Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Noon TEA Party Protest
Add our voice. No unconstitutional federal spending. No legislation that undermines the sovereignty of the United States.
County Government Should Not Be in Ferry Business
We said this years and years back. County government should not be doing that which private business can do best.
Instead of hanging on to a ferryboat for whatever reasons and acquiring more grants (taxpayers' monies) and using local government resources (taxpayers' monies) for another 30-years, why not just solicit bids for the Fredericktown ferryboat operation from private sector interests? Maybe it'll go for pennies on the dollar to someone who will see its 'tourism' value as well?
Meanwhile, there's a county bond-issue that still needs paid off.
That's for another day.
Net the Truth Online
Posted as is for discussion purposes
Instead of hanging on to a ferryboat for whatever reasons and acquiring more grants (taxpayers' monies) and using local government resources (taxpayers' monies) for another 30-years, why not just solicit bids for the Fredericktown ferryboat operation from private sector interests? Maybe it'll go for pennies on the dollar to someone who will see its 'tourism' value as well?
Meanwhile, there's a county bond-issue that still needs paid off.
That's for another day.
Net the Truth Online
Posted as is for discussion purposes
Fredericktown Ferry's future on Monongahela River fading
By Jennifer Reeger
TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
With a bridge carrying traffic over the Monongahela River between Washington and Fayette counties coming to fruition, the status of a century-old ferry is in question.
And two county commissioners — one from Washington, one from Fayette — find themselves not only on opposite sides of the river but on opposite sides of the debate on whether a proposed $1 million Fredericktown Ferry rehabilitation project should go forward.
Washington County Commissioner J. Bracken Burns does not believe enough passengers will use the ferry once the Mon-Fayette Expressway bridge is built. The bridge, part of the second phase of the Uniontown-to-Brownsville section of the toll road, is tentatively set to open in 2012.
But Fayette County Commissioner Vincent Vicites believes local residents and others will continue to use the ferry even when a bridge is built five miles away.
At the center of the debate is $950,000 in federal money meant to rehabilitate the ferry, the only cable-driven boat of its kind in operation east of the Mississippi River. It carries pedestrians and vehicles about 800 feet across the river between Fredericktown and LaBelle.
The ferry, which is owned and maintained by Fayette and Washington counties, received the federal money last year. A stipulation to receive the money required a 20 percent local match. Vicites said $100,000 has been pledged by the state with Greene County offering $25,000. That means Washington and Fayette counties would split the remaining $65,000 needed for a project that used every cent of the federal money.
But around the time the money was released, Burns started to wonder whether the bridge project, which had been discussed for decades but was now starting to take shape, would affect ferry traffic.
He asked the Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission to study the issue. Burns was able to review a draft of the study, which is unavailable to the public because it is not yet complete.
"Frankly, until I read that report, I was thinking this was just something we need to have as part of our transportation system and was working to try to get money to refurbish the ferry and keep it viable," Burns said. "Once I read it, it leads me to believe the bulk of the people that are riding it right now are going to drive away from it in a hurry as soon as the bridge is opened."
A ferry has been in existence in Fredericktown for more than 200 years. Private owners operated the ferry for decades, until 1969 when decreased ridership led it to close. The counties joined forces to reopen the ferry in 1979.
Burns does not believe the ferry will be viable in the future.
"In the meantime, do you put a million out there in advance?" Burns said. "I don't think that's a good expenditure at this time."
Vicites believes the ferry, which carries about 130 people a day, will see a decrease in passenger load. But he believes it will still be worth operating.
Many of the ferry passengers work at the State Correctional Institution at Fayette in LaBelle.
"I do think a percentage of those people that use the ferry boat for the prison will still use it in spite of the bridge," Vicites said. "You still have to travel five miles down and five miles back and through a toll to use the bridge. I think the ferry boat will still be used — maybe not to the point it is now, but it will still be used."
Vicites said he's heard from local residents who want to see the ferry stay operational even after the bridge is finished. And, he added, some people would have to drive by Fredericktown to get to the bridge.
Vicites believes the counties should explore the rehabilitation project and might discover the full amount of money isn't needed.
"I think it would be a good decision to keep it going for the residents in that area, and the people that are geographically positioned to use it when traveling to the prison," he said. "Especially when the (rehabilitation) cost is covered."
The counties pay about $100,000 a year to operate the ferry. Some money comes from passenger fares, which recently were increased to $2 per car, while the rest is paid for with road improvement funds.
Carl Zellie, 47, a lifelong Fredericktown resident, said the ferry is needed by residents of both counties, who use it to quickly get from place to place to shop, go to the bank and socialize.
Zellie uses the ferry when his work takes him into Fayette County.
"I can be at my destination in five or 10 minutes rather than 30 or 40 minutes," he said. "I'd like for all the residents of both of these counties to rise up and speak their mind and see that this ferry does not close."
Burns said when the bridge opens he may be surprised to find ridership levels remain the same, but he doesn't believe they will.
And while there might always be people willing to ride the ferry, Burns isn't sure it should be kept open for a few.
"Somewhere along the line you have to say we've got to cut our losses with it," he said.
http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/tribunereview/news/fayette/s_620663.html
Plain Local Mean-Time Politics
Article (Newest council member steps down) writer must read Net the Truth Online. Uses, Meanwhile, to begin a transition paragraph! Like us.
Meanwhile, the appointee to the vacated seat on Uniontown City Council expresses a Primary candidate seeking the seat in the upcoming election who filed a lawsuit challenging the appointment was playing a sick little game.
While we don't endorse candidates for political office, we've got to comment. Nobody would have cared a hoot if the city council board members had appointed somebody whom the solicitor could have stated categorically and unequivocably and unarguably "met all the legal qualifications, including residency requirements" despite not having lived in the city for a one-year period before the appointment.
The politics played was on the part of the Uniontown City Council members who decided to appoint an individual to a vacated seat on the council without caution.
The Council quibbled about the meaning of the election law term "candidate." It was they who made the appointment a sick little game, not the individual who filed a lawsuit so a judge could make a determination of the meaning of words. (The individual, Gary Gearing, is also a candidate in the Primary election for one of two positions.)
Before the appointment was made, the council members should have had chapter/verse of Election Law and maybe case law that enabled them to make the appointment of a person who had actually eventually admitted NOT RESIDING in the city confines for one-year.
Instead, the board's solicitor admitted he had not had sufficient time to research the terminology used in the city code and state election law and his legal opinion was "preliminary."
The city council members made the appointment then based on a "preliminary" opinion based on not so much time to research.
And, before the appointment was made, prior to the meeting, a couple of citizens spoke on the matter asking the council to use just such caution. The council actually had a month, reportedly, to make an appointment.
And, had the council refrained from the appointment, the solicitor might have had time to determine how long the appointee's term would be. Over a year? Or less?
As it turns out, the county Election Bureau noted, based on its own legal counsel's opinion, the seat would still be up for election because a municipal election would be occurring before the seat position expires.
To recap. Had city mayor and council members refrained from a rushed appointment of a person who had not resided in the city for even half-a-year before the appointment, had those elected officials used caution, they would not have been legally challenged for the appointment they made.
They still might have been criticized for making the appointment the same day of the resignation of the individual who had met his "sentencing" date, but that goes with the territory.
more
http://ed-fike.love.com/
http://t.love.com/201284614
Net the Truth Online
Posted for discussion purposes...
Meanwhile, the appointee to the vacated seat on Uniontown City Council expresses a Primary candidate seeking the seat in the upcoming election who filed a lawsuit challenging the appointment was playing a sick little game.
Democratic council candidate Gary Gearing filed a lawsuit against Michael seeking his removal from office, arguing he has not lived in the city long enough to qualify to serve on council.
"I never aspired to become part of a political tug of war," Michael said. "I won't be part of their sick little game."
He said no one seemed to know that police and other employees deferred their salaries due to the city's money problems, but people dug into his background and to learn when he registered to vote in Fayette County.
"The city needs leaders, not people trying to make a name for themselves," Michael said.
http://www.heraldstandard.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=20298192&BRD=2280&PAG=461&dept_id=480247&rfi=6
Uniontown Council's newest member quits
By Liz Zemba TRIBUNE-REVIEW Wednesday, April 15, 2009
..."I fear that those who have attacked me on blogs, talk shows and through legal action may have more self-serving desires than to serve the people of the city of Uniontown," Michael said. "I will not be a part of their sick little game anymore."
http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/tribunereview/news/fayette/s_620711.html
While we don't endorse candidates for political office, we've got to comment. Nobody would have cared a hoot if the city council board members had appointed somebody whom the solicitor could have stated categorically and unequivocably and unarguably "met all the legal qualifications, including residency requirements" despite not having lived in the city for a one-year period before the appointment.
Sprouts resigns from Uniontown council
Buzz up!By Judy Kroeger, DAILY COURIER
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
...Council named Philip Michael to replace Sprouts. He will serve until 2011.
Michael has lived in Uniontown since October. Solicitor Charles Gentile said here is no case law dealing with residency requirements for appointed council members. In order to qualify for election, a person must be a resident of the city for one year.
Gentile said he believes that since Michael will fulfill the year's residency requirement during his term, his council seat is legitimate.
http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/dailycourier/s_616654.html
The politics played was on the part of the Uniontown City Council members who decided to appoint an individual to a vacated seat on the council without caution.
The Council quibbled about the meaning of the election law term "candidate." It was they who made the appointment a sick little game, not the individual who filed a lawsuit so a judge could make a determination of the meaning of words. (The individual, Gary Gearing, is also a candidate in the Primary election for one of two positions.)
Uniontown Council candidate sues to oust appointee
Buzz up!By Liz Zemba, TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Saturday, April 4, 2009
http://t.love.com/201284614
Before the appointment was made, the council members should have had chapter/verse of Election Law and maybe case law that enabled them to make the appointment of a person who had actually eventually admitted NOT RESIDING in the city confines for one-year.
Instead, the board's solicitor admitted he had not had sufficient time to research the terminology used in the city code and state election law and his legal opinion was "preliminary."
The city council members made the appointment then based on a "preliminary" opinion based on not so much time to research.
And, before the appointment was made, prior to the meeting, a couple of citizens spoke on the matter asking the council to use just such caution. The council actually had a month, reportedly, to make an appointment.
And, had the council refrained from the appointment, the solicitor might have had time to determine how long the appointee's term would be. Over a year? Or less?
As it turns out, the county Election Bureau noted, based on its own legal counsel's opinion, the seat would still be up for election because a municipal election would be occurring before the seat position expires.
To recap. Had city mayor and council members refrained from a rushed appointment of a person who had not resided in the city for even half-a-year before the appointment, had those elected officials used caution, they would not have been legally challenged for the appointment they made.
Sprouts resigns from Uniontown council
Buzz up!By Judy Kroeger, DAILY COURIER
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/dailycourier/s_616654.html
They still might have been criticized for making the appointment the same day of the resignation of the individual who had met his "sentencing" date, but that goes with the territory.
more
http://ed-fike.love.com/
http://t.love.com/201284614
Net the Truth Online
Posted for discussion purposes...
Uniontown Council's newest member quits
By Liz Zemba
TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
A Uniontown man who was appointed to city council last month resigned from the position on Tuesday.
Philip Michael said he did not want questions over whether he met a residency requirement to distract from the city's other problems.
"I never aspired to be a part of a political tug of war, and that is what this has become," Michael said in offering his resignation at council's monthly meeting.
"I fear that those who have attacked me on blogs, talk shows and through legal action may have more self-serving desires than to serve the people of the city of Uniontown," Michael said. "I will not be a part of their sick little game anymore."
Council appointed Michael to fill the unexpired term of Marlin Sprouts. Sprouts was forced to quit council last month after he entered a guilty plea in federal court to charges involving a mortgage scam.
Because Michael has lived in the city only since October, some residents questioned whether he met legal requirements to serve on council. Among them was Gary Gearing, who is running for city council.
In a lawsuit filed earlier this month, Gearing alleged Michael did not meet a one-year residency requirement of individuals who are elected to council. In addition, Gearing questioned whether council could make the appointment valid through the end of Sprouts' term in 2011.
Despite Michael's resignation, Gearing yesterday said he won't withdraw the lawsuit because he wants the courts to determine whether council acted within the law.
"At this point, it would be a clarification of the law," Gearing said.
Council yesterday met in a short, closed-door executive session before appointing Curtis Sproul to fill Michael's vacated seat. Sproul will serve until voters elect someone to fill the post in November.
A Republican, Sproul said he has two business degrees and teaches math and accounting at the University of Phoenix and Westmoreland County Community College's Fayette campus.
Sproul's appointment was not without some controversy. Two residents, Michael Cavanagh and the Rev. Peter Malik, questioned whether council had solicited resumes from others who might have wanted to serve. Malik said he wanted to have been considered for the position.
http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/tribunereview/news/fayette/s_620711.html
Newest council member steps down
By Steve Ferris, Herald-Standard
04/15/2009 Updated 04/15/2009
Uniontown City Council accepted the resignation of a councilman who was appointed last month, appointed a replacement and recalled eight laid-off employees Tuesday.
Philip J. Michael, who was sued after he was appointed last month, resigned and Curtis Sproul, a Republican candidate for council, was appointed to fill the seat until the November election.
Street department employees Ronald Varndell, Mark Franks, Matthew Hunchuck and Robert Smith, sewage department workers James Gordon and Christopher Jackson, license office employee Donna Jobes and accounts and finance department employee Bernadette Coffin were recalled to full-time status effective today. Their health benefits were reinstated retroactively to April 1.
Those street and sewage department employees were laid off in February and Jobes and Coffin were furloughed in October 2008.
Michael served on council for only a month as the public safety director, but apparently quite an impression.
Interim Fire Chief Charles Coldren said Michael visited the fire station many times. He said Michael's phone number was added to the list of firemen who are summoned to emergencies and he responded to several calls.
Michael "increased moral of the department 10 fold," Coldren said. He said he was sorry to see Michael leave council and he hoped his replacement would also get involved with the fire department.
"You've been a tremendous asset to the department," Coldren said.
Coldren also encouraged Michael to fight to keep his council seat.
The Rev. Pete Malik, an assistant fire department chaplain and a department supporter, said Michael spent time talking to firefighters and learning about the department.
"I'm sorry to see you go," Malik said... "I'll back you if you run in November."
State Rep. Tim Mahoney, D-South Union, commended Michael and said it takes a big heart to resign to avoid creating a problem for council while it is struggling with financial problems.
City Councilman Gary Crozier, a volunteer fireman, also commended Michael.
Democratic council candidate Gary Gearing filed a lawsuit against Michael seeking his removal from office, arguing he has not lived in the city long enough to qualify to serve on council.
"I never aspired to become part of a political tug of war," Michael said. "I won't be part of their sick little game."
He said no one seemed to know that police and other employees deferred their salaries due to the city's money problems, but people dug into his background and to learn when he registered to vote in Fayette County.
"The city needs leaders, not people trying to make a name for themselves," Michael said.
A sixth grade teacher in the West Mifflin School District in Allegheny County, Michael said he recently married and wanted to spend time with his family.
Sproul said he has a bachelor's degree in business from Penn State and a master's degree in business administration from Waynesburg University. He said he teaches math for the University of Phoenix and Westmoreland County Community College's campus in Uniontown.
Crozier said Sproul's father was a volunteer fire department chief in the city and that he and the fire department would work with him.
Sproul is one of two Republican candidates and four Democratic candidates seeking nominations in the primary election to run for two council seats in the municipal election in November.
Council appointed Michael to serve the remainder of former councilman Marlin Sprouts' term, which would have ended in 2011, but the Fayette County election bureau determined that the seat would be open in the November election.
The county Democratic and Republican parties will have the opportunity to nominate one candidate each to run for the seat.
Michael said he would run if he were nominated.
Gearing and other residents questioned Michael's appointment after he said he moved into the city in October 2008.
In his suit, Gearing argued that Michael wasn't qualified to hold the office because lived in the city for less than a year before his appointment.
The state Department of Community and Economic Development, which looked into the matter, said state law requires council candidates to live in the city for a year before they are eligible to hold office, but the law does not address the qualifications of appointees.
Meanwhile, the eight employees who were recalled Tuesday and the seven firemen who were recalled last month represent almost a third of the 41 employees council laid off last year and this year to cut expenses after Mayor Ed Fike reported that the city inherited a $1.3 million debt from the prior administration.
http://www.heraldstandard.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=20298192&BRD=2280&PAG=461&dept_id=480247&rfi=6
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Taxed Enough Already TEA Protests Nationwide
Fox News reporting the start of the nationwide TEA Party effort at 7 am Wednesday.
"Very much a grassroots organization," taking place at a time when Congress is on recess... said a woman whose name we didn't catch on the ticker.
70 plus rallies in California.
One sign shown: Will Atlas Shrug?
We'd like to steal that one... hmm... or maybe the line "both parties are different wings of the same vulture."
also looking for truth who really started the current 'idea' of a tax protest on tax-submission day...
Libertarian Party: we had the Tea Party idea first
April 13th, 2009
http://www.independentpoliticalreport.com/2009/04/libertarian-party-we-had-the-tea-party-idea-first/
And we're watching Glenn Beck even though we've posted about his silly antics spilling fake gasoline on that poor soul Bill from Red Eye last week...
Just can't turn away from Beck now cause his staff is attempting to print-out the 60,000 page tax code... so far only 20,000 pages have been printed out by the staff over a period of 3 days!
Tax code is a destroyer of wealth, a prison sentence, says Beck.
Yes, we knew Beck would pull out a copy of the Constitution, the preserver of freedom. And it's a small tiny booklet.
Here it is online nice and neat.
http://www.ashbrook.org/constitution/constitution.html
Net the Truth Online
"Very much a grassroots organization," taking place at a time when Congress is on recess... said a woman whose name we didn't catch on the ticker.
70 plus rallies in California.
One sign shown: Will Atlas Shrug?
We'd like to steal that one... hmm... or maybe the line "both parties are different wings of the same vulture."
also looking for truth who really started the current 'idea' of a tax protest on tax-submission day...
Libertarian Party: we had the Tea Party idea first
April 13th, 2009
http://www.independentpoliticalreport.com/2009/04/libertarian-party-we-had-the-tea-party-idea-first/
And we're watching Glenn Beck even though we've posted about his silly antics spilling fake gasoline on that poor soul Bill from Red Eye last week...
Just can't turn away from Beck now cause his staff is attempting to print-out the 60,000 page tax code... so far only 20,000 pages have been printed out by the staff over a period of 3 days!
Tax code is a destroyer of wealth, a prison sentence, says Beck.
Yes, we knew Beck would pull out a copy of the Constitution, the preserver of freedom. And it's a small tiny booklet.
Here it is online nice and neat.
http://www.ashbrook.org/constitution/constitution.html
Net the Truth Online
Obama: Way Out of Economic Mess Rests on Government
Therein is the difference between President Barack Obama and the protestors to be rallying Wednesday in T.E.A. Parties across the nation.
Here's a clip - what the TEA Parties are all about:
Daniel McGroganWe’re capitalists, not socialists,” he said...
we'd be more to the point on the foundation of this compact with the government the United States Constitution created: We're Consitutionalists. Our foundation rests on protected inalienable rights and individual freedom. A free-market system is the only economic system which enables personal freedom to flourish.
Let's follow the United States Constititution which enabled for only "limited" government. Period.
Though we do enjoy this cleverly worded insight:
PA's Broussard:
Meanwhile, we accept it was the Libertarian Party of Illinois that generated the idea of a tea party on tax day as explained:
excerpt:
We are avid finders of the truth, so credit where credit is due. Plus, we're not a fan of Newt Gingrich, who professed years back a need for a second national Constitutional Convention, for whatever, though dangers it could become runaway continue to plague the idea.
So we'll post this as well:
State by state
http://www.surgeusa.org/actions/taxday.htm#PA
At least Washington County will have something. So far, none in other Whiskey Rebellion areas. Or along the National Road. Too bad. OK. OK. We'll be out there at noon somewhere along the National Road in Fayette. What does it take to get people upset with any unconstitutional spending?
Oh my goodness look at the 2003 date on this call for action in PA!
Net the Truth Online
More of note
http://www.melaniemorgan.com/component/content/article/1-latest/1488-taking-back-our-country-protest-excitement-explodes.html
Here's a clip - what the TEA Parties are all about:
Daniel McGroganWe’re capitalists, not socialists,” he said...
we'd be more to the point on the foundation of this compact with the government the United States Constitution created: We're Consitutionalists. Our foundation rests on protected inalienable rights and individual freedom. A free-market system is the only economic system which enables personal freedom to flourish.
Let's follow the United States Constititution which enabled for only "limited" government. Period.
Though we do enjoy this cleverly worded insight:
'Tea Party' protest targets tax hikes
An anti-tax rally will be held April 15
Sunday, April 12, 2009
By Mackenzie Carpenter, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
..."Feminist Nation Against Obama Nation Tax and Spend," read one poster carried by Jeamour Matthews, 49, of North Braddock. The president's economic policies "will take us into bankruptcy," Ms. Matthews said, adding that she actually blames both Republicans and Democrats for the country's financial woes.
"They're both different wings on the same vulture," she said.
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/09102/962283-53.stm
PA's Broussard:
Upset citizens protest Obama administration policy, taxes with tea parties By Mike Wereschagin
TRIBUNE-REVIEW Tuesday, April 7, 2009
"I'll be interested to see who actually is" at the protests, Broussard said. "Is it a bunch of politically aware, conservative Republicans who were grinding their teeth in private during the Bush administration, or the people you used to find at old (H. Ross) Perot rallies, just mad at the whole system?"
http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/mostread/s_619524.html
Meanwhile, we accept it was the Libertarian Party of Illinois that generated the idea of a tea party on tax day as explained:
excerpt:
April 9, 2009
Telling Tea Party Truth
by Stephen Gordon
...“The ‘tea party’ concept started with the Libertarian Party of Illinois (LPI) who began organizing a 2009 Tax Day ‘Boston Tea Party’ in Chicago back in December of 2008 and created a Facebook group for it on Feb. 10, 2009, according to the LPI,” wrote Brady on an e-mail list for LP state chairs. “Nine days later, CNBC’s Rick Santelli, broadcasting from the floor of the Chicago stock exchange, popularized the concept.”
http://www.thelibertypapers.org/2009/04/09/telling-tea-party-truth/
We are avid finders of the truth, so credit where credit is due. Plus, we're not a fan of Newt Gingrich, who professed years back a need for a second national Constitutional Convention, for whatever, though dangers it could become runaway continue to plague the idea.
So we'll post this as well:
April 9, 2009
Telling Tea Party Truth
by Stephen Gordon
...To be sure, there are all sorts of Republicans and Libertarians and libertarians and conservatives involved. However, the movement in Chicago and many (most?) other places was started at the grassroots. As the word got out, things went viral and quite a few bigger fish jumped on board — which provided additional feedback to the system and amplified it even more.
A lot of folks are upset about people like Newt Gingrich joining the bandwagon. Jason Pye writes:...
http://www.thelibertypapers.org/2009/04/09/telling-tea-party-truth/
Libertarian Party: we had the Tea Party idea first
April 13th, 2009
http://www.independentpoliticalreport.com/2009/04/libertarian-party-we-had-the-tea-party-idea-first/
TEA Party Map Google
http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&msid=112875499027114938790.0004647d9f61bab744fd4&ll=38.272689,-96.679687&spn=27.495109,57.128906&z=4&source=embed
http://taxdayteaparty.com/
State by state
http://www.surgeusa.org/actions/taxday.htm#PA
PA
http://taxdayteaparty.com/teaparty/pennsylvania/
At least Washington County will have something. So far, none in other Whiskey Rebellion areas. Or along the National Road. Too bad. OK. OK. We'll be out there at noon somewhere along the National Road in Fayette. What does it take to get people upset with any unconstitutional spending?
Tax Day tea parties expected to number more than 1,000
'We don't necessarily need mainstream media anymore'
American Family Assoc. link
http://www.worldnetdaily.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=92276
Oh my goodness look at the 2003 date on this call for action in PA!
Largest tax revolt
Wednesday, September 3, 2003
http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/dailycourier/letters/s_153119.html
Net the Truth Online
Libertarians cordially invite you to a Tea Party
April 9th, 2009 · 32 Comments
Press Release
Anti-tax rallies “the kind of ‘community organizing’ Obama should have been doing”
WASHINGTON — America’s third largest party is urging Americans to join millions of libertarians and other advocates of economic freedom at one of thousands of “Tea Parties” being held on April 15.
The “tea party” concept started with the Libertarian Party of Illinois (LPI) who began organizing a 2009 Tax Day ‘Boston Tea Party’ in Chicago back in December of 2008 and created a Facebook group for it on Feb. 10, 2009, according to the LPI. Nine days later, CNBC’s Rick Santelli, broadcasting from the floor of the Chicago stock exchange, popularized the concept.
“Americans agree with the Libertarian Party that taxes and spending are out of control, and that bailouts and nationalizing industries destroys freedom and prosperity. The Libertarian Party is the only party supporting shrinking budgets, lowering tax burdens, eliminating deficits and getting government out of the way of recovery,” said Ferguson.
“With the Republican Party in Washington joining Democrats in proposing their own bloated budget that expands spending and explodes the deficit, and Republicans in other states touting their plans to raise taxes and jack up spending during a recession, Americans must speak out and speak out forcefully,” said Ferguson.
The public rallies, organized locally by concerned citizens of various political affiliations around the country, will express the widespread majority opposition to the government takeovers of private industries led by Obama, and the bailout programs, expanded spending and larger deficits proposed by both Democrats and Republicans.
“Tea Parties are the kind of ‘community organizing’ Obama should have been doing, instead of peddling government dependency,” said Ferguson.
A national listing of Tea Party events can be found at http://www.lp.org. If you know of a Tea Party not listed, contact media@lp.org with the time and location so it may be added.
http://www.independentpoliticalreport.com/2009/04/libertarians-cordially-invite-you-to-a-tea-party/comment-page-1/
‘Tax Day Tea Party’ protests planned
BY CHARLES SCHILLINGER
STAFF WRITER
Published: Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Updated: Tuesday, April 14, 2009 4:15 AM EDT
A wave of anger about taxpayer money used to bail out Wall Street, homeowners and automakers will wash over Northeast Pennsylvania and the nation on Wednesday, but organizers locally can’t yet say how big it will be.
Organizers of a nationwide “Tax Day Tea Party” will protest government spending throughout the day. There will be protests at noon at the Lackawanna County Courthouse in Scranton and Honesdale Central Park in Wayne County. Demonstrations in Wilkes-Barre will be from 4 to 7 p.m. on Public Square.
“The government is doing this against our will — continuing this roller-coaster of spending,” said Old Forge resident Laureen Cummings, who is helping to organize the protest in Scranton. “We’re going out there because our voices aren’t being heard in the media or anywhere else.”
CNBC’s Rick Santelli started the call in February for a tea party similar to the 1773 Boston Tea Party — which was a protest of the Great Britain bailout of the British East India Co. His call has attracted more than 1 million views on YouTube.
Locally, organizers said the focus will not just be on Congressional Democrats or President Barack Obama, but also former President George W. Bush, who signed the initial bailout of Wall Street.
Ms. Cummings said she was a longtime Democrat until she recently changed to Republican. Now she said she is having a hard time identifying with Republicans, too.
“All politicians have their partisan talking points, they put a wedge between us. We’re tired of that wedge,” she said.
Political parties have nothing to do with it, said the Wilkes-Barre tea party organizer, Daniel McGrogan.
“It’s larger than that. ... We’re capitalists, not socialists,” he said. “We shouldn’t have to be footing the bill for private companies.”...
http://www.scrantontimes.com/articles/2009/04/14/news/sc_times_trib.20090414.a.pg4.tt14teaparty_s1.2444386_top8.txt
More of note
http://www.melaniemorgan.com/component/content/article/1-latest/1488-taking-back-our-country-protest-excitement-explodes.html
Monday, April 13, 2009
Glenn Beck and Chris Horner Discuss Earth Cooling
Glenn Beck interviews Chris Horner. Get the transcript.
http://www.foxnews.com/glennbeck/index.html
Coverage from previous interviews... don't miss...
http://canadianbluelemons.blogspot.com/2009/01/glenn-beck-chris-horner-red-hot-lies.html
http://www.glennbeck.com/content/articles/article/198/18348/
http://www.foxnews.com/glennbeck/index.html
Coverage from previous interviews... don't miss...
http://canadianbluelemons.blogspot.com/2009/01/glenn-beck-chris-horner-red-hot-lies.html
http://www.glennbeck.com/content/articles/article/198/18348/
PA: Emails Central to Bonusgate: DeWeese in-House Investigation Work Product
At least from some quarters, PA state Rep. H. William DeWeese is facing scrutiny by some editorial and/or opinion column writers.
Sadly, it is appearing more and more as if the media just wants to be the primary go-between for what should be a matter of public record, by now, if not before now.
Update Jan. 23, 2010
Update: DeWeese Responds to Bumstead commentary
In an Tue, Apr. 7, 2009 Editorial: Burden of suspicion, the Philadelphia Inquirer editor raised the issue of a potential for state Rep. H. William DeWeese to have had knowledge of what was going on under his nose.
On Easter Sunday, Mr. Bumstead of the Tribune-Review casts the single question in the form of a headline.
Did DeWeese Know?
What's most interesting?
Look how the editorialists portray what can only be viewed as the in-House investigation work product of an elected public official, H. William DeWeese for the House Democrat caucus, and using the services of consultant Chadwick and Associates.
documents in a wide-ranging criminal probe
records
the criminal-probe documents
From the pen of Bumstead, this one liner:
DeWeese, using former state Inspector General Bill Chadwick as a paid consultant, turned over information to Attorney General Tom Corbett in 2007.
What a way to put the long-ago revealed (December 2007) (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette) Rep. DeWeese-initiated internal in-House investigation of staff and legislative email communications and spreadsheets.
"information."
And this paragraph from Bumstead:
The fact is this:
Before Attorney General Tom Corbett announced the beginning of his investigation publicly, it was Rep. DeWeese who got personal wind of media inquisitiveness, yes, mere media inquiry, about potential for staffers doing political campaign work amongst legislative duties and DeWeese then at that time of such rumors initiated an internal in-House investigation of the again then-rumored alleged payments to state staffers in exchange for political campaign work.
The public didn't learn of the in-House investigation itself until December, 2007, and the Post-Gazette article references the internal in-House investigation as having begun in March.
E-mails show how Dems tied staffers' bonuses to campaign work Sunday, December 16, 2007
By Dennis B. Roddy and Tracie Mauriello, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
so tracking back...we have...
Post-Gazette timeline
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/08162/888801-85.stm?cmpid=news.xml
An "internal" "in-house" "investigation" conducted by Chadwick Associates at the behest of DeWeese as revealed by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. An internal, in-house investigation begun, according to the article, in March, (2007) (as the article is written Dec. 16, 2007)
We supply some material showing it was the media inquiry, (timeline included in the piece and other referenced pieces), not notification of a criminal probe that prompted H. William DeWeese to begin an internal in-House investigation.
so when we see an opinion piece that references "information" and "25,000 emails" we have to pose, why hasn't the writer - Mr. Bumstead - noted that information and those "25,000 emails" came directly from the in-House internal investigation initiated by H. William DeWeese and carried out by House Democrat caucus-hired Chadwick and Associates?
Reportedly, DeWeese/Chadwick turned over all to AG Tom Corbett. For the criminal investigation.
But that didn't become public until after March 2007. The earliest we can determine as we've posted in previous posts was possibly October 2007.
Before then, in fact. Rep. DeWeese had already let-go 7 of his staffers, including Mike Manzo, his legislative Chief-of-Staff.
The DeWeese/Chadwick internal in-House investigation reportedly turned up thousands upon thousands of email communications and thousands had been deleted.
Yet we are to believe upon the word of the initiator of the internal investigation and the consultant who conducted the in-House investigation that all "emails" and "spreadsheets" had been recovered and all turned over to the Attorney General.
In turn, AG Corbett turns over those same emails obtained and/or retrieved from DwWeese/Chadwick's internal in-House investigation back in March 2007 and central sometime in October, 2007 to Corbett's criminal case to the defense for indicted individuals.
These emails, selected ones, no doubt, are leaked to the news media.
We have got to ask:
Why do we the people of Pennsylvania need the Press as a go-between to release any of the emails?
Emails which were the work product in the very beginning of state Rep. H. William DeWeese's internal in-House investigation begun because the media began asking its own questions about salaries and payments and bonuses to state legislative staff members?
As it now stands, the public only has some leaks to newspapers and not the entirety of what by now should be public material.
Why shouldn't the open records act apply to all of these emails, especially now, if the AG has copies of all, is using them or has used them in his investigation, and has already made about all the Democrat indictments he sees fit? Or even if he hasn't, the emails were the work-product of state Rep. DeWeese's internal in-House investigation, at a time before Tom Corbett began the state investigation or criminal probe into the potential for "illegalities..."
The emails should be in the public domain right now so the public can assess all that it should know
for themselves.
Net the Truth Online
Sadly, it is appearing more and more as if the media just wants to be the primary go-between for what should be a matter of public record, by now, if not before now.
Update Jan. 23, 2010
DeWeese refuses to rule out campaign for re-election
January 22, 2010 01:45 AM TEXT SIZE By: AMY REVAK
...Stilp, of Taxpayers and Ratepayers United, and Dennis Baylor of the Pennsylvania Accountability Project, stood in front of DeWeese's office beside the pig balloon and spoke to reporters and photographers while holding a sign that said, "DeWeese, Time to Retire." DeWeese, 59, has served as representative to the 50th District in the state Legislature since 1976. Stilp said two years ago, he visited the same office to hand out "citizen" indictments and since that time DeWeese was given a real indictment. DeWeese was charged in December with theft for allegedly using state employees to do campaign work, nearly three years after the investigation by Attorney General Tom Corbett into corruption in government began. "We are here to tell him to retire. It's time for him to retire," Stilp said. When contacted later, DeWeese said that in the American legal system, a person is presumed innocent until the judicial process has been completed. DeWeese said former state Rep. Sean Ramalay faced six charges and was acquitted. DeWeese said he anticipates that between $5 million and $7 million in small grants will be making its way to his district in the upcoming months as a result of last year's budget. DeWeese said he is the only legislator in the state to bring 2,200 jobs to their legislative district in one career under three governors of both political parties. Two state prisons are in the district and plans are underway to construct a third. "After 34 years of steadfast focus on attending thousands of events at Eagle Scout ceremonies, fire halls and high school football games, and devoting my entire adulthood to the military and representing the 50th District, and arguably enhancing my rural district with 2,200 new state jobs and tens and tens of millions of dollars of water and sewer lines as well as countless construction projects in my townships, boroughs and school district, I feel I have a solid record of public service." Stilp said taxpayers do not know how many hundreds of thousands of dollars in taxpayer funds have been used for legal fees because the information is not available to the public. He said because DeWeese has been charged, he is now responsible for his own legal expenses. While Stilp said he is urging DeWeese not to run this year, he said if he does, the state still would have its "poster boy for the worst example of corruption in Harrisburg." Baylor said it is time for DeWeese to step down, and not just because of the "shadow of indictments," but because he is becoming more embarrassing day by day. Baylor cited stories that came out of grand jury testimony that claimed DeWeese can't use a automated teller machine and that he had someone purchase condoms for him. "He has lost all effectiveness and credibility," Baylor said. Employees in DeWeese's Waynesburg office declined to comment about Stilp, Baylor or the inflatable pig. DeWeese had harsh words for Stilp. "Mr. Stilp is a disgruntled former employee of the Democratic caucus. We had to let him go several years ago, and I believe he's obsessed with destroying my career...
http://www.heraldstandard.com/news_detail/article/1631/2010/january/22/deweese-refuses-to-rule-out-campaign-for-re-election.html
Update: DeWeese Responds to Bumstead commentary
DeWeese: Let courts decide
Buzz up!Sunday, April 19, 2009
http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/opinion/letters/s_621155.html
casablancapa.com analyzes:
Monday, April 20, 2009
A Translation for the DeWeese-Impaired
http://casablancapa.blogspot.com/2009/04/translation-for-deweese-impaired-some.html
Site coverage elsewhere
Monday, April 13, 2009
DOUBLE CHECKING
http://casablancapa.blogspot.com/2009/04/double-checking.html
In an Tue, Apr. 7, 2009 Editorial: Burden of suspicion, the Philadelphia Inquirer editor raised the issue of a potential for state Rep. H. William DeWeese to have had knowledge of what was going on under his nose.
On Easter Sunday, Mr. Bumstead of the Tribune-Review casts the single question in the form of a headline.
Did DeWeese Know?
What's most interesting?
Look how the editorialists portray what can only be viewed as the in-House investigation work product of an elected public official, H. William DeWeese for the House Democrat caucus, and using the services of consultant Chadwick and Associates.
documents in a wide-ranging criminal probe
records
the criminal-probe documents
From the pen of Bumstead, this one liner:
DeWeese, using former state Inspector General Bill Chadwick as a paid consultant, turned over information to Attorney General Tom Corbett in 2007.
What a way to put the long-ago revealed (December 2007) (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette) Rep. DeWeese-initiated internal in-House investigation of staff and legislative email communications and spreadsheets.
"information."
And this paragraph from Bumstead:
Among 25,000 e-mails that Corbett provided to defendants through the discovery process, numerous e-mails have emerged that cast serious doubt on DeWeese's claim that he knew nothing about the bonus scheme. Brett Cott, a former Veon aide charged in the scheme, provided the e-mails.
http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/opinion/s_620172.html
The fact is this:
Before Attorney General Tom Corbett announced the beginning of his investigation publicly, it was Rep. DeWeese who got personal wind of media inquisitiveness, yes, mere media inquiry, about potential for staffers doing political campaign work amongst legislative duties and DeWeese then at that time of such rumors initiated an internal in-House investigation of the again then-rumored alleged payments to state staffers in exchange for political campaign work.
The public didn't learn of the in-House investigation itself until December, 2007, and the Post-Gazette article references the internal in-House investigation as having begun in March.
E-mails show how Dems tied staffers' bonuses to campaign work Sunday, December 16, 2007
By Dennis B. Roddy and Tracie Mauriello, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
so tracking back...we have...
Post-Gazette timeline
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/08162/888801-85.stm?cmpid=news.xml
An "internal" "in-house" "investigation" conducted by Chadwick Associates at the behest of DeWeese as revealed by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. An internal, in-house investigation begun, according to the article, in March, (2007) (as the article is written Dec. 16, 2007)
We supply some material showing it was the media inquiry, (timeline included in the piece and other referenced pieces), not notification of a criminal probe that prompted H. William DeWeese to begin an internal in-House investigation.
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Will DeWeese Face Electoral Defeat for Wrong Understanding? (Net the Truth Online)
clip of Post-Gazette article
E-mails show how Dems tied staffers' bonuses to campaign work
Sunday, December 16, 2007
By Dennis B. Roddy and Tracie Mauriello, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
HARRISBURG -- E-mail messages exchanged by top aides in the Democratic caucus starting in 2004 make clear that taxpayer-funded bonuses were given to legislative employees for their work on election campaigns.
The messages, obtained by the Post-Gazette, are a key component in an investigation by Attorney General Tom Corbett into the bonuses and whether they constituted an illegal use of state money for political work...
...DeWeese investigation
Most of the e-mails and spreadsheets were first uncovered by House Majority Leader H. William DeWeese, of Waynesburg, who had delegated much of the day-to-day operation of the caucus to Mr. Veon. Mr. DeWeese, after accumulating information from state computers, provided thousands of e-mail exchanges, which are now at the core of the state attorney general's case.
None of the materials obtained by the Post-Gazette suggests that Mr. DeWeese was aware of the scheme. Mr. Veon did not respond to a message seeking comment.
After initially being told by staff that the bonuses were routine seniority and holiday awards, Mr. DeWeese said he discovered that the bonuses amounted to $1.9 million. He then ordered an internal inquiry, calling in William Chadwick, a former prosecutor, in March, prior to the announcement of a criminal probe by the attorney general.
Mr. Chadwick's in-house probe resulted in the accumulation of tens of thousands of e-mails that had been automatically archived but which most employees thought had been deleted long ago.
In all, 31,000 archived e-mails thought to have been deleted were later recovered.
The inquiry also found that virtually every e-mail regarding pay bonuses sent on the caucus computer system in 2006 had been erased, as had all record of Mr. Veon's e-mails. What investigators later uncovered were e-mails from 2004 and 2005 that included an outline of the scheme that suggested it had been ongoing for several years.
The Post-Gazette obtained copies of some 2006 e-mails -- most of them sent by Stephen Keefer, director of the Democratic House Information Technologies department which oversaw the computer system used by caucus members. They reflect the level of political activity apparently taking place inside the Capitol offices, a place where partisan campaigning is legally forbidden.
They begin with a Feb. 27 dispatch to information technologies employees pressing them to work for Mr. Veon's primary campaign. In subsequent e-mails, Mr. Keefer speaks of "locking myself in the office today" to focus on Veon duties, and one week before the primaries assures colleagues who can't reach him, "sorry folks, only one more week." Mr. Veon's political committee, in fact, sent blast e-mails into the caucus accounts pressing for volunteers to come forward and work on his campaign.
The deletion of the 2006 e-mails and attempted destruction of documents in the Democratic Office of Legislative Research are among matters under investigation by the attorney general.
While the e-mails focus entirely on what appears to be a Democratic caucus practice of using state funds to pay volunteers for political work, Mr. Corbett's office is also investigating complaints of similar activities in the Republican caucus.
On Nov. 13 Mr. DeWeese forced out seven top House Democratic aides, including his chief of staff, Michael Manzo. He acted after receiving information from Mr. Chadwick, the Washington attorney and security consultant he had hired months earlier...
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/07350/842079-85.stm
http://netthetruthonline.blogspot.com/2008/08/will-deweese-face-electoral-defeat-for.html
so when we see an opinion piece that references "information" and "25,000 emails" we have to pose, why hasn't the writer - Mr. Bumstead - noted that information and those "25,000 emails" came directly from the in-House internal investigation initiated by H. William DeWeese and carried out by House Democrat caucus-hired Chadwick and Associates?
Reportedly, DeWeese/Chadwick turned over all to AG Tom Corbett. For the criminal investigation.
But that didn't become public until after March 2007. The earliest we can determine as we've posted in previous posts was possibly October 2007.
Before then, in fact. Rep. DeWeese had already let-go 7 of his staffers, including Mike Manzo, his legislative Chief-of-Staff.
The DeWeese/Chadwick internal in-House investigation reportedly turned up thousands upon thousands of email communications and thousands had been deleted.
Yet we are to believe upon the word of the initiator of the internal investigation and the consultant who conducted the in-House investigation that all "emails" and "spreadsheets" had been recovered and all turned over to the Attorney General.
In turn, AG Corbett turns over those same emails obtained and/or retrieved from DwWeese/Chadwick's internal in-House investigation back in March 2007 and central sometime in October, 2007 to Corbett's criminal case to the defense for indicted individuals.
These emails, selected ones, no doubt, are leaked to the news media.
We have got to ask:
Why do we the people of Pennsylvania need the Press as a go-between to release any of the emails?
Emails which were the work product in the very beginning of state Rep. H. William DeWeese's internal in-House investigation begun because the media began asking its own questions about salaries and payments and bonuses to state legislative staff members?
As it now stands, the public only has some leaks to newspapers and not the entirety of what by now should be public material.
Why shouldn't the open records act apply to all of these emails, especially now, if the AG has copies of all, is using them or has used them in his investigation, and has already made about all the Democrat indictments he sees fit? Or even if he hasn't, the emails were the work-product of state Rep. DeWeese's internal in-House investigation, at a time before Tom Corbett began the state investigation or criminal probe into the potential for "illegalities..."
The emails should be in the public domain right now so the public can assess all that it should know
for themselves.
Net the Truth Online
Did DeWeese know?
Buzz up!By Brad Bumsted, STATE CAPITOL REPORTER
Sunday, April 12, 2009
House Majority Whip Bill DeWeese was re-elected last fall repeatedly reassuring his constituents that he didn't know about the payment of taxpayer-funded bonuses to legislative staffers who did political work.
He pointed the finger at his one-time Democrat leadership partner, former Rep. Mike Veon, of Beaver Falls, and DeWeese's former chief of staff, Mike Manzo. In July, Veon and Manzo were among 12 former House Democrats charged with felonies in the bonus scandal. DeWeese, who was majority leader for the 2006-2007 session, has not been charged.
It's difficult to believe that DeWeese didn't know what was going on. Whether DeWeese specifically took part in directing the scheme is another question.
DeWeese, of Greene County, portrays the bonus scandal as being perpetrated by staffers run amok. These employees all were under his chain of command.
DeWeese, using former state Inspector General Bill Chadwick as a paid consultant, turned over information to Attorney General Tom Corbett in 2007. It's presumed by some that he threw the former staffers under the bus in an attempt to save himself. Many Democrats are wondering who else DeWeese fingered.
Last November, Manzo, who has agreed to plead guilty, testified in open court that he believed DeWeese knew about the bonuses for campaign work.
Manzo spent several long hours testifying before the grand jury.
Will DeWeese be charged?
Among 25,000 e-mails that Corbett provided to defendants through the discovery process, numerous e-mails have emerged that cast serious doubt on DeWeese's claim that he knew nothing about the bonus scheme. Brett Cott, a former Veon aide charged in the scheme, provided the e-mails.
http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/opinion/s_620172.html
Saturday, April 11, 2009
PA Access: Lehigh County: Resolution for Online Campaign Finance Report
Will wonders never cease? County commissioners are determined to require "all candidates for commissioner or county executive to file campaign finance reports in electronic form to be posted on the county Web site..."
Isn't this something that should be a no-brainer for all counties in Pennsylvania? While Lehigh may be a "Home Rule" County, obviously this is something not only they can do, but other counties as well, since Election Laws across PA are applicable to all jurisdictions.
Plus, the Primaries are political Party functions of the Republican and Democrat National and State political entities.
Unless there's a referendum question on the Primary Ballot, independents and Third Party registered voters are locked out of the Primary process.
In the November General Election in PA, all political party candidates who meet eligibility requirements of the state can throw their hat into the ring.
Our Fayette commissioners are unlikely to make a move on this issue anytime soon as they couldn't even demand the local Election Bureau immediately carry out the plan to begin conducting a legal and necessary review of the county's voter registration database - last May/June.
A delay at the Election Bureau due to the director's vacation interrupted the steady course last year to get the job done. Further delay reportedly was caused by the state's end - a technology update of the voter database called SURE.
As a result, even though letters have reportedly been sent to electors in the county who may fall under the "haven't voted in 2 consecutive federal elections" will not face further review to remove names from the voter registry for possibly another four (4) years!
The Tribune-Review headline is misleading, County begins purging voter rolls , since the purge hasn't actually begun. A process to review the database for the county of Fayette has started, but the removal of names - ineligible for not having voted in 2 consecutive federal elections - won't be done for quite some time. It's likely as well some names which should be removed due to voters having moved from the county but not notifying of such won't be removed either.
Meanwhile, Fayette commissioners each and all have admitted the county's voter registration rolls used in the Presidential Primary and General Elections, and subsequent elections, is "inaccurate."
Democrat commissioners Vincent Zapotosky and Vincent Vicites wanted the plan to conduct the purge submitted last May/June in time for the November elections. While Republican minority Commissioner Angela Zimmerlink noted information about past reviews being done, she agreed to the motion with a supportive vote. (revised April 22, 2009)
During a previous commissioners' meeting Thursday, January 24, 2008 to consider purchasing additional Hart InterCivic DRE voting machines or adopting a supplementary paper ballot optical scan system for use along with the county's already implemented eSlates, there was a division among the board.
We don't get our hopes up that any one or more commissioners will act on his/her own, which each can do, following all election legalities, to review the local voter registry/database.
So why should they pass a resolution to enable public access to candidates' campaign finance reports online.
They'd need a plan or a study first.
How about they put all the names of the registered voters online, with address? No need for social security numbers or other personal material.
Just the names and address for voting purposes. Why isn't this info easily accessible on the county's website, too?
Net the Truth Online
Isn't this something that should be a no-brainer for all counties in Pennsylvania? While Lehigh may be a "Home Rule" County, obviously this is something not only they can do, but other counties as well, since Election Laws across PA are applicable to all jurisdictions.
Plus, the Primaries are political Party functions of the Republican and Democrat National and State political entities.
Unless there's a referendum question on the Primary Ballot, independents and Third Party registered voters are locked out of the Primary process.
In the November General Election in PA, all political party candidates who meet eligibility requirements of the state can throw their hat into the ring.
Our Fayette commissioners are unlikely to make a move on this issue anytime soon as they couldn't even demand the local Election Bureau immediately carry out the plan to begin conducting a legal and necessary review of the county's voter registration database - last May/June.
A delay at the Election Bureau due to the director's vacation interrupted the steady course last year to get the job done. Further delay reportedly was caused by the state's end - a technology update of the voter database called SURE.
As a result, even though letters have reportedly been sent to electors in the county who may fall under the "haven't voted in 2 consecutive federal elections" will not face further review to remove names from the voter registry for possibly another four (4) years!
The Tribune-Review headline is misleading, County begins purging voter rolls , since the purge hasn't actually begun. A process to review the database for the county of Fayette has started, but the removal of names - ineligible for not having voted in 2 consecutive federal elections - won't be done for quite some time. It's likely as well some names which should be removed due to voters having moved from the county but not notifying of such won't be removed either.
Meanwhile, Fayette commissioners each and all have admitted the county's voter registration rolls used in the Presidential Primary and General Elections, and subsequent elections, is "inaccurate."
Democrat commissioners Vincent Zapotosky and Vincent Vicites wanted the plan to conduct the purge submitted last May/June in time for the November elections. While Republican minority Commissioner Angela Zimmerlink noted information about past reviews being done, she agreed to the motion with a supportive vote. (revised April 22, 2009)
May 8, 2008
Moved by Commissioner Vicites and seconded by Commissioner Zimmerlink to develop a plan to purge voter records
Commissioner Zapotosky Aye
Commissioner Vicites Aye
Commissioner Zimmerlink Aye
Motion passed unanimously
Laurie Lint Director of Election Bureau states she will try to have the records ready for the next Commissioners meeting. Commissioner Zapotosky informed Mrs. Lint that we have 90 days. The Federal Law requires us to have the records done 90 days prior to the next Election. Commissioner Zimmerlink questioned the Director if she will have a plan ready in June. She replied she had to check on that. Commissioner Vicites informed Mrs. Lint she needs to get started on records as soon as possible. He added that we have many people that will never vote again for different reasons for example some may be deceased. He said we need to clean those up to make sure they are as accurate as possible.
Commissioner Zimmerlink stated that prior to 2004, a voter purge was done on a smaller scale and in 2006, and another purge was done in conjunction with mailing 21,000 new voter machine information affecting 30,000 voters. The Director confirmed this and Commissioner Zimmerlink said the County has since discussed another purge.
Commissioner Vicites asked Mrs. Lint to get all information for this process, which would be the cost, and where we would be seeking the funds. He added that 10,000 voters have not voted since the 2003 election, so there are still individuals on there that should not be. On the Federal Level they use to have to vote every 2 years, if they did not they would automatically be taken off the roll. They dropped
that when they did the Motor Voter Law in 1996
http://www.co.fayette.pa.us/fayette/lib/fayette/commminutes2008/may_8_2008.pdf
During a previous commissioners' meeting Thursday, January 24, 2008 to consider purchasing additional Hart InterCivic DRE voting machines or adopting a supplementary paper ballot optical scan system for use along with the county's already implemented eSlates, there was a division among the board.
Commissioner Vicites described the two voting machines and the difference between the Eslate and the Escan. The draw back about Escans are little more money but in the long run they are going to improve our system in a lot of different ways. Commissioner Vicites said he did a lot of research on this matter. Commissioner Zapotosky also spoke about the machines .The technology of the Eslates is just a little complicated for some people where the Escans are a better machine for most people and also people will get through the lines much quicker.
Moved by Commissioner Vicites and seconded by Commissioner Zapotosky to develop a plan to purchase the EScan voting systems or other voting system for the General Election 2008, as machines will not be available until that time.
Commissioner Zapotosky aye
Commissioner Vicites aye
Commissioner Zimmerlink nay
Motion passed 2-1
http://www.co.fayette.pa.us/fayette/lib/fayette/commminutes2008/january_24_2008.pdf
We don't get our hopes up that any one or more commissioners will act on his/her own, which each can do, following all election legalities, to review the local voter registry/database.
So why should they pass a resolution to enable public access to candidates' campaign finance reports online.
They'd need a plan or a study first.
How about they put all the names of the registered voters online, with address? No need for social security numbers or other personal material.
Just the names and address for voting purposes. Why isn't this info easily accessible on the county's website, too?
Net the Truth Online
Lehigh County to require posting of campaign finance reports online
By Darryl R. Isherwood | Of The Morning Call
April 9, 2009
Campaign finance in Lehigh County took a step into the 21st century Wednesday night.
The county commissioners introduced an ordinance that would require all candidates for commissioner or county executive to file campaign finance reports in electronic form to be posted on the county Web site.
The measure is the first of three that Republican Commissioners plan to introduce as part of a campaign reform package.
The package is a response to a Morning Call story detailing at least a dozen contractors who together donated about $100,000 to the war chest of County Executive Don Cunningham, the Republicans said at a press conference announcing the legislation last month.
''This is an attempt to increase the access and availability of campaign finance reports to the public,'' said Commissioner Dean Browning.
In a show of bipartisan support for the bill, Democratic Commissioner Bill Leiner requested that all nine commissioners be added as sponsors to the bill. The request was approved 9-0.
Also to be introduced in the coming weeks is a measure that would require any vendor hoping to do business with the county to report any contributions to the county executive or any commissioner within one year of signing a contract.
Vendors already under contract with the county would be required to report contributions made while working for the county...
http://www.mcall.com/news/local/all-b6_5money.6849456apr09,0,2959444.story
County begins purging voter rolls
Buzz up!By Liz Zemba, TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Friday, February 27, 2009
Fayette County on Thursday initiated a long-awaited purge of its voter-registration rolls.
Laurie Lint, election bureau director, said her department began mailing out notices to some 9,000 inactive voters yesterday. The figure represents nearly 10 percent of the county's 91,382 registered voters.
County commissioners last summer discussed conducting the purge, but it was delayed until after the November election because of time constraints. Vince Zapotosky, chairman of the board of commissioners, attributed more recent delays to technical problems with the Statewide Uniform Registry of Electors, or SURE.
Operated by the state, SURE notifies the state's 67 election bureaus when voters die, move or register in another county. Zapotosky said the county worked with the State Department to resolve problems with the system, allowing Fayette to move forward with purging its voter-registration rolls.
Lint said the 9,000 voters who will receive letters have had no election-related activity in five years. Such activity includes voting or making changes to addresses or party registration.
Individuals who receive the letters will be asked to contact the election bureau. If they do not, and then fail to vote in the next two federal elections, their registrations will be purged.
That means affected voters who fail to respond to the notices in time for this year's spring primary will still be permitted to vote, Lint said.
In the past, Fayette purged its voter rolls every two years. Lint said that stopped in 1995, when new rules were introduced with the passage of the Motor Voter Law.
Zapotosky said purging the voter rolls will give voters and candidates an accurate understanding of issues such as party dominance.
Of the county's current 91,382 registered voters, Lint said 62,880 are Democrats and 21,929 are Republicans. The balance, or 6,573, are independents.
http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/tribunereview/news/election/counties/s_613640.html
Friday, April 10, 2009
Glenn Beck Effective Today
When Glenn Beck refrains from the silliness, demos using props like water-filled gasoline cans, and sticks to arguing in favor of Constitutional principles, he is effective.
He was today. He faced three keen authors and honed in on just about everything we truly need to know and see, really see about so-called "progressive thinking."
Jonah Goldberg, Amity Slales
http://www.foxnews.com/glennbeck/index.html
Get the transcript for Friday, April 10, 2009.
video clip Those who forget history
http://www.foxnews.com/video2/video08.html?maven_referralObject=4300247&maven_referralPlaylistId=&sRevUrl=http://www.foxnews.com/
Here's what came before
Flirting With Fascism
Thursday, April 02, 2009
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,512218,00.html
He was today. He faced three keen authors and honed in on just about everything we truly need to know and see, really see about so-called "progressive thinking."
Jonah Goldberg, Amity Slales
http://www.foxnews.com/glennbeck/index.html
Get the transcript for Friday, April 10, 2009.
video clip Those who forget history
http://www.foxnews.com/video2/video08.html?maven_referralObject=4300247&maven_referralPlaylistId=&sRevUrl=http://www.foxnews.com/
Here's what came before
Flirting With Fascism
Thursday, April 02, 2009
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,512218,00.html
Eagle Forum Adds Voice to Growing Concerns Treasury Sec. Remarks
Eagle Forum Warns U.S. Treasury Secretary: 'The American People Do Not Want a New World Currency That China Would Control'
Mon Mar 30, 5:08 am ET
To: NATIONAL EDITORS
WASHINGTON, March 30 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Eagle Forum, a leading conservative grassroots organization founded by Phyllis Schlafly, applauds Congresswoman Michele Bachmann (R-MN-6th) for introducing a resolution which would bar the U.S. dollar from being replaced by any foreign currency. Bachmann's legislation was prompted by a series of contradictory public remarks made by U.S. Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner last week.
During a House Financial Services Committee hearing last week, both Secretary Geithner and Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke clearly stated that they "categorically renounce" the proposal offered by China's top central banker to replace the devalued U.S. dollar with a new global currency. But, just 24 hours later, while speaking at the liberal Council on Foreign Relations in New York, Geithner contradicted his previous statement and declared that the U.S. Treasury Department was "actually quite open" to the idea of a global currency.
"The American people do not want a new world currency that China would control," said Eagle Forum President Phyllis Schlafly. "It is the Obama Administration's and the Federal Reserve's policies that are causing the dollar to take even bigger hits against other currencies."
"Simply replacing the dollar is not the solution," Schlafly said. "It would be yet another Band-Aide to cover up the real source of the problem which is Obama's tidal wave of unlimited bailouts, nationalization of the banks and the auto and mortgage industries, stimulus bills, and his proposed budget that will inevitably cause massive inflation and further strangle our economy."
"Eagle Forum commends Congresswoman Bachmann for aggressively questioning both Geithner and Bernanke during the committee hearing on Wednesday and for ensuring that they remain accountable for their sworn testimony," concluded Schlafly. "Congresswoman Bachmann is an example of the kind of leader that grassroots Americans are demanding from their elected officials, and we encourage even more Members of Congress to take direct action, like Michele, and to go on the offensive against this Administration's economic recklessness."
Rep. Michele Bachmann's resolution, H.J. Res. 41, was officially introduced on March 25, 2009. It currently has 29 cosponsors and has been referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary. Because the U.S. Constitution allows the President to engage foreign governments in treaties, Bachmann's resolution provides for a constitutional amendment which would prohibit the President from entering into a treaty or other international agreement that would provide for the U.S. to adopt a currency issued by an entity other than the United States.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/usnw/20090330 /pl_usnw/eagle_forum_warns_u_s__treasury_secretary___the_american_people_do_not_want_a_new_world_currency_that_china_would_control
Rep. Michele Bachmann Wants to Defend U.S. Dollar, Prohibit Global Currency
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,512070,00.html
cited for videos of hearing testimony Bachmann questions
http://msplaceddemocrat.com/http:/msplaceddemocrat.com/amendment-bans-global-currency/
The Messenger: Michele Bachmann
Michele Bachmann has moved into the vanguard of the GOP backlash against President Obama and the Democratic Congress. But can she help lead Republicans out of the political wilderness? "I’m trying to just explain to the American people what’s happening here in Washington, D.C.," she said in an interview.
By Kevin Diaz Last update: April 9, 2009 - 12:41 PM
‘Armed and dangerous’
Like few other Minnesota politicians, Bachmann and her populist utterances have grabbed the national media’s attention.
http://www.startribune.com/politics/state/42478007.html?elr=KArks8c7PaP3E77K_3c::D3aDhUoaEaD_ec7PaP3iUiacyKUnciaec8O7EyUr
Tin foil crowd?
http://dumpbachmann.blogspot.com/2006/10/another-day-another-michele-bachmann.html
10 Point Drop in Christians In United States
Morning Joe hosts Rev. Tim Keller and Jon Meacham on the end of Christian America, a recent Newsweek piece which has stirred controversy seemingly just in time for Christians to celebrate Easter.
Meacham: 1973 occurrence... that was the beginning of cultural and religious struggle Roe judgement... 3 main Christian conservative movements anti-abortion, school prayer, and anti-same-sex marriage amendment... those aren't getting accomplished says Meachem...
One has to wonder at the title of the cover story as it does declare The End of Christian America, and that's what has precipitated all the controversy among conservative Christians.
For the time being, we're refraining from posting about the controversy that's recently arisen by President Barack Obama's speech wherein he expresses what many also consider: the United States isn't a Christian Nation, per se, nor is it a Jewish, or a Muslim, nation, but a nation that is "bound by ideals and a set of values."
We are supposed to be a nation equitable to all religions, all beliefs... on principle - no one single belief, or any belief 'promoted by government at the expense of other beliefs.'
But all of that is for another day.
We must point out criticism must follow President Barack Obama's policies which will lead to less individualism on which President Obama asserts is the foundation of the United States of America!
A potential End of America is posed in Terence Corcoran: Is this the end of America? highlighted in
More related
Net the Truth Online
Meacham: 1973 occurrence... that was the beginning of cultural and religious struggle Roe judgement... 3 main Christian conservative movements anti-abortion, school prayer, and anti-same-sex marriage amendment... those aren't getting accomplished says Meachem...
One has to wonder at the title of the cover story as it does declare The End of Christian America, and that's what has precipitated all the controversy among conservative Christians.
The End of Christian America
The percentage of self-identified Christians has fallen 10 points in the past two decades. How that statistic explains who we are now—and what, as a nation, we are about to become.
By Jon Meacham | NEWSWEEK
Published Apr 4, 2009
From the magazine issue dated Apr 13, 2009
http://www.newsweek.com/id/192583
For the time being, we're refraining from posting about the controversy that's recently arisen by President Barack Obama's speech wherein he expresses what many also consider: the United States isn't a Christian Nation, per se, nor is it a Jewish, or a Muslim, nation, but a nation that is "bound by ideals and a set of values."
Barack Obama in Turkey: US 'will never be at war with Islam'
President Barack Obama declared on Monday that "the United States is not and will never be at war with Islam" and told Turkey's parliament of his "deep appreciation for the Islamic faith". By Toby Harnden in Ankara
Last Updated: 10:32AM BST 07 Apr 2009
...Speaking for 25 minutes in front of a vast chamber of Turkish assembly members seated in comfy orange leather chairs, Mr Obama was received politely and was applauded when he described the PKK, the Kurdistan Workers' Party, as a terrorist group.
Before the speech, Mr Obama stood next to Abdullah Gul, Turkey's president, and stated that in the US: "We do not consider ourselves a Christian nation or a Jewish nation or a Muslim nation. We consider ourselves a nation of citizens who are bound by ideals and a set of values."
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/barackobama/5115044/Barack-Obama-in-Turkey-US-will-never-be-at-war-with-Islam.html
Obama: U.S. "Not A Christian Nation Or A Jewish Nation Or A Muslim Nation" (VIDEO)
At a press conference in Turkey, President Obama casually rebuked the old chestnut that the United States is a Judeo-Christian nation.
"One of the great strengths of the United States," the President said, "is ... we have a very large Christian population -- we do not consider ourselves a Christian nation or a Jewish nation or a Muslim nation. We consider ourselves a nation of citizens who are bound by ideals and a set of values."
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/04/06/obama-us-not-a-christian_n_183772.html
http://beltwayblips.dailyradar.com/video/president_obama_america_is_not_a_christian_jewish_or/
We are supposed to be a nation equitable to all religions, all beliefs... on principle - no one single belief, or any belief 'promoted by government at the expense of other beliefs.'
But all of that is for another day.
We must point out criticism must follow President Barack Obama's policies which will lead to less individualism on which President Obama asserts is the foundation of the United States of America!
A potential End of America is posed in Terence Corcoran: Is this the end of America? highlighted in
The End of America Posted by Karen DeCoster at March 22, 2009 08:37 AM
at Lew Rockwell blog.
http://www.lewrockwell.com/blog/lewrw/archives/025952.html
Terence Corcoran: Is this the end of America?
Posted: March 19, 2009, 7:38 PM by NP Editor
Terence Corcoran, Ben Bernanke, inflation
U.S. law-making is riddled with slapdash, incompetence and gamesmanship
By Terence Corcoran
Helicopter Ben Bernanke’s Federal Reserve is dropping trillions of fresh paper dollars on the world economy, the President of the United States is cracking jokes on late night comedy shows, his energy minister is threatening a trade war over carbon emissions, his treasury secretary is dithering over a banking reform program amid rising concerns over his competence and a monumentally dysfunctional U.S. Congress is launching another public jihad against corporations and bankers.
As an aghast world — from China to Chicago and Chihuahua — watches, the circus-like U.S. political system seems to be declining into near chaos. Through it all, stock and financial markets are paralyzed. The more the policy regime does, the worse the outlook gets. The multi-ringed spectacle raises a disturbing question in many minds: Is this the end of America?
Probably not, if only because there are good reasons for optimism. The U.S. economy has pulled out of self-destructive political spirals in the past, spurred on by its business class and corporate leaders, the profit-making and market-creating people who rose above the political turmoil to once again lift the world out of financial crisis. It’s happened many times before, except for once, when it took 20 years to rise out of the Great Depression.
Past success, however, is no guarantee of future recovery, especially now when there are daily disasters and new indicators of political breakdown. All developments are not disasters in themselves. The AIG bonus firestorm is a diversion from real issues , but it puts the ghastly political classes who make U.S. law on display for what they are: ageing self-serving demagogues who have spent decades warping the U.S. political system for their own ends. We see the system up close, law-making that is riddled with slapdash, incompetence and gamesmanship.
One test of whether we are witnessing the end of America is how many more times Americans put up with congressional show trials of individual business people and their employees, slandering and vilifying them for their actions and motives. And for how long will they tolerate a President who berates business and corporations as dens of crime and malfeasance? If the majority of Americans come to accept the caricatures of business as true, then America is closer to the end of its life as a global leader, as a champion of markets and individualism.
But America is at risk in other ways, especially in the technical business of setting and executing policy. The presidency of Barack Obama has set out on a course that has no precedent in U.S. history. Franklin D. Roosevelt, whose New Deal transformed the U.S. economy during the Great Depression, pushed America off on a sharply different political and ideological course. The Obama administration is different in many ways, not least in its supreme self-confidence in its methods and objectives.
http://network.nationalpost.com/np/blogs/fpcomment/archive/2009/03/19/terence-corcoran-is-this-the-end-of-america.aspx
More related
Obama to CBN News: We're no Longer Just a Christian Nation
David Brody
CBN News Senior National Correspondant
July 30, 2007
CBNNews.com - Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama tells CBN news that "America is no longer just a Christian nation" and laid out ways both religious conservatives and liberals can begin to find common ground."
Senator Obama made that statement by email in response to questions by CBN News' Senior National Correspondent David Brody. He told Brody that liberals need to understand that Government can't fix certain problems. Instead they need to recognize the moral component.
http://www.cbn.com/CBNnews/204016.aspx
August 26, 2008
Q: Did Obama say we "are no longer a Christian nation"?
Is this true? It is now traveling around the Internet.
A: He said we are no longer "just" a Christian nation, but a nation of many other faiths as well. A chain e-mail drops that key word and thus changes the meaning.
This is an example of how omitting a single word from an otherwise accurate quote can twist the meaning so completely as to reverse it. Here's what Obama meant to say, during his keynote address to a "Call to Renewal" conference sponsored by the progressive Christian magazine Sojourners two years ago:
Obama, June 28, 2006 (prepared remarks): Given the increasing diversity of America's population, the dangers of sectarianism have never been greater. Whatever we once were, we are no longer just a Christian nation; we are also a Jewish nation, a Muslim nation, a Buddhist nation, a Hindu nation, and a nation of nonbelievers.
That quote appears also on Obama's campaign Web site. Unfortunately for Obama, he stumbled just a bit when he delivered the actual quote, as can be seen in this video of his speech, posted on YouTube by the Obama campaign. The way it actually came out was:
Obama, June 28, 2006 (as delivered): Whatever we once were, we are no longer a Christian nation – at least, not just. We are also a Jewish nation, a Muslim nation, a Buddhist nation, and a Hindu nation, and a nation of nonbelievers.
That wasn't as smoothly stated as he had intended, but the meaning remains clear to any reasonable person. Saying that the U.S. is not "just" a Christian nation carries the sense that it is both a Christian nation and more: a nation of Jews, Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus and nonbelievers as well. Furthermore, any survey of religious beliefs held by Americans will show that to be a factually correct statement.
http://www.factcheck.org/askfactcheck/did_obama_say_we_are_no_longer.html
Net the Truth Online
Thursday, April 09, 2009
Obama Bow or Long Hand Stretching to Greet Saudi King?
We've seen the video which reportedly shows President Barack Obama bowing to Saudi King Abdullah', but note from the angle is such it's difficult to tell if Obama had possibly dropped a personalized handkerchief or some other item he went to retrieve.
Did Obama bow to Saudi king? See video
White House aide speaking anonymously: ‘It wasn’t a bow ... he’s taller than King Abdullah’
http://www.suntimes.com/news/politics/obama/1518581,w-obama-saudi-king-bow040809.article
At any rate, despite what we may think happened, the White House spokesperson provided a reason for the appearance of the action:
The Saudi King is shorter by far than President Obama and President Obama was extending himself downward in order to greet accordingly.
Fox 'n Friends is hoppin on this one, so guess we'll have those little tiffs around the Easter basket this weekend.
Net the Truth Online
Did Obama bow to Saudi king? See video
White House aide speaking anonymously: ‘It wasn’t a bow ... he’s taller than King Abdullah’
http://www.suntimes.com/news/politics/obama/1518581,w-obama-saudi-king-bow040809.article
At any rate, despite what we may think happened, the White House spokesperson provided a reason for the appearance of the action:
The Saudi King is shorter by far than President Obama and President Obama was extending himself downward in order to greet accordingly.
Fox 'n Friends is hoppin on this one, so guess we'll have those little tiffs around the Easter basket this weekend.
Net the Truth Online
Glenn Beck Tactics Sillier than Anything We've Seen
On Glenn Beck tonight, Beck went a bit overboard on his props to demonstrate how the public is being inflamed by the bailouts, the spending by Obama on bridges to nowhere, and divisive issues like so-called comprehensive reform for illegal immigration.
Holding a can of water (which was supposed to look like a can of gasoline) he poured the contents all over his co-host for the moment, Bill from Fox's Red Eye.
As he talked, Bill's gyrations were so much more interesting, we didn't catch all of what Beck said.
when he was done pouring, he said where's the match, it's like we're being set on fire, Beck said.
Say what? who approved this one for Beck, or did he manage an unbreakable contract for several years? The demo didn't work for us. He should've at least let Bill speak first, then given Bill the can and let Bill pour the water all over Glenn.
We hope Bill from Red Eye sends Glenn Beck a really nice thank you for the memories surprise gift he has to open on the air.
a snake.
Oh my poor Bill is still sitting through 15 more minutes of Beck interviewing a Governor whoever. We didn't catch his name either.
Whatever, the spot simply diminishes Glenn Beck's message. Only Colbert can get away with the message wrapped up in a joke.
Net the Truth Online
Holding a can of water (which was supposed to look like a can of gasoline) he poured the contents all over his co-host for the moment, Bill from Fox's Red Eye.
As he talked, Bill's gyrations were so much more interesting, we didn't catch all of what Beck said.
when he was done pouring, he said where's the match, it's like we're being set on fire, Beck said.
Say what? who approved this one for Beck, or did he manage an unbreakable contract for several years? The demo didn't work for us. He should've at least let Bill speak first, then given Bill the can and let Bill pour the water all over Glenn.
We hope Bill from Red Eye sends Glenn Beck a really nice thank you for the memories surprise gift he has to open on the air.
a snake.
Oh my poor Bill is still sitting through 15 more minutes of Beck interviewing a Governor whoever. We didn't catch his name either.
Whatever, the spot simply diminishes Glenn Beck's message. Only Colbert can get away with the message wrapped up in a joke.
Net the Truth Online
Wednesday, April 08, 2009
Have Question for Lawmaker Get Labeled
You gotta enjoy the youtube 'sensation' making the rounds of TV cable networks.
The clip shows a Harvard law student standing tall and asking a queston of U.S. Rep. Barney Frank.
Fox News Neil Cavuto shows the clip and interviews the Harvard law student... who asked Rep. Frank if he bears any responsibility for the financial crisis...
Frank... this is a right wing attack...
Cavuto: the crowd seemed to be siding with him, Barney Frank, almost laughed at you... what did you think...
no Amer citizen has to feel intimidated if they simply ask a public official a question... entitled to an answer... when he started debating the question... and the homecrowd started laughing, he said, I just kept asking the question.
His fiance, he said, told Frank from the audience to stop labeling people.
everybody feels better when you ask a straightforward question... feel worse when politicians shoot you down...
Give a look
We'll say, join the crowd, Joe the Questioner!
The clip shows a Harvard law student standing tall and asking a queston of U.S. Rep. Barney Frank.
Fox News Neil Cavuto shows the clip and interviews the Harvard law student... who asked Rep. Frank if he bears any responsibility for the financial crisis...
WFXT-TV: It all started with a question: "How much responsibility, if any, do you have for the financial crisis?"
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2009/04/07/harvard_student_takes_on_barney_frank_over_economy.html
Frank... this is a right wing attack...
Cavuto: the crowd seemed to be siding with him, Barney Frank, almost laughed at you... what did you think...
no Amer citizen has to feel intimidated if they simply ask a public official a question... entitled to an answer... when he started debating the question... and the homecrowd started laughing, he said, I just kept asking the question.
His fiance, he said, told Frank from the audience to stop labeling people.
everybody feels better when you ask a straightforward question... feel worse when politicians shoot you down...
Give a look
Barney Frank Argues With Harvard Student
http://en.sevenload.com/videos/jtnY6wz-Barney-Frank-Argues-With-Harvard-Student
Harvard Student Tackles Barney Frank
"How much responsibility, if any, do you have for the financial crisis?" Date Added: 4/7/09
http://www.thehopeforamerica.com/play.php?id=783
We'll say, join the crowd, Joe the Questioner!
Tuesday, April 07, 2009
PA: Leaked Bonusgate emails in public eye
And so too is insight into state Representative H. William DeWeese, at least according to the a Philadelphia Inquirer editor.
State legislative emails that have become part of the PA Attorney General Tom Corbett's ongoing investigation into what has been tagged bonusgate are being released in dribs and drabs by newspaper outlets around the state of PA.
It's about time such were released, but we have to question, why hasn't the public been privvy to all and everything which was taxpayer-funded work-product and/or internal communications related to the public's business LONG BEFORE NOW?
We've raised questions before pertaining to blast emails and why state representatives seeking re-election - primarily H. William DeWeese - were not asked about them, or asked about state website contracts...
We noted last year...
We questioned...
We tracked...
State Rep. DeWeese espoused full open records legislation, all the while continuing to support Rep. Mahoney open records bill's known limitation in not applying the bill's requirements to past records... and
we nailed down a little-publicized-but-known vote of Rep. DeWeese's pertaining to the then House open records bill, a vote on an amendment which would have removed language enabling 'blanket exemptions for emails!'
We pressed...
So state Rep. Bill DeWeese isn't talking about the recently released "bonusgate" blast emails, (by news media via according to reports Brett Cott, the former House Democratic aide who provided the documents, obtained them from prosecutors as part of the discovery phase of the case.) nor as of yet has Rep. DeWeese released the internal in-House investigation findings by Chadwick and Assoc. his own Democrat House caucus members seek.
We've got to say. None of it is a surprise to us.
More
State legislative emails that have become part of the PA Attorney General Tom Corbett's ongoing investigation into what has been tagged bonusgate are being released in dribs and drabs by newspaper outlets around the state of PA.
It's about time such were released, but we have to question, why hasn't the public been privvy to all and everything which was taxpayer-funded work-product and/or internal communications related to the public's business LONG BEFORE NOW?
We've raised questions before pertaining to blast emails and why state representatives seeking re-election - primarily H. William DeWeese - were not asked about them, or asked about state website contracts...
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
DeWeese Not Asked to Open Closed Bonusgate Blast Email Website Contracts
http://netthetruthonline.blogspot.com/2008/08/deweese-not-asked-to-open-closed.html
We noted last year...
We remain unsure as everyone else just how far bonus-gate extends.
But at least our local newspaper should apprise us us what is now known.
It should question whether any state representatives, especially locally, may have been in receipt of Buxton or businessman James Rossell provided email address listings and any generated "blast e-mails" to help local 2006 political campaigns for state office or any and all campaign websites created potentially created using taxpayer funding and resources.
Yet not one question coming from those quarters. Not even one.
http://netthetruthonline.blogspot.com/2008/08/deweese-not-asked-to-open-closed.html
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
PA Bonusgate Lists Helped 2006 Winners
http://netthetruthonline.blogspot.com/2008/08/pa-bonusgate-lists-helped-2006-winners.html
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Bonusgate PA Spam Scam
http://netthetruthonline.blogspot.com/2008/08/bonusgate-pa-spam-scam.html
We questioned...
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Will DeWeese Face Electoral Defeat for Wrong Understanding?
http://netthetruthonline.blogspot.com/2008/08/will-deweese-face-electoral-defeat-for.html
Post-Gazette background:
According to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette's December 2007 article E-mails show how Dems tied staffers' bonuses to campaign work Sunday, December 16, 2007 By Dennis B. Roddy and Tracie Mauriello, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
The messages, obtained by the Post-Gazette, are a key component in an investigation by Attorney General Tom Corbett into the bonuses and whether they constituted an illegal use of state money for political work.
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/07350/842079-85.stm
We tracked...
State Rep. DeWeese espoused full open records legislation, all the while continuing to support Rep. Mahoney open records bill's known limitation in not applying the bill's requirements to past records... and
we nailed down a little-publicized-but-known vote of Rep. DeWeese's pertaining to the then House open records bill, a vote on an amendment which would have removed language enabling 'blanket exemptions for emails!'
PA House Leader DeWeese No Questions on Open Records Email Blanket Exemptions
http://netthetruthonline.blogspot.com/2008/04/pa-house-leader-deweese-no-questions-on.html
Shhh! More state secrets By Brad Bumsted
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review published Sunday, November 11, 2007 notes
Rep. Babette Josephs, chairwoman of the House State Government Committee, last month offered an amendment to remove what the Pennsylvania Newspaper Association calls a "blanket exemption" for lawmakers' e-mail in House Bill 443. The Philadelphia Democrat's amendment was defeated 127-69 with seven members excused...
... Here is how your House members voted on the Josephs amendment. A "yes" vote would have made lawmakers' e-mail available (if approved finally). A "no" vote scuttled her amendment and maintained the status quo:
http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/opinion/columnists/bumsted/s_537390.html
http://netthetruthonline.blogspot.com/2008/01/pa-open-records-reform-exemption.html
http://netthetruthonline.blogspot.com/2008/04/pa-house-leader-deweese-no-questions-on.html
Monday, September 01, 2008
PA State Rep. Tim Mahoney Keystone Opportunity Zones Position Not Noted
http://netthetruthonline.blogspot.com/2008/09/pa-state-rep-tim-mahoney-keystone.html
We pressed...
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
PA: DeWeese Remains Chief Democrat
PA state House Emails and Bonusgate:
When did PA House leader H. William DeWeese become aware of the existence of House e-mails, a damning string of e-mails indicating that taxpayer money was used to reward state employees for political work, according to Tue, Dec. 18, 2007 DeWeese: 7 aides ousted over e-mail Messages indicated that taxpayer money was used as a reward for political work by Angela Couloumbis and Amy Worden Philadelphia Inquirer Harrisburg Bureau...
http://netthetruthonline.blogspot.com/2008/01/pa-deweese-remains-chief-democrat.html
So state Rep. Bill DeWeese isn't talking about the recently released "bonusgate" blast emails, (by news media via according to reports Brett Cott, the former House Democratic aide who provided the documents, obtained them from prosecutors as part of the discovery phase of the case.) nor as of yet has Rep. DeWeese released the internal in-House investigation findings by Chadwick and Assoc. his own Democrat House caucus members seek.
We've got to say. None of it is a surprise to us.
Monday, April 06, 2009
PA: Rep. Bill DeWeese Not Yakkin about Blasted E-mails
http://netthetruthonline.blogspot.com/2009/04/pa-rep-bill-deweese-not-yakkin-about.html
Tuesday, April 07, 2009
PA: Rep. Bill DeWeese in April PI Scope for Bonusgate emails leaked
http://netthetruthonline.blogspot.com/2009/04/pa-rep-bill-deweese-in-april-pi-scope.html
More
Net the Truth Online archives issue Rep. DeWeese blast emails
http://netthetruthonline.blogspot.com/search?q=bill+deweese+blast+emails
Posted on Tue, Apr. 7, 2009 Philadelphia Inquirer
Editorial: Burden of suspicion
It was never easy to swallow Rep. Bill DeWeese's protests that he knew nothing about tax money being spent on political operations in Harrisburg. It's even harder to believe now.
As The Inquirer reported yesterday, documents in a wide-ranging criminal probe appear to indicate that DeWeese headed a caucus in which erasing the boundary between legislative and political duties was second nature.
The records show that DeWeese, formerly the top-ranking House Democrat, used a state-paid computer consultant to perform a variety of campaign tasks in his reelection bid in 2006. His campaign paid the consultant only $530, but the aide received more than $16,000 in public money that year.
The documents also suggest that the Greene County Democrat, who is now majority whip, used state e-mail accounts to correspond with legislative staffers about campaign operations. When a state employee told DeWeese about drafting a letter to the editor on behalf of a constituent to express support for DeWeese's reelection, DeWeese replied, "I love it."
One of DeWeese's constituents, Karen Zgela, couldn't be fooled. She wrote back after receiving a blast campaign e-mail that originated in DeWeese's legislative office.
"Do not send any more e-mails," Zgela wrote. "It is just a waste of taxpayer money."
How right she was.
DeWeese still insists that he didn't know Democratic state employees were being paid cash bonuses with tax dollars for campaign work, an allegation at the core of Attorney General Tom Corbett's investigation. And Corbett hasn't charged DeWeese with wrongdoing in his two-year-old probe.
But the criminal-probe documents highlight an arrogant culture in the legislature in which the line between political and legislative work is all but ignored - a lesson former State Sen. Vince Fumo learned the hard way.
http://www.philly.com/philly/opinion/42571757.html
DeWeese blasts release of e-mails
By Amy Revak, Herald-Standard
04/07/2009
Newly disclosed e-mails that appear to raise questions about former House Democratic leader Bill DeWeese's claim that he did not know taxpayers' money was used to run political campaigns are merely an attempt by defendants to try their case in the media, the Greene County lawmaker said Monday.
The Philadelphia Inquirer recently obtained more than 100 e-mails from Brett Cott, one of the 12 people connected to the House Democratic Caucus who have been charged so far in the state attorney general's ongoing investigation into alleged legislative corruption.
The use of state money to reward aides for campaign work became known as Bonusgate. An ensuing investigation led to 12 arrests in the Democratic caucus. DeWeese, D-Waynesburg, has not been charged with any wrongdoing, and has maintained he did not know of any illegal bonuses being given out.
The newly released documents show DeWeese used a state-paid computer consultant to perform political tasks that included crafting invitations to political fundraisers and sending mass e-mails to DeWeese's constituents in 2006 when he faced a tough re-election challenge, the newspaper reported.
Brett Cott, the former House Democratic aide who provided the documents, obtained them from prosecutors as part of the discovery phase of the case. DeWeese, who headed the caucus during the period under investigation, has not been charged.
In a statement, DeWeese blasted the release of the e-mails. DeWeese said Cott is facing 42 charges and 272 years in prison.
"Let's call this what it is: a desperate attempt by the criminal defendants to try their case in the media by cherry-picking documents they received in discovery and leaking them to the media. Prosecutors made their charging decisions based on the totality of the evidence over a two-year period, which included thousands of e-mails and other documents that we turned over to them and the sworn testimony of hundreds of witnesses whom we urged to cooperate," DeWeese said.
DeWeese added, "It would be inappropriate to comment on individual documents that the criminal defendants have chosen to publicize. We have nothing further to say because this is a pending criminal prosecution."
DeWeese also exchanged campaign-related messages with his legislative staffers on state e-mail accounts, the newspaper account said.
Responding to a state-paid legislative aide who had drafted a letter supporting DeWeese's re-election that a constituent was to send to a local newspaper, DeWeese said, "I love it."
Cott's attorney, Bryan Walk, said the documents speak for themselves.
http://www.heraldstandard.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=20293476&BRD=2280&PAG=461&dept_id=480247&rfi=6
PA: Rep. Sam Smith's New PATH keeps perks
Do these representatives not see their version of reform is never really much reform of themselves?
Cleverly called PATH, which stands for Pennsylvania’s Agenda for Trust in Harrisburg, Rep. Smith lists several proposals he claims will lead to renewed trust in PA government.
How about instead of proposals, action, even in the minority political position, any state legislator can refuse the perks, cut back the obscene pensions, and stop signing on to any and all measures which spend taxpayers' monies on any and all unconstitutional spending measures!
Right this is useful, but still gutless as unconstitutional and wasteful spending will still occur.
Increase Public Accessibility. The state would create a searchable database for all state spending.
Net the Truth Online
Meanwhile
Cleverly called PATH, which stands for Pennsylvania’s Agenda for Trust in Harrisburg, Rep. Smith lists several proposals he claims will lead to renewed trust in PA government.
How about instead of proposals, action, even in the minority political position, any state legislator can refuse the perks, cut back the obscene pensions, and stop signing on to any and all measures which spend taxpayers' monies on any and all unconstitutional spending measures!
Right this is useful, but still gutless as unconstitutional and wasteful spending will still occur.
Increase Public Accessibility. The state would create a searchable database for all state spending.
Also see grassrootspa discussion
http://grassrootspa.com/?p=27129#comments
Net the Truth Online
House Republican Leader Says PA Govt. Must Take Right PATH
Monday, April 06, 2009
House Republicans unveil PA Agenda for Trust in Harrisburg
Saying Pennsylvania government is at a crossroads and suggesting Harrisburg should change direction in how government operates, House Republican Leader Sam Smith (R-Jefferson County) today unveiled the House Republican plan to help put state government on the right path: Pennsylvania’s Agenda for Trust in Harrisburg, or PATH.
“We stand at a crossroads to either keep going in the direction of the status quo or change paths and make substantive changes in the way our government operates,” Smith said. “For the sake of our Commonwealth’s future, I believe we have to change our ways.”
Through headlines, news stories, TV’s “investigative reports,” and the actions of several elected individuals and groups, Pennsylvanians have lost trust in much of government according to Smith. Smith acknowledged much of the public’s cynicism began with the “Pay Raise,” but he also cited recent convictions, guilty pleas and criminal charges of corruption, pay-to-play, giving cronies good-paying government jobs, and awarding political contributors with lucrative contracts as the main reason for the continuing level of distrust.
“The status quo mindset, the corruption and the general lack of good judgment must end,” Smith said. “Everything government does is suspect anymore, so cleaning up the mess must be our first step. And we need to start the ball rolling down the right path.”...
The specific proposals included in Pennsylvania’s Agenda for Trust in Harrisburg are:
No staff allowed. Staff cannot campaign for the organization for which they work during scheduled work-day hours. Using government-owned equipment would remain illegal, day or night.
No Start-ups. Public officials cannot start nonprofit organizations while in office.
Dollar 1 Reporting of campaign contributions, lobby disclosure and ethics statements; no limits or bans, just reporting each and every dollar within two weeks. The Department of State would create and maintain the cross-relational database making the information easily accessible and understandable to Pennsylvania residents.
State Grant Accountability. Fully enforce strict procedures for pre- and post-grant audits and strengthen parameters for public dollar usage. The state will create, maintain and update a database of grants – including recipients, purpose and status reports.
Increase Public Accessibility. The state would create a searchable database for all state spending.
General Assembly audits by independent auditors chosen through an RFP with the lowest responsible bidder getting the work. The audits would be available for public review.
Strengthening whistleblower protections for all state employees in all three branches of government. A fully independent Office of Inspector General (taking the place of the current Inspector General’s office) will be available to the public and employees of all branches and levels of government.
End Pay-to-Play mentality in Pennsylvania by enacting state contracting reform:
a) Emergency Contract Review – A newly created Board of Emergency Review (consisting of the Governor, Treasurer and Attorney General) must unanimously concur an emergency exists for the contract (a phone call can be utilized in case of an Emergency Declaration). Prior to entering into an emergency contract, the agency must provide a written explanation of reasons warranting an emergency contract and the specific services to be contracted for and the anticipated cost of the contract; the statement shall be delivered to the four caucuses, the treasurer, auditor general, attorney general and governor.
b) Public review of contracts. Proposed contracts must be available for public inspection for at least 10 days prior to agreement being executed (except for Board of Emergency Review contracts).
c) All Commonwealth agencies shall adhere to the state Procurement Code.
d) Ban government contracts from campaign contributors. No government contract can be awarded to a person, partnership or corporation that donated to the campaign of the state official responsible for awarding the contract within one year of the date a contract is posted for public bidding.
e) No lobby firms allowed. Firms registered as “lobbying firms” are disqualified from receiving General Assembly or governor’s office consulting contracts (does not include legal services contracts).
End lobbying relationships. No public official shall receive compensation from a firm registered as a “Lobbying Firm.”
Create an Ethical Code of Conduct for executive branch (already exists for legislative branch) employees in state government. Any new executive branch employee would be prohibited from working in an area in which they lobbied the executive branch before working for the state for two years prior to state employment. This would also restrict executive branch employees leaving state employment from lobbying that same branch of government for two years. This is similar to the policy recently imposed by President Barack Obama on federal executive branch employees.
Strengthen the state Sunshine Law and increase penalties for sunshine law violations.
Contractors subject to Ethics Act and Legislative Code of Ethics. State contractors cannot use information that is not available to the public at large which was obtained under their state contract for their private financial gain.
http://www.samsmithpahouse.com/?sectionid=96§iontree=96&itemid=633
Meanwhile
Lawmaker hopes to halt pay increases
A proposed bill would take away cost-of-living raises for legislators and judges
By Jacquie Tylka
Collegian Staff Writer
State Rep. Dan Moul knows that during difficult economic times, all Pennsylvanians must make sacrifices -- including those in positions like his own.
Moul, R-Adams, proposed a bill late last month that would suspend the cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) that is automatically added into the salaries of the state's legislative, judicial and executive branches each year. Moul's legislation would rescind the adjustment for two years, starting with the current legislative session of 2009-10, he said.
"We in the House of Representatives understand that there are a lot of people hurting at this time with the economy the way it is," Moul said. "I feel personally that this is the wrong time to ask my neighbors to help pay for my increase in salary."
http://www.collegian.psu.edu/archive/2009/04/07/lawmaker_hopes_to_halt_pay_inc.aspx
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