Independent reviews of Obama's claims of job created by the stimulus bill show that the government is making up numbers. As Rep. Joe Wilson so aptly said it, "You lie!"

From Watchdog.org:

Just how big is the stimulus package? Well for one, it has doubled the size of the House of Representatives, according to recovery.gov, which says that funds were distributed to 440 congressional districts that do not exist.

According to data retrieved from recovery.gov, nearly $6.4 billion was used to “create or save” just under 30,000 jobs in these phantom congressional districts–almost $225,000 per job. The Web site operates on an $84 million budget and is tasked with monitoring the distribution of the $787 billion stimulus package passed by Congress–which, for the record, counts 435 members–in early 2009.

It's clear you can't trust anything coming from the Obama Ministry of Propaganda or the state-run media that should be reporting on the most corrupt and deceptive administration ever.

$6.4 Billion Stimulus Goes to Phantom Districts

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Chutzpa:
1. unmitigated effrontery or impudence; gall.
2. audacity; nerve.

File this under chutzpa in the dictionary.

ACORN has sued the federal government demanding that it give back taxpayer dollars to the corrupt agency that Congress voted to deny it earlier this year.

From POLITICO:

ACORN claims that the legislation was of "malicious and punitive intent." The suit also claims Congress violated the Fifth Amendment by skirting due process before doling out the punishment of the funding cut. OMB Director Peter Orszag and Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner are listed as co-defendants in the suit.

This is what America has come to in the Age of Obama. Criminals are suing the government demanding that taxpayers continue to fund their corrupt ways.

ACORN sues over funding cut - Jake Sherman - POLITICO.com

Attention Democrats who supported the Pelosi Health Care Bill that guts Medicare to pay for expanded coverage to younger people: Seniors have long memories and they tend to vote in every election.

The 60 Plus Association is targeting 15 Democrats, including two from Pennsylvania.

New $1.5 Million Campaign Targeting 15 'YES' Votes on House Health Care Reform

From a terrific column by Kerry Jackson on the House Democrats move to socialize medicine in the United States:

Passage of the 1,990-page bill is a national disgrace. Agitators say it's a shame that the government in the world's wealthiest country doesn't provide health care for all. But the real blemish on this nation is a political party pushing the U.S. ever closer to being a nation of dependents.

Congress has no constitutional authority, no moral standing to force a federal health care system on a people whose nation-founding forefathers promised them they'd be free of government coercion — not even if a wide majority was demanding it.

Investors.com - Lawmakers Are Elected To Serve, Not To Dehumanize And Demean

In case you're wondering which Pennsylvania members of Congress supported the Pelosi Health Care Bill, which will raise taxes and put your family's current health care coverage at risk, see the list below.

If you see any of the names on a ballot next May or November, vote for the other person:

Robert Brady (D-PA-1)
Chaka Fattah (D-PA-2)
Kathy Dahlkemper (D-PA-3)
Joe Sestak (D-PA-7)
Patrick Murphy (D-PA-8)
Christopher Carney (D-PA-10)
John Murtha (D-PA-12)
Paul Kanjorski (D-PA-11)
Allyson Schwartz (D-PA-13)
Mike Doyle (D-PA-14)

Americans for Limited Government President Bill Wilson condemned the House of Representatives for voting to approve "$2.1 trillion takeover of the nation's entire health care sector in spite of overwhelming public opposition to the measure."

Americans for Limited Government estimates the legislation will cost $2.1 trillion over 10 years once fully implemented, and "will drive millions Americans off of private, employer-based health care, on to substandard, below-average government-run care, and open the door for a single payer system," said Wilson.

ALG issued the following press release after the 220-215 House vote:

"This Congress is rotten to its core," said Wilson, adding, "Members no longer represent their constituents, they serve the Washington political elite. They have succumbed to the insider deals, handouts, and kickbacks Nancy Pelosi needed to secure the votes for the federal government to claim an iron grip of one-sixth of the nation's economy."

Citing the Congressional Budget Office cost estimate of H.R. 3962, Wilson said, "This bill will raise taxes by more than $780 billion and cut Medicare by more than $450 billion. In the process, they are enraging political independents and seniors, both critical voting blocs for whom dozens of vulnerable members in the majority must answer to."

"Members that voted for this abomination have signed a political suicide pact for which they will be held accountable," Wilson declared. "They have gone against the express will of their constituents who opposed this legislation."

The bill would force millions of uninsured Americans to obtain insurance or else pay a fine, includes employer mandates, and creates a national, government-run "public option." Americans for Limited Government estimates more than 45 million Americans would ultimately be required to enroll in government care at an average cost of $4,700 per individual to taxpayers.

"As health care costs skyrocket because of the elimination of the private sector health options contained in this bill, so too will the costs owed by taxpayers, resulting in hundreds of billions of deficit-spending," said Wilson. "Because insurance under the plan is mandatory, the more private insurers that are driven out of business by diminishing insurance pools, the more Americans who will be forced onto government-run and subsidized care."

"This bill will ration care away from seniors, water down and reduce the quality of everyone's care, increase health premiums, put bureaucrats between doctors and patients, break the public treasury, and leave taxpayers with a bill that cannot possibly be paid back," Wilson added.

According to Rasmussen Reports, 54 percent of voters oppose the "public option" proposed, which only 42 percent support. In addition, James Carville's Democracy Corps polls found a full 54 percent of seniors oppose the nationalized health care plan. According to the poll conducted in June, 41 percent of seniors strongly oppose the Obama plan and only 14 percent strongly favor it.

"To pass this monstrosity on the heels of Tuesday's overwhelming election results against her party, Nancy Pelosi has clearly lost her mind and needs to check her meds. She doesn't care if vulnerable members in her caucus are wiped out in 2010 or not," Wilson said.

"Democrats are throwing away seniors as a political constituency," Wilson added, stating in conclusion, "They are enraging independents, who see their children and children's children being burdened with an unsustainable debt that will rise to $20 trillion in 2020 and top the Gross Domestic Product in 2011. And taking over health care against the express wishes of tens of millions of Americans who like their private health options and want to keep them."

From House Republican Leader John Boehner (R-OH):

The Joint Economic Committee (JEC) House Republican staff, which earlier this year created a chart mapping the bureaucratic complexity of Speaker Nancy Pelosi's original health care proposal (H.R. 3200), has combined similar analysis by the House Republican Conference with the earlier chart. The analysis details new additions to the health care bureaucracy contained in the new version of the Speaker's bill (H.R. 3962) that were not previously listed. Let's just say the Speaker's vision for government-run health care hasn't gotten any simpler.

"This is the blueprint for a taxpayer-funded mega-bureaucracy," Boehner said "The new chart is an astonishing and unsettling glimpse of the future that awaits American health care, should H.R. 3962 be passed by the House and signed into law."

The chart, completed at the direction of Rep. Kevin Brady (R-TX), the committee's ranking House Republican Member, shows that the Pelosi plan has grown even more complex in the months since it was originally unveiled by congressional Democrats.

The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops vehemently opposes any health care reform bill that includes taxpayer funding of abortion.

Bishops Urge Passage of Stupak-Ellsworth Anti-Abortion Amendment for Health Reform Bill

Remember all the grief former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin received from the liberal media when she pointed out that the health care reform bills pushed by Democrats included provisions for the so-called "death panels" to advise elderly Americans on alternatives to medical treatment after they reach a certain age?

Guess what? Sarah Palin was right. The House bill touted by Nancy Pelosi includes end-of-life counseling by government-sponsored "death panels."

From The Associated Press:

It's alive! End-of-life counseling in health bill

WASHINGTON (AP) — It's alive.

The Medicare end-of-life planning provision that 2008 Republican vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin said was tantamount to "death panels" for seniors is staying in the latest Democratic health care bill unveiled Thursday.

The provision allows Medicare to pay for voluntary counseling to help beneficiaries deal with the complex and painful decisions families face when a loved one is approaching death.

For years, federal laws and policies have encouraged Americans to think ahead about end-of-life decisions, and make their wishes known in advance through living wills and similar legal documents. But when House Democrats proposed this summer to pay doctors for end-of-life counseling, it touched off a wave of suspicion and anger.

Prominent Republicans singled it out as a glaring example of government overreach.
Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, at the time a lead negotiator on health care legislation, told constituents at a town hall meeting they had good reason to question the proposal.

"I don't have any problem with things like living wills, but they ought to be done within the family," he said. "We should not have a government program that determines you're going to pull the plug on grandma."

A couple of Montgomery County businessmen were spotted chatting with Congressional candidate Pat Meehan at a fundraising event on Wednesday, October 21, at The Café located at 2011 Walnut Street in Philadelphia. Meehan, former U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, is seeking the Republican nomination for Pennsylvania's 7th Congressional District. Pictured from left to right: Geoffrey McKernan of Blue Bell, President and CEO, NSM Insurance (headquartered in Conshohocken); Pat Meehan; and Mark O'Connor of Haverford, Co-Proprietor of the Irish Pub and The Café in Philadelphia.

Chester County state Rep. Curt Schroder, a Republican candidate for Pennsylvania's 6th Congressional District, announced Tuesday he has raised more than $100,000, exceeding his fundraising goals over the past six weeks.

"I am humbled by the outpouring of local support that I have received," Schroder said in a press release. "Over 320 individuals helped us raise nearly $110,000, the overwhelming bulk of which came in during the last 30 days."

Schroder emphasized that the bulk of his contributions came from individuals within the 6th District and not from far flung national PAC's representing special interests or a personal check.

"Clearly the taxpayers in our region know me, my record and what I stand for. They know that as their Congressman I will go to Washington and place their interests first"

Taking a shot at one of his opponents, Steven Welch, who doesn't live in the 6th District, Schroder noted: "I have lived in the 6th District since its inception and the Downingtown area my entire life. I understand the values, needs and priorities of the people who live here. The out-pouring of grass roots support clearly demonstrates that the people who live here recognize that"

Schroder has represented Chester County's 155th District in the state Legislature since 1994.

The 6th District Republican nomination is up for grabs in 2010 after incumbent Republican Jim Gerlach announced he would not seek a fourth term. Instead, Gerlach is running for governor of Pennsylvania.

For more on the campaign, visit Schroder's Web site at http://vote4curt.com/

While Barack Obama and Congressional Democrats prepare to enact the largest tax in U.S. history on American consumers at the behest of global warning alarmists, there is growing evidence that the Earth has been cooling for the past 30 years. That's right. Cooling. Not warming, as Al Gore would have you believe.

From a new editorial in Investor's Business Daily:

Al Gore wasn't there to throw out the first snowball, er, baseball, so he might not have noticed that Saturday's playoff game between the Colorado Rockies and the Philadelphia Phillies was snowed out — in early October. The field should have been snow-free just as the North Pole was to be ice-free this year.

It seems that ice at both poles hasn't been paying attention to the computer models. The National Snow and Ice Data Center released its summary of summer sea-ice conditions in the Arctic last week and reported a substantial expansion of "second-year ice" — ice thick enough to have persisted through two summers of seasonal melting.

According to the NSIDC, second-year ice this summer made up 32% of the total ice cover on the Arctic Ocean, compared with 21% in 2007 and 9% in 2008. Clearly, Arctic sea ice is not following the consensus touted by Gore and the warm-mongers.

This news coincides with a finding published in the journal Geophysical Research Letters last month by Marco Tedesco, a research scientist at the Joint Center for Earth Systems Technology. He reported that ice melt on Antarctica was the lowest in three decades during the ice-melt season.

Each year, millions of square miles of sea ice melt and refreeze. The amount varies from season to season. Despite pictures taken in summer of floating polar bears, data reported by the University of Illinois' Arctic Climate Research Center at the beginning of this year showed global sea ice levels the same as they were in 1979, when satellite observations began.

So why are Barack Obama and Nancy Pelosi pushing for a cap-and-trade bill that will impose higher energy taxes on American families? You might want to ask your representatives in Congress that very same question.

Read the full editorial at the newspaper's Web site.

U.S. Senate candidate Pat Toomey announced today that his campaign has raised more than $1.5 million for the third quarter of 2009.

To date, the campaign has raised more than $3.1 million from more than 20,000 contributors since Toomey announced his Senate candidacy five-and-a-half months ago, according to the Toomey for Senate Campaign.

Toomey already has 33 percent more contributors than the total number of donors amassed during the entirety of his 2004 Senate run, the campaign reports.

The most recent Quinnipiac University poll showed Toomey leading both incumbent Democratic Senator Arlen Specter and Democratic Congressman Joe Sestak in general election matchups.

"I am honored by the thousands of people who have contributed to my campaign," Toomey said in a press release. "People all across Pennsylvania are rallying to our message of fiscal responsibility and political balance. They are concerned about the reckless bailouts, extreme policies, and out-of-control debt resulting from one-party control of Washington, and they believe that the country deserves better than that. Together, I believe we will win the fight for fiscal sanity, responsible government, and economic growth."

For more about Toomey, visit his campaign Web site at www.toomeyforsenate.com

From Patients First:

On Tuesday, October 6th, Patients First is sponsoring a National Call Congress Day to send our legislators a simple message: "Hands Off My Health Care!"

This is your chance to explain why we cannot afford any bill that puts Washington between you and your doctor. Call Congress and tell them: "Hands Off My Health Care."

Find out more about the campaign at http://www.joinpatientsfirst.com/

The Democratic majority in Congress continues to reject calls to actually read bills before voting on them.

From Robert Romano of the NetRight Nation Blog:

If a growing number of House members that signed a discharge petition for H. Res. 554 have their way, every single bill in Congress will be held for least 72 business hours Monday through Friday (excluding holidays) prior to passage for a mandatory review by each house.

The discharge petition initiated by Congressman Greg Walden (R-OR2) has obtained 182 signatures, including the bill's sponsor, Rep. Brian Baird (D-WA3). Walden did so on the same day the Senate Finance Committee explicitly voted against allowing 72 hours to review ObamaCare once it was finally written.

Only 7 of Pennsylvania's 19 House members have signed the petition: Reps. Charlie Dent, Bill Shuster, Glenn Thompson, Todd Platts, Joe Pitts, Jim Gerlach and Tim Murphy. All 7 are Republicans.

What about your member of Congress? What are they hiding? Why do they want to rush through votes before anyone has a chance to read the bill?

For a complete list of the members of Congress who signed the petition, click here.

Democrats are pulling out all the stops to push for government-run health care. A Democratic senator thinks government regulation and taxing of Internet gambling could help pay for part of the massive cost of Obamacare.

An amendment offered by Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR) would dedicate Internet gambling tax revenue generated through implementation of the currently pending Internet Regulation, Consumer Protection and Enforcement Act (H.R. 2267) to increase low-income subsidies provided through the America's Healthy Future Act of 2009, according to a group called the Safe and Secure Internet Gambling Initiative.

I wonder if Obamacare will cover addiction to Internet gambling?

A PricewaterhouseCoopers analysis shows that collecting taxes on regulated Internet gambling would allow the U.S. to capture up to $62.7 billion over the next decade, says the Safe and Secure Internet Gambling Initiative.

"We applaud Senator Wyden's proposal to collect and put to good use tens of billions in Internet gambling revenue that would otherwise be lost in the underground marketplace," said Michael Waxman, spokesperson for the Safe and Secure Internet Gambling Initiative. "The Senate Finance Committee should approve the resolution, finally putting to an end a failed prohibition on Internet gambling that leaves Americans unprotected and unlicensed offshore operators as the only beneficiary in a thriving marketplace."

The Internet Gambling Regulation, Consumer Protection and Enforcement Act of 2009 (H.R. 2267), introduced in May by House Committee on Financial Services Chairman Barney Frank (D-MA), would establish a framework to permit licensed gambling operators to accept wagers from individuals in the U.S., says the Safe and Secure Internet Gambling Initiative.

Is this the same Barney Frank who presided over the financial collapse of the past year? And just one more question: If Obamcare will cost at least $1 trillion, how is $62 billion going to cover the cost? I'm sure Barack Obama and Barney Frank have it all figured out.

Senator Proposes Use of Internet Gambling Revenue to Help Fund Health Care Reform

U.S. Rep. Jim Gerlach is one of 28 members of Congress who signed a letter sent to the Inspector General of the Housing and Urban Development asking for a review of how the liberal activist group ACORN used taxpayer funds.

Gerlach (PA-6th District) wants HUD officials to make sure ACORN is held accountable for every dollar of taxpayer funding it has received, according to a press release issued Monday.

From Gerlach's press release:

In a letter to HUD Inspector General Kenneth M. Donohue, Gerlach requested a comprehensive audit of ACORN's finances to give the public some peace of mind that their hard-earned tax dollars have not subsidized corrupt or illegal activity.

"In the wake of new, but not unfamiliar, reports of criminal and illicit activity involving ACORN, I believe it is imperative that this organization’s finances be reviewed and investigated by your Department to determine whether improper and illegal use of federal dollars has occurred since ACORN first began receiving federal funds in 1994," Gerlach wrote.

The letter signed by 26 Republican members of the House Financial Services Committee and GOP Congressmen Mike Pence of Indiana and Pete Sessions of Texas.

Video of ACORN employees in New York and Maryland giving illegal advice to two filmmakers posing as a prostitute and a pimp prompted the U.S. Census Bureau to end its partnership with ACORN on Friday. The Senate voted 83-7 on Monday to cut off Housing and Urban Development funding slated for ACORN.

ACORN – which stands for the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now -- has been the focus of voter-registration fraud investigations in recent years.

Locally, two ACORN workers in March 2008 pleaded guilty in Berks County Court and were sentenced to jail for creating phony voter-registration forms in order to collect cash from the organization, according to the Reading Eagle.

In July, Dauphin County election officials have investigated over 100 suspicious voter-registration applications submitted by ACORN

And In September 2006, nearly 100 fraudulent voter registration applications were filed in Delaware County, prompting the District Attorney’s Office to issue an identity theft alert. All 100 applications were filled out by four individuals working for ACORN.

State Rep. Curt Schroder has added Kyle Whatley as campaign manager in his bid to win the Republican nomination in the 6th Congressional District.

Whatley has held leadership positions in or managed four congressional campaigns, a mayor's race and two city council offices. He led a statewide non-profit organization and has consulted Fortune 500 companies.

Originally from Texas, Mr. Whatley came to Pennsylvania specifically to work on
Curt Schroder's campaign.

"My wife and I would not have moved almost 2,000 miles if I was not absolutely certain Curt Schroder was going to win this race," Whatley said. "He is in an exceptional position to not only prevail in the primary but to win the election next
November. I am grateful for the opportunity to be part of this campaign and look forward to playing my role in Curt Schroder being the next Congressman representing the 6th District of Pennsylvania."

Schroder added, "I am pleased to announce the hiring of Mr. Whatley. This team is fast becoming one of the most skilled in the country."

Schroder previously announced that addition of two consulting firms, Strategy Group for Media and Hallowell & Branstetter as part of his campaign team.

"The Strategy Group for Media has consistently won awards for excellence, Hallowell & Branstetter has a combined 50 years in Pennsylvania politics and we have now added an experienced campaign manager," Schroder said. "I am extremely confident in the professional team we have assembled and am excited about the race to come."

Schroder was first elected to represent the 155th District of Pennsylvania in the State Assembly in 1994.

He and his wife reside in Downingtown with their two children.

The 6th District Congressional seat will be open in 2010 because incumbent U.S. Rep. Jim Gerlach is not seeking re-election to Congress, opting instead to run for Pennsylvania governor.

For more on Schroder, visit his campaign Web site, http://Vote4Curt.com

Republican Party of Pennsylvania Chairman Rob Gleason is pleased that the U.S. Senate voted overwhelmingly to deny federal housing funds to the controversial left-wing advocacy group ACORN (Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now).

However, Gleason questioned U.S. Senator Bob Casey Jr.'s decision to join six of his colleagues in support of ACORN funding.

"Sen. Bob Casey's blind support of this corrupt organization is questionable at best," Gleason said. "ACORN continues to be exposed as a corrupt organization that should not be receiving federal funds under any circumstance. The recent videos depicting ACORN on a number of occasions giving out advice on how to cheat and lie on your taxes were appalling and further confirmed my suspicions about this questionable organization.

"With all things we have learned about ACORN, I cannot understand how Senator Casey could support ACORN. Sen. Casey owes it to our Commonwealth and his constituents to explain his vote."

On Monday, the U.S. Senate voted 83-7 vote in favor of an amendment that stripped out funding to ACORN in a housing and transportation bill. ("Senate Denies ACORN Funding," Politico, 9/14/09, http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0909/27153.html)

Casey, a freshman Democrat, was one of the seven votes against the amendment. ACORN is under investigation in nine states for allegations of voter registration fraud.

South Carolina Congressman Joe Wilson was taken to the woodshed by Congressional Democrats for his "You Lie!" outburst during Barack Obama's recent speech on health care, but what the liberal media is failing to focus on is the fact that Wilson was telling the truth. Obama is lying about his government-run plan.

In fact, Obama told at least 10 lies during his speech, according to columnist John Hawkins.

From his column:

Unfortunately, this sort of deception has been the rule, not the exception in the Democrats' health care push. In fact, Barack Obama has sold health care by saying, in effect, "Anybody who has anything negative to say about health care reform is just spreading myths."

It's a shame that Barack Obama has chosen to go this way, because our health care system does desperately need to be reformed and conservatives would be very willing to work with the Democrats to do it. In fact, in a recent poll of 74 conservative bloggers, every single one of them said that they'd be "willing to support health care reform that primarily emphasized market based reforms." If Obama were to take that approach or even if he were to simply focus on helping the 8-10 million Americans who want health insurance but can't afford it, I suspect he'd have no trouble at all getting strong bipartisan support for a bill.

Here is the list compiled by Hawkins:

1. The President is working with Republicans.
2. Republicans haven't suggested a plan for health care.
3. The public option won't put the insurance industry out of business and lead to a government takeover of health care.
4. Medicare won't be cut to fund this health care bill.
5. The health care plan won't add "one dime to our deficits either now or in the future."
6. Preventative care will be required in these bills and it'll save money.
7. Health care reform will help create more jobs.
8. Abortion won't be covered under the bill.
9. This bill won't lead to rationing of health care and people being denied life saving operations.
10. Obama's "Plan" doesn't have these problems you're talking about.

Read "10 More 'You Lie' Moments On Health Care" at Townhall.com

(H/T POLICY BLOG)

Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) has released its fifth annual report on the most corrupt members of Congress.

CREW's Most Corrupt Members of Congress provides a detailed analysis of the unethical and sometimes illegal activities of 15 congressmen and women who have most egregiously betrayed the public's trust.

"With the economy in a free-fall, unemployment rates at record highs and health care solutions still nowhere in sight, members should be spending their time looking for answers to the nation's problems, not finding new ways to enrich themselves." said Melanie Sloan, executive director of CREW. "The members of Congress profiled in CREW'sMost Corrupt report have betrayed those who voted them into office. This report holds them accountable for their bad choices."

CREW also has launched the report's tandem Web site, www.CREWsMostCorrupt.org, which offers short summaries of each member's transgressions as well as the full-length profiles and all accompanying exhibits.

The 15 most corrupt members of Congress (listed alphabetically) are:

Rep. Vern Buchanan (R-FL)
Sen. Roland Burris (D-IL)
Rep. Ken Calvert (R-CA)
Rep. Nathan Deal (R-GA)
Sen. John Ensign (R-NV)
Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. (D-IL)
Rep. Jerry Lewis (R-CA)
Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY)
Rep. Alan Mollohan (D-WV)
Rep. John Murtha (D-PA)
Rep. Charles Rangel (D-NY)
Rep. Laura Richardson (D-CA)
Rep. Pete Visclosky (D-IN)
Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA)
Rep. Don Young (R-AK)

From a CREW press release:

New to this year's list are Sens. Roland Burris and John Ensign, and Reps. Nathan Deal, Jesse Jackson Jr. and Pete Visclosky.

After a two-year absence, Rep. Maxine Waters has reappeared in the study for unethical activities unrelated to the conduct that landed her on the list in the past. A detailed list of those who have previously graced the report can be found on the Web site.

Of this year's list of 15, at least 12 are under investigation: Reps. Ken Calvert, Jerry Lewis, Alan Mollohan, John Murtha, Pete Visclosky and Don Young are under Department of Justice (DOJ) investigations, while Sens. Roland Burris and John Ensign and Reps. Charles Rangel and Laura Richardson are under congressional ethics committee investigations. Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. is under investigation by both the DOJ and the Office of Congressional Ethics and Rep. Vern Buchanan is being investigated by the Federal Election Commission.

Visit CREWsMostCorrupt.org or click here to read the full report.

Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) is a non-profit legal watchdog group dedicated to holding public officials accountable for their actions.

The House of Representatives released the text of the resolution of disapproval at the outburst ("You lie!") by Rep. Joe Wilson, R-S.C., during President Barack Obama's speech:

Whereas on September 9, 2009, during the joint session of Congress convened pursuant to House Concurrent Resolution 179, the President of the United States, speaking at the invitation of the House and Senate, had his remarks interrupted by the Representative from South Carolina, Mr. Wilson; and whereas the conduct of the Representative from South Carolina was a breach of decorum and degraded the proceedings of the joint session, to the discredit of the House:

Now, therefore, be it resolved, that the House of Representatives disapproves of the behavior of the Representative from South Carolina, Mr. Wilson, during the joint session of Congress held on September 9, 2009.

I like the part about discrediting of the House as if the American public can have a lower opinion of Congress than they already do.

Update: The final tally late Tuesday was 240-179, mostly along party lines: 233 Democrats and seven Republicans voting for the resolution, and 167 Republicans and 12 Democrats opposing the measure. Five Democrats voted "present."

From CQPolitics:

Coaxing Arlen Specter into switching parties and running for re-election as a Democrat was a major coup for Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, who is bending the Senate's schedule to accommodate a presidential fundraiser for Specter Tuesday afternoon in Pennsylvania.

Reid announced Friday that the Senate would hold no votes after 3 p.m. Tuesday. His office later said that the scheduling decision was meant to accommodate a long-planned fundraiser that President Obama is headlining in Philadelphia to benefit Specter's campaign.

The move could delay efforts to finish work on the fiscal 2010 transportation spending bill, which the Senate began considering Thursday.

Specter, who is seeking a sixth term (and his first as a Democrat), faces a primary challenge from Rep. Joe Sestak. The likely Republican nominee is Pat Toomey, a former House member who nearly beat Specter in a 2004 Republican primary.

Read the full story at CQ Politics.

Specter's likely Republican challenger in 2010 wants to know why Specter is putting his own political career ahead of taxpayers needs?

From Pat Toomey's campaign Communications Director Nachama Soloveichik:

"For someone who has been in Washington for 30 years, stopping the Senate to hold a fundraiser might seem perfectly normal. But for Pennsylvania taxpayers who are footing the bill for Specter’s $81 billion auto bailout and unprecedented debt, it's a slap in the face. If Arlen Specter spent nearly as much time fighting for taxpayers as he does fighting for reelection, our economy might not be in such bad shape."

Republicans should pick up at least one more seat in Congress in 2010.

Pat Meehan announced Monday he will seek the Republican nomination in the 7th Congressional District, which covers parts of Delaware, Chester and Montgomery counties. The seat is held by Democrat Joe Sestak, who will not seek re-election so he can challenge Sen. Arlen Specter in the May 2010 Democratic Primary.

Meehan is the favorite to succeed Sestak. The bulk of the 7th District is in Delaware County, where Meehan was a popular district attorney before serving as U.S. Attorney for SE Pennsylvania from 2001-2008.

Pundits are predicting a big comeback for the GOP as opposition grows to the big government/high deficit policies of Barack Obama and Congressional Democrats. Republicans are expected to pick up anywhere from 20 to 40 additional seats in the midterm elections.

"Traveling across the region and state these past months, I have had the opportunity to meet and speak with many local residents," Meehan said in a written statement. "They have told me they feel their voice is not being heard in Washington, that their representatives have sold them out to special interests, that government is being imposed on them, rather than working for them. It is time our elected officials be made to answer for the decisions they make about our money and about our children's future."

"Many of the challenges confronting us here at home transcend state lines — whether it's strengthening the economy, keeping down health care costs, or helping small businesses — and the solutions will be determined in Congress," said Meehan. "I am formally announcing my candidacy for U.S. Congress because I want to restore integrity to our nation’s capital and ensure that the voice of local voters is heard on critical issues like taxes, jobs, health care, and restoring fiscal responsibility to the federal government."

Meehan announced his candidacy at three stops in the district.

"People have watched the federal government spend billions of dollars to rescue a few huge banks while hundreds of community banks failed," said Meehan. "They have watched billions being spent to keep bankrupt General Motors and Chrysler in business, while local small businesses struggle to meet a weekly payroll. They see an $800 billion stimulus bill rushed through Congress, yet a half-year later, only 1 in 10 dollars is spent and a record 6.5 million Americans are out of work."

"Voters are concerned as our national debt is expected to double in the next three years and triple within a decade to an astonishing $10 trillion," said Meehan. "That translates into $33,000 of personal debt for every man, woman and child in America. This type of unchecked spending leads to inflation, higher job-killing taxes, and a burden of enormous debt that our children and their children will carry like a millstone for generations."

From the Pat Meehan for Congress Committee:

Pat Meehan has made a name for himself by rooting out government corruption, prosecuting tough criminal cases, and implementing innovative new programs to make communities safer. In addition to taking a nationally-recognized stand against "pay to play" politics in the City of Philadelphia, Pat created initiatives to combat gang violence, crack down on nursing homes for failing to provide proper care to our seniors, reduce domestic violence, and hold drug companies accountable to consumers for fraud.

As U.S. Attorney, Meehan established an Anti-Terrorism Advisory Council, held manufacturers responsible for illegally discharging hazardous materials into the region's waters, established a group to crackdown on predatory lending, and prosecuted cyber criminals who ran illegal, worldwide Internet pharmacy operations.

Pat, his wife Carolyn and their three sons Patrick, Jack and Colin, reside in Drexel Hill, Delaware County.

For more on Meehan, visit his new campaign Web site, www.meehanforcongress.com

I was pleasantly surprised with The Associated Press' coverage of the March on Washington on Saturday, Sept. 12. The wire service, which largely ignored the Tea Parties throughout the year, moved a lengthy article and more than a dozen photographers of the protest. Also, it did not downplay the turnout, putting right there in the lead that "tens of thousands" of Americans marched against Obama and his big government schemes. You can read the AP story and view photos of the event at The Mercury's Web site.

State Rep. Curt Schroder, R-155th, issued the following statement in response to the news that 7th Congressional District resident Steve Welch will seek the Republican nomination in the 6th Congressional District:

"The 6th Congressional District was always expected to be a hotly contested race. The interest of Republican candidates from across the state proves how competitive it will be. Over my 15 years in the State Assembly I have been a consistent advocate for fiscal restraint and I have the record to prove it. The support and encouragement I have received for my candidacy from voters in the 6th Congressional District has been overwhelming.

I am confident that my record and my broad support across the district will carry me through the primary."

Schroder was first elected to represent the 155th District of Pennsylvania in the State Assembly in 1994. Prior to his time in the House, Schroder was Prothonotary for Chester County.

He and his wife reside in Downingtown with their two children.

Schroder's campaign Web site is www.vote4curt.com

You can also follow Schroder on Facebook and Twitter

Chester County Recorder of Deeds Ryan Costello wasted little time issuing a statement about the entry of Steven Welch into the race for Pennsylvania's 6th Congressional District.

Costello, a Republican who announced his candidacy for Congress last month, issued the following statement today:

"I remain focused on earning this nomination through hard work and emphasizing my message of lower taxes, less federal government intervention, and fostering a favorable climate for job creation. I have been pleased with the support my candidacy has generated and will continue to run a positive and issue-oriented campaign."

Costello serves as Recorder of Deeds in Chester County and is the former Chairman of the East Vincent Township Board of Supervisors. He is a graduate of Owen J. Roberts High School, Ursinus College, and Villanova Law School and an attorney with the law firm of O’Donnell,Weiss & Mattei, P.C..

His campaign website is www.ryancostelloforcongress.com

The third announced Republican in the race is state Rep. Curt Schroder.

The 6th District Congressional seat is now held by Republican Jim Gerlach, who has announced he will not seek re-election in 2010 to focus on a race for Pennsylvania governor.

Steven Welch is about to shake up the 6th Congressional District race.

Welch had been planning to run for the 7th Congressional District, but with former U.S. Attorney Pat Meehan expected to announce Monday he will seek the 7th District Republican nomination in 2010, Welch believes he has a better chance of winning in the neighboring 6th Congressional District.

Pennsylvania's 7th Congressional District seat is held by Democratic Rep. Joe Sestak, who opted to challenge Sen. Arlen Specter in the Democratic primary instead of seeking re-election. Pennsylvania's 6th Congressional District is currently held by Republican Rep. Jim Gerlach, who is running for Pennsylvania governor instead of seeking re-election to Congress.

From Welch's announcement:

"When I decided with my family to run for public office, I did so knowing the uphill battle I faced against an incumbent with over $4 million in his campaign account. I am running for Congress because I believe that we need elected officials who have experience creating jobs, balancing a budget and meeting a bottom line," Welch said. "Having been raised in Chester County and building my businesses and creating good jobs here in the 6th District, I know the great potential these communities have to lead the charge in turning around our economy.

"Pat Meehan's decision to seek the nomination in the 7th District provides our region twice the opportunity to elect leaders who will restore fiscal responsibility to Washington," said Welch. "This campaign has never been about me, it has been about engaging new voters in this process and effectively communicating the need for fiscal responsibility and how we can create good jobs in the Delaware Valley.

"The 6th District requires proven experience to recharge our economy and craft policies that lead to job-creation. I will work tirelessly to earn the respect of 6th District voters and ensure that Southeastern Pennsylvania and our country get back on track so that the American dream is within everyone's reach," added Welch.

Welch, a political newcomers will have to face two seasoned Republican opponents in the 2010 GOP primary. State Rep. Curt Schroder and Chester County Recorder of Deeds Ryan Costello are also seeking the 6th District nomination.

Welch is the founder & former CEO of the Mitos Group, a leader in biotechnology solutions. Welch is also the co-founder of DreamIt Ventures, a unique venture firm that helps technology start-ups get off the ground. Over the past two years DreamIt has funded over 20 small businesses and helped nearly 100 entrepreneurs.

In 2008, Welch was selected as a member of the Philadelphia Business Journal's 40 under 40, as well as being named its Entrepreneur of the Year. Most recently, Welch was awarded the prestigious Eisenhower Fellowship to build bridges internationally in small business communities to drive job creation and economic development.

Welch and his wife, Nicole, live in Upper Providence with their daughter and son.

His campaign Web site is http://www.welchforpa.com/

Left unchecked, Barack Obama, Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid plan to run up higher deficits over the next 10 years than all American presidents and Congress have incurred in the last 230 years.

From DefeatTheDebt.com:

Think America is "Unsinkable?"

Every year, the government spends hundreds of billions of dollars it doesn't have, and we sink deeper and deeper into debt. We cannot afford to go down with this ship.

The national debt will grow by more than $9 trillion, according to an August 2009 report by the White House Office of Management and Budget.

How much is $9 trillion, or even $1 trillion? Confronted with enormous numbers like millions, billions and trillions, it's helpful to use comparisons with other contexts. For example, one million seconds will pass in just 12 days. One billion seconds is almost 32 years. And one trillion seconds? That’s 31,688 years. One trillion dollars is a lot of money, and over the next decade the US federal government will borrow that sum nine times over — more than $9 trillion.

In the next 10 years, the federal government will borrow trillions of dollars for spending it cannot afford. But the American people will eventually have to pay the price for this irresponsible borrowing.

Debt Disaster: It's closer than you think.

For more information, go to DefeatTheDebt.com

More than 1,000 physicians from all 50 states will converge on the Capitol in scrubs and lab coats this week to bring an angry message to Congress: "Stop meddling in medicine!"

The doctors, all traveling as individuals and at their own expense, will hold a rally at the Capitol, lobby their Members of Congress, and meet with the doctors of Congress, including Tom Price, M.D., of Georgia and Sen. Tom Coburn of Oklahoma.

The event, co-sponsored by the Association of American Physicians and Surgeons (AAPS) and Tea Party Patriots, was prompted by the American Medical Association's misguided endorsement of House Bill HR 3200, a bill that would turn more control over to the government, rather than restore it to patients and doctors.

Read more about the protest at the link below:

Dr. 'Smith' Comes to Washington: Angry Physicians From All 50 States Rally in DC on Sept 10

The federal deficit for the current fiscal year is four times higher than it was under George W. Bush. And keep in mind that Democrats have controlled Congress since 2007 and have approved record spending and record debt since then.

Under Barack Obama, the national debt will reach astronomical and unsustainable levels as the U.S. heads toward bankruptcy and national suicide.

A non-partisan group called Defeat the Debt has launched a public service campaign to inform Americans how serious the debt problem is. Here is the first of three articles on the subject:

How Much is a Trillion Dollars?

The national debt is larger than ever before, and experts predict it will only continue to expand.

The national debt will grow by more than $9 trillion, according to an August 2009 report by the White House Office of Management and Budget.

In July of 2009, the Congressional Budget Office and the staff of the Joint Committee on Taxation released their analysis of America's Affordable Health Choices Act. They estimated the bill would add an additional net deficit of $1.042 trillion over the next decade. In January of 2008, Social Security's unfunded liabilities were estimated at $6.6 trillion, and Medicare unfunded liabilities totaled more than $36.3 trillion, according to the GAO's Fiscal Year 2008 Financial Report of the United States Government. In addition to our current national debt of more than $11.6 trillion, our future obligations to Social Security and Medicare total $43 trillion.

How much is $9 trillion, or even $1 trillion? Confronted with enormous numbers like millions, billions and trillions, it's helpful to use comparisons with other contexts. For example, one million seconds will pass in just 12 days. One billion seconds is almost 32 years. And one trillion seconds? That's 31,688 years. One trillion dollars is a lot of money, and over the next decade the US federal government will borrow that sum nine times over — more than $9 trillion.

In the next 10 years, the federal government will borrow trillions of dollars for spending it cannot afford. But the American people will eventually have to pay the price for this irresponsible borrowing.

Debt Disaster: It's closer than you think

For more information, go to DefeatTheDebt.com

They're supposed to represent the people, but members of Congress have very little in common with the rest of us. One of the biggest gaps between constituents and their elected representatives appears to be income.

While Americans struggle to make ends meet in the current 22-month-old recession, Congress resembles an exclusive country club, where millionaires hang out.

The Hill, a newspaper that covers Congress, has published a new list of the 50 wealthiest members of Congress.

No. 1 on The Hill's Rich List is Sen. John Kerry of Massachusetts, the 2004 Democratic Party nominee for president, with a worth of at least $167.8 million (thanks primarily to his marriage to Theresa Heinz.)

Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) and Rep. Jane Harman (D-Calif.), placed second and third, with "hundreds of millions of dollars in assets," according to the newspaper.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi made the Top 50, with a net worth of $12.5 million. Also on the list is Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., who is worth $9.6 million. (Nobody from Pennsylvania made the Top 50).

From The Hill:

Most lawmakers, like other Americans, have seen stark declines in their Wall Street portfolios, but their latest financial disclosures do not suggest they are hard-up despite the recession. The average member of Congress is worth at least $2.9 million, according to their reports, although several have also reported debts that exceed their assets.

The list is a bipartisan one. Of the 50 lawmakers on the The Hill's Rich List, 26 are Democrats and 24 are Republicans. For comparison, there are 256 Democrats in the House and 178 Republicans; in the Senate there are 59 Democrats and 40 Republicans.

The Hill based its analysis on annual financial disclosure forms that lawmakers are required to complete and file with the House clerk or Senate secretary. The disclosures are for lawmakers’ assets and liabilities as at the end of 2008. The reports are not models of transparency so the dollar numbers in the list are best guesses rather than precise figures.

Read the full story and review the list of the 50 richest members of Congress at The Hill Web site.

Just 37% of Americans approve of the job Congress is doing, according to a new poll conducted by the Pew Research Center. Congress has been controlled by the Democrats for the past three years.

The job approval number has dropped 12 points since April, the last time Pew surveyed Americans about Congress.

The 37% figure is the lowest favorable percentage in more than two decades of Pew surveys.

Although Americans are clearly disenchanted with the Democrats, they aren't exactly thrilled with Republicans.

From an Associated Press story on the Pew results:

Forty-five percent of respondents said they would vote for a Democratic candidate in their district or lean Democratic, while 44 percent said they would vote or lean Republican.

Four years ago the numbers favored Democrats 52 percent to 40 percent, as the party went on to gain control of Congress.

The survey found that favorable ratings for the GOP remain low at 40 percent.

Most of the shift in voting intentions occurred among political independents, who backed Democrats by a wide margin previously but now say they would back Republicans in their districts by 43 to 38 percent.

For more poll results, go to the Pew Research Center Web site.

Job approval numbers for members of Congress have plummeted since the Democrats took control after the 2006 election. Now a majority of Americans say we should flush all of Congress away and start over.

From Rasmussen Reports:

If they could vote to keep or replace the entire Congress, just 25% of voters nationwide would keep the current batch of legislators.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 57% would vote to replace the entire Congress and start all over again. Eighteen percent (18%) are not sure how they would vote.

Overall, these numbers are little changed since last October. When Congress was passing the unpopular $700-billion bailout plan in the heat of a presidential campaign and a seeming financial industry meltdown, 59% wanted to throw them all out. At that time, just 17% wanted to keep them.

There has been a bit of a partisan shift since last fall. With Democrats controlling both chambers of Congress, it's not surprising to find that the number of Democrats who would vote to keep the entire Congress has grown from 25% last fall to 43% today. In fact, a modest plurality of Democrats would now vote to keep the legislators. Last fall, a plurality of Democrats were ready to throw them all out.

Read more poll results at Rasmussen Reports

Today's number is 71,500.

That's the minimum number of Pennsylvania jobs that would be lost if the Waxman-Markey bill, better known as Cap-and-Trade, is passed by the Senate. The House already approved the bill and President Obama said he would sign it if passes both chambers of Congress.

The 71,500 estimate comes from the National Association of Manufacturers, which commissioned a study to look at the impact of the Waxman-Markey bill in each state. The job loss number could go as high as 97,500 in Pennsylvania.

More from the study:

Higher energy prices would have ripple impacts on prices throughout the economy and would impose a financial cost on households. Pennsylvania would see disposable household income reduced by $148 to $285 per year by 2020 and $926 to $1,507 by 2030.

The study concluded that bill would cots 2.4 million jobs across the United States.

To review the complete study, visit the National Association of Manufacturers Web site, http://www.nam.org/

The Workforce Fairness Institute has launched an online petition demanding Sen. Arlen Specter explain his position on the Employee Free Choice Act, aka Card Check.

The group refers to EFCA as Employee FORCED Choice Act.

Pennsylvanians deserve an honest and clear answer on where Senator Specter stands on the elimination of the secret ballot and mandatory, binding arbitration! Sign the online petition at the group's Web site, http://www.workforcefairness.com/SpecterExplain

Also check out this editorial in The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review nothing that Specter changes his position on Card Check every other day.

The West Chester Daily Local News is reporting that popular Chester County state Sen. Andy Dinniman will not seek the Democratic nomination for the 6th Congressional District in 2010.

Most political observers familiar with the 6th District agree that the nomination was Dinniman's for the taking.

But Dinniman told the Daily Local News he's afraid the 6th District, now held by Republican Jim Gerlach, would be gerrymandered out of existence after the 2010 Census is completed.

"If you ran in the 6th District, you would work hard to get elected, and then your district might disappear," Dinniman told the newspaper.

In other words, Dinniman could have won the seat, but might be out of a job in 2012 or 2014. There has been speculation that those very same concerns led Gerlach to announce he will not seek re-election, opting instead for a run for the GOP nomination for Pennsylvania governor.

The question I have is this: What does Dinniman know about the 2010 Pennsylvania legislative elections? The Pennsylvania Legislature will decide how to redraw the 6th District lines and if Republicans control the Legislature, they can change the 6th to make it easier for a Republican to win.

Is Dinniman conceding that Republicans will take back control of the state House next year? Sure sounds like it.

With Dinniman out, the only announced Democratic candidate is former newspaperman Doug Pike, who has never held elected office.

On the Republican side, longtime state Rep. Curt Schroder and Chester County Recorder of Deeds Ryan Costello have announced their candidacy for the 6th Congressional seat.

Read more about Dinniman's decision in the West Chester Daily Local News' Web site.

Just because your Congressman hasn't bothered to read the 1,000-plus pages of the Obamacare bill doesn't mean you can't.

U.S. Rep. Jim Gerlach is making it possible for his constituents to spend what's left of their summer reviewing the Democrats' health care bill by dropping off copies of the bill at his district offices and selected libraries.

From a Gerlach press release:

Looking for something to read in addition to a dog-eared paperback novel in the waning days of summer?

Congressman Jim Gerlach (PA-6th District) has provided copies of the House Democrats' Health Care legislation to his district offices in Berks, Chester and Montgomery counties as well as seven public libraries throughout the district.

"This 1,017-page tome may not be as exciting as the titles topping the New York Times Best Sellers List, but the public deserves a chance to read the legislation before Congress votes this fall," Gerlach said. "That's why I believe it's important to make copies of the bill available throughout communities in the 6th District.

"I hate to spoil the ending for readers. However, the plan House Democrat leadership proposes would allow the federal government, rather than doctors and patients, to make more decisions about treatments ranging from knee-replacement surgery to chemotherapy for cancer patients. The plan also will impose higher taxes and burdensome mandates on small business owners, family farmers and other job creators as they attempt to shrug off the effects of the worst recession in more than two decades. That's why I oppose this attempt to usher in an era of government-controlled health care that the Congressional Budget Office, the nonpartisan researchers for Congress, concluded would fail to stem the rising cost of health care and balloon our national debt to staggering levels.”

Below is a list of locations where you can read a copy of the health care bill:

Narberth Community Library
80 Windsor Avenue
Narberth, PA 19072
610-664-2878

Montogomery County – Norristown Public Library
1001 Powell Street
Norristown, PA 19401
610-278-5100

Pottstown Public Library
500 High Street
Pottstown, PA 19464
610-970-6551

Mifflin Community Library
6 Philadelphia Avenue
Shillington, PA 19607
610-777-3911

Louisa Gonser Community Library
70 Bieber Alley
Kutztown, PA 19530
610-683-5820

Honey Brook Community Library
687 Compass Road
PO Box 1082
Honey Brook, PA 19344
610-273-3303

Treddyfrin Public Library
582 Upper Gulph Road
Strafford-Wayne, PA 19087
610-688-7092

Congressman Gerlach's Chester County Office
111 East Uwchlan Avenue (Route 113)
Exton PA 19341
610-594-1415

Congressman Gerlach's Montgomery County Office
580 Main Street, Suite 4
Trappe PA 19426
610-409-2780

Congressman Gerlach's Berks County Office
840 North Park Road
Wyomissing PA 19610
610-376-7630

A copy of the bill can also be found online at http://thomas.loc.gov/

Democracy in action. They used to say people vote with their feet. It appears the American public now speaks with the click of a mouse.

The Associated Press is reporting that the volume of e-mails from the public to their elected members of Congress about Obamacare has been so great that it has overloaded the House of Representatives' Web site.

From The Associated Press story by Anne Flaherty:

WASHINGTON — Amid a boisterous debate on health care reform, people flooded members of Congress on Thursday with so many e-mails that they overloaded the House's primary Web site.

Technical support issued a warning to congressional staff that the site — www.house.gov — may be slow or unresponsive because of the large volume of e-mail being sent to members.

Jeff Ventura, a spokesman for the House's chief administrative officer, which maintains the Web site, said traffic data was not available and could not be released without the lawmakers' consent.

But anecdotally, he said, the spike in e-mail volume was widely believed to be a result of the health care debate.

"It is clearly health care reform," Ventura said. "There's no doubt about it."
Lawmakers are in their home districts this month for the August recess, where a populist backlash has emerged in some quarters against President Barack Obama's plan to reform the nation's health care system.

Democrats are trying desperately to regain control of the debate, with the White House posting a new Web site designed to dispel what it called "the misinformation and baseless smears that are cropping up daily." House Democratic aides have set up a health care war room out of Majority Leader Steny Hoyer's office. It is designed to help lawmakers answer questions about the legislation.

If you want to try your luck, the Web site to reach members of Congress is
www.house.gov

State Rep. Curt Schroder is gearing up his Congressional campaign with the launch of a new Web site and the hiring of direct-mail and media consultants.

Schroder, who has represented the 155th House District in Chester County since 1995, is seeking the Republican nomination for the 6th Congressional District, which is being vacated by U.S. Jim Gerlach.

From a press release:

Schroder for Congress today announced the launch of its official Web site, Vote4Curt.com. The site provides biographical information and will also serve as a portal to connect visitors to the campaign's Twitter, Facebook and YouTube pages.

Visitors to the site can browse news items, sign-up to volunteer and contribute to the campaign.

Also today, the campaign announced that it has hired Hallowell, Branstetter & Long and The Strategy Group for Media as consultants.

Based in Harrisburg, Hallowell, Branstetter & Long is one of the nation's premier Republican mail firms and Pennsylvania's leading political consulting firm. Over the past decade, HBL has successfully handled over 200 major Pennsylvania campaigns, from statewide to county-wide races.

The Strategy Group for Media (SGM) is one of the nation's leading Republican media consulting companies. Based in Columbus, OH, the Strategy Group for Media has helped to elect more new Republican members to Congress in the last decade than any other media consulting group in the country.

The Strategy Group for Media has produced winning ads for dozens of candidates in Pennsylvania, including Rep. Joe Pitts. In recent years, the company has also served as media consultants to the Pennsylvania Republican Party, the Pennsylvania Senate Republican Campaign Committee and the Pennsylvania House Republican Campaign Committee. The American Association of Political Consultants has awarded SGM numerous "Pollie" awards for creative television and radio advertising, including five awards for work done during the 2008 election cycle.

Web site: Vote4Curt.com

Twitter: twitter.com/vote4curt

YouTube: youtube.com/vote4curt

So let me see if I get this straight. The "Cash for Clunkers" program is the only part of the $787 billion stimulus package that is working, so the Obama administration pulls the plug on it. Is that about right? Makes perfect sense.

House Minority Leader John Boehner made a good point today:

"There are a lot of questions about how the administration administered this program. If they can't handle something as simple as this, how would we handle health care?" the Ohio Republican told The Associated Press.

And this from Rep. Pete Hoekstra, R-Mich., who has heard complaints from dealerships about how incompetent the government is on a fairly straightforward program.

"The federal government can't process a simple rebate. I've got dealers who have submitted the paperwork three times and have gotten three rejections," Hoekstra told the AP. "What is a dealer supposed to do?"

Congressional Quarterly has released an analysis of the 2010 midterm Congressional elections, listing 100 competitive districts across the country, including eight toss-ups in Pennsylvania.

From the CQ analysis:

With 257 of the 435 U.S. House seats, Democrats are strongly favored to retain their majority in the 2010 elections -- though history points to party losses in the first midterm election of President Obama.

Most of the 435 congressional districts have such well-entrenched incumbents that the 2010 House races there will be landslides. But CQ Politics has preliminarily identified 100 districts, 59 of which are held by Democrats, where the contests should be highly or mildly competitive. Of these, CQ Politics rates three districts, all now held by Republicans, as leaning toward takeover by the challenging party: Louisiana 2nd Dist., Pennsylvania 6th Dist. and Illinois 10th Dist.

The Pennsylvania districts that CQ Politics lists as competitive are the 6th (held by Republican Jim Gerlach, who is not seeking re-election); the 12th (held by Democrat John Murtha); the 7th (held by Democrat Joe Sestak, who probably will not seek re-election); the 3rd (held by freshman Democrat Kathy Dahlkemper); the 4th (held by Democrat Jason Altmire); the 10th (held by Democrat Chris Carney; the 11th (held by Democrat Paul Kanjorski); and the 15th (held by Republican Charlie Dent).

While CQ Politics lists Dahlkemper, Altmire, Carney, Kanjorski and Murtha in the "favored to win" re-election column, it still sees the races as competitive. Same for Dent, who is "favored to win" in the 15th.

Pennsylvania's other 11 Congressional districts are listed in the "safe Democratic" or "safe Republican" columns.

Here's my take on the CQ analysis. The 6th District will go to the Democrats, but the 7th District should return to Republican control. Republicans have a good chance of unseating Dahlkemper, Carney, Kanjorski and Murtha. I don't see Altmire or Dent losing their seats.

The key to a Republican comeback in 2010 is how badly Barack Obama continues to stumble. If the economy is still in shambles, if U.S. foreign policy is still in disarray, if Obama continues to march the country toward socialism, expect huge GOP gains in Congress.

The 2010 Congressional elections will be a referendum on Obama. If "change" doesn't come real fast, look for voters to toss out career politicians like Murtha and Kanjorski to send a message to Obama.

To review other House races, visit CQ Politics online for an interactive map.

Things have deteriorated so much in Washington since Democrats took control of Congress that the Democratic doormats who populate the halls of Congress don't even have to pretend they know what they're doing. They simply do what Barack Obama and Nancy Pelosi tell them.

Via CNS News, check out the video above of House Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers (D-MI) in his own words:

"I love these members, they get up and say, 'Read the bill,'" said Conyers. "What good is reading the bill if it's a thousand pages and you don't have two days and two lawyers to find out what it means after you read the bill?" (CNS News, 7/27/09)

From the Republican Study Committee:

A better question might be, why not take the time to read and understand the bill so the American people can know what's in it before their health care gets taken over by the government? If it takes a senior member of Congress two lawyers to figure out the Democrat health care bill, how are middle class families expected to fare in their search for quality care?

Americans have a lot of questions about the Democrats' plans for health care, but it doesn't sound like they'll be getting any answers from Chairman Conyers.

I have two questions about Obamacare.

If this proposal is so much better than what we have now (80% of Americans have health insurance), why won't Barack Obama and his family, as well as members of Congress and their families, be covered under Obamacare?

If the goal is to cover all Americans and provide them with better health care, why can't we have the same plan that politicians get?

Second, why the rush? Why the artificial deadline of Congress' August recess?

If this is an improvement over the current system, why hide so much of it and push it through Congress before anyone has had a chance to read the 1,000-plus pages of the bill?

We rushed into a bank bailout plan that has failed. We rushed into a bailout of the auto industry that resulted in two of the three major U.S. car companies going bankrupt. We rushed into a "stimulus" package that has failed. We rushed into an energy bill (cap-and-trade) that does nothing to address our energy needs but imposes a huge tax burden on everyone who uses electricity.

So why are we rushing to adopt a "reform" of the health care system without adequate debate?

From a column by in today's New York Post by Michael D. Tanner, a Cato Institute senior fellow and co-author of "Healthy Competition: What's Holding Back Health Care and How to Free It" --

Health care represents one-sixth of the US economy, and some of the most important, personal and private decisions in people's lives. Reform will affect everything from jobs to what treatments your doctor can prescribe. It will cost well over $1 trillion over the next 10 years, more beyond that, and impose enormous costs on the economy and higher taxes on millions of Americans. If we get health-care reform wrong, it won't be easy to go back and fix it.

Read the full column at the newspaper's Web site.

They rushed through a TARP bailout for banks that is full of fraud, waste and mismanagement.

They rushed through a $787 billion "stimulus" bill that is full of pork spending and has failed to create any jobs.

They rushed through an energy bill that is really a huge energy tax in disguise.

Now Barack Obama and Congressional Democrats want to rush through a $1.5 trillion government-run health care overhaul.

Haven't we learned anything from the mistakes of the past six months?

Paul Howard, director of the Center for Medical Progress at the Manhattan Institute for Policy Research, and Tarren Bragdon, chief executive officer of the Maine Heritage Policy Center, want to know why the rush to turn health care over to the government.

From their column in Investor's Business Daily:

Rather than fix the system's underlying problems (the tax treatment of health insurance and perverse payment systems in the Medicare and Medicaid programs), Democrats stand poised to heap more taxes, fees and regulations on private businesses and insurers. The only hope for fiscal sanity is the public's growing unease with Congress' profligate spending.

The Congressional Budget Office scored the original Kennedy-Dodd bill (from the Senate health committee) costing $1.5 trillion over 10 years, with similar tallies for other bills in the House and Senate.

The oddity is that White House experts suggest that as much as 30% of all health care spending — about $700 billion annually — in the U.S. is wasted every year, more than enough to pay for health coverage expansions and still have plenty left to pay down the deficit.

So where's the savings in Democrats' legislation?

Read the full column, "How To Stop This Rush To Failure And Fix What Really Needs Fixing," at the newspaper's Web site.

The Institute for Health Freedom wants Americans to know what's included in the Obamacare bill making its way through Congress:

* Eliminates Existing Private Insurance Coverage (i.e., Eliminates Your Choice of Insurance that Is Not "Acceptable" to the Federal Government, But Is Just Fine With You and Your Family)

* Includes the AMA-Backed/Insurance Industry-Backed Mandate for Individuals to Purchase Health Insurance

* Denies Coverage for Unlicensed Alternative Providers

* Paves the Way for Use of Machine-Readable Health-Plan ID Cards for Everyone

* Establishes a "Real Time" Data System (to Determine Financial Responsibility and Eligibility for Health Care)

* Promotes Child Home Visits

* Moves 83.4 million people from private to public insurance

* Includes a Single-Payer Health-Care Amendment

* Requires Everyone to Buy a Health Plan Essentially Written by the Federal HHS Secretary

Read more at the link below:

Mandate for Health Insurance: Inconvenient Truths About How It Will Affect You and Your Family

Why the rush?

America's third largest party urges Congress to take its time deliberating the proposed government takeover of the nation's health care system amid pressure from the Obama White House to quickly adopt the troubled proposal with minimal debate and most members of Congress not having read the bill.

From a release issued by the Libertarian Party:

Libertarians oppose the plan, which deepens the federal budget deficit and leads to the rationing of basic health care.

"As confidence in President Obama's plans for a federal government takeover of medicine plunges, the White House is pressuring legislators to rush to judgment while the plan can still be salvaged," said William Redpath, Libertarian National Committee Chairman. "We urge Congress to deliberate this massive government takeover carefully, take their time to allow Americans to read the full bill and then vote down this legislative disaster."

A poll conducted independently by the Gallup organization, not for any party or group, and released today shows disapproval of the Obama plan tops approval among adults by a 50 percent to 44 percent margin. Among political independents, the gap grows. Fifty-five percent of independents disapprove of Obama’s plan. Only 40 percent approve.

"The more we find out about the Democrat plan, whether it's the language on page 16 outlawing private insurance or Section 440 empowering government to visit your home and monitor your parenting, the more obvious it becomes why President Obama wants as little transparency as possible. As we saw during the rush to the Iraq war, nothing good can happen when the president demands Congress give him what he wants immediately and without debate," said Redpath.

The Libertarian Party is America's third-largest political party, founded in 1971 as an alternative to the two main political parties. You can find more information on the Libertarian Party by visiting http://www.LP.org.

Barack Obama will use a prime-time televised news conference tonight to salvage his government-run health care plan. Good luck with that.

From Rasmussen Reports:

The health care reform legislation working its way through Congress has lost support over the past month. The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey shows that 44% of U.S. voters are at least somewhat in favor of the reform effort while 53% are at least somewhat opposed.

Today's 44% level of support is down from 46% two weeks ago, and 50% in late June.

Opposition has grown from 45% in late June to 49% two weeks ago and 53% today. As in earlier surveys, those with strong opinions are more likely to oppose the plan rather than support it. The current numbers: 24% strongly favor and 37% strongly oppose.

The tide has turned. The more Americans learn about Obamacare, the less they like it. That's why Obama and Pelosi are trying to ram the bill through Congress before the August break. Like the stimulus bill and the cap-and-trade energy tax, the fewer membes of Congress who read the bill, the better chance it has of passing.

Read more numbers from the Rasmussen poll at Rasmussen Reports.

Let Freedom Ring, a free-market advocacy group headed by former Chester County Commissioner Colin Hanna, has set up a Web site where members of Congress can sign a pledge to read health care reform legislation before voting on it.

This is a big deal considering nobody in Congress who voted for the failed "stimulus" bill bothered to read it before voting to support it.

So far, just 72 members of Congress have signed the Responsible Healthcare Reform Pledge, but more are being added daily.

From Pennsylvania, four Republicans -- Reps. Charlie Dent, Jim Gerlach, Joe Pitts and Todd Platts -- have signed.

Are you surprised that not a single Democrat from Pennsylvania has signed the pledge? Why should they? They rubber-stamped everything Barack Obama sends down the pike. Talk about the blind leading the blind.

For more information, check out www.pledgetoread.com

Another Chester County Republican officeholder is interested in running for Jim Gerlach's Congressional seat.

A day after state Rep. Curt Schroder, R-155, announced he is a candidate for the seat now held by Gerlach, Chester County Recorder of Deeds Ryan Costello said Wednesday he is exploring a run for Congress.

Gerlach announced Tuesday he will no seek a fifth term so he can pursue the GOP nomination for Pennsylvania governor in 2010.

Costello, an attorney in Phoenixville, was elected Chester County Recorder of Deeds in 2007. He is also the former chairman of the East Vincent Township Board of Supervisors.

"I have a serious interest in the 6th District Congressional seat, and in the coming weeks I'm going to continue to talk to the taxpayers and community and party leaders who I know are equally concerned about the excessive spending in Washington and the ramifications for future generations," Costello said in a prepared statement. "We need to create jobs and promote economic development in the Tri-County region by eliminating regressive business taxes and reducing health care costs for employers so they can begin to grow and prosper again. As Recorder I see first-hand the impact of regional real estate trends on families and seniors and the only way to stimulate the housing market is to stimulate the job market."

Costello used the announcement that he is thinking about running for Gerlach's U.S. House seat, to take a few shots at the big-government atmosphere in Washington, D.C.

"I think the stimulus bill was too much money, spread over too long a period of time, and has been ineffective in lowering unemployment and getting the economy moving again because a majority of the dollars didn't go to a failing transportation and infrastructure system and small businesses who are struggling to keep the lights on," Costello said. "I don't think expansion of government welfare programs is the correct response to our current problems."

More from a press release issued by Costello:

An attorney with the O'Donnell, Weiss & Mattei, P.C., law firm, practicing in their real estate and business departments, Costello also emphasized he has familiarity with the 6th Congressional District.

Born in Phoenixville, and a graduate of Owen J. Roberts high school, Ursinus College, and Villanova law school, Costello remarked, "I am familiar and know the Chester, Montgomery and Berks county region well. My experience as an attorney advocating for economic development projects, and understanding how to get projects done, is a positive attribute to a congressional candidacy in these times. And my elective office experience as a countywide Republican elected official is one I am proud of."

"I know this district well, and having volunteered on each of Congressman Gerlach's campaigns, I know what it will take to keep this a Republican district. I have the energy to run an aggressive campaign, and the experience and intelligence to be a strong, thoughtful candidate with common sense ideas that reflect this diverse district."

First Joe Biden, then Barack Obama and now Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke are fessing up they don't know what they're doing when it comes to the U.S. economy.

The Federal Reserve predicted today that unemployment will top 10 percent, despite earlier assurances from Obama that it would not go higher than 8 percent if his stimulus package was approved.

With more than 15 million Americans out of work and an additional 500,000 losing their jobs every week, there's no end in sight for the Obama recession.

Writing in The Wall Street Journal, Mort Zuckerman, chairman and editor in chief of U.S. News & World Report, says the unemployment picture is much worse than the government is letting on.

From his column:

Job losses may last well into 2010 to hit an unemployment peak close to 11%. That unemployment rate may be sustained for an extended period.

Can we find comfort in the fact that employment has long been considered a lagging indicator? It is conventionally seen as having limited predictive power since employment reflects decisions taken earlier in the business cycle. But today is different. Unemployment has doubled to 9.5% from 4.8% in only 16 months, a rate so fast it may influence future economic behavior and outlook.

How could this happen when Washington has thrown trillions of dollars into the pot, including the famous $787 billion in stimulus spending that was supposed to yield $1.50 in growth for every dollar spent? For a start, too much of the money went to transfer payments such as Medicaid, jobless benefits and the like that do nothing for jobs and growth. The spending that creates new jobs is new spending, particularly on infrastructure. It amounts to less than 10% of the stimulus package today.

Read the full column, "The Economy Is Even Worse Than You Think," at the newspaper's Web site.

Just hours after U.S. Rep. Jim Gerlach announced he will not seek re-election to Pennsylvania's 6th Congressional seat, a fellow Chester County politician announced plans to run for Gerlach's seat.

State Rep. Curt Schroder, R-155th Dist., is seeking the Republican nomination for the 6th Congressional District, which includes portions of Berks, Chester and Montgomery counties and a sliver of Lehigh County.

"I have decided to enter this race to ensure that the values that built our country remain for our children, that we encourage the policies of entrepreneurism, limited government and to preserve the economic future of our nation," Schroder said in a written statement.

Schroder added, "America's greatness comes from free enterprise and hard working families, not government bailouts and bureaucracy. I will bring my passion for public service and Pennsylvania values to Washington to better our community and nation."

Gerlach, who is giving up a shot for a fifth term in Congress to run for Pennsylvania governor in 2010, first won the 6th District seat in 2002 but has had a difficult time holding the seat against well-financed Democratic opposition.

Gerlach typically loses the Montgomery County portion of the district, but does well in the more conservative areas of Chester and Berks counties.

Schroder, a fiscal and social conservative, will probably employ the same strategy if he wins the GOP nomination. He's already taken shots of the growing deficits of the Obama administration.

"This binge of bailouts and borrowing will come to an end if I have anything to say about it!" Schroder said.

Here's some background information about Schroder released by his campaign:

A lifelong resident of Chester County, Schroder grew up in the Downingtown area and now lives in East Brandywine with his wife, Deanna, and two children, Mark and Kristen.

After graduating from Downingtown High School in 1979, Curt attended Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP). Summers were spent working in the steamy environs of the Davey Paper Company where he earned money for the next year of college. After graduating from IUP in 1983, Curt went to Widener School of Law’s evening division in Wilmington Delaware at night while working for the Philadelphia law firm German, Gallagher and Murtagh during the day. Schroder practiced law with German, Gallagher after graduating law school and passing the bar exam.

First elected to the state House in 1994, Schroder has been an effective advocate for legislative issues and a champion for our communities in Harrisburg. During his time in the legislature, Curt has been a leader in many issues including health care and government reform. Schroder lead efforts to reform medical malpractice and preserve our health care system. Schroder also spearheaded efforts to reform the PA General Assembly and preserve the secret ballot rights of workers.

Schroder believes strongly in community service and serves in a number of community organizations. He serves on the Boards of Brandywine Hospital and Brandywine YMCA. He previously served on the Chester County Drug and Alcohol Advisory Board and as a member of the East Brandywine Township Planning Commission.

Schroder has received numerous honors for his work in the House and here at home. He was presented with Leadership Awards from both the Hospital and Healthcare Association of Pennsylvania (HAP) and the Delaware Valley Health Care Council, the 2004 Friend of Family Medicine Award from the Academy of Family Physicians, and Legislator of the Year from the Pennsylvania Orthopedic Society.

Schroder received the first Matthew J. Ryan Legislator of the Year Award in 2004 from the Chester County Chamber Foundation. He was named Legislator of the Year by the TriCounty Chamber of Commerce in 2002 and again in 2006. Schroder was honored as the Outstanding Citizen of the Year in 1998 by the Downingtown Chamber of Commerce for his work in revitalizing the Borough. In 2007, Curt was named the first recipient of the Sen. Robert. J. Thompson Public Service Award by the Exton Region Chamber of Commerce and was also presented with the Citizenship Award from the Pennsylvania VFW for his commitment to fostering patriotism. More recently Curt Schroder received recognition from the Upper Uwchlan and West Vincent Township Police Departments for his work on the Route 100 Safety Corridor Project.

No word yet on a "Schroder for Congress" Web site, but you can learn more about his tenure in the state House of Representatives at www.curtschroder.com. You can also follow Schroder on Facebook.

I like Jim Gerlach. He's been my Congressman for the past 7 years. I voted for him in 2002, 2004, 2006 and 2008. He's done a good job. I've met him on several occasions. He's smart and affable. He knows the issues and has done a good job taking care of his constituents. I'd vote for him for just about any political office.

Having said that, I believe Gerlach is making a huge mistake giving up his 6th District Congressional seat to run for Pennsylvania governor in 2010. It's not that he wouldn't make a good governor. He'd be a big improvement over Ed Rendell, the current tax-and-spend liberal occupying the governor's mansion. The problem with Gerlach's decision is that he has no chance of winning. He'll never make it past the GOP primary next spring.

Tom Corbett will be the Republican nominee for governor in 2010. Corbett has proven himself in two statewide runs for Attorney General. Gerlach is not known outside SE Pennsylvania and can't raise the kind of cash Corbett can to make a successful run for statewide office.

Gerlach may be testing the waters in 2010 for a future statewide run for governor or Senate, but in the meantime, he's is going to give up a Republican seat in Congress to a Democrat.

That's the part that bothers me about Gerlach's decision. The 6th Congressional District (parts of Montgomery, Chester and Berks counties) has been trending Democratic in recent years and only Gerlach, a fiscal conservative with moderate social views, can hold the seat.

Without Gerlach on the ballot, Democrats will have the edge in winning the 6th Congressional seat in 2010 ... and Republicans may never get it back.

Here is the press release issued today announcing Congressman Jim Gerlach's decicion to run for Pennsylvania governor:

Gerlach Pledges to Create Jobs, Cut Government Spending & Waste and Make Pennsylvania the Leader in America's Energy Independent Future

Exton, PA - Jim Gerlach, a western Pennsylvania native and four-term United States Congressman from Chester County, will run for the Republican nomination for Governor of Pennsylvania next spring. Gerlach is the only Republican to formally declare his candidacy for Governor.

"The economic challenges Pennsylvania faces over the coming years demand proven, fiscally conservative leadership, and a successful record of dealing with a wide-range of tough issues. From cutting state spending, income taxes and welfare rolls, I have been on the front lines for years fighting for smaller government and greater efficiency in Harrisburg and Washington. Our next Governor must employ those values and put them to work in Harrisburg, and make Pennsylvania a competitive place to do business so we can create jobs and put families back to work. It's that simple," said Gerlach.

"The debate in Harrisburg of raising state income taxes by 16 percent, creating a new tax on one of the most promising energy industries in Pennsylvania, and increasing spending in one of the worst budgets in a generation show the need for new leadership. I cannot sit back and Pennsylvania taxpayers cannot afford to allow the proponents of larger, unsustainable government to prevail. One of my top priorities will be to enact results-based budgeting with performance benchmarks on state spending. This will insure that taxpayers aren't funding failing government programs year after year without seeing any return on the investment of their hard-earned dollars. My campaign will focus on restoring fiscal sanity to Harrisburg, increasing accountability and cutting waste, creating jobs and making Pennsylvania the leader in America's energy independent future," Gerlach continued.

"It has been a privilege and an honor to serve the residents of the 6th Congressional District for more than six years. But I believe the best place for me to improve the lives of Pennsylvania's taxpayers, families and seniors is as Governor. It is not a decision I made lightly. However, it became clear after careful deliberation with my wife Karen, our six kids, friends, constituents, party leaders and grassroots folks across the state who want to re-energize our state Republican Party, give voters a choice next spring and create a bright economic future for the next generation of Pennsylvanians."

To date, Congressman Gerlach has secured over $1 million in financial commitments for his gubernatorial run on top of the $200,000 in exploratory funding raised since February. In addition, 100% of his federal campaign funds are transferable to his statewide gubernatorial campaign committee. A formal statewide announcement tour and kick-off fundraising events are being planned for the near future.

"I did not want to wait any longer to make this announcement. I know our team will need plenty of time to formalize our support and organize the campaign's infrastructure. In addition, I know full well how competitive a 2010 open seat congressional race will become, and I owe it to our Party's candidates to ensure they have enough time to raise the money and support to be successful," added Gerlach.

Gerlach is in Washington, D.C. as debate begins on Democrat plans to put government bureaucrats in charge of the nation's healthcare system. Back in February, Gerlach voted against the bloated federal stimulus package and was the first in Pennsylvania to call on Governor Ed Rendell to establish a stimulus oversight commission to protect and monitor billions of dollars in federal aid from waste, abuse and mismanagement.

For more on Gerlach, visit his campaign Web site, http://www.gerlachforpa.com/

The Obama energy tax passed the House by a 219-212 margin, but it can be stopped in the Senate. If you don't want to pay nearly $2 trillion in new taxes on electricity and other forms of energy to give more money to Al Gore and his global warming cabal, contact your U.S. senator and tell him to vote NO on "cap and trade."

From a recent editorial in Investor's Business Daily:

At this point in a normal downturn lasting 11 months, the economy should be booming — with big jumps in GDP and 300,000 new jobs each month coming mostly from the private sector.

But 18 months into this downturn, we're still losing jobs — with 2.7 million gone in the private sector just since January, when the Democrats took full control of the government.

Shrinking GDP has crushed investment. First quarter gross private domestic investment — a proxy for business investment — plunged 20%, or nearly $450 billion, annually. The outlook is grim.

Worse, the June jobs data mark a milestone of sorts: Our unemployment rate equals that of the no-growth Eurozone nations.

Why is this job decline happening? The private sector — the real engine of economic and job growth — won't hire because it's scared of what it sees coming out of Washington.

On the horizon, as far as the eye can see, are higher taxes, uncontrolled spending and layers upon layers of new regulations.

Who would hire new workers faced with that?

Read the full editorial at the newspaper's Web site.

Congressman Joe Pitts (PA-16) has endorsed Pat Toomey for the United States Senate and released the following statement:

"Pat Toomey is the right candidate. No one else comes close.

"I worked with Pat in Congress for six years. He is one of the smartest people I've ever known. He's also one of the most caring and passionate people I've served with. A lot of politicians have lost credibility in recent years. Pat Toomey isn't one of them. Pat has good ideas that he actually believes in, and he will work hard to make people's lives better.

"Pat Toomey is a bona fide fiscal conservative at a time when Washington desperately needs more of them. Pat knows where jobs and prosperity come from, and he knows they don’t come from Washington.

"Pat has strong convictions, but they are convictions with bipartisan appeal. Pat proved during his three terms in Congress that he has the ability to inspire Democrats and Republicans alike.

"Pat Toomey is going to win this race. He is principled, thoughtful, caring, and qualified."

For more on Toomey's bid for a U.S. Senate seat from Pennsylvania, visit his campaign Web site, www.toomeyforsenate.com

U.S. Senate candidate Pat Toomey is reaching across the aisle to extend a pat on the back to four Democratic members of the Pennsylvania Congressional delegation for their recent vote against the cap and trade bill.

The climate change tax bill passed the House by a 219-212 margin, with 44 Democrats voting against it.

Toomey commended Democratic Reps. Jason Altmire (PA-04); Chris Carney (PA-10); Tim Holden (PA-17); and Kathy Dahlkemper (PA-03) for "joining the bipartisan opposition to the cap-and-trade bill that promises to raise taxes and destroy American jobs."

More from a Toomey press release:

"Along with 40 other Democrats, these Pennsylvania Democrats had the courage to stand up to one-party rule in Washington," Toomey said. "They understand that protecting the environment is an important goal, but they are not willing to sacrifice American prosperity and hardworking taxpayers in the process. It is a shame Rep. Joe Sestak (PA-07) couldn't muster up the same courage. Instead, he voted to support Nancy Pelosi's extreme agenda. The question is, will Senator Specter choose the same path?"

"Only a couple of weeks ago, Senator Specter argued in support of maintaining balance in Washington in order to protect the country from extremism," said Toomey Communications Director Nachama Soloveichik. "He told The Hill newspaper that 'The United States desperately needs a two-party system.' But now that he has joined the Democratic Party, he seems intent on marching in lockstep with his new party in order to avoid a Democratic primary, even if it means throwing hardworking Americans under the bus. Senator Specter has the chance to prove he is serious about bringing balance to Washington — will he have the courage to do it?"

For more on Toomey's bid for a U.S. Senate seat from Pennsylvania, visit his campaign Web site, www.toomeyforsenate.com

Democrats control the House of Representatives by a 255-178 majority, but Nancy Pelosi could barely muster enough votes to pass the $1.9 trillion cap and trade energy tax.

In fact, the Democrats didn't have enough votes until 8 Republicans crossed over to support the largest tax increase in U.S. history.

Michelle Malkin has the names and photos of the 8 turncoat Republicans who sold out the U.S. taxpayer to appease the global warming fanatics.

Electricity rates (and all energy costs) will skyrocket for American families and businesses if the cap and trade bill passes the Senate. Barack Obama has already vowed to sign the tax increase into law.

Read Malkin's full post, "The 8 cap-and-tax Republicans…and the 44 Democrats who voted no" at her blog.

And be sure to remember their names when they're up for re-election in 2010.

Republican Party of Pennsylvania Chairman Rob Gleason released the following statement regarding the Congressional Democrats' "cap and trade" energy tax:

"I am deeply concerned by President Obama and the Democrat's support for the national energy tax known as 'cap and trade'," Gleason said. "'Cap and trade' is an impractical approach to energy independence and will kill jobs and tax millions of hardworking families. In these difficult economic times, it is wrong to force the average American family to pay an extra $1200 in energy costs when many are struggling just to make ends' meet.

"'Cap and trade' will have a devastating effect on Pennsylvanians who work in the energy industry, particularly in the coal and natural gas sectors. Our Commonwealth deserves a comprehensive energy plan. Instead of a massive tax increase that will force millions of jobs overseas, we need to pursue 'all of the above' energy strategies that will decrease our dependence on foreign sources of energy while keeping jobs here at home.

"I urge all members of the Pennsylvania Congressional Delegation to stand up for common sense and stand against this destructive tax increase."

According to the nonpartisan Tax Foundation, implementing 'cap and trade' would cost this country $144.8 billion, or $1,218 per household. (Andrew Chamberlain, "Who Pays for Climate Policy? New Estimates of the Household Burden and Economic Impact Of A U.S. Cap-And-Trade System," Tax Foundation Working Paper #6, 3/16/09)

In order to demonstrate high costs of 'cap and trade' legislation on hardworking families, the Republican Party of Pennsylvania will be hand-delivering candles to our Democrat colleagues today. If a national energy tax is implemented in this country, candles will be the only way many Americans will be able to afford to light their homes.

Congressman Mike Pence, chairman of the House Republican Conference, made the following statement on the House floor in regards to the Democrats' $1.9 trillion national energy tax:

"The Old Book contains an admonition to lawmakers with these words: ‘Woe to you because you load people down with burdens they can hardly carry and you yourselves will not lift a finger to help them.' In the midst of the worst economy in a generation, remarkably House Democrats are poised this week to load the American people down with a national energy tax. And the American people deserve to know it.

"Now, there's lots of debate about what this bill will cost the average American but there is no dispute the Democrat cap and trade bill will raise the cost of energy to every household in America, every small business, every family farm, and it will cost millions of American jobs. And the vote is tomorrow.

"If you oppose the national energy tax, I say call your congressman. If you think the Democrat cap and trade bill will cap growth and trade jobs, call your congressman. If you believe the American people deserve an all-of-the-above energy strategy that will create jobs, achieve energy independence and a cleaner environment then endorse the Republican alternative, call your congressman.

"A minority in Congress plus the American people equals a majority. We can reject cap and trade this week and so we must."

America's third largest political party is warning that Nancy Pelosi and House Democrats are rushing toward a massive new energy tax on American families known as "cap and trade," or the Waxman-Markey bill.

"With unemployment rising above and beyond what President Obama said it would be with the multi-hundred billion dollar stimulus bill, now is not the time to dismantle our economy with a multi-hundred billion dollar energy tax hike," said William Redpath of the Libertarian Party.

"Libertarians urge House members to defeat this job-killing tax hike on Americans," said Redpath. "Libertarian candidates are out there every day proposing proven solutions to create the jobs we need and restore our prosperity. This $1.9 trillion tax hike would destroy millions of jobs and impose dramatically higher prices for everything."

More from a Libertarian Party release:

At nearly 1,000 pages, H.R. 2454, sponsored by Democrat Reps. Henry Waxman and Edward Markey, imposes new taxes on any economic activity that produces carbon dioxide. Pelosi hopes to rush the bill to a vote, despite no net temperature increase globally over the last decade, significant research showing man-made carbon dioxide isn't changing the climate and opposition from thousands of scientists.

The economic impact would be harsh. According to research from the independent, non-partisan Heritage Foundation, the bill would have devastating impacts on the average American family.

The research found that by 2035, gasoline prices would increase 58 percent, natural gas prices would increase 55 percent, prices for home heating oil would increase 56 percent, and worst of all, electricity prices would jump 90 percent.

While the average American would pay the tax once in the form of higher energy prices, they also pay it again in higher costs for goods that must be manufactured and services that must be provided using energy.

The average family of four could see $2,979 in higher prices per year, paying $4,609 more in 2035 alone. The total costs to the average family in higher prices, from 2012 to 2035, reach $71,493.

The bill would also destroy millions of jobs, even taking into account Obama administration promises of new “green” jobs. The research finds an average annual job loss of 1,145,000 jobs per year because of Waxman-Markey. In the worst years, 2,479,000 Americans will lose their jobs annually under Waxman-Markey.

Rep. Joe Pitts, a Republican who represents Pennsylvania's 16th Congressional District, is a straight shooter, especially when it comes to looking out for the taxpayer.

Pitts is warning that Nancy Pelosi and Democrats are rushing the Waxman-Markey energy tax bill through the House before taxpayers can figure out how much it's going to cost them.

From a statement issued by Pitts:

"Every American should be gravely concerned about this legislation. Protecting the environment is extremely important, but we should do so wisely and carefully. This is reckless and extreme legislation that will hurt people who are already suffering and do significant damage to the American economy. It will drive manufacturing jobs out of the country to places like China. It will hurt American competitiveness in the world economy. Pennsylvania will be among the hardest hit states.

"The economics of this are simple: affordable energy is critical to prosperity. This legislation will make energy much more expensive. That translates to a less prosperous America with higher poverty rates, higher taxes, and a much bigger national debt. The right way to protect the environment is to make clean energy cheaper by encouraging proven sources of clean energy like wind, solar, and nuclear along with the development of cutting-edge technologies like plug-in hybrid cars and hydrogen fuel cells.

"I will be offering amendments to this bill in an attempt to limit its damage to the economy. However, I expect Democratic leaders to block votes on those amendments."

Pitts is a member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, which has primary jurisdiction over the legislation. He is also a member of the committee's Energy and Environment Subcommittee.

The American people are no longer being fooled by the Democrats' "stimulus" boondoggle, which has failed to create jobs or jump-start the U.S. economy.

From Rasmussen Reports:

Forty-five percent (45%) of Americans say the rest of the new government spending authorized in the $787-billion economic stimulus plan should now be canceled.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey found that just 36% disagree and 20% are not sure. According to news reports, only $36 billion of the stimulus plan had been spent as of late May.

According to news reports, only $36 billion of the stimulus plan had been spent as of late May.

Just 20% of adults say the tax cuts included in the stimulus plan should be canceled while 55% disagree. The stimulus plan includes $288 billion in tax cuts.

Read the full poll results at Rasmussen Reports.

Close to 7 million seniors -- 1 in every 7 -- will receive a smaller Social Security check next year, according to a new analysis by The Senior Citizens League

Millions of other seniors who do not have their Medicare premiums automatically deducted from their checks will also have fewer Social Security dollars leftover next year, the League says.

All this is happening while the Obama Administration spends billions on wars, foreign aid and bailouts for his rich benefactors. What about ordinary American citizens?

Learn what you can do to pressure Barack Obama and Congressional Democrats on this important issue at the link below.

One in Seven Seniors Faces Social Security Check Cuts in 2010

A state lawmaker from Chester County is interested in running for Congressman Jim Gerlach's 6th Congressional District seat if Gerlach ends up running for Pennsylvania governor in 2010, according to CQ Politics.

State Rep. Curt Schroder, R-155, has been a member of the Pennsylvania House since 1995. A staunch conservative and thorn in the Harrisburg establishment, Schroder has organized a campaign committee with the Federal Election Commission to allow him to raise money for a possible Congressional bid, says CQ Politics.

From the CQ Politics post:

Schroder, who couldn't be reached for comment Thursday, was first elected in 1994 from a legislative district in Chester County, which is one of four counties from which the 6th claims territory. The Democrats haven’t fielded a candidate against Schroder in any of his seven re-election campaigns.

But Schroder would be put to the test in the 6th District, where Barack Obama took 58 percent of the vote in the 2008 election. Pennsylvania's 6th is one of just six districts that voted for Obama and also for John Kerry in 2004 that is presently represented in the House by a Republican.

Gerlach bucked the Democratic trend in his district, but just barely: he took 51 percent of the vote in 2002, 2004 and 2006 and 52 percent of the vote in 2008.

Here's the scoop on Gerlach. Although he has set up an exploratory committee, he will not run for governor, but will seek reelection to his 6th District seat for three reasons: 1) Gerlach trails Pennsylvania Attorney General Tom Corbett in the polls and is unlikely to make up any ground; 2) Gerlach has never run a statewide race is a virtual unknown in most of Pennsylvania; 3) Gerlach is the only Republican who can hold the 6th District seat and will be under tremendous pressure from GOP leadership to seek another term.

As for Schroder, there's nothing wrong with being the first announced Republican to show interest in the seat on the very slim chance Gerlach decides not to seek reelection, but Schroder's future is in a House leadership position should Republicans regain control of the state House in 2010.

For more on Schroder, visit his web site, http://www.curtschroder.com/

For more on Gerlach, visit http://www.gerlachforpa.com/

The Center for Public Integrity has posted all sorts of information on a new section of its Web site called The Climate Change Lobby, examining "the forces attempting to influence this pivotal issue."

From the Web site:

As Congress focused last week on landmark legislation to reduce global warming, the timing of this release — which includes a list of the top 10 firms representing climate change interests — couldn't have been better. It's a great reminder of how essential our in-depth investigations have become, keeping the public clued in to issues that other news organizations increasingly can't cover."

In other words, it's all about money. Lobbyists, special interest groups, corporations and politicians stand to make billions by diverting your tax dollars to solve a non-existent problem.

The Center for Public Integrity is a nonprofit organization dedicated to producing original, responsible investigative journalism on issues of public concern. The Center is non-partisan and non-advocacy, according to its Web site.

Check out The Climate Change Lobby here.

What's behind the move in Congress to enact a global warming tax on the beleaguered American taxpayer?

"The public is told that climate change legislation is urgently needed to save the planet. But the evidence that the global warming scare is all about power and politics, not the environment, keeps piling up," notes Investor's Business Daily.

From an IBD editorial:

The legislation might not get such a cushy ride on the House floor. Rep. Collin Peterson, a Minnesota Democrat who chairs the House Agriculture Committee, is threatening to derail it and says he has the support of 40 to 50 other Democrats.

Peterson is not opposing Waxman-Markey because he's a skeptic of global warming. Nothing so noble as that. His opposition is purely political. He wants parliamentary power over the bill. Should he fail to get it, he's willing to sink the legislation.

Which brings up the question: If global warming were a grave threat, wouldn't getting a CO2 emissions restriction law passed and signed take precedence over lawmakers' objections on behalf of their constituents?

The fact that Peterson and so many Democrats would rather have no bill than to let it become law without input from the Agriculture Committee exposes the global warming scare: It's not about the environment — it's about power and politics.

Read the full editorial, "Where's The Crisis?" at the newspaper's Web site.

The U.S. House of Representatives voted 252-172 Thursday to reject a measure pushed by Republicans to investigate House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's assertion that the CIA misled her on the use of torture.

Odd that Democrats don't want to know the truth, isn't it?

The evidence is overwhelming that Pelosi knew about the "enhanced interrogation" techniques and signed off on them, but Democrats don't want to dig too deep for fear of exposing their leader as a habitual liar.

Here's a roll call of Pennsylvania House members, with a "yes" vote signifying they don't want to investigate Pelosi. Hint: Every Democrat voted to cover up Pelosi's lying.

Democrats — Altmire, Y; Brady, Y; Carney, Y; Dahlkemper, Y; Doyle, Y; Fattah, Y; Holden, Y; Kanjorski, Y; Murphy, Patrick, Y; Murtha, Y; Schwartz, Y; Sestak, Y.

Republicans — Dent, N; Gerlach, N; Pitts, N; Platts, N; Shuster, N; Thompson, N.

Nat Hentoff is a leading authority on the First Amendment and the Bill of Rights. He also happens to be one of the most liberal syndicated columnist in the country. So when Hentoff wants to discuss how the Democratic majority in the House of Representatives has clearly violated the Constitution by passing a law to target "thought crime," everyone needs to pay attention.

From a recent Hentoff column:

Why is the press remaining mostly silent about the so-called "hate crimes law" that passed in the House on April 29? The Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act passed in a 249-175 vote (17 Republicans joined with 231 Democrats).

These Democrats should have been tested on their knowledge of the First Amendment, equal protection of the laws (14th Amendment), and the prohibition of double jeopardy (no American can be prosecuted twice for the same crime or offense). If they had been, they would have known that this proposal, now headed for a Senate vote, violates all these constitutional provisions.

This bill would make it a federal crime to willfully cause bodily injury (or try to) because of the victim's actual or PERCEIVED "race, color, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or disability" — as explained on the White House Web site, signaling the president's approval. A defendant convicted on these grounds would be charged with a "hate crime" in addition to the original crime, and would get EXTRA prison time.

Liberal fascism is upon us. And if Obama stacks the Supreme Court with far-left idealogues, who will be left to protect our Constitutional rights? This could help explain the rise in gun ownership in this country.

Read Hentoff's full column here.

Former U.S. Sen. George McGovern, a liberal icon and the Democratic Party's 1972 presidential candidate, blows the whistle on his party's efforts to force unions on American companies with the Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA), also known as "Card Check."

From McGovern's column in The Wall Street Journal:

The recent news that Pennsylvania Sen. Arlen Specter has become a member of the Democratic caucus has given new life to legislation that many thought had been put to rest for this Congress -- the Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA).

Last year, I wrote on these pages that I was opposed to this bill because it would eliminate secret ballots in union organizing elections. However, the bill has an additional feature that isn't often mentioned but that is just as troublesome -- compulsory arbitration.

This feature would give the government the power to step into labor disputes where employers and labor leaders cannot reach an agreement and compel both sides to accept a contract. Compulsory arbitration is bound to trigger the law of unintended consequences.

Read the full column, "The 'Free Choice' Act Is Anything But," at the newspaper's Web site.

From a March 6, 2009, post at this blog:

Specter's only option for retaining his Senate seat is to switch his party affiliation to Democrat. The question is, would the Democrats take him back?

Well, I guess we found out the answer today.

Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele issued the following statement:

"Let's be honest: Senator Specter didn't leave the GOP based on principles of any kind. He left to further his personal political interests because he knew that he was going to lose a Republican primary due to his left-wing voting record. Republicans look forward to beating Sen. Specter in 2010, assuming the Democrats don't do it first."

Pennsylvania GOP Chairman Rob Gleason suggested Specter give back campaign contributions he received from Republicans now that he's abandoned the party.

Keep this in mind, also from my earlier post:

Pennsylvania is trending blue and the Democrats could win the Senate seat without Specter, so why take a GOP retread when the Dems could run a younger, more liberal candidate. If Specter can wheel-and-deal his way to the Democratic Party nomination, it sets up a November 2010 showdown between Toomey and Specter. And that's a toss-up.

Avoiding a primary fight against the GOP's Pat Toomey is not the end of Specter's problems.

Can Specter win the Democratic primary in 2010? Stay tuned.

U.S. Rep. Patrick Murphy spends a lot of time trying to fool voters in Bucks County that he's a moderate Democrat.

Turns out Murphy votes 99 percent of the time with far-left Nancy Pelosi.

A new Web site is helping expose Murphy's liberal voting record.

From the welcome message at Murphy Watch:

This site is dedicated to chronicling the votes of Patrick Murphy a self described Blue Dog "Conservative Democrat." Already Mr. Murphy has had one of the most partisan voting records of any Congressman from Bucks County in decades. While he uses this label as a conservative or moderate Democrat his voting record does not reflect an independent voting record that citizens of the 8th Congressional District have come to expect. In 2007 the National Taxpayers Union gave Murphy a grade of an F and placed him in their "Big Spender" category. As of March 2009 Murphy had a 99% party unity score voting with Nancy Pelosi 99% of the time.

Keep tabs on Murpy at http://patmurphywatch.com/

And you thought the Democrats were only trying to steal the presidential election last year.

The theft of the 2008 U.S. Senate election in Alaska by corrupt Justice Department bureaucrats "must not be allowed to stand," Richard A. Viguerie said in a statement today.

"The people of Alaska, and all Americans, must rise up and demand that Mark Begich resign," said Viguerie, chairman of ConservativeHQ.com. "If corruption this blatant, with consequences this far-reaching, is allowed to succeed, it will bring our democracy itself into disrepute."

Said Viguerie, "Those who corruptly prosecuted this case must be prosecuted aggressively and forced to reveal the names of anyone they conspired with."

Viguerie is a longtime critic of Ted Stevens, who lost to Begich by fewer than 4,000 votes eight days after Stevens was fraudulently convicted.

"I'm no fan of Ted Stevens," Viguerie said. "But I'm a big fan of democracy, and this isn't it.

Read the full press release at the link below:

Richard Viguerie: 'Axis of Graft' Must Not Be Allowed to Hold Onto Stolen Alaska Senate Seat

Rep. Joe Pitts, a Republican who represents Pennsylvania's 16th Congressional District, has introduced a bill to permanently eliminate the death tax, also known as the estate tax.

"Death should not be a taxable event," Pitts said. "It is family-owned farms and small businesses who suffer the most from this unjust tax because these people pass down the business or the farm in the family. But the death tax can force farms and small businesses to sell assets just to satisfy the tax authorities."

More from Pitts:

"My bill would simply repeal the death tax for good so that farmers and small business owners can pass along their operation to their children without the risk of having to dismantle the business and sell off assets in order to placate the tax man."

Legislation passed in 2001 phased out the death tax over a number of years until it will eventually be eliminated for fiscal year 2010. However, under current law, those tax cuts will sunset and the tax will snap back to its original levels for 2011, with individuals in the highest bracket being assessed a tax of 55 percent. Rep. Pitts' legislation would permanently eliminate the tax by getting rid of the sunset clause in the 2001 legislation.

Two prominent attorneys offer another reason the Employee Free Choice Act of 2009 -- also known as "card check" -- should be rejected by Congress: It's unconstitutional.

Writing in the Wall Street Journal, David B. Rivkin Jr. and Lee A. Casey argue that the card check legislation that denies workers the right to a secret ballot violates the First Amendment and probably the Fifth and 14th Amendment due process clauses too.

From their column:

There can be little doubt that the act of voting on important issues is a form of symbolic speech, residing at the very core of the interests protected by the Constitution. The secret ballot has not only been adopted in federal and state elections, it is recognized as a fundamental human right in a number of international instruments. This includes the U.N. Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which the United States is a party, that requires secret

ballot voting as "guaranteeing the free expression of the will of the electors."Read the full column at the newspaper's Web site.

The Coalition for a Democratic Workplace is pleased with Sen. Arlen Specter's decision to oppose the job-killing EFCA (aka Card Check) bill.

"CDW appreciates Sen. Specter's principled decision to protect worker privacy and secret ballot elections," said Brian Worth of the Coalition for a Democratic Workplace.

Without Specter's support, the Democrats don't have the 60 votes needed in the Senate to pass the bill.

Coalition for a Democratic Workplace Applauds Senator Specter for Opposing Anti-Worker Card Check Bill

Camp Hill citizen-activist Bill McIntyre has been perusing the newspaper headlines lately and is having some doubts about the people running Pennsylvania and the United States, too.

Here is his latest mailing to "Friends of Responsible Government" and members of the Executive, Legislative & Judicial Branches of PA Government:

Dear Friends,

"Obama's plan: $9.3 trillion in red?" appeared as the lead headline at the top front page in today's Harrisburg Patriot-News. Another headline read "Rendell sees stimulus money as state's 'lifeline'" and appeared at the bottom of the page.

Headlines are defined as the most important items of news in a newspaper or broadcast news media. A well composed headline will draw the readers and/or listeners attention to the article that follows. Some headlines across the state that have caught my attention since my last letter were:

"Auditor General Wagner to audit liquor control board contract"

"Governor hires $100K publicist to tout stimulus money"

"GUILTY! BUT IS IT THE END OF AN ERA?"

"Fumo found guilty on all 137 counts"

"Fumo corruption case expands; others could be investigated"

"Pennsylvania lawmakers have history of criminal prosecution"

"Losses top $28 billion for 2 state pensions"

"Legislators want 'equitable' budget cuts"

"E-mail may tie DeWeese to scandal"

"DeWeese, Dems play tug-of-war with case file"

"Rendell says LCB deal should be investigated"

"President of PHEAA's fundraising arm fired"

"Former PHEAA head wants severance package"

It just goes on and on!

Do you get the idea that our nation and state are in deep dodo? We have mortgaged our future and future generations. Yet, government continues to grow and to spend beyond our means to pay for it all. One headline that caught my eye was "Speaker's pen gift adds $4,000 to Pa. red ink" by Eric Heyl of the Tribune-Review.

Eric wrote - "As is customary for new speakers, McCall rewarded all 203 well-compensated House members with a gift from their leader. He bought them each an $18.95 desktop pen set and purchased seven spare sets – spending nearly $4,000. The Philadelphia Inquirer reported Tuesday."

I would have been impressed with Speaker McCall's generous gesture had he paid for the pens himself. Eric's article continues – "McCall's annual salary is $122,245, but he's having the public pick up the tab for the pens. McCall essentially is attempting to expense an outrageous and unnecessary expenditure, one that his bosses – state taxpayers – shouldn't tolerate."

With a projected $2.3 billion deficit in this year's budget, every penny counts. Speaker McCall evidently didn't listen to his grandmother who might have told him, like my grandmother told me; if you watch your pennies the dollars will take care of themselves. With our projected budget shortfall, $4,000 is pennies, precious pennies!

A very concerned,
Bill McIntyre
About spending ourselves into bankruptcy

RNC Launches New Web Video: 'Mystery Solved'

Opposition has emerged to the far-left policies of Barack Obama and Nancy Pelosi.

Moderate Democrats in the U.S. Senate have formed a working group to oppose the liberal ideologues who are running the White House and House of Representatives.

Sen. Evan Bayh of Indiana announced the coalition this morning on the Joe Scarborough program on MSNBC.

"We care for our country more than our party," Bayh said.

A formal press conference will make the group official with 15 Democrats forming a centrist coalition that will serve as a firewall to far-left agenda and screwball economic policies pushed by Obama and Pelosi.

The loyal opposition was supposed to come from Senate Republicans, but the defections of Arlen Specter, Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins ended any hope Republicans could put a stop to the Obama agenda.

This is welcome news in a country that has lurched toward socialism since Obama took office.

This is also a very shrewd political move by Bayh, who is positioning himself to challenge Obama in 2012. This country is teetering on the brink of economic collapse thanks to Obama's ill-advised economic policies and The Chosen One is looking more like a one-term failure a la Jimmy Carter.

Democrats won't make the same mistake by renominating a failed president. Look for Bayh to steer the party back from the left-wing abyss.

The federal government is offering $1 billion for local police departments to hire new officers, but there is a catch. After three years, the local departments will have to pick up the costs.

U.S. Department of Justice Makes Available $1 Billion in Recovery Act Funds for COPS Program