The Lulac Edition #4,453, December 11th, 2020

 JOHN WEBSTER RETIRES 

Webster in aqua shirt and in his element (Photo pinterest)

Friday is the last day for local broadcast legend John Webster to retire. I had the pleasure of working with John at Rock 107 in the nineties and can attest that what you heard on the air was what I heard off the air. He was funny, witty, opinionated, contrary, and full of life. John was instrumental in helping LuLac in its infancy lending his IT experience to instructing me on how to upload photos. Later when he was on WILK we ennjoyed the banter of live radio talking politics with Nancy Kman. He was part of radio history and as he sails off into the sunset, we wish him a cold drink, a relaxing day and a warm place in the sun to observe the world as it twirls by. God speed and good luck sir!

 

PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT: THE THREATS NEED TO END

The right wing Republican officials need to end their silly lawsuits against this election. The Facebook posters need to sit down and enjoy Christmas with their families instead of howling about how an 8 million vote spread in an election (popular) and a substantial margin in the Electoral College is fake.

The so called treasonous citizens who under the protection of the flag, Jesus, Constitution and patriotism have to put on their big boy pants, unload the long guns, and stop threatening election officials, poll workers and regular folks who were just collecting a pay check and doing their jobs. Numbers never lie. Now go send those white hoods to the dry cleaners until 2024 and stop yammering about nooses.

History will regard you ask extreme bigots and even bigger babies emulating the man some of you say you’d die for.

Now please look at this photo and where I’m piinting. Have someone guide your finger over my post’s words  to read this part. This guy won. Period.

 SHOULD THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION GO AFTER TRUMP FOR HIS CRIMES?

 President-elect Joe Biden will face enormous decisions on how to move the country forward when he takes office on Jan. 20. One of the most significant, and likely contentious, choices will be whether his administration should open criminal investigations into President Trump.

For the past four years, Trump has been shielded from prosecution by the office of the presidency, but those protections go away once he becomes a civilian again. In addition to an existing investigation into potential financial crimes in New York City, legal experts see a number of potential criminal acts for which Trump could be prosecuted at the federal level — including obstruction of justice, tax evasion, bribery and campaign finance law violations.

During the campaign, Biden said he wouldn’t instruct his Department of Justice to prosecute Trump, but also wouldn’t block it from charging him “if that was the judgment.” More recently, reports suggest Biden’s preference is to “move on” and focus on his plans for the country. Vice President-elect Kamala Harris said the DOJ would have “no choice” but to pursue charges against Trump during an interview last year when she was a presidential candidate.

No former president has been prosecuted in American history. Recent examples have trended in the other direction. Gerald Ford pardoned his predecessor, Richard Nixon. Barack Obama chose not to investigate the George W. Bush administration for allegations of the use of torture to interrogate terror suspects. “We need to look forward as opposed to looking backwards,” Obama said shortly before taking office in 2009.

The major difference between Bush and Trump is that Bush’s transgressions (were in the heat of war. Trump knowingly disobeyed all traditions, laws, rules and skirted the fundamentals of decency. Furthermore, Trump enriched himself at the expense of the taxpayers. He should be held accountable for this. It can’t even compare to Nixon because at the end Richard Nixon accepted the consequences like a man and resigned. He did not try to stir up the people and urge them to incite violence. He behaved like a thug and should be treated as such. (Newsweek, CNN)

 

CASEY TO INTRODUCE POLICE OVERHAUL THAT WOULD REFORM THE WAY LAW ENFORCEMENT INTERACTS WITH PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES

FOLLOWING SPATE OF ENCOUNTERS IN PA AND ACROSS THE NATION, CASEY’S BILL WOULD ENHANCE STATE AND REGIONAL 2-1-1 CALL SYSTEM

Senator Bob Casey (Photo: LuLac archives) 

As the Nation reckons with the high profile killings of Black Americans at the hands of police officers and growing calls for policy changes to prevent future violence, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) is launching the Law Enforcement Education and Accountability for People with Disabilities (LEAD) Initiative, to help bring about racial justice and address the high incidence rate of police violence involving people with disabilities. The LEAD Initiative is comprised of two bills – the Safe Interactions Act and the Human-services Emergency Logistic Program (HELP) Act – which would reduce calls to 9-1-1 call systems regarding non-criminal emergencies and provide robust training to law enforcement on interacting with people with disabilities, including those experiencing a mental health crisis.

“The families of Walter Wallace, Jr., Ricardo Munoz and Osaze Osagie needed mental health crisis support and they didn’t get it,” said Senator Casey. “We must take action to ensure that someone’s ethnicity or mental ability does not preclude them from receiving protection and fair treatment. My LEAD initiative aims to protect the promise of liberty and justice for all by reforming our emergency systems so that people and police are connected with the resources they need.”

“United Way and the 211 network are deeply grateful to Senator Casey for introducing the HELP Act,” said Suzanne McCormick, U.S. President, United Way Worldwide. “211 is a vital resource supporting over 95 percent of communities in the U.S. and this expansion of coverage means that more people can get the help they need, particularly those with mental health illnesses and other disabilities. United Way looks forward to working with Senator Casey to expand critical services to the American people during these difficult times.”

The Washington Post database of police shootings estimates that at least 25 percent of shootings involve a person with a mental health disability. A 2016 Ruderman Foundation report estimated that between one-third and half of 2015 shootings involving a law enforcement officer included a person with a disability.

The HELP Act would divert non-criminal, non-fire and non-medical emergency calls from 9-1-1 systems to state and regional 2-1-1 systems, while providing resources and funding to improve 2-1-1 referral systems. The bill would create an oversight system for the 2-1-1 networks comprised of community members who represent older adults, people with disabilities, ethnic and racial community members and members of other communities. The HELP Act is cosponsored by U.S. Senators Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Tammy Baldwin (D-WI).

The Safe Interactions Act would provide grants to enable non-profit disability organizations to develop training programs that support safe interactions between law enforcement officers and people with disabilities. The training would be directed to both new and veteran officers and would include people with disabilities in the training as instructors. It would also establish an advisory council, chaired by a person with a disability, to oversee the training program development and implementation. The Safe Interactions Act is cosponsored by U.S. Senators Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Sherrod Brown (D-OH).

GOV. WOLF SENDS LETTER URGING CONGRESS TO EXTEND FEDERAL PROGRAMS FOR UNEMPLOYED WORKERS

Governor Tom Wolf (Photo: AP) 

With hundreds of thousands of workers in Pennsylvania relying on several federal unemployment programs that are set to expire at the end of the month, Governor Tom Wolf sent a letter today to the state’s Congressional delegation urging the federal government to continue the programs through 2021.

“The number of COVID-19 cases is surging now and expected to continue increasing in the weeks to come, endangering both the public and economy,” said Gov. Wolf. “I strongly urge you, our congressional delegation, to consider how important the CARES Act has been to our nation and our state in helping businesses and workers and in preventing further contraction of the economy, and to act swiftly to extend these programs.”

The governor’s letter outlines four recommended actions:

Extend Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) Through 2021: PUA provides unemployment benefits to workers who are self-employed, seeking part-time employment, lack sufficient work history, or otherwise do not qualify for regular Unemployment Compensation (UC) or Extended Benefits (EB). PUA has provided more than $6.5 billion to Pennsylvania households and the economy.

Extend Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC) Through 2021: PEUC provides up to 13 weeks of additional unemployment assistance to those who exhausted their benefits. PEUC has added $846.1 million to households in Pennsylvania.

Renew Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC): FPUC, which expired on July 31, 2020, provided $16.1 billion to eligible individuals through an additional $600 per week on top of their weekly UC benefit.

Extend No-interest Loans to the UC Trust Fund Through 2021: Many states are borrowing from the federal government to pay the increased need for UC benefits. Pennsylvania has borrowed $618 million in loans that will begin accruing interest on Jan. 1, 2021 if the no-interest loan program expires. Extending the no-interest loans to states is critical to avoid significant increases in employer taxes and assessments as more Pennsylvanians are expected to need the benefits to afford housing, food and other basic needs.

Since March, the Department of Labor & Industry has paid more than $31.6 billion in total unemployment benefits.  

BOGNET FOLLOWS DIAPER DON’S LEAD, DOESN’T CONCEDE EVEN THOUGH CARTWRIGHT WON

 While Matt Cartwright’s race to win re-election in PA eighth  was called nearly a month ago, his opponent Jim Bognet has still refused to concede the race. He seems to be drawing inspiration from Donald Trump, who has dug his toes in and refused to accept the democratic results.

 Donald Trump and Jim Bognet aren’t alone. According to PoliticsPA.com, Republicans in the competitive (but called) PA-07 and PA-17 races haven’t conceded either. These guys are delusion. Bognet ran a close race using bald face lies but it’s time to give it up, shut up and go home Jimmy B.  

PA'S RACE HORSE DEVELOPMENT FUND IS $3.2 BILLION TAXPAYER FUNDED CRUELTY

Since 2006, Pennsylvania taxpayers have paid $3.2 billion - more than $220 million each year - to subsidize the horse racing industry through the Pennsylvania Race Horse Development Fund (RHDF).

Education Voters of Pennsylvania took an in-depth look at the RHDF, documenting how funds are spent, the economic value to taxpayers and oversight of the fund by the Pennsylvania Racing Commission.

The report concludes that keeping Pennsylvania’s race tracks open comes at a high price to taxpayers who foot the bill.

Racing also takes a tremendous toll on the horses. In 2019, the race track with the most horse deaths in the nation - 59 - was Parx Racetrack here in Pennsylvania.

The treatment of animals in Pennsylvania’s racing industry is an important part of this story.

The Pennsylvania Budget and Policy Center and Education Voters of Pennsylvania have provided important information on this topic.

 

 

MEDIA MATTERS

 WALN TV

 

BOLD GOLD COMMUNITY FORUM

,Tune in Sunday morning at 6 on 94.3 The Talker; 6:30 on The Mothership 1340/1400 am, 100.7 and 106.7 fm; and at 7:30 on The River 105 and 103.5.

BOBBY V’S DOO WOP SOCK HOP

SUNDAY NIGHTS!

 

1980 

Our 1980 logo

The politically-themed comic strip Bloom County made its nationally syndicated debut, as a feature in The Washington Post and other papers in the syndicate.  Author Berke Breathed would retire the popular strip on August 6, 1989, and, after attempts to place some of the characters in a two shorter-lived features, Outland and Opus, before reviving Bloom County as an internet feature…..Hopes that Poland might become an oil-producing nation were put to an end by the explosion of an oil exploration rig in the village of Krzywoploty, near the town of Karlino. After geologists had discovered oil deposits near the Baltic Sea, in the late 1970s, drilling began to determine whether Poland would have a new resource that would rescue its distressed economy. As the drilling at the "Daszewo-1" site reached a depth of 2,782 metres (9,127 ft), a gusher of oil and natural gas erupted and then caught fire and the took firefighting crews more than a month to extinguish. The oil pool beneath the Karlino fields was much less than expected and about two-thirds of it had been destroyed by fire. Eventually, the well yielded only 850 tons of oil, less than 6,000 barrels………U.S. Representative John W. Jenrette, Jr. (D-S.C.) resigned from Congress after the special Ethics Committee of the House of Representatives opened its investigation in advance of a vote on expulsion. Jenrette, who had lost his bid for re-election after being convicted of bribery and conspiracy following the Abscam investigation, had only 24 days remaining in his term and departed before the House could take a vote on his removal…….The U.S. Paperwork Reduction Act was signed into law by President Carter. The law set a goal of reducing the number of pages of required federal forms by 15% by October 1, 1982 with a goal of 25% less by October 1, 1983. ……Tom Selleck's detective TV series Magnum, P.I., set in Hawaii, made its debut on CBS with a two-hour pilot, to replace the spot vacated by Hawaii Five-O. One critic opined that the series was "a formula cops-and-robbers job that promises little excitement" and added that "the plodding premiere episode of 'Magnum'... looked like it had lain in the sun too long." Selleck's combination of action and humor carried the show, which ran for eight seasons and 162 episodes…………….  

 

The 538 members of the United States Electoral College formally elected the President and Vice President of the United States in accordance with the Constitution. On November 4, voters in each state had selected between slates of electors pledged to a particular candidate, rather than the candidates themselves, and the electors then met in their respective state capitals. As expected, the final result was had the team of Ronald Reagan and George H. W. Bush winning, 489 to 49, over the incumbent team of Jimmy Carter and Walter Mondale. Reagan, who had 50.7% of the popular vote, had 91% of the electoral votes…  

and forty years ago the number one song in LuLac land and America was “Lady”  by Kenny Rogers.