington D.C., reported unemployment rates of 10 percent or above.
The report shows jobs remain scarce even as most analysts believe the economy is pulling out of the worst recession since the 1930s. Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke said earlier this week that the recovery isn't likely to be rapid enough to reduce unemployment for some time.
The jobless rate nationwide is expected to peak above 10 percent next year, from its current 9.7 percent.
Employers have eliminated 6.9 million jobs since the recession began in December 2007.
Texas lost 62,200 jobs as its unemployment rate rose to 8 percent in August for the first time in 22 years. The state's leisure, construction and manufacturing industries were hardest hit, losing 35,500 jobs.
Michigan saw 42,900 jobs disappear, including 15,000 in manufacturing, as the state continued to suffer along with its struggling auto industry.
Michigan's unemployment rate rose to 15.2 percent, the highest in the nation. When its jobless rate topped 15 percent in June it was the first time any state surpassed that mark since 1984.
Nevada has the second-highest rate at 13.2 percent, followed by Rhode Island at 12.8 percent and California and Oregon at 12.2 percent each.
The jobless rates in California, Nevada and Rhode Island were the highest on records dating to 1976. California and Nevada have been slammed by the housing bust, while Rhode Island has lost thousands of manufacturing and government jobs in the past year.
Georgia and Ohio reported the third and fourth-highest job losses, respectively, but their unemployment rates both fell as many of the unemployed dropped out of the work force.
Law professor criticizes far left's use of race card
"The increasingly hysterical use of the the race card by liberal columnists, bloggers and politicians reflects the last gasps of people who, being unable to win an argument on the merits, seek to end the argument," writes William Jacobson, associate clinical professor of Law at Cornell Law School.
From a recent op-ed by Jacobson:
While the false accusation of racism is not a new tactic, it has been refined by Obama supporters into a toxic powder which is causing damage to the social fabric of the country by artificially injecting race into every political issue.
The American people, while they still mostly like Obama on a personal level, increasingly oppose his policies and plans. Democrats know that the debate on the merits of initiatives such as health care and cap-and-trade has been won on the merits by the opposition.
Not surprisingly, the pace of racial accusations has picked up as opposition has grown. Just in the past few days the usual and not-so-usual suspects have been seeking to out-do each other in making accusations of racism including Eugene Robinson, Maureen Dowd, Jimmy Carter, Rep. Hank Johnson, Chris Matthews, a wide range of Democratic politicians, and of course, almost all of the mainstream media.
The effect of these accusations is poisonous. Race is the most sensitive and inflammatory subject in this country. By turning every issue, even a discussion of health care policy, into an argument about race, liberals have created a politically explosive mixture in which the harder they seek to suppress opposing voices, the harder those voices seek to be heard.
Pennsylvania lost another 8,800 jobs in August, according to new numbers released today by the Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry.
State officials tried to put the best possible spin on the bad news by pointing out that Pennsylvania's 8.6% unemployment rate "remained below the United States' unemployment rate, which rose three-tenths of a point to 9.7 percent in August."
Doesn't that make you feel better?
Pennsylvania's unemployment rate was up 3.1 percentage points from August 2008, compared to an increase of 3.5 percentage points since August 2008 for the nation.
Since August 2008, Pennsylvania has shed 191,500 jobs!
Just a reminder that the governor of Pennsylvania is Ed Rendell, a Democrat, who has increased spending by $8 billion since 2003. Much of that spending went for various economic revitalization projects that Rendell claimed would bring more jobs to the state.
And in case you forgot, the Democrats also control both houses of Congress and the White House. If you're one of the 15 million Americans out of work, be sure to thank a Democrat in Harrisburg or Washington, D.C.
For a detailed breakdown of the employment numbers, follow the link below:
Americans for Tax Reform points out that Barack Obama doesn't really have a plan to reform health care, instead allowing Congress to float several different plans with few public details being released.
"Obama swears that his proposal will not raise taxes on the middle class or drive Americans out of their current insurance arrangement," said Grover Norquist, president of Americans for Tax Reform. "Yet every one of the Democrats' actual plans contain precisely those things Obama says he would never allow. He has not said he would veto those bills."
U.S. Senate candidate Pat Toomey and Pennsylvania Supreme Court candidate Joan Orie Melvin will the guests of honor at the annual picnic hosted by the Berks County Republican Party.
The event will be held from noon to 3 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 19, at Cacoosing Meadows Park, Reedy and State Hill roads, Spring Township.
In addition to meeting the candidates, there will be food, entertainment and refreshments. (Committeepeople, YR's, McCain/Palin Volunteers and candidates are asked to bring a covered dish.)
For more information, visit www.berksgop.org or call the party headquarters at 610-374-1100.
A guest column from Tony Perkins of the Family Research Center on the hysterical left's use of race to shut down all criticism of the Obama administration.
Race Card: Sign of Desperation
By Tony Perkins
Yesterday, the House voted 240 to 179 to censure Rep. Joe Wilson (R-S.C.) for saying the President was lying about aspects of his health care reform plan. What was more telling than the vote was the rhetoric that surrounded it. Those pushing to publicly flog Wilson avoided the subject at hand, the health care reform plan and whether or not the President's statements were false.
Rather, House members like Rep. Hank Johnson (D-Ga.) and Rep. Barbara Lee (D-Calif.) used the opportunity to say Wilson 's actions were motivated by racial animus. In an interview with CNN, Johnson said "I guess we'll probably have folks putting on white hoods and white uniforms again and riding through the countryside, intimidating people. That's the logical conclusion if this kind of attitude is not rebuked." On ABC's World News, referring to Wilson's comments, Lee said "Hate speech can turn into hate crimes."
Working out of the Left's classic playbook, former President Jimmy Carter, interviewed on NBC Nightly News, chimed in not only on Wilson's comments but on the public opposition to the President's liberal plans saying, "I think an overwhelming portion of the intensely demonstrated animosity toward President Barack Obama is based on the fact that he is a black man, that he's African-American."
This is a classic move by the Left when they can't win the policy debate; they try to marginalize their opponents by calling them racist.
Mensch picks up key endorsement in bid for state Senate
The TriCounty Area Chamber of Commerce, which represents 700 businesses in Montgomery, Chester and Berks counties, has endorsed state Rep. Bob Mensch for the 24th Senatorial District seat in a special election on Sept. 29.
The election will fill the vacant Senate seat previously held by Sen. Robert Wonderling, who recently resigned to serve as the president and CEO of the Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce.
Mensch, serving his second term in the state House, has been an ally of the business community and a strong advocate for policies that will foster job creation and economic growth, according to the Chamber.
"He brings a valuable insight to the legislature with his experience as a business professional," said TriCounty Area Chamber President P. Timothy Phelps.
Mensch was named the TriCounty Area Chamber of Commerce's Legislator of the Year in 2008 for his impact on the region as well as his 100 percent voting record on business issues supported by the Chamber.
More from the Chamber's endorsement:
Mensch continues to support key chamber initiatives, and he is an advocate for tri-county's regionalization efforts. His pro-business stances include investment in improved transportation infrastructure, business tax structure reform, health care reform, and tort reform. Also, as a member of the House Republican Policy Committee Task Force on Budget and Economic Policy, Mensch has remained strongly opposed to Governor Ed Rendell's proposal to increase taxes to offset proposed state spending increases.
Having worked his way through the ranks at AT&T for 28 years, he truly understands the needs of the business community. The Chamber believes that Representative Bob Mensch's dedicated leadership, combined with his community, charity, corporate, and political experiences, provides the mix needed for the success of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
This is the second major endorsement Mensch has picked up from the business community. Mensch is also supported by ChamberPAC, the political arm of the Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry.
Curt Schroder hires campaign manager for Congressional run
State Rep. Curt Schroder has added Kyle Whatley as campaign manager in his bid to win the Republican nomination in the 6th Congressional District.
Whatley has held leadership positions in or managed four congressional campaigns, a mayor's race and two city council offices. He led a statewide non-profit organization and has consulted Fortune 500 companies.
Originally from Texas, Mr. Whatley came to Pennsylvania specifically to work on Curt Schroder's campaign.
"My wife and I would not have moved almost 2,000 miles if I was not absolutely certain Curt Schroder was going to win this race," Whatley said. "He is in an exceptional position to not only prevail in the primary but to win the election next November. I am grateful for the opportunity to be part of this campaign and look forward to playing my role in Curt Schroder being the next Congressman representing the 6th District of Pennsylvania."
Schroder added, "I am pleased to announce the hiring of Mr. Whatley. This team is fast becoming one of the most skilled in the country."
Schroder previously announced that addition of two consulting firms, Strategy Group for Media and Hallowell & Branstetter as part of his campaign team.
"The Strategy Group for Media has consistently won awards for excellence, Hallowell & Branstetter has a combined 50 years in Pennsylvania politics and we have now added an experienced campaign manager," Schroder said. "I am extremely confident in the professional team we have assembled and am excited about the race to come."
Schroder was first elected to represent the 155th District of Pennsylvania in the State Assembly in 1994.
He and his wife reside in Downingtown with their two children.
The 6th District Congressional seat will be open in 2010 because incumbent U.S. Rep. Jim Gerlach is not seeking re-election to Congress, opting instead to run for Pennsylvania governor.
PA GOP blasts Sen. Casey for 'blind support' of ACORN
Republican Party of Pennsylvania Chairman Rob Gleason is pleased that the U.S. Senate voted overwhelmingly to deny federal housing funds to the controversial left-wing advocacy group ACORN (Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now).
However, Gleason questioned U.S. Senator Bob Casey Jr.'s decision to join six of his colleagues in support of ACORN funding.
"Sen. Bob Casey's blind support of this corrupt organization is questionable at best," Gleason said. "ACORN continues to be exposed as a corrupt organization that should not be receiving federal funds under any circumstance. The recent videos depicting ACORN on a number of occasions giving out advice on how to cheat and lie on your taxes were appalling and further confirmed my suspicions about this questionable organization.
"With all things we have learned about ACORN, I cannot understand how Senator Casey could support ACORN. Sen. Casey owes it to our Commonwealth and his constituents to explain his vote."
On Monday, the U.S. Senate voted 83-7 vote in favor of an amendment that stripped out funding to ACORN in a housing and transportation bill. ("Senate Denies ACORN Funding," Politico, 9/14/09, http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0909/27153.html)
Casey, a freshman Democrat, was one of the seven votes against the amendment. ACORN is under investigation in nine states for allegations of voter registration fraud.
Columnist: 10 More 'You Lie' Moments On Health Care
South Carolina Congressman Joe Wilson was taken to the woodshed by Congressional Democrats for his "You Lie!" outburst during Barack Obama's recent speech on health care, but what the liberal media is failing to focus on is the fact that Wilson was telling the truth. Obama is lying about his government-run plan.
In fact, Obama told at least 10 lies during his speech, according to columnist John Hawkins.
From his column:
Unfortunately, this sort of deception has been the rule, not the exception in the Democrats' health care push. In fact, Barack Obama has sold health care by saying, in effect, "Anybody who has anything negative to say about health care reform is just spreading myths."
It's a shame that Barack Obama has chosen to go this way, because our health care system does desperately need to be reformed and conservatives would be very willing to work with the Democrats to do it. In fact, in a recent poll of 74 conservative bloggers, every single one of them said that they'd be "willing to support health care reform that primarily emphasized market based reforms." If Obama were to take that approach or even if he were to simply focus on helping the 8-10 million Americans who want health insurance but can't afford it, I suspect he'd have no trouble at all getting strong bipartisan support for a bill.
Here is the list compiled by Hawkins:
1. The President is working with Republicans. 2. Republicans haven't suggested a plan for health care. 3. The public option won't put the insurance industry out of business and lead to a government takeover of health care. 4. Medicare won't be cut to fund this health care bill. 5. The health care plan won't add "one dime to our deficits either now or in the future." 6. Preventative care will be required in these bills and it'll save money. 7. Health care reform will help create more jobs. 8. Abortion won't be covered under the bill. 9. This bill won't lead to rationing of health care and people being denied life saving operations. 10. Obama's "Plan" doesn't have these problems you're talking about.
Read "10 More 'You Lie' Moments On Health Care" at Townhall.com
Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) has released its fifth annual report on the most corrupt members of Congress.
CREW's Most Corrupt Members of Congress provides a detailed analysis of the unethical and sometimes illegal activities of 15 congressmen and women who have most egregiously betrayed the public's trust.
"With the economy in a free-fall, unemployment rates at record highs and health care solutions still nowhere in sight, members should be spending their time looking for answers to the nation's problems, not finding new ways to enrich themselves." said Melanie Sloan, executive director of CREW. "The members of Congress profiled in CREW'sMost Corrupt report have betrayed those who voted them into office. This report holds them accountable for their bad choices."
CREW also has launched the report's tandem Web site, www.CREWsMostCorrupt.org, which offers short summaries of each member's transgressions as well as the full-length profiles and all accompanying exhibits.
The 15 most corrupt members of Congress (listed alphabetically) are:
Rep. Vern Buchanan (R-FL) Sen. Roland Burris (D-IL) Rep. Ken Calvert (R-CA) Rep. Nathan Deal (R-GA) Sen. John Ensign (R-NV) Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. (D-IL) Rep. Jerry Lewis (R-CA) Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY) Rep. Alan Mollohan (D-WV) Rep. John Murtha (D-PA) Rep. Charles Rangel (D-NY) Rep. Laura Richardson (D-CA) Rep. Pete Visclosky (D-IN) Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA) Rep. Don Young (R-AK)
From a CREW press release:
New to this year's list are Sens. Roland Burris and John Ensign, and Reps. Nathan Deal, Jesse Jackson Jr. and Pete Visclosky.
After a two-year absence, Rep. Maxine Waters has reappeared in the study for unethical activities unrelated to the conduct that landed her on the list in the past. A detailed list of those who have previously graced the report can be found on the Web site.
Of this year's list of 15, at least 12 are under investigation: Reps. Ken Calvert, Jerry Lewis, Alan Mollohan, John Murtha, Pete Visclosky and Don Young are under Department of Justice (DOJ) investigations, while Sens. Roland Burris and John Ensign and Reps. Charles Rangel and Laura Richardson are under congressional ethics committee investigations. Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. is under investigation by both the DOJ and the Office of Congressional Ethics and Rep. Vern Buchanan is being investigated by the Federal Election Commission.
Visit CREWsMostCorrupt.org or click here to read the full report.
Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) is a non-profit legal watchdog group dedicated to holding public officials accountable for their actions.
"Political Talk," a new weekly program offering an inside view of politics and the political process, with an emphasis on and how politics impacts your daily life, airs every Wednesday from 3-4 PM on WCHE 1520 AM and www.wche1520.com
"Political Talk" is hosted by Mike Pincus, a Chester County-based political consultant and strategist who has advised candidates and managed campaigns on all levels of government for the past 30-plus years.
In addition to his campaign work, Mike co-hosts "Talking Politics" with Tony Phyrillas, an award-winning political columnist for The Pottstown Mercury. "Talking Politics" airs every Thursday, from 5-6 PM, on WPAZ 1370 AM, and www.1370wpaz.com. It can also be heard at www.pottsmerc.com
Listeners may call 610-701-WCHE (9243) with comments or questions during the live show.
"The public is outraged about the president's policies -- the spending, the budget, the deficit -- not his skin color," says Deneen Borelli of the national black leadership network Project 21.
The far left increasingly labels any critic of the Obama Administration as racist in a concerted effort to silence free speech.
Mensch challenges opponent to debate in 24th Senate race
State Rep. Bob Mensch, the Republican candidate in the special election to fill the vacant seat in the 24th state Senate District, has been trying to get his Democratic opponent to agree to debates for several weeks without success.
With just two weeks left until the Sept. 29 special election, Mensch issued an open invitation to Democrat Anne Scheuring to debate him pretty much any time, any place.
"Voters have a right to hear directly from the candidates in a civil and open debate on the issues," said Pete Peterson, spokesperson for the Mensch campaign. "The region and state face a number of critical challenges, including the need to create jobs, open space preservation, and the need to hold the line on any tax increases on working families. Voters deserve to know which candidate has a strong command of the issues and best represents their views."
(The fact that Scheuring's entire political experience consists of nine months on the Lansdale Borough Council may have something to do with her reluctance to face Mensch in a public forum. Scheuring was a last-minute candidate after several prominent Democrats declined to run in the special election.)
Ideally, the Mensch campaign would like to see three separate debates in various regions of the district "to offer voters the best opportunity to hear from the candidates and reduce long travel times," Peterson said.
Unfortunately, Scheuring has even refused to be a guest on local radio and television programs if Mensch will be on at the same time to discuss the issues, Peterson said.
"Rather than engage in an open and honest debate on the issues, Anne Scheuring has resorted to mudslinging and false attacks on Rep. Mensch," said Peterson. "Voters deserve better. Scheuring made the ridiculous claim that Rep. Mensch voted for the controversial pay raise, but he hadn't even been elected to office yet. He even donates his annual cost-of-living adjustment to charities that provide assistance to disabled individuals and victims of domestic violence."
(The pay raise accusation is a common false charge made by Democratic strategists who run campaigns from Harrisburg. It's been used before in the 2008 election cycle against Republican candidates who were not serving in the Legislature when the pay raise vote was taken in July 2005.)
Scheuring has rejected or refused to respond to numerous debates, forums and radio and television appearances with Mensch. The list includes forums with Upper Perkiomen Valley Chamber of Commerce, the Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce, PBS 39, WFMS Channel 69, and WNPV 1440 AM, according to Peterson.
Scheuring's refusal to debate may be related to her lack of willingness to address the false attacks she has made on Mensch, Peterson said.
The 24th Senatorial District seat opened up when former Sen. Rob Wonderling resigned in August to accept the position as CEO of the Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce.
Mensch is in his third year in the state House and previously served six years as a township supervisor in Marlborough. For more on Mensch, visit his campaign Web site.
Text of Rep. Joe Wilson 'resolution of disapproval'
The House of Representatives released the text of the resolution of disapproval at the outburst ("You lie!") by Rep. Joe Wilson, R-S.C., during President Barack Obama's speech:
Whereas on September 9, 2009, during the joint session of Congress convened pursuant to House Concurrent Resolution 179, the President of the United States, speaking at the invitation of the House and Senate, had his remarks interrupted by the Representative from South Carolina, Mr. Wilson; and whereas the conduct of the Representative from South Carolina was a breach of decorum and degraded the proceedings of the joint session, to the discredit of the House:
Now, therefore, be it resolved, that the House of Representatives disapproves of the behavior of the Representative from South Carolina, Mr. Wilson, during the joint session of Congress held on September 9, 2009.
I like the part about discrediting of the House as if the American public can have a lower opinion of Congress than they already do.
Update: The final tally late Tuesday was 240-179, mostly along party lines: 233 Democrats and seven Republicans voting for the resolution, and 167 Republicans and 12 Democrats opposing the measure. Five Democrats voted "present."
No wonder they're in no hurry to pass a budget. The living is easy in Harrisburg ... as long as other people are paying the bills.
From a recent column by Brad Bumsted about how lawmakers are spending your hard-earned tax dollars:
During the 2007-08 session, the House chief clerk's office spent almost $250,000 on catered dinners for lawmakers, most of whom were collecting $146 per day for food and lodging costs.
It's one of those many expenditures you rarely hear about. It's yet another example of how your tax money gets frittered away at the Capitol.
Sometimes it was "just" pizza. But pizza for a 203-member legislative body doesn't come cheap.
Try $680 at Papa John's on March 10, 2008.
That same day, the House spent $4,612 on food from Zia's catering.
Six Republican Senators have written a letter to President Obama questioning the president's continued reliance on "czars" to run key parts of the government.
"These positions raise serious issues of accountability, transparency, and oversight," the letter states. "The creation of "czars," particularly within the Executive Office of the President, circumvents the constitutionally established process of "advise and consent," greatly diminishes the ability of Congress to conduct oversight and hold officials accountable, and creates confusion about which officials are responsible for policy decisions."
The letters was signed by Sens. Susan M. Collins, Lamar Alexander, Christopher S. Bond, Mike Crapo, Pat Roberts and Robert F. Bennett.
Read the full text of the letter at the link below:
At least 75,000 (or upwards of 1.5 million Americans by some accounts) marched in Washington, D.C., on Saturday, Sept. 12, against the Obama Administration, the Democratic-led Congress and out-of-control big government in general.
It was one of the largest citizen-demonstrations in the nation's history.
But the liberal media largely ignored the protest or worked overtime to spin the story as some fringe-element demonstrating against a black president.
Some of the best (and unbiased coverage) of the event could be found in European newspapers, argues Investor's Business Daily.
"When Americans have to turn to the foreign press for truthful reports of the size of popular protests in Washington, it's time to wonder: Are we dominated by "state-run media"? the newspaper asks.
From the editorial:
When a million people travel to our nation's capital to object to excessive government spending, and the taxes they have to pay to sustain it, it constitutes a grass-roots force to be reckoned with.
But underestimates of the crowds by the so-called "mainstream media," along with their focus on the most extremist signs and slogans they could find (gun rights, for instance, or the president sporting a Hitler mustache), gave administration officials an opportunity to downplay the march's significance.
Read the full editorial, "Taking It To The Streets," at the newspaper's Web site.
PA GOP: Sen. Bob Casey has some explaining to do over support of ACORN
In light of continuing scandals involving the far-left advocacy group ACORN, the U.S. Senate voted 83-7 to deny federal funding to the troubled organization.
Sen. Bob Casey of Pennsylvania inexplicably was one of the seven Senators to vote against the Senate resolution, cementing his reputation as a puppet of liberal extremists.
Republican Party of Pennsylvania Chairman Rob Gleason issued a statement saying he was pleased that the U.S. Senate voted overwhelmingly to deny federal housing funds to The Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now, ACORN. However, Gleason questioned U.S. Sen. Bob Casey's decision to join six of his colleagues in support of ACORN funding.
Gleason's statement:
"Sen. Bob Casey's blind support of this corrupt organization is questionable at best. ACORN continues to be exposed as a corrupt organization that should not be receiving federal funds under any circumstance. The recent videos depicting ACORN on a number of occasions giving out advice on how to cheat and lie on your taxes were appalling and further confirmed my suspicions about this questionable organization.
"With all things we have learned about ACORN, I cannot understand how Senator Casey could support ACORN. Sen. Casey owes it to our Commonwealth and his constituents to explain his vote."
On Monday, the U.S. Senate voted overwhelmingly by an 83-7 vote in favor of an amendment that stripped out funding to ACORN in a housing and transportation bill. ("Senate Denies ACORN Funding," Politico, 9/14/09, http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0909/27153.html) U.S. Senator Bob Casey was one of the seven votes against the amendment.
Coaxing Arlen Specter into switching parties and running for re-election as a Democrat was a major coup for Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, who is bending the Senate's schedule to accommodate a presidential fundraiser for Specter Tuesday afternoon in Pennsylvania.
Reid announced Friday that the Senate would hold no votes after 3 p.m. Tuesday. His office later said that the scheduling decision was meant to accommodate a long-planned fundraiser that President Obama is headlining in Philadelphia to benefit Specter's campaign.
The move could delay efforts to finish work on the fiscal 2010 transportation spending bill, which the Senate began considering Thursday.
Specter, who is seeking a sixth term (and his first as a Democrat), faces a primary challenge from Rep. Joe Sestak. The likely Republican nominee is Pat Toomey, a former House member who nearly beat Specter in a 2004 Republican primary.
Specter's likely Republican challenger in 2010 wants to know why Specter is putting his own political career ahead of taxpayers needs?
From Pat Toomey's campaign Communications Director Nachama Soloveichik:
"For someone who has been in Washington for 30 years, stopping the Senate to hold a fundraiser might seem perfectly normal. But for Pennsylvania taxpayers who are footing the bill for Specter’s $81 billion auto bailout and unprecedented debt, it's a slap in the face. If Arlen Specter spent nearly as much time fighting for taxpayers as he does fighting for reelection, our economy might not be in such bad shape."
The Independence Hall Tea Party Association, which sent 14 buses from the Delaware Valley to Washington, D.C., on Saturday, is holding a rally against President Obama at 4 PM Tuesday, just prior to Obama's appearance at fundraiser for Sen. Arlen Specter at the Pennsylvania Convention Center.
From a press released issued by the group:
"We are rallying against Obamacare, Cap and Trade, and this administration's massive expansion of the federal government" said Organizer Chris Clemency. "We want the President to understand that Saturday's march on Washington, attended by at least 1.5 million Americans, is just the beginning of our efforts to stop his agenda."
"In just six short months, President Obama has tripled the deficit and quadrupled the national debt," he said. "Never before in the history of America has the government moved so quickly to spend so much money—it will ultimately lead to high taxation and even higher inflation."
Obama will headline a fund raising dinner for turncoat Arlen Specter, who was elected as a Republican but recently switched to the Democratic Party in order to strengthen his re-election prospects.
"Both Obama and Specter represent the politics of old," said protest organizer Teri Adams. "They do not represent the politics of hope and change." "We will continue to hold these demonstrations and fight on until the American public realizes these men do not represent the people's interests, but their own."
The Independence Hall Tea Party Association is a grassroots organization formed after Philadelphia Tea Party II held on Independence Mall on April 18th as part of the Tax Week Tea Party Protests also held nationwide.
Republicans should pick up at least one more seat in Congress in 2010.
Pat Meehan announced Monday he will seek the Republican nomination in the 7th Congressional District, which covers parts of Delaware, Chester and Montgomery counties. The seat is held by Democrat Joe Sestak, who will not seek re-election so he can challenge Sen. Arlen Specter in the May 2010 Democratic Primary.
Meehan is the favorite to succeed Sestak. The bulk of the 7th District is in Delaware County, where Meehan was a popular district attorney before serving as U.S. Attorney for SE Pennsylvania from 2001-2008.
Pundits are predicting a big comeback for the GOP as opposition grows to the big government/high deficit policies of Barack Obama and Congressional Democrats. Republicans are expected to pick up anywhere from 20 to 40 additional seats in the midterm elections.
"Traveling across the region and state these past months, I have had the opportunity to meet and speak with many local residents," Meehan said in a written statement. "They have told me they feel their voice is not being heard in Washington, that their representatives have sold them out to special interests, that government is being imposed on them, rather than working for them. It is time our elected officials be made to answer for the decisions they make about our money and about our children's future."
"Many of the challenges confronting us here at home transcend state lines — whether it's strengthening the economy, keeping down health care costs, or helping small businesses — and the solutions will be determined in Congress," said Meehan. "I am formally announcing my candidacy for U.S. Congress because I want to restore integrity to our nation’s capital and ensure that the voice of local voters is heard on critical issues like taxes, jobs, health care, and restoring fiscal responsibility to the federal government."
Meehan announced his candidacy at three stops in the district.
"People have watched the federal government spend billions of dollars to rescue a few huge banks while hundreds of community banks failed," said Meehan. "They have watched billions being spent to keep bankrupt General Motors and Chrysler in business, while local small businesses struggle to meet a weekly payroll. They see an $800 billion stimulus bill rushed through Congress, yet a half-year later, only 1 in 10 dollars is spent and a record 6.5 million Americans are out of work."
"Voters are concerned as our national debt is expected to double in the next three years and triple within a decade to an astonishing $10 trillion," said Meehan. "That translates into $33,000 of personal debt for every man, woman and child in America. This type of unchecked spending leads to inflation, higher job-killing taxes, and a burden of enormous debt that our children and their children will carry like a millstone for generations."
From the Pat Meehan for Congress Committee:
Pat Meehan has made a name for himself by rooting out government corruption, prosecuting tough criminal cases, and implementing innovative new programs to make communities safer. In addition to taking a nationally-recognized stand against "pay to play" politics in the City of Philadelphia, Pat created initiatives to combat gang violence, crack down on nursing homes for failing to provide proper care to our seniors, reduce domestic violence, and hold drug companies accountable to consumers for fraud.
As U.S. Attorney, Meehan established an Anti-Terrorism Advisory Council, held manufacturers responsible for illegally discharging hazardous materials into the region's waters, established a group to crackdown on predatory lending, and prosecuted cyber criminals who ran illegal, worldwide Internet pharmacy operations.
Pat, his wife Carolyn and their three sons Patrick, Jack and Colin, reside in Drexel Hill, Delaware County.
Congressman Joe "You Lie!" Wilson notwithstanding, Barack Obama appears to have received a boost from last Wednesday's health care speech to a joint session of Congress.
A new Rasmussen Reports poll shows 48 percent of voters supporting Obama's plans for government-run health care although another 48 percent oppose it.
From Rasmussen Reports:
The post-speech bounce continues with the nation now evenly divided over the health care reform plan proposed by President Obama and congressional Democrats, but the increase in support is still coming from Democratic voters rallying to their leader.
The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone poll shows 48% of voters favor the plan and 48% are opposed. That's up from 43% support at the end of August and from 44% earlier this week. Support has been growing since the president's speech to Congress Wednesday night aimed at getting his troubled health care initiative back on track.
Thirty percent (30%) Strongly Favor the plan while 40% are Strongly Opposed (see day-by-day numbers). In late August, just 23% were strongly in favor of the plan and 43% were strongly opposed.
I was pleasantly surprised with The Associated Press' coverage of the March on Washington on Saturday, Sept. 12. The wire service, which largely ignored the Tea Parties throughout the year, moved a lengthy article and more than a dozen photographers of the protest. Also, it did not downplay the turnout, putting right there in the lead that "tens of thousands" of Americans marched against Obama and his big government schemes. You can read the AP story and view photos of the event at The Mercury's Web site.
Schroder confident he will win 6th Congressional District nomination
State Rep. Curt Schroder, R-155th, issued the following statement in response to the news that 7th Congressional District resident Steve Welch will seek the Republican nomination in the 6th Congressional District:
"The 6th Congressional District was always expected to be a hotly contested race. The interest of Republican candidates from across the state proves how competitive it will be. Over my 15 years in the State Assembly I have been a consistent advocate for fiscal restraint and I have the record to prove it. The support and encouragement I have received for my candidacy from voters in the 6th Congressional District has been overwhelming.
I am confident that my record and my broad support across the district will carry me through the primary."
Schroder was first elected to represent the 155th District of Pennsylvania in the State Assembly in 1994. Prior to his time in the House, Schroder was Prothonotary for Chester County.
He and his wife reside in Downingtown with their two children.
"They made their numbers work on paper, but the numbers won't work in the real world," Gov. Ed Rendell said today of the budget agreement reached Friday by Senate Republicans and House Democrats.
Rendell said he will not sign the budget compromise if it reaches his desk. House Republicans are also opposed to the proposed budget, which is now 74 days late.
Read Rendell's full statement and his list of flaws contained in the budget deal at the link below:
Ryan Costello reaction to Welch announcement in 6th Congressional District
Chester County Recorder of Deeds Ryan Costello wasted little time issuing a statement about the entry of Steven Welch into the race for Pennsylvania's 6th Congressional District.
Costello, a Republican who announced his candidacy for Congress last month, issued the following statement today:
"I remain focused on earning this nomination through hard work and emphasizing my message of lower taxes, less federal government intervention, and fostering a favorable climate for job creation. I have been pleased with the support my candidacy has generated and will continue to run a positive and issue-oriented campaign."
Costello serves as Recorder of Deeds in Chester County and is the former Chairman of the East Vincent Township Board of Supervisors. He is a graduate of Owen J. Roberts High School, Ursinus College, and Villanova Law School and an attorney with the law firm of O’Donnell,Weiss & Mattei, P.C..
The third announced Republican in the race is state Rep. Curt Schroder.
The 6th District Congressional seat is now held by Republican Jim Gerlach, who has announced he will not seek re-election in 2010 to focus on a race for Pennsylvania governor.
Steven Welch is about to shake up the 6th Congressional District race.
Welch had been planning to run for the 7th Congressional District, but with former U.S. Attorney Pat Meehan expected to announce Monday he will seek the 7th District Republican nomination in 2010, Welch believes he has a better chance of winning in the neighboring 6th Congressional District.
Pennsylvania's 7th Congressional District seat is held by Democratic Rep. Joe Sestak, who opted to challenge Sen. Arlen Specter in the Democratic primary instead of seeking re-election. Pennsylvania's 6th Congressional District is currently held by Republican Rep. Jim Gerlach, who is running for Pennsylvania governor instead of seeking re-election to Congress.
From Welch's announcement:
"When I decided with my family to run for public office, I did so knowing the uphill battle I faced against an incumbent with over $4 million in his campaign account. I am running for Congress because I believe that we need elected officials who have experience creating jobs, balancing a budget and meeting a bottom line," Welch said. "Having been raised in Chester County and building my businesses and creating good jobs here in the 6th District, I know the great potential these communities have to lead the charge in turning around our economy.
"Pat Meehan's decision to seek the nomination in the 7th District provides our region twice the opportunity to elect leaders who will restore fiscal responsibility to Washington," said Welch. "This campaign has never been about me, it has been about engaging new voters in this process and effectively communicating the need for fiscal responsibility and how we can create good jobs in the Delaware Valley.
"The 6th District requires proven experience to recharge our economy and craft policies that lead to job-creation. I will work tirelessly to earn the respect of 6th District voters and ensure that Southeastern Pennsylvania and our country get back on track so that the American dream is within everyone's reach," added Welch.
Welch, a political newcomers will have to face two seasoned Republican opponents in the 2010 GOP primary. State Rep. Curt Schroder and Chester County Recorder of Deeds Ryan Costello are also seeking the 6th District nomination.
Welch is the founder & former CEO of the Mitos Group, a leader in biotechnology solutions. Welch is also the co-founder of DreamIt Ventures, a unique venture firm that helps technology start-ups get off the ground. Over the past two years DreamIt has funded over 20 small businesses and helped nearly 100 entrepreneurs.
In 2008, Welch was selected as a member of the Philadelphia Business Journal's 40 under 40, as well as being named its Entrepreneur of the Year. Most recently, Welch was awarded the prestigious Eisenhower Fellowship to build bridges internationally in small business communities to drive job creation and economic development.
Welch and his wife, Nicole, live in Upper Providence with their daughter and son.
Rendell says he will veto bipartisan state budget proposal
Gov. Ed Rendell is the last man standing in the state's 73-day-old budget impasse. Legislative leaders announced today that they have reached agreement on a compromise budget that avoids broad-based tax increases (income tax or sales tax) but Gov. Rendell is threatening to veto the budget because he wants to see a big tax hike for Pennsylvania residents.
Rendell is alone in his call to raise taxes, so he won't have anybody to blame but himself if he carries out the threat to veto the budget.
Read the full text of the budget agreement announcement here.
Read more about Rendell's threatened veto at the link below:
Rep. Reichley to host series of town hall meetings in October
Rep. Doug Reichley (R-Berks/Lehigh) will hold four town meetings from Oct. 1 through 10 at different locations throughout the 134th District.
From Reichley's announcement:
"It has been an unusual year in the Capitol with a partial budget enacted and questions still remaining about when many essential government programs and schools will receive state funding," said Reichley, vice chairman of the House Appropriations Committee.
"I hope we have a budget in place before these town meetings, but at this point, with Democrats pressing for 'recurring revenue' and Republicans insisting on budget cuts and no new taxes, the budget may not be resolved in a month."
Four town meetings are scheduled around the 134th Legislative District. Residents of the district who want to attend can choose from the following locations:
Thursday, Oct. 1
7 to 8:30 p.m. Lehigh Lodge 2120 Route 100 South Macungie, PA 18062
Friday, Oct. 2
8 to 9:30 a.m. Bally Senior Center 425 Chestnut Street Bally, PA 19503
Saturday, Oct. 3
8:30 to 10 a.m. Cetronia Fire Company 18 South Scenic Street Allentown, PA 18104
Saturday, Oct. 10
8:30 to 10 a.m. Emmaus Fire Company No. 1 50 South 6th Street Emmaus, PA 18049
Light refreshments will be served at each town meeting.
To RSVP or for directions, contact Reichley's district office at 1245 Chestnut Street, Unit No. 5, Emmaus. The phone number is (610) 965-9933. Reichley also has a Berks County office in the Bally Brook Industrial Park on 20 N. Front Street in Bally. The phone number is (610) 845-1425.
For more information, visit Reichley's Web site at RepReichley.com
Despite the spin from the Obama media about the U.S. has "turned the corner" on the current recession, there are ominous signs that the failed Obama economic policies of the past nine months could set the stage for even worse times ahead.
"The dollar is weakening, gold is hitting new highs and some foreign officials now want an alternative to the U.S. currency," writes Investor's Business Daily. "If you're looking for a market verdict on U.S. economic policy, look no further."
From the editorial:
As Heritage Foundation economist Brian Riedl notes, Washington is set to spend $30,958 per household this year — taking $17,576 in taxes and borrowing the rest from our kids.
If this were a temporary thing, it might not be so bad. But we're boosting federal spending from the 18%-to-22%-of-GDP range that has prevailed since World War II to 26% this year. And if Congress and the White House get their way, spending will stay at least that high forever — in effect, a 30% rise in real spending and taxes.
Investors worry about surging U.S. government debt, conservatively expected to grow by nearly $10 trillion over the next decade. Since every dollar the government spends comes from the private sector, that won't leave much for private investment here.
And this doesn't even count our exploding entitlements problem. We owe $51 trillion to Social Security and Medicare over the next 50 years or so — about $205,000 per person alive today.
By our foolish fiscal choices, we're in effect opting for stagnation and inflation over growth and prosperity. New regulations and government control of the auto, banking and financial services industries will lower corporate profits. So will higher taxes on individuals to pay for it all.
Organizers Predict Thousands of Tea Party Activists Will Attend Saturday’s March on Washington
From CNSNews.com:
"I believe there is a new center in American politics around the idea of what we call 'pocketbook conservatism,' " said Matt Kibbe, president and CEO of FreedomWorks, one of more than a dozen conservative organizations sponsoring the march.
Americans from all walks of life have already pledged to show up, Kibbe said, with virtually every one of them telling organizers the same story: " 'I've never shown up at a Town hall meeting, I've never shown up at a protest, I've never even talked to my congressman, but I have to show up now because things (in Washington) are out of control,' " Kibbe said.
This will likely be the largest gathering of fiscal conservatives ever, according to Adam Brandon of Freedom Works.
A day after an Associated Press poll shows 52 percent of Americans opposed to Obamacare, a Rasmussen Reports poll finds 53 percent of Americans oppose the Democrat Party-backed government takeover of health care.
The poll was conducted before Barack Obama's speech to a joint session of Congress, but the speech is unlikely to change many people's position on the matter.
From Rasmussen Reports:
Views of the health care plan proposed by President Obama and congressional Democrats remain largely unchanged since late July. A Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey conducted Tuesday and Wednesday nights finds that 44% favor the plan while 53% are opposed. These numbers are little different than those in late August.
However, the overwhelmingly majority of interviews for the new survey were conducted before the president’s speech to Congress Wednesday night. Rasmussen Reports will be tracking support for the proposals on a daily basis over the next several days to measure what impact the speech has on public opinion.
The survey results are very similar to earlier data with perhaps a very slight uptick for the president’s team. Twenty-seven percent (27%) now Strongly Favor the plan and 41% Strongly Oppose. In August, those numbers were 23% and 43% respectively.
This is the fourth time in the last five surveys that 53% have registered opposition to the plan. The lone exception came following a nationally televised press conference the president held in part to promote the plan when opposition dropped temporarily to 49%
The partisan dynamics remain the same as in earlier surveys. While 72% of Democrats favor the health care plan, 81% of Republicans oppose it. As for those not affiliated with either major party, 39% favor the legislative effort while 58% are opposed.
Republican Party of Pennsylvania Chairman Rob Gleason issued the following statement about President Obama's speech to a joint session of Congress:
"President Obama made another desperate attempt to pitch his plan for government-run, taxpayer-funded health care plan, the same plan that Americans have soundly rejected," Gleason said. "The President's speech was nothing short of a 'Hail Mary' pass made in an attempt to salvage a costly big government health care plan that most Americans do not want.
"The President's speech was short on details, and his assertion that the government can provide cheaper health care to more people than the current system without increasing the national deficit does not pass the smell test.
"Over the summer, Pennsylvanians made clear that they saw through the president's rhetoric and did not want to see a government takeover of their health care. I call on President Obama to listen to those concerns by ending his pursuit of big government programs and reach across the aisle to find solutions based on the same free market principles our country was founded upon."
'Obama is Wrong: Health Care Plan Includes Abortion Funding'
The Pennsylvania Pro-Life Federation wants to set the record straight about claims by Barack Obama that his health-care reform plan does not cover taxpayer-funded abortions.
The group issued the following release in response to statements Obama made during a nationally televised address to a joint session of Congress on Wednesday:
President Barack Obama is misleading the American public by claiming that no federal dollars will be used to pay for abortions under his health care reform plan.
"It's time to stop playing word games," said Michael Ciccocioppo, Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Pro-Life Federation, the state’s largest pro-life organization. "The House plan which Obama backs would authorize the federal insurance plan to pay for abortions. It would also mean federal subsidies for private abortion insurance. Federal funding of abortion is clearly part of the House health care plan," Ciccocioppo added.
For decades, the Hyde Amendment, named for the late pro-life Congressman Henry Hyde of Illinois, has prevented federal funding for abortions except in cases of rape, incest, or the life of the mother. However, the Hyde Amendment would not apply to the health care plan, since the amendment only applies to funds appropriated through the annual Health and Human Services appropriations bill. Health care reform would not be paid for out of that appropriations bill, so the Hyde Amendment would not be applicable.
"Unless abortion is specifically excluded from the health care reform plan, federal funding of abortions will occur—something that national public opinion polls show that the vast majority of Americans oppose," Ciccocioppo said.
As Barack Obama attempts to salvage some form of health care reform with a prime time speech to a joint session of Congress, a new Associated Press-GfK poll says 52 of Americans oppose Obamacare.
The poll also finds Obama's job approval numbers heading south.
From The Associated Press:
With his health revamp moving slowly and unemployment edging ever higher, Obama's overall approval rating has also suffered a blow. The survey showed that 49 percent now disapprove of how he is handling his job as president, up from 42 percent who disapproved in July.
The grade people give Obama on health care also has worsened since July, when just 43 percent disapproved of his work on the issue.
The poll underscores how the president has struggled to win public support to reshape the nation's $2.5 trillion health care system and to put the brakes on a deep recession.
Forty-nine percent say they oppose the health overhaul plans being considered by Congress, compared to just 34 percent who favor them.
Obama's marks are also poor on the economy, with 52 percent saying they disapprove of how he's handled that issue.
A similar number disapprove of his handling of taxes, some of which may rise to help finance his health overhaul. And 56 percent dislike his handling of the budget deficit, which has skyrocketed under the costs of the financial bailouts and a recession that has caused sinking federal revenues.
Left unchecked, Barack Obama, Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid plan to run up higher deficits over the next 10 years than all American presidents and Congress have incurred in the last 230 years.
From DefeatTheDebt.com:
Think America is "Unsinkable?"
Every year, the government spends hundreds of billions of dollars it doesn't have, and we sink deeper and deeper into debt. We cannot afford to go down with this ship.
The national debt will grow by more than $9 trillion, according to an August 2009 report by the White House Office of Management and Budget.
How much is $9 trillion, or even $1 trillion? Confronted with enormous numbers like millions, billions and trillions, it's helpful to use comparisons with other contexts. For example, one million seconds will pass in just 12 days. One billion seconds is almost 32 years. And one trillion seconds? That’s 31,688 years. One trillion dollars is a lot of money, and over the next decade the US federal government will borrow that sum nine times over — more than $9 trillion.
In the next 10 years, the federal government will borrow trillions of dollars for spending it cannot afford. But the American people will eventually have to pay the price for this irresponsible borrowing.
One of the main reasons the Pennsylvania Legislature is the most expensive in the country is the fact that it has nearly 3,000 staffers working for the 253 lawmakers.
From a recent column by Brad Bumsted of The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review:
Pennsylvania is the sixth-largest state, has 4 percent of the nation's population, but features the largest legislative staff in the nation with 2,919 employees working for the House and Senate.
Why? The state Legislature is one of the most partisan legislatures in the country and because lawmakers -- at your expense -- have created a perpetual re-election machine with their Harrisburg and district office staff.
Pennsylvania has a larger legislative staff than California, Texas, New York, Florida or Illinois, according to an updated survey from the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL).
The 900-pound gorilla in the health care reform debate appears to be the trial lawyers. Obama and Congress won't touch them. How many trial lawyers have bankrolled Congressional Democrats and members of the Obama Administration?
More than 1,000 physicians from all 50 states will converge on the Capitol in scrubs and lab coats this week to bring an angry message to Congress: "Stop meddling in medicine!"
The doctors, all traveling as individuals and at their own expense, will hold a rally at the Capitol, lobby their Members of Congress, and meet with the doctors of Congress, including Tom Price, M.D., of Georgia and Sen. Tom Coburn of Oklahoma.
The event, co-sponsored by the Association of American Physicians and Surgeons (AAPS) and Tea Party Patriots, was prompted by the American Medical Association's misguided endorsement of House Bill HR 3200, a bill that would turn more control over to the government, rather than restore it to patients and doctors.
The federal deficit for the current fiscal year is four times higher than it was under George W. Bush. And keep in mind that Democrats have controlled Congress since 2007 and have approved record spending and record debt since then.
Under Barack Obama, the national debt will reach astronomical and unsustainable levels as the U.S. heads toward bankruptcy and national suicide.
A non-partisan group called Defeat the Debt has launched a public service campaign to inform Americans how serious the debt problem is. Here is the first of three articles on the subject:
How Much is a Trillion Dollars?
The national debt is larger than ever before, and experts predict it will only continue to expand.
The national debt will grow by more than $9 trillion, according to an August 2009 report by the White House Office of Management and Budget.
In July of 2009, the Congressional Budget Office and the staff of the Joint Committee on Taxation released their analysis of America's Affordable Health Choices Act. They estimated the bill would add an additional net deficit of $1.042 trillion over the next decade. In January of 2008, Social Security's unfunded liabilities were estimated at $6.6 trillion, and Medicare unfunded liabilities totaled more than $36.3 trillion, according to the GAO's Fiscal Year 2008 Financial Report of the United States Government. In addition to our current national debt of more than $11.6 trillion, our future obligations to Social Security and Medicare total $43 trillion.
How much is $9 trillion, or even $1 trillion? Confronted with enormous numbers like millions, billions and trillions, it's helpful to use comparisons with other contexts. For example, one million seconds will pass in just 12 days. One billion seconds is almost 32 years. And one trillion seconds? That's 31,688 years. One trillion dollars is a lot of money, and over the next decade the US federal government will borrow that sum nine times over — more than $9 trillion.
In the next 10 years, the federal government will borrow trillions of dollars for spending it cannot afford. But the American people will eventually have to pay the price for this irresponsible borrowing.
Here's the latest State Capitol Roundup courtesy of state Rep. Bob Mensch (R-147):
GOP Presents Bipartisan Budget Compromise to Conference Committee
In an attempt to reach an agreement to end Pennsylvania's budget stalemate, Republican Leader Sam Smith (R-Jefferson County) this week offered a Bipartisan Budget Compromise to the joint House-Senate Conference Committee. House Republicans, in conjunction with a number of House Democrat members, developed the $27.5 billion balanced budget (House Bill 1943) that adequately funds all services in Pennsylvania without the need for new or higher taxes. It ensures nearly $2 billion in recurring revenue will be available over the next several years to balance the state budget without a single tax increase. It has the support of Senate Majority Leader Dominic Pileggi (R-Delaware County).
In contrast, House Democrat Appropriations Chairman Dwight Evans (D-Philadelphia) put forward a counter proposal to his original budget bill; this new proposal cannot be balanced without a tax increase of up to $2 billion. House Democrats have yet to identify the specific taxes they propose adding or increasing for their proposed budget, but acknowledged that their budget would also increase the state deficit significantly by 2012. House Republicans believe this plan will inhibit the state's economic recovery by taking more money from hard-working families and small businesses who are already struggling to make ends meet.
With a clear lack of support for higher taxes among Pennsylvania citizens and lawmakers, the Bipartisan Budget Compromise offers the best opportunity to end the budget impasse and ensure vital education and human service programs get the funding they need. For the latest budget news, visit PAHouseGOP.com
The Pennsylvania Coalition of Taxpayer Associations has endorsed state Rep. Bob Mensch, the Republican candidate in a special election to fill the vacant seat in the 24th Senatorial District.
In making its endorsement, the PCTA noted Mensch's "unequivocal support for the enactment of Pennsylvania House Bill 1275, the School Property Tax Elimination Act, pending legislation that would abolish school property taxes for all Pennsylvania homeowners and restructure a crumbling, antiquated education finance system."
David Baldinger, PCTA spokesperson and the administrator of the Pennsylvania Taxpayers Cyber Coalition (PTCC), said in a written statement: "For 30 years the residents of Pennsylvania have been deceived time and again by phony, unsound property tax relief schemes and false promises of property tax reform. Bob Mensch has taken a definitive stance on this vital issue with his pledge to work for the passage of House Bill 1275, legislation that will at last give legitimate, sustainable relief to the homeowners of Pennsylvania through total school property tax elimination."
Rebecca Heller of the Patriot's Voice, a PCTA member group, added: "We need more people like Bob Mensch who are willing to work for true property tax reform in a General Assembly that has historically avoided a resolution to this issue. The Patriot’s Voice wishes Bob Mensch much success in his bid for the District 24 Senate seat."
The Pennsylvania Coalition of Taxpayer Associations is an alliance of 33 grassroots taxpayer advocacy groups from across Pennsylvania that is dedicated to equitable education funding reform through the enactment of House Bill 1275, the School Property Tax Elimination Act.
A special election will be held Tuesday, Sept. 29, to fill the seat held by former state Sen. Rob Wonderling, who resigned Aug. 1 to take a position as CEO of the Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce.
The 24th Senate District covers parts of Montgomery, Lehigh, Northampton and Bucks counties.
As we approach Labor Day, the government reports that the U.S. lost another 216,000 jobs in August, bringing the unemployment rate to a 26-year-high of 9.7 percent. There are now nearly 15 million Americans looking for work. The Obama recession continues.
They're supposed to represent the people, but members of Congress have very little in common with the rest of us. One of the biggest gaps between constituents and their elected representatives appears to be income.
While Americans struggle to make ends meet in the current 22-month-old recession, Congress resembles an exclusive country club, where millionaires hang out.
The Hill, a newspaper that covers Congress, has published a new list of the 50 wealthiest members of Congress.
No. 1 on The Hill's Rich List is Sen. John Kerry of Massachusetts, the 2004 Democratic Party nominee for president, with a worth of at least $167.8 million (thanks primarily to his marriage to Theresa Heinz.)
Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) and Rep. Jane Harman (D-Calif.), placed second and third, with "hundreds of millions of dollars in assets," according to the newspaper.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi made the Top 50, with a net worth of $12.5 million. Also on the list is Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., who is worth $9.6 million. (Nobody from Pennsylvania made the Top 50).
From The Hill:
Most lawmakers, like other Americans, have seen stark declines in their Wall Street portfolios, but their latest financial disclosures do not suggest they are hard-up despite the recession. The average member of Congress is worth at least $2.9 million, according to their reports, although several have also reported debts that exceed their assets.
The list is a bipartisan one. Of the 50 lawmakers on the The Hill's Rich List, 26 are Democrats and 24 are Republicans. For comparison, there are 256 Democrats in the House and 178 Republicans; in the Senate there are 59 Democrats and 40 Republicans.
The Hill based its analysis on annual financial disclosure forms that lawmakers are required to complete and file with the House clerk or Senate secretary. The disclosures are for lawmakers’ assets and liabilities as at the end of 2008. The reports are not models of transparency so the dollar numbers in the list are best guesses rather than precise figures.
Read the full story and review the list of the 50 richest members of Congress at The Hill Web site.
NEWS ITEM: President Obama to address the nation's schoolchildren live from the White House, via the White House Web site and on C-SPAN, at 12:00 p.m. on Sept. 8.
F&M Poll: Thumbs down for Rendell, Obama, state Legislature
The respected Franklin & Marshall College Poll finds Pennsylvania residents in a foul mood over their elected representatives at the state and national level.
Some of the key findings from G. Terry Madonna, director of the Franklin & Marshall College Poll:
Low regard for Rendell and state Legislature
1) The state budget impasse has made residents far less positive about state government and state government officials. Currently only one in three (33%) state residents believes the state is headed in the right direction. The current ratings of state government are the lowest recorded in a Franklin and Marshall College Poll, and Governor Rendell's favorability and job performance ratings are the lowest they have been since taking office in 2003. At this point, fewer than three in ten (29%) registered adults in the state say the governor is doing an excellent or good job, and ratings for the state legislature are even lower — not a single respondent rated the legislature's performance as excellent.
Specter holds shaky lead in PA Senate race; Corbett leads GOP candidates for governor
2) Senator Arlen Specter maintained his edge over Rep. Joe Sestak for the 2010 Democratic Senate primary (37% to 11%), although a significant number (46%) of Pennsylvania Democrats still do not know who they'll vote for. Tom Corbett leads the Republican field of possibilities for governor; however, that race remains wide open, with 73 percent of Pennsylvania Republicans saying they don't know for whom they will cast their vote. In a possible general election matchup for U.S. Senate, Specter leads Toomey (37% to 29%). Toomey leads in a possible matchup with Sestak (26% to 22%), although nearly half (46%) of respondents aren't sure how they would vote in that race.
Obama job approval slipping
3) While the percentage of registered Pennsylvanians holding a favorable opinion of President Barack Obama has held steady at 55 percent (compared to 56% in June), his unfavorable rating has risen to 37 percent (compared to 27% in June). For the first time in our polling, a majority of respondents believe President Obama is doing only a fair or poor job (53%), while fewer believe he is doing an excellent or good job (47%). Confidence in the president's ability to handle the economic crisis, while still strong, appears to be slipping (58% compared to 66% in June). Finally, over half (57%) of registered Pennsylvanians are skeptical of the president's ability to reform healthcare.
51% of Pennsylvanians oppose Obamacare
4) Registered Pennsylvanians appear to be following the health care debate closely. Two in three (64%) say they've heard a great deal or a fair amount about possible congressional reforms, and four in five (80%) say they've seen or heard news reports about town hall meetings. A narrow majority (51%) say they're opposed to reform proposals that have been discussed so far in Congress, and nearly half (48%) say they do not believe reforming health care will help the economy in the long run. Those in favor of current reform proposals cite helping the working and middle class uninsured as the main reason, while those opposed point to the expansion of government control through a public insurance option as their biggest concern.
Americans for Limited Government President Bill Wilson today announced the nationwide American Liberty Tour, an outreach effort to organize concerned citizens beginning on September 10. It is scheduled to stop in 18 cities across 12 states from California to Georgia until October 13.
Wilson called upon Americans nationwide to join the tour, and "to begin organizing to take back America from the Washington power elite through the establishment of a viable political movement in the defense of liberty, limited government, and free markets."
"Change will not come from Washington. Change will come in Sacramento, Tallahassee, Atlanta, and elsewhere. Change will come from individual Americans in their communities who are determined to save their nation from an unsustainable, unaccountable Leviathan in Washington," Wilson declared.
"Rallies are great for venting anger. But anger is not enough. The American people's best defense is action in their local communities," Wilson added. "So, the American Liberty Tour will be traveling across the country providing training to individuals. The hard left has been doing this kind of 'community organizing' for decades. Now, it's time to give them a dose of their own medicine."
The American Liberty Tour is a collaborative project of the American Liberty Alliance, American Majority, Americans for Limited Government and the Sam Adams Alliance, and will feature Adam Bitely (NetRight Nation), Ned Ryun (American Majority), Eric Odom (TaxDayTeaParty.com), Ken Marrero (American Liberty Alliance), Erick Erickson (RedState), "Joe the Plumber", Lloyd Marcus (The Tea Party Song), and many others.
A new CNN/Opinion Dynamics poll shows a majority of voters who consider themselves Independents disapprove of President Obama's job performance by a 53-43% margin.
This same poll had Obama's overall job approval number at 76% in February. It's now down to 53% -- a drop of 23 percentage points in six months.
The Pennsylvania Department of Revenue has released tax collection numbers for the month of August, the second month of the new fiscal year (although the state still doesn't have a budget for the 2009-10 fiscal year).
Without an approved budget and with last year's budget ending up $3.25 billion in the red, the state remains on shaky financial ground.
Pennsylvania collected $1.6 billion in General Fund revenue in August, which was $19.9 million, or 1.2 percent, less than anticipated, according to Revenue Secretary Stephen H. Stetler. Fiscal year-to-date General Fund collections total $3.3 billion, which is $22 million, or 0.7 percent, below estimate, Stetler said.
The state collected 5 percent less in July 2009 ($1.65 billion) than it did in July 2008 ($1.75 billion) when Gov. Ed Rendell's $28.3 billion red ink budget kicked in.
Collections from the two biggest sources of revenue, the sales tax and the personal income tax, were both down in August, as they were in July.
Translation for Gov. Ed Spendell and the dimwitted Democrats in the House who are holding up the budget in order to raise taxes: Pennsylvanians don't have jobs so they can't pay income taxes and they have nothing left after paying off their bills so they can't buy anything to increase sales tax revenues.
From a Revenue Department Press Release:
Sales tax receipts totaled $662.7 million for August, $13.4 million below estimate. Year-to-date sales tax collections total $1.4 billion, which is $13.4 million, or 1 percent, less than anticipated.
Personal income tax (PIT) revenue in August was $683.5 million, $28.3 million below estimate. This brings year-to-date PIT collections to $1.3 billion, which is $28.4 million, or 2.1 percent, below estimate.
August corporation tax revenue of $50.2 million was $3.9 million above estimate. Year-to-date corporation tax collections total $137.9 million, which is $2.1 million, or 1.6 percent, above estimate.
Other General Fund revenue figures for the month included $59.2 million in inheritance tax, $2.6 million below estimate, bringing the year-to-date total to $122.5 million, which is $2.7 million below estimate.
Realty transfer tax was $29.1 million for August, $2.2 million below estimate, bringing the total to $58.7 million for the year, which is $2.2 million less than anticipated.
Other General Fund tax revenue, including cigarette, malt beverage and liquor taxes totaled $91.5 million for the month, $8.5 million above estimate and bringing the year-to-date total to $174 million, which is $8.4 million above estimate.
Follow the link below to read the rest of the revenue report:
Just 37% of Americans approve of the job Congress is doing, according to a new poll conducted by the Pew Research Center. Congress has been controlled by the Democrats for the past three years.
The job approval number has dropped 12 points since April, the last time Pew surveyed Americans about Congress.
The 37% figure is the lowest favorable percentage in more than two decades of Pew surveys.
Although Americans are clearly disenchanted with the Democrats, they aren't exactly thrilled with Republicans.
From an Associated Press story on the Pew results:
Forty-five percent of respondents said they would vote for a Democratic candidate in their district or lean Democratic, while 44 percent said they would vote or lean Republican.
Four years ago the numbers favored Democrats 52 percent to 40 percent, as the party went on to gain control of Congress.
The survey found that favorable ratings for the GOP remain low at 40 percent.
Most of the shift in voting intentions occurred among political independents, who backed Democrats by a wide margin previously but now say they would back Republicans in their districts by 43 to 38 percent.
For more poll results, go to the Pew Research Center Web site.
Has it been 200 days since Barack Obama signed the centerpiece of his economic recovery plan, the $787 billion "stimulus" package passed the Democratic Congress?
How's that stimulus working out for you? No so well if you are one of the 2.2 million Americans who have lost a job since Obama signed the stimulus.
The Republican National Committee has compiled a 61-page recap of the Obama rhetoric and reality surrounding that stimulus plan.
From the report, CLAIMS VS. REALITY: Obama's Failed Economic Experiment:
It is appropriate on the 200th day of the stimulus to look back at exactly what the stimulus has accomplished. The answer is very little. What it has done, however, is give the American people a $787 billion bill they cannot afford. In this report, you will find 200 claims that President Barack Obama, Vice President Joe Biden, senior Administration officials and Congressional Democrats have made about the stimulus. None of these claims match reality.
When the stimulus passed, President Obama and Congressional Democrats promised the stimulus would be a targeted, timely and transparent effort to create jobs immediately. This compilation of 200 claims shows that promise has not been kept. Job losses continue, stimulus spending has been slow, and as even the Vice President has said, ― "we know some of this money is going to be wasted."
The Obama Administration and Pelosi-Reid Congressional Democrats have boldly declared that the stimulus is working and they have ― "rescued the economy," but facts are stubborn things. Unemployment is still high and the deficit is out of control. These are not reasons to declare victory.
I know the Kool Aid drinkers on the left will say that we have to give Obama more time, but 200 days is a long time to go down the wrong path. Eventually, we'll never find our way back unless we change direction.
Unemployment is rising, consumer confidence is lagging and the national debt is growing at astronomical rates under Obama. Are you better off today than you were six months ago?
From RNC Chairman Michael Steele:
"In the end, the stimulus is another failed experiment by the President that Americans cannot afford. Instead of creating jobs, millions are unemployed and billions have been added to our deficit. 200 days of this stimulus are 200 days too long."
You can download the full 61-page report in PDF format here.
Anyone who posts comments on the White House's Facebook, MySpace, YouTube and Twitter pages will have their statements captured and permanently archived by the federal government, according to a plan that the White House is now seeking a contractor to carry out.
The Executive Office of the President is looking for a private contractor to capture and archive comments and information posted on social networking and new media sites where the White House has established a presence. While the Presidential Records Act (PRA) generally requires that the administration preserve information generated by the president and his staff, the White House says that in seeking to collect and preserve comments made by common citizens on social networking sites it is acting "out of an abundance of caution" to comply with the law.
In mid-August, the White House put out a "request for quotation" (RFQ)which seeks bids from private firms for the project. Under the terms stated by the White House, the contractor would have broad responsibilities in collecting information from White House related Web pages.
The RFQ for bids says the contractor is to "capture, store, [and] extract" information that will be transferred to the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) for permanent storage. According to the White House proposal, the information involved will include the "capture of comments and publicly visible tags posted by users" on publicly accessible Web sites where the White House has established a presence.
A six-year veteran of the state House of Representatives is the latest Republican to announce interest in running for Pennsylvania Lieutenant Governor in 2010.
State Rep. Tom Killion, who represents the 168th District, announced today he has formed a committee to explore a run for Lieutenant Governor.
Killion said in a press release that he has been encouraged by the feedback he has received from state and local elected officials, supporters and party leaders.
"Pennsylvania is facing many critical challenges in the coming years and the 2010 election cycle is going to determine how we address these issues," said Killion. "I believe strongly that we need to maintain fiscal responsibility on the state level while creating a better economic environment that allows businesses to grow, flourish, and create new jobs."
Prior to joining the House in 2003 to fill the seat of former House Speaker Matt Ryan, Killion served as chairman of Delaware County Council from 1992 through 2000.
A business entrepreneur, Killion founded InR Advisory Services LLC., a pension advisory firm.
"My background in the legislature, combined with the expertise on local government that I developed as a county elected official, provides me with a broad and deep understanding of the issues," said Killion. "As the founder of a small business and a former member of many non-profit boards I would bring a different approach toward addressing our state's problems, an approach aimed at actual results and getting the job done."
Killion said he will continue to reach out to Republican leaders and voters throughout the state in the coming weeks, "but one thing is certain, the Republican Party needs to nominate individuals for statewide office who know the issues, who will fight for good government, and who are going to work tirelessly to build support for the Republican ticket."
In conjunction with his committee filing, Killion has also launched a campaign Web site at www.killionvictory.com
Killion has represented the residents of the 168th House District, which includes portions of Delaware and Chester counties, since 2003. He serves in the House as Deputy Republican Whip and is a member of the Appropriations Committee, Urban Affairs Committee and Insurance Committee, where he serves as Vice Chair.
The 168th Legislative District includes Media, Rose Valley, Edgmont, Middletown and Thornbury townships, as well as parts of Newtown, Upper Providence and Nether Providence townships, and Westtown.
Tony Phyrillas is the city editor and political columnist for The Mercury, a two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning daily newspaper in Pottstown, Pa. Phyrillas has won several national and state awards for his columns. Phyrillas has been featured on National Public Radio (NPR) and in The New York Times and is a frequent commentator on radio and television programs. He co-hosted "Talking Politics with Tony Phyrillas & Mike Pincus" on WPAZ 1370 AM.
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