The LuLac Edition #1271, Aug. 19th, 2010

PHOTO INDEX: FORMER SENATOR RICK SANTORUM, OUR 1966 LOGO, LACKAWANNA COUNTY RECORDER OF DEEDS EVIE REFALKO McNULTY WITH THEN CANDIDATE OBAMA WHO HAD THE ROCK STAR PERSONA AND NUMBERS AND CANDIDATE FOR STATE REPRESENTATIVE IN THE 121ST JIM O'MEARA.

HE’S IN I TELL YA

I made a comment on this a few months ago and I’ll do it again. Rick Santorum is in the 2012 Presidental race. The former 2 term Senator was in Iowa. No one goes to Iowa on purpose in the good old summertime. Santorum is in the hunt. And he is saying good things about the former Vice Presidential candidate Sarah Palin. In the Harrisburg Patriot News the other day Santorum made some interesting comments as reported by Laura Vecsey. “I’ve been encouraged by the reaction that I’m getting from folks and the comments I’m getting,” Santorum told Des Moines Register. “Obviously the situation in this country continues to be in my opinion one that is going to require strong leadership to face up to President Obama in 2012.” The conservative Republican has made a series of stops in key presidential primary states over the past year, but will spend three days in Iowa on this trip. The Register said Santorum was found wearing a blue apron and helping to unload bushels of grilled pork chops at the Iowa Pork Tent. “I’ve learned something about about dropping pork chops,” Santorum quipped, referring to former Gov. Mitt Romney, who dropped a pork chop during his pork-moving duties last year. Romney is among the front-runners for the Republican nomination, according to a new poll from the Iowa Republican. Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee leads the field of potential GOP presidential candidates in Iowa with 22 percent of the vote. Former Massachusetts Gov. Romney received 18 percent — similar to the results of the 2008 Iowa caucus in which the two rivals finished first and second. Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich finished third with 14 percent, followed by Sarah Palin, the 2008 GOP vice presidential candidate and former Alaska governor, who received 11 percent. Palin will be appear Aug. 27 as the guest speaker for the Pennsylvania Family Institute’s banquet at the Hershey Lodge. Santorum said Palin would have some "explaining to do" should the half-term governor run for president. However, the 52-year-old Santorum has also lauded Palin's political clout, saying her endorsement is the only one that matters among Republicans this election cycle.
Santorum is making the right moves. If you see him supporting House and Senate candidates, ala Richard Nixon in 1966, you will know he is collecting IOUs for 2012. Santorum would be a formidable candidate. He could galvanize the right as Sam Brownback failed to do in ’08. He is articulate and even with Mitt Romney’s money and head start, he can out maneuver him. Watch him run.

MEET JIM O'MEARA

When: August 26 · 6:00pm - 8:00pm.
Location: St. Maria Goretti Church Banquet Hall.
42 Redwood Drive
Laflin, PA.
An Evening With James O'Meara Sr

Candidate for State Representative - 121st Legislative District (Pennsylvania)Scrumptious hors d'oeuvres by The Cafe

Casual dress...

IRAQ END GAME

When the history of our nation is written in the next few centuries, America will have a spacial place under the headline war/conflicts. If it is called Unfulfilled Promise then that would be appropriate. Like Korea, the war in Iraq ended with a whimper. The Combat troops are on the way home but there are 50,000 members of the military still there in the midst of an unresolved political conflict. How successful were we in this war? More than 5,000 killed to have an unsure government try to take charge and wage peace among the different sects that have been fighting for generations. Plus the untold thousands of Iraq citizens killed. Only history and future events will judge how successful we were and if we made things better or worse. Two things strike me about this war, the first is that before we got there everyone in Iraq's major cities had electricity 100% of the day. Now they only have power 25% of the time. And this war, based not on provocation but on weapons of mass destruction lasted longer than World War II. I see no FDRs or Churchills anywhere in this aftermath.

TALKING ABOUT ROADS

Democratic and Republican members of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives and the Pennsylvania Senate will gather Monday in Harrisburg for a presentation by Pennsylvania Department of Transportation Secretary Allen Biehler outlining the Rendell administration’s plan to solve the Commonwealth’s transportation funding crisis. The caucus will be held at 11:30 a.m. Monday, Aug. 23 in the House Majority Caucus Room, Room 140 Main Capitol Building. With the federal government’s recent denial of Pennsylvania’s application to levy tolls on Interstate 80, the state now faces a substantial deficit in funding to maintain, repair and replace roads and bridges, as well as fund public transit systems in virtually every one of the 67 counties. It is estimated that the Commonwealth has more than 7,000 miles of roads in poor condition and more than 5,000 bridges that are below accepted standards. Pennsylvania's transportation crisis is of critical importance, both in terms of jobs and the economy, as well as public safety. Businesses throughout the Commonwealth depend on a safe, reliable and effective transportation system to ensure their products and services are delivered to consumers quickly and efficiently. In addition, road and bridge construction projects help create and retain thousands of family-sustaining jobs. Constructing a new road costs roughly $1 million per mile per lane, and every $1 billion invested in road construction supports nearly 28,000 jobs.

GETTING LOWER

President Obama's job approval rating dipped to 44% for the week of Aug. 9-15, the lowest weekly average of his administration by one percentage point. This was before the Mosque controversy. It appears the rock star luster of Mr. Obama is fading fast. When Gerald Ford took over after Richard Nixon resigned, people loved his “average guy” ways like making his own English muffins and walking his own dog. That wore thin when the economy went in the tank and people needed jobs. Obama is getting nailed from the progressives who feel he hasn’t gone far enough and by the conservatives who he caved into, who never helped him on anything and weren’t going to be with him anyway. A supporter of his said something telling to me about the President the other day, “The only good thing he seems to be able to do is give a speech”. When that last unemployment check is running out, the only music to your ears you want to hear is about a job. You’re way past the point of wanting to be entertained.

AND NOW FOR SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT


CLEMENS INDICTED

Just three short years ago on Memorial Day 2007, Roger Clemens pitched to a sold out house at PNC Field. Now the former Yankee star and certain Hall of Famer has been indicted on perjury charges. Clemens was indicted on multiple charges stemming from his testimony in front of a Congressional committee that he never used performance-enhancing drugs, federal authorities announced on Thursday. The former All-Star hurler faces one count of obstruction, three counts of making false statements and two counts of perjury stemming from the statements made in front of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform and its investigators.Clemens faces a combined maximum sentence of 30 years in prison and a $1.5 million fine, although current sentencing guidelines would only put him in jail for 21 months if he is convicted.

1966

The House Un-American Activities Committee starts investigating Americans who have aided the Viet Cong, with the intent to make these activities illegal. Anti-war demonstrators disrupt the meeting and 50 are arrested...Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Republic begin negotiations in Kuwait to end the war in Yemen.......On the Vietnam War front – Battle of Long Tan: D Company, 6th Battalion of the Royal Australian Regiment, meets and defeats a Viet Cong force estimated to be 4 times larger, at the in Phuoc Tuy Province, Republic of Vietnam......Statewide, City planners in both Pittsburgh and Philadelphia float the idea for new municipal stadiums. The Pirates inhabit Forbes Field while the Phillies play at Connie Mack. By the early 70s both cities will have new multi purpose stadiums…..in Wilkes Barre safe driving courses are introduced into the curriculum as a way to prepare young drivers before they take the mandated exam. Kingston Mayor Bert Husband in the meantime complains about teenage drivers cruising the streets of Kingston with no destination in mind. Police issue citations....

and 44 years ago the number 1 song in America and Lulac land was "See You In September" by the Happenings.