Category: Bob Small

Legislatures Are Home To The Elderly

Legislatures Are Home To The Elderly

By Bob Small

One of my favorite “modern” composers, Philip Glass, turned 88 on January 31 and continues to compose.

Listen to here: Philip Glass • Piano Concerto No. 3 (complete).

Having said that, someone of that age might not be nearly as qualified to continue serving in the US Congress, making decisions that affect our lives. Does that qualify as ageism. Possibly.

There were almost 20 members of the US Congress who are at least 80 years old.

We all have to make concessions to age and legislators are not any different from the rest of us.

Then it occurred to me that we should be able to review the same data for Pennsylvania. However when you use Google, Duck Duck Go, or even Perplexity A. I. By the way Perplexity A.I> was perplexed and replied“Based on the provided search results, there is no specific information about Pennsylvania legislators over the age of 70.”

One response was to review every listed member for date of birth,which sounded extremely tedious.

Finally, we received a response from a staffer (who shall remain anonymous) from our local state Sen. Timothy P. Kearney. The staffer left the names by phone. The two oldest legislators are Tina Pickett and Gene Yaw (81) if my source is correct.

My deeper question is “Why was this information so damn difficult to find”?!

This doesn’t apply to New Jersey. See Maps: Ages of New Jersey legislators,

However, Perplexity A.I. is similarly perplexed about Delaware legislators “ Based on the available search results, there is no specific information provided about Delaware state legislators over the age of 70 “

Shouldn’t there be a discussion of term limits for federal and state legislators?Discussion yes. Legislation no

Peronal disclaimer; At my age of three score and fifteen, this writer will be running in the Judge of Election slot as a Swarthmore Republican.

Coda: As a Republican, one probably loses, here.

Legislatures Are Home To The Elderly

Legislatures Are Home To The Elderly

Death Leaves PA House Gridlocked

Death Leaves PA House Gridlocked

By Bob Small

The death of Democratic House Member Matthew Gergely (D-35) on Jan 19 returned the Pa House to a deadlock of 101 for each party. There were some local reminisce. Jan Lambert, owner of Lambert’s Market in McKeesport said “He grew up from being a boy but he never grew out of the Port,” and would talk to everyone when he went shopping there.

Andrew Macey co-owner of Patti’s Pasticceria in White Oak, said “He was just a genuine person, He was able to talk whether you were a Republican or Democrat or liberal or conservative. He had that fairness about him.”

Matthew Gergely was elected in a special election in February to replace Austin Davis. He had a Bachelor of Science Degree from Indiana University of Pennsylvania,

He was Chief of Staff to McKeesport’s Mayor Michael Cherepko from 2012-17, followed by a stint as Business Manager for McKeesport High School until 2020. He became McKeesportt’s chief revenue officer until his election.

The 35th District consists of McKeesport, and other parts of Allegheny County. The district was created in 1969 and is solidly Democrat.

There will be a special election, March 25, to fill the seat.

Gergely is survived by his wife, Holly and their two sons.

Death Leaves PA House Gridlocked By Bob Small The death of Democratic House Member Matthew Gergely (D-35) on Jan 19

Death Leaves PA House Gridlocked

Zoners Nix Auto Dealer For Swarthmore Collision Site

Zoners Nix Auto Dealer For Swarthmore Collision Site

By Bob Small

The Swarthmore Zoning Hearing Board, Jan. 21, continued its hearing from Dec. 17, concerning Swarthmore Collision Center, at Yale and Rutgers avenues. which was the only business grandfathered’ into this particular residential neighborhood.

Full Disclosure: We have lived almost directly across the street from this business for three and a half decades, with the noise and fumes.

In December, we learned that Swarthmore Collision was selling to Great Renaissance Holdings.

As we live 500 feet away, we received a notice for the December meeting. It came from Linn Architects, the architects for this project, not Great Renaissance.

Borough manager William Webb denied the application on the basis that “automobile sales and preparation of automobiles is not a continuation” of auto repair.

This hearing was for the appeal.

Prior to the hearing, we both had anti-letters in The Swarthmorean .

My project was delivering the meeting announcements to people living on eight adjacent streets.

Linn Architects, after my first contact, regularly emailed and called me to arrange a meeting between them and the neighbors prior to Jan. 21.

Nothing came of that.

Now we, finally, come to the meeting. By the end of the meeting, there were 30-some neighbors in the audience. None of them spoke for the change. The evening started off with some comments from the audience, followed by an extensive and incomprehensible presentation by Linn Architects . At a certain point, a very soft-spoken representative from Great Renaissance Holdings did speak.

Finally, there was public comment; from myself, my wife Paula,Bronstein, Rick Lee, Maryanne Giselle, etc. , all against Great Renaissance.

At the end of all this, the seven members of the zoning hearing board retired for 15 minutes. When they returned they voted on both motions, basically supporting the Borough Manager’s decision.

We were all pleasingly amazed, though aware that this rejection could still be appealed.

Borough Solicitor Bob Scott spoke well for the Borough.. Others from the Borough were Mayor Marty Spiegel and Borough Council President Jill Gaieski.

Zoners Nix Auto Dealer For Swarthmore Collision Site By Bob Small The Swarthmore Zoning Hearing Board, Jan. 21, continued its hearing from Dec. 17, concerning Swarthmore Collision Center, at Yale and Rutgers avenues. which was the only

Zoners Nix Auto Dealer For Swarthmore Collision Site

Immigration Considerations For Donald Trump

Immigration Considerations For Donald Trump

By Bob Small

““As Commander in Chief, I have no higher responsibility than to defend our country from threats and invasions, and that is exactly what I am going to do,” said Donald Trump during his the Inauguration speech.

Trump’s Immigration Executive Orders: What to Know

In 2023, Time Magazine thought they knew where the immigration debate was going. “Trump’s defeat and stronger than projected midterm performances by Democrats suggest that anti-immigrant cynicism is misplaced and a fundamental misread of American sentiments on immigration.”

Only two of their suggestions seem worthy, finding a pathway to immigrants already in the US and seeking to ascertain immigrants with special skills. The latter opens up all kinds of debates.

This Brookings article brings up a few unique ideas. It notes that the implications of the globalization of migrants is “enormous”.They mention that the background checks for border agents take months, sometimes years”. As a recovering government worker, I believe we need to ask why? Not that Border Agents shouldn’t be vetted but should it years?!

The problem of “surge management” is also discussed. Surely, these surges in border crossing have been going on long enough that they should have a process for dealing with them.

Another article from two years ago is 4 proposed solutions to the U.S. border crisis

They mentioned the following proposed act “The Border Safety and Security Act of 2023, authored by Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas), would mandate that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) block entry at the border to anyone who doesn’t have a visa. This is constantly introduced and dies. These congressional stalemates remains part of the problem.

Lastly, from mid-November Immigration Is a Mess. Here’s How to Fix It.

Some of the suggestions that are positive include “On deportations, take steps that build credibility and support, like expelling criminals and recent immigration-law violators and hiring additional immigration judges as quickly as possible to address the case backlog. 

For legal immigration, it proposes enacting an improved version of the first Trump administration’s “public charge” rule that bars the immigration of those unable to support themselves ‘

Hopefully, what President Trump plans on Immigration will be allowed, so as to address these issues.

Immigration Considerations For Donald Trump

Discovering Victory at Sea

Discovering Victory at Sea

By Bob Small

Because we neither cable nor stream we rely on DVD and VHS which requires occasional forays to our local Goodwill or library. At Goodwill, we gathered the VHS Version of the 1950’s documentary Victory at Sea, which, amazingly, we had never seen. We recently finished all 26 episodes initially shown from Oct. 26, 1952 to May 1, 1953. It snared an Emmy in 1954 for best Public Affairs program. We learned an incredible amount of “hidden history” in the month we gave ourselves to watch this program.

If you’ve ever wondered why this generation was dubbed “the greatest generation”, this goes a long way to answering that. Personal note; Both our fathers were members of the US Military and our mothers contributed on the “home front”.

The idea of Victory at Sea was conceptualized by Henry Salomon about whom very little is known, at least on the Internet. This US Navy veteran and writer served as a research assistant to Samuel Elliott Morrison, author of the 15-volume History of United States Naval Operations in World War II.

Salamon discovered the huge amount of filmage by all the involved navies. NBC approved the idea in 1951.

The music was written by Richard Rogers, of Rogers and Hammerstein and Rogers and Hart with Robert Russell Bennett,a leading arranger and orchestrator on Broadway — think The King and I and South Pacific.

Trivia note Perry Como‘s“No Other Love” became a 1953 #1 hit using the melody from Episode 9, Beneath the Southern Cross, with words by Oscar Hammerstein.

The narration was by Leonard Graves Leonard Graves, an American Actor and singer who was later manager of the Memphis Opera and finished his career with the Israeli National Opera.

See also An Update on Memphis Singer and Actor Leonard Graves

Note; If you purchase a DVD set, check to see it it’s the full set. You won’t have that problem with the VCR set.

We’re now looking to find a DVD/VHS version of Soviet Storm. WW2 in the East (The Great War). Very little of Victory at Sea included the Soviet Eastern Front, for obvious reasons.

We’re now returning to our usual fare of murder mysteries and westerns.

Discovering Victory at Sea

Delco Chesco Freedom Links

Delco Chesco Freedom Links

By Bob Small

These are the Delco and Chesco links from the Program for the 2024 Bll of Rights Commemorative Banquet . Please inform me of what I’ve missed. Perhaps some industrious soul could create a database in the future.

Chesco United lists its town hall meetings at The Desmond Hotel. See also Keystone Town Hall. They’re also busy with radio programs on The Conservative Voice. Their events are widely publicized,here and otherwise

In Delco, we have DelcoXposed (@DelcoXposed) / X, which is on X, Pinteret and Tik Tok, serves as a clearinghouse for various events. Do not confuse it with DelcoExposed, which is something else entirely.

Delco Republicans Grass Roots is yet another clearinghouse. Among the other groups listed are Pennsylvania Coalition for Informed Consent | Empowered .. and, of course, Bill Lawrence online, which you are reading right now. This group has ten other groups listed.

There is also United4Delco.

Lastly, we have Home | Right For Bucks Organizatio They have a calendar of events, a very active blog and a fairly extensive resources page.

Does anyone think it would be a good idea to have a central database that would list alternative websites Just asking.

Delco Chesco Freedom Links By Bob Small These are the Delco and Chesco links from the Program for the 2024 Bll of Rights Commemorative Banquet . Please inform me of

Freedom Links For 2025

Freedom Links For 2025

By Bob Small

Part of the program for the 33rd Annual Bill of Rights Banquet had an additional resource page. Below are links from this page, with brief explanations.

Before we start, a quote from Hawaii Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) who, in a recent interview said “And I think that we’ve now learned that we have to build our own infrastructure” (Thanks to Dom Giordano for mentioning this.)

So what are CNN, MSNBC, The New York Times, The Washington Post, NPR, and many more.? Are they right wing? Hardly. Why can’t the Democrats admit Trump was a better candidate than Biden/Harris? Then they would have to re-examine their whole process and structure. Better not to change.

Patriot.Online is the creation of Gregory Stenstrom , co-author of The Parallel Election: A Blueprint for Deceptionwhich should be required reading for anyone curious about the results of the 2020 Presidential Election. He also has writings about “The Council” among other topics. An xmail is requested for Patriot online.

The next link on the page was unfamiliar to many of us is Free Roger Ver Campaign | #FreeRoger

Roger Var is the author of Hijacking Bitcoin: The Hidden History of BTC – Uncover the . and a voice for the transformative power of Bitcoin. His various incarcerations, in both Spain and the US are various shades of questionable.

We now move to Garrett Ziegler, known for Marco Polo | Substack which describes itself as “The opposition research group for the American People”. He is better known for being sued by Hunter Biden in the matter of the infamous Hunter Biden laptop. See also Hunter Biden sues former Trump White House aide over  and ‘You Nazi piece of s—‘: Hunter Biden’s wife confronts …

Now, before Hunter Biden, there was Billy Carter, who was not pardoned from a year in jail by his brother Jimmy.

Wonder if Brian Schatz (see above) has followed the Hunter Biden saga? Just asking.

Freedom Links For 2025 By Bob Small Part of the program for the 33rd Annual Bill of Rights Banquet had an additional resource page. Below are links from this page, with brief explanations.

Freedom Links For 2025

Amos Miller Update

Amos Miller Update

By Bob Small

Amos Miller, the Amish farmer and raw milk producer, won another court victory, Jan. 3.

Attorney Robert Barnes said that the Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania  “affirmed the trial court decision allowing Amish farmer Amos Miller to continue to make his wonderful food available to customers outside the state.” 

Because of the January 2024 raid, the normally apolitical Pennsylvania Dutch community became outraged and  mobilized  in a rare vote in federal elections for Trump-Vance to stand up against rogue federal agencies captured by the processed foods industrial complex”. Keep in mind that these voters were previously non-voters in Presidential elections.

At the end of this article, they cite the RFK, JR MAHA movement. For more about that see How RFK Jr.’s MAHA movement could shake up public health

For previous history of this long and circuitous case see:  https://billlawrenceonline.com/raw-milk-is-good-for-you-and-can-be-bought-in-delco/.

A second article, Pennsylvania Court Rules Amish Farmer Amos Miller Can, also explains what Amos Miller can do and still cannot do, including selling his products in-state

For the exact legal wording, see Dept. of Ag., et al. v. A. Miller, et al. (majority)

See also articles in Amish Farmer Celebrates “Big Win For Food Freedom” – Before It’s News .

It has been eight days since this happened and nary a word in the legacy media. Guess they’re slowing up. But they will let you know when it’s snowing.

Amos Miller Update By Bob Small Amos Miller, the Amish farmer and raw milk producer, won another court victory, Jan. 3.

Amos Miller Update

Is it time for a US Shadow Cabinet?

Is it time for a US Shadow Cabinet?

By Bob Small

The Shadow Cabinet is a long-standing concept in the UK and Canada. In the UK it goes back as far as 1915.

The Shadow Cabinet though it can be traced back to 1836 and Sir Robert Peel Robert Peel. , founder of the London Metropolitan Police, knowledge for those of you addicted to British mysteries.

In the US it’s now being championed by Congressman Wiley Nickel (D-NC).

He says “We have to say what we’re for, and that’s what’s really behind this idea, to get folks there to counter every cabinet agency, every position that Trump appoints.”

He mentioned that the Shadow Cabinet from the out-of-power party which mirrors the government party’s cabinet members. He added “They watch the Cabinet closely, publicly challenging, scrutinizing and offering new ideas,” Nickel said in his op-ed. “It’s democracy’s insurance policy.”

We’re not saying that Democrats are necessarily bad losers but Wiley has suggested this initiative in print and on various media.

He posits that “New times require new solutions.” He clearly adds that the Dems need to make clear what they stand for “something we didn’t do enough this election cycle.”. Lastly, as he says “With a shadow cabinet, there is no hiding.”

“This is about putting a point person for advocacy groups, for the public, a lead messenger ‘we need to organize our opposition,” he says.

This is not the first iteration of this concept. An article in 2017 says shadow cabinets get public money to hire researchers and develop policy and time in Parliament to rebut government statements. Previously, one Mark Green is mentioned as organizing a previous “shadow cabinet” but there’s scant further information on this except in his Wikipedia article (see above). See Shadow congressperson for a previous history and for a “bias analysis”, see Democrats propose ‘shadow government’ to oppose …

Anyone for a “shadow” Delaware County Council? Just asking.

Is it time for a US Shadow Cabinet?

GOP Upstart Upsets Incumbent in 8th CD

GOP Upstart Upsets Incumbent in 8th CD

By Bob Small

In Pennsylvania’s 8th Congressional District GOP challenger Rob Bresnahan, a businessman with no political experience upset Democrat Matt Cartwright, who had a decade in Congress. The tally was 195,663 votes or 50.8 percent to 189,411 or 49.2 percent.

Bresnahan said “I am eager to work for our district,. I give my word that as their congressman, there will be no R or D next to my name, only N-E-P-A.”

Rob Bresnahan joined his grandfather’s electrical business, Kuharchik Construction.

He became CEO in 2019, after graduating the University of Scranton. In 2023, Bresnahan partnered Kuharchik Construction with Midwestern Electric near Chicago. He founded RPB Ventures to re-vitalize his communities.

He is engaged to Chelsea Strub, a news anchor at WNEP-TV.

Matt Cartwright his decade, introduced more bills with Democrat and Republican support than any House democrat. He was named “Bipartisan Champion:” by the Common Ground Committee.

He earned his JD from the University of Pennsylvania’s Law School in 1986. He and his wife Marion have two sons.

Pennsylvania’s 8th Congressional District is composed of all of Lackawanna, Pike and Wayne counties and parts of Luzerne and Monroe counties. Peter H Kostmeyer (D) served almost 15 years, though not all consecutively (1977-81, 1983-93).

Similarly, Mike Fitzpatrick (2005-07 and 2011-17), followed by his younger brother Brian Fitzpattrick (2017-19), all GOP. In between them was a Democrat, one Patrick Murphy (2007-11).

Obviously, it was not always in NEPA.

But the one Representative who should still be remembered was anti-slavery firebrand Thaddeus Stevens. Though he only served for four years, 1849-53, this Whig, he became a leader of what became known as “the Radical Republicans”. See Thaddeus Stevens for more, including his role in the attempted impeachment of President Andrew Johnson.

Back then, to be called a “Radical Republican” might be considered an honor. Now?

GOP Upstart Upsets Incumbent in 8th CD

GOP Upstart Upsets Incumbent in 8th CD