Rated one of Pennsylvania's top blog/sites, the LuLac Political Letter delves into issues of politics on all levels (with special concentration on Luzerne and Lackawanna Counties: thus the name LULAC) and pop culture.
The LuLac Political Letter was also named Best Political Blog of the Year for 2014 by NEPA BLOGCON and most recently David Yonki was named Best Blogger of the year 2015 by the publication Diamond City.
Wednesday, January 30, 2019
The LuLac Edition #3995, January 30th, 2019
WRITE ON WEDNESDAY
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This is a tad late but I wanted to share this with you regarding the exit of 12th District Congressman Tom Marino. Marino’s sudden exit was met with both surprise and contempt. Plus Marino’s vague explanations have done little to have people give him a fair shot. Or even a sendoff. Here’s what Times Shamrock had to say about his tenure and by extension his legacy.
MARINO HELPED SPUR DISUNITY
Rep. Tom Marino’s sudden announcement Thursday that he will resign from Congress, after just winning his fifth term, heralds the close of a political career that began and will end in controversy. Marino, 66, a Lycoming County Republican, defeated incumbent Democrat Chris Carney amid the tea party surge of 2010, in what was then the heavily Republican 10th Congress. He fought off a controversy that year over his service and resignation as U.S. attorney, during which he allowed himself to be named as a reference in a casino license application by Dunmore businessmen Louis DeNaples, who had a felony conviction on his record. Marino resigned amid an internal review of that issue and went to work for DeNaples. In Congress, Marino was part of an extreme right contingent that was ground zero for much of the political polarization that has characterized the capital over the past eight years. He was among the earliest endorsers of Donald Trump and scored an impressive political achievement, as co-chairman of the Trump campaign in Pennsylvania, when Trump narrowly won here in 2016 — a crucial victory that served the president’s majority in the Electoral College. That stature earned him Trump’s nomination as director of the White House Office of Drug Control Policy, the “drug czar.” But Marino withdrew after “60 Minutes” and The Washington Post revealed that he aggressively had championed a law that precluded federal agencies from aggressively investigating prescription opioid shipments to mostly rural areas. Marino was a divisive figure. The reconfigured, sprawling and even more Republican 12th District will be better served by choosing a more moderate successor in a special election.
We said it last year and the Trump supporters said the tax cuts would grow business and create jobs. Those companies and 1% demi-gods would re-invest the capital and boost the economy. Diaper Don even said it would. But new studies have shown that there has been little investment, no raise in pay and no big employment expansions. The only thing the tax cuts did were: 1. Make the 1% richer. 2. Get big buybacks on stock for the rich. 3. Keep job creation stagnant. We live in a world where we should know that history repeats itself. But yet we get suckered every single time by boosters of the GOP who have done nothing but screw the middle class. The Democratic policies got us out of the recession and there was economic growth. But the GOP said that “the economy wasn’t growing fast enough” or it was a “weak comeback”. Wait, when the shit hits the fan when we do get in another recession. But the Trump ass kissers will blame Obama.
THE 2020 VOTING SCARE
I heard it yesterday afternoon on talk radio when the local afternoon mouthpiece said he was concerned about voter fraud in 2020. His reasoning was that prisoners might have the right to vote and that they may not want to vote, have interest in voting or might be subject to cohesion to vote Democratic. You’ll be hearing this in the coming years as the GOP mouthpieces (and this guy was a duly elected Democrat) do the scare tactics to suppress voter turnout and make the false claim that any reform in voting will be election fraud. The fact that anyone seeking to vote might be swayed or coerced is intriguing to me given the fact that so ,many people voted for Diaper Don the way they did. Diaper got his votes from a “mob mentality” that has not served those voters well.Any new voter is scary to the right wing mouthpiece who said it wasn't the party he was used. Yeah when they throw you out after one term...I can see how you'd say that!
TRUMP PROPERTIES HIRED ILLEGALS
For years Donald Trump had illegals working on his properties. He was the one who proclaimed “America workers should have American jobs”. But his golf courses had immigrants who were underpaid and protected by Mr. “Build A Wall”.
TRUMP CALLS ANN COULTER HOSTILE
President Donald Trump hit back at conservative pundit Ann Coulter in an interview Sunday, after she described him as a "wimp." “I hear she’s become very hostile,” Trump said in an interview with The Wall Street Journal on Sunday. “Maybe I didn’t return her phone call or something.” Coulter was formerly one of the staunchest supporters of the president’s hard line anti-immigrant policies, but has turned against him over his failure to secure funding from Congress to fulfill his signature campaign promise to build a wall on the U.S.-Mexican border.
Are you ready for some great tasting ribs? Check this out from your friends and neighbors in The Lu. But the deadline to order is Tuesday, JANUARY 29th. Here’s the info!
The NAACP Wilkes-Barre Branch #2306 is asking you to support the fundraising initiative of the brothers of the Tyre Square Club, Inc. of Golden Rule Lodge No.15. The continued existence of the NAACP Wilkes-Barre Branch #2306 for the last twenty-five plus years is largely attributed to the support of our Masonic brothers. The Tyre Square Club Inc. will be hosting a Super Bowl Fundraiser on Sunday, February 3, 2019 at 5 Elk Lane, Wilkes-Barre, PA 18702 from 12 noon until 3:00 P.M. Orders must be made by the cutoff date of January 29, 2019. To place orders, please call (570) 239-6879. 1 Rack - $25.00 8 Pieces of Chicken Plus Loaf Pan of Macaroni & Cheese - $25.00 1 Rack of Ribs Plus Loaf Pan of Macaroni & Cheese - $40.00 Loaf Pan of Macaroni & Cheese - $15.00
OLYMPIC GOLD MEDALIST TYLER GEORGE TO APPEAR AT TOYOTA SPORTSPLEX
CURLING OPEN HOUSE SCHEDULED FOR THIS FRIDAY AT 2:30 PM
Tyler George (Photo: NBC, Zimbo)
The Toyota SportsPlex and the Anthracite Curling Club are pleased to announce 2018 Olympic Gold Medalist Tyler George will appear this Friday, February 1, for a curling 'open house' event from 2:30pm to 4:30pm. "We're thrilled to have Tyler joining us for this event," said Jason Jarecki, general manager of the Toyota SportsPlex. "The Anthracite Curling Club has been a great partner for us since we first opened in 2010, and being in a position to host a gold medalist is a real feather in their cap." Registration for Friday's event is just $20 per person and is available online at www.anthracitecurling.com. Included in the fee is a meet-and-greet with Mr. George as well as curling demonstrations and lessons. Information regarding Anthracite Curling's upcoming 'Learn to Curl' classes and spring 2019 curling league will also be available for interested parties. Since February of 2006, the Anthracite Curling Club has been the only organization in Northeastern Pennsylvania dedicated to teaching the sport of curling. For information regarding upcoming curling classes and leagues, please visit the organization's web site (listed above) or call 570-266-7978. The Toyota SportsPlex is the official practice facility and training center for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, proud American Hockey League affiliate of the Pittsburgh Penguins. For information regarding programs and activities for all ages and skill levels, please visit www.toyotasportsplex.com or call 570-208-9471.
Pa. Attorney General Josh Shapiro (Photo: LuLac archives)
Senator Bob Casey was on the air today with Fox 56's Chuck Volpe and they were of course discussing politics and policy. Casey made the point that many state Attorney Generals who are Republicans are filing lawsuits that are contested in court and preventing middle class people from getting services from the current administration. Casey warned that pre existing conditions are always at the GOP forefront of knocking legislation down through Courts. Pennsylvania's AG Josh Shapiro has been adamant about taking on the President regarding his travel ban and immigration. Here's what he wrote recently; January 27, 2017: President Trump releases his first Muslim travel ban. Just seven days into his Administration and we’re faced with cowardly attacks against our immigrant community. January 27, 2019: We’ve fought back – Blocking Muslim Travel Ban #1 Blocking an illegal citizenship question on the 2020 Census Fighting family separation practices at the border Defending the legal rights of DREAMers Your constitutional rights matter. The rule of law matters. My greatest responsibility lies in protecting these basic truths, enshrined to all Pennsylvanians – no matter what they look like, where they come from, or who they pray to. It took just 2 weeks for the President to see what would happen when he got in my way of upholding the law. And thanks to you, our work is just getting started. Shapiro wants people to sign a petition protecting immigrants. https://act.joshshapiro.org/page/s/Protect_the_rights_of_immigrants?gpsid=6_26_5389&source=em19_190127_TrvBan_adv_gq_ful__JS_ettx&utm_campaign=em19_190127_TrvBan_adv_gq_ful__JS_ettx&utm_medium=email&utm_source=jshap
Wilbur Ross who Diaper Don appointed as Commerce Secretary said to the Federal workers missing their paychecks that perhaps they should get a bridge loan to cover expenses. Ross, a billionaire investor, called it "disappointing" that some federal workers affected by the government shutdown were not showing up to work and said "there really is not a good excuse" for affected employees to lack money, adding that they should be able to borrow funds from financial institutions. This old man does not understand the economics of middle class families. He is just an example of what you get when RICH REPUBLICANS with no empathy get power!
BIMBO TRUMP WIFE SAYS TO FEDERAL WORKERS NOT PAID: ONLY A LITTLE PAIN!
(Photo: Getty Images)
Last year Lara Trump made the scene in LuLac land and took her picture with a few Trump friends. Some even related to me. This is what she said about the shutdown. Telling Bold TV that federal workers faced "a little bit of pain" over their bills but urged sacrifice, saying "this is so much bigger than any one person”. Hey blondie….tell that to the 800,000 people not getting paid because your father in law’s inanity. Lara is an adviser to Diaper 2020 campaign and I’m sure people here will be lining up to kiss her Gucci’s when she breezes through trying to get support for her daddy in law. That’s how dumb some people still are regarding this President.
TALE OF TWO VEEPS
(Photo: AP)
BIDEN CALLS OUT HATE
PENCE SAYS TRUMP A LOT LIKE DR KING
It is dangerous for me to do two things in the Trump era. They are; 1. Fast forward the DVR when Mike Pence is giving an interview. 2. Take a nap between 3 and 5pm. That’s usually when a new bomb is dropped about the Trump presidency. Sunday as the best football day of the year and after digging partially out of the disgusting winter blast, I was in the mood to watch some football. I went through the Sunday shows with ease but could not stand listening to Mike Pence. If all the Trump ass kissers pinned a “Sleeping Bob” nickname on Senator Casey, just what the hell would they call Pence. Mr. Adavan? Honest to God, I’ve seen stoners more animated after two big joints than Pence. So I fast forwarded him. And I missed this gem. Speaking on Sunday on CBS’ program Face the Nation, the vice president quoted from Dr King’s “I Have a Dream” speech as he defended Mr Trump’s latest pitch to secure funding for a barrier along the United States’ southern border. The budget impasse over the wall has resulted in the longest government shutdown in history, one that has left thousands of federal workers without pay. “One of my favourite quotes from Dr King was, ‘Now is the time to make real the promises of democracy’,” Mr Pence said. “You think of how he changed America. He inspired us to change through the legislative process, to become a more perfect union.” “That’s exactly what President Trump is calling on Congress to do,” Mr Pence added. “Come to the table in the spirit of good faith. We’ll secure our border. We’ll reopen the government, and we’ll move our nation forward as the president said yesterday to even a broader discussion about immigration reform in the months ahead.” Mr Pence Mwas referring to the president’s latest proposal to end the partial government shutdown. Man I hope Vice President Pence has a good orthopedic surgeon because he was really, really reaching and stretching on this one. To compare Trump, who is a racist President to King is ludicrous. To give Pence the slight benefit of the doubt, maybe it was a 20 something staffer with a lack of history who gave him the quote. But King was about breaking barriers not putting them up. Plus, every-time you see a tweet that involves race, Diaper Don takes the side of the white and NOT the minority. Pence has now in my view disqualified himself as a successor to the racist President. He is either too naïve or just plain dumb to have made that statement especially the day before the King celebration. Meanwhile, former Vice President Joe Biden ripped the current occupant of the White House Monday for legitimizing a resurgence of racism in America. Without mentioning President Donald Trump by name, Biden told a crowd of civil rights activists and civic leaders at Al Sharpton's breakfast honoring Martin Luther King Jr., that it was all too easy for some of America's ugliest sentiments on race to reemerge. "We've learned in the last two years it doesn't take much to awaken hate, to bring those folks out from under the rocks," Biden said, often addressing King's son, Martin Luther King III, who was at Biden’s table. "That part of American society has always been there, will always be there, but has been legitimized," Biden said. He recalled the Neo-Nazi alt-right rally in Charlottesville, Va., in 2017 where a white supremacist ran down protester Heather Heyer after a night that featured torch-lit marches and angry "blood and soil" chants by polo-shirted white people. "Dr. King would know those faces well, those lost souls, that once stood like cowards, hooded, behind burning crosses," Biden said. "They have been deliberately reawakened again, those forces. It's not an accident." He also pointed to Trump's infamous remarks at the time, when the president said there were "very fine people" on both sides. It was something Biden said he thought he'd never witness again in America --"a president of the United States make a moral equivalence between those who were spreading the hate and those who were opposing it." Mike Pence and Joe Biden, two people who are worlds apart in common sense and dignity. (LuLac, NY Daily News)
GOVERNOR TOM WOLF CELEBRATES MLK LEGACY THIS WEEK
(Photo: AP)
Governor Tom Wolf and Lieutenant Governor John Fetterman celebrated the legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr. by participating in a day of service event and national bell ringing ceremony, both in Philadelphia. At the 24th Greater Philadelphia Martin Luther King Day of Service at Girard College, Gov. Wolf called for peaceful action toward an end to gun violence, moving forward to safer communities, taking care of each other, and following the example of Dr. King. “We simply cannot accept gun violence as a normal part of American life,” Gov. Wolf said. “And now, we simply cannot wait any longer to act. We need to stand together as Dr. King showed us, stronger than hate and united against violence. “It is increasingly important that we all come together, from different communities and different backgrounds, to celebrate what Dr. King stood for, what this day represents. We can and should make a commitment to serving our communities and each other every day.” At the day of service, the governor and lieutenant governor participated in assembling “dream booths,” portable three-dimensional displays made of synthetic plastic pipe with panels of cloth with personal expressions of values and dreams of a world without gun violence called Dreamline Banners attached. The Greater Philadelphia King Day of Service is organized through Global Citizen, a non-partisan organization dedicated to promoting civic engagement, community volunteering, civic responsibility, and sustained active citizenship among diverse groups, particularly young people. Global Citizen promotes democracy building, voter education, and participation, locally and globally. At the Philadelphia Martin Luther King, Jr. Association for Nonviolence, Inc. annual bell ringing ceremony, Governor Wolf’s remarks focused on Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy. “Dr. King’s example – his dedication to his community, to his incredible cause, and to his fellow man is truly awe-inspiring and I’m really pleased to play a small part in both preserving and moving forward his legacy,” Gov. Wolf said. “Moving forward – with peaceful yet powerful action and not passivity. This is a focus of my second term as governor of this great state; a state that celebrates and demonstrates its diversity, its commitment to family, to neighbor, to community every day. Nowhere is that more evident than in Dr. King’s legacy.” Dr. King’s widow, Mrs. Coretta Scott King, requested a national bell ringing ceremony to commemorate the first national Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday in 1986 as a means to further the Martin Luther King, Jr. Federal Holiday Commission’s mandate to “to provide advice and assistance to federal, state and local governments and to private organizations with respect to the observance of the holiday.” Laura Wooten, a longtime election day volunteer, was the official bell ringer for the ceremony. The Philadelphia Martin Luther King, Jr. Association for Nonviolence, Inc. was founded by Honorable Dr. C. DeLores Tucker and a group of local leaders in 1983, 17 years after the assassination of the late Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The mission of the association is to preserve and advance the work of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. through educating, interpreting, advocating and promoting nonviolent theory and philosophy. “Because Dr. King devoted his life to making our world better, let us follow his example by doing the same,” Gov. Wolf said. “And let us work to make the world fairer and our communities better every day.”
DIAPER DON SAYS PRESS IS MEAN TO LYING PRESS SECRETARY
The big baby that was elected by a minority of voters in 2016 has started whining about how the press has hurt the little itty feelings of his Press Secretary Sarah Sanders. Trump in a tweet said that the press is rude, Here’s what Diaper Don tweeted: The reason Sarah Sanders does not go to the “podium” much anymore is that the press covers her so rudely & inaccurately, in particular certain members of the press. I told her not to bother, the word gets out anyway! Most will never cover us fairly & hence, the term, Fake News! Once more the big baby who gets HIS itty bitty feelings hurt calls out the American institution that other Presidents may not have loved but have not gone out of the it way to sabotaged The little boy can’t take the heat. Calling the press rude is rich coming from the rudest son of a bitch that ever occupied the White House.
FORMER SENATOR WOLFORD DIES AT 92
(Photo: UPI)
Harris Wofford, the Democratic senator from Pennsylvania who served out John Heinzs’ term after his tragic accident died this week. He also was a university president and lifelong crusader for civil rights who made a crucial contribution to John F. Kennedy’s slender victory in the 1960 presidential contest, died Jan. 21 at a hospital in Washington. Wofford became one of the first white students to graduate from the historically black Howard University Law School in Washington. He was an early supporter of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and marched alongside him in the civil and voting rights flash point of Selma, Ala. Robert F. Kennedy, the president’s brother who served as U.S. attorney general, once referred to Mr. Wofford as a “slight madman” in his zeal for advancing civil rights. In 1960, student sit-ins at segregated lunch counters and restaurants were exploding across the South. That October, at one such protest in Atlanta, King was arrested and jailed. His predicament worsened after the judge in the case learned of a prior conviction: Several months earlier, King and his wife had been driving a white friend to the hospital in a neighboring county and were pulled over by a police officer suspicious of the interracial group of travelers. The civil rights leader, who had been found guilty of driving with an out-of-state-license, a misdemeanor, was sentenced to four months of hard labor. In 1960, student sit-ins at segregated lunch counters and restaurants were exploding across the South. That October, at one such protest in Atlanta, King was arrested and jailed. His predicament worsened after the judge in the case learned of a prior conviction: Several months earlier, King and his wife had been driving a white friend to the hospital in a neighboring county and were pulled over by a police officer suspicious of the interracial group of travelers. The civil rights leader, who had been found guilty of driving with an out-of-state-license, a misdemeanor, was sentenced to four months of hard labor. His wife, Coretta Scott King, then pregnant with their third child, feared her husband would be killed in jail. Her fear turned to terror after he was yanked from his cell in the middle of the night and taken to a maximum-security prison in Reidsville, Ga. By the time she reached Mr. Wofford, a friend since the 1955-1956 Montgomery bus boycott, she was hysterical. Mr. Wofford, who had been a lawyer for the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights before joining the Kennedy presidential campaign, wanted to help but understood the political risks. Knowing that any overt sympathizing with the jailed leader might alienate Southern white voters, Kennedy’s top strategists ruled out any action. His opponent, Vice President Richard M. Nixon, also was staying out of the fray. Mr. Wofford helped hatch a plan. “The idea came to me. . . . Why shouldn’t he just call Mrs. King?” Mr. Wofford recounted in the oral history “Voices of Freedom” by Henry Hampton and Steve Fayer. “She was very anxious. . . . Why can’t Kennedy at least just call her and say, ‘We’re working at it; we’re going to get him out. You have my sympathy.’ A personal, direct act.” With encouragement from Shriver, Kennedy placed the call during a campaign stop in Chicago. King was released the next day after Robert Kennedy, his brother’s campaign manager, made another call — this time to the judge. He drove home the political importance of freeing King and assured the jurist that his help would make him “a welcome visitor in a future Kennedy White House,” biographer Larry Tye wrote in his 2016 book “Bobby Kennedy: The Making of a Liberal Icon.” In black communities across the country, “the grapevine telegraph lit up” with jubilation over the Kennedys’ efforts, Tye wrote. Mr. Wofford led the charge to tout the phone calls in a pamphlet distributed at black ¬churches across the country the Sunday before the election. Dubbed the “blue bomb” because of the color of the paper on which it was printed, it contrasted “No- Comment Nixon” with the “Candidate With a Heart.” It also featured a powerful endorsement from King’s influential Baptist preacher father. The pamphlet “circulated below the registry of the news and white culture. It had enormous influence among black voters,” King biographer Taylor Branch said in an interview. Executed behind the backs of the campaign’s leaders, it “shows Harris Wofford’s real shrewdness and possibly his decisive role in history.” Kennedy won the election by 84 electoral votes and a popular margin of 112,000 votes. Seventy percent of black voters cast their ballots for him. In “The Making of the President, 1960,” historian Theodore H. White credited Kennedy’s success to “the master stroke of intervention in the Martin Luther King arrest.” (LuLac, Penn Live, CNN, PCN)
MEDIA MATTERS
WALN TV
BOLD GOLD COMMUNITY FORUM
This week's broadcast will feature a Town Hall session dealing with issues before the Scranton School District. It was hosted by Auditor General Eugene DePasquale. 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 welcomes Penn State Professor Brian Orem to the program during the week of January 28th. A professional Geologist, Professor Orem will talk about some of the environmental conditions leading to the establishment of a controversial tax on water runoff that's being implemented in Wyoming Valley.
The shows will air several times daily on Comcast channel 19 (61 in some areas) and will also be rebroadcast on the electric city television YouTube page! 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 or device.
BUDDY RUMCHEK
Want to hear some great parodies on the news? Tune in to WILK Radio at 6:20 and 8:20 AM on Mondays. As Ralph Cramden used to say, “It’s a laugh riot!”
BOBBY V’S DOO WOP SOCK HOP
SUNDAY NIGHTS!
1969
Our 1969 logo.
Elvis Presley steps into American Studios in Memphis, Tennessee, recording "Long Black Limousine", thus beginning the recording of what becomes his landmark comeback sessions for the albums From Elvis in Memphis and Back in Memphis. The sessions yield the popular and critically acclaimed singles "Suspicious Minds", "In the Ghetto", and "Kentucky Rain".
Fourteen men, 9 of them Jews, are executed in Baghdad for spying for Israel. 1969 Santa Barbara oil spill: A blowout on Union Oil's Platform A spills 80,000 to 100,000 barrels of crude oil into a channel and onto the beaches of Santa Barbara County in Southern California; on February 5 the oil spill closes Santa Barbara's harbor. The incident inspires Wisconsin Senator Gaylord Nelson to organize the first Earth Day in 1970. The Beatles give their last public performance, of several tracks on the roof of Apple Records, London (featured in Let It Be (1970 film)).
In Pennsylvania Senator Dick Schweiker settles into his role as a Junior Senator from the Commonwealth having been elected in 1968 unseated two termer Joseph Clark….in Luzerne County Stephen Yanoshak puts his hat in the ring for County Controller and fifty years ago this week the number one song in Lu-Lac land and America was “Crimson and Clover” a very annoying song by Tommy James & the Shondells.
With Senator Robert Casey's recent announcement that he will not run for President, perhaps this article is very timely. When Casey said "nay", the usual anonymous posters in the newspapers had a field day. But Casey has won three terms. He joins the ranks of Pennsylvania Senate giants like Hugh Scott and Arlen Specter who had multiple terms. Notwithstanding the nickname put on him by Diaper Don, Casey is a powerhouse.
Our friends at Franklin & Marshall, Drs. Terry Madonna and Michael Young have weighed in on why a Pennsylvanian on the ticket would be great.
WHY A PENNSYLVANIAN ON THE DEMOCRATIC TICKET WOULD BE AN ADVANTAGE
CASEY ON DECK
Pennsylvania U.S. Senator Robert Casey has been an enormously successful politician, winning six statewide elections by substantial margins - twice as Auditor General, once as State Treasurer and three times as U.S. Senator. The scope and magnitude of his many victories reveal wide appeal across the political spectrum. Casey has indicated he might seek the Democratic nomination for president. So far, however, he has not set up an exploratory committee, put together any campaign staff, or taken any visible steps to pursue a candidacy. Casey is not notably outspoken, normally eschews controversy, and generally has not sought a national profile. Yet on some big culture issues he has modified his positions. He’s personally pro-life and opposes abortion after 20 weeks, while strongly supporting Planned Parenthood. He has supported new gun restrictions, favoring universal background checks, a ban on assault weapons and a ban on bump stocks. The Senator might be described as a moderate Democrat in a party moving leftward, making him appear to be an unlikely candidate. But Electoral College geopolitics could make Casey an attractive candidate. Trump’s 2016 win depended on his successful rust belt Electoral College strategy, bringing victory in Pennsylvania as well as Ohio, Michigan and Wisconsin. Winning in 2020 hinges on winning those states again – and Casey on the ticket probably takes Pennsylvania out of Trump’s coalition. Casey on the ticket also could go far to neutralize the Trump advantage gained in the rust belt from his harsh criticism of America’s trade policies. Casey, too, has been a leading critic of traditional trade policies attacking both the Trans-Pacific Partnership and NAFTA. Unlike many in his party Casey has also maintained close contact with working class voters and the unions that represent them reflecting his deep roots in labor issues affecting working men and women. If Casey does decide to seek the presidency, he would not be the first Pennsylvanian in modern times to do that. Many have been called, alas none have been chosen. The moderate Governor Bill Scranton, under considerable pressure from other moderates, ran for the Republican nomination in 1964, in a last gasp unsuccessful effort to stop conservative Barry Goldwater. Then, in 1976, Gov. Milton Shapp also ran, but received little national attention, and even less support. In the Florida primary, he came in behind “no preference.” Senator Arlen Specter made a brief run for the Republican nomination in 1996, a nomination eventually won by Bob Dole. Specter’s campaign did exploratory trips to Iowa and New Hampshire, attracting virtually no support. The most successful candidacy was Senator Rick Santorum’s in 2012. Santorum actually ran twice for the Republican nomination. But In 2012, he ran aggressively winning 11 delegate selection contests and almost four million votes. Ultimately, he was overwhelmed by eventual nominee Mitt Romney’s huge financial and organizational advantages. Santorum withdrew from the contest in early April 2012, technically the GOP runner-up. His second effort in 2016 did not make it past the Iowa caucus. In 2020, more than 25 Democrats are seriously considering seeking the Democratic nomination. The viability of a Casey candidacy in a field of this size is uncertain. But his political bona fides mentioned above would make him a solid choice for the second spot on the ticket. There would be little controversy over his selection as the vice-presidential candidate. If so, Casey will join at least four other Pennsylvanian’s considered in recent times. In 1976, Reagan picked Pennsylvanian Richard Schweiker for his running mate. Prematurely it turned out, since Reagan later lost the presidential nomination to Gerald Ford. Eight years later Walter Mondale briefly considered Philadelphia Mayor Wilson Goode before picking Geraldine Ferraro. In 1992, Harris Wofford made Bill Clinton’s short list before Clinton picked Al Gore. The last Pennsylvanian to get serious consideration for the vice-presidential nomination was Tom Ridge in 2000. The popular governor was considered by George W. Bush, actually filled out a presidential questionnaire and began the vetting process. He ultimately withdrew his name, however, and Bush eventually chose Dick Cheney. No Pennsylvanian has served in the vice presidency since the 1840’s when George Dallas was Vice President in the administration of James K. Polk. Dallas is the only Pennsylvanian to serve as Vice President while James Buchanan is the only Pennsylvanian elected president. Part of the reason for this long dearth of Pennsylvanians in the White House is the workings of the Electoral College. Pennsylvania is a highly prized electoral college win. Nevertheless, during much of its history it consistently has been “safe” for one party or the other.That dramatically is not the case today with a “purple” Pennsylvania among a small group of states that will determine the next president. Having a Pennsylvanian on the ticket in 2020 could be a huge advantage seeking the presidency. That salient fact is unlikely to escape either party as we approach the 2020 election.
Less than two years after being in the Senate, California lawmaker Kamalla Harris threw her hat into the ring for the Democratic nomination for President. She is the THIRD woman to enter the race. Senators Kristen Gillibrand and Elizabeth Warren are the others. Gee, even if Hillary decided to run, would there be any room? It might be a good thing the Democrats didn’t get the Senate in the mid terms because they might be hard pressed to get a quorum with so many Senators running. In her announcement yesterday on Martin Luther King Junior day, she highlighted Decency. Justice. Truth. Equality. And Freedom. Democracy. She said, “These aren’t just words: they’re the values we, as Americans, cherish. Right now, they’re all on the line. We face the greatest crisis of leadership we’ve seen in our lifetimes, and powerful voices are filling the void, sowing hate and division among us. We’ve witnessed an Administration that aligns itself with dictators and refers to white supremacists as “very fine people. They’ve torn babies from their mothers’ arms and put children in cages. They’ve slashed taxes for corporations and the wealthiest among us -- placing the burden on the middle class. They’ve actively fought against efforts to combat climate change. Time and again, they’ve sabotaged our country’s health care. And they’ve attacked our free and independent press at every turn. We know America is better than this -- but it's on us to build it. We’re going to have to fight for it.” Some say the Harris candidacy might be bereft of experience on a national level. There used to be a process where nominees came up through the ranks but Barack Obama shattered that belief. Plus with Beto O’Rourke not even winning his last election and having Oprah cheer leading for him already, the old pecking order is now as dead as the dinosaurs. Harris will bring an interesting perspective to the race. Hopefully for her, people will notice if the crowded field doesn’t overshadow her.
SHARE YOUR ACA STORY WITH CONGRESSMAN CARTWRIGHT
Congressman Matt Cartwright (Photo: LuLac archives)
Congressman Matt Cartwright is asking for stories about The Affordable Care Act on his website. Here’s the link: https://cartwright.house.gov/share-your-aca-story With the impotent Congress of Republicans trying their best to kill the ACA, these stories are worth hearing and giving to the Congressman. If there is an issue, he’d like to know. If there is a success story, he’s certainly like to hear that too. This act has been demonized by the GOP since its passage in 2009 BUT there are many Americans who like it. And the Republicans have done little to replace it. So it lives and most likely thrives. Anyway, check it out.
It is two years to the day that President Trump took office. From day one he has not inspired anyone to their better angels but has been an inspiration to those closet racists who now feel free to show us who they really are. The effect Trump has had on young people is stunning. His lack of knowledge and his pride in it that lack of anything normal has emboldened people of all ages to be "just like him". Witness what happened over the weekend when a Catholic School from that bastion of inclusion, Kentucky dissed a Vietnam War Veteran who happened to be a native American. This behavior should not stand when a snot nosed jerk wearing a MAGA Hat made his sorry ass famous this week. BTW, the school and the kid were at a Pro Life rally in D.C. I wonder if they even knew WHY they were there? Protecting life inside the womb is fine but when you show disregard for life outside of it, show disregard for the dignity of life at any age, then you're a thug and a bully. The apple of this incident didn't fall very far from the Trump tree! This was meme worthy and here are a few.
12th District Congressman Tom Marino announced today that he will resign his Congressional seat to accept a job in private business. He said he was in public service for many years and had an opportunity in the private sector. Plus he’s resigning NEXT WEEK! That must be some humdinger of a job. Marino had to have an inkling when he was running in the general election and there are many people on Social Media, Republicans who think he might have warned them. I disagree because once elected, someone can do whatever they want with the seat. Jobs that make you want to leave Congress don’t come suddenly now do they?Or maybe they do. Or maybe there are underlying reasons we don't know about. The saving grace is since elected in 2010, he has pretty much kept a low Legislative profile. He almost became the Drug Czar but taking himself out of the running might have been the best thing he could have done for himself personally. It is shame though that voters in the old 10th got rid of Chris Carney a demonstrated leader and even in the primary picked Marino over Dr. David Maderia in the primary. Maderia would have been way better because of his more passionate conservatism. But Marino was no slouch in that department and the voters in the old 10th and the new 12th didn't seem to have buyer's remorse. Marino told news reporters he will work to create new jobs. Even though we've disagreed with him more times than not, we wish him well and the best as he exits Congress.
DIAPER DON HAS ANOTHER TANTRUM
So old Diaper took out his pique on Speaker Nancy Pelosi for not providing military aircraft in her trip to the Mideast. Not surprising because this overgrown child has no class. But what is concerning is that Trump made known her location in a War Zone. Diaper, diaper, diaper……so full of it.
PELOSI WANTS TRUMP TO SUSPEND STATE OF THE UNION
The Speaker and The President (Photo: CNN)
In an extraordinary move, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has asked President Trump NOT to give his State of The Union address. Citing security constraints from the partial government shutdown, asked President Trump on Wednesday to scrap his Jan. 29 State of the Union address, and a bipartisan group of senators called on him to reopen the government while they negotiated a compromise on border security. “Sadly, given the security concerns and unless government reopens this week, I suggest that we work together to determine another suitable date after government has reopened for this address or for you to consider delivering your State of the Union address in writing to the Congress on Jan. 29,” Ms. Pelosi said in a letter to Mr. Trump on Wednesday. She suggested he forgo the annual presidential ritual of addressing a joint session of Congress in a televised speech during prime time and submit a written message instead. Ms. Pelosi’s proposal served as a reminder to Mr. Trump that, with Democrats in control of the House, she has the power to frustrate his agenda and upend his plans amid a prolonged stalemate over his demands for a wall on the southwestern border. Two things here. 1. The President will not say anything new. 2. Security concerns are real. Unlike Trump who thinks there are criminal immigrants around every corner, Pelosi’s concerns are real. The President for his own safety should listen. But he won’t. (LuLac, New York Times)
CASEY, COLLEAGUES PRESS TRUMP ADMINISTRATION TO ENSURE FEDERAL CONTRACTOR EMPLOYEES RECEIVE PAY
Senator Robert Casey (Photo: LuLac archives)
U.S. Senator Bob Casey alongside 33 of his Democratic Senate colleagues, urged the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to direct federal agencies to work with contractors to provide back pay to compensate low- and middle-income contractor employees for the wages they have lost during the shutdown. “Contract workers and their families should not suffer the consequences of a shutdown that they did not cause,” The Senators wrote to the OMB Acting Director. “Low-wage service contract workers perform jobs that are absolutely vital to the government, such as food service, security, and custodial work. Many of these workers live paycheck-to-paycheck, and cannot afford to pay their rent and other bills if the shutdown continues.” Under their existing authority, Senators argued, federal contracting officers should use provisions that allow them to modify the terms of the contract to work with contractors to provide back pay for employees who lost wages as a result of the government shutdown.
JUDGE STRIKES DOWN TRUMP ADMINISTRATION'S PLAN TO ADD A CITIZENSHIP QUESTION TO 2020 CENSUS
State Attorney General Josh Shapiro (Photo: Philly.com)
The Trump Administration’s attempt to add a citizenship question to the 2020 U.S. census was not only unlawful but also bad for Pennsylvania. Josh Shapiro and a coalition of attorneys general and cities, including Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, have been fighting back -- and yesterday, they blocked the addition of the citizenship question. A federal judge struck down the United States Department of Commerce’s citizenship question on the census in a big win for our democracy. This victory is a crucial step in the fight for fair representation, and Josh will keep working to ensure that the 2020 census be conducted in a fair way. Including an unlawful citizenship question would have driven down participation rates and compromised the census’ accuracy, particularly in areas with large immigrant communities. It could have meant our Commonwealth losing on our full share of federal resources, including funding for law enforcement, schools, and emergency services.
MEDIA MATTERS
WALN TV
BOLD GOLD COMMUNITY FORUM
This week's guest will be Jennifer Pennington, Coordinator of this weekend's Martin Luther King holiday events in Scranton. 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 John Gleason from the Keystone Mission to the program during the week of January 21st. Mr. Gleason will discuss the current needs of the mission which deals with the homeless problem in Luzerne and Lackawanna Counties. He'll also discuss the non profit agency's efforts to secure a new building where Keystone and other agencies can coordinate efforts to help those individuals.
The shows will air several times daily on Comcast channel 19 (61 in some areas) and will also be rebroadcast on the electric city television YouTube page! 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.
BUDDY RUMCHEK
Want to hear some great parodies on the news? Tune in to WILK Radio at 6:20 and 8:20 AM on Mondays. As Ralph Cramden used to say, “It’s a laugh riot!”
BOBBY V’S DOO WOP SOCK HOP
SUNDAY NIGHTS!
1969
Our 1969 logo
An explosion aboard the aircraft carrier USS Enterprise near Hawaii kills 27 and injures 314. The Soviet Union launches Soyuz 4.... The Soviet Union launches Soyuz 5, which docks with Soyuz 4 for a transfer of crew. Two cosmonauts transfer from Soyuz 5 to Soyuz 4 via a spacewalk while the two craft are docked together, the first time such a transfer takes place. The two spacecraft undock and return to Earth two days later. Student Jan Palach sets himself on fire in Prague's Wenceslas Square to protest the Soviet invasion of Czechoslovakia; 3 days later he dies......In Washington, D.C., the Smithsonian Institution displays the art of Winslow Homer for 6 weeks.....Richard Nixon is sworn in as the 37th President of the United States.
An assassination attempt is carried out on Leonid Brezhnev by deserter Viktor Ilyin. One person is killed, several are injured. Brezhnev escaped unharmed...in Pennsylvania Republican delegations go to D.C. to see Nixon sworn in....in Scranton Mayor James Walsh says he will run for another term as Mayor and in LuLac land and America the number one song was "Hooked On a Feeling" by B.J. Thomas.
A hot topic in every election season is the raising of the minimum wage. If you take a look at where this state stands, we are way behind the curve if not the 8 ball. The Citizens’ Voice editorialized about it earlier in the month about why we need it in the Commonwealth and that’s today’s “Write On Wednesday”.
PENNSYLVANIA SHOULD RAISE MINIMUM WAGE
Millions of workers across the United States have begun the new year with a brighter outlook because their state legislatures or local governments, or both, have mandated higher minimum wages. In Pennsylvania, however, Republican legislative majorities cling to hoary and discredited notions, promulgated by narrow special interests, that boosting the minimum wages will harm workers and the economy. Due to that political cowardice, Pennsylvania remains an island of poverty-level wages at the bottom rung of the ladder. It’s minimum wage is the federal minimum of $7.25, which was established in 2009. State lawmakers shamelessly have maintained that Bob Cratchit-like minimum wage while ensuring that their own compensation automatically increases each year without a debate or vote. Pennsylvania is surrounded by states that have raised their minimum wages over the last several years, yet have not experienced the economic calamity that supposedly flows from such sensible policy. Nationwide, 20 states have raised their minimum wages with the dawn of the new year, from a nickel-an-hour in Alaska to $1-an-hour in Maine, Massachusetts and California. In several conservative states, notably Arkansas and Missouri, voters mandated significant wage increases by referendum after legislators declined to act. And more than 20 large cities have raised base wages beyond the state levels. Gov. Tom Wolf likely will propose a minimum-wage increase in his budget address in February. State lawmakers should adopt one as a simple matter of economic justice. For them, doing so would produce the bonus of reduced reliance on expensive state-funded social services and increases in state income and sales tax revenues. https://www.citizensvoice.com/opinion/raise-state-s-minimum-wage-soon-1.2429225
WOLF IS SWORN IN AS PA. GOVERNOR; FORMER BRADDOCK MAYOR FETTERMAN BECOMES LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR
Tom Wolf was sworn in today, Tuesday, Jan. 15, 2019, for his second term as Pennsylvania governor. "I ask you to choose hope over hopelessness, empathy over apathy," Wolf said in his inaugural address. "I ask you to choose action over passivity. I ask you to take the future of our commonwealth into your own hands and help lead us forward."
The new Lieutenant Governor, John Fetterman, was sworn in about two hours before Wolf, in the Senate chambers. Fetterman, a York County native, gained notoriety as the dressed-down, hands-on mayor of Braddock in western Pennsylvania.
YOU F----D IT UP': DONALD TRUMP RIPS MICK MULVANEY IN FRONT OF DEMOCRATS OVER FAILED SHUTDOWN TALKS: REPORT
(Photo: Business Insider)
In case you’re wondering if this government shutdown will end very soon, well bottom line is it won’t. The impasse will not be blamed on Democrats but the President himself who is not even giving hos own appointees the chance to make this sordid part of our governmental history go away. Axios reported that President Donald Trump ripped Mick Mulvaney in front of Democratic leaders over his new chief of staff’s handling of shutdown negotiations, according to a new report. Trump’s frustration boiled over during a Jan. 4 meeting in the White House situation room, where he and Mulvaney were meeting Congressional leaders of both parties to discuss border wall funding, Axios reported Sunday night. After Trump repeated his demand for $5.7 billion to build the wall, Mulvaney suggested the White House would be open to a figure somewhere between the president’s wish and Democrats’ offer of $1.3 billion. “Trump cut him off ... 'You just f---ked it all up, Mick,'" a source who was present in the room told Axios. "It was kind of weird." According to the Axios report, that account was confirmed by another source who was also in the room. The second source said Trump had become irritated with Mulvaney’s negotiating tactics. He was supposed to shake thing up, be a deal maker, fix things as only he could. Yeah well that ain’t happening is it?
GOOD LUCK TOM WOLF
Your blog editor and the Governor. (Photo: LuLac archives)
Governor Tom Wolf embarks on his second term as Governor in Pennsylvania. Wolf will continue being the unconventional Governor and look for him to be a moderate force in this new 4 year term. You’re not going to see grand initiatives or sweeping reforms. The Governor still has a GOP House and Senate to deal with. You won’t see any grandstanding or chest thumping either of big policy plans either. That is not Wolf’s style. But what you will see is a continuation of the goals he set as Governor from 2015 to the present. Baseball enthusiasts called it “Small ball”, not going for the fences. Bill Clinton had a satisfactory run working with the GOP as did former Governor Ed Rendell too. Wolf will put his nose to the grindstone and work on the following that will most likely,. barring an unforeseen emergency in the next four years. He won in 2014 by his strong support Pennsylvania’s public schools; he’ll be a vocal proponent of stronger gun reforms, maintaining stronger and geographically broader economic growth; lowering the state’s corporate net income tax. We wish Governor Wolf luck and success in the next four years!
MEDIA MATTERS
LIVE INAUGURATION COVERAGE ON PCN
Inauguration Day is January 15, 2019. PCN will be there, LIVE at the Capitol and in studio for a full day of coverage. Then join us in the evening as we take you LIVE at the Inaugural Celebration. Coverage begins at 10 AM.
1. What are your thoughts on that career politician Pelosi taking the reins? I think it’s a good thing. She actually came to her career late after raising her children. She will be a formidable champion for the middle class and a foil for the President and his gutless party. 2. Thoughts on Dan Meuser and his stance on the wall? He is falling in lockstep with a policy that could have been fixed years ago. But he supports the fact that federal workers will not get paid all because of the vanity and ignorance of his man Trump. I feel so sad for the new 9th. Let's see how much he cares about building up a rural business corridor while he’s in the minority supporting a wall.He's more concerned about Trump's campaign promises than his own. 3. Do you see comparisons to the GOP with the 2020 gaggle of Democratic candidates running? Comparisons to what, 2012, 2016? I think I’d compare it to 1972 when about 15 Democrats were running. The vote was so split up that George McGovern prevailed because of the rule changes as well as the sheer amount of candidates. 4. What frustrates you the most about the Trump era of history? That people don’t understand it or cherry pick examples to back up their debates. I wish they realize that their support of him will rival all the bad political decisions ever made in the world. Plus it’s a crime that he doesn’t understand history either. 5. Your team fired its Coach after 13 years. Any thoughts on the Pack and will it be back? Any Packer fan should always be grateful to McCarthy for winning a Super Bowl. But it was time and in due time, the Pack will be back. Football more so than baseball has a quicker rebound cycle. 6. Can you still believe in God and forgo creationism? Yeah I guess you could but it would have to be a hard thing to explain. If you are a Christian fundamentalist you disagree with the evidence of common descent of humans and other animals as demonstrated in modern genetics which are based upon the conclusions of modern evolutionary biology,and geology. The Roman Catholic faith has said that they do recognize evolution. No less an authority that Pope Francis said, "God is not a magician, but the Creator who brought everything to life...Evolution in nature is not inconsistent with the notion of creation, because evolution requires the creation of beings that evolve." The polling data reflects a split. According to a 2014 Gallup survey, "More than four in 10 Americans continue to believe that God created humans in their present form 10,000 years ago, a view that has changed little over the past three decades. Half of Americans believe humans evolved, with the majority of these saying God guided the evolutionary process. However, the percentage who say God was not involved is rising."A 2015 Pew Research Center survey found "that while 37% of those older than 65 thought that God created humans in their present form within the last 10,000 years, only 21% of respondents between the ages of 18 and 29 agreed. It is more of a debate in this country than in Europe. You’d have to believe in terms of common sense that evolutionary biology had a hand in the diverse array of living beings. Look at Noah’s Ark. A pair of each species in an ark? Would that include n African Elephant that produces 300 pounds of waste every day? Or the animals that were discovered after the Ark's Journey? I think if you believe in a being, and live your life in a good, decent manner, this question is just something that when you meet your maker, will not be on his or her top list on whether or not you get into paradise or not. (LuLac, wikipedia, Newsweek) 7. Your year end features were awesome. What is the longest one to do? The deaths are the most labor intensive Plus because this is an online site, I even update them long after publication if I forget someone. Thanks for noticing our hard work which we do as a LuLac tradition even if it cuts into our Holiday time. 8. Is Haley Bianco as nice and bubbly in person as she is on TV?
Even more so. What you see is what you get. She is really great to be around. 9. Andrew McCutheon is back In Pennsylvania. As a Pirate fan what do you think of that?
He went looking for the money, the Pirates never pulled the trigger and gave him what he wanted, the Giants and Yanks didn’t work out and now he’s a Fightin' Phil. Good to see him back here but I’m wondering who is paying him after those two stops. Like is his check an aggregate of three teams?Crazy, crazy baseball contracts. 10. Any interesting reads lately? Yes I have been reading Conservative books to get a better read on why people voted for Trump. Got through “Hillbilly Elegy”, “Republican Like Me” and “How the GOP Lost It’s Mind”. All were good and gave me an understanding into the anger that produced a Trump win. But he was just the right guy at the right time as all of this blew up.The only thing never addressed though was why the GOP has become a party of personality than principle to values. 11. I stopped drinking cold turkey on New Years Day but I love the bars. What do you drink when you area at a bar or a political function and can I use it as a substitute to maintain my sobriety? Oh my, 13 Questions is great. Now I’m an alcohol counselor.Hey, stay with your plan though. Good for you! I like Ginger Ale and Cranberry Juice. Nobody asks what it is (if you’re worried about peer pressure) and it tastes good and is cheap. 12. Any thoughts about ending LuLac? The numbers guy in me took over toward the end of the year. 14 years in, 4,000 editions closing in, the grind and the time away from family and friends. But the last few week have been rewarding because people who wait tables, people I see in grocery stores and on the street say they enjoy it even if they sometimes disagree with my premises. The best compliment I got was from a woman who said it should be taught in civics classes in middle school, so kids could understand local and state government. That kind of changed my mind to keep going. When I told Mrs. LuLac about what people said she told me she gets comments all the time about what we do. So, with good health, enough bandwidth and God’s plan, we’ll keep going. 13.What will be the lasting legacy of Donald Trump's Presidency? It will mirror his business career. Anyone who came in contact with him was diminished and would have been better off had they not met him.
Location: Wilkes Barre, Pennsylvania, United States
Political analyst for WBRE TV's Pa. Live program and post election commentator for WBRE TV's Eyewitness News Daybreak show. Author of the book "A Radio Story/We Wish You Well In Your Future Endeavors" and "Leges Vitae" "26 Rules of Life" and the new novel, "Weather Or Knot". The blog editor also writes various news articles and columns as well as upcoming literary projects. The blog editor was a frequent guest on WYOU TV'S INTERACTIVE NEWSCASTS when political issues were discussed on the national, state and local level. Yonki was a weekly panelist on WYLN TV 35's Friday Topic A program. He also appeared on the Hazleton, PA. station on Election Night doing coverage and did special projects and stories for WYLN TV 35's 10PM Newscast "Late Edition".
