News, Entertainment, Enlightenment
Delco Debates will meet 7 tonight, Nov. 16 in the basement meeting room of the Marple Public Library, 2599 Sproul Road, 19008 to discuss its 2016 schedule. 
Delco Debates is a group dedicated to providing a space for all viewpoints, including alternative and independent candidates from all sides of the political spectrum, and has developed a reputation for reason and fairness.
For information e-mail delcodebates@gmail.com or call 610-543-8427.
Its website is newdelcodebates.wordpress.com
Leo Knepper of Citizens Alliance of Pennsylvania (CAP) will be speaker at the Nov. 18 meeting of the Delaware County Patriots.
It’s 7 p.m., at the Knights of Columbus Hall, 327 N. Newtown Street Road (Route 252), Newtown Square, Pa. 19073.
CAP has created a link for those who wish to make their voices heard regarding the proposed 21-percent sales tax hike being pushed by Gov. Wolf and being considered by the State Legislature.
Pennsylvania does not have a revenue problem. It has a spending problem.
Larry Denver of Faith & Freedom Coalition of Pennsylvania will speak, 6:30 p.m., Friday, Oct. 9 before the Valley Forge Patriots at P J Ryan’s Pub, 233 Bridge St., Phoenixville 19460.
His topic will be America is at a “tipping point”.
By Rich Shuker 
The rate of “success” Harrisburg is having with the budget, coupled with the incompetence of our legislators who work for the taxpayers of Pennsylvania raises the possibility that the pension crisis will never be fixed.
Commenting about the pensions, House Majority Leader David Reed said, “I’m not sure where we go from here,” after a failed veto override attempt!
According to one newspaper article, House Minority Leader Frank Dermody, D-Allegheny County believes a piecemeal override of a vetoed bill is unconstitutional.
In that same article we find telling quotes from other officials:
“While the governor is looking at their proposal, they (House leaders) are playing games,” said Wolf spokesman Jeff Sheridan.
“Accepting the GOP’s latest offer would be a home run for both sides,” said Senate Majority Whip John Gordner, R-Berwick.
Does he mean the political parties or the taxpayers?
In 2006, Auditor General Jack Wagner compiled an in-depth audit on the PSERS and the SERS, He noted that the pension crisis was created by the legislators’ actions in 2001 where they increased the pension benefits of all state workers and teachers. We’re coming up on 15 years since, and although several attempts have been made to patch the problem, the root cause has never been addressed.
Jack Wagner gave recommendations and predicted a fiscal crisis in 2012 or 2013 if corrective measures were not taken. The legislature did not heed his warning and today Pennsylvania finds itself with massive unfunded liabilities.
Since 2001 our legislators have increased the Pennsylvania General Fund by 100% and our School Taxes have gone up 116%. Also, taxpayers have received from Harrisburg several blessings:
We are the 5th most corrupt state;
5th highest state in foreclosures;
1st in gas and corporate taxes;
Thanks to the lack of legislative oversight, the PSERS lost $15.8 billion since 06/2007, and the SERS lost $8.3 billion.
Yes, Harrisburg has become one of the largest casinos in the country, gambling with the taxpayers’ money and obviously losing, because they always need more.
Finally, the taxpayers have two legislators standing up for them. They have proposed bills to fix this financial disaster and stop some of the theft of the taxpayer’s money. Republican John McGinnis who has a Ph.D. in Finance, and Democrat Thomas Caltagirone have proposed three pieces of legislation between them with one being jointly introduced.
On March 26, 2015, Tom Caltagirone introduced HB 845 on a Public Pensions Code of Ethics. Since March, only eight cosponsors have signed onto the legislation. The bill was referred to Committee on State Government. That’s where it sits, thanks to weak leadership.
On July 9, 2015, John McGinnis, and Caltagirone introduced HB 1400 to improve the management standards for SERS and PSERS. The bill has fifteen cosponsors and was referred to Committee on State Government, where it languishes.
On May 17, 2015, John McGinnis Proposed HB 900, Subject: Repayment of Pension Debt; received 21 cosponsors, was referred to Committee on State Government.
So what can a taxpayer, living in the 5th most corrupt state in America, do?
The first step is getting involved, finding the truth and confronting the legislators about the issues that matter to you. The taxpayers are in luck. Representatives Tom Caltagirone and John McGinnis will be presenting to the Lehigh Valley Project 9-12 Tea Party Group 7 p.m., Oct. 2 at the Charles Chrin Community Center in Easton.
Their presentation will be an excellent opportunity to learn about Pennsylvania’s pension issues and what lawmakers must do to fix the problems.
Mr. Shuker is a financial consultant who became politically active in response to protecting his clients’ financial well-being from legislation that threatens their security.
Leo Knepper of Citizens Alliance of Pennsylvania has informed us that the restore the American Dream Rally scheduled for Oct. 2 in at the California University Convocation Center in Washington County, Pa., has been postponed.
Members of the Pennsylvania Ballot Access Coalition (PBAC) testified at a public hearing, Sept. 22, convened by Sen. Mike Folmer (R-48), chairman of the Pennsylvania Senate State Government Committee. The committee’s purpose was to hear testimony regarding S.B. 495 also known as the “Voters’ Choice Act” (VCA). The VCA would bring Pennsylvania’s egregious ballot access laws much closer to the intent of Article 1, Section 5 of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania’s Constitution which guarantees that all elections shall be “free and equal”.
Currently, Alternative Party candidates and Independent candidates are required to gather as many as 30 times the number of signatures required by the two old parties. In a recent election, while the Democrat and Republican candidates required 2,000 signatures, independent and minor party candidates were required to collect more than 60,000 signatures! The VCA would change the method by which a “minor party” would be qualified. Once qualified as a minor party, it would then be free of the egregious signature collecting process and its destructive consequences. The “minor party” would then be free to nominate its candidates by convention or by whichever form described in its bylaws. Independent candidates would only have to collect the same number of signatures as the candidates from the 2 old parties.
Roy Minet, from the Pennsylvania Libertarian Party spoke for the PBAC. He made it clear that ballot access laws were favored by the two old parties because they “prevented ballot clutter”. He quickly protested that what they actually “meant by ‘clutter’ was in fact competition”!
Carl Romanelli, former US Senate candidate, speaking for the Pennsylvania Green Party, revealed that not only had he been removed from the ballot but was required to pay $80,000 covering the cost of the Democratic Party which actually used a “volunteer” who was in reality a salaried employee of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania resulting in what became known as “Bonusgate”. He pointed out that the VCA was “brilliant in its simplicity” in bringing about a change in the ballot access laws which would be more reflective of “free and equal elections”.
Jim Clymer, former candidate for Lieutenant Governor, speaking for the Pennsylvania Constitution Party, explained how polls showed that the majority of Pennsylvanians wanted more choice on Election Day. He also pointed out that, since any challenge to minor party or independent candidates for statewide election might result in having to pay the challenge’s $80,000 costs, such candidates are effectively removed as candidates. Jim Clymer also pointed out how the Federal District Court has recently struck down Pennsylvania’s ballot access laws because the combination of signatures and payment of challenger’s costs were unconstitutional under the United States Constitution.
Steve Scheetz, representing the Pennsylvania Libertarian Party, demonstrated how difficult it is to find volunteers because they are painfully aware that their candidate might be removed from the ballot. Moreover Scheetz clarified that with only the 2 old candidates we have positions on an issue which only differ slightly while the candidates then level personal attacks. Candidates from newer parties would change the nature of the conversation forcing all candidates to be more articulate on the issues. The “spoiler issue” was also shown to be a creation of the older parties which, virtually assert that they “own” votes which can be “taken by spoilers”. Romanelli said “the people, not any candidate or party own their own votes and they alone can decide who will deserve the precious gift of their vote”
Hat tips Bob Small and John Murphy.
This event has been postponed according to Leo Knepper
A “Restore the American Dream Rally” will be held Oct. 2 at the California University Convocation Center in Washington County, Pa., reports Leo Knepper of Citizens Alliance of Pennsylvania (CAP).
CAP will be among the participants and will be introducing The Thomas J. Smith Recruitment Initiative in honor of the 2012 U.S. Senate candidate whose primary victory shook the state Republican establishment.
The event is free and open to the public. Doors open at 4 p.m. and the event begins at 5:30.
Entertainment will be provided by country singer Aaron Tippin. The keynote speaker will be Senator Scott Wagner.
With yesterday’s (Sept. 10) blocking of a disapproval resolution by Senate Democrats, the Delaware Valley Stop Iran Coalition has postponed its rally scheduled for Sept. 13 on Independence Mall, Philadelphia.
“We condemn, in the harshest manner, the votes of 42 Senators who successfully filibustered the resolution of disapproval of the horrific Iran deal,” said even organizer Don Adams. “Due to the overwhelming public opposition to this deal, as indicated by recent polling, the Senate should have allowed this resolution to reach the President’s desk.”
Adams said, however, the group was not quitting.
“Please continue to be vigilant in this extremely urgent matter. In the words of John Paul Jones, We have only just begun to fight. For the peace, strength, and security of America and our allies, we must stop Iranian aggression–there is no other option.”
A claim shouted by those whose luxurious lifestyles are based on government — either directly or via special privileges such as mandated dues – is that Tea Party types are anti-labor and anti-union.
They are not. They are anti-hypocrisy and anti-corruption. Most believe that collective bargaining is a very good thing in many circumstances and that labor laws have made our lives generally better.
When they hear but silence, however, from organized labor when American workers are made to train their foreign replacements; when they see the hipster doofus with the Foxconn-made iPhone demanding the hard-working pizza shop owner pay his staff wages he can’t afford; and when they are confronted by those with $477,591 pensions demanding that working families cough up another 1K to keep their pensions funded, they fully understand what the union leaders and their progressive allies are about, and fully understand that they must be fought.
Anyway, here is the latest illustration of the character of those imposing “the progressive” agenda upon us. The Philadelphia Federation of Teachers is among the big-government special interest groups fighting the mild state pension reforms being pushed by Republicans in Harrisburg. The reforms would stop existing employees from spiking their their average salaries and put new state workers and public school teachers in a 401K type program.
What kind of pension plan does the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers offer its employees? That’s exactly right LOL. Can you spell “hypocrisy”? I knew you could.
That those proclaiming themselves “progressives” are thoughtless people who don’t care a whit about anyone but themselves is something to take to the bank.
The tri-state Independence Hall Foundation voiced utter disdain, Sept. 1, for the announced decisions of Senators Bob Casey (D-PA) and Chris Coons (D-DE) to back the Iran deal.
“This is a major miscalculation on the part of both politicians,” said Foundation spokesperson Teri Adams.
“Most importantly, passage of this treaty will lead to a more unstable world–starting with an increase in Middle East violence and ending with Iran as an irrational and unpredictable
nuclear power.
“Secondly, one or both of these men can and will be defeated if they stand for re-election in 2018. That is not a threat, it’s an observation.
“With upwards of two-thirds of Americans opposing all or parts of this deal in recent surveys, Senators Casey and Coons are alienating big voting blocks in their respective states,” said Ms. Adams.
The following is a copy of a letter the Foundation sent to Senators Casey, Coons, and Corey Booker (D-NJ):
August 28, 2015
Dear Senator (Casey, Coon, Booker),
The Independence Hall Foundation, a non-partisan, non-profit civic organization with over 10,000 adherents in the tri-state region (DE, NJ, PA), is writing to inform you of our overwhelming opposition to the Iran Deal negotiated by the Obama Administration.
While our objections are long, for the sake of brevity, we are going to list our five main reasons for opposing this agreement:
1. The Iranian government currently holds four American hostages: Washington Post
journalist Jason Rezaian; former U.S. Marine Amir Hekmati; pastor Saeed Abedini; and former FBI agent Robert Levinson.
Their release should have been a prerequisite for any negotiations.
2. The Iranian government sanctions anti-American protests in which its supporters chant “Death to America” — clearly demonstrating that the current regime is our enemy. Iran, until this year, has been listed as a top exporter of worldwide terrorism. What has changed?
3. Lifting sanctions will give the Iranian dictatorship access to upward of $150 billion — enabling them to increase their funding of terrorist organizations such as Hamas and Hezbollah which operate throughout the Middle East. The agreement also allows unfettered activity at its Arak nuclear facility.
4. The agreement is much too lax regarding the inspection of known nuclear facilities and does not adequately address the problem of hidden sites.
5. Most importantly, we believe this deal could actually hasten Iran’s development of a nuclear bomb by allowing it to continue to enrich uranium in addition to developing and testing centrifuges. Such an outcome puts all of our allies in the Middle East, especially Israel, in imminent danger.
In the short run, the violent activity of Hamas and Hezbollah will surely escalate. In the long run, one can imagine disaster, not only for Israel and our other Middle Eastern allies, but for the United States as well. Will it be a nuclear disaster? God forbid it.
Is this the legacy the Obama Administration seeks?
On behalf of the Foundation Board,
Teri Adams, 267.531.8169