The LuLac Edition #1697, July 31st, 2011

PHOTO INDEX: SCRANTON MAYOR CHRIS DOHERTY, CONGRESSIONAL CANDIDATE BILL VINSKO AND PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE RICK SANTORUM.

DOHERTY’S DILEMMA

Mayor Chris Doherty of Scranton announced the other day that he will need to lay off 13 policemen and 8 firefighters. Doherty as chief executive of the city has received the brunt of the criticism. But the fact is the Mayor is trying to work with the budget imposed on him by a defiant Scranton City Council. Late last year the Council along with its erstwhile President Janet Evans were chest thumping about how they could do a better budget than the Mayor. “Cut the fat” they proclaimed saying that the Mayor really was overestimating the costs that would be incurred by the city. Well it just goes to show that the old adage about a camel being invented by a committee might also be applied to a bunch of City Council people who decided they wanted to play “tough Guy’ with the Mayor. A Mayor by the way who has been administering the city budget since 2002. Mayor Doherty tells reporters that services cost money, and that when the money is not provided for those services, you have to cut somewhere. To Scranton City residents, don’t blame the Mayor on this one, blame the council. This kind of reminds me of a friend of mine from the 70s. Whenever he went out, his grandfather would throw him a dime to call home if he ever got in a jam. Trouble was by then pay phones were a quarter.

VINSKO ON THE DEBT CRISIS

Congressional aspirant Bill Vinsko has sounded a call to the members of the current Congress to stop playing games and get this debt ceiling issue under control. Vinsko's office issued this missive the other day:
Pennsylvania 11th Congressional District Candidate Bill Vinsko Calls on Lou Barletta to Stop Playing Games with Our Nation’s Financial Future The following is a statement from Bill Vinsko:
“The people of Northeast Pennsylvania have been calling for immediate action in Washington to ensure that Medicare is protected, their Social Security checks reach their mailboxes on time, and that individuals and small businesses are not plagued with higher interest rates. Congressman Barletta admitted yesterday that the people of Northeast Pennsylvania want the bickering to stop. In reality, they want something done. The right-wing radical agenda is preventing action, prolonging unnecessary debate and hurting our people. Being an “American” Congressman means putting the American people first. Being a Northeast Pennsylvania Congressman means putting the people of Northeast Pennsylvania first, and not following extremist party lines, or wasting time on legislation that has no possibility of becoming law. Instead of wasting time on symbolic votes while the markets drop and the economy flounders, Congressman Barletta should have the courage to stand up to the extreme wing of his party and say 'Enough bickering, lets get something done”.

RICK’S ASKING $$$$

Former Senator Rick Santorum is soliciting donations to make an impact in that ludicrous Iowa Straw Poll. This is the poll where a bunch of farmers pick a candidate they may or may not like a half year in advance of the actual caucus event for a candidate who they most likely will turn on before the next poll. It’s really an insult to the electoral Presidential process but because they are first on the political calendar, we have to listen to them. Anyway here’s what Santorum had to say in his request:
Our first real test is the Ames, Iowa Straw Poll on August 13th and the stakes are high. The eyes of the nation, the media and the White House will be fixed squarely on Iowa – where the Straw Poll results will give America an idea of who’s leading the pack early in the Republican primary season.
While some of the other candidates have chosen to bypass Iowa and this early Presidential test, I have spent the past month traveling across the state with my entire family meeting voters, listening to their concerns and laying out my common sense conservative solutions to the nations toughest problems.
It’s clear our message is resonating as I am traveling to over 50 cities across Iowa and doing 50 townhalls.
Santorum then goes on to ask for small donations of $10, $25 and $50.00.