Wednesday, July 31, 2013

Great Disasters Through History

CBO: Obamacare 'delay' will add $12B in debt, put another 500,000 on welfare

Gov. Corbett: Montco violated Pa. law by granting same-sex marriage licenses

Magazine pegs NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg an 'Enemy of Freedom'

Reason Magazine on why NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg is its No. 1 Enemy of Freedom:
Here is how New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg explained the importance of his widely derided 16-ounce limit on servings of sugar-sweetened beverages after a state judge overturned it last March: "We have a responsibility as human beings to do something, to save each other, to save the lives of ourselves, our families, our friends, and all of the rest of the people that live on God's planet." Bloomberg literally thinks he is saving the world one slightly smaller serving of soda at a time.
As grandiose as that may seem, it is consistent with Bloomberg's view of government. A few years ago in a speech at the United Nations, he declared that "to halt the worldwide epidemic of non-communicable diseases, governments at all levels must make healthy solutions the default social option," which he described as "government’s highest duty." On Bloomberg's to-do list for government, apparently, defending us against our own unhealthy habits ranks above defending us against foreign invaders or marauding criminals.
Public health is not the only area where Bloomberg's authoritarian tendencies are apparent. There is his enthusiasm for gun control, his illegal crackdown on pot smokers, and his unflagging defense of the New York Police Department's stop-and-frisk program, which portrays the Fourth Amendment as a gratuitous barrier to effective policing. But his determination to halt "epidemics" of risky behavior shows him at his most arrogantly ambitious.
Bloomberg has pursued that goal not only by meddling with people's drink orders but by banning trans fats, pressuring food companies to reduce the salt content of their products, imposing heavy cigarette taxes, severely restricting the locations where people are allowed to smoke (even outdoors), mandating anti-smoking posters in stores that sell cigarettes (a policy that, like his big beverage ban, was rejected by the courts), and proposing a rule that would require merchants to hide tobacco products from people who might want to buy them.
The attitude driving Bloomberg’s crusade to "make healthy solutions the default social option" is reflected in another comment he made after his pint-sized pop prescription ran into legal trouble. "It was not a setback for me," said the billionaire with degrees from Johns Hopkins and Harvard. "In case you hadn't noticed, I watch my diet. This is not for me." No, indeed. It is for those poor, benighted souls who think it is acceptable to drink a 20-ounce soda. 
45 ENEMIES OF FREEDOM

Monday, July 29, 2013

The Obamacare Rollout

The Obama Economy's Lowered Expectations

Op-Ed: Students shouldn't be treated differently based on their zip code

Saturday, July 27, 2013

Guest column: The defense of marriage is all about the children

IRS employees refuse to get shoved into Barack Obama's crappy health care system

Weekly GOP Address: Stop government abuse among Obama federal agencies

House Dems at historic low in PA

Thursday, July 25, 2013

Hillary Clinton Among Reason Magazine's 45 'Enemies of Freedom'


Reason Magazine celebrated its 45th anniversary by publishing a list of 45 "Enemies of Freedom." Among them is Hillary Rodham Clinton.

Here's what the magazine had to say about the presumptive 2016 Democratic nominee for president:
"It takes a village," Hillary Clinton famously wrote, and we've learned since that her meaning encompassed villages in Iraq and Afghanistan to house American troops, villages of taxpayers to fund her favored programs, and villages of snoops to staff a national security state. Those villages must be prudish, too, given Clinton's longstanding fear of video-game sex. To Hillary's credit, she does advocate Internet freedom for villages overseas. Too bad she doesn't promote the same idea at home.
Check out the full list online at the link below:

45 ENEMIES OF FREEDOM

Pa. conservative group organizes 'Pray-In' to oppose same-sex marriage

Mike McMonagle, president of the Pro-Life Coalition of Pennsylvania, has announced his group will hold a Pro-Marriage Pray-In to Occur at the Montgomery County Register of Wills Office in Norristown, Pa., on Friday, July 26, 2013 at Noon. Montgomery County made national headlines on Wednesday when the Democratic Register of Wills, D. Bruce Hanes, backed by the two Democrats on the Montgomery County Board of Commissioners, decided to defy state law by issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples.

The following press release was issued by Pro-Life Coalition of Pennsylvania:
    We urge the Register of Wills, Bruce Hanes, to stop issuing marriage licenses to homosexual couples. We urge Montgomery County District Attorney Risa Ferman to charge Bruce Hanes for his violation of state law by issuing marriage licenses to homosexual couples.We urge Governor Corbett to cease his timid public responses and zealously defend Pa's marriage law.
The statement below: explains our position and the reasons for our actions:
    A SUCCINCT CASE FOR PA.'S MARRIAGE LAW PROTECTING MARRIAGE IS PART OF STOPPING THE WAR ON CHILDREN
    Pennsylvania should continue the legal definition of marriage as the union of one man and one woman because the primary purpose of civil marriage is to unite children with their mother and father. Such an arrangement best ensures the welfare of future Americans and advances the purposes of civil government.    
    "Marriage Equality," which is the slogan of the "homosexual marriage" supporters, is  oxymoronic, i.e. self-contradictory.  "Homosexual marriage" is inherently unequal to the union of one man and one woman because homosexual relationships are incapable of producing children.
    Furthermore, the drive for homosexual marriage is a continuation of the war on children.  This war began by preventing the conception of children by contraception and sterilization, killing children conceived but not yet born by abortion and now intentionally denying born children a mother and a father through "same sex marriage."
    Numerous recent actions by "homosexual marriage" supporters indicate that they are also willing to violate existing laws and trample on the freedom of religion, speech and assembly of other Americans to achieve their goal.  Pro-life Pennsylvanians need to protect Pa's marriage law and oppose the ongoing war on children with greatly increased clarity and zeal.
 Read more about the controversy in The Mercury

The job creation strategy Americans agree on: repeal ObamaCare

The Left's 'crumbling infrastructure' myth

The roots of Detroit's problems

Tuesday, July 23, 2013

Sen. Mike Lee throws down against ObamaCare

Far Left and MSM allies stir racial unrest in U.S.

Saturday, July 20, 2013

Why Does the AARP Hate Seniors?

Weekly GOP Address: Obamacare penalizes families, workers

Judge halts Detroit bankruptcy because it does not 'honor' Obama

Bankrupt Detroit Voted 98 Percent for Obama

Friday, July 19, 2013

Liberal Pa. newspaper hammers Democrat Kathleen Kane

Obama's radical nominee for UN representative

Thanks to Obamacare, doctor shortages set to quintuple

The IRS scandal made it to the White House

Thursday, July 18, 2013

Buzz, Buzz

Delusional immigration bill worthy only of scrap heap

Obama poll worker gets 5 years for illegal votes

This Democrat is going to jail for voter fraud, something Democrats claim doesn't exist. Go figure.

Ex-Ohio poll worker gets 5 years for illegal votes

Wednesday, July 17, 2013

Number of Pa. residents getting disability jumps by 50% in decade

The number of people in Pennsylvania getting monthly disability benefits through Social Security has risen by 50 percent in the past decade, high above the national average. Social Security Administration data show more than 390,000 Pennsylvanians qualified for disability payments in 2011, the most recent year for which data is available, according to PA Independent.

Number of Pa. residents getting disability jumps by 50%

Obama's idea of job growth

ObamaCare could push a million people onto welfare

PA Attorney General Kathleen Kane forcing her same-sex beliefs on all of us

Monday, July 15, 2013

Unions denounce Obamacare's 'hollow promises'

Obama's environmental agenda will crush small businesses

Hypocrite Kathleen Kane: Politics don't belong in Attorney General's office

Saturday, July 13, 2013

Pa. property tax: The worst possible system to fund our schools

Obama Steps In It Again

Weekly GOP Address: Pull the Plug on Obamacare

Thursday, July 11, 2013

Pa.'s top law enforcement officer refuses to uphold the law

Pennsylvania Attorney General Kathleen Kane, the state's top law enforcement official, has decided not to defend the state's ban on same-sex marriage because it goes against her personal views. Typical liberal Democrat: Pick and choose which laws to uphold. Just do your job Madam Attorney General and stop playing politics.

Kane: I won't defend Pa. law banning gay marriage

Wednesday, July 10, 2013

2001 Pa. lawmaker pension hike far more costly than infamous 2005 pay raise

Pennsylvania taxpayers shell out more than $300 million a year to fund one of the largest and most expensive state legislatures in the nation. And a big chunk of that expense goes to pay the $83,802 annual salary and lavish benefits package of the 253 lawmakers, who routinely grant themselves pay hikes and one of the most generous pension plans in the country.

2001 lawmaker pension hike far more costly than 2005 pay raise - abc27 WHTM

Keep the beast caged a little longer

Obama orders everyone in the government to spy on everyone else

Corrupt Ploy to Boost Health Exchanges

$2.5 billion in early retirement health claims to go unpaid, Fed says

Tuesday, July 9, 2013

Guess who's back ...

Help Available for Pennsylvannia Job-Seekers

Governor Corbett Unveils JobGateway(SM) ,  State-of-the-Art Job-Matching Website (via PR Newswire)

HERSHEY, Pa., July 9, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Governor Tom Corbett, along with Department of Labor & Industry Secretary Julia Hearthway, today announced the latest release of JobGateway.pa.gov, a website created to better connect people looking…

Read more »

Monday, July 8, 2013

Guest Column: No Tax Should Have The Power To Leave You Homeless

By Pa. State Senator David G. Argall (R-29), Pa. State Senator Mike Folmer (R-48), Pa. State Senator Judy Schwank (D-11), Pa. State Senator John Yudichak (D-14)

Despite renewed special interest attacks at the capitol in Harrisburg, the fight for eliminating the unfair school property tax begun by 79 grassroots taxpayer groups across the state is making some real progress.

Across the 11 counties we represent, the number one question we hear at our town hall meetings is: When will the legislature eliminate school property taxes?

Last year, we introduced a similar proposal drafted by the Pennsylvania Coalition of Taxpayer Associations. The Senate Finance Committee held a public hearing on this proposal and we asked for a nonpartisan analysis of the bill to provide detailed funding projections. The Independent Fiscal Office (IFO) identified several problems in the original proposal. Special interest groups have used the report as a weapon against our efforts but we view it as a roadmap to achieve true property tax reform and we have moved quickly to amend the bill.

Last year's proposal garnered 13 co-sponsors, or 26 percent of the total state Senate.  This year’s proposal, Senate Bill 76, corrects the defects in the original bill, as detailed in the 80-page analysis provided by the IFO.  Even more importantly, as a result of the grassroots efforts of the Pennsylvania Coalition of Taxpayer Associations this year, 22 Senators have now co-sponsored the bill – 12 Republicans and 10 Democrats – an increase of 9 Senators from last year. We continue to forge new coalitions and pick up support from all corners of the state. Groups like the Western Pennsylvania Coalition of Taxpayers, the Wilkes-Barre City Taxpayers Association, and the South Eastern Tax Reform Coalition are leading the charge to eliminate this tax.

The Senate and House Finance Committees have asked the IFO to complete an updated analysis of Senate Bill 76 in the next few months. The issue of funding public schools is a $13 billion problem and we welcome their nonpartisan, professional analysis to ensure we provide a dollar-for-dollar match for basic education.

In the last few months, because of growing grassroots efforts across the state, support for the bill has grown from 13 to 22 State Senators. The number we need to achieve in the Senate is 26 votes for passage, and then it heads over to the House of Representatives, where we need 102 votes. Representatives Jim Cox and Mark Gillen have discussed this proposal with the Governor, and he is on the record with them stating he would sign the bill when it reaches his desk.

We look forward to continuing our bipartisan fight to advance this issue.  In our local newspapers, we frequently read about the thousands of sheriff’s sales that occur each year across the state. We hear this fundamental principle every day, from Marietta all the way to West Pittston: No tax should have the power to leave you homeless.

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Saturday, July 6, 2013

What's Obama to do?

Gallup: Majority of Americans think Founding Fathers would be ashamed of America under Obama

Will Tom Corbett be sunk by his own party?

Will Gov. Tom Corbett be done in by his fellow Republicans in the Pennsylvania Legislature?

The first-term Republican offered an ambitious reform agenda this year as he gears for a re-election bid in 2014, but the permanent political class in Harrisburg is only interested in maintaining the status quo, not making the lives of Pennsylvania residents any easier.

No pension reform, no liquor privatization, no transportation funding, no property tax reform. That's what Pennsylvania taxpayers got from their $300 million legislature, which adjourned for a three-month summer vacation without action on any of the priorities pushed by Corbett or the perennial issue of school property tax elimination.

Corbett came to the governor's mansion after two terms as Pennsylvania attorney general, but many political observers doubted Corbett's political acumen. He simply doesn't know how to wheel-and-deal with legislators and hasn't figured out that public relations is a big part of being governor. Corbett's job approval numbers have been low from the start and he has done little to improve his image with Pennsylvania voters. (Liberal media bias among the Harrisburg press corps does have something to do with Corbett's inability to get his message across, but he deserves some of the blame because there are many avenues to reach the public besides the Harrisburg press corps.)

Corbett needs to emulate his predecessor, Democrat Ed Rendell (aka "Fast Eddie"), who managed to get most of his agenda passed in the Legislature even though Republicans controlled both chambers for most of Rendel's eight years in office. Remember the legalization of casino gambling and passage of the second largest income tax hike in state history? Rendell made enough deals with Republicans to get both bills passed. Corbett doesn't want to play politics, so he's suffering for it.

Rendell was a master at PR and enjoyed high approval numbers despite a checkered record, which included leaving office with a $4 billion deficit. Rendell also had the dubious distinction of eight consecutive late budgets. On the other hand, Corbett has delivered three straight balanced budgets on time without a tax increase.

Corbett can't or won't cajole members of his own party to get his agenda moving in the legislature. He doesn't seem to grasp that legislative leaders are entrenched in gerrymandered districts and will remain in Harrisburg long after Corbett's tenure is up. They control the agenda, not the governor. He needs them. They don't need him.  And time is running out for Corbett. There's already a half-dozen Democrats lining up to challenge him next year.

Read more about the governor's inability to get any major initiatives passed in the Republican-controlled state legislature at PA Independent.

Gallup: Most parents don't want their kids in politics

Weekly GOP Address: Dems Allow Student Loan Rates To Double

Student Loans Targeted To Fund Obamacare

Friday, July 5, 2013

Opinion: Pennsylvania needs referendum on eliminating school property taxes

Historic Days

Obamanomics: Record 54 Months of 7.5%+ Unemployment

'Full-time' Pa. Lawmakers On Vacation Until Sept. 23

Who wouldn't want a part-time job that pays $83,802 a year, with top-of-the-line benefits and 3 months of vacation every summer? $300 million Pa. Legislature in session for less than 80 days each year.

Local Lawmakers Unhappy Pa. Legislature Won't Return Until Sept. 23 « CBS Pittsburgh

Thursday, July 4, 2013

Obamacare: Then and Now

The character of independence

Paul Harvey Presents 'The Declaration of Independence'

Gallup: Republicans more proud to be American than Democrats

Wednesday, July 3, 2013

We don't serve 'your kind' here

CBS News: 'Major Setback' for Obamacare

Obama Administration delays key requirement in Obamacare

Pew: Obama less 'honest,' more 'incompetent' than Bush

Monday, July 1, 2013

Obama's Idea of 'Green' Energy

Arab Spring comes to Egypt again (but this time the media doesn't care)

Government workers can't spell

The sign is supposed to say: Ephrata. Didn't anybody look at it before it went up?

It's only taxpayer money that was flushed down the drain, so who cares, right?

The signs cost $2,114 to make. The repairs will cost between $800-$1,200.

PennDOT makes misnakes, two