The LuLac Edition #2863, March 26th, 2015

INSIDE THE FRANKLIN AND MARSHALL POLL

This week The Franklin and Marshall Poll came out giving out marks to the Wolf administration. Let me capsulate some of the high points and give you my take on this.
More voters (39%) believe the state is headed in the right direction than at any time since January 2010, while forty-seven percent feel it is off on the wrong track.
•This is a clear reflection of a new administration with Tom Wolf at the helm. While 39 per cent vs. 47 is not great, it is heading at least for the Governor in the right direction. Don’t forget, Tom Corbett got over 45% and that wrong track number can come from that factor.
Nearly two in five (38%) registered Pennsylvania voters believes Governor Wolf is doing an “excellent” or “good” job as governor -- more than three in five (58%) Democrats rate his performance as “excellent” or “good.
•The base is sticking with him and now Wolf needs to bring in the other segments of the state with a strong performance. He has a launching pad to expand on the good will that is already out there. Voters indicate their top priority for state government is an increase in funding for public education (27%) or local property tax reform (25%).
 This will help Wolf hopefully broker a deal with the GOP controlled State Legislature. If the GOP does not go along with Property Tax Reform, Wolf can use the bully pulpit to sway public opinion. Most property owners are sick and tired of carrying the burden for education. This administration, especially toward the budget deadline has to make that point over and over again.
A majority of state voters support the Governor’s budget plan (59%) – increasing the sales and personal income taxes and creating a Marcellus Shale extraction tax to reduce local property taxes and increase funding to public schools.
•Interesting. That a plurality want an increase in taxes. But taxation that is fair and evened out. No special deals for the rich or the poor. The poll reflects that everyone wants skin in the game.
Senator Pat Toomey currently leads Democrat Joe Sestak by a five point margin, 34% to 29%, although most voters (37%) are still undecided about this race.
•Toomey is friendly and communicates very well. But Sestak has run before and in an election year where a democrat might have a good chance of carrying the Commonwealth as well as the exploitation of Toomey’s ridiculous participation in that letter to Iran bodes well o the Democrats.

TED CRUZ RUNS

Texas Senator Ted Cruz announced that he will indeed run for President of the United States. Cruz made the announcement over social media the other day and at Liberty University. Cruz told us this was a Christian nation and that he wants to restore those principles. He said he wanted to make sure we live by the Constitution. Fair enough. But I see a major discrepancy here. Nowhere in the Constitution that Cruz venerates so much is a mention of any religion. You don’t see any references to this governing document. So is he saying that only Christians need apply?
The Senator also shared the fact that he wants to shred every word of the Affordable Care Act. Everyone of it, even the stuff that Republicans, Christians and everybody else is using. Cruz’ own family has gone on the Obama sponsored exchange. So how can he say these things and expect people to take him seriously?
I don’t know but you can bet I’ll be supporting this guy BIG TIME. If Cruz is the nominee, there will be a Democratic President long after I’ve gone off this mortal coil. Go Cruz. Here’s a great campaign song too!

HAD TO SHARE THIS WITH YOU

From Overpasses for Americans

A group of American patriots greeted Luis Gutierrez with chants of USA! USA! USA! at a conference held at USC.
Despite being held in the United States of America, the event was in Spanish, with headphones for the majority English-only audience.
Eventually the event organizers, frustrated at the constant pro-America chants, called local law enforcement in a vain attempt to stop free speech.
The American patriots in the video should be an example to us all, for they are following the example of our Founding Fathers and speaking out without fear or shame against injustices happening in this nation.
Enjoy the video and share it everywhere you can. With luck, it will inspire more Americans to stand up for this nation.
Thanks to all those in the video, millions of us now wish we’d been there with you!
Jesus, I’m glad these people weren’t around when my grandparents were speaking Slovak.

BERGDAHL CHARGED

The Army sergeant who abandoned his post in Afghanistan and was held captive by the Taliban could face up to life in prison if convicted of both the charges he's facing, military officials said Wednesday.
Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl was charged with misbehavior before the enemy, which carries a maximum sentence of up to life in prison. He was also charged with desertion, which carries a maximum of five years.
Bergdahl could also face a dishonorable discharge, reduction in rank and forfeiture of all his pay if convicted. (AOL).
It is mystifying to me why the Obama administration celebrated this guy’s release. I wonder if they really knew the extent of his case file before they did so.

CONGRESSMEN CARTWRIGHT AND COHEN RE-INTRODUCE LEGISLATION TO CAP EXCESSIVE INTEREST & FEES; CRACK DOWN ON PREDATORY LENDING

Congressman Matt Cartwright. (Photo: LuLac archives).

U.S. Representatives Matt Cartwright (PA-17) and Steve Cohen (TN-9) re-introduced the Protecting Consumers from Unreasonable Credit Rates Act, legislation that would enact a cap on reform fees and rates associated with consumer credit products, including short-term and long-term payday loans and car title loans.
U.S. Senate Assistant Minority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) introduced companion legislation in the Senate.
Predatory lending – defined by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation as the practice of “imposing unfair and abusive loan terms on borrowers” – extracts approximately $27 billion in excessive fees and interest from 12 million Americans each year due to excessive rates which can top 300 percent, according to the Center for Responsible Lending. Pennsylvania prohibits payday loan storefronts and is one of the few states to prohibit excessive rates. The state Supreme Court upheld this cap in 2010, though there have been recent efforts by certain state legislators and the payday loan industry to weaken the state law.
“Pennsylvania recognizes that predatory lending disproportionately harms economically disadvantaged individuals – people who are already struggling financially,” said Rep. Cartwright. “My consumer-friendly legislation would provide relief from exorbitant fees for many low-income consumers across the country. Capping interest rates and fees for all consumers will not only protect working families but also enable our economic recovery.”
In 2006, Congress enacted a federal 36 percent annualized usury cap for certain credit products marketed to service members and their families. This bill would extend that maximum cap of 36 percent to all consumer credit transactions for all consumers. The federal cap would not preempt stricter state laws. The bill would also encourage the creation of responsible alternatives to small dollar lending, by allowing initial application fees and for ongoing lender costs such as insufficient funds fees and late fees. To ensure compliance with the cap, the bill would create specific penalties for
“Despite the economic gains we have made as a nation in recent years, many working families continue to struggle. For some, payday lenders offer a quick way to make ends meet, but often with devastating consequences,” said Senator Durbin. “With interest rates of two and three hundred percent of value of the loan, these excessive rates and hidden fees have crippling effects on those who can afford it least. Capping interest rates and fees for consumers will help protect working families from these predatory lending practices—it’s the right thing to do.”

MEDIA MATTERS

SUNDAY MAGAZINE

This Week on Sunday Magazine
Brian Hughes speaks with Mike Butler, Executive Director for Consumer Energy Alliance, Mid Atlantic, who discusses STEM education and job opportunities in Pennsylvania's energy industry.
Brian speaks with Father Gary and John Koytec about an Easter Egg Hunt fundraiser to benefit Tracey's Hope coming up on Sunday at St Michael's Byzantine Catholic Church in Pittston.
And an encore of Brian's interview with Dr. Tracey Wilen, who discusses why 2015 is the year of "Women Up", and marking March as Women's Month.
Sunday Magazine, Sunday morning at 5am on NASH-FM, 93.7, 5:30am on 97BHT, 6am on 97.9X & Sports Radio 590, WARM and 6:25am on Magic 93.

ECTV

April is Distracted Driver's Month and ECTV Live hosts David DeCosmo and Rusty Fender will take on the subject with a guest who knows all too much about the problem!

Eileen Woelkers Miller lost her son in an accident involving distracted driving. And, as you'll hear, it's not just about cell phone texting! ECTV Live is carried on Comcast cable

channel 19 in northeastern Pennsylvania (61 in a few communities) and can be seen during the noon, midnight hours throughout the week. Additional showings are offered at 6pm when Electric City Television's schedule allows.

BOLD GOLD COMMUNITY FORUM

Our guest is Jenny Blanchard from the Catherine McAuley Center. Jim Riley hosts Sunday morning at 6 on 94.3 The Talker; 6:30 on NEPA's Sports Radio-The Game 1340/1400/1440 am and 100.7 and 106.7 fm; and at 7:30 on 105 The River

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.

CORBETT’S SOMEBODY’S WATCHING ME

Every Wednesday at 5PM, Steve Corbett shines the light on a Public official with his “Somebody’s Watching Me” segment. Corbett picks an alleged public servant to eye ball and observe. Batten down the lawn furniture in the driveway and that e mail machine. There is nowhere to hide when “somebody’s Watching”. Wednesdays at 5 on WILK’s Corbett program.

1965

Our 1965 logo.

Fifty years ago this week, March 23rd as a matter of fact, the United States took a major leap into space exploration. Gemini III blasted off for a three orbit flight. The astronauts Gus Grissom and John Young were the first U.S. duo to go into space. 

The spacecraft, nicknamed The Unsinkable Molly Brown, performed the seventh manned US spaceflight, and the 17th manned spaceflight overall (including X-15 flights over 100 kilometers). It was also the final manned flight controlled from Cape Canaveral, Florida before mission control functions were shifted to the Manned Spacecraft Center in Houston, Texas.
Grissom the second American in space replaced the Alan Shepherd who was grounded with an ear infection. The support crew included Gordon Cooper as well as Roger Chaffee who was killed with Grissom in 1967 during the ill fated Apollo One practice drill. Grissom, hoping to avoid duplication of the experience with his Mercury flight Liberty Bell 7 in which the capsule sank after splashdown, named the Gemini 3 spacecraft Molly Brown, in a playful reference to the Broadway musical The Unsinkable Molly Brown. NASA management did not like this name, and asked him to change it. Grissom replied, "How about the Titanic?". The managers relented and allowed Grissom to keep Molly Brown, but this was the last Gemini flight they allowed the astronauts to name. The only major incident during the orbital phase involved a contraband corned beef sandwich that Young had smuggled on board, hiding it in a pocket of his spacesuit (though Director of Flight Crew Operations Deke Slayton wrote in his autobiography that he gave Young permission to do so). Grissom found this to be highly amusing, saying later, "After the flight our superiors at NASA let us know in no uncertain terms that non-man-rated corned beef sandwiches were out for future space missions. But John's deadpan offer of this strictly non-regulation goodie remains one of the highlights of our flight for me." The crewmen each took a few bites before the sandwich was restowed. The crumbs it released could have wreaked havoc with the craft's electronics, so the crewmen were reprimanded when they returned to Earth.

Young became the most traveled man in space and enjoyed the longest career of any astronaut, becoming the first person to make six space flights over the course of 42 years of active NASA service, and is the only person to have piloted, and been commander of, four different classes of spacecraft: Gemini, the Apollo Command/Service Module, the Apollo Lunar Module, and the Space Shuttle. The USS Intrepid recovered the craft and crew. The Gemini III mission was supported by 10,185 personnel, 126 aircraft and 27 ships. The mission duration was four hours and 52 minutes. It flew 80,000 miles..in Pennsylvania Senator Hugh Scott indicated he would work with President Johnson in getting a Voting Rights Act signed. Scott supported the 1964 version…in Luzerne County, reassessment of properties continues and 50 years ago this week the number one song in LuLac land and America was “King of the Road” by Roger Miller.