The LuLac Edition #112, Dec. 18, 2006

PHOTO INDEX: JOE LEONARDI AND WALTER GRIFFITHS.

GRIFFITH DECLARES

AND MAKES SOME POINTS

Walter Griffith has declarted his candidacy for Wilkes Barre City Council and boy does he have some points to make. Griffith has a ten point plan to improve city government. When's the last time any Council candidate did that????? Here's what he's running on:

Anticipated 10 Point “Plus” Action Plan
Walter L. Griffith, Jr.
2007 Candidate for Wilkes-Barre City Council


l. Contribute to City budget spending oversight and analyses;

2. Help to improve City living conditions through ordinance enforcement and
legislative initiatives;

3. Join in establishing a sealed bid process for the sale of City own property and equipment;

4. Propose ballot referenda when the will of the electorate needs to be clarified;

5. Prompt a reconsideration of the Rental Ordinance process and associated fees;

6. Recommend a needs assessment of City pension, healthcare and healthcare buyout programs;

7. Encourage the appointment of a Council member liaison to each City
department and the Administration;

8. Propose ordinance to establish semi-annual fiscal and project reporting of City departments and the Administration;

9. Promote a scheduled rotation of 7:00 p.m. City Council meetings among the City’s five districts;

10. Seek to make City Council public meeting agendas and associated documents
available in advance and free-of-charge;

and in general…
Be an ongoing responsive and action-oriented voice for the collective needs
and benefit of the residents of the City of Wilkes-Barre.
Griffith is the first candidate to formally announce his intention to run.

FIORUCCI EYES

COMMISSIONERS SEAT

Mario Fiorucci has made an announcement that he is running for Luzerne County Commissioner. Fiorucci is a former member of the Green Party who has decided to run as a Democrat. Fiorucci has an MA in Political Science from Georgetown University and has some definite ideas on how county government should be run. Here is a post Mario contributed to the LuLac Edition regarding county payraises. Very thought provoking.
I am planning to run for Luzerne County Commissioner in the spring primary. I wll be researching the pay raise issue for them and row officers. But, I believe that the present commissioners all have other incomes that boost their overall earnings to near $100,000 a year each. Com. Vonderheid has another full-time job as head of strategic planning for 10,000 friends of PA, plus a part-time job placing interns for the local colleges. Com. Skrepank has his TV show and an 'interest' in Big Ugly's restaurant and bar. Com. Urban is probably able to collect on his military pension too.So, I don't see a need for it. The 'proton' is an attorney and still works at her law office during 'regular' hours, the Sheriff is probably collecting his 'big' pension from from the PA State Police, the DA, he's overworked, but I don't think he's broke.
Mario, my feeling on a county pay raise is this: give it to them IF they give up outside interests during the business day and utilize a khronas time card/swipe to keep them honest. Private business does it, the county can too.

LEONARDI ON OBAMA

AND CONGRESS

Joe Leonardi had some interesting thoughts on the national scene. His comments were triggered by Bill Kristol's remarks on Fox News Sunday. Here's his comment:
Here is a copy of an email I sent to Fox news and some random thoughts. I think the Republicans are going to get caught napping on Senator Omaba. They have forgotten the connection the American people must have with their President. It was true of Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton and though I don't agree politically with the Senator the Republicans, and many Democrats, are going to under estimate his appeal. Though I am a staunch conservative I have never been a fan of Kristol or his father nor the NeoCon movement.The NeoCons are killing my beloved GOP. Ever since I saw the Nightline interview, I have been disturbed by the Neo-Con movement's takeover of the Republican party. Unfortunately, the NeoCons have defined the conservative movement and though Rush and Hannity say liberal as a dirty word I think the American people will not. Senator Omaba is liberal and if they play it honest people will embrace this. If they runaway from, as Senator Clinton does, they will throw away their greatest opportunity they have had in more than a generation. The first real vote is still a long way off, but after watching Speaker Pelosi make key leadership errors (Rep.'s Murtha, Hastings, and now Reyes) already. I wonder if the Democrats will use there mandate from the electorate, or open the door for real Conservatives to make a move back into power. If Democrats want to maintain and build on their control in D.C., they must relegate corruption laden officials (i.e. Rep.'s Murtha, Kanjorski, Jefferson) to the back seat and demonstrate seriousness about riding the Congress of corruption. Instead of rewarding seniority and longevity, the Dems need to move the freshmen class to the forefront. These newly elected members won because they were not the establishment. The number one reason given for voting Democrat was not the war, it was corruption. The Dems got the votes, they got control, but the pathetic reality is they don't know why.
In my opinion it is time for Conservatives to take back the Republican party, so then the Republicans can take back the Congress.
And from the tone and passion of his arguements, you can bet Joe Leonardi will be part of the discussion in 2008.

DRAFT GORE IN 2008

WHAT *YOU* CAN DO TO HELP DRAFT GORE

We all hope Al Gore will be a candidate 2008. But for now the ball is in our court to persuade him that he has the support he needs to run. We cannot assume that he'll run without a draft.Our petition now has more than 16,000 signatures. That's a good start, but our goal is to reach 100,000 over the next few month. We can absolutely do it, but *only* if we can afford to take out ads to get word out. And we can't do that without YOU. Please help us keep the petition alive by making a contribution TODAY.
You can contribute online or by mail here: http://www.draftgore.com/contribute.htmEveryone who contributes more than $10 gets a free Draft Gore bumpersticker.
We need volunteers. There are many ways to help, and we'll call on the many of you who were kind enough to offer services in so many ways.In particular, we're now looking for:* Web savvy volunteers* Volunteers to oversee local chapter organization both at the national and local levels. If you have organizational experience and would like to either start a chapter or guide others in this larger effort, please contact us at draftgore@aol.com.Thanks for your help and support,Draft Gore (www.draftgore.com)

SHAFER REMEMBERED ON PCN

You might want to set the VCR for these tributes to the late Governor Raymond Shafer. The shows will air on December 19th. Here's the schedule:

9:00 AM Gov. Raymond Shafer Tribute (1917-2006) Service
9:50 AM Gov. George Leader Remembers Gov. Shafer
10:00 AM Gov. William Scranton Remembers Gov. Shafer
10:15 AM Gov. Dick Thornburgh Remembers Gov. Shafe
r10:20 AM PCN Profiles: Gov. Raymond Shafer (1996)
11:20 AM Shafer Administration Panel Discussion Allegheny College
12:55 PM Gov. Raymond Shafer Tribute (1917-2006) Service
1:55 PM Gov. George Leader Remembers Gov. Shafer
2:05 PM Gov. William Scranton Remembers Gov. Shafer
2:20 PM Gov. Dick Thornburgh Remembers Gov. Shafer
2:25 PM PCN Profiles: Gov. Raymond Shafer (1996)
3:25 PM Shafer Administration Panel Discussion

DID ED GO TO THE SERVICE?

Wondering if Governor Rendell went to the Shafer funeral service on Sunday or not. There was after all, an Eagles game.

UPDATE ON SHAFER FUNERAL

Former Gov. Raymond Shafer
Remembered At Funeral

(AP) MEADVILLE Former Gov. Raymond P. Shafer was remembered Sunday as a visionary leader and a compassionate man who dedicated his life to both his family and his state. Shafer, 89, a Republican who served from 1967 to 1971, died Wednesday of complications from congestive heart failure at Meadville Medical Center. His family said he had been left partially paralyzed by a stroke in 2003 and had been diagnosed with diabetes.
About 250 people, including three former governors - William Scranton, Richard Thornburgh and Tom Ridge - and Lieutenant Gov. Catherine Baker Knoll, gathered at Ford Chapel at Shafer's alma mater, Allegheny College, where he served as a trustee for more than 20 years and as president from 1985 to 1986."The commonwealth produces so few men and women of that caliber," U.S. Sen.-elect Bob Casey said after the funeral. "It's a remarkable life, a life of service and courage."Shafer was the last governor limited to a single term. He led an overhaul of the state constitution that had grown outdated, winning several constitutional changes from the Republican-controlled Legislature and voters.But he was remembered Sunday as much as a family man as for his public service."My father was a beautiful man," Raymond Philip Shafer Jr. said during the service, his voice cracking."He was always so loving and generous to his family," the late governor's nephew, Paul D. Shafer said. "He loved not only being a grandfather, but also a great-grandfather. ... Raymond's wise guidance through the years helped inspire all of us."Allegheny College President Richard Cook referred to Shafer as a mentor and friend who "opened doors and raised expectations of everyone he met. Allegheny College has lost its greatest son."The Rev. Terry A. Clark, pastor of First Christian Church in Meadville said, "He moved in circles of great power ... but he was a gentleman and a gentle man. He was God's servant to our nation. We are blessed that he was able to step up to that larger stage and do so much good for so many people."Shafer's father, a minister, was appointed pastor of First Christian Church in 1933.
After serving in the Navy during World War II, during which he received the Purple Heart and Bronze Star, Shafer went into law practice.He was elected Crawford County District Attorney, a job he held from 1948 to 1956.He won a 1958 state senate race and became lieutenant governor under Scranton in 1963.Shafer beat Milton J. Shapp in the 1966 gubernatorial election. In 1971, President Nixon named Shafer to chair the National Commission on Marijuana and Drug Abuse, which recommended state and federal governments decriminalize the personal use of marijuana, but continue to declare it an illegal substance. Nixon rejected the recommendation.Shafer's popularity sank in 1969 when he proposed a state income tax, saying the tax was necessary to finance a 25 percent increase in the state budget to pay for education and welfare.The tax was enacted soon after by the new governor, Shapp.
Gov. Ed Rendell did not attend Sunday's funeral, but paid his respects to Shafer's family Saturday, an Allegheny College spokesman said. Ridge called Shafer a visionary leader, pointing to Shafer's involvement with the National Committee on U.S.-China Relations, which he chaired in the 1980s."I remember him telling me over and over again how important it was to develop economic relations with China," Ridge said.Shafer believed the U.S. had to recognize China's economic strength and maintaining relations could lead to the Communist nation opening its markets, Ridge said."Nobody was thinking about that vision in 1982," Ridge said. "Everywhere he went, he achieved. He set a standard of excellence. He had a gift."
(© 2006 The Associated Press.