Month: October 2010

An Upset In Pa13?

A Public Opinion Strategies Poll of voters preferences in Pennsylvania’s 13th Congressional District showed the voters leaning towards the Republican 44 to 42 percent.

The poll was conducted Aug. 31-Sept. 1 but released Oct. 7 by GOP challenger Dee Adcock, a small business-owner. The seat has been held by very liberal Democrat Allyson Schwartz since 2005, who succeeded very liberal Democrat Joe Hoeffel who took office in 1999. Hoeffel beat Republican Jon Fox who won his seat from very liberal freshman Democrat Marjorie Margolies-Mezvinsky in 1994 after voters became enraged at her for casting the deciding vote on the 1993 budget that significantly raised taxes.

Before her, the seat had been held by Republicans since 1916.

According to the poll, support to re-elect Ms. Schwartz is at 41 percent while 37 percent say it is time for someone else. Adcock says, though, the poll indicates he moves ahead 40 percent-39 percent  after a brief introduction.

The poll surveyed 300 likely voters and has a margin of error of 5.66 percent in 95 out of 100 cases.


Ms. Schwartz managed the Elizabeth Blackwell Center, a Planned Parenthood abortion clinic in Philadelphia, from 1975-1988 before successfully running for state senate.

To Speak The Unspeakable About Democrats

Former Philadelphia Eagles lineman and  current Republican candidate for congress Jon Runyan gave a brutally blunt statement after it was affirmed that the Democrat Party was behind placing a “NJ Tea Party” candidate in his New Jersey 3rd District race.

“It’s out of frustration that politics in our country has become so
toxic that the important issues we face have to take a backseat to
garbage like this,” Runyan said. “My opponent, John Adler, represents everything that is wrong with politics in this country today. He is dishonest. He lacks principle. And he’s clearly willing to say or do anything to win re-election and cling to power. The fact that he and his team would intentionally try to defraud and
disenfranchise voters by planting a fake candidate in the race with the
intention of confusing people and stealing votes from me is disgraceful.”

Shout it out, Mr. Runyan.

It’s clearer than ever that the Democrat Party is no longer about issues — “looking out for the little guy”, as they like to claim — but about power.

The stunt pulled in NJ3 was done in Pennsylvania’s 7th District , and was baldly, and unsuccessfully attempted in Pa. 8.

Even more cravenly in Pa7 was an expensive yet laughable attempt by the Bryan Lentz campaign to knock Republican Pat Meehan off the ballot using a legal ploy. See Dem Fails In Strange Attempt To Stop A Congressional Election .

Opacity and manipulation are now the rule of the Democrat politics rather than clarity. The leadership of the party is infused with a moral self-righteous certainty that makes them near incapable of believing themselves able to do wrong.

What’s especially troubling is the frequency of frivolous criminal investigations against Republican leaders that are brought with much publicity in the midst of an election season. This happened with Curt Weldon — again in Pa7– in 2006, and against Alaska Sen. Ted Stevens in 2008. One cannot overemphasize frivolous. In the case of Weldon, neither he nor those whose homes and offices were searched three weeks before election day were ever charged with anything .

Someone will point out that it was Bush that ran the Justice Department during this time. Someone else might point out that it was only Republicans on the short end of these frivolous pre-election investigations.

Do Republicans ever play dirty pool? Sure, but never so shamelessly and always with the expectation of punishment by their constituents if they should ever be caught. Just look at the 2006 and 2008 elections and the rise of the Tea Party Movement.  PaCleanSweep  started by Russ Diamond that was so influential in changing Pennsylvania’s political landscape in 2006 basically consisted of Republican-inclined voters.

May Democrat-inclined voters learn to be independent thinkers as well.

Obamacare Inspires Sale Of Catholic Hospitals

An attempt is being made to sell three financially solvent Catholic hospitals in Northeastern Pennsylvania and the motive is Obamacare, according to their owner.

On the block are Mercy Hospital in Scranton, Mercy Tyler Hospital in Tunkhannock and Mercy Special Care Hospital in Nanticoke, which are owned by Mercy Health Partners of Scranton.

Mercy Health CEO Kevin Cook told WNEP-TV that while the hospitals were “actually . . doing well” they expect that over the next five years “a different level of investment” would be needed that what they could do on their own.

He spelled it out by saying that the  required investment is the result of the federal health care reform bill passed last March. He said there will be the need for more spending and less federal reimbursements.

He said the legislation was “absolutely” a factor in their planning.

Mercy Hospital in Scranton was opened in 1917 by the Sisters of Mercy.

A sale is expected by the end of the year.

Dem Seeks To End Taft-Hartley Protections

A bill  submitted to congress, Sept. 29,  would abolish the  right to work laws that exist in 22 states, at least according to its sponsor Brad Sherman (D-CA27) as the text of the bill, H.R 6384, is not yet available at Thomas.gov. 

Right to work laws came about from the Taft-Hartley Amendments to the National Labor Relations Act  in 1947. These laws allow a person to refrain from joining a union and still be able to work at a company.

“These laws are harmful to states like California, which allows labor unions to organize,” Sherman said.

The 22 states that have adopted right to work laws — mostly in the South and Midwest — have become the nations fastest growing — just look at where the congressional seats are going — and have made tremendous advances in their economies in the last 60 years as opposed to the old industrial order in the Northeast and Great Lakes region.

And California.

Obviously, Pennsylvania is not a right to work state.

If Sherman’s bill should pass look to an even faster exodus of jobs to China.

159-38 For “Stand Your Ground”

The Pennsylvania House of Representatives this afternoon voted 159-38 to approve  a bill that would significantly expand the right to self-defense in Pennsylvania.The bill now goes to the senate.

The was an increase of three for the bill over a special motion passed yesterday that  prevented the attachment of a large number of  anti-gun riders.

A roll call will soon  be available here.

If the bill cannot make it through the senate, however, or if the votes are not available to override an expected veto by Gov. Rendell, the process will have to start afresh next year.

House Bill 40provides that “no person should be required to surrender his or her personal safety to a criminal, nor should a person be required to needlessly retreat in the face of intrusion or attack outside the person’s home or vehicle.”

The bill declares that, with some exceptions such as the intruder being a police officer lawfully performing his duty, a person may may be presumed to have a belief in the need to use deadly force if he should find someone in his home or attempting to enter his home or vehicle.

The bill also spells out that a law-aiding citizen has “no duty to retreat” and has “right to stand his ground and use force, including deadly force if he “has a right to be in the place where he was attacked,” believes it necessary to do so “to protect himself against death, serious bodily injury, kidnapping or sexual intercourse by force or threat” and “the person against whom the force is used displays or otherwise uses: a firearm or replica . . . or any other weapon readily or apparently capable of lethal use.”

The bill also provides for civil immunity for the use of force.

Poll Puts Carney Ahead Of Marino

A Lycoming College Poll released yesterday has incumbent Democrat Chris Carney ahead of Republican challenger Tom Marino in Pennsylvania’s 10th District congressional race. Carney was preferred by 43 percent of likely voters to 40 percent for Marino, a former U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Pennsylvania.

The poll has a margin of error of 5.1 percentage points. Sampled were 370 likely voters, 54.7 percent of whom were Republicans, 37.8 Democrats and 7.5 percent third-party/independents.

It was conducted  between Sept. 26and Sept. 30 shortly after the NRA came out for Carney and in the midst of allegations that Marino helped a convicted felon get a casino license.

Marino led 40 percent to 36 percent in a Times-Leader Critical Insight Poll released Sept. 26.

There had been reports that the Democrat Congressional Campaign  Committee had been giving up on Carney.

Hat tip to GrassrootsPa.com.


Pa House Preps Way For “Stand Your Ground” Law

The Pennsylvania House of Representatives, yesterday, voted 156-41 to pass a special motion that prevented the attachment of a large number of  anti-gun riders to a bill that would significantly expand the right to self-defense in Pennsylvania. A final vote is expected today after which the bill will go to the senate.

Five members were absent.

House Bill 40 provides that “no person should be required to surrender his or her personal safety to a criminal, nor should a person be required to needlessly retreat in the face of intrusion or attack outside the person’s home or vehicle.”

The bill declares that, with some exceptions such as the intruder being a police officer lawfully performing his duty, a person may may be presumed to have a belief in the need to use deadly force if he should find someone in his home or attempting to enter his home or vehicle.

The bill also spells out that a law-aiding citizen has “no duty to retreat” and has “right to stand his ground and use force, including deadly force if he “has a right to be in the place where he was attacked,” believes it necessary to do so “to protect himself against death, serious bodily injury, kidnapping or sexual intercourse by force or threat” and “the person against whom the force is used displays or otherwise uses: a firearm or replica . . . or any other weapon readily or apparently capable of lethal use.”

The bill also provides for civil immunity for the use of force.

Regarding Delaware County’s contingent, Republicans Stephen Barrar (160), Nick Miccarelli (162), Nick Micozzie (163), Mario Civera Jr. (164), Bill Adolph (165), and Tom Killion (168) voted aye; while Democrats Thaddeus Kirkland (159), Bryan Lentz (161),  Greg Vitali (166), Robert Donatucci (185), Vanessa Brown (190) and Ronald Waters (191) voted nay.

Green Energy Technology Sailing Away to China

China has moved pass Germany, Denmark, Spain, and the US to become the biggest wind turbine producer in the world.  It is expected that China will be the largest producer of solar energy technology in two years.  In the meantime, as China has been allowed to take the bull by the ring and take all of the green jobs that were proposed during the presidential race, US leaders are still arguing and posturing about whether the government should support the creation of green jobs with taxpayers money or oil companies should be allowed to lead in the production of green energy.  Probably after all the oil is gone.


 I saw a documentary where Bangladesh was even creating solar cells and getting their people to build up their infrastructure with green energy.  Something is definatley wrong with this whole discussion.  I think that a government is supposed to tax people and to spend what they collect with the taxes for the betterment of the people whom they tax.  The idea is that the government takes a little from each person and then spends it to get more than each person possibly could because of the amount of money they have collectively. I believe in big government–government of the people by the people and for the people, that works, instead of a government with no money who has to beg corporations to finance programs.  I guess that I am just old fashion though.  I think of this as I watch all of the green technology projects and jobs floating over to China where they will remain because we, like in most of the manufacturing sector, cannot afford to compete because of their low labor costs. Let’s just wave bye bye to those new jobs everyone wanted.
Green Energy Technology Sailing Away to China
Green Energy Technology Sailing Away to China

Enviro-Freaks Advocate Murdering Child Dissidents

Enviro-Freaks Advocate Murdering Child Dissidents — Proving that some things are impossible to satirize, the British environmentalist group 10:10 has produced a short propaganda film that at first glance appears to be something that Rush Limbaugh would’ve created to mock environmental extremism.

Oh, but it’s not.

10:10, which gets its name from the goal of cutting carbon dioxide emissions by 10 percent annually starting in 2010, means it for real.

The four-minute commercial, which can be found here , is called “No Pressure” and is divided into three main segments: a teacher with her class of middle schoolers, a corporate pep-talk in an office building lobby, and a soccer team being visited by a former star player.

All follow the same format. The leader, such as the teacher, gives a lecture on the need to cut CO2 emissions, and then asks the subordinates if they agree insisting that there is no pressure to do so and that dissent is quite all right.  Well, most of them happily agree and pledge to ride their bike instead of asking for a ride or convincing their parents to take a train to their next vacation. Still, there are a few ornery dissenters. The leader confirms they don’t buy the speil then pushes a button blowing them to bloody  bits in a gory explosion. In the case of the classroom segment the dead are a young boy and young girl.

The commercial was written by Richard Curtis, the  writer of such Brit lameness such as Blackadder and  Four Weddings, and according to 10:10 was meant to be funny .

Well, ho, ho, ho.

Anyway, 10:10’s propaganda has inspired me to action. Since I just took out the air conditioners I can’t  crank them up and it’s still too warm to raise the thermostat.

I guess I’ll just have to fire up the stereo and turn the volume to 10. What to play? Definitely something British. David Bowie’s “1984”, would be appropriate. Or maybe “Silent Running” by Mike & the Mechanics. The Who’s “Won’t Get Fooled Again” would be a good choice as would “Street Fighting Man” by The Rolling Stones.

I know, Led Zep’s “Immigrant Song”. Always a fine selection for matters like this.

Oh yeah, and I’m turning on all the lights.

Hat tip to Zombie at PajamasMedia.Com

 Enviro-Freaks Advocate Murdering Child Dissidents

Pa. Schools Now An Open Book


All union contracts, tax rates and the salaries of every public school district employee in Pennsylvania are now on-line at a easy-to-use, one-stop site.

The project is designed to provide a year-by-year tally of property taxes, and allowvisitors to determine how much taxes have risen — or, in some rarecases, fallen — over the past decade.

The site is openpagov.org and a direct link to the school information can be found here.

Commonwealth Foundation is the manager of the site.

Kudos to Commonwealth Foundation.