Weekly GOP Address: Sen. Susan Collins on National Security Policy
Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME), ranking member of the Senate Homeland Security Committee discusses the Obama administration's failures in dealing with the Christmas Day bomber.
Sen. Collins expresses her incredulity that the bomber was interrogated for only 50 minutes before getting his Miranda rights.
Sen. Collins says, "The Obama administration appears to have a blind spot when it comes to the War on Terrorism. ... Theres no other way to explain the irresponsible, indeed dangerous, decision on Abdulmutallab's interrogation. There's no other way to explain the inconceivable treatment of him as if he were a common criminal. This charade must stop. Foreign terrorists are enemy combatants and they must be treated as such. The safety of the American people depends on it."
Liberals (and their media allies) underestimate Sarah Palin at their own risk.
She wasn't running for anything in 2009 but still managed to raise more than $2 million for her Political Action Committee.
Palin will be a major player in upcoming elections ... right up to the 2012 presidential race.
From POLITICO:
Sarah Palin raised $2.1 million through her political action committee in 2009, POLITICO has learned, putting the former Alaska governor's take on par with those of her potential 2012 Republican presidential primary contenders.
Palin took in $1.4 million of her total in the last 6 months of the year, after she resigned as governor on July 3. Heading into 2010, SarahPAC, had $900,000 in the bank after contributing $64,600 to dozens of candidates and beefing up its staff from just a handful of operatives.
"We are thrilled," said Meg Stapleton, a senior advisor and spokeswoman for Palin. "Common sense Americans know the direction we need to take this country and that Sarah Palin will be instrumental in taking us there this year. We look forward to the journey ahead!"
Palin's money came predominantly in small donations through the PAC's Web site and a handful of fundraisers. No direct mail solicitations were made.
More than 14,000 people have contributed to the PAC, making 22,000 total donations.
You get the feeling people have had enough of The Chosen One?
TV ratings for Barack Obama's first State of the Union address were down 7 percent compared to ratings for George W. Bush's first speech.
Doesn't make sense. The media keeps telling us Obama is the most popular person on the planet. There's more people in the U.S. than there were in 2002 and there's more TVs. You'd think Obama's ratings would go through the roof. Nope.
From The Associated Press:
About 48 million viewers watched President Barack Obama's first State of the Union address on 11 networks, with Fox TV drawing the biggest share.
The Nielsen Co. said viewership for Wednesday’s speech was 7 percent lower than for President George W. Bush’s first such address in 2002 but 5 percent higher than for President Bill Clinton’s inaugural State of the Union speech in 1994.
From 9-10 p.m. EST, more than 9.7 million people watched the hour-plus speech on Fox, with ABC drawing 7.6 million viewers, NBC 7.2 million and CBS 6.2 million, according to preliminary Nielsen figures Thursday.
Among the cable news networks, Fox News was the leader with 5.7 million, followed by CNN with 3.3 million and MSNBC with 2.4 million. The speech also was carried live on Telemundo, Univision, BET and CNBC.
A new Rasmussen Reports survey of Americans voters finds that 61% believe Congress is doing a poor job.
In case you get all your information from the Mainstream Media, Congress has been controlled by the Democrats since the 2006 elections.
There is a bright side to the dismal poll numbers. Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid will be out as leaders of their respective chambers after the November election when Republicans will win majorities in the House and Senate.
From Rasmussen Reports:
The number of voters who give Congress a poor job performance rating is now at its highest level in more than three years. More voters also think most members of Congress are corrupt.
The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey shows that 61% of likely voters say Congress is doing a poor job. Just 12% give Congress good or excellent ratings, marking no change from last month. Positive ratings for Congress have changed little from a year ago, when 14% gave the legislature good or excellent marks.
Since then, of course, Congress has passed a controversial economic stimulus plan and unpopular bailout plans for the financial industry, General Motors and Chrysler. The health care plan now stalled in Congress has long been opposed by most voters. In fact, 61% now want Congress to drop health care and focus on jobs.
Forty-five percent (45%) of voters now view most members of Congress as being corrupt, the highest level found since June 2008. Just 28% disagree and say most members are not corrupt. Another 26% are undecided.
State Rep. Paul I. Clymer, a Republican who has represented the 145th state House District since 1980, will run for re-election despite announcing recently that he plans to retire.
From the Lansdale Reporter:
At age 72, Clymer said he remains in good health.
He is humbled by the support he's received, both from the public and from party leaders who asked him to run again, Clymer said.
"The people are moving this forward. It's something that I did not initiate," he said. "This is a mandate from my community."
The 145th District includes East Rockhill, West Rockhill, Perkasie, Sellersville, Haycock, Milford, Quakertown, Richland, Richlandtown, Springfield and Trumbauersville.
This is one less seat the Republicans have to worry about in their quest to recapture the majority in the state House.
Democrats hold a 104-99 majority in the 203-seat House but with the anti-Obama, anti-Rendell, anti-incumbent mood of the electorate, expect the GOP to win back control of the House this November.
Good thing Ben Bernanke's confirmation vote is taking place now and not after November.
If he were in the U.S. Senate today, Pat Toomey says he would vote against confirming Ben Bernanke for chairman of the Federal Reserve.
Toomey, who is seeking the Republican nomination to run for U.S. Senate from Pennsylvania, gave several reasons for his opposition to Bernanke, chief among them was the Fed's central role in precipitating the current economic recession.
From a statement issued by Toomey:
For three years, from 2002 through 2005, the Fed maintained negative real interest rates, taking the nominal Fed Funds rate to a low of 1% in June 2003. These unnaturally low interest rates created a powerful incentive for individuals and institutions to leverage excessively, which created a credit bubble. This, in turn, created the residential real estate bubble, the collapse of which precipitated the crisis.
Mr. Bernanke was a member of the Fed Board from 2002 until he was sworn in as Chairman in 2006, and was a member of the Federal Open Market Committee, the committee directly responsible for setting short-term interest rates.
"This was a difficult decision," Toomey said. "I have great respect for Chairman Bernanke's intellect and expertise, and I believe he has tried to do what he believes is best for the country and its economy. However, Chairman Bernanke's refusal to acknowledge the role the Fed played in creating the current financial and economic crisis leaves little assurance that the Fed will not repeat those errors under his continued leadership."
"In addition, I have concerns about Chairman Bernanke's participation in the extralegal activities in the fall of 2008 and the recent politicization of his confirmation, which raises question about his potential susceptibility to political pressure. I have a lot of respect for Chairman Bernanke, but it is crucial that we learn from the mistakes that led to this economic crisis. Without that acknowledgement, I cannot give him my support."
If we're serious about restoring science to its rightful place, the head of the U.N.'s panel on climate change should step down, says Investor's Business Daily. Evidence shows he quarterbacked a deliberate and premeditated fraud, according to the newspaper.
The latest Franklin & Marshall College Poll has the answers ... and the news is bleak for Barack Obama and the Democrats.
Among the poll highlights:
1) Pennsylvanians continue to express pessimism about the economy. Four in ten (40% compared to 36% in October) say they are financially worse off this year than last, and only a quarter (27%) expects their personal finances to be better off a year from now.
2) Among registered Democrats, Senator Specter leads Joe Sestak (30% to 13%) in the primary race for U.S. Senate, although 50 percent remain undecided. In possible general election match-ups, Pat Toomey leads both Specter (45% to 31%) and Sestak (41% to 19%) among likely voters. Registered Pennsylvanians cite health care (29%) and the economy (24%) as the most important issues in their vote for U.S. Senate.
3) Nearly three in four (72%) Pennsylvania Democrats remain undecided about the primary race for governor. Tom Corbett leads Sam Rohrer (23% to 5%) among Republicans for the gubernatorial nomination, but seven in ten (69%) remain undecided about their preference. Registered Pennsylvanians cite the economy (26%) and taxes (13%) as the most important issues in their vote for governor.
4) Favorability ratings for President Obama have changed slightly since October. His unfavorable rating increased by 5 percentage points, and he is now viewed favorably and unfavorably by equal proportions (44%) of registered Pennsylvanians. Senator Specter's favorability rating has risen slightly to 35 percent (compared to 28% in October), and his unfavorable rating stands at 43 percent (compared to 46% in October).
5) President Obama's job approval in Pennsylvania is the lowest of his presidency, with only 38 percent (compared to 40% in October) saying he is doing an excellent or good job. Senator Specter's job approval has risen slightly to 34 percent (compared to 29% in October), and about three in ten (29%) respondents say he deserves re-election (up from 23% in October). Those who say Specter does not deserve re-election cite his length of service (25%) and party switch (21%) as the main reasons.
6) Pennsylvanians continue to express dissatisfaction with the direction of the state, albeit less so than in October. 53 percent now say the state is off on the wrong track (compared to 60% in October), while 39 percent say the state is headed in the right direction (compared to 32% in October). Nearly eight in ten (78%) registered Pennsylvanians feel state government needs reform, and a similar number (72%) would favor a constitutional convention to review the state's constitution.
7) The job approval rating of the state legislature remains very low with only 16 percent of registered Pennsylvanians indicating it’s doing an excellent or good job, while 74 percent indicate it's doing only a fair or poor job. These figures have changed little since October.
Franco Harris, Ana Ortiz help publicize 2010 Census
Gov. Ed Rendell has named Pittsburgh Steelers legend Franco Harris and actress Ana Ortiz of television's "Ugly Betty" to co-chair an advisory panel to ensure compliance with the 2010 Census.
"Each year, more than $400 billion in federal funds are allocated based in all or in part on the results of the Census," Rendell said. "That's more than $4 trillion over a 10-year period for critical things like schools, senior centers, job training centers, bridges, highways, public transit, and local emergency response services and training – a larger amount than many people realize."
Rendell said Pennsylvania cannot afford for any resident to skip participating in the Census, which involves answering only 10 questions and takes just 10 minutes to complete.
"According to the accounting firm PricewaterhouseCoopers, Pennsylvania's population in the 2000 Census was undercounted by 102,000 peoplem," Rendell said. "That's the equivalent of missing the cities of Altoona and Lancaster combined, or failing to count the entire city of Erie. We cannot let that happen again; there is too much at stake."
Buckwalter launches bid for 157th state House seat
Freshman Democrat state Rep. Paul Drucker will have a challenger for the 157th House District.
Phoenixville Borough Councilman Kendrick Buckwalter told The Mercury he is seeking the Republican nomination to run for the 157th state House District.
Buckwalter told reporter Dennis Wright he is a mainstream conservative who takes constitutional government seriously.
A Phoenixville resident, Buckwalter is a small businessman and 15-year veteran of municipal government in the borough. He has served as chairman of Phoenixville's zoning hearing board, and has been elected to two terms on Borough Council, where he currently serves. He has also volunteered as a firefighter.
The district includes Phoenixville, Schuylkill and Tredyffrin townships in Chester County, and portions of Lower Providence and West Norriton in Montgomery County.
The seat was held by Rep. Carole Rubley from 1993 until her retirement in 2008. Political insiders blame Rubley's failure to endorse the Republican candidate as her successor for handing the seat to the Democrats in 2008. Drucker beat GOP challenger Guy Ciarrocchi by a margin of 50.9% to 49.1%.
This story gets worse by the day. Obama's Ministry of Propaganda is not satisfied with controlling the Mainstream Media. It also has to manufacture "letters to the editor" to make it sound like real people support Obama's failing presidency.
It seems like just yesterday we were debating the 2009-10 General Fund budget, but it's almost time to begin work on the 2010-11 state budget.
Gov. Ed Rendell will deliver his annual budget address to a joint session of the General Assembly at 11:30 a.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 9, in the chamber of the House of Representatives, the governor's office announced.
The last budget was adopted 101 days after the new fiscal year began because 1) the previous budget finished $3.25 billion in the red and 2) Rendell is a lame duck and 3) the current Legislative leadership is inept.
Has anything changed since last year? The current budget deficit is projected at a measly $500 million. Rendell is still a lame duck. The same Legislative leadership is in place.
We also have the added fun of 2010 being an election year when all 203 members of the House and 25 members of the Senate face the voters. And we've seen what kind of mood voters are in with recent elections in Virginia, New Jersey and Massachusetts.
So grab some popcorn, tune in to the Pennsylvania Cable Network on Feb. 9 and enjoy the show.
More bad news for Barack Obama's Ministry of Propaganda. More Americans than ever are watching Fox News and a new poll says most Americans trust Fox to deliver fair and balanced reporting.
Do you have a question about regional, state or national politics? Tony Phyrillas has the answers and will respond to your question via video posted online at The Mercury’s Web site. If you would like The Mercury's award-winning political columnist and blogger to respond to your question about current topics, e-mail him at tphyrillas@gmail.com and look for Tony's video response on The Mercury's Web site, www.pottsmerc.com
The American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC)— the nation's largest nonpartisan individual membership association of state legislators — congratulates Pennsylvania State Reps. Matthew Baker and Curt Schroder for filing House Bills 2053 and 2179, which protect the right of individuals to make their own health care choices.
Pennsylvania joins 31 other states where legislators have introduced, or will introduce, legislation modeled after ALEC's Freedom of Choice in Health Care Act, according to a press release issued today by ALEC.
Under the legislation, any state attempt to require an individual to purchase health insurance — or forbid an individual from purchasing services outside of the required health care system — would be rendered unconstitutional. The measure may also cause a federalism clash if Congress passes a law with either of these provisions.
Baker and Schroder will hold a joint press conference Wednesday at 10 a.m. in the Capitol Rotunda in Harrisburg to discuss their efforts.
Read the rest of the ALEC press release at the link below:
Props for the President at His State of the Union Address
President Obama will need several props to get him through his first State of the Union address, including lifejackets, a box of teabags, a paper shredder, and a new "No Fly" list, says conservative activist Betsy McCaughey.
"When institutions protect the liberty of individuals, greater prosperity results for all."
-- Adam Smith, "The Wealth of Nations"
The United States could do no better than 8th place on the 2010 Index of Economic Freedom, jointly published by The Heritage Foundation and The Wall Street Journal.
And if Barack Obama and Congressional Democrats have anything to say about it, the U.S. could tumble further down on the list.
For the 16th consecutive year, Hong Kong ranked No. 1 as the world's freest economy, according to the 2010 Index of Economic Freedom.
Hong Kong's "economic freedom score" is 89.7, making its economy the freest among the 179 countries ranked. Singapore retains the second place ranking, followed by Australia and New Zealand. The United States ranks 8th place - behind Canada!
Here's what the authors of the Index had to say about the U.S.:
Its score is 2.7 points lower than last year, reflecting notable decreases in financial freedom, monetary freedom, and property rights. The United States has fallen to 2nd place out of three countries in the North America region.
The U.S. government's interventionist responses to the financial and economic crisis that began in 2008 have significantly undermined economic freedom and long-term prospects for economic growth, according to the authors. "Economic freedom (in the United States) has declined in seven of the 10 categories measured in the Index."
The 2010 Index measures the degree of economic freedom of 179 economies worldwide by assessing 10 factors: Business freedom, trade freedom, fiscal freedom, government spending, monetary freedom, investment freedom, financial freedom, property rights, freedom from corruption and labor freedom.
Why is Hong Kong ranked No. 1?
The Index says Hong Kong's "competitive tax regime, respect for property rights, and flexible labor market, coupled with an educated and highly motivated workforce, have stimulated an innovative, prosperous economy." The Index also notes that Hong Kong's legal and regulatory framework for the financial sector is "transparent and efficient."
Charles Krauthammer is amused by the reaction of top Democratic Party officials and their media allies to the crushing defeat (and repudiation of Barack Obama) in Massachusetts.
From Krauthammer's latest column:
After Coakley's defeat, Obama pretended that the real cause was a generalized anger and frustration "not just because of what's happened in the last year or two years, but what's happened over the last eight years."
Let's get this straight: The antipathy to George W. Bush is so enduring and powerful that ... it just elected a Republican senator in Massachusetts? Why, the man is omnipotent.
And the Democrats are delusional: Scott Brown won by running against Obama, not Bush. He won by brilliantly nationalizing the race, running hard against the Obama agenda, most notably Obamacare. Killing it was his No. 1 campaign promise.
Bull's eye. An astonishing 56 percent of Massachusetts voters, according to Rasmussen Reports, called health care their top issue. In a Fabrizio, McLaughlin & Associates poll, 78 percent of Brown voters said their vote was intended to stop Obamacare. Only a quarter of all voters in the Rasmussen poll cited the economy as their top issue, nicely refuting the Democratic view that Massachusetts was just the usual anti-incumbent resentment you expect in bad economic times.
Brown ran on a very specific, very clear agenda: Stop health care. Don't Mirandize terrorists. Don't raise taxes; cut them. And no more secret backroom deals with special interests.
Three candidates are seeking the Republican Party nomination for the 147th state House seat vacated by former state Rep. Bob Mensch after he was elected to the state Senate last September.
The 147th District is arguably the safest Republican House district in Pennsylvania, so whoever emerges with the party backing will probably be heading to Harrisburg.
A special election will be held on the same day as the Primary Election.
Marcy Toepel, first deputy to the Montgomery County Recorder of Deeds, is the highest profile candidate so far. The other candidates are Ken Fody, a former legislative aide to the late state Sen. Ed Holl, and Nicholas Fountain, a political newcomer.
The 147th District includes Lower Frederick, Marlborough, Perkiomen, Salford, Schwenksville, Skippack, Upper Hanover and Upper Salford townships as well as East Greenville, Red Hill and Green Lane boroughs.
Stinging from loses in Virginia, New Jersey and Massachusetts, Democrats now fear they can't hold Joe Biden's old Senate seat in Delaware. 2010 is shaping up to be a blowout for the Republicans.
What is "Plan B" for a political party with no new ideas?
Now that Bush-bashing has backfired for the Dems in Virginia, New Jersey and Massachusetts, what will the party run on in November?
It's now the Obama recession. It's now Obama's wars. It's now Obama's deficits.
From POLITICO:
After three consecutive losses in statewide races, some top Democrats are questioning a tactic aimed at boosting the party's candidates in each of those contests: Bush-bashing.
"Voters are pretty tired of the blame game," said longtime Democratic strategist Steve Hildebrand, a top aide on Obama's presidential campaign. "What a stupid strategy that was."
Daily Presidential Tracking Poll: 54% Disapprove of Obama Job Performance
What a difference a year makes.
Even before the humiliating loss in Massachusetts, where the Senate race was clearly a referendum on Obama's policies, the president's job approval numbers have declined steadily throughout his first year in office.
While 24% of Americans "strongly approve" of Obama, 41% "strongly disapprove" -- a negative swing of 17 points.
A year ago this week, 44% were in the "strongly approve" column while just 18% said they "strongly disapprove" of Obama. That was a positive swing of 26 points.
From Rasmussen Reports:
The Rasmussen Reports daily Presidential Tracking Poll for Sunday shows that 24% of the nation's voters Strongly Approve of the way that Barack Obama is performing his role as President. Forty-one percent (41%) Strongly Disapprove giving Obama a Presidential Approval Index rating of -17.
Overall, 46% of voters say they at least somewhat approve of the President's performance. Fifty-four percent (54%) disapprove.
The Presidential Approval Index is calculated by subtracting the number who Strongly Disapprove from the number who Strongly Approve.
Steve Welch, who doesn't even live in PA's 6th Congressional District, is not going to make many friends in the Republican Party by challenging a popular incumbent Republican in U.S. Rep. Jim Gerlach. Welch doesn't have a chance of defeating Gerlach but could do serious damage to his own political future.
It didn't take long for the American public to remember why they don't trust liberals in positions of authority, argues columnist Jay Ambrose.
From his latest:
The arrogance was suffocating. Resurrected liberals were practically smirking as they instructed us to sweet-talk our way out of terrorist threats, advised we should quickly duplicate Europe's semi-socialist mistakes and condescendingly dished up all manner of other liberty-smothering ideological inanities that would transform America into a poor imitation of what it once was if anyone actually acted on them.
Ordinary Americans have caught onto all of this, and so, I am sorry, liberals, but the word of the day for you is "lose." Your side has lost elections in New Jersey and Virginia, and now your side has lost the Senate seat previously held by the very liberal Ted Kennedy in very liberal Massachusetts to Scott Brown, a Republican.
The message to the Democrats is simple. Either give up your liberal ways and veer toward the center or face political catastrophe in November's general election. The message to liberals generally is also simple: Get back into your witness protection program.
Read the full column, "Time to hide, liberals," here
The signs of the Apocalypse are everywhere for the far left. A Republican wins Ted Kennedy's Senate seat. Air America goes off the air. Gitmo is still open. Obamacare is on life-support. Democrats are about lose control of both houses of Congress. Mainstream media ratings are in the tank.
From Bill O'Reilly's latest column on the demise of the far left:
Just look at the polls, where 20% of Americans describe themselves as liberal. So you figure the far left is less than half of that. In addition, radical left-wing media outlets life MSNBC and Air America are failing. Yeah, Al Franken won in Minnesota, but that's was an anomaly. Today, he'd lose big.
If President Obama wants to avoid the fate of Jimmy Carter, he must move quickly to the center. He must be a tougher guy on terrorism, rethink the health care deal so Americans can understand it, and stimulate the economy by targeted tax cuts, not massive government spending.
With his power waning quickly, Mr. Obama has no time to lose.
The Obama Recession continues -- 12 consecutive months of futility by the best and brightest the Democratic Party has to offer.
From The Associated Press:
Unemployment rates rose in 43 states last month, the government said Friday, painting a bleak picture of the job market that illustrated nationwide data released two weeks ago. The rise in joblessness was a sharp change from November, when 36 states said their unemployment rates fell. Four states — South Carolina, Delaware, Florida and North Carolina — reported record-high jobless rates in December. New Jersey's rate, meanwhile, rose to a 33-year high of 10.1 percent while New York's reached a 26-year high of 9 percent. Analysts said the report showed the economy is recovering at too weak a pace to generate consistent job creation.
You knew the attacks were coming, but is this the best the far left can do? A photo of Scott Brown with his daughters wearing bikinis has offended some liberals who are trying to stir up a controversy.
What exactly is wrong with a dad posing with his daughters (Ayla on the left and Arianna on the right) before they hit the pool or the beach?
After announcing that his daughters were "available" during Tuesday night's victory speech, an Animal New York tipster unearthed this Massachusetts' newest senator posing with his shell bikini-clad girls.
Also, check out Ayla's MySpace and Facebook pages. The Boston College senior was a semi-finalist on American Idol. Arianna, according to her Facebook page, is a freshman at Syracuse University.
Huffington Post then links to something or someone called Animal, who finds the photo "creepy" and claims Sen.-elect Brown is "pimping out his 'available' daughters."
U.S. Rep. Joe Pitts, R-PA 16, released the following statement on the election of Republican Scott Brown to fill the remaining three years left in the term of Sen. Ted Kennedy:
"This is a strong signal that Congress has its priorities wrong. The American people want us to focus on job creation but instead the Administration and Congress has been spending all its energy trying to push through an expensive and extremely unpopular healthcare bill and massive spending bills that are bankrupting our country. The only new jobs created by the health care bill would be for government bureaucrats. I think Scott Brown will be a great Senator and I know his first priority will be getting the people of our nation and his state working again."
Now that Obamacare is on life support, it's time for voters to demand Congress pull the plug on the cap-and-trade energy tax.
The National Federation of Independent Business today released 16 state-based surveys that show opposition to the Democrats' proposed energy tax. The majority of voters polled say tax-and-trade will cost more U.S. jobs.
Remember all the hoopla by Gov. Ed Rendell when the Pennsylvania unemployment rate dropped a little last month?
Don't expect Rendell to be found today as the Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry announces that unemployment in Pennsylvania has risen to 8.9 percent in December. That's the state's highest unemployment level in 25 years.
Pennsylvania employers shed more than 8,100 jobs in December. Pennsylvania has lost 150,300 jobs since December 2008.
From a Department of Labor press release:
Pennsylvania's seasonally adjusted civilian labor force -- the number of people working or looking for work -- decreased by 19,000 in December to 6,310,000. Resident employment dropped 37,000 in December, while unemployment was up 19,000. The Pennsylvania labor force was down 131,000 from December 2008.
Pennsylvania's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate rose to 8.9 percent in December, up four-tenths of a percentage point from November. The state rate remained below the national unemployment rate, which remained at 10 percent in December.
You're not going to believe this but a 2007 report by the U.N. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change that claimed the Himalayan glaciers are likely to disappear within three decades -- the same report that was the the basis for much of the current hysteria about global warming -- has been found to contain numerous factual errors (aka lies).
The U.N. panel now says there is not enough scientific evidence to back up the report's claims that the Himalayan ice cap is melting because of man-made climate change.
From an editorial in Investor's Business Daily:
Global Warming: The scientists who said that Himalayan glaciers will be gone by 2035 have admitted the claim has as much credibility as sightings of the mythical Yeti. It's their fraudulent claims that are melting away.
We hesitate to call it Glacier-gate, but the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the U.N. body tasked with scaring us to death about global warming, has admitted that the claim in its 2007 report about the Himalayan glaciers disappearing was not based on any scientific study or research. It was instead based on one scientist's speculation in a telephone interview with a reporter.
The IPCC claimed: "Glaciers in the Himalayas are receding faster than in any other part of the world and, if the present rate continues, the likelihood of their disappearing by the year 2035 and perhaps sooner is very high if the earth keeps warming at the current rate."
As it turns out, the earth hasn't been warming at all, at least not in the last decade, and reputable scientists have said it may continue to cool for decades to come. Even if it was warming, glaciologists insist, the sheer mass of Himalayan glaciers made such a prediction laughable.
Richard A. Viguerie, chairman of ConservativeHQ.com, believes the results of the special election in Massachusetts will signal "early retirement" and widespread defeat of incumbents in the 2010 Congressional elections.
From Viguerie:
"Americans are furious, angry, and frightened at the political establishment's massive expansion of government in the last 10 years. No big-government incumbent should feel safe in the 2010 primaries. And as Massachusetts voters showed, that applies in the bluest of blue states.
"There is more concern, even anger, at the grassroots level than I have seen in my almost 50 years of marketing to Americans, and Americans are not a naturally angry people.
"Principled conservative political candidates and organizations are receiving stronger financial support than at any time in the last 50 years.
"Effective and principled conservative candidates and organizations are being well-funded this year.
"The Massachusetts Senate vote will also encourage many more principled conservatives to become candidates and challenge incumbents. Massachusetts voters sent a message that will encourage conservatives to challenge Republicans in Name Only (RINO).
"The upcoming primaries will see more big-government incumbents, Republican and Democratic, defeated than at any time in American history.
"Because incumbents can see this coming Armageddon, there will be an historic number of office holders, especially Democrats, in the next months announcing that they are not running for reelection -- in order "to spend more time with their family."
"Americans will gladly be saying to them, "Have fun with the kids."
From an excellent op-ed posted at POLITICO by William Schneider on the message voters delivered to Barack Obama, Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid:
The Massachusetts message to Democrats is, "Be afraid. Be very afraid." Because a full-scale populist revolt is breaking out in the country. Again.
Sen.-elect Scott Brown said on Tuesday night, "[Democrats] will be challenged again and again across this country. When there's trouble in Massachusetts, there's trouble everywhere. And now they know it."
A populist revolt is "us" versus "them." "Us" is "we the people." "Them" is the governing class. Right now, the governing class is mostly Democratic. It certainly is in Massachusetts, where every member of Congress, every statewide elected official and nearly 90 percent of state legislators are Democrats.
Why is this happening? For two reasons. One is the same reason it happened in the late 1970s and again in the early 1990s: the economy, stupid.
When joblessness goes up and the government doesn't seem to be able to do anything about it — or worse, when the government spends a lot of money and it doesn't seem to be doing much good — voters get mad. They take out their rage on political insiders. Throw the bums out! Cut their allowance! Limit their terms!
Arlen "Formerly the 60th Vote for Senate Democrats" Specter released the following statement in regard to the Massachusetts special election results:
"The Massachusetts election shows Washington must change its ways. Now that there 59 Democrats in the Senate, it will be indispensable for at least some bipartisanship to deal with the serious problems confronting America: creating jobs; reducing the deficit; reining in Wall Street; and stopping abusive insurance company practices like denying coverage on technicalities."
Arlen Specter the reformer?
This guy is schizophrenic.
What does Arlen Specter have going for him? He's abandoned the Republican Party and has not convinced a single Democrat that he's really one of them. What's he going to do to win the Democratic primary in May? Have Barack Obama campaign for him? We all know how well that went for the Democratic candidates in Virginia, New Jersey and Massachusetts.
Don't be surprised if Specter decides to retire in the coming months rather than face a humiliating defeat at the hands of Pennsylvania voters.
The tone-deaf and delusional men and women who are advising Barack Obama (David Axelrod, Rahm Emanuel, Valerie Jarrett) should read the quote below by Rep. Patrick Kennedy, a Democratic Congressman from Rhode Island (and Ted Kennedy's son).
From POLITICO:
Moderate Democrats have grown increasingly anxious over the past few months, watching nervously as Democratic incumbents in swing districts announced retirements, as one of their own switched parties, as Republicans scored some recruiting coups and as Democrats lost key gubernatorial races in Virginia and New Jersey.
But nothing set the alarms bells ringing quite like Scott Brown's come-from-behind victory over Martha Coakley in Massachusetts — and with it the loss of not just Ted Kennedy's Senate seat but also their party's 60-vote supermajority in the upper chamber.
Kennedy's son, Rep. Patrick Kennedy (D-R.I.) said Democrats have to understand that they've entered a different era — and that they can't just assume that voters will be with them.
"It's like in Roman times, they'd be trotted out to the coliseum and the lions would be brought out," Kennedy said Tuesday night. "I mean, they're wanting blood and they're not getting it so they want to protest. And, you know, you can’t blame them. But frankly, the fact is we inherited this mess, and it’s becoming ours."
The Wall Street Journal believes Barack Obama can salvage what's left of his failed presidency by listening to the American people instead of the "Democratic delusionists" who have been advising him over the past year.
Tuesday's stunning victory by Republican Scott Brown, which the newspaper calls a "historic election rebuke," was a clear signal that the majority of Americans want Obama to rethink most of his policies, especially government-run health care.
From the editorial:
Yesterday's vote wasn't a repudiation of Mr. Obama's Presidency, or at least it needn't be. The President remains more popular than his policies, and voters want him to succeed. But they are also telling him he needs to steer a more moderate, less partisan course, returning to the pragmatism and comity that shaped his political rise but have vanished in his first, squandered year.
Tradition has it when Lord Cornwallis surrendered to Gen. George Washington at Yorktown in 1781, ending the Revolutionary War, a British band played "The World Turned Upside Down."
That may be just a legend, but it's appropriate to play the tune today as a Republican has defeated the heavily-favored Democrat for Ted Kennedy's former U.S. Senate seat in Massachusetts.
The world has turned upside down for Barack Obama and the Democrats.
Pat Toomey, who is seeking the Republican nomination for U.S. Senate in Pennsylvania, issued a statement Tuesday night saying the victory by the GOP's Scott Brown in Massachusetts is a repudiation of the Obamacare bill being negotiated in secret by Congressional Democrats.
From Toomey's statement:
Tonight, voters in Massachusetts made their voices heard. In one of the most Democratic states in the country, voters elected Republican Scott Brown to the U.S. Senate in a demonstration of their opposition to one-Party Democratic rule in Washington and the nearly $1 trillion health care monstrosity the Democrats are trying to ram through Congress.
Voters want health care reform but they are fed up with the bill being pushed by President Obama, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, and Senate Leader Harry Reid. That 2,000-page bill includes $500 billion in new taxes, a catalogue of Washington mandates and takeovers, a parade of sweetheart deals for individual politicians and special interests, and nothing to bring down premiums for average American families.
Now the one-Party-rule Democrats are talking about circumventing the normal congressional process, either by having the House accept the Senate version of the bill, or stalling Scott Brown’s swearing in. Yet even Democratic leaders like former Vermont Governor and Democratic National Chairman Howard Dean admit that Harry Reid's Senate bill does not move the country forward. Dean recently called the Senate bill, "a bigger bailout for the insurance industry than AIG." (ABC News, 12/16/09)
"Everyone can agree that we need real health care reform in this country," U.S. Senate candidate Pat Toomey said, "but it is clear that Americans all across the country are rejecting the Democrats' sweetheart deals, tax hikes, and massive spending. It is time to start over and begin the process of working on bipartisan, commonsense health care reform that brings real competition to the health insurance market and lowers the cost of care."
Toomey says it's time to start over and enact health care reforms that bring down medical costs without growing government.
Last November, Toomey wrote an op-ed urging bipartisan health care reform. He proposed commonsense solutions like eliminating the unfair discrimination against individually purchased health insurance in our tax code, allowing people to buy insurance across state lines, implementing reasonable tort reform, and allowing small businesses and organizations to band together and form health associations.
"I urge the Democrats to put aside their partisan determination to ram a $1 trillion bill through Congress that a majority of Americans oppose," Toomey added. "Now, is the time to implement reforms that will truly help people afford health care, without breaking the bank in Washington."
If Barack Obama didn't get the message from Virginia and New Jersey voters in November, he got it tonight in Massachusetts.
Who says there's no such thing as a recall election?
Voters in Massachusetts, the most Democratic state in the country, changed their mind about Barack Obama today by electing a Republican to the U.S. Senate seat held by the Kennedys for a half-century.
Stick a fork in Obamacare. It's done. Say goodbye to Democratic majorities in the House and Senate.
Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid have retreated to a secret underground location.
Voters took the Democrats to the woodshed for a good old-fashioned whooping over uncontrolled spending and a health-care bill most Americans don't want or need.
The people have spoken but Democratic Party bosses will now attempt to keep Scott Brown from taking his place in the U.S. Senate as the rightful elected representative of the people of Massachusetts.
(When Ted Kennedy won a special election in 1962 he was seated the next day.)
Sign the online petition demanding an end to the one-party rule of Democrats in Congress.
We may be witnessing the biggest political upset since Truman defeated Dewey.
With 60 percent of the vote in, Republican Scott Brown is ahead of his heavily-favored Democratic opponent, Martha Coakley, in a special election to fill the remainder of Sen. Ted Kenney's unexpired term
The Massachusetts Senate seat has been held by the Kennedys since the early 1950s.
With 60 percent of precincts reporting, Brown has 53 percent of the vote to 46 percent for Coakley.
The Associated Press calls the race "a referendum on President Barack Obama's sweeping health care overhaul and his first year in office."
From the wire service:
A loss — or even a narrow victory — by the once-favored Coakley for the seat that the late Sen. Edward M. Kennedy held for nearly half a century in this Democratic stronghold could signal big political problems for the president's party this November when House, Senate and gubernatorial candidates are on the ballot nationwide.
More immediately at stake was a critical 60th vote for the Democrats' supermajority, which is needed to save their health care legislation and the rest of Obama's agenda. The Democrats can't afford to lose a seat because a 41st Republican in the 100-member Senate could allow the Republicans to use procedural maneuvers to block votes on legislation.
The election transformed reliably Democratic Massachusetts into a battleground state. One day shy of the first anniversary of Obama's swearing-in, it played out amid a backdrop of animosity and resentment from voters over persistently high unemployment, industry bailouts, exploding federal budget deficits and partisan wrangling over health care.
Victor Davis Hanson, a historian at the Hoover Institution at Stanford University, examines the double standard involving Democratic politicians who say or do stupid things but are quickly forgiven by the sympathetic liberal media.
From his recent op-ed column:
The answer is not just the usual explanation that most in the media are sympathetic Democrats.
Instead, the public is conditioned by the media and an elite establishment to assume that Obama, Reid and Biden are superior moralists -- more interested in "issues of social justice."
So when such supposedly more intelligent humanitarians lapse, their offensive or dumb remarks are written off as atypical. Or maybe they are due to extenuating circumstances or honest mistakes.
In contrast, any inanity of a Bush, Lott or Palin is seen as yet more logical proof of their shallow, unsophisticated emphasis on self rather than society.
So, why damage the career of a smart, well-meaning progressive for a moment's gaffe when his aims are so much more exalted, so much more moral than his conservative counterparts?
Yet if all that were true, why, then, as we have seen, do liberals prove as insensitive or unaware as their conservative counterparts?
A timely and thought-provoking column posted at HumanEvents.com by Frances Rice, chairwoman of the National Black Republican Association, on how the Democratic Party has taken advantage of blacks for decades.
From Rice's op-ed:
Democrats have been running our inner-cities for the past 30 to 40 years, and blacks are still complaining about the same problems. More than $7 trillion dollars have been spent on poverty programs since Lyndon Johnson's War on Poverty with little, if any, impact on poverty. Diabolically, every election cycle, Democrats blame Republicans for the deplorable conditions in the inner-cities, then incite blacks to cast a protest vote against Republicans.
In order to break the Democrats' stranglehold on the black vote and free black Americans from the Democrat Party's economic plantation, we must shed the light of truth on the Democrats. We must demonstrate that the Democrat Party policies of socialism and dependency on government handouts offer the pathway to poverty, while Republican Party principles of hard work, personal responsibility, getting a good education and ownership of homes and small businesses offer the pathway to prosperity.
Time magazine is focusing national attention on the ongoing political corruption scandals in Harrisburg.
From an article by Sean Scully posted at Time.com:
Pennsylvania has long been known for shady politics, but this year promises to be particularly ugly as series of corruption trials unfold, all stemming from a sweeping probe known as "Bonusgate." Prosecutors charge that leaders of both parties in the state House of Representatives flagrantly ignored the law, using taxpayer money to wage political warfare and to lavish perks on aides and party loyalists. The price tag is likely in the tens of millions, and prosecutors warn there could be more indictments, possibly targeting leaders of the State Senate. "There was an unbelievable sense of entitlement in Harrisburg that they could do this with a high degree of immunity," said Chris Borick, political science professor at Muhlenberg College.
The future of Obamacare and the entire Obama Administration could hinge on the results of Tuesday's special election to fill the U.S. Senate seat from Massachusetts, says House GOP Leader John Boehner.
From POLITICO:
House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) predicted “the end of the Obama agenda” if health care reform does not pass — and he says Massachusetts can help usher in this demise by supporting Republican Scott Brown.
"If this health care reform bill doesn't pass, it is the end of the Obama agenda," Boehner told conservative radio host Laura Ingraham on Monday morning. "It's pretty clear that they're going to use every trick imaginable ... to shove this down the throats of the American people."
Boehner, who has contributed to Brown’s campaign, said he is hopeful for a victory Tuesday in the traditional Democratic stronghold but wary that congressional leadership will push the health care bill regardless of the electoral results.
On the eve of the special election, Boehner called Brown a "great candidate with a real chance to win," yet the minority leader was in lockstep with his party's message when he framed the election as more of a repudiation of the Democrats than a statement on the candidate himself.
"I have no doubt that the people of Massachusetts are looking at this race as a way to send Harry Reid, Nancy Pelosi and Barack Obama a message to stop this spending," Boehner said. "We can continue to put pressure on them, exploit those differences and bring this bill down.
"This is not about political points," Boehner continued. "Our members are adamantly opposed to the government taking over control of our health system."
No wonder the Islamic terrorist keep slipping through
It's starting to make sense. The reason Islamic terrorists keep getting through U.S. security is because the Obama Administration is looking out for devout Christians and abortion foes instead of Islamic fanatics.
The U.S. government has released new photos of Osama Bin Laden ... or at least what Bin Laden would look like in the 10 years since the last photo of him was made public. (That's the photo at the bottom.)
The new photos have been digitally updated to reflect Bin Laden's age and whether he may have trimmed his facial hair.
And don't forget there is a $25 million reward for information leading to the capture of Bin Laden.
From The Associated Press:
The U.S. State Department has updated its 1998 file photo of al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden, digitally altering it to account for a decade of age and possible changes in his facial hair.
There is a $25 million bounty on bin Laden's head for the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks and the 1998 U.S. embassy bombings in Tanzania and Kenya. Bin Laden is now 52. And he is believed to be hiding in the lawless Pakistan frontier bordering Afghanistan, though his exact whereabouts have been unknown since late 2001, when he and a small contingent of body guards walked out of the Tora Bora mountains, evading air strikes and U.S. special forces and Afghan militias,
The photos and bounty on bin Laden and 41 others wanted for terrorism are on the State Department's Web site, www.rewardsforjustice.net
Gov. Ed Rendell has publicly stated that he wants state Rep. Mario Civera, a Republican from Delaware County, to resign his state House seat because he was elected to the the Delaware County Council last November.
Rendell doesn't think an elected official can serve two masters.
But Rendell has never said a word about state Rep. David Kessler, a Berks County Democrat who continues to serve on the Oley Board of Supervisors even after being elected to the House in 2006.
Is it fair for Kessler to hold a local office at the expense of the rest of the communities in the 130th House District?
Kessler brags on his Web site that he is currently serving his 15th year as a township supervisor in Oley, and is the board's chairman. How much power does one man need? There's nobody in Oley available to serve as a township supervisor if Kessler steps down?
There's no law that says a member of the state Legislature cannot hold two elected posts. But maybe there should be.
Union Tax Deal a Slap in the Face to Small Business
From the National Small Business Association:
The announcement late yesterday that the White House brokered a deal with unions to exempt them from the proposed excise tax on so-called "Cadillac" plans delivered a stinging punch to small business. A key concern of small businesses, NSBA has repeatedly called on Congress and the administration to seek alternative methods of paying for the bill as the excise tax will more than likely be passed on to small businesses.
"Contrary to all the pro small-business rhetoric we've heard from Congress and the White House, this back-room deal with unions sends a loud-and-clear message to America's small businesses: we have other priorities," stated Todd McCracken, president and CEO of NSBA.
Republican state Rep. Mario Civera has learned not to turn his back when Ed Rendell is in the room. He just might find a dagger stuck in it.
Civera won a seat on the Delaware County Council last November and was planning to resign his House seat. Although a Republican, Civera was asked by Rendell to stay in the Legislature to help Rendell get his budget passed in the House after it became clear to the governor that the House Democratic leadership was inept. Now that the budget is done, Rendell wants Civera out.
From a story by Alex Rose in the Delaware County Daily Times:
Embattled state Rep. Mario Civera, R-164, of Upper Darby, should “flat-out resign” from his House seat based on his vote against bringing table games to Pennsylvania casinos, said Democratic Gov. Ed Rendell Wednesday.
“I thought that Mario Civera might be helpful in this year’s budget process, but given his votes on table games where he voted against filling a $250 million hole in the budget, it’s pretty apparent that there are other things at play rather than his desire to help the budget,” said Rendell. “So I think he should just resign, go do the job he was elected to do here locally and then let the speaker of the House, as is his legal power, set the special election.”
Civera has yet to return calls for comment on either his table games vote or in answer to rumors he plans to leave his powerful seat as minority chairman of the House Appropriations Committee within the next week or two.
That news refueled calls from local Democrats for his resignation, which have been increasing in pitch following Civera’s election victory for a four-year term on Delaware County Council.
'Bubbles' Brzezinski Picks a Favorite Founding Father
Some of these anchor-blondes on television have no right questioning Sarah Palin's intellectual ability. A perfect example is Mika "Bubbles" Brzezinski, who said on the air on MSNBC that her favorite Founding Father was ... Abraham Lincoln.
This is the same Abraham Lincoln who was born on February 12, 1809. The Founding Fathers drafted the U.S. Constitution in Philadelphia, on September 17, 1787. Nice try, Mika. Don't talk. Just smile and look pretty.
Charlie Cook, a highly respected and non-partisan political analyst, has moved two more Pennsylvania Congressional seats from the Democrats' "Safe Column" to "Likely D" -- an indication of how difficult 2010 will be for incumbent Democrats thanks to the missteps of Barack Obama, Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid.
The latest incumbent Democrats on shaky ground are Patrick Murphy and Tim Holden. That brings the total number of Pennsylvania Congressional Democrats who are vulnerable in 2010 to 7, according to The Cook Political Report:
PA-3 Kathy Dahlkemper PA-4 Jason Altmire PA-8 Patrick Murphy PA-10 Chris Carney PA-11 Paul Kanjorski PA-12 John Murtha PA-17 Tim Holden
Republicans could retake a half-dozen Pennsylvania seats after poor showings in the 2006 and 2008 election cycles.
Key excerpts from The Cook Political Report:
PA-08 Patrick Murphy Solid D to Likely D
In bad years, parties find that tamping down problem districts is a lot like playing whack-a-mole. Democrats weren't counting on having to spend much time thinking about this seat in 2010, but former one-term GOP Rep. Mike Fitzpatrick's bid makes this district a new concern for Democrats. The 2006 race between Murphy and Fitzpatrick was one of the closest in the country: Iraq War veteran Murphy unseated Fitzpatrick by less than a percentage point in this suburban Bucks County district. Now, Republican leaders have succeeded in convincing Fitzpatrick, who is apparently healthy after a bout with cancer, to make a comeback…Murphy is a solid fundraiser with $624,000 in the bank, while Fitzpatrick must start from scratch. But the current state of affairs for Democrats in Pennsylvania means this rematch should only become more competitive.
PA-17 Tim Holden Solid D to Likely D
At the outset of the decade, Republican redistricting had caused some to leave Holden for dead. Instead, Holden has rather impressively made a happy home out of this GOP-leaning district…But now, GOP state Sen. Dave Argall, who shares Holden's Schuykill County base, is entering the race. Holden begins the race with a large reservoir of goodwill. In 2008, he took 64 percent of the vote while President Obama took just 48 percent here…But Holden has never had to run for reelection in this district in such a challenging environment.
ABC News: Reporter sleeping with top Obama official is OK with us
What does the news division of a major television network do when it learns that one of its reporters is sleeping with an Obama official? Nothing. The reporter can continue to cover her beat even though it may involve a conflict of interest. No hint of liberal media bias here, folks. Just because ABC News financial reporter Bianna Golodryga is romantically involved with Peter Orszag, the head of the Obama's Office of Management and Budget, doesn't mean she can't continue to cover economic issues for the network. There's nothing to see here. Move along. Case closed.
From The New York Observer:
Earlier this year, Bianna Golodryga, a lissome 31-year-old financial reporter for ABC News, attended that reliable magnet for trouble that is the White House Correspondents Dinner in D.C., where she sat next to Peter Orszag, the 41-year-old, suspiciously hairlined head of the Office of Management and Budget and a top economic adviser to the president. Soon, they were dating. When things eventually got serious, Ms. Golodryga informed her bosses of the budding romance. According to ABC News spokesperson Jeffrey Schneider, ABC News executives, including president David Westin and standards chief Kerry Smith, immediately huddled up to discuss the development, decided there was no drastic cause for concern and agreed to keep an eye on the situation. Months passed, and eventually, on Dec. 29, the network seemingly put its seal of approval on the relationship when Ms. Golodryga appeared on Good Morning America and announced her engagement to Mr. Orszag.
Read the full story, "OMB Chief's Broadcast Babe, Bianna, Will Keep Her Beat at ABC," here.
Republican Jay Moyer wants to return to the Pennsylvania Legislature, where he served for one term representing the 70th House District before losing his bid for re-election in 2008. The incumbent is Democrat Matt Bradford.
Citizens Against Government Waste (the nation's largest nonpartisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to eliminating waste, fraud, abuse, and mismanagement in government) has released its list of nominees for 2009 Porker of the Year.
The six finalists were chosen by CAGW staff from among 12 worthy Porkers of the Month for 2009, and voters are free to pick anyone else they believe deserves this dubious achievement award.
"Porker of the Month" and "Porker of the Year" are dubious honors given to lawmakers, government officials, and political candidates who have shown a blatant disregard for the interests of taxpayers, according to CAGW.
The candidates are:
-- Rep. Russ Carnahan (D-Mo.) - Named July's Porker, Rep. Carnahan was caught on videotape by a vigilant citizen blogger at a town hall meeting held in St. Louis where he grossly misrepresented the costs associated with the controversial healthcare reforms bills under consideration in Congress.
-- Rep. Neil Abercrombie (D-Hawaii) - Named August's Porker, Rep. Abercrombie ranked first in earmarks in the House in fiscal year (FY) 2009 with 44 projects worth $256.8 million; he routinely abuses an already-stretched Pentagon budget to reward favored contractors and supports funding a wasteful and unnecessary alternate engine for the Joint Strike Fighter.
-- House Financial Services Committee Chairman Barney Frank (D-Mass.) - Named March's Porker, Chairman Frank had expressed outrage over reports that insurance giant and TARP recipient AIG had distributed millions in bonuses to its executives. The Chairman has made ample contributions to the nation's current economic meltdown, spending years defending the activities of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and once telling The New York Times that the companies were not facing "any kind of financial crisis."
-- Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-Texas) - Named October's Porker, the four-term Texas senator claims to be a fiscal conservative, but requested 149 projects worth $1.6 billion for authorization and appropriations bills for fiscal year 2010, exemplifying the tiresome hypocrisy of some members of Congress who claim the badge of fiscal conservatism while continuing to abscond with billions of dollars in pork.
-- Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood - Named January's Porker, the then newly-minted Transportation Secretary and long-time porker in the House was about to preside over the distribution of tens of billions of tax dollars for transportation projects in the stimulus package passed in February, 2009.
-- Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Calif.) - Named June's Porker, Rep. Waters provoked a tussle with House Appropriations Committee Chairman David Obey (D-Wis.) over her intention to obtain an earmark for the Maxine Waters Employment Preparation Center, a facility within the Los Angeles school system, reminding taxpayers that members of Congress still have not banned the practice naming projects after themselves.
President Obama's job approval rating has fallen to 46 percent, according to a new CBS News poll.
That rating is Mr. Obama's lowest yet in CBS News polling, and the poll marks the first time his approval rating has fallen below the 50 percent mark. Forty-one percent now say they disapprove of Mr. Obama's performance as president.
In last month's CBS News poll, 50 percent of Americans approved of how the president was handling his job, while thirty-nine percent disapproved.
CBS is a charter member of the Obama Media and it must pain Katie Couric and the rest of the far-left ideologues to report on the poll.
Read more about Obama's declining poll numbers here.
You live by gambling, you die by gambling. Remember how gambling was the magic bullet that was going to cure all of Atlantic City's (and New Jersey's) fiscal woes?
New figures show revenue at Atlantic City casinos down by more than 13 percent in 2009 as Pennsylvania slot parlors continue to eat into A.C.'s profits. Now that Pennsylvania has approved table games like poker and blackjack for its slot parlors, look for a more dramatic decline in Atlantic City casino revenues.
And as more states approve gambling, Pennsylvania will eventually see a decline as states chase the same gambling dollar.
From OnlinePoker.net:
On Monday, the New Jersey Casino Control Commission released figures showing revenue for Atlantic City's 11 casinos was down 13.2% in 2009 to $3.9 billion, the lowest levels seen since 1997.
"The numbers released today are no big surprise," commented Steve Schwartz, a Gaming Analyst. "The casino industry as a whole has been suffering through the recession in the US, and those troubles were most visible in Atlantic City and Las Vegas."
Originally, Atlantic City had only Las Vegas to compete against in the casino business, but recently has had to endure Pennsylvania slowly eating away at its profit margins, since it opened up its first slots parlor in November 2006. Last week's news that Pennsylvania was about to pass a Gambling Bill legalizing table games like poker and blackjack at its casinos, will have added further to Atlantic City's woes. Pennsylvania was forced into the move in order to help generate $250 million in revenue so as to balance its state budget, all representing a loss of potential profit for Atlantic City.
State employee pension systems are facing severe shortfalls, and these growing liabilities threaten to drive many states deeper into the red, according to "State Pension Funds Fall Off a Cliff," a new 50 state study co-authored by Dr. Barry Poulson of the University of Colorado and Dr. Arthur P. Hall of the University of Kansas.
The report, published by the American Legislative Exchange Council, the nation's largest individual membership association of state legislators, shows that as of 2006, states have accumulated nearly $360 billion in unfunded pension obligations.
The problem has gotten much over the past three years as politicians on both sides of the aisle have stuck their head in the sand instead of dealing with the ticking time bomb.
Pennsylvania is among the states that has swept the pension issue under the rug, especially over the past seven years under Gov. Ed Rendell. The ALEC report says Pennsylvania had $14.4 billion in unfunded pension liabilities on top of $8.8 billion in state debt. And keep in mind that these are 2006 figures.
Follow the link below for more information and a link to download the full report.
A comprehensive examination of "stimulus" spending on infrastructure has revealed "no effect" on unemployment, providing further evidence that the "stimulus" package Democrats rushed through Congress in February 2009 was nothing more than a massive pork-barrel spending spree.
From a report by Matt Apuzzo and Brett J. Blackledge of The Associated Press:
A federal spending surge of more than $20 billion for roads and bridges in President Barack Obama's first stimulus has had no effect on local unemployment rates, raising questions about his argument for billions more to address an "urgent need to accelerate job growth."
An Associated Press analysis of stimulus spending found that it didn't matter if a lot of money was spent on highways or none at all: Local unemployment rates rose and fell regardless. And the stimulus spending only barely helped the beleaguered construction industry, the analysis showed.
With the nation's unemployment rate at 10 percent and expected to rise, Obama wants a second stimulus bill from Congress including billions of additional dollars for roads and bridges — projects the president says are "at the heart of our effort to accelerate job growth."
Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood defended the administration's recovery program Monday, writing on his blog that "DOT-administered stimulus spending is the only thing propping up the transportation construction industry."
Road spending would total nearly $28 billion of the Jobs for Main Street Act, a $75 billion second stimulus to help lower the unemployment rate and improve the dismal job market for construction workers. The Senate is expected to consider the House-approved bill this month.
But AP's analysis, which was reviewed by independent economists at five universities, showed the strategy of pumping transportation money into counties hasn't affected local unemployment rates so far.
"There seems to me to be very little evidence that it's making a difference," said Todd Steen, an economics professor at Hope College in Michigan who reviewed the AP analysis.
And there's concern about relying on transportation spending a second time.
"My bottom line is, I'd be skeptical about putting too much more money into a second stimulus until we've seen broader effects from the first stimulus," said Aaron Jackson, a Bentley University economist who also reviewed AP's analysis.
The head of the nation's largest business advocacy group, Tom Donohue, president of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, has said publicly what most Americans have already figured out: Obama is bad for business.
And unless the Obama/Pelosi/Reid agenda is stopped. more Americans will be out of a job.
From POLITICO:
Chamber of Commerce President Tom Donohue gave a scathing assessment of the Obama administration’s business agenda on Tuesday — and delivered a clear threat to Democrats running for election in 2010.
"We are not in presidential politics," said Donohue. "But we're going to be in a lot of politics in the House and the Senate and the judicial politics in this country."
Donohue criticized proposals to reform health care, overhaul the financial system and cap the amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, saying the Democratic agenda will undermine private industry and eliminate jobs.
"Congress, the administration and the states must recognize that our weak economy simply could not sustain all the new taxes, regulations and mandates now under consideration," said Donohue. "It's a sure-fire recipe for double-dip recession, or worse."
State Rep. Curt Schroder will not seek the Republican nomination for Pennsylvania's 6th Congressional District now that incumbent U.S. Rep. Jim Gerlach has announced he will seek re-election to a fifth term.
No surprise here. Schroder entered the race after Gerlach announced he will run for governor instead of defending his Congressional seat. With Gerlach back in the picture, Schroder will not force a primary fight.
This is a critical year for both state and federal elections. Republicans must take back control of the state House in Harrisburg and the House of Representatives in Washington, D.C., to reverse the failed policies of Ed Rendell and Barack Obama. Party unity is crucial.
Republicans have to rally behind Gerlach and Schroder could be a strong voice for reform in Harrisburg if Republicans regain majority control of the state House.
Gov. Ed Rendell has put out one of those idiotic press releases that Joe Biden has become famous for, claiming that federal stimulus money has created "more than 4,200 full-time equivalent jobs" in Pennsylvania.
What the hell is a "full-time equivalent job" and what about the 200,000 jobs Pennsylvania has lost during the Obama recession?
If you want a good laugh, read Rendell's press release below.
This is going to drive the far-left nut jobs at MSNBC and CNN over the edge.
From Jon Friedman at MarketWatch:
NEW YORK (MarketWatch) -- Already entrenched as No. 1 in the cable-television news wars, Fox News Channel on Monday hired Sarah Palin as a contributor and strengthened itself further.
The arrangement, reported in the New York Times, has the potential of playing out as a big win for both parties. Read blog item about Palin signing with Fox.
For Fox, the addition gives its conservative political base one more reason to tune in, as Palin is the darling of many sectors of the Republican Party. Fox has surged far ahead of rivals CNN and MSNBC), so it isn't necessarily fretting about losing its sizable advantage in the ratings. But it's always good business to give the people what they want, and they can't get enough of Palin.
Palin, for her part, now has an opportunity to appear as an expert commentator on political and family issues. This enables her to stay in the public eye prior to the 2012 presidential election.
'We are a nation at war, and we should act like it'
Rep. Pete King (R-NY) delivers the Weekly Republican Address, focusing on the war on terrorism and the Obama Administration's anemic response to growing threats by Islamic fanatics. Rep. King:
"We are a nation at war, and we should act like it. We need to pull together, remain vigilant, and send a clear signal both to our friends and our enemies that this government will stop at nothing to protect our homeland. That's how America sets an example for the world."
Harry Reid's comments about Barack Obama as a "light-skinned" African-American with "no Negro dialect" are hardly the first to land him in hot water.
The Senate majority leader has a habit of speaking his mind, which can be a dangerous thing for a politician — especially for one who tends to say what he means in the bluntest way possible.
Follow the link below to read the 10 dumbest things Harry Reid has said publicly:
Ross Kaminsky is wondering where the global warming alarmists are hiding as most of the planet is gripped by a record cold winter.
From his latest column at HumanEvents.com:
After the climate hoaxers and extortionists quietly slunk home after their utter failure in Copenhagen, one might have expected a barrage of "the end is nigh" press releases by Al Gore and friends, explaining how the refusal of governments to kneecap their economies will lead to us all being slowly convection baked to death in a never-ending trend of man-made global warming.
But apparently the alarmists have gone into hibernation…perhaps because world-wide record breaking cold would expose errors so great that even the "mainstream" news would have to call them out as full of (much needed) hot air.
As often seems to happen around big "global warming events," Copenhagen was hit with extremely cold weather during the "climate conference," including a blizzard on December 17…in a country which hasn't had a white Christmas since 1995. In a bit of "God must have a sense of humor" irony, the cold weather followed President Obama home, dumping record snowfalls in and around Washington, D.C. two days later.
Most of the world is in a deep freeze and the Global Warming Clowns are still at it. You see, when it's cold -- I mean record cold; the coldest winter in 30 years -- that has nothing to do with Global Warming. Just like when there's an active hurricane season, it's because of Global Warming, but when there are no hurricanes, it has nothing to do with Global Warming. Just follow the logic ... and drink more of that Kool Aid mixed up by Al Gore and his Disciples.
State Rep. Tom Killion, a Republican who represents parts of Delaware and Chester counties, announced Friday he is dropping out of the race for Pennsylvania Lieutenant Governor.
Killion said a statewide campaign would make it difficult to remain focused on the difficult budget challenges facing Pennsylvania.
From his withdrawal announcement: "Over the past several months, I have had the opportunity to meet with residents from throughout the state," said Killion. "Voters are extremely concerned about the state's economy, job creation, and particularly the potential for another drawn out budget process in 2010. I feel that I can best serve the people of Pennsylvania from within the legislature, working to ensure state government remains fiscally responsible and fighting efforts to raise taxes on working families."
"In the coming months, I will work hard to help elect Attorney General Tom Corbett the next Governor of Pennsylvania," said Killion. "We need someone with Corbett’s integrity in the Governor’s office to help lead our state out of the recession, stand up to the corruption in Harrisburg, begin the process of creating new jobs, and address the concerns of working men and women."
"I look forward to the opportunity to work with Tom Corbett -- from within the legislature -- to address these and the many other issues facing Pennsylvania" said Killion, who also announced that he will seek re-election to his House seat representing the voters of the 168th Legislative District.
Killion has represented the residents of the 168th District since 2003, following a special election to fill the seat of former Speaker of the House Matt Ryan. He serves in the House as Deputy Republican Whip and is a member of the Appropriations Committee, Urban Affairs Committee and Insurance Committee.
America's third-largest political party has compiled a list of the 10 biggest blunders of Barack Obama's first year in office.
From the Libertarian Party, which also asks readers to note similarities to the Bush administration:
Top 10 disasters of the 2009 Obama administration (in no particular order):
1. Cash for Clunkers 2. War escalation in Afghanistan 3. Giant government health care expansion bill 4. Post office loses money hand over fist 5. Stimulus package 6. Expansion of "state secrets" doctrine 7. Big increase in unemployment 8. "Bailout" Geithner as Treasury Secretary 9. Skyrocketing federal spending 10. Huge federal deficits
Top 10 disasters of the 2001-2008 Bush administration:
1. Cash for Car Companies 2. War in Iraq 3. Giant Medicare expansion bill 4. Post office loses money hand over fist 5. Stimulus "rebate" checks 6. PATRIOT Act 7. Big increase in unemployment 8. "Bailout" Paulson as Treasury Secretary 9. Skyrocketing federal spending 10. Huge federal deficits
Wes Benedict, Libertarian Party executive director, commented, "Republicans and Democrats keep expanding government and creating more and more problems. We're encouraging as many Libertarians as possible to run for Congress in 2010. In Texas, the state with the earliest filing deadline, Libertarians have already filed for 31 of 32 Congressional seats."
For more information about the Libertarian Party, visit its Web site, http://www.lp.org/
A day after he announced he was dropping out of the race for Pennsylvania governor, Republican Congressman Jim Gerlach says he will seek re-election to Pennsylvania's 6th Congressional District seat, which Gerlach has held since 2003.
From a press release issued Friday afternoon by the Jim Gerlach for Congress Committee:
"Less than 24 hours ago, I announced that I was ending my campaign to become Pennsylvania's next governor and would continue working hard each day serving the public. Almost immediately, hundreds of concerned constituents and long-time supporters made phone calls and sent e-mails urging me to consider running for Congress again and offering to help in any way they could to keep me in this seat. I am extremely humbled by the response and grateful for the outpouring of kindness and encouragement. The overwhelming response let me know that the best way to continue serving the public is by protecting taxpayers and fighting for our families. And it has reinforced the decision I have made - after exhaustive deliberation with my extremely supportive wife, Karen and our children -- to seek another term representing the great people of the 6th Congressional District.
"Seeking re-election to the 6th Congressional District rather than running for governor will change my position on the ballot. However, my principles remain the same. I am committed to helping families keep more of their hard-earned paychecks, giving small businesses the freedom they need to create jobs and remain competitive and making sure the government lives within its means and works for the people.
"These are the same principles that guided me as a state lawmaker working with Gov. Tom Ridge to trim waste from the Pennsylvania budget and to pass historic Welfare reform legislation, which empowered millions of Pennsylvanians to cash paychecks rather than collect welfare checks. These are the same principles that guided me as a member of Congress to support tax cuts that have saved the average Pennsylvania family more than $2,000 per year and helped make prescription drugs more affordable for our seniors. And these are the same principles that guided me in 2009 when I stood up to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and voted against the largest spending increase in our history, a misguided cap-and-trade bill that jeopardizes thousands of Pennsylvania manufacturing jobs and a health care scheme that would give the federal government unprecedented control over the daily lives of consumers, doctors and employers. I am energized, and will continue to be the best public servant I can be.
"I truly believe that I represent the best chance for Republicans to not only hold this seat, but play a major role in regaining control of the U.S. House of Representatives. I have held this seat in the face of fiercely competitive elections in which opponents and liberal interest groups have spent millions against me in the worst political environments for Republicans in a generation. This year, taxpayers certainly have a lot on the line if Speaker Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid are allowed to pursue their agenda of higher taxes and infinitely expanding government and wasteful spending. I am determined to make sure that does not happen and look forward to the campaign ahead and continued support of the voters."
I was expecting Congressman Jim Gerlach to drop his bid for Pennsylvania governor before the May primary, I just wasn't sure when he would bail out.
Today's announcement that he's dropping out of the race doesn't surprise me at all. I've talked about his odd decision to give up Pennsylvania's 6th Congressional seat for an uphill shot at Pennsylvania governor on various radio shows and at this blog throughout 2009.
Gerlach, who has a long history of public service, including experience in the Pennsylvania Legislature, would have made a good governor.
The problem comes down to money.
The GOP establishment is lining up behind Attorney General Tom Corbett and most of their money is also going to Corbett.
Gerlach acknowledge the money issue in his statement today:
"While we have successfully raised over $1 million, traveled thousands of miles all across this Commonwealth and signed up more than 19,000 supporters eager to help us win, today's media-driven campaigns require four times that amount to wage a successful primary. That left me with two choices: either spend all of my time raising money with little time left for meeting with voters; or withdrawing my candidacy and working even harder to serve the public. I am choosing to serve the public -- many of whom have graciously rewarded me with their support for nearly two decades."
The big question now is whether Gerlach will change his mind about Congress. If he gets back into the race, he's a shoo-in for re-election.
A sculpture made from nearly 1,000 pounds of butter that pays tribute to dairy farm families was unveiled today at the Pennsylvania Farm Show, which will open Jan. 9. For more photos and more information about the Farm Show, follow the link below:
Time is running out for Barack Obama and his socialist agenda. The American people want their country back ... and they're not taking prisoners. That's why some big-name Democrats are running for cover instead of facing the voters.
From POLITICO:
The grim outlook for Democrats in the 2010 midterm elections just got a little worse.
Four top Democrats — including veteran Sens. Chris Dodd and Byron Dorgan — all prepared to pull the plug on their campaigns in a 24-hour period that began Tuesday, and in the process, offered an unnerving glimpse at the perilous election year ahead.
With Dorgan's stunning retirement announcement Tuesday evening, Democrats are now facing their bleakest election outlook in years — and the very real possibility the party will lose its 60-40 Senate supermajority after the November elections. On the House side, the prospect of a 20 to 30 seat loss is already looking increasingly likely.
"It's not good news for Democrats," said Roy Temple, a Democratic strategist. "The reality is this is going to be a challenging year, and this is an additional challenge you would prefer not to have. Because of the success of the last two cycles, there are a lot of seats to defend. This is just an additional complication."
State Rep. Sam Rohrer (R-Berks), who voted Wednesday against a measure approved by the House to legalize table games such as poker and blackjack at Pennsylvania casinos, issued the following statement explaining his opposition to the Democratic-led expansion of gambling:
"Five years ago, Governor Rendell sold the people of Pennsylvania a bill of goods when he signed the slots legislation into law," Rohrer said. "At the time, Rendell and the gambling lobby falsely promised the bill would create thousands of jobs, spur an economic boom and provide property tax relief. Today, Pennsylvania's unemployment rate is higher, its economy is faltering and homeowners are still burdened with excessive property taxes. With this record of failure, the legalization of table games amounts to doubling down on a bad bet."
Gov. Ed Rendell threatened to lay off nearly 1,000 state workers if the table games bill was not approved by the General Assembly by the end of the week. Rendell falsely claimed the bill was necessary to fill a supposed $250 million hole in the state budget.
"If you could fill a $250 million hole by laying off 1,000 state workers, that would mean that each of them would have to be earning approximately $250,000," Rohrer noted. "Does the governor really have that many excessively paid staff working under him? I would note that of the 1,000 state workers the governor threatened to lay off, he only threatened one in the governor's office. By comparison, he threatened to lay off 112 people who work with the Pennsylvania State Police, 38 who serve our military veterans and 19 who work in the Department of Health."
Rohrer further argued that the $250 million in revenue the legalization of table games is expected to generate are just an estimate.
"We still have some casinos that aren't up and running five years after that bill was signed into law," Rohrer said. "Somehow, the governor blindly thinks these table games are going to be set up and raking in the money in the next five months before the fiscal year ends in June. That naive belief represents a detachment from reality."
Rohrer pointed out the faulty logic used by gambling proponents, who suggest the legalization of table games would generate new jobs.
"If a Pennsylvanian spends $20 at a blackjack table, he or she can't spend that money at the local diner," Rohrer said. "Sure, it might create a job in one area of the economy, but it will do so at the expense of a worker in another area. The blackjack dealer benefits at the expense of the waitress. Taking water from one end of a bathtub and dropping it in the other won't raise the overall water level. This law will merely benefit the well-connected gambling industry at the expense of other Pennsylvania workers."
Rohrer also chastised those who propagated the false belief that legalizing table game would somehow help homeowners struggling to pay their property taxes.
"Like slot machines before them, table games offer homeowners nothing but the false hope that their property tax burden will be reduced," Rohrer said. "The truth is, the governor is betting on table games to bring in more revenues to subsidize his spending habit. Make no mistake, legalized gambling has done little for homeowners, but it has been and will continue to be a boon for free-spending politicians in Harrisburg. Pennsylvanians are tired of these 'bait-and-switch' schemes where politicians promise them property tax relief but deliver something far different. The only way to truly deal with the property tax issue is by eliminating them. No tax should have the power to leave you homeless."
The bill now heads to the governor's desk for his signature.
"Whether you oppose legalized gambling based on economic or moral principles or because it fails to deliver on its overblown promises, today represents a step backward for Pennsylvania," Rohrer said. "The Commonwealth will take a further leap backward if and when the governor places his signature on this sham of a bill. Pennsylvanians deserve better than this."
Rep. Quigley Votes Against 'Pet Projects' in Gambling Expansion Bill
State Rep. Tom Quigley (R-146th Dist.) released the following statement regarding his 'No' vote on Senate Bill 711, which would legalize table games in Pennsylvania:
"This legislation is bad public policy for Pennsylvania. Allowing table games will only compound the many problems we have already seen from the slots parlor law and does not include the necessary reforms to ensure that Pennsylvania residents are protected from corruption. The answers to our state’s financial woes do not lie in preying upon the most vulnerable citizens, who are the most likely to suffer from a gambling addiction and who often have lower incomes.
"One aspect I found particularly troublesome were the pet projects written into the language. There are very specific earmarks being funded, which are unfair to the other worthy causes that were left out. It is another example of "pet projects" that we have seen in bills like the federal health care reform legislation. This kind of pork is contrary to good government.
"Speaking of worthy causes, this bill does not include a dime for property tax relief. The majority of the revenue from this bill will go into the General Fund, leaving taxpayers out in the cold. Homeowners are still waiting for the meaningful property tax relief they were promised when slot machines were approved, and their concerns were still not addressed in this legislation. If it were up to me, every dollar of revenue collected would go to offset school property taxes.
"Finally, this is bad public policy because it expands gaming before much-needed reforms are considered. If you have a high rise that has a faulty structural system, you don’t add more floors until you address the safety issues. Without those necessary reforms, Pennsylvania is opening itself up to more cases of corruption involving gaming, when everything could have been avoided by taking up these issues in the proper order."
The controversial table games bill passed the House Wednesday by a vote of 103-89, with mostly Democrats supporting the measure.
'Alleged Terrorist' Indicted for Attempted Bombing of Flight 253
The last line in the Obama Administration's press release on the indictment of Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab for the attempted murder of 279 passengers and 11 crewmembers aboard Northwest Airlines flight 253 reads:
"The public is reminded that an indictment contains mere allegations and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law."
Maybe Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab will ask for a change of venue ... to Yemen, perhaps ... because of all the pre-trial publicity.
Don't forget that Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab is now entitled to a trial by a jury of his peers since Obama decided to try him in a civilian court instead of a military tribunal.
Newspaper: Shed light on Democrats' shady backroom deal
Here's some of what Investor's Business Daily has to say about the Democrats' intention to negotiate the final version of Obamacare behind closed doors:
Bypassing a conference committee also cuts out a public that will suffer losses from whatever monstrosity is produced by the cover of darkness. Americans stand to lose their power of choice over health care decisions and be stripped of a significant portion of their earnings to pay for a plan most don't want. They deserve to see in an open forum what is being done to them. Instead, they're likely to get whatever the Democrats want to force on them.
Without sunlight to disinfect the sordid mess, the public option could be quietly slipped into the final bill. Committee members could set the taxes on high-end insurance plans at an excessively punitive rate. The mandates placed on private insurance companies could drive many out of business and make premiums unaffordable to millions.
A long list of harmful ideas exists that could be tacked onto the bill, and few of us would know about them. Without a conference committee, the rule that requires the conference report to be publicly available for at least 48 hours before a vote would not apply.
In the 2006 and 2008 elections, Democrats gave their word that under their care, government would have superior transparency. In August 2008, while campaigning for the presidency, Barack Obama made a similar pledge, saying he would hold health care legislation talks in the open "around a big table."
"We'll have the negotiations televised on C-SPAN," Obama said, as he was "going to allow people to stay involved in this process."
Earlier in the year, the president repudiated "negotiating behind closed doors" and vowed to bring "all parties together" and broadcast "those negotiations on C-SPAN so that the American people can see what the choices are, because part of what we have to do is enlist the American people in this process."
Despite those promises, C-SPAN's offer to televise the negotiations in their entirety has not been accepted.
Reform activist Russ Diamond running for PA Lieutenant Governor
The man who led the fight to overturn the infamous Pay Raise in 2005 and helped launch a reform movement that shook up the Pennsylvania Legislature in 2006 has announced he is running for Pennsylvania Lieutenant Governor in 2010.
Russ Diamond is running on a platform of calling for a for a Constitutional convention, elimination of the property tax elimination, and state sovereignty.
Diamond, 46, of Annville, previously launched unsuccessful campaigns for Pennsylvania Governor and the state Legislature. A former Libertarian Party candidate for state and national office, Diamond, is seeking the Republican nomination for Lieutenant Governor of Pennsylvania.
From his campaign announcement:
"Pennsylvania needs a strong advocate for reform in the executive branch," Diamond said. "It's easy to talk about reform but there's really only one way to get it - a constitutional convention. But if we want to hold a convention, we need a specific plan to make it happen. I am the only statewide candidate with a legitimate, workable plan in hand."
In 2007, Diamond authored legislation calling for a citizens' constitutional convention and submitted it to the Senate State Government Committee. It was introduced as SB1290 and HB2723 in 2008. The bill was re-introduced with bipartisan support during the current legislative session as SB340 and HB1929.
In response to a recent study published by the Commonwealth Foundation, Common Cause/Pennsylvania, DemocracyRisingPA, and the League of Women Voters, Diamond has improved the plan and is asking the co-sponsors of SB340 and HB1929 to amend them accordingly or introduce it as a new bill.
"This is the only way to attack the roots of corruption, fraud, and budget debacles which have plagued Pennsylvania of late. We need to rebuild the Commonwealth's institutions of government and restore the faith of the people in them," he added.
On eliminating property taxes, Diamond favors a permanent constitutional prohibition that sets a future deadline and gives the legislature ample time to debate the revenue replacement mechanism.
"Some problems are too complex to tackle in one fell swoop," he said. "In order to be as effective as possible, we must separate the question of property tax elimination from the revenue replacement method. If we agreed today to prohibit property taxes as of June 30, 2015, there would be plenty of time for the legislature to weigh competing options for how to best replace this archaic system that drives citizens from their homes and imposes an intolerable burden on taxpayers and local government."
Diamond's focus on defending Pennsylvania from federal intrusion is centered on the 10th Amendment to the US Constitution.
"The 10th Amendment draws a distinct line between state and federal authority, but we also need to consider the practical ramifications of federal intrusion," Diamond said. "For instance, if we weighed the burden of federal regulations on Pennsylvania's public education system against the percentage of education funding Washington provides, would it really be worth it? Every state department and agency receiving federal funds should be tasked with publicizing the two sides of this equation."
The governor has informed the state Legislature he will furlough nearly 1,000 state workers unless the Legislature approves the legalization of table games at Pennsylvania slot parlors by the end of this week.
The list of furloughs includes 112 positions with the State Police and 299 workers from the state Corrections Department. (You know Rendell is blowing smoke when he puts public safety at risk to get his way on expanded gambling).
The problem is that when the Legislature and Rendell agreed to a budget deal after a 101-day impasse, the agreement included the expansion of gambling, which would bring in $250 million needed to "balance" the 2009-10 General Fund budget. I put "balance" in quotes because the state has already run up a $254 million deficit after six months and there's no way the current budget will balance by June 30.
The Democratic-controlled state House has been debating expanded gambling for months, but Democratic leaders do not have enough vote to pass the controversial expansion bill.
Below is a copy of the memo the Rendell Administration has released, outlining the number of jobs to be cut from each department:
TO: Cabinet Secretaries and Agency Heads
FROM: Naomi Wyatt, Secretary of Administration DATE: January 5, 2010 RE: Furlough information
This memo is a follow-up to Steve Crawford's December 22, 2009, memo regarding furlough planning.
To be prepared in the event a gaming bill is not enacted, enclosed is a list that provides each of you with a furlough target for your agency. The list was developed by spreading 1,000 furloughs proportionally across all agencies' general fund complement as of December 11, 2009. (Federal, restricted, billed, and special fund complement was excluded; split-funded complement was included.)
Please begin developing a plan to implement the furloughs associated with your agency. Your plan should anticipate that furloughs could occur before the end of January. We will schedule a meeting in early January to provide additional details and information.
(Note: the number of proposed furloughs is followed by the number of full-time equivalent of General Fund positions):
Corrections: 299 (out of 15,436 positions) Labor & Industry: 6 (out of 288 positions) Military & Veterans Affairs: 38 (out of 1,914 positions) General Services: 20 (out of 1,060 positions) Education: 6 (out of 305 positions) Revenue: 31 (out of 1,620 positions) Dept. of State: 2 (out of 93 positions) State Police: 112 (out of 5,772 positions) Public Welfare: 333 (out of 17,244 positions) Community & Economic Development: 5 (out of 299 positions) Probation & Parole: 22 (out of 1,090 positions) Historical & Museum Commission: 4 (out of 186 positions) PA Emergency Management Agency: 2 (out of 111 positions) Environmental Protection: 31 (out of 1,647 positions) Conservation & Natural Resources: 24 (out of 1,281 positions) PA Securities Commission: 1 (out of 76 positions) Health: 19 (out of 992 positions) Agriculture: 7 (out of 368 positions) Insurance: 4 (out of 246 positions) Executive Offices: 28 (out of 1,463 positions) Governor's Office: 1 (out of 58 positions)
Michael Ramirez is a two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning editorial cartoonist for Investor's Business Daily. Some of his best work has been compiled at the newspaper's Web site for your viewing pleasure.
Check out the best Ramirez cartoons from the past year at the IBD Web site.
Half-way through the 2009-10 fiscal year, Pennsylvania has recorded a $254.2 million budget deficit.
While the red ink isn't flowing as much as it did for the 2008-09 fiscal year, in which the state ran up a $3.25 billion deficit, it appears Gov. Ed Rendell and the Pennsylvania Legislature will be dealing with another deficit when the current fiscal year ends on June 30.
You might be wondering how Gov. Rendell and the Legislature manage to circumvent the Pennsylvania Constitution, which mandates a balanced budget (Article VIII, Section 13 (a) Operating budget appropriations made by the General Assembly shall not exceed the actual and estimated revenues and surplus available in the same fiscal year.) It appears the Constitution is optional with the current leadership in Harrisburg.
The Pennsylvania Department of Revenue on Monday released the December tax collection numbers, showing a deficit for the sixth consecutive month of the current fiscal year.
Pennsylvania collected $2 billion in General Fund revenue in December, which was $37.2 million, or 1.8 percent, less than anticipated, according to Acting Secretary of Revenue C. Daniel Hassell.
Fiscal year-to-date General Fund collections total $12.4 billion, which is $254.2 million, or 2 percent, below estimate, Hassell said.
More from the December revenue report
Sales tax receipts totaled $627.3 million for December, $39.1 million below estimate. Year-to-date sales tax collections total $4 billion, which is $181.1 million, or 4.4 percent, less than anticipated. Personal income tax (PIT) revenue in December was $707.3 million, $6.2 million below estimate. This brings year-to-date PIT collections to $4.3 billion, which is $111.7 million, or 2.5 percent, below estimate.
December corporation tax revenue of $377.1 million was $28.7 million below estimate. Year-to-date corporation tax collections total $1.1 billion, which is $900,000, or 0.1 percent, below estimate.
Other General Fund revenue figures for the month included $74.2 million in inheritance tax, $11.3 million above estimate, bringing the year-to-date total to $375.3 million, which is $6.6 million above estimate.
Realty transfer tax was $29.1 million for December, $7.8 million above estimate, bringing the total to $161.8 million for the year, which is $10 million more than anticipated.
Other General Fund tax revenue, including cigarette, malt beverage and liquor taxes totaled $132.3 million for the month, $13.3 million above estimate and bringing the year-to-date total to $594.7 million, which is $30.2 million above estimate.
Non-tax revenue totaled $36.3 million for the month, $4.5 million above estimate, bringing the year-to-date total to $1.9 billion, which is $7.2 million below estimate.
For more revenue figures, click on the link below:
Allied Van Lines has released its 42nd Annual Magnet States Report, which tracks where people are moving to and from across the United States.
Texas is the No. 1 destination spot in U.S. for fifth year in a row, followed by Arizona and North Carolina.
Pennsylvania is No. 3 on the list of "outbound" states. In other words, more people leave Pennsylvania than move into the state. This is not a new trend. It's been occurring ever since Gov. Ed Rendell and his allies in Harrisburg started raising taxes and running up huge deficits.
From the Allied Van Lines report:
Michigan experienced the highest net relocation losses (more outbound than inbound shipments), followed by Illinois, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and California. A troubled auto industry and housing market most likely continued to negatively affect relocations to Michigan, as Allied Van Lines' outbound shipments of 2,210 were about double its inbound shipments of 1,019 for the state. Illinois experienced the second largest net relocation loss with 942 more outbound than inbound moves, closely followed by Pennsylvania with a net relocation loss of 854, and California with a loss of 459.
Six people were killed in crashes investigated by Pennsylvania State Police during the four-day New Year's holiday travel period, which ran from Dec. 31 through Jan. 3, Commissioner Frank E. Pawlowski announced Monday.
Five of those killed were not wearing seatbelts and four of the deaths resulted from alcohol-related crashes, he said.
"Too many lives are lost because people drive after they've been drinking or because they do not buckle up when they travel," Pawlowski said in a written statement.
He said that in addition to the six fatalities, 288 other people were injured in the 1,131 crashes to which troopers responded during the holiday driving period. He said 95 of the crashes were alcohol-related.
Welcome to 2010 and another round of toll increases on the Pennsylvania Turnpike. Effective Jan. 1, Turnpike tolls went up 3 percent. That follows a 25 percent toll increase in January 2009 and likely will be followed by another 3 percent increase in January 2011.
Jennifer Loven, who has covered the White House for The Associated Press since 2002, wrote a news analysis a few days ago that was lost in the holiday shuffle.
In it, Loven asks if the failure of the Obama Administration to prevent the near tragedy of a likely terrorist bombing aboard a Detroit-bound passenger plane and Obama's subsequent downplaying of the incident could become Obama's Katrina.
The answer is "no" because Katrina and the Bush Administration's handling of the natural disaster was overplayed by the liberal media, which is anti-Republican and anti-Bush.
Regardless of how poorly Obama and his underlings did in response to the terrorist threat, the liberal media will cover up for one of its own.
Still, the parallels between Bush's handling of Katrina and Obama's failure to protect the nation from terrorists are there for all to see.
From Loven's analysis:
The Obama administration claim that "the system worked" after a failed aircraft bombing wasn't quite as jolting as President George W. Bush's "Brownie, you're doing a heckuva job" while New Orleans sank under deadly Hurricane Katrina. But both raised disturbing questions about presidential response in a time of crisis.
Bush's praise for his beleaguered FEMA director, Michael Brown, came while storm evacuees remained trapped in the Louisiana Superdome and victims' bloated bodies floated in the streets. It became a clarion call for all his administration did wrong during the 2005 calamity -- and a larger symbol of all that people disliked generally about Bush.
Loven focuses on the incredibly stupid comment by two high-ranking Obama officials that "the system worked" when it was fellow passengers who subdued the terrorist who was allowed on the plane by the same "system" Obama's people praised.
Loven writes:
Members of Congress -- Republicans, but some Democrats too -- were incredulous that "the system worked" was used in any context to describe what happened. "It is insulting that the Obama administration would make such a claim," Rep. Pete Hoekstra, the top Republican on the House Intelligence Committee -- who is running for governor in Michigan -- said in a campaign e-mail.
Republican Arizona Sens. John McCain and Jon Kyl on Tuesday criticized President Barack Obama and his administration's response following the attempted Christmas Day terrorist attack on a Detroit-bound airliner. McCain said Obama should have addressed the nation earlier about the botched attack. Kyl said he now doesn't feel "totally safe" with Napolitano as homeland security secretary.
Phrases do matter. Sometimes they come to take on a life of their own, with context and nuance forgotten, representing broader beliefs or fears.
For Bush, the "heckuva job" comment more than four years into his presidency fit into an already well-developed critical narrative, that he was loyal to lieutenants to a fault and hands-off on even important matters. It stuck.
For Obama, still short of one year in office, his narrative, critical or otherwise, isn't set yet.
Nonetheless, rumblings keep resurfacing about emotional distance, even coldness. Whether it's Wall Street bonuses or terrorist near-disaster, people wonder whether he feels as they do or ever acts out of passion. The comment may well stick.
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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