Emilio Marco Palma arrived in this world on Jan. 7, 1978 at an Argentine military base in Antarctica. Now we can can say a child has been born on all earth’s seven continents.
William W. Lawrence Sr. Omnibit 7-13-17
Month: July 2017
Pennsylvania Budget 2017 Explained
Pennsylvania Budget 2017 Explained
By Nathan Benefield
If Gov. Wolf is looking to leave a legacy of unusual—and unconstitutional—budget happenings, he remains on track.
Here’s a quick run-down of what’s going on with the state budget:
As you know, last Friday the House and Senate sent the governor a $32 billion budget (a spending increase of $500 million) with no plan to pay for it.
Gov. Wolf had 10 days to sign, veto, or line-item veto the budget. The state constitution requires a balanced budget and the state Administrative Code mandates that the governor line-item veto any spending above existing revenue. The deadline was Monday. Gov. Wolf took no action and the budget became law. Gov. Wolf has yet to sign a Pennsylvania budget in his tenure.
Now, the focus remains on a revenue package. GOP leaders have expressed frustration with Gov. Wolf’s rejection of their revenue plans that included borrowing and no tax hikes. According to reports, Gov. Wolf wants more tax hikes.
Multiple tax hikes have been rumored:
- A drink tax on bar and restaurant patrons
- A new tax on families’ cable TV bill
- A new tax on homeowners’ gas heating bill
- An additional tax on energy jobs
Additionally, borrowing gimmicks continue to be discussed as a way to bridge the budget gap.
It’s important to continue to reach out to your lawmakers so they know that Pennsylvanians cannot afford more tax hikes.
But here’s good news: Lawmakers are also discussing substantive changes in government to balance the budget without higher taxes—including letting grocery stores and other private retailers sell liquor and reducing government subsidies for horse race prizes. And yesterday, the House passed meaningful welfare reforms that will help improve our state’s safety net.
Click here to send a message to your lawmakers now.
You can get the latest on the state budget from the CF team on our PolicyBlog, Facebook, and Twitter.
Mr. Benefield is vice president and chief operating officer of Commonwealth Foundation.
Pennsylvania Budget 2017 Explained
Grilled Pork Loin — Tonight’s Meal
Tonight’s meal by Chef Bill Sr. was a delicious grilled pork loin seasoned with thyme served on a medley of mixed grilled veggies. Yum.
The wine, a Dark Horse zinfindal, well, was not a yum.
We still drank it, however.
William W. Lawrence Sr. Omnibit 7-12-17
No, Robert James, Robert Burns did not write “Annie Laurie.” William Douglas created that great classic.
William W. Lawrence Sr. Omnibit 7-12-17
Remember Marc Rich, James Comey And Bill Clinton
Remember Marc Rich, James Comey And Bill Clinton — Today’s headlines and top stories concern faux outrage by swamp-dwellers regarding a 20-minute meeting at which no deals were made and all participants agreed was a waste of time.
So with nothing in the news — well, there is looming nuclear war in Korea, revolution in Venezuela, the crushing defeat of ISIS in Mosul and looming massive changes to our health care delivery system but leave those things aside — let us have a history lesson.
And the history lesson is Marc Rich.
Marc Rich was a billionaire international commodoties trader whose clients included Fidel Castro, Marxist Angola, the Nicaraguan Sandinistas, Muammar Gaddafi, Nicolae Ceaușescu, Augusto Pinochet and the apartheid regime of South Africa.
After the overthrow of the Shah in Iran, he developed a special relationship with Ayatolla Khomeini and undermined our oil embargo with that terrorist-supporting nation.
In 1983, he and partner Pincus Green were indicted by then federal prosecutor Rudy Giuliani on 65 criminal counts including tax evasion, wire fraud, racketeering and trading with Iran during the embargo — while Iran was holding U.S. hostages.
Looking at 300 years in prison, he fled to Switzerland and lived on the lam with his great wealth.
On Jan. 20, 2001, his last day as president, Bill Clinton — that’s Hillary’s husband — pardoned Rich. Some cynics suggested the pardon was purchased with $1 million in campaign contributions to the Democrat National Committee, $100,000 to Hillary Clinton’s senate campaign and $450,000 to the Clinton Library foundaton.
And well, um, other things.
So an investigation was launched. Who was tasked with running it? Our old friend James Comey. He found nothing wrong. Nobody was surprised. The swamp takes care of its own.
The Trumps are not part of the swamp. Those who don’t live in Washington D.C. know full well that Donald Trump Jr. et al did nothing worth being upset about concerning that short meeting with Russian Natalia Veselnitskaya on June 9, 2016.
I mean it’s not like he propped up the Iranians and Castro and supported apartheid, right?
Remember Marc Rich, James Comey And Bill Clinton
Broadband Expansion Requires Net Neutrality Law
Broadband Expansion Requires Net Neutrality Law
By Allie X
The unresolved issue of net neutrality, or how to best ensure a free and open internet, deserves clarification. The idea that online users can access websites without being blocked unfairly by ISPs (internet service providers) is one that nearly everyone backs. But policies enacted in the name of net neutrality have caused challenges for internet companies and stymie infrastructure investment.
Though the internet was neutral, open, and expanding, Obama appointee Tom Wheeler over at the Federal Communication Commission (FCC) decided to flip perfectly good policy on its head in 2015 and saddle the internet with public utility regulations taken straight out of the Depression Era. Title II of the Communications Act, created in the 1930s, belabors efforts of internet companies to invest in their networks and innovate products and services for their customers.
Thankfully, the current FCC is working to take steps to undo the harm and reverse Title II, but we need a long-term solution.
We need Congress to end this cycle of regulatory chaos that is causing more harm than good to a nation trying to expand its digital networks and online opportunities to more communities. It’s time for pro-consumer legislation that treats all members of the internet ecosystem equally yet enables the internet to evolve and reach even more citizens of PA without heavy regulations.
Broadband Expansion Requires Net Neutrality Law
William Lawrence Sr. Omnibit 7-11-17
Eating a raw lima bean can be lethal. So can eating a raw kidney bean. And a raw fava bean.
The raw beans contain the toxin phytohaemagglutinin.
Don’t eat raw beans.
William Lawrence Sr. Omnibit 7-11-17
William Lawrence Sr. Omnibit 7-10-17
The sower Arepo holds with effort the wheels. That phrase was a bit of intellecutal wit in Ancient Rome. In Latin it is Sator Arepo Tenet Opera Rotas. It is a palindrome.
William Lawrence Sr. Omnibit 7-10-17
Naive Nuns Try To Stop Clean Energy
Naive Nuns Try To Stop Clean Energy — A group of nuns have set up an open air chapel on a piece of land they own in Lancaster County in an attempt to stop the Atlantic Sunrise pipeline. The pipeline is designed to bring natural gas from wells in Northeast Pennsylvania to consumers throughout the Eastern Seaboard.
The nuns belong to the Adorers of the Blood of Christ.
So what do they want to use to power the plants that run the refigerators that keep children’s food from spoiling? That keep the lights on in hospitals? Coal? Have they ever heard of Centralia? Nuclear power? Three Mile Island isn’t that far from them.
We are sure the sisters are nice, well-meaning people but we are just as sure they haven’t thought this through.
Hat tip Bob Small
Naive Nuns Try To Stop Clean Energy
William Lawrence Sr Omnibit 7-10-17
The last words of Clarence Walker Barron, publisher and financial editor, were: “What’s the news?”