Pennsylvania
updated
8:24 p.m.
He had it right all along about the size of the stimulus package: O.K., Thursday’s jobs report settles it. We’re going to need a bigger stimulus. But does the president know that? Let’s do the math. Since the recession began, the U.S. economy has lost 6 ½ million jobs — and as that grim employment report confirmed, it’s continuing to lose jobs at a rapid pace. Once you take into ac...
Comments From Left Field - 3:59 p.m. - 2 clicks 
I have had the winning Powerball numbers for the last 5 years but they just can't figure that out. Anyway, I can take comfort in the fact that my dollar helped pay for my Mom's bus ride and someone's prescription . ...
Gort42 - 2:21 p.m.
In this week's column , Jack spews more of the right wing talking points on global climate change - making the usual non sequiturs to "prove" as a hoax something the world's scientific community actually supports. And they say the conservative movement is out of ideas. I don't know if he's on a schedule or anything, but it turns out that Jack Kelly wrote another Climate Change article in the ...
2 Political Junkies - 11:29 a.m.
Where's the public outrage? In the next two years Pennsylvania electricity rates could increase as much as 60% in just one year. And nothing could be more regressive – poor and middle-class families will be forced to spend a disproportionate percentage of their income to pay for this hefty increase because of deregulation. Here's how it this is playing out: In 1996, the Pennsylvania Gener...
DailyKos (Pennsylvania) - 5:50 a.m. - 3 clicks
As we saw earlier today, Lieberman is now a "no" on the public option , a position that is at odds with his 2006 promise to fight for universal healthcare . [W]hat I'm saying to the people of Connecticut, I can do more for you and your families to get something done to make health care affordable, to get universal health insurance. But here's a better quote, from the October 23, 2006 ...
DailyKos (Pennsylvania) - 5:50 a.m.
Start: Jul 11 2009 - 3:00pm End: Jul 11 2009 - 4:00pm Timezone: Etc/GMT-5 Week Two, July 11th, Saturday. Donna Smith , Healthcare reform activist. Appeared in Michael Moore's movie SICKO and lives in Washington D.C. to work more directly on healthcare reform issues. -"U.S. Healthcare Reform: An Embattled Human Right" Click here to view clip from the Donna Smit...
Lake Erie Alliance for Democracy - Sat 10:41 p.m.
Gort- This weekend, our family will join millions of others in celebrating America. We will enjoy the glow of fireworks, the taste of barbeque, and the company of good friends. As we all celebrate this weekend, let's also remember the remarkable story that led to this day. Two hundred and thirty-three years ago, our nation was born when a courageous group of patriots pledged ...
Gort42 - Sat 2:26 p.m. - 9 clicks
We, therefore, the Representatives of the united States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these united Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States, that they are Absolved fr...
Gort42 - Sat 9:29 a.m. - 8 clicks
When, in the course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bonds which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the laws of nature and of nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the sepa...
2 Political Junkies - Sat 7:02 a.m.
UPDATE: There are rumors that Palin resigned because of a corruption investigation. These rumors come from the ever-credible “anonymous sources.” Absent specific evidence and/or a credible on-the-record source, such rumors should have no value. ————————R Kathy posted below about Sarah Palin...
Comments From Left Field - Fri 10:08 p.m. - 13 clicks
Click on the link below to view a very informative video about the American and Canadian healthcare systems by an affiliate of the Communications Workers of America – CWA http://link.brightcove.com/services/player/bcpid1463312787?b Posted in elections, health care ...
Beaver County Blue - Fri 3:58 p.m.
The announcement came as a huge surprise to just about everyone — the expectation was that Gov. Palin would announce her decision not to run for reelection in 2010 (presumably so she could prepare to be a candidate in the 2012 presidential election) — not that she planned to step down from her job as governor effective almost immediately: Speculation has swirled for weeks, pe...
Comments From Left Field - Fri 3:37 p.m. - 15 clicks
Sarah Palin Resigns Given that our good friend Jack is a huge Palin booster from way back , we wonder how long it'll take for him to blame her resignation on: The Obama administration The liberal media Our permissive culture ACORN Liberals in general All of the above. Only time will tell. ...
2 Political Junkies - Fri 3:20 p.m. - 2 clicks
There has got to be more to this! Sarah Palin announced Friday she plans to resign as governor of Alaska in a few weeks, saying she will try to "affect positive change" from outside government. Either she's tired of the scrutiny, or there is a MAJOR scandal behind this. My money is on scandal, probably sex, and involving a bull moose. UPDATE: The Brad Blog, referring to sources in Alaska...
Froth Slosh B'Gosh - Fri 1:22 p.m.
KTUU in Anchorage, the local NBC affilliate, is reporting that Sarah Palin is about to resign as Alaska's Governor so she can - no shit, Sherlock - run for president in 2012. (Via twolf1 at Oxdown Gazette) Does this woman......
Fact-esque - Fri 1:05 p.m.
I think everybody needs to realize that it’s 2009, and the days of no-show jobs are over.”- Luzerne County Commissioner Maryanne Petrilla ...
Gort42 - Fri 11:56 a.m. - 3 clicks
For the last almost two years, I've waited for the Nutter Administration to live up to the "hope" that the citizens had when we elected him Mayor. However, as we round out nearly 18 months, there is much left to be desired. I am not as critical of the Mayor as I am of his support staff. Perhaps Buzz Bissinger stated it best a few Sundays ago when he wrote " I wanted him to succeed. That's why ...
Young Philly Politics - Fri 10:46 a.m.
1) Public Citizens for Children and Youth (PCCY) has launched a blog called Childwatch , where they wil "report on breaking news and stimulate discussion about how local and state policies affect children," and cover "child health, child care, education, family economic security and child welfare." Check out their post giving a side by side comparison of the Governor's budget versus the insa...
Young Philly Politics - Fri 10:17 a.m. - 3 clicks
The euphoria that propped up Wall Street the last week or two that was born in the overly optimistic belief that the recession/depression had "bottomed out" and that the economy was turning around appears to have led Congressional Democrats into......
Fact-esque - Fri 9:15 a.m.
Quincy has had an allergic reaction to something which is common in Golden Retrievers. Trying to figure out what exactly is making him chew himself is difficult. At first I didn't pay much attention to his licking and chewing his hind quarters because dogs are dirt bags and they all do it but he really did a number on himself. We thought he was having a problem with his anal glands but the Vet...
Gort42 - Fri 9:02 a.m.
Let them smoke stogies! “Our wallet is empty,” Schwarzenegger said in a speech a few days before my visit. “Our bank is closed. Our credit is dried up.” He called for cuts that would, among other things, eliminate health insurance for close to a million poor kids, stop welfare checks for more than half a million families and close 80 percent of the state’s parks. Then he pivoted into empathy m...
Froth Slosh B'Gosh - Fri 8:34 a.m.
Via Andrew Sullivan's Daily Dish , we learn of this tweet : Tehrani source close to those detained says some have been beaten heavily and waterboarded with hot water To which CB at the Dish writes: Andrew recently stated , "The Tehran regime does not have a record of waterboarding." Could this then be a new development? If so, Ahmadinejad will clearly want to invoke the "Americans did it first...
2 Political Junkies - Fri 4:45 a.m.
Lost in the shuffle of a couple big decisions of the Supreme Court this week was a Antonin Scalia(!) authored opinion that will give Attorneys General an enourmous amount of power to go after absuvie banks. The NYTimes Editorial lays out how the case came about: As the current mortgage crisis was building, banks engaged in a wide array of bad practices. They lent to borrowers who could not ...
Young Philly Politics - Thu 8:55 p.m. - 4 clicks
I won't be celebrating the 4th of July Saturday. Not even a little. After nearly 10 years of low-key Independence Days when I principally tried to forget for a day how Bush/Cheney was eviscerating one of the greatest political documents......
Fact-esque - Thu 12:07 p.m.
Holy Hoppin' Jesus on a stick! For $25,000 to $250,000, The Washington Post has offered lobbyists and association executives off-the-record, nonconfrontational access to "those powerful few": Obama administration officials, members of Congress, and — at first — even the paper’s own reporters and editors. To give the reporters credit, the Post's newsroom says it will not particip...
Froth Slosh B'Gosh - Thu 10:23 a.m.
The story breaking all over the blogs right now concerns the Washington Post’s effort to sell access to its reporters and government officials. Of course, it’s absurd. It’s also further proof of the elitist nature of the insider-only Washington media dominated by the Post. DougJ at Balloon Juice nails it: “It’s time to stop pretending that elite national media doe...
Comments From Left Field - Thu 10:22 a.m. - 13 clicks
World leaders have universally condemned the illegal and forcible coup executed in Honduras against the elected President. Because the President is a leftist, the American right will say anything to justify the result. They turn language on its head and call the President elected by the People a “Dictator” and refer to the coup leaders, including unelected judges and generals, as p...
Comments From Left Field - Thu 10:22 a.m. - 13 clicks
It is July 2, which means it is time for my annual tilt against the History you learnt. This may be news to those of you not history majors (or my children, who had to listen to the story every year for the last couple of decades)-- but, the Continental Congress did NOT declare independence on the Fourth of July. That actually happened on July 2, 1776. (The vote was 12-0, New York abstained.) ...
A Big Fat Slob - Thu 8:48 a.m.
Curious how content-free factoids make it through the right wing noise machine, isn't it? Kinda resembles how oats make it through a horse. First, I stumbled upon this editorial at the Trib . It begins: If Senate Republicans have to play hardball to force the removal of ACORN from the ranks of "2010 Census Partners," so be it. There are compelling reasons why the liberal activist group shoul...
2 Political Junkies - Thu 4:47 a.m.
Labor Rallies for Health Care, But Keeps it Vague /h3> by Jane Slaughter Labor Notes Newletter It’s no secret that the union movement is divided on health care reform. Resolutions favoring “Medicare for All,” a single-payer system, have been passed by 558 unions, central labor councils, state federations, and other union organizations. Yet in practice leaders of many of [...] ...
Beaver County Blue - Wed 6:45 p.m.
Just how bad has the health care system in this country become since it was taken over by corporatist profit-mongers? This bad: Health insurance is supposed to offer protection — both medically and financially. But as it turns out, an......
Fact-esque - Wed 5:40 p.m.
From the Los Angeles Times : Karl Malden, one of Hollywood’s strongest and most versatile supporting actors, who won an Oscar playing his Broadway-originated role as Mitch in “A Streetcar Named Desire,” died today. He was 97. Malden starred in the 1970s TV series “The Streets of San Francisco” and was the longtime American Express traveler’s-check spoke...
Comments From Left Field - Wed 5:40 p.m. - 5 clicks
I blasted Mark Sanford over at my other blogging home for going on to the media about how Maria Belen Chapur is his “soulmate,” and that he will “try to fall back in love” with his wife, etc., etc., ad nauseum. My sympathy is with Jenny Sanford, not her cheating husband — and even more so because he seems to be going out of his way to deepen the emotional damage hi...
Comments From Left Field - Wed 4:56 p.m. - 4 clicks
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/09182/981107-100.stm Mayor taking applications for city school board seat Wednesday, July 01, 2009 By Joe Smydo, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Mayor Luke Ravenstahl is accepting applications from District 2 residents interested in replacing Heather Arnet on the city school board. Ms. Arnet resigned yesterday, a year and a half into her four-year term, citing responsibili...
Pittsburgh Women's Blogging Society - Wed 4:00 p.m.
Every year I look at the Census population estimates, and every year, I am somewhat surprised that Philly continues to lose population. This year is no different . As New York, and Chicago grow, Philly (along with Baltimore, Pittsburgh and others) keeps shrinking. However, while it sucks to keep losing people, the trends really are starting to look pretty good: The graph is the perce...
Young Philly Politics - Wed 12:57 p.m.
They've been dancing along the borders of it ever since the election, but now wingnuts are openly hoping for a terrorist attack with the potential to kill thousands of people! Yesterday, Glenn Beck guest and former CIA official Michael Scheuer openly hoped for a terrorist attack on the United States, saying , "the only chance we have as a country right now is for Osama bin Laden to deplo...
Froth Slosh B'Gosh - Wed 9:20 a.m. - 5 clicks
In Maryland Heights, Missouri, Chico Humes, President of Teamsters Local 6-505M, Graphic Communications Conference/IBT, reports that his local has endorsed HR 676, single payer healthcare legislation introduced by Congressman John Conyers (D-MI). Posted in elections ...
Beaver County Blue - Wed 8:29 a.m. - 3 clicks
Beaver County Times By J.D. Prose, Times Staff Published: Monday, June 29, 2009 10:10 PM EDT MARSHALL TWP. — After meeting with his health-care advisory board Monday, U.S. Rep. Jason Altmire said Americans should expect congressional action before 2009 ends. “We are going to pass a health-care reform bill in Congress this year,” said Altmire, D-4, McCandless Township. “We [...] ...
Beaver County Blue - Wed 8:29 a.m. - 5 clicks
Hey, you remember Sally Kern, right? She's the Oklahoma wingnut who declared that the Pittsburgh city council was controlled by gays . Well here she goes again. In a proclamation titled "Oklahoma Citizen's Proclamation for Morality" and signed "on the second day of July in the year of our Lord Christ Two Thousand and Nine" State Representative Kern declares, among other things, that those si...
2 Political Junkies - Wed 5:42 a.m. - 7 clicks
Remember that Barry Stankus lost the election because he was squeezing a few oranges at the Sunshine Market. Illegal drugs found in two sheriff’s vehicles Feds launch probe of Luzerne County sheriff So drugs were found in two sheriffs’ vehicles which will probably not amount to much. According to Luzerne County Mike Savokinas it happens all the time. The Yonk lists ...
Gort42 - Wed 3:30 a.m. - 7 clicks
Thanks to Rush Limbaugh, we now know that Gov. Mark Sanford committed adultery because he was in despair over Pres. Obama’s handling of the economic crisis . But what we did not know until today was the answer to this question: What caused the economic crisis ? Are you listening? Click here to view the embedded video. Video via Darren Hutchinson. ...
Comments From Left Field - Tue 6:24 p.m. - 3 clicks
(H/t to Think Progress ) Here's the entire clip: Think Progress has a transcript: SPEAKER: So are you going to apologize to the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender people in Pennsylvania — and all the people in Pennsylvania for those comments about allowing to exist and calling them dysfunctional. EICHELBERGER: No, I think you know my answer to that. Thank you very much. And Sue K...
2 Political Junkies - Tue 6:24 p.m.
There was an effort in Lehigh County to censure Senator Specter for his vote on the Stimulus Bill. Some argued that it wasn't a good idea. Some argued that it might cause Specter to leave the party, which would make it hard for Pat Toomey to win an election against Specter as a Democrat. Of course, I argued against these ludicrous positions. Now the poll numbers are proving the point that ...
The Lehigh Valley Political Blog - Tue 4:49 p.m. - 9 clicks
The Minnesota Supreme Court ruled unanimously in Al Franken’s favor — and Norm Coleman has conceded: Republican Norm Coleman ended his bruising eight-month court fight over Minnesota’s U.S. Senate seat this afternoon, conceding to Democrat Al Franken after the Minnesota Supreme Court ruled in Franken’s favor. The justices ruled today that Franken won the U.S. Se...
Comments From Left Field - Tue 3:00 p.m. - 7 clicks
That's Senator Franken to you, Bill-o!! The Minnesota Supreme Court ruled today that Democrat Al Franken won the U.S. Senate election and said he was entitled to an election certificate that would lead to him being seated in the Senate.... "Al Franken received the highest number of votes legally cast and is entitled [under Minnesota law] to receive the certificate of election...
Froth Slosh B'Gosh - Tue 2:06 p.m.
Congratulations, SENATOR Al Franken! Your move, Pawlenty. Will you keep your word ? CNN: Your state supreme court has a ruling before it, it could come very soon. After that ruling, the next step would be for you to certify the election. Will you certify the election based on your state’s supreme court ruling, is that for you? PAWLENTY: I’m going to follow the direction of th...
2 Political Junkies - Tue 12:22 p.m.
For: Burgess, Kraus, Motznik, Payne, Peduto, Smith Against: Dowd, Harris, Shields For those who didn’t see it, the discussion before the vote basically went the way you’d imagine: Harris asked the same question half a dozen times, Shields bloviated, etc. Our Overlords kept 30 out the 42 amendments changes suggestions made by Council last week. . ...
2 Political Junkies - Tue 12:03 p.m. - 9 clicks
The PA State Ethics Act, like the Philly one, has a confidentiality clause that makes it a violation of the Act to publicize when you make an ethics complaint. So, if I file an Ethics Act violation against Marc Stier and Sam Durso for boring us all to tears (wait, that isn't covered?), and then I tell all my friends on the twitters and youtube, I have violated the Ethics Act. In Philly, the con...
Young Philly Politics - Tue 10:29 a.m. - 7 clicks
July's hot temperatures begin to heat things up in our relationships with family, friends, and romantic interests. Independent Uranus starts the month with his retrograde journey on 07/01, and we may find ourselves craving more freedom from our existing connections, to do some personal soul searching. We'll be looking for new inspiration and change in our lives, and we set sail on an inner jour...
Pittsburgh Women's Blogging Society - Tue 10:28 a.m. - 6 clicks
crossposted at Philly Labor blog . Janice Churchill sat at the front of the bus by 7.30 Thursday morning, wearing her purple shirt representing that she’s a proud member of SEIU Healthcare Pennsylvania. She was joining 2,000 other union members, health care workers and citizens from across the state to fight for quality, affordable healthcare for everyone. She was ready with snacks, comfort...
Young Philly Politics - Tue 5:42 a.m. - 7 clicks
Pittsburgh City Council will likely vote on the Amended Act 47 Recovery Plan today. Yesterday in an email blast, Councilor and Finance Chairman Bill Peduto wrote: As of this moment, it is still unclear whether or not City Council will support the plan. The Act 47 coordinators have requested final action before July 1st, when collective bargaining begins for most of the city’s workforce...
2 Political Junkies - Tue 5:41 a.m. - 5 clicks
From Salon.com: The last time the president of the United States marked gay pride month with anything official at the White House, it was June 2006. George W. Bush decided to throw the weight of his office behind a proposal to amend the Constitution to ban gay marriage. After all, the fate of Western civilization hung in the balance. " Our policies should aim to strengthen families, not undermine ...
2 Political Junkies - Tue 5:14 a.m.
Firing Brulo would have saved county $4,500 A better personnel policy is needed PA board, Scarantino reach deal A better contract should have been written Official: Controller's office should review accrued time payments How about some time clocks No clean slate for Skrepenak No Shit Local action can rid county of Old Politics You're preaching to the choir Paul ...
Gort42 - Tue 2:56 a.m. - 3 clicks
Feds launch probe of Luzerne County sheriff Nothing will probably come of this just like the debit cards, no-show employees, no bid contracts, 20 year lease, etc. Call me cynical. ...
Gort42 - Tue 1:41 a.m. - 4 clicks
TL: The company hired to reassess Luzerne County property values had argued in court that the county has a contractual obligation to pay the company to manage and defend the county against Hanover Township resident Vic Kopko’s property assessment court challenge. But the county's newly hired legal guns say not so fast. Philadelphia based Elliott Greenleaf & Dean is getting $300+ per ho...
Gort42 - Tue 1:41 a.m.
If nothing else, it is becoming painfully obvious that the major players responsible for the economic debacle, the health insurance scam, the looming environmental disaster, and all the rest of the corporate agenda of the last 8 years have no......
Fact-esque - Mon 5:29 p.m.
As Glenn Greenwald put it, in the first of four points about the ruling : In light of today’s ruling, it’s a bit difficult — actually, impossible — for a rational person to argue that Sotomayor’s Ricci decision places her outside the judicial mainstream when: (a) she was affirming the decision of the federal district court judge; (b) she was joined in her d...
Comments From Left Field - Mon 5:29 p.m. - 4 clicks
The real problem with these eight is that they allowed Democrats in tough districts to vote against Cap & Trade. If these so-called Republicans had voted against the bill, it would have been defeated. Unless, Pelosi and her armtwisters convinced more Democrats to vote for the bill - which would have put their seats in jeopardy in 2010. Which is more pragmatic? Standing on principle and ...
The Lehigh Valley Political Blog - Mon 4:01 p.m.
It's time to get the ball rolling for Joe Sestak. He's in need of some money and we, the netroots can help him. We all want to give the shaft to Sen. Arlen Specter. Arlen was a RINO and he is turning into a DINO. I am a Pennsylvanian, living in Central PA, and I want a REAL Democrat, NOT a DINO. For me, that REAL Democrat is Joe Sestak. Retired Admiral Sestak. &nb...
DailyKos (Pennsylvania) - Mon 4:00 p.m. - 5 clicks
One of the frustrations of the GOP grassroots is the almost total abdication of any leadership based on principles. I watched House Minority Leaders John Boehner on Friday. It was uplifting. He demanded, and won the right, to take as much time as he needed to point out all the concerns with the 300 page amendment to the Cap & Tax bill - which was delivered at 3 a.m. that same morning. Such...
The Lehigh Valley Political Blog - Mon 12:22 p.m.
And rotting is what he'll do. Bernard Madoff has been given the maximum prison sentence of 150 years for masterminding a massive fraud that robbed investors of $65bn. I'd prefer to see him toil for the rest of his days in backbreaking menial labor for the people he ripped off. The worst punishment for the wealthy is to make them paupers. ...
Froth Slosh B'Gosh - Mon 12:16 p.m.
...in the celebrity dead pool. Sheesh Ed McMahon, Farrah Fawcette, Michael Jackson, and now Billy Mays. So much for the "rule of three." ...
Froth Slosh B'Gosh - Mon 12:16 p.m.
The Philadelphia Workforce Investment Board released a study today that, somewhat unsurprisingly, has some pretty depressing findings. For example, from the report's release, we see that: The report notes that Greater Philadelphia is able to lure good, high-paying employers to the area, but faces a growing gap between the essential needs of businesses and the skills of the workforce. The pr...
Young Philly Politics - Mon 11:24 a.m. - 2 clicks
Over the weekend the democratically-elected President of Honduras was ousted by a coup. The ousted President was a leftist friendly with the likes of Hugo Chavez and the Castro regime in Cuba. So what’s a righty to do when they claim to support democracy but love the result of the Honduran coup? Well, many of these righties - see here and here - support a coup over a democratically-...
Comments From Left Field - Mon 11:24 a.m. - 8 clicks
From Twitter user @Kalahn , we see the poster that seems to be everywhere in Philadelphia these days: As Chris Bowers noted , while some of labor may have fallen in line with Specter, there is a real understanding by many that Specter has sold them out, and if he wants their support, he needs to start singing another song on the Employee Free Choice Act. read more ...
Young Philly Politics - Mon 9:39 a.m. - 4 clicks
In Booneville, Indiana, Roger Anderson, President of United Mine Workers (UMWA) Local 9926, reports that his local has also endorsed HR 676. Roger Anderson said: “The UMWA has been at the forefront of health care. It was one of the first unions to negotiate health care for its working members and retirees and the only [...] ...
Beaver County Blue - Mon 7:28 a.m. - 2 clicks
The Cap & Trade fiasco narrowly passed in the House with a 7 vote margin. Eight Republicans voted for this travesty while 42 Democrats used common sense and opposed the bill. These Republicans need to go. Am I being a "purist"? Yes. I oppose socialist solutions to mythical problems that will create more economic problems. So should all Republicans. Even candidate Obama admitted that electr...
The Lehigh Valley Political Blog - Mon 4:11 a.m.
It is a mess. I've posted so many places I cannot think anymore. Please go to www.pghlesbian.com for great analysis by the ACLU to understand what a freaking quagmire our County Council has created. Good news is you can still do something. Please put in a call to the man who would be Governor and explain that you do most decidedly not want Allegheny County to pass legislation that would perm...
Pittsburgh Women's Blogging Society - Mon 2:29 a.m. - 4 clicks
It's unusual for a storm to come from the NW but it has been happening all spring. No thunder and lightning just rain, I feel cheated. I don't know how to explain the weird weather patterns but some of my friends assure me it is not due to global warming because it still snows in the winter. Quincy enjoyed the rain. More pix of the puppy on my Facebook page ...
Gort42 - Mon 2:28 a.m.
WGN (96 on Comcast) is playing the 1st season of Charlie's Angels. When it was first on I watched it with the sound off. Like many teenage boys growing up in the 1970's I had the poster and still do. ...
Gort42 - Mon 2:28 a.m.
That's Bob Herbert, of course, asking the fundamental question no one else is asking. One of the great stories you’ll be hearing over the next couple of years will be about the large number of Americans who were forced out......
Fact-esque - Mon 2:28 a.m.
A crazy person lives at The American Thinker . Within days of my going public last September with the speculation that terrorist emeritus Bill Ayers helped Barack Obama write his acclaimed memoir, Dreams From My Father , I learned that I was not alone in that intuition. Since then, I have received helpful contributions from serious people in at least five countries and any number of states...
Comments From Left Field - Mon 2:28 a.m.
Curious email/text message floating around (don't know if you've received it yet). Here's the text I got: Onorato. 4123506500 . Remove language from Human Relations ordinance that allows orgs that get County funding to discriminate. 100 calls on Mo A bit too cryptic for me, but then again I am middle-aged, balding and paunchy - I know I'm no Helmholtz Watson, but I fear I am actually Bernard...
2 Political Junkies - Mon 2:28 a.m. - 7 clicks
ITEM: If you just sign up to support the SEIU's effort at a public health care option, they will donate one dollar to Open Left . I signed up even though I already get the SEIU's mailings. I also left this comment:: Thank You Andy Stern and the SEIU (4.00 / 1) I know there are people who are upset w...
Three Rivers Online - Jun 26
The dust hasn't settled on Bethlehem Mayor John Callahan's 2009 mayoral race, and will not until October at the earliest. Come on, he is a stone cold lock, and we all know it. So our very own Vice President, Joe Biden (D-Unofficial part time Scranton Wilkes Barre homeboy) called to ask John Callahan to challenge Charlie Dent. Hey, if the second in command to the commander in chief calls, yo...
The Lehigh Valley Political Blog - Jun 26
Or maybe not . The Obama administration, fearing a battle with Congress that could stall plans to close the U.S. prison at Guantanamo Bay, is drafting an executive order that would reassert presidential authority to incarcerate terrorism suspects indefinitely, according to three senior government officials with knowledge of White House deliberations. [...] White House spokesman Ben LaBolt...
Comments From Left Field - Jun 26 - 6 clicks
White House Watched : I started my column in January 2004, and one dominant theme quickly emerged: That George W. Bush was truly the proverbial emperor with no clothes. In the days and weeks after the 9/11 terror attacks, the nation, including the media, vested him with abilities he didn’t have and credibility he didn’t deserve. As it happens, it was on the day of my very first c...
Comments From Left Field - Jun 26 - 3 clicks
A lot has happened in the past week in regards to the PA Senate race: First, a new Keystone Poll shows Arlen Specter is not all that popular: The strong backing of Democratic Party leaders has done little to change slumping public support for the party's newest convert, U.S. Sen. Arlen Specter. Only 28 percent of all those surveyed say that he deserves re-election, according to the latest ...
Young Philly Politics - Jun 26 - 4 clicks
Let the analysis begin. First from S. A. Miller of the The Washington Times : Social conservatives, the once-powerful force that focused the Republican agenda on moral virtue and family values, have suffered a diminished brand on the national political landscape as a steady stream of their icons have fallen prey to the vices they once preached against. Extramarital affairs, gambling, alcohol a...
2 Political Junkies - Jun 26
Katsock to fill Height's unexpired term Katsock to fill vacancy on W-B school board Christine Katsock has run for many offices over the last 10 years and I have usually voted for her. Katsock was the top vote getter on both sides of the ballot in the primary election for W-B Area School Director almost guaranteeing a win in November. The present members of the board made the rig...
Gort42 - Jun 26
I don't think that the death of the Pope John Paul II got this much coverage on the cable news channels. So what else is going on? Iran is having a revolution The US health care system is going to be overhauled North Korea is rattling sabers US forces are leaving the cities of Iraq Swine flu may kill us all All this will take a back seat for the next few days while our librul media obsesse...
Gort42 - Jun 26
For a great many men of my age, this image: marked an awakening of sorts - younger boys had other posters (The Fonz? The USS Enterprise?) on their walls but those sprouting hair in scary places had Farrah's poster to look upon with a new and confusing awe. The lithe figure, clad in a simple red one-piece, sits in front of an old Indian blanket. The main sight lines of her form - the straigh...
2 Political Junkies - Jun 25
Something is seriously wrong in politics. Either: a) Politicians think the voters are stupid; b) Voters actually are stupid; c) Politicians are stupid; d) Politicians and Voters are typically uninformed and have no 'political memory' and only think in the short term. Many citizens might shout with glee that the answer is "c" or most pundits would jump to answer "a" in a more sober,...
The Lehigh Valley Political Blog - Jun 25
Despite all the weirdness and controversy, he was genius when it came to music and the sheer force of his talent broke the racial barrier on MTV. Being only a year younger than him, his music was definitely part of the soundtrack of my life. Here are some of my favorites: , ...
2 Political Junkies - Jun 25 - 2 clicks
Mike Buffer has a great story in the CV about Luzerne County government payroll policies. According to county payroll records some of the top county managers never take a day off. Deputy Sheriff Carl Zawatski hasn't taken a day off in a year and a half. Deputy Treasurer Dominick DePolo missed only 3 hours since 2006. Deputy Clerk of Courts Tom Pizano hasn't missed a day of work in 3...
Gort42 - Jun 25 - 4 clicks
The hysteria about the the Fairness Doctrine being reimposed by the Government that makes the Dittoheads grab their guns was somehow forgotten when the same people demand that ABC include opposing views when the network had the President answer questions about his health care plan. Anyway Watch the video ...
Gort42 - Jun 25 - 3 clicks
What is it with these guys? After going AWOL for seven days, Gov. Mark Sanford admitted Wednesday that he'd secretly flown to Argentina to visit a woman with whom he'd been having an affair as steamy e-mail exchanges with his mistress emerged. "Hiking the Appalachian Trail" has a new meaning today. I also have to ask, if Republicans weren't so intent on keeping Hi...
Froth Slosh B'Gosh - Jun 24
He makes an interesting (though somewhat obvious) point : I have to say the karma in all this is pretty profound. The party that has gone on and on and on to prevent me getting married, and prevent my own marriage from being recognized by the federal government is the party of David Vitter, Mark Sanford, Rush Limbaugh and Larry Craig. It's like taking lessons on sexual maturity from the Vatican. ...
2 Political Junkies - Jun 24
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE June 24, 2009 CONTACT: CNA/NNOC/PDA Charles Idelson, 510-273-2246 or Tim Carpenter, 413-320-2015 Nurses, Progressive Dems Seek Stepped Up Action for Real, “Robust” Healthcare Reform WASHINGTON – June 24 – With action heating up in Washington for enactment of comprehensive healthcare reform, the nation’s largest RN union and professional associati...
Beaver County Blue - Jun 24
Mountaintop removal protest: Finding a path forward? by Ken Ward Jr. The Charleston Gazette SUNDIAL, W.Va. — It was quite a scene outside Massey Energy’s Goals Coal Co. operation Tuesday. First, there were the protesters — a mix of West Virginia residents and those darned out-of-state agitators — playing some hillbilly music, doing some speechifying, and then marching down W.Va. [...] ...
Beaver County Blue - Jun 24 - 4 clicks
(NOTE: From some conservatives in the State of Delaware with some edits by me.) What does a trillion dollars look like? How about 12 trillion? All this talk about "stimulus packages" and "bailouts"... ?????? A billion dollars...A hundred billion dollars...Eight hundred billion dollars...One TRILLION dollars...What does that look like? I mean, these various numbers are tossed around like so man...
The Lehigh Valley Political Blog - Jun 24 - 3 clicks
The state of American journalism has been bad since newspaper editors first started going easy on Reagan because advertisers complained and Richard Viguerie plastered their offices with direct mail solicited astroturf. But since the advent of Fox and ETV, it......
Fact-esque - Jun 24
I wish I could say I was surprised. Governor Mark Sanford of South Carolina, the now-former Chairman of the Republican Governors Association has been stricken by a dreaded disease now reaching pandemic proportions in the GOP. "Can't-Keep-It-In-My-Pants Priapism" This newly emergent disease seems to be caused by the marriage of gay men & women. It seems, as predicted within the Re...
Declarations of Pride - Jun 24
Just confirmed this with Allegheny County Council staff. The Human Relations Commission ordinance which will include sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression as protected classes countywide will be on the agenda for the July 1, 2009 hearing. The January 15 hearing on this ordinance drew a record-breaking crowd of 150 attendees, most in favor of the ordinance. My information is ...
Pittsburgh Women's Blogging Society - Jun 24 - 3 clicks
There has been a lot written about the Supreme Court's decision yesterday NOT to gut the Voting Rights Act - yet - by removing judicial review, most of it composed of a nearly audible sigh of relief. Even some wingnut......
Fact-esque - Jun 24
Oh my! (Not that I am at all suprised). Documents gathered by lawyers for the families of Sept. 11 victims provide new evidence of extensive financial support for Al Qaeda and other extremist groups by members of the Saudi royal family, but the material may never find its way into court because of legal and diplomatic obstacles. ...
Froth Slosh B'Gosh - Jun 24
And not an ACORN in sight! Via The Brad Blog , we learn the following. Public officials and candidates in Clay County pooled hundreds of thousands of dollars to buy votes in the 2002 primary election and bought votes in 2004 for a slate that included a state representative, a former election officer has admitted. Paul E. Bishop, a former Republican precinct judge, pleaded guilty Friday to ...
Froth Slosh B'Gosh - Jun 24
Bram Reichbaum of The Pittsburgh Comet blog spoke at today's Pittsburgh City Council meeting today during Public Comment. He applauded Council for deciding to put their meetings on the Internet, but asked them to make the video downloadable. He explained that while Allegheny County Council has video of their meetings available to view, it is not downloadable and therefore not editable. ...
2 Political Junkies - Jun 24 - 4 clicks
Woven into an article in the Times describing former Prime Minister Tony Blair's efforts for a private inquiry into Britain's role in Bush's Iraq war is this enticing tidbit - one that only reinforces what we already knew: This news comes amid new evidence to suggest that Mr Blair knew that Iraq did not have weapons of mass destruction. A memo dated January 31, 2003, by Sir David Manning, then ...
2 Political Junkies - Jun 24
May 28 (originally published) ITEM: Paul Pope's Adam Strange . I'm not sure if this is a new online comic or something that will appear on the stands. It looks great though. Related: Legendary 80s comic (Kaluta and Lee) Starstruck is also making a return. Below : Controversial Memorial Day toon by Mr. ...
Three Rivers Online - Jun 24
WILKES-BARRE -..." I have been informed by the proper authorities that the matter into the debit card situation has been closed," Luzerne County Commissioner Greg Skrepenak wrote in a May 11 letter to Acting Controller AJ Martinelli . "There were no criminal findings." Martinelli denies the US Attorney has informed him that the investigation is closed and US Attorn...
Gort42 - Jun 24
SCRANTON – Luzerne County Judge Michael Toole ’s tipstaff Tom Marino testified for more than 1 hour Tuesday before a federal grand jury investigating corruption within the county. He was issued a subpoena on June 1. The Feds are looking into money Participant 1 Robert Powell paid to Toole. Zen says it was $82,000 for his services for refusing to rule on subpoenas issued by then Con...
Gort42 - Jun 24 - 2 clicks
Approximately 100 gathered Tuesday evening in Market Square to show support for the democratic movement now underway in Iran and to honor those who have lost their lives in this struggle. The crowd was a mix of old and young; Persian and non Persian. Many greeted each other with "salam"as the vigil grew. A poem was read in honor of Neda Agha Soltan, the 26-year old woman shot in the heart ...
2 Political Junkies - Jun 23
From the New York Times : On Jan. 23, 1973, when the Supreme Court struck down laws criminalizing abortion in Roe v. Wade, President Richard M. Nixon made no public statement. But privately, newly released tapes reveal, he expressed ambivalence. Nixon worried that greater access to abortions would foster “permissiveness,” and said that “it breaks the family.” But he also saw a need for abortion ...
2 Political Junkies - Jun 23 - 3 clicks
June 14th PST ITEM : I'll be featuring the best artists (IMHO) I saw at the Three Rivers Arts Festival all this week. This is Mr. Hooper . He's from Nashville. Looks like he's ready for the cover of Juxtapoz. ...
Three Rivers Online - Jun 23 - 3 clicks
An excerpt: So this man who makes six figures and is covered for every hangnail until he dies is telling this woman that she needs to find a large employer who will hire a 62 year woman and then keep working (on her feet -- that's what retail usually is) for much longer than she hoped to. Sure, that's doable. It's just a matter of finding the right job after all, and who can't do that? After a...
Froth Slosh B'Gosh - Jun 23
It's odd what's been happening to the health care debate the last couple of weeks. Single payer opponents have actually been reduced to the desperation of telling the truth. Attacking Obama's "public option" - a terrible plan that, as lambert......
Fact-esque - Jun 23
Tom Tomorrow brings up an interesting point in his most recent cartoon . About the conservatives who are criticizing President Obama for not speaking out more forcefully in support of the protesters in Iran, he says that some of the same folks, not too long ago, were advocating mass death in Iran. Remember this? Or remember how William Kristol said that Bush might bomb Iran if he t...
2 Political Junkies - Jun 23 - 2 clicks
Check out the spelling of conference on the banner. It reminds me of this guy. The TL and the CV ran stories last week about Alcalde de Hazleton Lou Barletta being invited to speak at Pat Buchanan's anti-immigrant gabfest along with some of the heavy hitters of the lunatic fringe such as Phyllis Schlafly , former Ohio Secretary of State Ken Blackwell, anti-affirmative action ...
Gort42 - Jun 23
As the GOP debates its direction (why is it even a debate?) there is a term being tossed around by the establishment. They label those who are a perceived problem in the GOP as "purists". Some information: "Republicans will uphold and defend out party's core principles: Constrain the federal government to its legitimate constitutional functions...Spend only what is necessary, and tax only to rai...
The Lehigh Valley Political Blog - Jun 23
It's an interesting day for the New York Times Editorial Board. While it has been stumbling around the last couple of years trying to find its feet as conservatism collapsed and it was faced with a Democratic president aping Republican......
Fact-esque - Jun 22 - 3 clicks
pa2010.com has ranked Pennsylvania's Top 10 Political Consultants and our own local Guru made the list. 8. Ed Mitchell (D) One of the Pennsylvania’s most effective political spokesman, Mitchell has guided some of the state’s most embattled Democrats through reelection. He works for both Congressman Paul Kanjorski (D-11) and Congressman John Murtha (D-12), both of whom have found themselves ...
Gort42 - Jun 22 - 3 clicks
Pittsburgh Peace Vigil Iran Elections Please bring a flashlight Date: Tuesday, June 23, 2009. Time: 8:00-9:30 PM (dark). Location: Market Square, downtown Pittsburgh, PA. Details: This will be a quiet/silent show of support for the historic democratic movement now underway in Iran, and for those who have given their lives in the name of their cause. The intention of this grassroots vigil is t...
Pittsburgh Women's Blogging Society - Jun 22
The chatter on this point is gaining steam. I know Bill Maher has touched on this, and I read something on Americablog, where Senator Paul Krugman is also taking up the cause. I am sorry, I just don't get it? They talk about the Republican party having lost its direction? Well it seems to me they are causing confusion for some so-called "centrist" democrats. These waffling GOP wannabe S...
Declarations of Pride - Jun 22
TODAY: 1. Call your PA state senator today about Sen. Eichelberger's outrageous statement that "We’re allowing them [gays] to exist." Here's a link to find your senator. More details on this story here . (Your calls and emails are working! We've got hits today on our original post from: Commonwealth of PA, PA Senate, and US Senate Sergeant at Arms. Please keep the pressure...
2 Political Junkies - Jun 22
From Truthout.org : On January 25, 2002, then-White House counsel Alberto Gonzales advised George W. Bush in a memo to deny al-Qaeda and Taliban prisoners protections under the Geneva Conventions because doing so would "substantially reduces the threat of domestic criminal prosecution under the War Crimes Act" and "provide a solid defense to any future prosecution." Two weeks later, Bush signed ...
2 Political Junkies - Jun 22
From Whitehouse.gov : The Iranian government must understand that the world is watching. We mourn each and every innocent life that is lost. We call on the Iranian government to stop all violent and unjust actions against its own people. The universal rights to assembly and free speech must be respected, and the United States stands with all who seek to exercise those rights. As I said in Cairo,...
2 Political Junkies - Jun 22 - 2 clicks
I took a few days off from blogging to deal with a family member's health issues. CRV tells us that colon cancer can be beat with a little help from Jimmy Buffett . Fins up! And the Yonk looks better than ever. A few items in the news caught my eye that fall into the category of Idiot Watch. Alcohol , firearms and the chicken dance WNEP : Police said a group of kids w...
Gort42 - Jun 21
Change arrived officially as the 2oth Amendment dictated the end of George W Bush's reign of terror on our Constitution. President Obama was spectacular in his first speech as the 44th President of the United States of America. I am mostly pessimistic with the content of those speeches, but President Obama has never taken me as one who speaks in terms of promises he has any intention of not mak...
Declarations of Pride - Jun 20 - 2 clicks
I am amazed at how quickly a "freshman" congressman learns to play GOP "follow the leader" instead of actually showing support for his constituents. Glenn Thompson has learned quickly indeed. This is the letter he sent me to justify his voting "no" on the stimulus bill. worst.congressman.ever. Thank you for contacting me regarding the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, more com...
Declarations of Pride - Jun 20
If you haven't already been, I encourage you to visit WhiteHouse.gov . President Barack Obama has laid out in great detail his plans for America and the details that outline our hopeful "Change." I am not usually one for these kind of lists from politicians, but it is one thing to list an "agenda" on your campaign site. It is something entirely different to list an "Agenda" on your WhiteHouse...
Declarations of Pride - Jun 20 - 2 clicks
There is one fundamental frustration that the grass roots has with GOP leaders. The base of the GOP sees a persistent lack of initiative and a constant defensive posture by the Party and most of its elected officials. And, it is quite demoralizing when many seem to consistently act out of some sort of inferiority complex or shame about GOP principles. But in war, business and politics, initiative...
The Lehigh Valley Political Blog - Jun 20 - 3 clicks
Not that I believe for one moment that anything in this report will actually get through the conservative-dominated Senate between the GOP fronting for health insurance corpo's and the Democrats reliant on health insurance corpo campaign $$$, but let's just......
Fact-esque - Jun 20
Pennsylvania State Senator John Eichelberger (R-PA-30th) on gays and same-sex marriage: They’re not being punished. We’re allowing them to exist , and do what every American can do. We’re just not rewarding them with any special designation. Read more at Pittsburgh Lesbian Correspondents and 2 Political Junkies and then take action : You can sign a petition at Keystone Pro...
Pittsburgh Women's Blogging Society - Jun 20
Spotted this little mushroom at the Hillman state game lands last week. I'm told its Amanita Fulva, the Tawny Grisette. Its one of the edible amanitas, but as the amanita group contains some of the most deadly mushrooms in the world, I'm not willing to risk my life if I make a mistake. We'll be hunting mushrooms at Deer Lakes Park on Saturday. After all the rain we've had this week, it co...
Froth Slosh B'Gosh - Jun 19
Well, the bunnies are wrecking havoc in the garden. They're munching down the lettuce, defoliating the cabbage, noshing on the parsley, and gobbling up the broccoli. I checked on-line for some non-toxic animal deterrents, and found a recipe for home made hot pepper spray. So I minced some habaneros, soaked them in vegetable oil overnight, added some liquid soap and water, then sprayed liberal...
Froth Slosh B'Gosh - Jun 19
Amazing. Two Supreme Court decisions came down yesterday and they are both travesties of anything that looks remotely like justice. First, we got CJ Roberts...well, here's the opening graf of Adam Liptak's NYT article, one of the most jaw-dropping ledes......
Fact-esque - Jun 19
Why is it that the most sanctimonious of Republicans are usually the ones caught with their pants around their ankles? Ensign told a hastily arranged news briefing on Tuesday he had an extramarital affair with a woman on his campaign payroll, and it lasted several months, ending last August. Ensign isn't just any old sanctimonious peerer into others bedrooms types. He was at th...
Froth Slosh B'Gosh - Jun 19
Roeder. The man accused of killing Kansas abortion doctor George Tiller said Thursday from the county jail that he's "being treated as a criminal" even though he hasn't been convicted. Poplawski. In his first interview since he was charged with the April 4 slayings of three Pittsburgh police officers, Richard Poplawski today complained about his accommodations at the Allegheny County Jai...
Froth Slosh B'Gosh - Jun 19
The nice thing about Republicans embracing Twitter is that we get to see just how freakishly insane they are. Another example. Keep on letting us see the inner recesses of your minds goopers! ...
Froth Slosh B'Gosh - Jun 19
McLouth: .240, 18 total bases, 12 hits, 9 runs, 3 doubles, 1 HR, 2 RBI's, 2 SB. McCutchen: .339, 29 total bases, 20 hits, 2 doubles, 2 triples, 1 HR, 9 RBI's, 2 SB. Just saying. ...
Froth Slosh B'Gosh - Jun 19
Two crocodiles were hanging out in Washington D.C. The smaller one turned to the larger one and said, "I can't understand how you can be so much bigger than me. We're the same age and we were the same size as kids. I just don't get it." "Well," said the larger crocodile, "what have you been eating?" "Politicians, just like you." "Hmm. Well, where do you catch them?", asked the bigger crocod...
The Lehigh Valley Political Blog - Jun 19
The future direction of the GOP? Some discussion on the show "Business Matters"... Who will determine the future of the Republican party? Also, watch GOP State Committeewoman Wanda Mercado-Arroyo on June 29th on Business Matters - Monday, June 29th Why Don't Americans Care? A look at American voter apathy.Alfonso Todd (Lifestyles of the GSS), Esther Lee (NAACP - Bethlehem), Wanda Mercado-Arro...
The Lehigh Valley Political Blog - Jun 19
I received a letter from the Dent campaign. While hearing for years that we "can't move to the right because we won't win elections" it seems that there might be some concerns brewing. For a long time, the "wizards of smart" have assumed that Republicans will vote for a Republican 'no matter what'. It doesn't matter how they vote, or what legislation they support, as long as they are a candidate...
The Lehigh Valley Political Blog - Jun 19
NIMBY wins Edwardsville turns down St. Hedwig's zoning change A request by Catholic Social Services for a special-use variance to convert the former St. Hedwig's School into apartments for veterans was unanimously denied Tuesday by the three-member zoning board... Zoning board members refused to comment on their ruling . Austin gives us an update: Last night the Edwardsville Z...
Gort42 - Jun 19
The bloom is escaping the Obama rose, it seems. A new NYT/CBS poll suggests pretty strongly that while a vibrant majority still approves of Obama's trying to change things, they don't think that what he's done so far succeeds in......
Fact-esque - Jun 19
I'm getting a bit confused. On hand #1 Obama says he thinks we need a "public health option" if for no other reason than to take care of the people the insurance companies don't want. On hand #2, his HHS......
Fact-esque - Jun 19
I have simmered, stewed, and am about to explode! I think President Obama has behaved exactly as I expected, and frankly predicted. I was duped, and so were the rest of us. I was an ardent Hillary supporter specifically because I did not trust Obama on issues of gay equality. I threw my support completely behind him, and "hoped" for the best. What we have gotten as a community thus far is muc...
Declarations of Pride - Jun 19 - 2 clicks
Recently the issue has been raised about how police respond to incidents of domestic violence, spurred by Donna Williams’ story in the Post-Gazette: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/09158/975486-53.stm#ixzz0Hlxj The Citizens Police Review Board is meeting next week to review the particulars of this case. The wonderful group of women who volunteered to help change the Pgh. Police Dept’s int...
Pittsburgh Women's Blogging Society - Jun 17
It sounds like a good idea. Forgo taxes for a period of time on a piece of blighted land with the hope of enticing somebody to build something on it that will create jobs and eventually the parcel will be put back on the tax rolls. If only it worked that way. I would like to see an accounting of the program to judge if it is worth it. I'm sure that there are some success stories like Schiel's ...
Gort42 - Jun 17
East Penn's infamous Ghost Contract vote approved a new teacher's contract WITHOUT a final, written copy for review. This incomprehensible travesty was also discussed in East Penn: Talk about secret government! . Because citizens were constantly told that this practice was "normal" and that there were no issues for such a ludicrous process, a citizen compared the old contract with the new and w...
The Lehigh Valley Political Blog - Jun 16
It seems that Lehigh County Executive candidate Scott Ott might be in this thing to win. He hit the ground running and had a respectable showing during the primary. Sure, he was unchallenged, but he put up a respectable vote total, especially when compared to the incumbent, Don Cunningham. There is no doubt that Don Cunningham is in office, like so many Democrats across the country, because the G...
The Lehigh Valley Political Blog - Jun 16 - 4 clicks
The Rise of the Milky Way The best thing about this video is how clear it is that we live in the disk of a spiral galaxy. Compare what’s in that video to pictures of NGC 4013, NGC 4565 or NGC 891 to see what I mean. We live in a galaxy. That’s a profound statement, and the evidence is literally right there above our heads. ...
Comments From Left Field - Jun 16
QUOTATION OF THE DAY "These people are not seeking a revolution. We don’t want this regime to fall. We want our votes to be counted, because we want reforms, we want kindness, we want friendship with the world." ALI REZA, a young actor who watched a long river of protesters march silently in Tehran. from the new york times. com ...
Pittsburgh Women's Blogging Society - Jun 16
Two ex-judges denied pensions Former Luzerne County judges Mark Ciavarella and Michael Conahan are not entitled to their pensions and could be liable to reimburse the state $4.3 million for higher juvenile placement costs it says are tied to the kickback scheme the jurists engaged in, the State Employees’ Retirement System has determined . Conahan has bee...
Gort42 - Jun 16 - 2 clicks
North Dakota Sen. Byron Dorgan made an ill-publicized local appearance this evening to promote his new book, "Take This Job and Ship It : How Corporate Greed and Brain-Dead Politics Are Selling Out America." Around 30 people managed to find out about this and were happy to focus along with the three-term Democrat on the economic crisis "free trade" and corporate welfare have brought to Am...
Lou's List - Jun 15
While the average Pittsburgher was loath to entertain the idea of a fourth mayor in four years--resulting in accidental Mayor Luke Ravenstahl's unopposed Democratic nomination to serve the next two--voters in three City Council districts turned to hotly contested races for those seats to inject some new blood into city government. The desperation of party machine-backed incumbents in two races sh...
Lou's List - Jun 15
I'm having a lot of trouble making sense of the results in the statewide judicial races. Roughly a quarter of the votes statewide on Election Day came from Philadelphia, which was holding a hotly contested mayoral primary. This resulted in just one Philly candidate being nominated for any of the four Democratic nominations up for grabs. That was Superior Court Judge Seamus McCaffrey , who finishe...
Lou's List - Jun 15
With the U.S. mired in Iraq and Democrats searching for a way out, surely the person arguably more responsible than any other in Congress for extricating our nation from the similar quagmire in Vietnam could make a considerable contribution to the intra-party debate as we move toward 2008. You may not know it, but that very man is in the race for the Democratic presidential nomination, but repres...
Lou's List - Jun 15 - 2 clicks
While the political waters were roiled in the City of Pittsburgh, things were quiet at the county level as the primary results rolled in. County Executive Dan Onorato cruised to victory over longshot challenger Rick Swartz, who failed to meet even the most tempered expectations in the Dem contest. And while GOP County Councilman Matt Drozd of Ross launched a late write-in drive on behalf of his...
Lou's List - Jun 15
Democrats' optimism as we enter 2008 shows in the field of five candidates vying to represent the party in a bid to unseat three-term GOP Congressman Tim Murphy of Upper St. Clair. It also illustrates Murphy's perceived vulnerability after allegations of ethical lapses and questionable spending and six years of a staunchly pro-Bush voting record. Past Dem primary fields in the district have dr...
Lou's List - Jun 15
On March 9. 2008, the Erie Peace Initiative held a peace rally to mark the 5th anniversary of the US invasion of Iraq. After the March, all US Congressional candidates for the PA-3 legislative district were invited to speak in a candidate forum at Cauley Auditorium in Erie PA. All four Democratic Party candidates and the Independent candidate attended. Republican incumbent Phil English did ...
Lake Erie Alliance for Democracy - Jun 15 - 4 clicks
by Doris Cipolla The Marriage Protection Amendment is tabled, but not dead. It wll emerge again. We need to be vigilant and alert to stop this direct assault to our Constitution. Al Quaida could not have created a better weapon than the Marriage Protection Amendment to destroy our American democracy. The Marriage Amendment is much larger than a “gay issue.” The more serious matter i...
Lake Erie Alliance for Democracy - Jun 15
If you are in the Us Illegally you should be arrested and Deported. No ifs, and, or buts. I don't care, why Millions of other People are here, that shouldn't be,the fact that are here makes them Criminals. No one is criminalizing them, they made themselves Criminals when they came accross the boarder without permission and stayed here without permission. I don't care that Businesses wants them her...
Green Dog Dem - Jun 15
The Bush adm's new policy is to convince the American Public that they don't know what they want so they can convince us to stay in Iraq forever. The latest message is the american people want victory and if it takes 10 year or forever we have to stay there. ...
Green Dog Dem - Jun 15
Lower Pa Sales tax below the States around Pennsylvania then set up outlet malls near every major highway along the north at where between 81 and 29 in Susqueahana county, rt 15 in Tioga county,rt 219 in Mckean county 82 in warren county and 90 in Erie county and rt 220 in Bradford county. This as an example and do this at every major entry road along the Pa Board with Ny, Ohio and Maryland and Ne...
Green Dog Dem - Jun 15
The Culture that has seems to have develop during the Bush adm in US Military is one of an absolutist cult. That sees the rest of the world as inferiors needing to be "civilized" it seems to even been ingrained in the base live at home and abroad. This attitude of what could be akin to a new "white man’s Burden" idea even extends to the British our "allies". This is exemplified in a statement by a...
Green Dog Dem - Jun 15
To, start off with I will not assert, that Bush did not have the right to Commute the sentence of I Scooter Libby. The constitution gives him that right and I will not dispute that. It is very clear thought that this was political kick back for Libby Keeping his mouth shut during the trial. That there it was obvious that a deal was made that Bush would commute or pardon Libby if he was convicted. ...
Green Dog Dem - Jun 15
us causality stats avg from 2004-currect (i excluded 2003 because that was the year of the invasion and scews up the numbers) Jan 74.75 Jan 07 83 +11% Feb 53.5 Feb 07 81 +34% March 49.75 March 07 81 +39% April 91.75 Apr 07 104 +13% May 88.75 May 07 126 +42% June 70.5 June 101 +43% July 55 July 81 +47% Aug 72 Aug 37 Sept 67 Oct 88.66 Nov 97 Dec 84 The numbers as you ...
Green Dog Dem - Jun 15
We as a country seem to have a severe problem with moderation and balance,in general but most explictly in the area of taxation and regulation. Government in the Us tends to either do too much or do too little. This was most explictly shown this week in the collapse of the credit market for the second time in 7 years, and the collapse of the 35w bridge in minn and the realization that 13% of ameri...
Green Dog Dem - Jun 15
Bush more or less said today that we need to invade countries all over the middle east and install democracies. So that we can remove the atmosphere that makes people hate us. Bush more or less said today that we need to go all over the middle east and Depose governments. So where are we going to invade Next Saudi Arabia, Jordan, UAE, Barain,Kuwait most of our allies in the middle east are dicato...
Green Dog Dem - Jun 15
All the Republican candidates in Yesterday's Debate more or less said they'd prefer to have the terrorist attack us rather than have a gay Arabic Translator in the Military. That nuking Iran is a good Idea, as a response to them having a centrifuges not a a nuke a centrifuge. They want to deport Legal Aliens. ...
Green Dog Dem - Jun 15
Today Secretary Michael Chertoff said he had a "Gut Feeling" that AL queda was going to attack us this summer. I don't want to hear about his Gut Feelings about Al queada we are spending Billon of f-king dollars on the fbi,cia and other group. He should know if there is going to be an attack. If he doesn't and the best he can do is guess he should f-cking resign. He has no business being the head...
Green Dog Dem - Jun 15
It seems we are seeing a replay of the 1971 break up of West Pakistan (Bangladesh) and East Pakistan (current Pakistan). Hamas has now taken over Gaza and Fatah now only controls the West Bank. This was pretty much of an inevitability when you have a country (autonomous region) that is created on two side of another country will eventually split up. Especially when the majority of one group is so...
Green Dog Dem - Jun 15
Every decision Bush has made from the decision to go into Iraq was the complete opposite of the decision that should have been made. Starting with going in then going in with too few troops, to letting the iraqi miltary be disbanded, to allowing rioting in the streets, to pushing election on the iraqis, to insisting on staying at every exit point we had, firing any General that suggested leaving I...
Green Dog Dem - Jun 15
We seem to be watching what is the Latest campaign by the Bush adm to keep us in Iraq 'til he leaves office in 2009. As we saw with, the other generals Petras and Lynch seem less like comanding Generals, and more like they are running a propganda campaign. Trying in what seems to be an endless propganda campaign to con the America people yet again into supporting continuing our act of insanity in...
Green Dog Dem - Jun 15
It seems that the Much touted anti-war scholar Michael O'Hanlon aggressive critics of the Bush administration's handling of the war" or as "critics of the war by his own admission is not a war critic at all but a whole hearted supporter of the war from word one. It's quite clear from the quote below that what we have been hearing is alot of happy happy nonsense from a staged trip by the D...
Green Dog Dem - Jun 15
It was kinda disturbing looking at this list realizing that over the past yr I had driven over a number of these bridges sometimes several times a day. Especially the Highly Dangerous Gen Thos R Morgan brige in Slatington. A councilwoman in Slatington had told me how dangerous the bridge was but and the state kept refusing to fund replacing it but now I feel lucky the bride didn't fall out from un...
Green Dog Dem - Jun 15
First of all Mr/Ms. Media pundit cut it out. This is serious stop spinning this We have gone in a week from: Karzai: Iran not backing Taliban,No evidence Iran moving weapons to Taliban: Gates,then suddenly we went to well Iran maybe helping the taliban, then suddenly Iran is helping the taliban. If anyone bothers to read the stories these statements are based on the improvement in the Taliban's ...
Green Dog Dem - Jun 15
Well we know that Sec Chertoff was trying to avoid saying that Al Queada is stonger now than in 2001 because we F-cked up. After, 4 years of this nonsense in Iraq we are no safer now than we were 4 years ago. Al queada has reconstitued itself because we wasted all this f-cking time in Iraq,because we didn't go after them in pakistan and let things go in Afghanstan. We are no better off today becau...
Green Dog Dem - Jun 15
It seems now that rather than a briefing on what is going on in Iraq congressmen and Senators have been receiving what amounts to Pr campaign orchastrated by the Miltary and the Bush adm to convince them that surge was working. The congressmen and Senators were set up with pr officers. The senators and congressmen's bios were plastered all over the green zone. Spin City," Rep. Moran said of the ...
Green Dog Dem - Jun 15
It seems that the only time that makes the Iraqi government do anything is the threat that the American troops will actually leave. Mr. Maliki spent the past 3 days cursing and screaming at US elected officials mostly Democrats. Who wanted him removed, that they were undemocratic. Telling us if we don't want to be their (his) friend he can find someone else. That this is their government that we s...
Green Dog Dem - Jun 15
It seems there is a continued attempt to evangialize Miltary recruits still reguardless of what is going on. If you are wondering why the Us Miltary is having such a hard time recruiting to the numbers it sets and keeping people. On every level evangical chrisitans have invaded the us miltary and are using the insitution to harrass recruits into converting to Evangical christianity reguardless if ...
Green Dog Dem - Jun 15
In an up and back vote count that wasn't settled till monday, Whitehall Twp Commissioner Thomas Slonaker seems to have eeked out win in the race for Lehigh county controller (and I mean eeked out) over the current Lehigh county controller Paul Shaffer by 23 votes. On election night it looked like Slonaker had originally won by 278 votes 22,280 to 22,002 then the next morning it had flipped to a 6...
Green Dog Dem - Jun 15 - 2 clicks
It's quite clear that George Bush intends to try to convince the American people that's a good idea to invade Iran. We are hearing the same language that lead up to his unilateralist invasion of Iraq, plus the increased craziness of a Nuclear Holocaust. It's quite clear that they have decided that the best way to deal with our problems in Iraq is to start a war with Iran. This is Bush's desperate ...
Green Dog Dem - Jun 15
Bush must really think the American People are stupid. Bush is goin to try and conflate Japan,Korea and Vietnam into the same frame work. We did not go into Japan and try to beat the people into submission, nor did we create a government before the war was over. We had already won there were no insurgence in Japan and there was a true leader to negotiate with. We won in Japan and were able to...
Green Dog Dem - Jun 15
1. Maliki has achieved 3 racially Homogenious regions. More or less the precence of Kurds and Sunnis had been removed from Southern Iraq and most of Baghdad. Al abar is now Homogenously Sunnis the North or Now what is called Kurdistan is almost homogenously Kurd 2. There are now 3 million or more Sunnis and Shites mostly sunnis that have fled the country. 3. There is more or elss a...
Green Dog Dem - Jun 15
The close to 6 year resistance by the Bush Adm and republican lead congress has put American is a bad future economic position. Instead spreading the cost of conversion to a fossil fuel alternative or alternative the republicans have fought tooth and nail against it. Now, we are in the max pain position of having to in short accord to make massive changes to our environmental situation or risk the...
Green Dog Dem - Jun 15
Eric Vath, a volunteer lawyer, Judge Anita Rizzo and John Dodds, PUP Director. From "Homeowners offered relief in Philadelphia program" in today's Philadelphia Inquirer: In theory, the Residential Mortgage Foreclosure Diversion Pilot is supposed to work like this: Under court order, no house can be sent to a sheriff's sale without the owner-occupant's ......
The Philadelphia Unemployment Project - Jun 15 - 3 clicks
Dr. Valerie Arkoosh, a local physician, issued a statement yesterday alongside many other Doctors, Nan Feyler of the Nutter Administration and uninsured leaders, showing the support of progressive doctors in the National Physician's Alliance for major healthcare reform. “It’s not everyday that you see solidarity and hear a unified voice ......
The Philadelphia Unemployment Project - Jun 15 - 3 clicks
If you're in trouble with your mortgage in Philadelphia, you need to call a housing counselor. In Philadelphia, you can call 215-334-HOME. A housing counselor can get you a better deal as you try to save your home. This is always true, but even moreso right now. In Philadelphia, we ......
The Philadelphia Unemployment Project - Jun 15 - 4 clicks
This statistic captures why the foreclosure issue transcends any sort of moral judgement about people "just not paying their mortgages." Home vacancies are at an all time record high in the U.S. right now [18.6 million empty homes, 3% of the housing stock]. If you see all the folks on ......
The Philadelphia Unemployment Project - Jun 15 - 4 clicks
In the present economic downturn, many states have decreased their spending, particularly in the area of public health. That's why it's gratifying to see City Council, the Department of Public Welfare and the General Assembly working together to bring more dollars into the state so we can actually improve care ......
The Philadelphia Unemployment Project - Jun 15
The Senate Republicans came out with an alternative health insurance plan yesterday. The intent of their plan is to a) not be left totally behind and b) stir up needless debate for the precise purpose of making sure nothing happens.I'm going to publish the Pennsylvania Health Access Network Response in ......
The Philadelphia Unemployment Project - Jun 15 - 3 clicks
Lenders aren't helping people that have fallen behind on their mortgages quickly enough. That's the conclusion of a new report by the State Foreclosure Prevention Working Group, a coalition of banking regulators atnd attorneys general from 11 different states. From the Wall Street Journal: The study, compiled by the State ......
The Philadelphia Unemployment Project - Jun 15
Chicago Public Radio's show This American Life has done a great story on the credit crunch. They trace the demand for mortgage backed security's back to this gigantic pool of money that represents the total wealth of all the central banks in the world. It's a lot of money.If you're ......
The Philadelphia Unemployment Project - Jun 15
PUP members & staff in the Wall Street Journal today (AP Photo)Pictured: Evelyn Rodriguez, Rev. Pittman, Shirley Glover, Rev. Steinhagel and Andre ButlerMayor Nutter announced a plan this week called The Philadelphia Mortgage Foreclosure Protection Plan. Not only will it give homeowners a hotline to reach housing counselors, he's ......
The Philadelphia Unemployment Project - Jun 15 - 3 clicks
This is a campaign blog. One of the few good lines I ever heard from the comic Gallagher was this, If the opposite of Pro is Con then the opposite of Progress must be Congress. Now, I dont know where Gallagher lives but Ill bet that his district has a Representative a lot like Bill Shuster (R PA09) Cleaning up the mess left to us by Bush/Cheney/McCain/ Shuster, et all, will require di...
shuck shuster - Jun 15
. . .was left in response to my previous post. It is unfortunate that Rep. Shuster continues to support the President in this wrong war. He neglects to mention that there have been 3 previous troop surges to the level that is now advocated by the President. None of these previous troop surges has met with success. Yet, Mr. Shuster continues to ape the rhetoric of the President with "stay the cour...
shuck shuster - Jun 15 - 3 clicks
[[EMOTICON:GOODGRIEF2]] May 18, 2007, Billy released the following statement. Washington, DC Congressman Bill Shuster released the following statement on the Senate immigration reform legislation introduced by Senator Kennedy: I am strongly opposed the Kennedy immigration plan introduced in the Senate. This legislation is nothing more than amnesty for over 20 million illegal aliens alread...
shuck shuster - Jun 15
[[EMOTICON:GOODGRIEF1]] Lets see, Bill Shuster voted against raising the minimum wage, He voted against implementing the 9/11 commissions recommendations, and he voted against a bill that would allow Medicare to negotiate for lower prescription drug prices and now its come to my attention that he also voted (HR6, Vote 40)to allow Big Oil to keep billions of tax dollars despite the billions in pr...
shuck shuster - Jun 15
According to the website of the Commonwealth Department of State election returns, Democratic challenger Tony Barr received more votes in the April 22nd primary than did the incumbent Bill Shuster (R PA09). Tony Barr received 57,489 votes, while Shuster received only 56,921 votes. While hardly a landslide, the 1% Barr edge going into the general election makes an upset in the 9th District a dist...
shuck shuster - Jun 15
A Republican Memorial In order to show his Patriotism, as a testament of his appreciation for the sacrifice made by the victims of Flight 93, Bill Shuster (R PA-09) wants to expose the citizens of StonyCreek Township PA to toxic exposure to Manganese. STONYCREEK TOWNSHIP PA--With America preparing to mark the sixth anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks, there are mixed emotions in Somerset County:...
shuck shuster - Jun 15
According to the American Heritage Dictionary The word hypocrite is defined as a person who pretends to have virtues, moral or religious beliefs, principles, etc., that he or she does not actually possess, especially a person whose actions belie stated beliefs. Bills Statements: Let there be no mistake, I strongly support the SCHIP Program Press release, October 18, 2007 Bills actions Roll ...
shuck shuster - Jun 15
Shame, Shuster, Shame H.R 976 Roll Call Vote# 906 Bill Shuster (R PA-09) Nay Mr. Shuster you owe an apology. Not to the seniors whose Social Security benefits you wish to privatize, not to the soldiers that you keep captive in a combat zone, not to the millions of hard working Americans to whom you would deny the benefits of collective bargaining. No Sir, This time you owe an apology to chil...
shuck shuster - Jun 15 - 2 clicks
This is a campaign Blog. Well, unless the something extraordinary happens in Ohio, Texas and Pennsylvania, it looks like we got ourselves a presidential nominee. Now, lets look at Congress. If you live in PA, you know and despise the name of Bill Shuster, but for some reason people vote for him anyway, lets look at how he votes. Tony Barr is a special education teacher from Claysbu...
shuck shuster - Jun 15 - 3 clicks
On his own website Bill Shuster touts the need to expand the use of coal to relieve Americas energy woes. This will bring big bucks to the mining companies and energy companies that line Bill Shusters campaign coffers. Yet on April 30th of this year, Bill Shuster told the men and women who have to actually dig the coal that they are on their own. Roll Call vote #233 was on passage of The Combust...
shuck shuster - Jun 15 - 2 clicks
On April 13th an editorial appeared in the Bedford Gazette in Bill Shusters name. Ive heard the man speak and its clear, to me anyway, that Karl Rove or one of his mindless lackeys actually wrote this and someone in Billys office simply sent it along. Billys ghost writer accuses Congressional Democrats of having no direction at all. In fairness, things might very well look that way. However, i...
shuck shuster - Jun 15 - 2 clicks
H R 976 2/3 YEA-AND-NAY 18-Oct-2007 1:17 PM QUESTION: Passage, Objections of the President Notwithstanding BILL TITLE: Childrens Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act Bill Shuster (R PA-09) "Nay" Roll Call Vote 982 Or How Shuster stole healthcare. With apologies to Dr. Suess, All the kids in Central PA liked SCHIP healthcare a lot But Shuster-Grinch up DC DID NOT!!!! Th...
shuck shuster - Jun 15 - 3 clicks
The following blog contains sarcasm, irony and facetious commentary; read with tongue planted firmly in cheek. Eureka! I finally understand. For years, I thought that these hardcore Limbaugh-lovin, Big business sycophants were mean spirited and nasty rascals bent on the destruction of the American Middle class and devoted only to the exaltation of greed and the permanent placement of a hobnail b...
shuck shuster - Jun 15
Part two of Bill Shuster's trilogy of terror is the Global war on terror. Here it is, the classic example of how Bill Shuster plans to frighten his way back to Congress, the GWOT. Part of Billys plan to scare the knickers off of PA-09 voters is to dredge up all the tragic episodes of the recent past, including, of course 9/11. His purpose is to conjure up not only the tragic images of those bla...
shuck shuster - Jun 15 - 2 clicks
I consider it my duty to stand up in Washington for the hardworking men and women employed in manufacturing. Bill Shuster Why? Oh, why? then Mr. Shuster did you vote to strip millions of American workers of their over time protection. Vote to block the stripping of overtime protection: HR 2660 , Vote #351, 7/10/2003 Heres how Bill Shuster supports hardworking men and women 2006 Representativ...
shuck shuster - Jun 15 - 3 clicks
