Talking Politics with Tony Phyrillas

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2010-03-30T13:05:00.001-04:00

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What Dems Should Fear The Most

2010-03-29T16:15:00.000-04:00

Doctors Sue to Overturn the Health Care Bill

2010-03-29T16:05:00.001-04:00

Doctors Sue to Overturn the Health Care Bill

Rendell Announces 2-Week Extension of Home Heating Assistance for Low-Income Families

2010-03-29T16:05:00.000-04:00

Pennsylvania Governor Rendell Announces 2-Week Extension of Home Heating Assistance for Low-Income Families

American Red Cross Raises $400M for Haiti

2010-03-29T16:04:00.000-04:00

American Red Cross Announces Spending Plan for Relief and Recovery in Haiti

Americans for Responsible Health Care to Launch Nationwide Petition Drive to Repeal Obamacare

2010-03-29T16:03:00.000-04:00

Americans for Responsible Health Care to Launch Nationwide Petition Drive to Support Repeal of New National Health Care Program

GOP Leader: Repeal and Replace Obamacare

2010-03-29T01:58:00.001-04:00

In the Weekly Republican Address, Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell discusses the flawed health care bill passed by Democrats and why it should be repealed and replaced.

McConnell says, "In one of the most divisive legislative debates in modern history, Democrats decided to go the partisan route and blatantly ignore the will of the people. Americans opposed this legislation, and, now theyre clamoring to see it repealed and replaced. Democratic Leaders and White House officials may be celebrating their victory this week, but most of the rest of the country is not. Most people arent interested in celebrating a bill that makes their lives more complicated, takes more out of their paychecks and puts decisions theyre used to making themselves into the hands of federal bureaucrats."

Originally posted at TONY PHYRILLAS

Baby's First Words

2010-03-27T10:01:00.000-04:00

40 States Challenge Legality of Obamacare

2010-03-26T22:05:00.000-04:00

Illinois Is 40th State to Defend Health Care Choice; Oklahoma Health Freedom Bill Poised for Ballot

Webinar: Can Small Business Survive Healthcare Reform?

2010-03-26T22:02:00.000-04:00

Extensis Group and the Marquis Agency to Host Business Webinar Entitled: Can Small Business Survive Healthcare Reform?

2,000 House staffers make six figures

2010-03-26T22:00:00.000-04:00

File this under "your tax dollars at work."

From POLITICO:

Nearly 2,000 House of Representative staffers pulled down six-figure salaries in 2009, including 43 staffers who earned the maximum $172,500 — or more than three times the median U.S. household income.

Starting salaries on Capitol Hill are still low — many entry-level congressional jobs pay less than $30,000 a year. And many of the most highly paid staffers could make several times the maximum by jumping to lobbying and consulting jobs in the private sector.

But the salary data, compiled for POLITICO by LegiStorm.com, show that it’s possible to make an enviable living in Congress, even without winning an election.

The 43 staffers who maxed out at $172,500 — the salary cap for leadership and committee staffers — include John Lawrence, chief of staff to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi; Paula Nowakowski, the late chief of staff to House Minority Leader John Boehner; and House Parliamentarian John Sullivan. They earned only slightly less than rank-and-file members of Congress, who make $174,000.

All the salary data are part of the public record and are culled from congressional office disbursement reports.

So much for the myth of "public servants" forgoing big money in the private sector to devote themselves to toil for the government.

Read the full story at the link below:

2,000 House staffers make six figures - Erika Lovley - POLITICO.com

Lame Duck

2010-03-26T14:11:00.000-04:00

U.S. Health Care Bill Praised by Fidel Castro

2010-03-26T14:10:00.000-04:00

U.S. Health Care Bill Praised by Fidel Castro - Round About Place

49 of 50 States Have Lost Jobs Since Democrats' Stimulus

2010-03-26T14:07:00.000-04:00

Every time Barack Obama, Joe Biden or Nancy Pelosi say that the "stimulus" is working, they insult your intelligence.

From a post by Rep. Dave Camp, ranking Republican on the House Ways & Means Committee:

While the President recently claimed his February 2009 stimulus bill will "save or create 1.5 million jobs in 2010 after saving or creating as many as 2 million jobs thus far,” the table below compares the White House's original projections of state-by-state job creation with the actual change in state payroll employment through February 2010, using the latest data from the U.S. Department of Labor. The data show that only Alaska and the District of Columbia have seen net job creation since the enactment of stimulus, and even those levels fall far short of what the White House originally forecast.

To see a state-by-state breakdown of job loses, click here.

Worst unemployment in 25 years

2010-03-25T22:16:00.000-04:00

Thirteen months later, the Obama/Pelosi "stimulus" package isn't doing much stimulating.

From the Philadelphia Business Journal:

Unemployment climbed to 11.4 percent in Philadelphia in January and to 8.9 percent across the state in February, levels not seen in more than 25 years, City Controller Alan Butkovitz said Thursday in his monthly economic snapshot.

Pennsylvania's unemployment rate was last at 8.9 percent in September 1984 and Philadelphia's unemployment rate was last at 11.4 percent in May 1983. The city's January unemployment rate, which is the most recent data available, increased nearly a full percentage point from December.

Can't wait to see the job loses once Obamacare gets roling.

City controller says Phila. unemployment jumped to 11.4% in Jan. - Philadelphia Business Journal:

Rep. Joe Pitts Condemns Threats to Members of Congress

2010-03-25T14:40:00.000-04:00

From Republican Congressman Joe Pitts:

"When the government ignores the will of the people, a high level of frustration is to be expected. But that frustration needs to be channeled into political activity, not threats and violence. I urge those who opposed this bill to remember that history and fiscal reality will prove them right. And I urge the citizens of this country who are angry to remember that they are on the right side of this debate and they should act accordingly. In America, that is what elections are for.

This Day In History

2010-03-25T14:35:00.001-04:00

On March 25, 1894, Jacob S. Coxey began leading an "army" of unemployed from Massillon, Ohio, to Washington D.C., to demand help from the federal government.

It's time for another march on Washington.

The Obama Recession is in its 13th month and Obama, Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid have given nothing but lip service to the 17 million Americans out of work.

FRC targets Congressman Stupak for defeat

2010-03-25T11:18:00.000-04:00

From the Family Research Council:

"FRC Action PAC will target for defeat 20 members of Congress including Congressman Bart Stupak. Over the next seven months and on Election Day, our PAC members and the thousands of families we represent will send a powerful message that can't be ignored -- 'it's time to replace this Congress, repeal this law and restore our constitutional freedoms'."

White House Is Right to Be Embarrassed by Executive Order

How's that Obamacare working out for you?

2010-03-25T11:13:00.000-04:00

How's that Obamacare working out for you? As well as the Obama "stimulus" package?

Employers are already warning workers about higher health-care costs and reduced benefits, according to The Wall Street Journal.

From a new WSJ editorial:

Even before President Obama signed the bill on Tuesday, Caterpillar said it would cost the company at least $100 million more in the first year alone. Medical device maker Medtronic warned that new taxes on its products could force it to lay off a thousand workers. Now Verizon joins the roll of businesses staring at adverse consequences.

In an email titled "President Obama Signs Health Care Legislation" sent to all employees Tuesday night, the telecom giant warned that "we expect that Verizon's costs will increase in the short term." While executive vice president for human resources Marc Reed wrote that "it is difficult at this point to gauge the precise impact of this legislation," and that ObamaCare does reflect some of the company's policy priorities, the message to workers was clear: Expect changes for the worse to your health benefits as the direct result of this bill, and maybe as soon as this year.

And this is just the beginning of the havoc Obamacare will create.

Read the full editorial here.

Something for everyone

2010-03-24T18:30:00.000-04:00

Realtors Oppose Rendell's Proposed Tax on Professional Services in Real Estate Transactions

2010-03-24T18:13:00.000-04:00

REALTORS(R) Oppose Gov. Edward G. Rendell's Proposed Tax on Professional Services in Real Estate Transactions

Only 16% Return Census Forms So Far

2010-03-24T18:12:00.001-04:00

Despite the media blitz, the letter telling you the form is coming, the form itself and the post card reminding you to send back the form, the U.S. Census Bureau reports that only 16 percent of American households have participated so far in the 2010 Census.

What could be the problem? Could it be mistrust of the federal government? Just a guess.

From a story by Hope Yen of The Associated Press:

Roughly 100 million households to go.

One week after U.S. census forms were mailed to 120 million households, about 16 percent of the nation has completed those forms and sent them back. That number puts the government on its way to matching or surpassing mail participation rates in 2000 of 72 percent, the Census Bureau said Wednesday.

The bureau will continue to accept mailed-in forms through most of April.

From May until July, it will send census-takers to each home that doesn't reply by mail, which is more costly and sometimes leads to more inaccurate responses. The Census Bureau has estimated it would save $1.5 billion in follow-up visits if everyone who receives a census form mails it back.

Census Bureau Rolls Out New Interactive Maps Showing 2010 Census Mail Participation Rates

Rep. Reichley: Rendell budget passed by House Dems is a 'sham'

2010-03-24T18:08:00.000-04:00

Rep. Doug Reichley (R-Berks/Lehigh), vice chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, released the following statement after Tuesday's passage of House Bill 2279, Gov. Rendell's latest $29 billion red-ink budget proposal:

"It is no coincidence that the budget bill that passed today was voted on exactly 100 days before the June 30 deadline. Unfortunately, the governor and his allies would prefer to pass a bill that does not bear any reality to the financial difficulties faced by many families, businesses and organizations rather than to pass a fiscally responsible spending plan for Pennsylvania. The governor's proposal, passed with unanimous support from House Democrats, spends far more than the state is taking in, exceeding tax revenue by billions of dollars, and relying on deferred payments into state employee and teacher pension funds. Such reckless spending only compounds the problem we are currently facing.

"The governor's budget also unwisely uses a whistling through the graveyard approach by basing his spending plan on receiving $850 million in federal aid for Medical Assistance, the state-administered health care plan for the poor, elderly, and disabled in Pennsylvania. The problem is there is no telling if and when the state will receive those federal funds. The governor and his supporters in the House Democratic Caucus should have learned after seven years of missing budget deadlines that you do not achieve a balanced budget by crossing your collective fingers and wishing for federal aid.

"We need to act now to protect against tax increases in the future. We need to act now with further decreases in state spending. We need to fix foreseeable problems with the state employees and public school employees retirement systems before we reach the tipping point.

"Clearly, the bill that passed today is not the bill that will become law. It's a sham, designed to provide taxpayers with the illusion that the budget process has started in earnest. This is not a real, negotiated, fiscally sustainable budget. We will all end up paying for it, well beyond when the governor leaves office."

I'm With Stupak

2010-03-24T16:00:00.000-04:00

A modern-day Benedict Arnold

2010-03-24T15:50:00.000-04:00

Few people have gone from hero to heavy so quickly in American politics as Rep. Bart Stupak, who billed himself as the champion of the unborn ... until he sold his vote to the abortion industry to support Obamacare.

Columnist Kathleen Parker offers a look at Stupak's pathetic betrayal of the pro-life movement.

From her column:

Ultimately, he was weak and overwhelmed by raw political power. History is no stranger to such moments, but this one needs to be understood for what it was. A deception.

The executive order promising that no federal funds will be used for abortion is utterly useless, and everybody knows it. First, the president can revoke it as quickly as he signs it.

Second, an order cannot confer jurisdiction in the courts or establish any grounds for suing anybody in court, according to a former White House counsel. The order is therefore judicially unenforceable.

Finally, an executive order cannot trump or change a federal statute.

One can reasonably surmise that Obama, a former constitutional law professor, is well aware of the uselessness of his promise. Perhaps this is why he didn't mention it during the bill-signing ceremony Tuesday.

Stupak, too, knew that the executive order was merely political cover for him and his pro-life colleagues. He knew it because several members of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops explained it to him, according to sources. The only way to prevent public funding for abortion was for his amendment to be added to the Senate bill.

Clearly, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and the president didn't want that. What they did want was the abortion funding that the Senate bill allowed.

Read the full column, "Stupak's fall from pro-life grace", here.