The LuLac Edition #2709, August 5th, 2014

JIM BRADY PASSES AWAY

Recent photo of Jim Brady. (MSNBC.com)

Photo of Jim Brady with his boss President Ronald Reagan. (Photo: cnn.com)

The Press Secretary who was in President Ronald Reagan’s entourage when he was shot passed away the other day at the age of 73. James Brady who was the most critically injured in that 1981 assassination attempt and had a touch and go existence after the attack.
But he survived and through rigorous therapy and the support of his wife helped forge the Brady Bill of 1993. Officially named The Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act, the bill was signed into law by President Bill Clinton in November of that year. The bill took effect the next year.
These prohibitions apply to any person who:
1. Has been convicted in any court of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year;
2. Is a fugitive from justice;
3. Is an unlawful user of or addicted to any controlled substance;
4. Has been adjudicated as a mental defective or committed to a mental institution;
5. Is an alien illegally or unlawfully in the United States;
6. Has been discharged from the Armed Forces under dishonorable conditions;
7. Having been a citizen of the United States, has renounced U.S. citizenship;
8. Is subject to a court order that restrains the person from harassing, stalking, or threatening an intimate partner or child of such intimate partner, or;
9. Has been convicted in any court of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence.
What is the legacy of the Brady bill?
From 1994 through 2009, over 107 million Brady background checks were conducted. During this period 1.9 million attempted firearm purchases were blocked by the Brady background check system, or 1.8 percent. For checks done by the Federal Bureau of Investigation in 2008, felons accounted for 56 percent of denials and fugitives from justice accounted for 13 percent of denials. In 2009, felons accounted for 48 percent of denials and fugitives from justice accounted for 16 percent of denials. Between 2000 and 2009, over 30,000 denials were reversed on appeal. In April 2009, the FBI announced it had completed its 100 millionth NICS approval since its inception 10 years before.
Brady's tragedy is part of his legacy. His shooting was the catalyst for this Gun Bill. Sad to say, it has not stopped anymore senseless violence. And his attacker still lives on. Sad. (Sources: Time, Wikipedia.com, CNN).

TRAFFIC SIGNALS @ 100

100 years ago today the very first traffic signal was installed. What city? Cleveland, Ohio. With apologies to the Cleveland rockers and Hall of Fame, from 1968, The 1910 Fruit Gum Company!

UP THE EYNON WITH HAGGERTY

State Representative and potential Commissioner candidate Kevin Haggerty. (Photo:Times Rribune).

The day after the 2014 primary election in which State Representative Kevin Haggerty was beaten by Frank Farina for the seat in the 112th legislative district I opined that Haggerty would be back politically. But I never dreamed this would be so soon. We received a missive fro Haggerty announcing his intention to run for County Commissioner with a team mate. The invite is for this Saturday and while I appreciate it, I wonder how many folks already have plans. Might a little more notice been a smarter move? Anyway, if you are so inclined here are the details.

Please join State Rep Kevin Haggerty and Tony Rossi for a summer cookout this Saturday at the Eynon Hose Company.

When: Saturday Aug. 9th at 1pm

Where: 441 Thomas Street

Eynon, PA 18403

Checks made out to Friends of Kevin Haggerty. Or mailed to 1704 N. Webster Ave

Dunmore PA 18509

$35/ticket

OSTROWSKI ON THE STORM 

11th Congressional District candidate Andy Ostrowski. (Photo: dauphindemocrats).

The Democratic candidate for the 11th Congressional District seat currently held by Lou Barletta was on “The Storm” with Tiffany Cloud recently. The show is seen on WYLN TV 35. With the most recent Congressional debacles, especially during the last few days before recess there are some Democrats who want more of their own in the House. No less an authority than former Governor Ed Rendell stated that there are no moderates in the GOP House anymore. Rendell was referring to current Congressman Pat Meehan saying that no matter how nice a man and moderate Republican Meehan is, he must be defeated. While Lou Barletta has been deemed as somewhat reasonable, his colleagues are not. Perhaps Ostrowski can add Rendell’s logic to his campaign. Here he is on The Storm: