The LuLac Edition #2633, April 10th, 2014

TOM WOLF'S EVENT

Tom Wolf, Democratic candidate for Governor stopped by the FM Kirby Center Thursday night. His high energy campaign landed squarely in the downtown with a crowd of over 150 supporters who paid fifty bucks a head to meet Mr. Wolf. The turnout was a nod to his TV message and personality. The gathering was also a testament to the political juice of Atty. Bill Vinsko who spearheaded the turnout. Vinsko pointed out that the event was a volunteer effort. All of the food was donated along with the other accoutrements that make up an event like this.
Attorney Jack Eagen noted that Luzerne County is a pivotal area for success of any candidate running for Governor.
After Vinsko introduced the candidate, Wolf went through his background and talked about his volunteer involvement as a student and later as a business leader.
In an easy going presentation, Wolf connected with the crowd as he discussed major issues like Jobs, Manufacturing, The Economics of the Commonwealth, Social Services and Health Care.
I had an interesting conversation with a woman who was a lifelong Republican and was at the event. She confided that she wanted to meet Wolf because she was very disappointed in Tom Corbett. When I asked why she said that she was appalled at how Corbett turned down the Medicaid money from the Federal government and wanted to have his own private insurance for disadvantaged people. She wondered how Corbett could give gas drillers a break but turn his back on unemployed, uninsured Pennsylvanians who could actually qualify for Medicaid expansion. Other Democrats I spoke to said that Wolf connects with people and advised he’d trounce the very wooden Corbett in a debate.
The event was a huge success and Wolf got a very long ovation after asking for the help and support of the assembled crowd.
FACES IN THE PLACE: County Controller Michelle Bednar was making the rounds. Bednar told me she was going to take a tour of the 911 facility to see how it operates. She is of course winning rave reviews in her first few months in office…State Representative Eddie Day Pashinski made his greetings known as did Luzerne County Attorneys Mark Bufalino and Dave Pedri……Ransom Young who ran a very good campaign for State Representative in the 116th said he was enjoying life and spoiling the grandchildren…The omnipresent Bob Caruso was observing as only he could…..The West Side was represented very well by Exeter Mayor Cassandra Coleman and Wyoming chief Bob Boyer.....two late arrivals were important ones nonetheless. Wilkes Barre Mayor Tom Leighton stopped by followed shortly by former Scranton Mayor Jim McNulty……When this event was being put together Attorney Vinsko and I agreed that even though Wolf is a good candidate and has a huge presence because of his TV budget he needs boots on the ground on Election Day. A table was set up as well as two organizers asking for volunteers. That’s a good sign because the Wolf campaign needs to translate his strengths into votes. From the looks of it tonight, many key Democratic leaders are willing to help with that job.

Your blog editor with candidate Tom Wolf. (Photo: Wolf staff).

Lyndon B. Johnson signing the bill five decades ago. (LBJ Library).

THE LEGACY OF LYNDON JOHNSON

LBJ’s daughter Linda Johnson Robb. (Photo: PBS Newshour).

When I was a senior in high school, our 33rd President Harry Truman was very ill. He would die later that year,  1972 on the day after Christmas. Truman was being remembered as a man of principle and a person who stood by his beliefs. My father told me that when he left office he was pretty much reviled as a failure and that his enemies lampooned his name saying “To err is Truman”. A year after his death Watergate happened and with that scandal came a rebirth of Truman’s honesty and straight talk.
I see a pattern developing here with Lyndon Johnson our 36th President. Forty one years after his death, LBJ is being recognized as a consequential President. Growing up he was the President I remembered more clearly than John Kennedy. By that time I was a budding newshound and followed him with interest. If Johnson had only been remembered for the smooth transition after the death of John Kennedy that would have been enough.
But he used the power of the Presidency to pass three major Civil Rights Bills that changed America. This June it will be fifty years since Johnson formed a coalition with moderate Republicans, angered his own party of Southern Democrats who were his mentors and earned the trust of Civic black leaders by getting that legislation passed. He did it in an Election year telling people “What’s the use of the Presidency if you can’t use its power?” Indeed.
After 5 decades Johnson has enjoyed a resurgence as a President that got something done. Like Truman whose legacy benefited from the sins of Watergate, Johnson is looking very good in comparison to a gridlocked Congress. His memory benefits from a President that has great ideas but lacks the stomach to muscle them into reality. Johnson knew he had only two years to get his agenda accomplished. He took full advantage of his power.
Today four Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama traveled to the LBJ Library to celebrate his remarkable legislative accomplishments. Even though Johnson will always be remembered for the failed execution of the Vietnam War, the rest of his impressive legacy should never be defined by Vietnam.
Johnson’s reputation is being restored by the passage of fifty years, the prospect that many young people of color take for granted what was sacrificed years ago and the fact that in Washington people on both side of the political aisle have no idea how to use power for good. Under LBJ, there would be Immigration Reform by now and Health Care would not be a half measure. Like the landmark legislation he got passed, Lyndon’s Johnson’s time as a President of consequence has come.

Congressman Matt Cartwright. (Photo: LuLac archives).

CARTWRIGHT ON UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE

Representative Matt Cartwright commended Senate bipartisan action on legislation to extend unemployment insurance for nearly 3 million Americans, and called on the House to follow suit. The Senate passed the Emergency Unemployment Compensation Extension Act by a vote of 59 to 38, which retroactively extends emergency unemployment insurance through the end of May.
“Bipartisan action in the Senate on unemployment insurance is a crucial step for economic security for 158,400 Pennsylvanians, and now is the time for long overdue action in the House. The economic crisis suffered from the cut off of unemployment compensation has continued for 3 months, spread to more than 2 million Americans and cost our state’s economy $317,877,824,” said Cartwright. “It is time for Speaker Boehner and House leadership to listen to the American people and restore this vital economic lifeline that helps people support their families and pay their bills while they look for a new job. To force action, I have joined with 192 of my Democratic colleagues in signing a petition to hold a vote on extending unemployment insurance.”
The bipartisan Senate agreement would:
Retroactively restore emergency unemployment insurance for five months;
Exclude millionaires from receiving emergency unemployment insurance;
Strengthen efforts to help get job seekers back into the workforce;
Be fully paid for with pension smoothing and extending fees on U.S. customs users through 2024.
Despite the growing struggles for these families, House leadership has blocked multiple efforts by Democrats to bring up legislation to extend unemployment insurance on the House floor for more than three months. To overcome this opposition, 193 House Democrats have signed a discharge petition to force action on this widely supported legislation. The discharge petition will require the House to consider the unemployment insurance extension legislation once a majority of Members of Congress (218) have signed the petition.
“Action to create jobs and build an economy that works for everyone must start with restoring unemployment insurance for hardworking Americans who were laid off in the recession through no fault of their own,” noted Cartwright.

MEDIA MATTERS

PA LIVE

Had the opportunity to be on WBRE TV's Pa. Live last week to talk about my book signing as well as writing. Here's the interview with Jasmine Brooks.

KAREL A REAL WINNER

Karel Zubris. (LuLac archives.)

WILK News radio has won a Pennsylvania Association of Broadcasters Excellence in Broadcasting Award for Outstanding Radio Feature Series for its “Karel on the Street” segment. Karel Zubris talks with local people about issues and stories in the news, Nancy Kman produces the weekly series. Every Wednesday, Karel on the Street airs during The Morning News with Webster and Nancy on WILK. The PAB Award is considered one of the most competitive in the state, as stations are not divided by market size. We go head to head with stations in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh as well as medium and smaller markets. Congratulations Karel for taking the ‘man (and woman) on the street’ stories to an award winning level.

ECTV

When ECTV Live presents it's 209th program during the week of April 14th it will air without one of it's founding anchors. Judge Tom Munley, who has hosted the Public Affairs program since its debut has turned the Main Anchor chair over to co-host and Producer David DeCosmo. For the time being veteran radio personality Rusty Fender will take over the co-host seat.
The week's program will feature Mark Murphey from the University of Scranton who will outline plans for Earth Day Activities at the University.
ECTV Live can be seen on Comcast Ch19 daily during the Noon hour and again at Midnight.

SUNDAY MAGAZINE

This Week on Sunay Magazine
Magic 93's Frankie in the Morning speaks with Peg Ruddy from thE Women's resource Center about their "Food Truck Frenzy" fundraiser, coming up on May 1st.
Brian Hughes speaks with Melissa Sullivan from Mayflower about a new trend of families relocating for Mom's career.
And an encore of Brian's interview with area high school football great Charlie Wysocki, who discusses his career, and his lifelong battle with mental illness, and the song he inspired "Saddle Up Charlie".
Sunday Magazine, Sunday morning at 5am on NASH-FM, 93.7, 5:30am on 97BHT, 6am on 97.9X, 6:25am on Magic 93, and 7am on True Oldies 590, WARM.

SUE HENRY’S SPECIAL EDITION 

Tune in to Sue Henry's "Special Edition" this week as Sue recaps the week's news. Special Edition is heard Saturdays and Sunday on these Entercom stations, WILK FM Saturday at 2pm Sunday at 6 am on Froggy 101 Sunday at 7 am on The Sports Hub 102.3 Sunday at 7 am on K R Z 98.5 Sunday at noon on WILK FM 103.1.

BUDDY RUMCHEK

Want to hear some great parodies on the news? Tune in to WILK Radio at 6:40 and 8:40 AM on Mondays. As Ralph Cramden used to say, “It’s a laugh riot!”

KAREL ON THE STREET

Tune in Wednesdays on WILK Radio for Karel on the Street. Hear some of the funniest and heartwarming comments on the issues of the day on Webster and Nancy with Karel Zubris.

Our 1974 logo

1974

The Kiryat Shmona massacre takes place in Israel……..As "Tania", Patty Hearst is photographed wielding an M1 carbine while robbing the Sunset District branch of the Hibernia Bank in San Francisco……former Shapp administration Insurance Commissioner Herbert Denenberg steps up his campaign for the U.S. Senate against Pittsburgh Mayor Peter Flaherty in an attempt to get the nomination on the Democratic side. Denenberg was fired by Governor Shapp when the Insurance industry put pressure on the Governor. The Philadelphia Inquirer described the firing as The Greatest Political Backstabbing Since Caesar"………in Luzerne County incumbent State Representatives Bernard O’Brien and Fred Shupnik accompany Lt. Governor Ernest Kline on various political visits through the County…….and forty years ago this week the number one song in LuLac land and America was Jet by Paul McCartney & Wings.