Tea Partyers Haven’t Forgotten HB 42

The first meeting of the season of the Delaware County Patriots, tonight, Sept. 22, brought about 80 persons to the Knights of Columbus Hall in Newtown Square to hear Leo Knepper of Heritage Action for America-PA describe how the Pennsylvania’s Republican congressmen are no where near as fiscally conservative as is commonly thought,  and the inspiringly enthusiastic Jenn Stefano of American Prosperity Pa explain how it easy it is to win committee seats.

Mrs. Stefano, at the end of her talk, got pledges from a dozen-plus participants to run for the unheralded but important office.

Knepper singled out for special criticism Congressman Pat Meehan, whose 7th District includes Newtown Square. He said Meehan only scored a 48 percent on the Heritage Action Scorecard which charts the votes legislators make as whether they advance or detract from the cause of commonsense conservatism.

“On the big issues, he’s been there, but on the small issues he’s been dropping the ball” Knepper said.

Knepper gave an example as to how Meehan voted against a seemingly uncontroversial bill that would have cut farm subsidies to $250,000 and restrict them to actual farmers rather than seekers of tax breaks.

Knepper said the only members of Pennsylvania’s delegation to score at least an 80 on the score card were Congressman Joe Pitts of the 16th District and Sen. Pat Toomey. No other Republicans scored above a 60 he said.

Knepper said that the United States has reached the point where the debt equals the entire gross domestic product.

“We are going to collapse if we keep going at this rate,” he said.

Mrs. Stefano said time for talking was over and it was now up to Tea Partyers to start doing the walking, namely by running for office, specifically committee seats. Local committee people run at the precinct level and are the ones who pick the leaders of the established parties and write the party bylaws. 

It requires 10 signatures to get on the ballot, Mrs. Stefano said.

Republican bylaws require that each precinct be represented by a man and a woman. Often this office is unfilled.

Failing to get involved is a mark of shame, Mrs. Stefano said.

“You cannot say you are a patriot. Our children and grandchildren will have to pick up arms and fight and die for the things we gave away,” she passionately said.

Mrs. Stefano singled out Delco Patriot Lisa Esler for special praise.

“Politicians are afraid of her,” she said.

After the speakers, it was announced that the Delco Patriots were signing onto a push to get HB 42 to a vote in Harrisburg.

HB 42 is the proposed state law that would undermine much of ObamaCare in Pennsylvania.  It has been bottled up in the House Appropriation Committee since Feb. 8.

The committee is chaired by Bill Adolph of Springfield who represents the 165th District.

Adolph indicated to the Patriots on May 19 that there would be a vote on the bill before the end of the year.

Why Did Pa. Senate Strip Computers From Gaming Money?

Why Did Pa. Senate Strip Computers From Gaming Money?  
By Bob Guzzardi

The Pennsylvania Senate, June 28, stripped from the $62.823 million appropriations bill  for the state Gaming Control Board an amendment that would have allocated $1.5 million for a computer system for investigation and enforcement purposes.

The Vereb Amendment would effectively transfer investigation and enforcement of gaming to the Office of the Pennsylvania Attorney General.

So, what’s up with that? They computers would have separated the investigation and enforcement branch of gaming from the executive and policy branches. This would have alleviated the conflicts of interest found by Pennsylvania Grand Jury.

The bill, SB1062,  now returns to the House Rules Committee.

The amendment has been called the Vereb Amendment in honor of Montco Rep. Mike Vereb (R-150) albeit Curt Schroder (R-155) deserves a lot of credit as well.

Giving this money to the Gaming Control Board without this amendment would be like giving Chivas Regal to an alcoholic or mailing heroin to an addict.

The not-so-good-guys in this story are Senate leaders Jake Corman,  Dominic Pileggi,  Joe Scarnati, Jane Earll,  and Tommy Tomlinson of Bensalem.

So, again, what’s up with cutting funds for a computer system aimed at keeping tabs on an agency with known issues?

 

Why Did Pa. Senate Strip Computers From Gaming Money?

Pa. Senate OKs Searchable Budget Database

The Pennsylvania Senate unanimously passed a bill creating a searchable internet-accessible database of all state and local government funding and spending, along with that of  independent state-affiliated agencies such as the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board, the Commonwealth Financing Authority, the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission, the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency, the Pennsylvania Municipal Retirement System, the Pennsylvania Infrastructure Investment Authority, the State Public School Building Authority, the Pennsylvania Higher Educational Facilities Authority and the State System of Higher Education.

The news was tweeted by Sen Majority Leader Dominic Pileggi (R-9) at 4:10 this afternoon, June 28.

The bill, HB 15, returns to the State House for concurrence.

The bill directs the website, to be called PennWATCH, to be available by Dec. 31, 2012.

The site will include:

 

  • The name and address of the Commonwealth agency or other entity receiving funding and the applicable identifier and classification under the vendor identification system
  • The amount of the funding action or expenditure.
  • The agency initiating the funding action or expenditure.
  •  The applicable appropriation and the appropriation fiscal year from which the funding action or expenditure is made.
  • A counter to show the number of times the website is accessed.
  • The funding source.


The site will also show the total number of individuals employed by each Commonwealth agency as of the 15th day of the previous month, and list by the name, position title and current annual salary for each individual employed by each Commonwealth agency.

Pileggi also tweeted that the Senate passed SB 326, which provides for certification of birth for stillbirths and is now before the Governor for his signature.

Pileggi also tweeted that the Senate unanimously passed SB 995, which provides that all operators of oil and gas wells in the state provide GPS coordinates to the state Department of Environmental Protection and 911 centers.

He noted the Senate is now taking up HB 1485 which is the bill setting the state budget for next year.

 

Pa. Senate OKs Searchable Budget Database

Voter ID Bill Now Before Pa Senate

The Pennsylvania House of Representatives, June 23, passed, 108-88, a bill requiring most voters to present photo identification at every election.

The bill is now before the Senate.

HB 934 was introduced, March 4, by Daryl Metcalfe (R-12) and 47 co-sponsors including Steve Barrar (R) whose 160th District includes much of southwest Delaware County.

The bill requires “electors” i.e. voters to present a document issued by either the State of Pennsylvania or the United States  which has a photograph of the individual to whom the document was issued along with an expiration date.

It also requires that the name of the individual to whom the document was issued conform to the name of the individual as it appears in the district register — a point which could be an annoying surprise to many long-time voters.

The bill allows those who have a religious objection to being photographed to present a valid-without-photo driver’s license or a valid-without-photo identification card issued by the Department of Transportation. The exception appears to have been written with the Amish in mind.

Should Illegal Immigrants Get a Break On College Tuition?

This article is being republished with permission of Chris Freind

 

By Chris Freind

“College is becoming a pipe dream for too many children, not because
they aren’t talented or willing to work hard, but because they can’t
afford it.”

That’s a true statement, as tuition costs have far outpaced
inflation. So the elected official who said this must have a clue,
right? Not a chance.

In an act that simply defies comprehension, State Representative Tony
Payton (D-179)  of Philadelphia has just unveiled a bill that “would allow
undocumented immigrant students to pay in-state tuition at any
Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education school, community college
or state-related university.” (This is similar to the proposed federal
law known as the DREAM Act).

Hey Tony, nice to stick it to all the law-abiding Pennsylvania
residents who want to attend college. And who says good constituent
service is hard to find?

Why the handout to those who least deserve it? Because, as Tony
explains, “undocumented students are not eligible for federal financial
aid, (so) college is often extremely expensive and simply out of reach
for many of these students.”

Oh, the tragedy.

Of course, there is something that apparently hasn’t occurred to Tony
as to why federal financial aid — political codespeak for American
taxpayer dollars — is not available to these folks. They’re ILLEGAL. As
in, they have broken the law to get here and are breaking the law being
here. Every single thing they do hurts American citizens and throws
our nation deeper into the red.

Yet not only are we supposed to feel guilty, but if Tony has his way,
we should compensate them for their plight by sacrificing our children —
so that theirs can have an education courtesy of the taxpayers.

Let’s set the record straight with facts — not rhetoric. Illegal
immigrants depress wages and take American jobs (and please, spare us
the tired argument that “they only take the jobs Americans don’t want” —
completely false). They cost taxpayers hundreds of billions (thousands
directly out of each American family’s pocket) through healthcare costs,
education expenditures (in Pennsylvania, every illegal in our public
schools costs $15,000 per year, and that’s not including the extra money
needed for additional teachers and classrooms), prison expenses, and
yes, government services.

In the case of higher education, as addressed in Payton’s bill, it’s
important to remember that just because we are talking about state
universities, space is not unlimited. So one of two things is true: with
illegals in attendance, the college will either 1) close its doors to
new applicants after a given class is filled, thereby denying the RIGHT
of a legitimate Pennsylvania resident to attend that school, or 2) once a
classroom hits capacity, the need to hire additional professors and
expand school facilities is triggered — both expensive propositions
borne by the forgotten taxpayer.

The only saving grace is that, with Republicans in control of
Harrisburg, Payton’s bill should have no shot at passage. But that’s not
the point. The real question is how such a bill could even be
considered in the first place, and how 11 other states already passed
similar legislation.

And quite frankly, this author doesn’t know what’s worse: the fact
that a bill was introduced that empowers people to break the law, or the
almost complete silence of Payton’s colleagues and the media on such a
feat.

*****

When you cut right down to it, Tony Payton’s bill advocates the
commission of a crime, and there isn’t any way to spin that to the
contrary. (Federal law explicitly states that aiding an illegal
immigrant is a crime.) Among other things, it would aid and abet known
lawbreakers. Period. The fact that the feds do this on a regular basis,
along with states (such as issuing driver’s licenses to known illegals)
and municipalities just rubs salt in the wound. The government should
not be above the law.

But if this debate is to advance, it is important to focus on the
core issue. And that is not whether a wall should be built (or if it is
a racist barrier), or whether amnesty is a godsend (or a sell-out deal
to the pro-illegal immigration forces).

While these are important side discussions, the only relevant point
is that when individuals attempt to circumvent a law because they don’t
like it, the entire American system of justice — the very rule of law
that keeps us civilized — breaks down. Once elected officials start
picking and choosing what laws they will follow (setting the example for
their followers to do the same), we all take a hit.

There’s no getting around the fact that Payton’s legislation overtly
mocks the law. Under his bill, eligible students would have to attend a
public or nonpublic secondary school in Pennsylvania for at least three
years (an admission that we the people have already forked over at least
$50,000 in education costs), pay state income taxes for at least three
years prior to enrollment in college (how can you pay income taxes if
you are here illegally, and how can the state abdicate its
responsibility to apprehends these known lawbreakers), and provide an
affidavit to the institution of higher education that the student will
file an application to a become a permanent resident (giving a sworn
legal document to a state entity that attests that one is here
illegally, without fear of repercussion, is just insane).

Since the illegal immigration debate lends itself to easily getting
off track, here’s the bottom line: For those who believe illegals should
have rights, change the law to accommodate them — don’t break it.
Lobby for amnesty and fight to change the definition of “illegal
immigrant,” but do not cavalierly pick and choose what laws you want to
follow because you happen to disagree with some.

That’s what they do in places like Iraq. It is not what the Founding Fathers had in mind.

On behalf of Rep. Payton’s real constituents, shame on you, Tony.

 

Should Illegal Immigrants Get a Break On College Tuition?

PA Passes Major Tort Reform

By Bob Guzzardi


The Pennsylvania State Senate,10:24 a.m., today, June 21, passed the Fair Share Act with a 28-22 vote.

The act would end joint liability in civil cases for defendants found to be less than 60 percent liable and implements a system in which a defendant would only  pay his share of the damages.

Pennsylvania is one of just nine states that don’t do this.

The Act, or, HB 1,  was the first legislation introduced in the State House this session.  Its prime sponsor was State Rep. Curt Schroder (R-155).

It passed the House, 112-88 on April 11 with all Republicans voting for it except for Kate Harper of the 61st District, Tim Hennessey of the 26th District and Dennis O’Brien of the 169th District

All Senate Republicans voted for it except Jane Orie of the 40th District, Gene Yaw of the 23rd District and Stewart Greenleaf of the 12th District.

The bill now goes to Gov. Tom Corbett for his expected signature.

House Vs Senate On Teacher Furloughs

The Pennsylvania House and the Pennsylvania Senate have competing bills to allow school districts to furlough teachers for economic reasons, an action the traditionally union-dominated state has long prohibited.

House Bill 855, introduced March 1  by Scott Boyd (R- 43) would  allow the furlough decision to be guided by several factors including the teacher’s specialization and performance evaluations.

The good ol’ boys in the Senate Appropriations Committee, however, did not think of the children or the taxpayer but listened to the lobbyists and cut out all factors but seniority — with one minor caveat  — from Senate Bill 612, which was introduced Feb. 18 by Mike Folmer (R-48).

The caveat is that tenured teachers who have been placed on an improvement plan due to poor evaluations would not be protected by seniority. This would only apply to very few teachers who are the worst of the worst and one wonders why such teachers are protected from anything now.

Think of the children.

SB 612 was referred to the House Education Committee, May 11, where HB 855 has remained stuck since it was introduced.

Adolph Says Vote Likely On Pa. NoBamaCare Bill

The man accused of bottling up a bill that would make much of Obamacare hard to enforce in Pennsylvania told the Delaware County Patriots, Thursday, May 19, that it will likely come up for a vote this year.

State Rep. Bill Adolph (R-165), who chairs the House Appropriations Committee has been accused of sitting on HB 42 by Tea Party activists. The bill has been tied up in Adolph’s committee since Feb. 8.

HB 42, introduced by Matthew Baker (R-68) on Jan. 19, says A law
or rule shall not compel, through penalties and fines, directly or
indirectly, any individual, employer or health care provider to
participate in any health care system.

It also specifically
says that an individual or employer may pay directly for lawful health
care services and shall not be required to pay penalties or fines for
doing so; and specifically allows  health care providers to accept
direct payments without penalties.
It also prohibits state law enforcement and regulatory agencies from
participating “in compliance with any Federal law, regulation or policy”
that would compromise the “freedom of choice in health care” of any
resident of the state.

Adolph told the group, which met at Knights of Columbus hall in Newtown Square, that the biggest budget problem facing the state was the expiration of federal stimulus money. He said  last year’s $28 billion budget contained $3.1 billion of the fed dollars.

The $27.3 billion budget proposed by Gov. Corbett places a heavier burden on the state taxpayers despite it being smaller. House Republicans have tweaked the budget by easing some of the cuts the Governor had made to education while adding cuts to welfare. Adolph said the House budget gives state higher education 75 percent of what it had gotten last year, while Corbett would have cut the outlay in half.

Adolph said that the House budget actually ends up being few hundred thousand dollars less than the Governors.

Concerning the questions fielded by Adolph — and HB 42 was one — he said:

— He supported in principle privatizing the state-owned liquor stores but would not commit to any specific legislation as the “devil was in the details”.

— He supported giving school boards the power to furlough teachers for economic reasons. He, however, ducked the other half regarding his position on ending the requirement that school districts and municipalities pay prevailing wage for renovation and construction projects.

–He is not familiar with the First Suburbs issue which is starting to be discussed in Tea Party groups and appears to be an attempt to use government programs such as Section 8 housing to economically “diversify” Philadelphia’s older suburbs in accordance with the preferences of academics and activists.

–He supported abolishing the inheritance tax.

–He voted for and supports HB 1330, which expands the state’s Educational Improvement Tax Credit, and that he was only aware of the highlights of SB 1, the school choice bill bottled up in the Senate. He said he supports school choice in principle.

–That teachers should not be allowed to strike.

— He supports voter ID.

— He believes in state sovereignty.

— He supports cutting the size of the state legislature.

The only matter on which he incurred the crowd’s wrath concerned state pensions, and his unwillingness to condemn former State Sen. Bob Mellow’s $300,000 pension in significantly vociferous terms. He said Mellow’s pension plan had been grandfathered from before 1974, and that he should get it. He did not seem to get that it may fairer and more just to change the terms of an old poorly conceived contract rather than make a widow who was not party to it lose her home trying to fulfill it.

Natural-Born Bill Would Likely Let O On Ballot

Natural-Born Bill Would Likely Let O On Ballot — A bill requiring presidential candidates to present proof of natural born citizenship — and other constitutional requirements — in order to be on the Pennsylvania ballot would likely not keep Barack Obama off it.

HB 1350, introduced to the State House of Representatives, April 20, by Daryl Metcalfe (R-12) and 23 others would require candidates for president and vice president of the United States to file with their nomination papers an affidavit attesting that they meet the requirements for the office set forth in section 1 of Article II of the Constitution of the United State and attach documents providing proof.

The constitutional requirements for one to hold the office of president or vice president are that one be a natural born citizen, that one be 35 years of age and that one have lived in the United States for at least 14 years.

Natural born citizen means “a person born within the jurisdiction of a national government”.  The certification of live birth that President Obama’s supporters have been touting as proof that he meets this requirement would likely fulfill the requirements of the proposed bill.

And in a sane world it would. The problem is that when prominent Pennsylvania Democrat Philip J. Berg, who had served as a state Deputy Attorney General, filed suit on Aug. 21, 2008 accusing then Sen. Obama of not being eligible to hold the office of president, Obama cited privacy rights and fought tooth-and-nail to prevent what should have been simple corroborating documentation from seeing the light of day.

And so what we have is close to 40 percent of  Americans believing that he is a imposter president.

So much for uniting us.

What if Obama had simply shrugged and waived all privacy rights? This, by the way, is what President Bush did regarding claims he had received special treatment for joining the Texas Air National Guard to fulfill service requirements during the Vietnam War.

Presumably, the corroboration would have been found and there would be no controversy. Or perhaps, the original documentation would have been discovered lost which would have still left the vast majority of Americans  in acceptance of what was available, since Obama would not have appeared to be hiding something.

As it is now, however, a lot of sane people not inclined to conspiracy theories are starting to wonder.

HB1350, is a nice, safe, vanilla law, which should not be controversial and would probably make government a little better if it were passed but would have no profound impact on anything.

What would be interesting, though, would be for the state to pass a law requiring presidential candidates — heck, make it all candidates for public office — to waive all privacy privileges.

All birth records; all all college transcripts; all employer reviews; all military records (hear that John Kerry?) would be subject to public scrutiny.

Obviously things sealed in cooperation with other parties such as divorce proceedings would remain private, which would make for a bit of irony.

 

 

Natural-Born Bill Would Likely Let O On Ballot

Pa. Bill Would Make Obama Prove Natural Born Citizenship

Pa. Bill Would Make Obama Prove Natural Born Citizenship —LancasterOnline.Com is reporting that a bill was introduced in the State House yesterday, April 13, that would require presidential candidates to prove that they are natural born citizens of the United States, as required by the U.S. Constitution, before getting on the Pennsylvania ballot.

The bill was drafted by Rep. Daryl Metcalfe (R-12) and has 23 co-sponsors according to LancasterOnline. Metcalfe is reported as saying it was drafted in response to the debate regarding President Obama’s birthplace.

One supposes there will be sneering at Metcalfe from the usual suspects but if one sits back, takes a deep breath and considers it, one will wonder why such a bill would be in the least controversial, assuming the bill doesn’t put undue burdens on candidates since the text has yet to be online as of Thursday morning.

Still, despite the large number of co-sponsors don’t expect fast action on it. Metcalfe’s HB 934 , which would require voters to show photo ID,  and which has 48 co-sponsors has been languishing in the House’s State Government Committee since March 4.

Among the co-sponsors of HB 934 is Stephen Barrar (R) whose 160th District includes much of southwest Delaware County.

 

Pa. Bill Would Make Obama Prove Natural Born Citizenship

 

Pa. Bill Would Make Obama Prove Natural Born Citizenship --