The LuLac Edition #3565, August 1st, 2017

IS BARLETTA "A GO" AGAINST CASEY???

Senator Bob Casey and Congressman Lou Barletta (LuLac archives)

POLITICO and the AP are reporting that Representative Lou Barletta is making a run for the Senate against Senator Bob Casey in 2018. Reports are that the Congressman met with party leaders in Harrisburg and will make the race. Local GOP leaders are heralding this saying Barletta is the man to unseat Casey.
Let’s break this down.
Barletta is making the run because it appears the statewide GOP has lost their “name” candidate. Last year on WBRE/WYOU TV, my analyst colleague, Attorney Chris Cullen advised that money was pouring into a war chest for popular Congressman Patrick Meehan. But Meehan has pulled out and the GOP has a few other lesser lights in the ranks. They are State Reps. Rick Saccone , Jim Christiana and businessman Jeff Bartos. If Barletta accepts, you’ll see how fast the field will clear out.
Barletta will be formidable because he is articulate, attractive and has a common sense presentation. You can’t help but like the guy.
But unseating Casey in this environment will be tough because Barletta will have to defend the following:
1. Defend Trump and his tweets.
2. Defend the fact that he voted for the reduction in Medicaid funding.
3. Defend the fact that his city is still paying off a debt for his Immigration law.
4. Defend the GOP agenda which at this point is nonexistent. Now it is true that Barletta has gotten a few Legislative wins but they can be picked apart by a Casey candidacy and its constituency.
Casey on the other hand has become revved up by the Trump Presidency. Like many Democrats who gave this modern day Republican party a chance, most Dems realize that all they got for their efforts was the GOP rearing their obstructionist heads.
Casey is angry at the way his political philosophy is being defined and you can’t really blame him. Casey will get Democrats coalescing around him in droves. He should also get those Independents who are unhappy with the current GOP administration.
But this will not be a cake walk. Here are Casey’s challenges:
1. He will be attacked as a person who all of a sudden has become more vocal. Well yeah. Trump and the way this current GOP has evolved will do that to reasonable people.
2. Republicans will vote against Casey just because he is a Democrat.
3. As a moderate he will be perceived by Conservative Republicans as not conservative enough. Watch the Pro Lifers come after him. (I’m Pro Life but have no issue with Casey’s stances).
4. The GOP lie machine will be out in full force against him. Already on Social Media Casey is being portrayed as a do nothing Senator when in fact he has been out front in meeting voters while his GOP counterpart has hid. 
The race will be nasty, expensive and bloody.
No prisoners will be taken.
Events will heavily weigh on the outcome of this race. One should remember that Trump won Pennsylvania by 60,000 votes, more than half cane from Luzerne County.
It was not a landslide.
Trump currently is down 9 points statewide in approval.
Before Lou Barletta makes a final dive into the pool, he should realize that carrying The Lu and his district just might not be enough. 
Casey on the other hand should be prepared for constant attacks on everything from his record to his family. The last election cycle proved that if you say something loud enough, even if it is not true, some voters will lap it up like the Gospel. 
This race will also be the most expensive and closely watched in America in 2018. 

CARTWRIGHT AMENDMENT TO PROTECT TOBYHANNA JOBS PASSES HOUSE WITH BIPARTISAN SUPPORT

Congressman Matt Cartwright (Photo: LuLac archives)

A bipartisan amendment offered by Rep. Cartwright to protect federal civilian jobs, including jobs at the Tobyhanna Army Depot, passed the House of Representatives yesterday. This amendment prohibits the Department of Defense from using funds to conduct new A-76 studies.
The A-76 process reviews the possibility of outsourcing federal civilian jobs. These studies rely on a process that both the Government Accountability Office (GAO) and the Inspector General of the Department of Defense concluded could not demonstrate any savings. Subsequently, A-76 studies have been subject to a Congressional moratorium since 2010. Rep. Cartwright’s amendment would extend that moratorium.
“The A-76 process hasn’t been updated since FY 2010 and remains flawed and discriminatory to federal employees,” said Rep. Cartwright. “In addition, the GAO and the Inspector General of the Department of Defense concluded the process could not substantiate any savings for the taxpayer. I am happy my colleagues voted for an amendment to protect federal workers at Tobyhanna and across the country. The Tobyhanna Army Depot is the largest employer in Northeastern Pennsylvania, and the work done there is essential to keeping warfighters safe.”
This amendment was offered to a spending package including the Department of Defense, Military Construction-Department of Veterans Affairs, Energy and Water, and Legislative Branch appropriations bills. The amendment passed the House floor by a 253-172 vote.
Rep. Cartwright is a member of the House Committee on Appropriations and sits on the Subcommittees for Financial Services and Commerce, Justice, Science.