The LuLac Edition #3560, July 24th, 2017

 PROFESSOR BALDINO NAILS IT

Yesterday on the front page of the Citizen's Voice there was still another redundant recap of why Trump voters in Luzerne County voted for the President. Every few months the national media comes and expects that people here would have regretted their vote. Well they haven't. As a matter of fact, most of then have doubled down on their support even suggesting that the bully President is being picked on.
The guy though who really nailed it in this article was Professor Tom Baldino from Wilkes College. Here's what he said about why the support among voters seem to be holding.
Wilkes University political science professor Thomas Baldino said he suspects any erosion of support for Trump in Luzerne County is probably smaller than in other “flip” counties because many Trump voters in Luzerne County were not regular voters and didn’t even vote in the 2008 and 2012 elections. Baldino said he observed an older voter in November who had not voted since the county started using touch-screen voting machines in 2005.
I'll go Baldino a few better. Mrs. LuLac was a Judge of Elections at the polls in 2016. She had people walking in thumping their chest, (most in their 70s) waving every conceivable ID at her proclaiming proudly that "I never voted before in an election but I'm here today!"
So the people in this age group might not have liked Hillary Clinton but some were inactive Democrats who through the years benefited from policies of the Democratic Party. Talk about ignorant ingrates! It was Trump's party that blocked every social benefit they have.
But they hated Hillary.
Back to Baldino though, people may not want to take responsibility for it. They won't admit they're wrong.
I'm hoping the national media gets that fact. These "snapshots" of Luzerne County voters do nothing for our image nationally and can be as predicable as a milk and eggs story on TV about a snow storm warning during winter.
Well at least we weren't treated to having to hear Luzrrne County Councilwoman Eileen Sorokas babble on about why she turned on her party. Here's the link to the Voice story: http://citizensvoice.com/news/poll-trump-support-wanes-in-flip-counties-1.2221990

VILLANO: IT'S ALL CASEY JUNIOR'S FAULT!

IF I DIDN’T READ THIS WITH MY OWN EYES..............

Last week The Citizen’s Voice printed a letter from long time Luzerne County Republican official Lynette Villano about the current state of the nation. Lynette still feels that even though more than 22,000 people voted for Trump in Luzerne County that this President got some sort of mandate nationally. She posits that people actually voted for the repeal of The Affordable Care Act and that Senator Bob Casey is an obstructionist.
Here’s her article along with my replies. She's in the Red and I'm in the blue.
Editor: Republicans have campaigned on repealing and replacing Obamacare since the Democrats rammed it through Congress seven years ago. As a lifelong, dedicated Republican, I am frustrated listening to some Senators, like John McCain, claim that the prospect of repealing and replacing this terrible law is dead. That is unacceptable.
First off, the Democrats kissed the asses of the GOP House and Senate. Obama invited them to Super bowl parties, held hearings. Yes it did pass without GOP votes and for 7 years the GOP voted to repeal it. But because they are modern day REPUBLICANS, all they did was say NO.
Unlike Lynnete, McCain is a realist.
Unlike you Lynette, he’s actually won a few elections for his party. If Trump and his supporters are doing so well for Luzerne County, then why hasn’t this party even capitalized on the man’s (according to Lynette) wild popularity. Hell they couldn’t even organize a Lincoln Day dinner because of “scheduling difficulties”.
Whether they are Republicans in the Senate or members of the so-called liberal “resistance,” people need to accept that Donald Trump is our president and start supporting his agenda to move our country forward. The American people spoke in the last election. They voted for repealing and replacing Obamacare with a plan that removes the government from our healthcare choices and makes coverage affordable and accessible. It is time to deliver on that promise.
Lynette, we have accepted that Trump is indeed the President. The Electoral College spoke in the last election. The citizens of Luzerne County did too. Loud and clear. Always remember Trump lost the popular vote by 3 million votes. He is the one who hasn’t accepted that. As a matter of fact, TAHFQ even started a bogus investigation to find those 3 million illegals who all voted for Hillary. Here’s my question…….do you mean to tell me that all those 3 million illegals voted for Hillary and not a single one went for Trump? Well I guess now that O.J. is getting out of jail in October he can track those illegals down along with finding the real killers of his wife and Ron Goldman.
As far as government in our health care? Lynette, government is involved in your health care as you sit in your patronage job down at The Wyoming Valley Sanitary Authority. Let’s see you give up “that government” health care that by the way, Luzerne County taxpayers pay for. If you want “government” out of your health care, how about writing a check back to the Authority for all the years you got it? Or do you feel you're more entitled than some person who might lose their Health Care because of the inaction or blockage of your REPUBLICAN party?
The House of Representatives did its job. Congressmen Lou Barletta and Tom Marino — two of President Trump’s earliest and most strident supporters — should be commended for keeping their promises to their voters and advancing an Obamacare repeal and replace bill to the Senate. Congressman Barletta was even able to introduce and win passage of a separate bill, the Verify First Act, which would stop fraud in our healthcare system by verifying that people are in this country legally and eligible for taxpayer funded healthcare benefits before those dollars go out the door. Under Obamacare, $750 million went to half a million people in this country illegally. Congressman Barletta’s bill, which passed the House and is also in the Senate, would put a stop to this.
Well it looks like they didn’t get the votes. So they might have wanted repeal, shit it’s easy to vote NO! But the House could not even vote and get out of their own way.
They failed. The REPUBLICAN party failed.
As far as the 750 million dollars used for illegals, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services pay credits and subsidies to the insurance companies on behalf of the applicants – and the feds then “chase” after any over payments to ineligible people once they are discovered. The 500,000 individuals in question have been removed from coverage.
I like Lou’s act. Maybe if he had enacted when he first got there, maybe if REPUBLICANS thought about this instead of saying NO, we might not have had this issue. President Obama repeatedly called for suggestions for a better way. Your REPUBLICAN party obstructed and sat on its ass. Barletta was the exception but he is only one of a bunch that pretty much do nothing. Kind of like Tom Marino. Uh, is he still a REPUBLICAN Congressman? Yep, doing nothing and saying no so he must be!
It’s time for the Senate to follow suit. I am pleased that our Sen. Pat Toomey has been a vocal leader, urging his colleagues to support the repeal and replace efforts. Toomey has effectively made the case that, despite Democrats’ and liberal groups’ scare tactics, we need to reform our healthcare system, including Medicaid, to make it sustainable for future generations. Our country is $20 trillion in debt, and Medicaid spending now accounts for 10 percent of the federal budget. The proposal current in the Senate would grow Medicaid spending from $393 billion this year to $464 billion in 2026 — not as steep an increase as under Obamacare, but rather a more responsible increase. Only in Washington (and Harrisburg) is a decrease to the increase considered a cut.
Okay, Toomey admitted that they had no plan. Toomey said they never expected Trump to win so they could just say no, no, no. Toomey has hidden out because people know what a fraud and coward he is. Lynette, while you were carrying the banner for Trump in Ohio (which was your right and you did very well), Puny Pat was “campaigning” in Pennsylvania. No guts, no balls. The Senate plan impacts Medicaid 2026, who the hell is going to be making up the shortfall in the state of Pennsylvania? Who will take care of the disabled and disadvantaged in the interim? 
Us. The taxpayers.
Our other senator, Bob Casey Jr., has taken a page out of Elizabeth Warren’s and Nancy Pelosi’s playbook. After fooling voters for 11 years by masquerading as a moderate, Casey is committed to obstructing anything and everything President Trump and Republicans in Congress attempt to do. He sure is not his father, who actually cared about working with members of the other party for the benefit of Pennsylvania.
Oh so now you are saying wonderful things about Bob Casey Senior while beating his brain in all those years? Casey Junior  was not masquerading as a moderate! As a matter of fact, your REPUBLICAN party of no has taken moderate Democrats like me who voted for some of your candidates, who gave money to some of your candidates, who even attended their events are now committed to telling people what your sorry party and President has now become. Your REPUBLICAN Party has turned Bob Casey Junior into Harry Truman! You think he’s giving you hell but in reality he’s telling the truth and you think it’s hell.
And by the way, how can Casey OBSTRUCT anything when he is in the minority? He’s a crucial vote? How? Math Lynette, is not an alternative fact. Nor is it fake. 
Republicans cannot let obstructionists like Sen. Casey define us. With control of the House, Senate and White House, it is time to do what the American people elected them to do.
Oh you don’t need Casey to define you. Or me. You’re coming through loud and clear. The definition of the party of Lincoln, Teddy Roosevelt, Ronald Reagan, John Fine, Bill Scranton and Tom Ridge has now devolved into Trump.
Your party owns him and quite frankly I’m so glad you so eloquently stated your support and tacit approval for his sexist, anti middle class and reckless rhetoric and actions.
It will be easier to make sure your REPUBLICAN party gets rewarded with the anonymity and disrespect it so richly deserves these days!
I know your heart and soul are really into Trump and I applaud your enthusiasm. But don’t think for one minute there are thinking people who buy your defense of Trump.
I’m sorry but I think you’re in for a major disappointment in the future. Donald Trump has never rewarded loyalty. He hasn’t rewarded Chris Christie’s, Michael Flynn’s, Sean Spicer’s or now Jeff Sessions' loyalty. He won’t reward yours either and like the others will toss you and all those Trump backers aside like a gum wrapper in front of Trump Tower.