The LuLac Edition #78, Nov 1, 2006

PICTURE INDEX: NANCY KMAN AND KEVIN LYNN FROM THE WILK MORNING NEWS, LUZERNE COUNTY COMMISSIONER TODD VONDERHEID, GOP SLOGAN MAKER ALFRED E. NEUMAN AND MY ADVISORY TEAM FOR THIS BLOG'S NEWEST FEATURE, "IT'S ALL ABOUT ME WEDNESDAY".



COUNTDOWN 7

DAYS TO ELECTION

NEW FEATURE: IT'S ALL ABOUT ME WEDNESDAY, NOTHING BUT MY SORRY ASSED OPINION ON ALL THINGS POLITICAL.


EXPANDING THE FRANCHISE

There has been much discussion about expanding the voting franchise so that all Americans can have an opportunity to vote. On WILK’ s Morning News with Nancy and Kevin, many options were discussed. Nancy Kman said there should be a National Voting Holiday where voters could have the entire day to cast their ballots. I believe she suggested “Black Friday”, the day after Thanksgiving to have elections. Nice idea, set up voting terminals in stores across America, even couple it with a discount if you proved you voted. Nothing elaborate, just maybe a 10% off reduction or $1.00 off a large Orange Julius. It would be quite fitting for Americans to cast their ballot in an election the day after that uniquely U.S. holiday, Thanksgiving. And since the War On Terror is a big issue, wouldn’t it drive Osama crazy somewhere hiding in his hole, dialysis machine churning his fluids realizing that those awful Americans are now getting cash back on clothes, booze, porn and cashmere just to vote for or against that infidel Bush????????? Sweet!!!!!!!!!!
Now I believe that not everyone should vote. I think they should have the chance but there are some people that I’m glad stay home. There are people who are sometimes just too plain stupid to let in that voting booth. Prime examples: George Wallace carrying 6 states in 1968, Strom Thurmond carrying a few in 1948 and of course those people who pulled the lever with no clue about the issues. “His wife’s hot”, “He seems like a nice man,” or “He used to be famous” are the positive ones. On the other side of the coin, “Kerry’s wife looks like a drug addict”, “He has AIDS, I know he does” or “He just doesn’t excite me” are some of the negatives. In the 2004 race, all of those statements came from people I had conversations with. They were so adamant about what they believed that since there was nothing I could do to change their minds, I just gave them the wrong registration date. Did I disenfranchise them? You bet. I didn’t and still don’t want my future being decided by these shrill idiots.
Kevin Lynn weighed in with a suggestion saying that the franchise should be expanded to prisons. That I agree with. Here’s why:
1. Prisoners have a lot of time to read, contemplate and think. Unlike the examples I cited above.
2. I’d rather have them vote than ever carry a gun again.
3. It engenders and encourages them that even though incarcerated, they can still be part of the process. What better way to rehab someone who may someday return to society.
Plus, the Political Action Committee people could organize the prisoners and have them endorse candidates. Just think if there was a Prisoner Political Action Committee this year. PPAC! The possibilities are just delicious:
“SERIAL KILLERS FOR SWAN”
“RAPISTS FOR RENDELL”
“MURDERERS FOR MACNAMERA and/or MUNDY”
“KILLERS FOR CARNEY and/or KANJORSKI”
“CHOKERS FOR SHERWOOD”
“TAX EVADERS FOR EACHUS”
“LARCENTISTS FOR LEONARDI”
“ARSONISTS FOR ALLEN”
“LIARS FOR LIEBERMAN”
“CRIMINALS FOR CASEY”
“STEALERS FOR STEELE”
“WINOS FOR DEWINE”
“BRAWLERS FOR BOBACK and/or BAKER”
As I said, the possibilities for this are endless and should be explored. If inmates get the right to vote, their PAC money is just as good as others, right?

CONGRESS 2008 IN THE 10TH?

Sue Henry brought up the 10th Congressional race on her show the other day. It was heard on her program that if Sherwood won, he might be asked to step aside by the party powers that be. Or if Carney won, who would oppose the first time Congressman in that race? It was commented that there might be a dearth of candidates to run in ’08 for that seat, and that no one seems to be waiting in the wings. Wanna bet?
How about a Democrat turned Republican who in 1988 ran for the seat against Joe McDade? He lost that race, but has served two terms as Lackawanna County Commissioner, one as a Minority member and one now in the Majority. He had some problems by raising property taxes by over 40 some percent but has seemingly redeemed himself by bringing in the Yankee farm team to the Stadium in Moosic. He is media savvy, having owned and operated a few radio stations, has a great family portrait (for the family man angle) and looks good in pinstripe double breasted suits. You know him, you’ll learn to love him as your next Congressman, Robert Cordaro. That’s someone of stature waiting in the wings to succeed either Sherwood or Carney.

THE NEXT TREASURER

If Robert P. Casey, Junior is successful in becoming the new U.S. Senator and Ed Rendell is re-elected Governor, that sets the stage for an appointment of a new State Treasurer to fill out the Casey term. I know, I know, this election isn’t over yet but hey, we can talk about it, can’t we?) Here are a few names:
State Senator Michael O’Pake: from Reading, a long time Democrat who ran for state office in the lean Democratic years.
Former Ltn. Governor Mark Singel: now a lobbyist, Singel has stated publicly that he’d like to get back in the game. Elected in his 30s to the number 2 slot in Pennsylvania, he is still a young man and the Treasuer’s office will give him a profile for the 2010 Governor’s race.
Former State Treasurer Barbara Hafer: There might be a Constitutional problem because Hafer served two terms but that was as a Republican. The Democratic party has to pay Hafer back for stepping aside and not giving Casey a challenge in the primary.
Todd Vonderheid: The guy has a head for Economic Development, can keep his hand in elective politics while getting a salary bump, build a name for himself statewide and continue on with a very promising career in public service.
Tom Foley: Former member of the Casey, Senior administration, he too has tried for statewide office. In 1996 Foley garnered the Democratic endorsement for Auditor General but was blown away in the ’96 primary by his old bosses son, Robert P. Casey, Junior.
A few names to ponder if events take their predicted course.

LEGAL CHARITY

I found it amusing that local resident William D’Elia put in the paperwork to get free legal representation with the charges recently filed against him. Remember cold blooded killer Henry Stubbs who killed a young mother and wife and then killed her little girl (actually gutting the little girl’s body like a hunter would a deer!) a few years back? I know that accused criminals have the right to legal representation but please. When the tax crazies rail about where the money goes, look at this so called entitlement.
A few years ago when I worked closely with the County, there was a program that was funded for over $50,000 for an inmate suicide prevention program. When I asked the County Budget Director at the time about it, he, a staunch Republican conservative said, “A life is a life”. Yeah, well maybe those criminals might not be so depressed if they remembered that when they were on the outside.
Rest assured, if you or I were caught lifting a loaf of bread somewhere, we’d have to get and pay for our own lawyer (local lawyers and their lack of guts is a whole separate blog) and if convicted would be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.

THE SENATE RACE

Rick Santorum has been beating the bushes on the Cable News networks and he is quite impressive. (FULL DISCLOSE: I contributed to Casey, have a yard sign out and am even wearing a Casey tee shirt as I write this!) But I have to tell you what’s bothering me, at every interview, the moderator says to Santorum, “Mr. Casey was contacted by our studios but had a scheduling conflict and couldn’t be here tonight”. This has happened at least five times this week. At one point, Santorum said, “Yeah, he has a lot of scheduling conflicts this week!” I can’t help but think that under the radar, Santorum is gaining points on this non participation by Mr. Casey. Plus SAntorum is getting free face time he doesn't have to pay for.

RUSH LIMBAUGH

A few people via e mail have asked me about Rush Limbaugh’s remarks on Michael J. Fox. Rush Limbaugh has been an on the air as a lucrative force in broadcasting for 18 years now. I’ll give him that but my only comment on him is from Al Frankin’s book title, “Rush Limbaugh Is A Big Fat Idiot”. Nothing further.

KERRY’S REMARKS

John Kerry’s outrage at the pouncing of the Bush administration over his remarks at a college campus are right on target. Kerry warned students to do well or they’d end up in Iraq. He was attacked for disrespecting the troops. Here are the facts, when Kerry served in Vietnam, he was a true minority economically because everyone serving there was black, poor or not terribly bright enough to get in a Junior College. (Two cousins of mine, fine men who I respect and love served there because after high school, for them, given their intelligence there was no other choice). So he was speaking from a reference point.
Secondly, a majority of the troops serving in Iraq are National Guard people who when they signed up, had no clue they’d be sent on numerous tours of duty with little or no body armor and if given the chance, might now say the honor and the economics of it all just didn't even out.
The Republicans are now latching on to this comment because that’s all they have. And Kerry is reluctant to apologize because of the Swift Boat experience. My only qualm with Kerry is inferring that the President was “Stupid”, “Intellectually Disinterested” might have been a better term.

ALFRED AGAIN

In 1968 Mad Magazine ran a fake campaign for Alfred E. Neuman as a Presidential contender. His slogan or motto, “What……Me Worry?” is rumored to replace "Just Say No to the Democrats" which late last week replaced "Stay the Course".