When school boards can't balance district budgets, they threaten to cut programs or raise taxes. Why not lay off administrators earning six-figure salaries?
From a letter to the editor from a frustrated taxpayer: "Once again, we are taking away from the students. Instead of starting at the bottom and punishing the kids, why don't we consider looking at the top level of administration and what it costs the district?"
Start cutting at the top (1/31/12)
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Monday, January 30, 2012
Sunday, January 29, 2012
Turns out the rich make good presidents
The liberal media is up-in-arms about Mitt Romney's personal wealth. But what's wrong with a successful person holding the nation's top job.
If Mitt Romney were elected president, he would rank No. 4 on the all-time list of richest presidents. He would also be in good company.
Here's is Forbes magazine's ranking of the 10 richest presidents:
George Washington
Herbert Hoover
Thomas Jefferson
John F. Kennedy
Andrew Jackson
Theodore Roosevelt
Zachary Taylor
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Lyndon Johnson
James Madison
The Mercury - How rich is Mitt Romney?
If Mitt Romney were elected president, he would rank No. 4 on the all-time list of richest presidents. He would also be in good company.
Here's is Forbes magazine's ranking of the 10 richest presidents:
George Washington
Herbert Hoover
Thomas Jefferson
John F. Kennedy
Andrew Jackson
Theodore Roosevelt
Zachary Taylor
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Lyndon Johnson
James Madison
The Mercury - How rich is Mitt Romney?
Saturday, January 28, 2012
Friday, January 27, 2012
74,000 visitors to THE CENTRIST
My site counter has recorded 74,000 unique visitors to THE CENTRIST. Thanks for checking us out ... and come back again.
Thursday, January 26, 2012
Poll: Obama job approval at 40% in Pa.
Highlights from the January 2012 Franklin and Marshall College Poll:
1. Most (47%) of the state’s voters believe Pennsylvania is headed in the wrong direction, a sentiment little changed during the past two years. The last time a majority of the state’s registered voters believed the state was headed in the right direction was September 2006.
2. More voters report they are worse off financially than are better off financially (26% and 15%, respectively) compared to one year ago, although most (60%) say their finances are the same as last year. Fewer voters expect to be worse off financially next year (13%) than they were last March (26%), the last time this question was asked. Most (51%) respondents report economic and financial issues are their most pressing personal problems.
3. President Obama has seen a minor improvement in his job performance ratings compared to the October 2011 Franklin and Marshall College Poll, rising from 37% positive to 40% positive. Voters’ rating of his handling of the economy, with only 29% providing a positive rating, is lower than his overall job performance rating. Generally speaking, more voters in Pennsylvania still believe it is time for a change (49%) than believe the president deserves re-election (44%).
4. Despite President Obama’s tepid job approval ratings, he continues to lead his Republican challengers in the state. Obama’s lead over both Romney and Santorum is still more than 10 points. The president is up two points on Romney from October; however, his lead over Santorum has remained stable at 13 points.
January 2012: Obama 41%, Romney 30%, other 8%, don’t know 24%
October 2012: Obama 35%, Romney 26%, other 10%, don’t know 30%
January 2012: Obama 43%, Santorum 30%, other 8%, don’t know 19%
October 2012: Obama 38%, Santorum 25%, other 11%, don’t know 26%
5. The explanation for the president’s current advantage may stem from several sources. First, less than half (46%) of voters are very interested in this year’s election; in January 2008, three in five (60%) voters were very interested in that year’s election. Second, President Obama is more personally appealing than either of the two Republican challengers tested with nearly half (45%) of voters having a “favorable” opinion of the president compared to around one-quarter who have a favorable opinion of Mitt Romney (25%) and Rick Santorum (29%). Importantly, this pattern holds true among independent voters.
Read the full poll results here.
1. Most (47%) of the state’s voters believe Pennsylvania is headed in the wrong direction, a sentiment little changed during the past two years. The last time a majority of the state’s registered voters believed the state was headed in the right direction was September 2006.
2. More voters report they are worse off financially than are better off financially (26% and 15%, respectively) compared to one year ago, although most (60%) say their finances are the same as last year. Fewer voters expect to be worse off financially next year (13%) than they were last March (26%), the last time this question was asked. Most (51%) respondents report economic and financial issues are their most pressing personal problems.
3. President Obama has seen a minor improvement in his job performance ratings compared to the October 2011 Franklin and Marshall College Poll, rising from 37% positive to 40% positive. Voters’ rating of his handling of the economy, with only 29% providing a positive rating, is lower than his overall job performance rating. Generally speaking, more voters in Pennsylvania still believe it is time for a change (49%) than believe the president deserves re-election (44%).
4. Despite President Obama’s tepid job approval ratings, he continues to lead his Republican challengers in the state. Obama’s lead over both Romney and Santorum is still more than 10 points. The president is up two points on Romney from October; however, his lead over Santorum has remained stable at 13 points.
January 2012: Obama 41%, Romney 30%, other 8%, don’t know 24%
October 2012: Obama 35%, Romney 26%, other 10%, don’t know 30%
January 2012: Obama 43%, Santorum 30%, other 8%, don’t know 19%
October 2012: Obama 38%, Santorum 25%, other 11%, don’t know 26%
5. The explanation for the president’s current advantage may stem from several sources. First, less than half (46%) of voters are very interested in this year’s election; in January 2008, three in five (60%) voters were very interested in that year’s election. Second, President Obama is more personally appealing than either of the two Republican challengers tested with nearly half (45%) of voters having a “favorable” opinion of the president compared to around one-quarter who have a favorable opinion of Mitt Romney (25%) and Rick Santorum (29%). Importantly, this pattern holds true among independent voters.
Read the full poll results here.
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
Monday, January 23, 2012
Rick Santorum: 40 million babies killed in the U.S.
Rick Santorum on the 39th anniversary of Roe vs. Wade:
This anniversary is both a day of sadness for the more than 40 million babies who have been killed since Roe v. Wade and a day of hope as more and more Americans embrace a culture of life and as more and more young people march in Washington and around the country in support of life.
Read the full column in The Wall Street Journal.
Sunday, January 22, 2012
Saturday, January 21, 2012
Record Bank Failures Under Obama
More U.S. banks have failed during the first three years of the Obama Administration than in all eight years of the George W. Bush Administration.
Three banks have already failed in 2012, following the 92 banks that went under in 2011 and the 157 banks that failed in 2010 and the 140 banks that failed in 2009, according to the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation.
Regulators Shut Bank In Pennsylvania, Georgia & Florida; First Failures Of 2012 - NASDAQ.com
Three banks have already failed in 2012, following the 92 banks that went under in 2011 and the 157 banks that failed in 2010 and the 140 banks that failed in 2009, according to the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation.
Regulators Shut Bank In Pennsylvania, Georgia & Florida; First Failures Of 2012 - NASDAQ.com
Friday, January 20, 2012
Thursday, January 19, 2012
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
Pennsylvania Supreme Court to televise legislative redistricting arguments
The Pennsylvania Cable Network (PCN) will provide gavel-to-gavel coverage of the state Supreme Court’s hearing on Pennsylvania’s legislative redistricting plan on Monday.
From PCN:
From PCN:
The state's highest court, for the first time, agreed to LIVE coverage by PCN beginning at 9:30 a.m. on Monday, January 23 in Harrisburg. The state Supreme Court is scheduled to hear appeals to the legislative redistricting plan as proposed by the Pennsylvania Legislative Reapportionment Commission.State Supreme Court to televise legislative redistricting arguments - delcotimes.comThe justices will hear oral arguments of 11 prospective appeals filed in response to the redistricting plan that was approved in December of 2011. The state’s legislative districts were redrawn by a constitutionally-mandated commission to offset population shifts reflected in the 2010 census. A successful appeal will prevent the plan from becoming law.
PCN has been providing gavel-to-gavel coverage of the state’s Supreme Court proceedings since September of last year. The state’s highest court decision to allow PCN cameras into the courtroom is an historic first.
New procedures set forth by the high court regarding the broadcast of court proceedings now allows PCN to choose which session days to record, but all proceedings must be aired in their entirety. The January 23 session will be the first time LIVE coverage has been permitted during a state Supreme Court session.
PCN continues to record the En Banc coverage of the state’s Superior Court as well as the state’s Commonwealth Court. State Supreme Court proceedings are also recorded in their entirety.
Coverage of this session concerning the legislative redistricting plan is also tentatively slated to re-air on PCN at 8:00 p.m. on Monday, January 23.
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
Monday, January 16, 2012
Sunday, January 15, 2012
Saturday, January 14, 2012
Friday, January 13, 2012
Thursday, January 12, 2012
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
Monday, January 09, 2012
DEBT LIMIT DEBATE EXPLAINED
Terrific video that Barack Obama and Congressional Democrats should be forced to watch.
Career politician Dante Santoni calls it quits
After 20 years of drawing a pay check from state taxpayers (not to mention voting himself numerous pay raises and voting to double his pension), Democrat Dante Santoni Jr. has decided it's time to start collecting that lifetime pension from taxpayers.
Santoni won't seek re-election
Santoni won't seek re-election
Pa. Legislature campaign cycle kicks off
Are you getting your money's worth from the Pennsylvania Legislature, one of the largest and most expensive legislative bodies in the United States? The annual cost of running the Legislature tops $300 million. Pennsylvania taxpayers can send a strong message about state government in 2012 when all 203 House seats and 25 Senate seats are up for grabs?
Pa. Legislature campaign cycle kicks off - pottsmerc.com
Pa. Legislature campaign cycle kicks off - pottsmerc.com
Saturday, January 07, 2012
Obama Weakens U.S. Military Power
We're fighting a war in Afghanistan, confronting Iran in the Persian Gulf and China is building a giant Naval fleet to dominate Asia and the Pacific. So what does Fearless Leader Obama do? Cut our military strength, of course!
Obama the Job-Slayer Will Put Half a Million Military Personnel Out of Work - HUMAN EVENTS
Obama the Job-Slayer Will Put Half a Million Military Personnel Out of Work - HUMAN EVENTS
Pay Raise Proposed For Federal Workers
The U.S. is $15 Trillion in the red and Obama wants to give federal workers a pay raise?!? Stop the madness!!!
Pay Raise Proposed For Federal Workers - HUMAN EVENTS
Pay Raise Proposed For Federal Workers - HUMAN EVENTS
Friday, January 06, 2012
Poll: Percentage of Americans who identify as Dems at 22-year low
Millions of voters have left the Democratic Party since Barack Obama was elected president. The rest? They're walking around with bags over their heads.
Poll: Percentage of Americans who identify as Dems at 22-year low - The Hill's Ballot Box
Poll: Percentage of Americans who identify as Dems at 22-year low - The Hill's Ballot Box
Thursday, January 05, 2012
Wednesday, January 04, 2012
Tuesday, January 03, 2012
Pennsylvania State Police: 10 People Killed, 172 Injured in New Year's Holiday Crashes
Ten people were killed and 172 others were injured in the 552 crashes investigated by Pennsylvania State Police during the four-day New Year's holiday driving period, PSP Commissioner Frank Noonan announced Tuesday."Although the number of fatalities decreased by one compared to last year's holiday driving period, the number of child safety seat violations and DUI arrests increased," Noonan said.
From Dec. 30, 2011 through Jan. 2, 2012, State Police investigated a total of 552 crashes. Of those crashes, 79 were alcohol-related and involved two fatalities. Also, six of the 10 people who died in crashes were not wearing seat belts.
Troopers made 285 arrests for driving under the influence and issued 3,408 speeding citations during the holiday period. State Police also cited 379 individuals for failure to wear seat belts and issued citations to 51 drivers for failing to restrain children properly in child safety seats.
During last year's four-day New Year's holiday driving period, 11 people were killed and 220 others were injured in 693 crashes investigated by State Police.
The crash numbers cover only those incidents investigated by State Police and do not include statistics on crashes to which other law-enforcement agencies responded.
Monday, January 02, 2012
Rep. Warren Kampf announces re-election bid
Freshman state Rep. Warren Kampf, R-157th Dist., announced Monday he will seek a second two-year term in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives.“During my first year in office, I have answered the public’s call to restore fiscal discipline to state government and have focused on making our state more competitive in the national marketplace,” Kampf in a prepared statement. “I am proud of my efforts thus far, but know there is still much to be done. Restoring our economy by reversing the failed policies of over-spending and over-borrowing of the previous administration will take time.”
Kampf said he is running again because “there is more work to be done both to fulfill his pledge to the people of the 157th District, as well as to keep Pennsylvania on a course toward economic recovery.”
“I am continuing to develop comprehensive legislation to address the pension issue in our state by creating a defined contribution retirement plan, like those in the private sector have, for all new state hires and will introduce it early this year,” Kampf said. “I will continue to work to ensure education funding remains a top priority in the budget, and push for further reforms to our state’s tax structure to help lure new job creators to our state and encourage current businesses to expand and create more jobs.”
During his first term, Kampf kept his pledge to lead by example on reform and fiscal discipline, refusing perks like a state-paid automobile and per diems, as well as not accepting the salary COLA for both 2011 and 2012, and not enrolling in the legislature’s defined benefit pension system.
“I ran for this office to try and make a difference for local residents and Pennsylvania, not to take part in the perks of office. I promised to turn my back on those perks in these difficult times and have kept that promise,” Kampf said.
A lawyer by profession, Kampf served for seven years as a Tredyffrin Township supervisor before his election to the state Legislature.
The 157th House District covers portions of Chester and Montgomery counties.
Sunday, January 01, 2012
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