The LuLac Edition #3649, November 16th, 2017

A BETTER TAX PLAN MY ASS!!! 

Republicans are calling this tax plan a better plan for working Americans, but the reality is quite different -- their plan is a scam.
In fact, this week Senate REPUBLICANS made a HUGE change to their tax plan -- it will repeal the individual mandate required by Obamacare, a back-door maneuver to gut the Affordable Care Act and raise health care costs for working families.
Don't they understand that Americans never wanted that Affordable Care Act replaced? Just repaired.  
That’s in addition to the fact that this plan would raise taxes for middle-class Americans while the top 1% and big corporations get a HUGE tax break.
If you’re someone who uses the state tax deduction on your taxes, the GOP’s plan will raise your taxes.
If you’re someone who takes the student loan interest deduction, the GOP’s plan will raise your taxes.
If you are a homeowner, well, you guessed it, the GOP’s tax plan could potentially raise your taxes too.
Meanwhile...our deficit would skyrocket.
Remember a few years ago when the REPUBLICANS would whine and say, “Oh my grandchildren and the deficit, my oh my-my little sainted grandchildren will have to pay forever and ever!!!” You don’t hear that line of shit anymore when it is their REPUBLICAN party screwing them. And us.

THE DISGRACE THAT IS ROY MOORE

Roy Moore (Photo: The Advocate)

A lot of my Republican right wing friends are again doing their comparisons between Roy Moore, the pedophile that is running for Senate in Alabama and people like Bill Clinton, John Kennedy, Gary Hart, and even going back to Franklin D. Roosevelt. Their point is that men stray so why yell at Pedophile Moore just because he seems to like the ladies young. There’s a big difference here.
Each person they bring up was dealt with, judged and to a certain extent tarnished. Their behavior was bad but not as depraved as stalking young girls.
Clinton, JFK, Gary Hart and FDR were never thrown out of Malls.
That’s the difference.

REP. CARTWRIGHT SPEAKS OUT AGAINST TAX BILL THAT WILL HURT PENNSYLVANIA FAMILIES

Congressman Matt Cartwright (Photo: LuLac archives)

U.S. Representative Matt Cartwright (PA-17) spoke on the House floor about how the tax reform bill will ship jobs overseas and leave Pennsylvania working families behind.
Here’s a video that every person in The Lu and The Lac should watch and listen to.

REPEAL OF ACA INDIVIDUAL MANDATE IN SENATE TAX BILL INCREASES OFFSETS TAX CUT FOR MANY PA FAMILIES

Marc Stier, Director of the Pennsylvania Budget and Policy Center, released the following statement on the announcement that the U.S. Senate GOP will include a repeal of the Affordable Care Act individual mandate in their tax bill:
"The decision by the Senate Finance Committee to include repeal of the ACA’s individual mandate in the tax cut plan removes whatever is left of the veil on the true intentions of the Republican policy proposal. Republicans in Congress repeatedly claim that their plan aims to benefit the middle class. But this recent decision to repeal the individual mandate and save $300 billion in federal spending deeply harms middle class families in order to provide tax cuts for the very rich. Middle class Pennsylvanians who purchase insurance on the individual marketplace are likely to find that their whole tax cut is eaten up by the higher health insurance premiums created by the end of the individual mandate.
"The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimates that individual market premiums would increase by 10 percent if the mandate is repealed. That would translate into premium increases of hundreds of dollars per year for about 7 million mostly middle-income, unsubsidized individual market consumers, with premiums increasing by over $1,000 for many older people.
"Our rough estimate of the impact in our state is that in 2019 the almost 100,000 Pennsylvanians whose incomes are too high to receive a subsidy to purchase insurance in the ACA marketplace will see premiums increase by $876 per year. This is larger than the $820 projected yearly average tax cut for the Pennsylvanians in the income classes most likely to purchase insurance on the marketplace. Similar increases will be found in the premiums for individual insurance purchased outside the ACA marketplace. (We project that the average tax cut to the top 1% of Pennsylvanians will be $36,470.)
"In addition to premium increases, CBO estimates that the number of Americans without health insurance would increase by 13 million if the individual mandate were repealed. Those estimates are largely consistent with prior analyses from RAND, the Urban Institute, and Lewin. In Pennsylvania, the drop in the insured population could reach up to 500,000 people.
"People who are uninsured lack access to preventive care, are less likely to receive needed care, have worse health outcomes, and can face financial ruin if they do get sick and seek treatment. Moreover, many of those who go uninsured ultimately will get sick and need care, but they will be unable to pay for it, leaving that care to be paid for (involuntarily) by other participants in the health care system."
Notes: Our projection of tax cuts under the Senate bill comes from the Institute on Tax and Economic Policy. The $820 average cut is what ITEP projects for Pennsylvanians in the 40th to 80th percentile, the income group most likely to be purchasing unsubsidized insurance on the marketplace. Our estimates of the increased cost of the number of Pennsylvanians who secure unsubsidized health insurance on the marketplace and of the cost of premiums for that insurance is based on 2017 CMS data. We estimate projected cost of insurance premiums in 2019 by taking into account the already announced 31% premium increases for 2018. (The large premium increase in 2018 was necessary because of the Trump administration’s decision to end cost-sharing subsidies.) We add an additional 5% for the likely premium increase necessary in 2019 prior to the additional premium cost made necessary by ending the insurance mandate. These estimates are rough because we can’t exactly match the family characteristics of those who purchase unsubsidized insurance on the market place with the family characteristics of all Pennsylvanians in 40th to 80th percentile. Results for individual families will, of course, vary a great deal. But the evidence points to the truth of our basic point — for those who purchase insurance on the individual marketplace, a large part of the tax cut promised to middle class families in the Senate tax cut bill will be eaten up by higher health insurance premiums. (Source: PBAPC)
The Pennsylvania Budget and Policy Center is a non-partisan policy research project that provides independent, credible analysis on state tax, budget and related policy matters, with attention to the impact of current or proposed policies on working families.

KATHI COZZONE ANNOUNCES MORE ENDORSEMENTS IN BID FOR LT. GOVERNOR OF PENNSYLVANIA

COMMISSIONERS AND LEGISLATORS FROM ACROSS THE STATE ARE JOINING TOGETHER TO SUPPORT KATHI COZZONE

Commissioner Cozzone (Photo: Cozzone campaign)

Chester County Commissioner Kathi Cozzone announced a second round of endorsements from County and State officials today. Endorsing today are State Representative John Galloway from Bucks County, County Commissioners Jeff Eggleston from Warren County and Harlan Shober from Washington County, and former County Commissioner Suzanne Fretz McCool from Monroe County.
“Since announcing my campaign in late August with the support of six County or State elected officials, I have been travelling around our great commonwealth meeting with activists at County Dinners and events for local candidates,” Cozzone said. “It has been inspiring how much energy is out there for our 2017 candidates! Along the way, I’m proud to have gained the support of more respected public servants. My County Commissioner colleagues know that Harrisburg needs our perspective of what it takes to carry out state policies and programs in our local communities. And my friends in the Legislature know that we could use my demonstrated ability to work across the aisle. I’m honored and grateful to have their support!”
These endorsers join previous supporters County Commissioners Diane Marseglia of Bucks County, Kevin Barnhardt of Berks County, Kevin Boozel of Butler County and Ed Bustin of Bradford County, along with former Commissioner Pam Tokar-Ickes of Somerset County and State Representative Carolyn Comitta who represents Chester County.
Kathi Cozzone is in her third term as Chester County Commissioner, currently serving as Vice Chairwoman. Before her election in 2007, Kathi spent 20 years in various private sector finance roles. As Commissioner, she immediately brought her business experience to County government by initiating an award-winning strategic plan to meet programmatic goals while remaining fiscally responsible. Since then, she has focused on job creation, serving on the County’s Workforce Development Board and Industrial Development Authority; and improving outcomes for mentally ill people who find themselves in the criminal justice system. Kathi has served in numerous statewide roles, including the State Geospatial Coordinating Board, the Governor’s Pipeline Infrastructure Task Force and the Advisory Committee for Voting System Technology. She is Vice President of the County Commissioners Association of Pennsylvania. Kathi lives in Exton, PA with her husband Victor and their son Victor, a student at Downingtown East High School. (Source: Cozzone campaign)

WOMEN WE LOVE 2017 NOMINATIONS

As the year winds down, we will continue with our year end features. “Women We Love” is something we ripped off from Esquire Magazine a few years back. Each year we get nominees for outstanding women locally, statewide nationally and internationally.
The criteria is simple, quality of work, recognition of community activities, challenging positions that give them a profile both good or bad. Also, if there is a “buzz” about the type of year they are having and how that impacts on themselves as well as the community. Nominations come in via the LuLac E Mail box, Facebok and Twitter and a certain number is needed to make the cut. After that cut is dwindled, we choose the winners.
Deadline for nominations is Nov. 30th.

WASSAILFEST & HOLIDAY NIGHT MARKET

DECEMBER FIRST 5 to 9PM

HOSTED BY DOWNTOWN HAZLETON ALLIANCE FOR PROGRESS

MEDIA MATTERS

WALN TV

BOLD GOLD COMMUNITY FORUM

Tune in Sunday morning at 6 on 94.3 The Talker; 6:30 on 1400-The Game, NEPA's Fox .Sports Radio and 106.7 fm; and at 7:30 on 105 The River.

ECTV LIVE

ECTV Live hosts Rusty Fender, David DeCosmo, and Director Mark Migilore welcome Beth Ann Zero of the Dunmore Pride Committee to the program during the week of November 20th. Beth Ann will unveil plans for the special "Home For The Holidays in Bucktown" event coming up on the Sunday after Thanksgiving.

ECTV Live can be seen on Comcast channel 19 (61 in some areas) and is aired during the Noon, 6pm and Midnight hours each day of the week. Following Monday's Live program the show will become available on Electric City Television's YouTube channel which can be viewed on your computer.

SUE HENRY’S SPECIAL EDITION

Tune in to Sue Henry's "Special Edition" this week as Sue recaps the week's news. The show will run Saturday at 2 p.m. and Sunday at 1 p.m. on WILK, and on KRZ, Froggy and Max 102 early Sunday morning.

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!”

BOBBY V’S DOO WOP SOCK HOP

SUNDAY NIGHTS!!!!

1977

Our 1977 logo

Egyptian President Anwar Sadat becomes the first Arab leader to make an official visit to Israel, when he meets with Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin, seeking a permanent peace settlement.

TAP Portugal Flight 425 crashes at Madeira Airport, Funchal, Portugal, killing 131 and leaving 33 survivors...........British Airways inaugurates regular London to New York City supersonic Concorde service…..The Penn State Nittany Lions, on their way to The Fiesta Bowl finish at 11-1…..in the Wyoming Valley Conference football rivalries on Thanksgiving are still gearing up as rivals meet on Turkey Day. Nowadays the games are no longer played on Thanksgiving and 40 years ago the number one song in LuLac land and America was “Isn't It Time “ by The Babys