The LuLac Edition #765, Mar. 25th, 2009

PHOTO INDEX: DEMOCRATIC PARTY LOGO AND ARLEN SPECTER.

SNARLIN' ARLEN

Well the polls are out today and they tell a tale that many Pennsylvania experts already knew to be true. Arlen Specter, the multi term U.S. Senator is well regarded by general election voters. Among Republican stalwarts, not so much. A recent poll showed 48 percent of all voters view Mr. Specter favorably, compared to almost a quarter 24 percent who view him unfavorably. However among people in his own party, 41 percent say he deserves re-election and while 51 percent say he should be deep sixed. Specter has always had this problem with his own party. He is a dying breed, a moderate Republican that has been demonized by the right wing conservatives of his party. People should note that without moderate Republicans, Lyndon Johnson would be unable to pass his landmark civil rights legislation that gave blacks the right to vote and live on any given street in the U.S. Without moderate Republicans, Richard Nixon would not have been able to form the Environmental Protection Agency in the 70s which protected our land from pollution and other dangers. Hey, Specter doesn't need me to defend him or the now almost defunct moderate wing of the GOP. He's doing just fine himself. The other day in Central Pennsylvania, Specter made it very clear he was going to fight his would be challenger Pat Toomey to the political death. Specter, in response to a question said his vote on the Stimulus plan was only 1 vote of out of 10,000. He seemed raring to go with Toomey saying the ex Congressman had a lot of votes to answer for himself regarding deregulation. Then Specter compared Toomey to AIG! Here's that comment: "He's like the AIG employees: he creates the problem, now he wants the bonus. He wants to be promoted to the Senate. He's going to have more votes to explain than I do. Stay tuned." Toomey is facing a three time cancer survivor who is closing in on 8 decades of life, with more than a half century in politics. Arlen just doesn't care or have patience for the political niceties anymore. Adding that all up along with his determination to stay in the Senate, well I guess you could say that these polls are not a big concern to our boy Arlen, who has just begun snarlin'.

NOPE!!!

The Luzerne County Democratic Committee will endorse no one for Judge or Prothonotary in the May 19th primary election. The party did endorse endorse Dottie Stankovic for county register of wills and Bob Morgan for county controller. Both face no opposition in the primary. With 15 Dems running for Judge and 3 for Prothonotary, Alfred Akulonis, Nancy McGinley Bellas and Gerald J. Mullery this is a savvy move.

MORE PLEASE!!

Former Judge Mark Ciavarella has filed an application with the State Employees’ Retirement System to begin receiving pension payments. His resignation went into effect March 16th. Ciavarella is waiting to be sentanced but in the meantime would like to collect more than $6800 while he waits. This has outraged many citizens in the county who think the state just might be dumb enough to grant him that farewell wish. How about this, why not give Ann Lokuta her pension back: NOW. Then take the Ciavarella request under advisement.