Wednesday, October 07, 2009
Tuesday, October 06, 2009
PA marks 150th Anniversary of the Civil War
The Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission today unveiled plans for the commemoration of the 150th anniversary of the Civil War, including the launch of www.PACivilWar150.com The Commission also announced a full slate of special events and traveling exhibits "highlighting the state's paramount role in the war."
Pennsylvania Civil War 150 is a unified, statewide alliance that will attract visitors and enrich their experience county by county through remarkable programming for the sesquicentennial commemoration, according to a Commission press release.
"While many of the great battles of the Civil War were epic in nature, the story of this war in Pennsylvania is much more than just tactics and strategy," said Barbara Franco, executive director of PHMC. "The Civil War also is the story of individual soldiers and of women and children struggling to survive in small towns and family farms all across the state and of African Americans working to abolish slavery and join the United States Colored Troops."
More highlights from PA Civil War 150 launch event in Harrisburg:
· PACivilWar150.com, a dynamic Web site that unlocks the incredible personal stories of Pennsylvanians both on the battlefield and at the home front, the vast Civil War collections of the state's museums and historical societies, and the state’s numerous heritage tourism attractions and trip-planning resources.For more information, visit www.PACivilWar150.com
· Pennsylvania Civil War Road Show, a traveling museum experience based in a 53-foot tractor trailer that will bring interactive exhibits and unique programming to all 67 counties in the state from 2011 to 2015. The Road Show will encourage residents and organizations in each locality to share their stories and artifacts in conjunction with the traveling exhibition.
· Additional initiatives include a digitization project under the direction of Penn State University that aims to unearth and organize Civil War collections in an online format to preserve primary source materials and make them accessible to the public and to scholars. The Heinz History Center in Pittsburgh also will coordinate the publication of two books: Pennsylvania Civil War in Photographs, a collection of rarely seen photos from the Civil War era, and Pennsylvania African Americans in the Civil War Era, an account of the African American experience during the same time period.
Originally posted at TONY PHYRILLAS
National Call Congress Day
From Patients First:
On Tuesday, October 6th, Patients First is sponsoring a National Call Congress Day to send our legislators a simple message: "Hands Off My Health Care!"
This is your chance to explain why we cannot afford any bill that puts Washington between you and your doctor. Call Congress and tell them: "Hands Off My Health Care."
Find out more about the campaign at http://www.joinpatientsfirst.com/
On Tuesday, October 6th, Patients First is sponsoring a National Call Congress Day to send our legislators a simple message: "Hands Off My Health Care!"
This is your chance to explain why we cannot afford any bill that puts Washington between you and your doctor. Call Congress and tell them: "Hands Off My Health Care."
Find out more about the campaign at http://www.joinpatientsfirst.com/
Rendell Names Naomi Wyatt as Senior Deputy Chief of Staff
What happened to the hiring freeze?
Pennsylvania Governor Rendell Names Naomi Wyatt as Senior Deputy Chief of Staff
Pennsylvania Governor Rendell Names Naomi Wyatt as Senior Deputy Chief of Staff
So far, only 7 PA Congressmen support '72 Hour' rule
The Democratic majority in Congress continues to reject calls to actually read bills before voting on them.
From Robert Romano of the NetRight Nation Blog:
What about your member of Congress? What are they hiding? Why do they want to rush through votes before anyone has a chance to read the bill?
For a complete list of the members of Congress who signed the petition, click here.
Originally posted at TONY PHYRILLAS
From Robert Romano of the NetRight Nation Blog:
If a growing number of House members that signed a discharge petition for H. Res. 554 have their way, every single bill in Congress will be held for least 72 business hours Monday through Friday (excluding holidays) prior to passage for a mandatory review by each house.Only 7 of Pennsylvania's 19 House members have signed the petition: Reps. Charlie Dent, Bill Shuster, Glenn Thompson, Todd Platts, Joe Pitts, Jim Gerlach and Tim Murphy. All 7 are Republicans.
The discharge petition initiated by Congressman Greg Walden (R-OR2) has obtained 182 signatures, including the bill's sponsor, Rep. Brian Baird (D-WA3). Walden did so on the same day the Senate Finance Committee explicitly voted against allowing 72 hours to review ObamaCare once it was finally written.
What about your member of Congress? What are they hiding? Why do they want to rush through votes before anyone has a chance to read the bill?
For a complete list of the members of Congress who signed the petition, click here.
Originally posted at TONY PHYRILLAS
Monday, October 05, 2009
Why Won't Democrats Read Health Care Bill?
Let's give Sen. Thomas Carper, D-DE, an "A" for honesty for admitting nobody in Congress actually reads the bill they vote for, but an "F" for doing the job his constituents sent him to Washington to do.
Carper told CNSNews.com that he does not "expect" to read the actual legislative language of the committee's health care bill because it is "confusing" and that anyone who claims they are going to read it and understand it is fooling people.
"I don't expect to actually read the legislative language because reading the legislative language is among the more confusing things I’ve ever read in my life," Carper told CNSNews.com
Read the full story at the link below:
CNSNews.com - Finance Committee Democrat Won’t Read Text of Health Bill, Says Anyone Who Claims They’ll Understand It 'Is Trying to Pull the Wool Over Our Eyes'
Posted using ShareThis
Originally posted at TONY PHYRILLAS
Sunday, October 04, 2009
Libertarian Party blames GOP, Dems for budget mess
The Libertarian Party of Pennsylvania doesn't have a voice in the Pennsylvania Legislature, but party officials want to say loud and clear they disapprove of the way Democrats and Republicans are handling the state's finances.From a statement issued by Doug Leard, head of media relations for the Libertarian Party of Pennsylvania on behalf of party Chairman Michael Robertson:
Last year, Pennsylvania general fund tax revenues fell below $25,000,000,000. Our representatives in Harrisburg ignored the revenue shortage and spent over $28,000,000,000. Instead of facing reality for the upcoming year and joining taxpayers in tightening their fiscal belts, our representatives have proposed a general fund 2010 budget of $27,950,000,000.For more information about the Libertarian Party, visit www.LP.org or www.LPPA.org
To make matters worse, while most "budget" references are to the general fund portion of the budget, state government's total operating budget exceeds $61,000,000,000.
Where will the money come from? Increased taxes for one. The most recent budget plan retroactively increases the Capital Stock and Franchise Tax (CSFT) – the tax which Governor Rendell had said was the most harmful to the Pennsylvania economy In addition, we would be charged a sales tax for admission to performing arts programs (such as music concerts and theaters) and other cultural venues (such as museums, parks and zoos). Smokers will also pay an additional tax for cigarettes.
But, these taxes will not be enough to meet Harrisburg's hunger for spending. So, Governor Rendell and legislators appear to be counting on federal bailout dollars and may exhaust Pennsylvania's Rainy Day Fund to delay facing economic reality until next year.
Media Relations Chair, Doug Leard, stated "Harrisburg's approach to belt tightening is like the man who comes home from work and tell his wife 'Times are tough at work – no bonus this year and 10% pay cuts across the board. Boy, it’s hot today. Let's put in a pool.'"
Based on recent budget proposals, The Commonwealth Foundation, an independent, non-profit research and educational institute, projects a budget deficit of $846,000,000 next year that will grow to $14,400,000,000 in 2012 as federal stimulus money disappears and pension obligations for Pennsylvania's School Employees' Retirement System (PSERS) and the State Employees' Retirement System (SERS) come due.
The Libertarian Party denounces both the Republicans and Democrats along with their bankrupt vision of spending, taxing and regulating Pennsylvania into even deeper hardship. If voters want to escape from this budgetary death spiral, the only option is Libertarian Party candidates for the General Assembly. After all, the status quo has proven yet again to be no choice at all.
Originally posted at TONY PHYRILLAS
Vereb Proposal to Reform Pennsylvania's Gaming Industry Passes House
Rep. Mike Vereb, R-150th Dist., released the following statement regarding the Pennsylvania House of Representatives' unanimous passage of his proposal to reform background checks of members of the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board: "Tonight we had the opportunity to fix a major flaw in the original gaming law concerning the conduct of background checks. If we are going to expand Pennsylvania's gaming industry to include table games, we need to make sure that reforms are put in place so that past mistakes are not repeated. It is important for background investigations to be conducted by trained law enforcement professionals. Moving background investigations of the four highest executive positions on the board to the Pennsylvania State Police will ensure a more thorough vetting process. My legislation also puts more integrity into the process by banning any direction or communication between the investigators and the board or its employees regarding an open background investigation.Vereb's amendment, which was inserted into Senate Bill 711, mandates that background checks of potential board members, including the four highest executive positions, be conducted by the Pennsylvania State Police.
"The need for reform is by no means over; however, my legislation is a good first step. I applaud my House colleagues for taking the initial step toward gaming reform. I have been pushing for gaming reform since I first came to the House in 2007. I look forward to continuing to work with House members from both sides of the aisle in continuing to fix Pennsylvania's fractured gaming law."
96 bank failures since Obama took office
News Item: Federal regulators close Mich. bank; 96th failure in '09
In case you haven't been following the news, Barack Hussein Obama has been president of the United States over the past nine months. That same time period corresponds with federal regulators shutting down 96 banks.
The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. has coughed up billions of dollars in deposit insurance to cover the debts of failed banks in 2009.
By comparison, just 26 banks failed in all of 2008 when Republican George W. Bush was president. In 2007, also under Bush, just 3 U.S. banks failed. The good old days.
Industry analysts predict that another 150 to 200 banks will fail. Keep that in mind next time the Obama media tells you the recession is over.
Originally posted at TONY PHYRILLAS
In case you haven't been following the news, Barack Hussein Obama has been president of the United States over the past nine months. That same time period corresponds with federal regulators shutting down 96 banks.
The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. has coughed up billions of dollars in deposit insurance to cover the debts of failed banks in 2009.
By comparison, just 26 banks failed in all of 2008 when Republican George W. Bush was president. In 2007, also under Bush, just 3 U.S. banks failed. The good old days.
Industry analysts predict that another 150 to 200 banks will fail. Keep that in mind next time the Obama media tells you the recession is over.
Originally posted at TONY PHYRILLAS
Saturday, October 03, 2009
Reichley blasts House Dems on tax vote
Rep. Doug Reichley (R-Berks/Lehigh), the Republican vice chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, issued the following statement in response to his "No" vote on a tax measure advanced by House Democrats:"The tax bill offered (Friday) points to the erosion of the budget deal tenuously cobbled together two weeks ago by the governor, House Democrats, Senate Republicans and Senate Democrats. I opposed that tax proposal as did the House Republican Caucus because it proposed a 20 percent tax on small games of chance that charitable organizations use as fundraisers, and it imposes a 6 percent sales tax on tickets for the arts, museums and performances. There was an outcry against these taxes, so the House Democrats devised their own tax bill.Originally posted at TONY PHYRILLAS
"I opposed those tax increases and must stand against the new batch taxes proposed today, which includes a 30 percent tax on cigars, cigarillos and smokeless tobacco that could jeopardize 8,100 jobs in the Lehigh Valley in the cigar-making industry. Those businesses could move to Florida if this tax is enacted.
"In the last 24 hours, House Democrats have retreated from this deal and also choose to institute a severance tax on drilling in the Marcellus Shale area, which was not a part of the three-caucus agreement, and is likely a deal-killer.
"House Republicans continue to oppose new taxes and support a no-tax budget that spends $500 million less than the $28 billion three-caucus deal. House Bill 1943 spends $27.5 billion and does not increase taxes yet adequately funds education, veterans, social services and hospitals.
"During the town hall meetings I held this week with constituents, one message was clear: 'Tell Harrisburg to get their greedy hands out of our wallets.' This Halloween trick or tax plan has no treat for taxpayers and should be rejected."
Rep. Vereb to Host Third Annual Senior Expo
Rep. Mike Vereb, R-150th Dist., invites local senior citizens to his third annual senior expo on Wednesday, Oct. 7.From a press release issued by Vereb's office:
"Last year we had a record turnout to my annual senior expo, and I'm hopeful even more residents will come this year," Vereb said. "This is a great opportunity for local seniors to obtain a wealth of information on programs and resources that are available to them. I look forward to discussing issues important to seniors with my constituents."For more information, contact Vereb's district office at 610-409-2615.
A special guest speaker will be on hand to discuss veterans' health care issues.
Seniors will be able to obtain information on programs available to them from the following organizations: Klein Bus Trips, Spring-Ford Community Education Program, Waddell & Reed, Verizon Wireless, Bayada Nurses, Home Helpers and Direct Link, Independence Blue Cross, the Senior Adult Activity Center of Montgomery County, Montgomery County Historical Society, Montgomery County Aging and Adult Services, Family Services, the Office of the Attorney General, Senior Resource Guide, SEPTA, TRANSNET, the American Cancer Society, LIHEAP, AARP, Elmwood Park Zoo, Montgomery County Cultural Center, Merle Norman Cosmetics, the Philadelphia Veterans Association, Visiting Angels, Silver Sneakers and more.
The expo will take place at the IBEW Local 380 building, 3900 Ridge Pike in Collegeville. This event will be held from 9 a.m. to noon and is free for all who attend. Complimentary light refreshments will be served.
PA GOP: Pennsylvania’s Democrat House of Hypocrisy
Republican Party of Pennsylvania Chairman Rob Gleason released the following statement in response to a press release sent out by Democrat members of the state House of Representatives touting their letter to Pennsylvania's Congressional delegation that called for an investigation into the activities of the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now, or ACORN:"Democrats in the state House have taken hypocrisy to a new and dangerous level," Gleason said. "Just weeks after voting to support state funding for ACORN, Democrat state Reps. Tony DeLuca, Dom Costa and Bryan Barbin are now publicly calling on Pennsylvania's Congressional delegation to investigate this corrupt organization. This letter was no doubt a measure taken to calm down their constituents, who are upset that their elected officials voted to support a group that has clearly been misusing precious taxpayer resources.
"In these troubled economic times, when everyone is working to stretch our dollars as far as we can, the public deserves to know that the Democrat Party is willing to knowingly send our tax dollars to this corrupt organization. The recent videos depicting ACORN counseling people involved in criminal activities is deplorable. It is mind-boggling to me that, even with mounting video evidence piling up against this corrupt organization, every Democrat member of the state House still voted to send precious taxpayer dollars to fund the activities of this corrupt organization."
"ACORN has been exposed as a corrupt organization that should not be receiving federal or state funds under any circumstances."
Friday, October 02, 2009
Economy is good unless you count those 15 million unemployed
The Obama recession continues as the U.S. unemployment reached 9.8 percent in September.It's the highest unemployment rate since June 1983, according to The Associated Press.
The Obama/Pelosi "stimulus" package, approved in February, has been a bust, with more than 15.1 million Americans out of work - 3 million more than when Obama took office.
From The Associated Press:
The Labor Department said Friday that the economy lost a net total of 263,000 jobs last month, from a downwardly revised 201,000 in August. That's worse than Wall Street economists' expectations of 180,000 job losses, according to a survey by Thomson Reuters.Originally posted at TONY PHYRILLAS
The unemployment rate rose from 9.7 percent in August, matching expectations.
If laid-off workers who have settled for part-time work or have given up looking for new jobs are included, the unemployment rate rose to 17 percent, the highest on records dating from 1994.
All told, 15.1 million Americans are now out of work, the department said. And 7.2 million jobs have been eliminated since the recession began in December 2007.
The department said 571,000 of the unemployed dropped out of the work force last month, presumably out of frustration over the lack of jobs. That sent the participation rate, or the percentage of the population either working or looking for work, to a 23-year low.
The unemployment rate would have topped 10 percent if the labor force hadn't shrank.
Older, laid-off workers are dropping out and requesting Social Security at a faster-than-expected pace, according to government officials. The Social Security Administration said earlier this week that applications for retirement benefits are 23 percent higher than last year, while disability claims have risen by about 20 percent.
Digging a deeper hole for PA
The first rule of holes: When you're in one, stop digging.
While Gov. Ed Rendell and the Pennsylvania Legislature are still trying to figure out what to do about last year's $3.25 billion budget deficit, Pennsylvania is facing another financial disaster for 2009-10.
Revenue collections for the first three months of the new fiscal year have fallen short of projections. That's a fancy way of saying Pennsylvania is headed for another fiscal crisis -- even while elected officials struggle to get the state out of the mess they created last year.
Pennsylvania collected $2.1 billion in General Fund revenue in September, which was $118.6 million, or 5.5 percent, less than anticipated, according to Revenue Secretary Stephen H. Stetler. Fiscal year-to-date General Fund collections total $5.3 billion, which is $140.6 million, or 2.6 percent, below estimate, Stetler reported.
Tax revenues from the state's two biggest sources of income fell short for the third consecutive month of the new fiscal year, adding to the 12-month decline in the 2008-09 fiscal year.
From the Department of Revenue's September Collection Report:
More from the Revenue Department:
Revenue Department Releases September Collections
Originally posted at TONY PHYRILLAS
While Gov. Ed Rendell and the Pennsylvania Legislature are still trying to figure out what to do about last year's $3.25 billion budget deficit, Pennsylvania is facing another financial disaster for 2009-10.
Revenue collections for the first three months of the new fiscal year have fallen short of projections. That's a fancy way of saying Pennsylvania is headed for another fiscal crisis -- even while elected officials struggle to get the state out of the mess they created last year.
Pennsylvania collected $2.1 billion in General Fund revenue in September, which was $118.6 million, or 5.5 percent, less than anticipated, according to Revenue Secretary Stephen H. Stetler. Fiscal year-to-date General Fund collections total $5.3 billion, which is $140.6 million, or 2.6 percent, below estimate, Stetler reported.
Tax revenues from the state's two biggest sources of income fell short for the third consecutive month of the new fiscal year, adding to the 12-month decline in the 2008-09 fiscal year.
From the Department of Revenue's September Collection Report:
Sales tax receipts totaled $633.4 million for September, $38.8 million below estimate. Year-to-date sales tax collections total $2 billion, which is $52.2 million, or 2.5 percent, less than anticipated.The only bright spot is September's corporation tax revenue collections of $403.9 million, which was $5.6 million above estimate. Year-to-date corporation tax collections total $541.4 million, which is $7.3 million, or 1.4 percent, above estimate.
Personal income tax (PIT) revenue in September was $835.4 million, $69.5 million below estimate. This brings year-to-date PIT collections to $2.2 billion, which is $97.9 million, or 4.3 percent, below estimate.
More from the Revenue Department:
Other General Fund revenue figures for the month included $59.1 million in inheritance tax, $3.4 million below estimate, bringing the year-to-date total to $181.6 million, which is $6.1 million below estimate.Click on the link below to view the full September report:
Realty transfer tax was $23.5 million for September, $1.5 million below estimate, bringing the total to $82.2 million for the year, which is $3.7 million less than anticipated.
Other General Fund tax revenue, including cigarette, malt beverage and liquor taxes totaled $85.4 million for the month, $7.2 million below estimate and bringing the year-to-date total to $259.4 million, which is $1.2 million above estimate.
Non-tax revenue totaled $9.8 million for the month, $3.7 million below estimate, bringing the year-to-date total to $52.1 million, which is $10.8 million above estimate.
Revenue Department Releases September Collections
Originally posted at TONY PHYRILLAS
Kerry-Boxer is Bait-And-Switch Scam
Democrats are no longer calling it "Cap-and-Trade," but it remains the biggest energy tax in U.S. history.
Kerry-Boxer is Bait-And-Switch Scam, Says American Council for Affordable and Reliable Energy
Kerry-Boxer is Bait-And-Switch Scam, Says American Council for Affordable and Reliable Energy
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Thursday, October 01, 2009
'Talking Politics' on the radio today
Tune in to "Talking Politics with Tony Phyrillas & Mike Pincus" today at 5 p.m. on WPAZ 1370 AM
Topics will include Pennsylvania's unraveling budget agreement and the special election win by state Rep. Bob Mench.
You can call the station with questions or comments at 610-326-4000.
If you can't receive the radio signal, you can listen to the broadcast online at www.pottsmerc.com or www.1370wpaz.com'
Topics will include Pennsylvania's unraveling budget agreement and the special election win by state Rep. Bob Mench.
You can call the station with questions or comments at 610-326-4000.
If you can't receive the radio signal, you can listen to the broadcast online at www.pottsmerc.com or www.1370wpaz.com'
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
GOP is 3-for-3 in PA special elections
There have been three special elections so far this year to fill vacant seats in the Pennsylvania Legislature.Republicans have won all three seats, two in the Senate and one in the House, by safe margins.
The success the Republican Party has had bodes well for 2010 when all 203 seats in the state House and 25 of the 50 seats in the state Senate are up for re-election.
(The GOP lost its majority in the House in 2006 thanks largely to the backlash over the legislative pay raise and was unable to recapture the majority in 2008 primarily because of the Barack Obama landslide in Pennsylvania. With no major Democratic names on the ticket in 2010, the GOP has a chance to retake control of the House.)
The most recent contest, Tuesday's victory by state Rep. Bob Mensch in the 24th Senatorial District, was by far the GOP's biggest win of the year. Mensch defeated his well-financed Democratic opponent by a 2-1 margin.
Republican Party of Pennsylvania Chairman Rob Gleason took note of the GOP's undefeated streak in releasing the following statement congratulating Mensch:
"It is clear that Bob Mensch's message of reform and fiscal responsibility resonated with the voters," Gleason said. "We are confident that Bob Mensch will be a great leader for Pennsylvanians living in the 24th Senatorial District and a welcome addition to the state Senate."The 24th state Senatorial District consists of portions of Bucks, Lehigh, Montgomery and Northampton counties. Mensch was elected to fill the term of former state Sen. Rob Wonderling, who resigned earlier this summer.
"The Republican Party of Pennsylvania was proud to support the Mensch Campaign in this important race. This year, our Party has gone undefeated, enjoying three dominating victories in special elections around the Commonwealth. Our Party feels confident that these victories will provide our candidates with momentum heading into the upcoming statewide judicial elections where we will elect Judge Joan Orie Melvin to serve as our next Supreme Court Justice."
Originally posted at TONY PHYRILLAS
'Political Talk' on WCHE 1520 AM
"Political Talk," a new weekly program offering an inside view of politics and the political process, with an emphasis on and how politics impacts your daily life, airs every Wednesday from 3-4 PM on WCHE 1520 AM and www.wche1520.com"Political Talk" is hosted by Mike Pincus, a Chester County-based political consultant and strategist who has advised candidates and managed campaigns on all levels of government for the past 30-plus years.
In addition to his campaign work, Mike co-hosts "Talking Politics" with Tony Phyrillas, an award-winning political columnist for The Pottstown Mercury. "Talking Politics" airs every Thursday, from 5-6 PM, on WPAZ 1370 AM, and www.1370wpaz.com. It can also be heard at www.pottsmerc.com
Listeners may call 610-701-WCHE (9243) with comments or questions during the live show.
Mensch wins PA Senate seat in landslide
Voter turnout was small but the victory was decisive. State Rep. Bob Mensch won a landslide victory over Democrat Anne Scheuring to fill the vacant 24th Senatorial District seat.
Mensch defeated Scheuring by a 2-1 margin. In his home county of Montgomery, Mensch defeated Scheuring by a remarkable 72% to 26% margin. In Lehigh County, Mensch won by a 64% to 30% margin. In Bucks County, Mensch won by a 68% to 29% margin. The tightest race was in Northampton county, where Mensch beat Scheuring by a 53% to 42% margin.
With all 123 precincts reporting results, Mensch finished with 12,496 votes. Scheuring had 5,730 votes. Libertarian candidate Barbara Steever had 660 votes.
After three years in the state House representing the 147th District, Mensch moves to the state Senate, giving Republicans a 30-20 majority.
The 24th Senate District has been vacant since July when former state Rep. Rob Wonderling resigned to become president and chief executive of the Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce.
There's no indication when Mensch's seat in the state House will be filled. While Senate Pro Tempore Joe Scarnati, a Republican, got to decide when to hold a special election for Wonderlng's seat, the task of filling Mensch's seat falls to Speaker of the House Keith R. McCall, a Democrat.
With Democrats holding a slim 104-99 majority in the House, don't look for McCall to move quickly on replacing Mensch in one of the safest Republican districts in the state. Don't be surprised if McCall puts off a special election until next year.
One other interesting note. There have been three special elections this year to fill vacancies in the state Legislature and Republicans have won all three races by wide margins. That does not bode well for Democrats heading into the 2010 election cycle when all 203 House seats and 25 Senates seats are up for grabs.
Originally posted at TONY PHYRILLAS
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Check out new look of The Mercury
I know a lot of people read newspapers online these days, but there's a two big reasons to actually buy a copy of the The Mercury on Wednesday, Sept. 30.The Mercury, a two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning newspaper, is unveiling a new look and refined content in tomorrow's print edition.
To celebrate the new changes to the print product, the newspaper is also including a historic 32-page keepsake section that features many historic front pages from the newspaper's nearly 80 years of covering Pottstown and the surrounding communities in Montgomery, Chester and Berks counties.
"We've been working on some changes here at The Mercury — a redesign planned to be unwrapped to readers on Wednesday," says Nancy March, editor of The Mercury. "Some months ago we decided we were about due for an upgraded look. Like a person wearing a hairstyle that went out of vogue in the ’70s, a newspaper can find itself showing age instead of style. We decided it was time to try on a new look and update our appearance. Call it a makeover."
For more about the newspaper's redesign, check out this recent column by March.
Originally posted at TONY PHYRILLAS
Deer-Vehicle Collision Frequency Jumps 18 Percent in Five Years
Pennsylvania is No. 3 in the country for most vehicle-deer crashes.
Deer-Vehicle Collision Frequency Jumps 18 Percent in Five Years
Deer-Vehicle Collision Frequency Jumps 18 Percent in Five Years
Never on a Sunday
At the 90-day mark in the new fiscal year, Gov. Ed Rendell announced he is setting an Oct. 4 deadline ... or maybe Oct. 6 ... for the Legislature to have an approved budget on his desk.We know how well the Legislature meets deadlines. It took the leaders of three of the four caucuses 80 days into the fiscal year to reach a budget agreement acceptable to Rendell. (House Republicans still don't want any part of the deal.)
So why the new-found sense of urgency on the part of the governor? Because people are beginning to figure out that the "deal" reached on Sept. 18 was just another red herring to distract Pennsylvanians from the ineptness of the governor and Legislature.
"We've had time," Rendell said Monday. "We should be able to get this done, no ifs, ands or buts about it. And there are a lot of people out there who are depending on us to get this done."
The reality is there is no deal. Rendell and the legislative leaders don't have the votes to get the so-called compromise agreement passed in the state House. They've been trying for 10 days to gather enough votes, but they keep coming up short. And every day that goes by, the "deal" loses more support.
Some house members won't vote for the "deal" because of the controversial tax on admission to arts venues, museums and zoos. Others object to the plan on environmental grounds. Some are upset with the proposal to tax games of chance and bingo operations at fire halls.
It's clear that Rendell and the legislative leadership jumped the gun on Sept. 18. While the Senate could probably come up with 25 or 26 votes to pass the budget deal, the votes are not there in the House, where up to 30 Democrats could bolt.
Democrats hold a slim 104-99 majority. Even if 10 Republicans can be bribed into voting for the deal, that's still not enough votes to make up for the Democratic defectors.
Forget about Rendell's latest deadline. It will come and go. I'm thinking Halloween before a real budget agreement is reached.
Check out more on the unraveling of the "budget deal" at POLICY BLOG
Originally posted at TONY PHYRILLAS
Ron Paul on 'The Daily Show'
U.S. Rep. Ron Paul will be making a return appearance on The Daily Show Tuesday, Sept. 29 to talk about his latest book, "End The Fed," which challenges the constitutionality of the Federal Reserve. From www.CampaignForLiberty.com:
The Congressman's latest release recently entered the New York Times' bestseller list at number six, mirroring the success of his previous book, "The Revolution: A Manifesto."For more information on monetary policy go to www.CampaignForLiberty.com
"End The Fed," has served as a rallying point for supporters of Paul's bill, H.R. 1207 The Federal Reserve Transparency Act, meant to shed light on the practices of the nation's central bank. Last week, the House Financial Services Committee held hearings on bringing more transparency to the Fed, this development came after increased support and a super-majority sponsorship of the bill in Congress.
The success of Congressman Paul's book and the "Audit The Fed" movement has given him a greater platform to spread his message of sound money and economic stability to the public, which seems to be growing ever more receptive since the economic crisis of last year.
The episode will air on Tuesday at 11:00 pm EDT, and again Wednesday at 7:00 pm EDT.
Originally posted at TONY PHYRILLAS
Monday, September 28, 2009
Catch a Falling Czar...
Tony Perkins of the Family Research Center turns the spotlight on another of Obama's radical advisers in this guest opinion:Catch a Falling Czar...
Other issues may have taken a backseat to health care this summer, but now that the kids are back in school, parents have another subject on the brain--education. Earlier this month, President Obama turned more than a few heads with his back-to-school telecast, and parents are right to be concerned about what the administration will do for an encore. Most, including FRC, are hoping that the President's future plans won't include Safe Schools "czar" Kevin Jennings.
More than three months ago, we exposed the truth about Jennings, a long-time proponent of a radical, pro-homosexual agenda in schools. At the time, our concerns were met with little more than a yawn from the mainstream media. But today, as more Americans rage on about the shocking comments of "green jobs" czar Van Jones (who was forced to resign), the spotlight is back on the President's special-subject appointees. And in Jennings's case, it's better late than never. Fortunately, more press outlets like FoxNews.com and Lou Dobbs are picking up the drumbeat, and the Washington Times ran an editorial today demanding answers about Jennings's appointment.
Of course, one of the most shocking pieces of news about Jennings is a story he's told himself (in different ways at different times) about a young student who came to him and confessed that he was having sex with older men in a bus station restroom. Instead of reporting the high-risk behavior to the boy's parents, school administrators, or the police, Jennings's only response was, "I hope you knew to use a condom." If the President hand-picked Jennings to serve in educational leadership, the public has a right to know whether he violated reporting laws and covered up child sexual abuse. At the very least, he should know that making schools safe doesn't mean making them safe for homosexual predators.
Rep. Pitts: Where Did The Jobs Go?
Where Did the Jobs Go?By Congressman Joe Pitts
About 8.5 percent of Pennsylvania's workforce is unemployed. Nationally, nearly one in ten workers is unemployed. All of us know people who have lost their jobs and are struggling to pay their bills. This is the real face of the recession, and Congress has done a poor job addressing it.
At the start of the year, Congress passed a $787 billion "stimulus" bill, which President Obama promised would create or save 8 million jobs. I doubted it at the time, and I'm sorry to say that I was right. For that amount of money, the government could simply have given 8 million people $98,000 each. It is indeed a huge amount of money. If you spent $1 million every day, seven days a week, it would take more than 2,000 years to reach the price of the "stimulus" bill. Sadly, much of that colossal sum has been spent on corporate welfare, state government bailouts, and pet projects. Apparently forgotten, the unemployed are still out of work. Unemployment has only increased, and is projected to keep climbing.
If the "stimulus" didn't work, what should we have done? That's a fair question to me and other critics of the President's spending. To answer that, we have to be clear about where jobs come from in the first place and why they disappear when times get bad.
Frame's Motor Freight is a 140-year-old trucking company in Chester County. It was founded in 1870 when freight was still hauled in wagons pulled by horses. Frame's announced this week that it was going out of business. The reason? The West Chester Daily Local News reported that Bud Temple, Frame's owner, said the sour economy was "part" of the reason — "as well as the rising cost of insurance, the cost of fuel and the overcapacity of the trucking companies compared to the amount of freight that needs to be hauled."
Running a successful business is difficult. Every business wants to grow and add jobs, but to do so they must first navigate a long list of obstacles: taxes, liability insurance, regulation, the costs of things like fuel and raw materials, and competition.
Short of hiring more postal workers and park rangers, the government cannot simply "create" new jobs. What it can do is make it easier, or harder, for businesses to prosper and hire. I'm sorry to say the actions of Congress and the White House this year have provided a strong disincentive to adding jobs.
The national energy tax or "cap and trade" bill passed by the House; the current push for federally run, regulated, and mandated health insurance; and the expiration of the 2001 tax cuts are the political equivalents of standing on Main Street with a bullhorn shouting: "Do not hire!" Each throws gasoline on the fire of unemployment.
When the "cap and trade" bill was introduced, a bipartisan majority of the Pennsylvania Utilities Commission sent a memo to Congress warning, "We are far from convinced that the negative impacts this legislation could have on our state's economy are fully understood." They predicted the bill could cost the Commonwealth 66,000 jobs as the price of electricity shoots up. (Go to www.house.gov/pitts to see my ideas for protecting the environment through clean energy.)
The health "reform" bill the House of Representatives may soon pass would give struggling businesses a Hobson's choice between offering a benefit they can't presently afford or paying an eight percent payroll tax they can't afford either. Either way, many will be forced to layoff workers to comply. (There are better ways to make sure their workers can get health insurance.) The bill also does absolutely nothing to reign in frivolous and excessive litigation, keeping insurance costs high and preventing job creation.
In 2001, Congress reduced taxes for every American — including those wealthy enough to start and expand businesses and create jobs. Eager for more money to spend, Congress and the President plan to let those tax cuts expire next year. This will amount to the largest single tax increase in American history and create yet another strong disincentive to entrepreneurship and job creation.
Jobs are not created by government. Prosperity isn't either. Jobs and prosperity are created by risk-taking entrepreneurs, successful businesses, and hardworking Americans who take pride in what they do. Government can make this process easier or government can make this process harder. Sadly, this President and this Congress have made it much harder at a time when America could least afford it.
Rep. Joe Pitts is a Republican who represents Pennsylvania's 16th Congressional District, which includes parts of Berks, Chester and Lancaster counties.
Originally posted at TONY PHYRILLAS
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