Month: November 2014

GOP Wave Misses Corbett But Not PA

The GOP wave missed Pennsylvania  at the gubernatorial level but that was just about it.  Pennsylvania’s congressional breakdown remains 13-5 in favor of the Republicans and the GOP actually expanded its majority in the State House and Senate with districts 46, 52, 83, 115, 120 and 146 appearing to have flipped to the GOP in the House and districts 32 and 46 in the Senate as per the Keystone Report.

This would give the Republicans a 117 to 86 advantage in the House come January and a 29-21 advantage in the Senate.

One particular election of note is that of Russ Diamond to the 102nd District seat vacated by Republican RoseMarie Swanger. Diamond, a truck driver, created a political earthquake in 2006 when he organized PACleanSweep after the legislature voted itself a pay raise in 2005. Thirty-five CleanSweep candidates won their primaries knocking out seven long-term incumbents.

Diamond is a Republican albeit the party bosses don’t particularly like him.

Also Republican Tom Quigley won his rematch with Democrat Mark Painter who unseated him two years ago in the 146th District Race.

Closer to home, kudos to Springfield GOP Chief Mike Puppio who pulled Tom McGarrigle over the line in the 26th District State Senate race for the seat being vacated by Ted Erickson.  Springfield gave McGarrigle a  3,419 majority (unofficially) over Democrat John Kane in a race he won by just 1,703 votes. Puppio was also instrumental in helping Jamie Santora beat Vince Rongione to keep the 163rd District  seat vacated by Nick Micozzie in Republican hands. The unofficial tally was 11,362 to 9,963.

And kudos to Megan Rath who took on Democrat power Bob Brady in the 1st District.  She ended up with 26,447 votes (unofficially) and hopefully she stays involved in politics. She was working on extremely unfriendly territory. For progress to happen, there must be people willing to do that.

No kudos, however, to Tom Corbett who managed to become the first Pennsylvania incumbent governor to lose an election since 1946  in a Republican wave year.

In a year even Illinois went Republican. In a year, that Maryland elected a Republican governor.

As of 12:20 a.m., the tally was Tom Wolf 1,851,462 to Corbett’s 1,526,595.

It should be noted that two governors who took on the unions in traditional union states —  Scott Walker of Wisconsin and Rick Snyder of Michigan — cruised to re-election.

Gov. Corbett, of course, notably did not take on the unions.

The other lesson, for Pennsylvania Republicans? Don’t twist arms to push through historic tax hikes.

And sell the dang liquor stores.

GOP Wave Misses Corbett But Not PA

GOP Wave Misses Corbett But Not PA

Unions Fund GOP State Senators

Pennsylvania Independent  reports that state senators Pat Browne (R-16), John Rafferty (R-44) and Tommy Tomlinson (R-6) received a massive union cash dump shortly before yesterday’s (Nov. 4) election with Browne getting $37,000 from 10 groups including $10,000 from the PSEA (public school teachers) and  $500 from 1776 PAC UFCW (state stores); Rafferty getting $7,000 broken down as $5,000 from the PSEA, $1,000 from the Professional Firefighters Association PAC and $1,000 from Steamfitters Local 420; and Tomlinson getting $22,000 from seven groups including $10,000 from PA SEIU (government workers) and $1,000 from 1776 PAC UFCW.

It’s a pretty good bet that this trio will vote with Democrats in opposing legislation such as selling the state stores, effective pension reform and making education more effective but less burdensome on the average Joe and Jill.

Hat tip Keystone Report

Unions Fund GOP State Senators

Unions Fund GOP State Senators

 

Act 156 Expands Tax Rebate Eligibility

HB 1067 is now Act 156 of 2014, and eligibility has been expanded for Pennsylvania’s popular Property Tax and Rent Rebate program says State Rep. Jim Cox.

The law benefits those who would otherwise be disqualified from participating due to a Social Security cost-of-living increase, Cox said.

He said any homeowner who received Social Security, received a rebate in 2013 for claim year 2012, and had annual income up to $35,298 last year is encouraged to apply for claim year 2013. Also, eligible renters who receive Social Security, received a rebate in 2013 for claim year 2012 and had annual incomes last year up to $15,128 are also encouraged to apply.

The Pennsylvania Department of Revenue is automatically reviewing previously denied applications where the rebate was denied for income in excess of $35,000 for homeowners and $15,000 for renters, Cox said. In cases where the overage is due solely to Social Security COLAs, the department will reopen, process and pay these claims.

Property Tax/Rent Rebate claim forms (PA-1000) and related information are available online here or by calling, toll-free, 1-888-222-9190.

The deadline to apply for a rebate on property taxes or rent paid in 2013 is Dec. 31. Claimants who already applied for rebates may check the status of claims online at www.revenue.state.pa.us or by calling, toll-free 1-888-PA-TAXES.

The 2014 program will open for applications early next year.
Act 156 Expands Tax Rebate Eligibility

 Act 156 Expands Tax Rebate Eligibility

Why Elections Are Held On Tuesdays William Lawrence Sr Omnibit 11-4-14

Why Elections Are Held On Tuesdays William Lawrence Sr Omnibit 11-4-14

Elections are held on Tuesdays because when the nation was founded most did not travel on Sundays for religious reasons so having it on Monday didn’t provide enough time to travel.

It’s held the first Tuesday on or after Nov. 2 because the Founders didn’t want it to fall on All Saints Day and the first of the month was when shopkeepers did their books.

They picked November because that’s when harvest was over.

Elections are held on Tuesdays because when the nation was founded most did not travel on Sundays

Thank You Obama From Corbett?

We suspect that Tom Corbett is not going to be getting a second term as Pennsylvania’s governor, but if he should manage to mount a bottom-of-the-ninth comeback, he ought to send Barack Obama a thank-you note.

The unpopular President campaigned for Corbett’s rival Tom Wolfe on Sunday at Temple University. He filled in less than a quarter of the seats at the Liacouras Center. The event manager estimated the crowd at 5,500.  Many think that was an exaggeration.

We, of course, are going to be voting for Corbett in a very short while. In any election between Karl Marx and Harpo Marx always go with Harpo.

Hat tip IJReview.com

Thank You Obama From Corbett?

Thank You Obama From Corbett?

Netflix Invades France

Netflix started service in France on Sept. 15.

eMarketer.com notes that fewer than a quarter of the French had ever heard of it.

They are going to have a hard time of it we fear.

Hardly any Jerry Lewis movies.

Netflix Invades France

Netflix Invades France

Scott Wagner Letter Explains What Needs Doing

Today is Election Day. Sen. Scott Wagner (R-28) who is running for a full term after winning a special election, March 18, has sent the following letter to his constituents. It’s worth being read by all who care about this state and the nation.

Scott Wagner Letter Explains What Needs Doing

By Scott Wagner

I am writing to the voters of the 28th Pennsylvania State Senate District regarding the upcoming election . . ., Tuesday, November 4th.

I made a decision over a year ago to run for the State Senate position that I currently hold.

I made that decision because I was fed up with the status quo.

Without going into details, most people know that I am in the Pennsylvania State Senate because of unusual circumstances.

I was fed up with a government that was making what I love to do harder and harder each year.

What I love to do is start up and build businesses that create jobs and employ people.

Let me repeat – create jobs and employ people.

Pennsylvania has a lot of opportunities and it also has many issues.

Let’s talk about some of the issues.

The number #1 issue in the 28th Senate District is school taxes.

A significant driver of the ever increasing school taxes is a state pension system that is vastly underfunded and facing a $47 Billion Dollar shortfall.

During my short period of seven months in the Pennsylvania State Senate it is crystal clear to me that the public sector unions have complete control of Harrisburg and are blocking pension reform, school tax elimination, liquor privatization, and prevailing wage mandates on school districts to name a few.

Pennsylvania needs government reform and it needs it quickly.

Pennsylvania does not have a revenue problem, it has a spending problem.

I knew this fact before I went to Harrisburg and I now see it first-hand.

My opponent will say we need jobs.

Here is the real issue. We have a skilled labor shortage. South Central Pennsylvania has approximately 3500 job opening for skilled workers.

By skilled workers I am referring to truck drivers, mechanics, welders, industrial electricians, HVAC technicians, plumbers and machine operators to name a few.

This past May, Pennsylvania colleges graduated 12,000 teachers with 3,000 positions available.

York County needs to change its junior and senior high school education programs to include education for the trades.

Pennsylvania has a prescription drug epidemic and that has created a heroin crisis.

Pennsylvania is not a “right to work” state.

Pennsylvania is ranked 34th in the nation as having a percentage of its workers unionized.

Pennsylvania has major competition with southern “right to work” states.

We have a lot of work to do to make Pennsylvania more competitive against other states.

I started my business career over thirty-five years ago; it has taken a lot of hard work and risk to get to where I am today.

Success doesn’t just happen; I have had many failures also and have turned those failures into learning experiences.

Having served in the Senate for seven months it is crystal clear to me that there is not a single person in the house or senate that has my extensive business experience and knowledge of how the real world operates.

In my short time in the senate my name has been in newspapers continuously, or I am on TV and you can find me on the internet because I am not a status quo person.

I ask questions, continuously looking for ways to improve things, and as a result I am seen as a disruptor.

I love when someone says “we have always done it this way”.

People have said, “Wagner’s style won’t work in Harrisburg – he is abrasive and he is outspoken”.

Let me be clear – I am not a status quo person.

I intend to be a Senator who will be disruptive.

I will break the rules with professionalism, a strategy, style, and class.

I already have a career.

I am a leader, I am a strategist, I am a visionary and I am a team builder.

And most important – I am not, and will not be owned by lobbyists, special interest groups, senate leadership, and a corrupt system.

I have pledged to serve two four-year terms in the Pennsylvania State Senate.

It is not my goal to become a career politician. I am seen as a very dangerous person to a lot of people who live on the system in Harrisburg.

We have a lot of things in Pennsylvania that are simply outdated and broken, and need fixed quickly.

If you want a Senator who will go to Harrisburg to make Pennsylvania a better, more competitive state so Pennsylvanians have good sustaining jobs and Pennsylvania is a better place to live and prosper, then I ask for your vote on November 4th.

Scott Wagner Letter Explains What Needs Doing

Vote Fraud Stopping

USAToday on Sunday (Nov.2) published an article by former Attorney General  Edwin Meese and former Ohio Secretary of State and Cincinnati Mayor J. Kenneth Blackwell in which they explain how to end vote fraud.

Yes, Virginia, vote fraud exists.

Besides  recommending photo-voter ID laws  — if it’s good enough for a liquor store it should be good enough for a polling place — they also suggested ending early voting and same-day registration.

You can read the column here.

Vote Fraud Stopping

Vote Fraud Stopping

 

Doctors Leaving ACA Exchange Plans

The American Action Forum is saying that more than 214,000 physicians will not be participating in Affordable Care (sic) Act exchange plans.

It is basing the claim on an analysis of a May 2014 survey by The Medical Group Management Association (MGMA),  a trade group which has served  administrators of medical group practices since 1926.

American Action says the big reason is  a March 27, 2012 HHS regulation that exchange plans provide their customers with a 90-day “grace period” to pay bills. This makes it very possible that  providers are left uncompensated for services provided in those 90 days.

Anther factor though is the discovery that ACA exchange plans are now paying sixty cents on the dollar for services. Private plans pay 100 percent , and Medicare pays 80 percent.

Further it is noted that many ACA enrollees have high deductible plans but don’t understand what a deductible is.

The MGMA study indicates 75 percent of responders said that exchange plan patients were “very likely” or “extremely likely”  fo have high deductible Bronze or Catastrophic plans.  American Action said their concern is that those with these plans don’t understand what a deductible is and don’t realize that they could accumulate thousands of dollars in charges before these deductibles are met.

“The fear in the provider community is that low-income patients with these plans may rush to get delayed care without the financial ability to pay the high deductible, and while the insurer continues collecting premium payments, the provider will be left uncompensated,” says American Action.

Obamacare is looking more and more like the train wreck we long said it would be.

Hat tip CNSNews.com

Doctors Leaving ACA Exchange Plans

Doctors Leaving ACA Exchange Plans