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Kristina Clair Subpoena Withdrawn By Feds

Kristina Clair Subpoena Withdrawn By Feds — A federal subpoena given to the Philadelphia woman providing free server space to Indymedia.us was withdrawn after Electronic Frontier Foundation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

Joe “We Don’t Like Children Anyhow” Sestak Votes For Socialized Medicine

Not only was Congressman Joe “Grandma Doesn’t Need That Pacemaker, And We Don’t Like Children Anyhow” Sestak (D-7Pa.) among the 220 votes last night for socializing American medicine, he was also among the 194 opposing the Stupak Amendment that would have kept the public tax-supported plan from covering abortions. Approval of the Stupak Amendment was required for the socialism to proceed.

I guess we know where Joe’s priorities lie — socialism is good but abortion is better.

Sestak has abandoned seeking re-election to his House seat in the hope of replacing Arlen Specter in the Senate.

According to Betsy McCaughey of the Wall Street Journal, the 1,990 pages of HR 3962 includes a requirement to enroll in a qualified plan with coverage eventually determined by the Secretary of Health and Human Services; proof of being in a qualified plan during the filing of taxes; that businesses cover their employees and pay 72.5% of the cost; and cut future Medicare funding by $500 billion.

I have seen the future, brother:  It is murder.

If you are up for reading the bill it can be found here.

The abomination must still be passed by the Senate.

So Why Won’t SEPTA OK Audit?

I’m not inclined to be sympathetic to Transport Workers Union Local 234 which is screwing up life for tens of thousands in the Philadelphia area by keeping SEPTA’s trolleys subways and buses from running — and that does not even count the damage to the environment, please think of the trees — especially since the average salary for the local is $52,000 along with bennies in this economy, but the sticking point in getting them back to work appears to be a demand for a forensic audit of the pension fund which SEPTA is unwilling to do.

The union has offered to pay for the audit.

It is something that makes you go hmmmmmm.

Allahu Akbar And A ‘Shout Out’

Soldiers who witnessed yesterday’s Fort Hood shooting rampage that left 13 people dead and 30 wounded reported that Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan shouted “Allahu Akbar!” —  Arabic  for “God is great!” — before opening fire, the base commander said.

Hasan,  among the wounded, was taken down by a female civilian police officer, something about which I hope he is receiving constant reminders during his suffering, along with pork rinds  in his Jello.

President Obama responded by beginning a scheduled speech at a Tribal Nations Conference with light banter including a “shout out” to “Dr. Joe Medicine Crow — that Congressional Medal of Honor winner”, even though the Congressional Medal of Honor is not among Dr. Joe’s  many honors.

Thank you again, Obama voters.

That was sarcasm.