Pa. Ponders The Wisdom Of Letting Public Workers Strike

The grasping and gratuitous strike by members of Transport Workers Union Local 234 bringing a stop to bus, trolley and subway service in Southeastern Pennsylvania for a week has Harrisburg considering whether the state should remain one of 10 that allows strikes by some public employees such as transit workers..

If the proposed strike prohibitions were extended to public school teachers, a very real easing of the property tax burden would begin as contracts began to expire.

Regarding SEPTA, I’m still wondering about that forensic audit of the pension plan that was a big issue for a day then disappeared. If I were a TWU rank and filer, I think I’d be a tad concerned about my retirement plans.

A Republican Scandal Looms, Will Inky Mention Party?

Yesterday, I said that GOP scandals are less in frequency and magnitude and lo and behold one looms according to Tony Phyrillas. 

Phyrillas reports that Pennsylvania Attorney General Tom Corbett has announced that 10 Republicans connected to the Pennsylvania Legislature, includingformer Speaker of the House John Perzel, have been charged in scheme masterminded by Perzel to funnel $10 million in tax dollars to political campaigns.

So, how is that different than state and federal grants to ACORN?

Seriously, kudos to Corbett.

And who wants to bet a dozen donuts that tomorrow’s Inky mentions the party? Two dozen says it’s in the headline. Three dozen says they don’t mention Corbett’s party affiliation. (Yes, he’s a Republican).

Here’s a link to Corbett’s website detailing names and charges.

Christie To Headline Meehan Fundraiser

New Jersey Governer-elect Chris Christie will headline a Dec. 2 fundraiser for congressional  candidate Pat Meehan who is seeking to swing the Pennsylvania 7th seat now held by Joe Sestak back to the GOP.

With Sestak running for senate, the front-runner to represent the Dems in the race is State Rep. Bryan Lentz (D-161) albeit it State Rep. Greg Vitali (D-166),  environmental  lawyer Gail Conner, and political consultant Teresa Touey have also expressed interest in the seat.

Inky Still Won’t Mention Party

In today’s lengthy front page story regarding the Luzerne County judicial scandal, the Philadelphia Inquirer again could not bring itself to mention that those involved were Democrats.

At least I didn’t see it.

I’m not a hardcore Republican and I certainly recognize the need for two parties.

And I certainly understand that a Republican can be dirty.

But the reason why Republican scandals are less — in frequency and magnitude — is because that party understands it will be held accountable by the still mainstream media for bad behavior by its members. The Democratic Party leaders understand they will get a pass.

The most recent major scandals in Republican Delaware County involved then Senate Majority Leader F. Joseph Loeper in 2000 and Congressman Curt Weldon in 2006. 

With regard to what Loeper did — take money from consultants in violation of Senate rules and lie about it on his income tax forms — it was kids stuff compared to what goes on in Philadelphia (see Vince Fumo, another story in which the Inquirer could not bring itself to cite party) or Luzerne County for that matter.

With regard to what Weldon did, as the above link indicates, nobody is exactly sure what it was he did. In fact the scandal appears to be more a matter of federal law enforcement interfering with an election on behalf of a liberal Democrat rather than any acts by the former congressman.

In a related Luzerne County matter Hazleton Mayor Lou Barletta (R)  is reported to be ready to announce a rematch with Congressman Paul Kanjorski (D) to represent Pa. 11.

Travesty Added To Kelo Tragedy

Travesty Added To Kelo Tragedy — The United States Supreme Court said in 2005 that the city of New London, Ct., could use eminent domain power to take the homes and properties of Susette Kelo and others in the Fort Trumbull section of that city  and give them to large private corporations like Pfizer Inc. for the purpose of economic development.

The vote was as you might expect with the progressive, self-proclaimed caring types like Ruth Bader Ginsburg voting for the faceless corporations and those bumpkin conservatives siding with the the little guys and gals.

Well ho ho ho it has just been reported that Pfizer is shutting down its massive New London facility. The once productive neighborhood will remain a field of weeds for the foreseeable future.

Travesty Added To Kelo Tragedy

Kristina Clair Subpoena Withdrawn By Feds

Kristina Clair Subpoena Withdrawn By Feds — A federal subpoena given to the Philadelphia woman providing free server space to Indymedia.us was withdrawn after Electronic Frontier Foundation attorney Kevin Bankston pointed out several problems with it, according to this report from  CBSNews — via  DrudgeReport.com.

U.S. Attorney Tim Morrison in Indianapolis demanded that Kristina Clair, 34,   provide details of all reader visits on June 25, 2008, which would  “include IP addresses, times, and any otheridentifying information.”

She was also ordered  “not to disclose the existence of this request”.

Thank you, Electronic Frontier Foundation

Indymedia may be a hard left site but federal attorneys have to follow the rules.

“First they came for the loons but I was not a loon,” is something I hope to never have to say.

Kristina Clair Subpoena Withdrawn By Feds

Kristina Clair Subpoena Withdrawn By Feds

Looks Like No SEPTA Audit

Not a peep in today’s Philadelphia Inquirer follow-up to the ending of the SEPTA strike about whether there will be a forensic audit of the pension fund about which Transport Workers Union Local 234 chief Willie Brown made such a big deal about over the weekend, and which the Inky duly reported.

Was he just blowing smoke? If so why didn’t SEPTA call him on it since the union was offering to pay for the audit?

Or did Willie know he had a nice card to play and SEPTA did what it took to to keep him from playing it?

Which leads us to ask why would it be such a nice card to play?

More things to make you go hmmmm.

And why didn’t the Inky reporters ask the obvious follow up?

 

Looks Like No SEPTA Audit

Looks Like No SEPTA Audit

Reported Agreement Lets Comcast Run NBC-Universal

It looks like Philly might become a major, if not the major, media center in the world. Comcast has reportedly reached an agreement with General Electric to give the Philadelphia-based corporation known for providing cable service a 51 percent share in NBC Universal whose properties include Universal Studios, NBC and its affiliates and Telemundo Television Studios.

GE now owns 80 percent of NBC Universal with the French-firm Vivendi owning the rest.

Reported Agreement Lets Comcast Run NBC-Universal

Transit Strike To End — Will There Be An Audit?

Today’s Philadelphia Inquirer reported that SEPTA has reached an agreement with Transport Workers Union Local 234 about ending the six-day old strike involving trolley, bus and subway workers. Not a peep in the article as to if SEPTA consented to a forensic audit of the pension fund which was reported to be the big sticking point in Sunday’s paper.

Bill Clinton Wins

Bill Clinton Wins — I neglected to note last week that Democrat Bill Clinton held up to the Republican tide and beat Tracy Barusevicius 328 to 228 to hold  his 1st District seat on Upper Providence Council, Delaware County, Pa.

Bill Clinton Wins