The LuLac Edition #1604, May 19th, 2011

PHOTO INDEX: THE LATE LUZERNE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS ED WIDEMAN (LEFT) AND FRANK CROSSIN (RIGHT) LACKAWANNA COUNTY COMMISSIONER DEMOCRATIC NOMINEES COREY O'BRIEN AND JOHN WANSACZ, STORM POLITICS LOGO AND OUR 1972 LOGO.

THE CROSSIN/WIDEMAN MODEL

With the election in the primary of John Wansacz and Corey O’Brien in Lackawanna County, we have a situation where the two top Dems really have their issues. This stems from the two picking running mates and then waging nasty media campaigns. How can this team survive? Perhaps a model they could look to is the Crossin and Wideman team in the late 60s and 70s. Unlike Wansacz and O’Brien, Crossin and Wideman were the party pick of the Democrats in the 1967 take over of the Courthouse in Luzerne County. Wideman, a former Republican was the Democratic minority Commissioner and Crossin was a former State Representative who got gerrymandered out of his district. The duo won big on Election Day 1967 and it looked like wine And roses were ahead. But then the party Chairman Dr. John Dorris died in December of '67 and the united party quickly became fragmented shortly after swearing in day. At one point, Wideman formed coalitions with the GOP minority commissioner. No love was lost between these two Commissioners but in subsequent elections of 1971, and 1975 both Crossin and Wideman suited up in the name of party unity. It wasn’t until 1979 when Crossin then teamed up with Swoyersville Mayor Ed Brominski (yes the same Ed Brominski elected on Tuesday to Luzerne County Council) and won ’that 79 primary eliminating Wideman. Both men were civil to each other in private but in public there were huge disagreements. Yet they both ran with each and however tenuously governed the County. So a word to Wasanz and O’Brien, it can be done. Not just for this election but beyond.

BURNING UP THE E MAIL

More than a few candidates who did not make the cut for County Council are burning up the old e mail machine. I’m privy to a lot of back and forth e mails from various candidates who cite the fact that there is still an elite power structure at work in the county as well as the fact that the local media played favorites in terms of their endorsements. This is not sour grapes but rather a fascinating dissection of the races. If I can put them together in a cohesive form, I’ll do a story on it soon. All of the people involved in the e mails sent to me will not be named either. But there were some real good points made that need to be shared.


TIP JAR?

A polling place in Exeter was featured on WBRE TV News the other night. Reporter Joe Holden revealed that some residents were offended because there was a tip jar to give paid poll workers some money to get snack and lunch throughout the day. No tips were solicited but the jar was pout there in full view. One of the election workers told WBRE news that “they didn’t know they weren’t supposed to do that”. Really? Last year in Lackawanna County this was all over the news when a few precincts there had a jar out. Look, poll workers are very much under appreciated. It is a long day and a hard job. But to say you didn’t know you weren’t supposed to do that? C’mon! If you were serving on a jury, would you whip out a PB&J and eat it like you were attending a baseball game? Voting is serous business and yes poll workers should be given a break and get lunch. But a tip jar isn’t the answer. Len Piazza the head of Voter Services confiscated the money and gave it to a worthy cause. The money went to the family of the late Matthew Chipolis, a nine teen year old Worming Area graduate who died in an accident a few days ago.

COUNCIL SHOWDOWN

With most of the drama removed from the Luzerne County Judicial race (multiple candidates winning dual nominations will do that) look for a war with various battles on the County Council front. There are some candidates saying they’’ll run alone and in some cases that might be a good idea. If there is someone on your ticket that is “out there” you might want to just say “vote for me!” Will this thing develop along party lines? It might but I think you are going to see more of a battle from a geographic standpoint. You will also see alliances forming that might just have the earmarks of the numbers 6 and 7, just enough to control the Council. The 4 Working Family candidates, Linda Houck, Theresa Marcavage, Jane Walksh Waitkus and Sal Licata are going to be the targets of every tax payer group in this county. And the media is going to start taking attendance like old time school marms at all of the County Council transition meetings. The primary was only the warm up to an incredible drama, the birth if you will of a new government in the year 2012. I wonder if there are any Madisons or Jeffersons that will emerge from this group.

MIKE AND DONNIE OUT

Mike Huckabee a legitimate Presidential candidate opted out of the race for President last week. Huckabee won the Iowa primary and finished well in North Carolina. He was well thought of and was seen as a conservative alternative for the Christian right. In the meantime, the next day, that old carnival barker himself, Donald Trump said what we all knew, he won’t run. Trump wasted valuable time and news print with his stupid immature dance. We’re all getting old Mr. Trump and no one likes to waste time. Even on an imbecile like you.

ADULT BASIC

Only a tiny percentage of folks who lost their adultBasic health insurance decided to sign up for Special Care, Governor Corbett's "solution."
Why? Because most people can't afford to pay a premium that costs 300% more for crappy coverage.
The big "non-profit" insurance companies received huge tax breaks on their 6 billion dollar surplus while working Pennsylvanians lost their only lifeline. The Blues, Governor Corbett and the State Legislature all need to come together - get their priorities straight and bring back adultBasic!
To that end there will be a big rally in Harrisburg next week to try and save adult basic.
Tuesday, May 24th - all day, Harrisburg. Lobby day and press conference in Harrisburg. Everyone is welcome to participate! Whether you're an old pro or have never done anything like this before, please join us as we demonstrate the urgency of the issue to our General Assembly. For more information - including car pool options - email Athena at aford@pahealthaccess.org.

RICK ON THE ROPES?

With the click of a forwarded email, Rick Santorum let Sen. John Ensign know that the cuckolded husband of Ensign's mistress was going public.
Santorum, formerly a Pennsylvania senator and now a presidential candidate touting family values, is only one of many political and spiritual figures drawn into the tale of Ensign's sexual misconduct, political dealings and personal ruin that led to the senator's resignation May 3 and a scathing Senate ethics committee report this week. Many of those named in the report are only incidentally connected to the case. Others tried to help hush up Ensign's unpleasantness with cash, advice or both. The list is a long one. It includes Ensign's parents; Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Okla., and Tim Coe, Ensign's longtime spiritual advisor connected to the National Prayer Breakfast and the C Street townhouse where Ensign and other lawmakers lived while in Washington. Ensign made his resignation effective on the day before he was to have testified under oath about his affair with the wife of a top aide, the aide's subsequent lobbying of Ensign's office and a $96,000 payment from Ensign's parents to the couple involved, Doug and Cindy Hampton.
The ethics committee said Thursday that Ensign broke federal laws, made false statements to the Federal Election Commission and obstructed the Senate panel's investigation. The committee sent the results of its investigation to the Justice Department for possible prosecution, saying it had assembled enough evidence to warrant expelling Ensign from the Senate if he hadn't resigned.
The report's brief reference to Santorum alleges no wrongdoing on the part of the Republican presidential aspirant.
The committee wrote that Doug Hampton, Ensign's former chief of staff and husband of his mistress, Cynthia, wrote a letter to Fox News anchor Megyn Kelly on June 11, 2009, in which he disclosed the affair and sought a meeting. On June 15, Hampton emailed the letter to Santorum and asked for help. Santorum forwarded Hampton's email to Ensign at a Gmail address that evening at about 10:20 p.m
In an interview Friday, Santorum adviser John Brabender said he had not spoken with Santorum since the committee report came out but had no reason to dispute it. Brabender said he did not know why Santorum forwarded Hampton's email to Ensign.
Santorum, then a contributor to Fox News, did not know Hampton at the time, but did know Ensign from the Senate, so "I can't imagine that he wouldn't forward" the email, Brabender said.

MEDIA MATTERS

STORM POLITICS

This week on “Storm Politics” Tiffany Cloud interviews Amy Crego, founder of The Rolling Angels for Armed Forces. “Storm Politics” is the newest entry into the WYLN TV 35 programming line up and can be seen on Service Electric Channel 7 in the Wilkes Barre area on these dates and times. Wed 8PM, Thurs 9:30PM, Sat 5PM, Sun 11AM, Mon 9:30PM, Tues 4:30PM.

SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE

This week Shadoe Steele’s guest on “Saturday Night Live at the Oldies” is is Fee Waybill of "The Tubes". Saturday Night Live at the Oldies is heard from 7 to midnight on WILK AM and FM with ABC News on the hour.

ECTV


The guest for ECTV Live the week of May 23rd will be Kelly Pulice of the North Pocono Public Library. Kelly will be discussing several free public service programs offered by the library including "Movie Night" which is scheduled for this coming Thursday. ECTV Live is hosted by Judge Tom Munley and David DeCosmo and
airs at Noon and Midnight on Comcast Ch 19.

SUNDAY MAGAZINE


This Weekend on Sunday Magazine May 22. Brian Hughes speaks with Rosemarie Rossetti about her first hand experience with, and the need for all Americans to have disability insurance. An encore of Magic 93’s Frankie in the Morning's interview with Cheri, the co-chair of the upcoming Relay for Life of Greater Hazleton. And Brian speaks with travel expert and blogger Chris McGuiness on how to find the best deals in summer travel. Sunday Magazine, Sunday morning at 5:30am on JR 93.7 & 97BHT, 6am on 97.9X, 6:30am on Magic 93, and 9:30am on WARM 590 AM.


RAPTURE


May 21, 2011 will be the last day, the day of judgment -- the rapture, according to the Harold Camping’s prophecy and those who follow it.
In less than two days, Campaign says the following will be the sign that Doom’s day is upon us:
An earthquake will shake New Zealand in the late night hours, around 6p.m.As night falls around the world, the quake will spread across the earth .
“A great earthquake will shake the island asunder, triggering an apocalypse that rolls relentlessly our way,” the San Francisco Chronicle reports. He and his followers prepare to ascend to heaven this Saturday. Whew, good thing I got the yellow bananas at the store this week!

AND NOW FOR SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT



1972

In Rome, Laszlo Toth attacks Michelangelo's "Pietà" statue with a sledgehammer, shouting that he is Jesus Christ……in Pennsylvania Ltn. Governor Ernest Kline heads a committee on Emergency Preparations in case of any natural disasters……and in Scranton Mayor Gene Peters steps up police protection with the hiring of 10 more police officers for the Electric City and 39 years ago today the number 1 song in America and LuLac land was “Taxi” by Harry Chapin.