The LuLac Edition #4,546, June 30th, 2021

 

WRITE ON WEDNESDAY

Our “Write On Wednesday” logo.

This Sunday is the Fourth of July and for the past week or so fireworks have been going off. With the Pandemic seemingly waving a surrender flag,  neighborhoods might be more inclined to make some noise. However, the Times Shamrock Editorial Board gave its opinion on fireworks and moderation.

MORE CONTROL NEEDED OVER FIREWORK USE

Summer is here, and so are fireworks and, inevitably, complaints about their misuse in neighborhoods across the commonwealth.

Ever since the Legislature passed a law in 2017 that ended the state’s absurdly restrictive and convoluted rules covering consumer fireworks, many local governments statewide have complained that the new regime might not be restrictive enough.

As often is the case, lawmakers were motivated at least as much by revenue prospects as by a desire for simple, straightforward state policy. They imposed a 12% tax on consumer fireworks sales on top of the standard 6% sales tax. So far in the current fiscal year, which ends June 30, the 12% tax has generated about $7.5 million.

The price for the state revenue largely is paid at the local level, where people live. Scranton police received about 200 fireworks complaints over the July 4 weekend in 2020. Philadelphia alone recorded 8,500 fireworks complaints between June 2019 and June 2020. Pittsburgh and York have established special police units to deal with fireworks complaints.

Public safety also is an issue. U.S. hospitals treated more than 10,000 fireworks injuries last year, about 75% on and around Independence Day. Friday, a man in Centre County suffered serious injuries when year-old fireworks exploded in his car. And a year ago, a Scranton man died in a firework mishap.

It’s pretty clear that the state government needs to give local governments greater authority over fireworks use.

State Rep. Robert Freeman, a Northampton County Democrat, has introduced a bill to do so.

It would allow governments to establish restrictions on fireworks use as long as they do not conflict with state law. And it would amend the state law to limit fireworks to between 10 a.m. and 9 p.m., Sunday through Thursday, and 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday through Sunday, with exceptions for major holidays including New Year’s Eve and July 4.

The state law already precludes fireworks within 150 feet of structures.

It also would establish fines for violations that would increase for multiple offenses.

To help protect neighborhoods and promote safety, the Legislature should approve the changes.

The LuLac Edition #4,545, June 28th, 2021

 MONDAY MEMES 

The LuLac Edition #4,544, June 24th, 2021

JUSTICE DEPARTMENT ON THE HUNT FOR INSURRECTIONISTS

Every week the Justice Department is releasing more videos about the horrible attempt at a coup on January 6^th. We will keep on posting this as long as weasels like Dan Meuser and Fred Keller keep trying to push this under the rug. 

 

HB1300 and SB735  NOT A GOOD THING

The Pennsylvania Policy and Policy Center recently put out a statement on the shenanigans in Harrisburg regarding voting restrictions.

Pennsylvania, our state legislature took steps to make voting harder with the passage of HB1300 and SB735. HB1300 is an appalling attack on our democracy. It makes voting harder for all voters, especially those with low incomes, those who are Black and brown, seniors, and people with disabilities. And it makes elections more difficult for counties to administer. It is based on the endlessly repeated lie that the conduct of the 2020 election was questionable and the result illegitimate.

There is no justification for confusing and disenfranchising voters or to make election administration more difficult.

Recent polling shows that a strong majority of Pennsylvania voters believe the 2020 elections were administered well. There is tremendous public support for preserving vote by mail and early voting, as well as counting mail-in ballots postmarked by Election Day and more funding for county boards of election.

We remain appalled that voting itself has become partisan and support Governor Wolf’s declaration that he will veto this appalling legislation. It is hard to imagine a circumstance in which the use of the governor’s veto power is more justified.

SB735, which proposes a constitutional amendment that would require voters to present an ID before voting in person or by mail, is also deeply problematic. First, it is not an appropriate topic for constitutional amendment. Second, it is justified by the falsehood that unidentified people are showing up and trying to vote. It simply isn’t so, and public policy should not be based on lies. And, finally, voter ID already exists in Pennsylvania—we all have to present an ID to register to vote. Republican legislators are exploiting ignorance of this fact and an entirely unjustified fear that there is voter fraud to encourage support for a constitutional amendment that’s both unnecessary and anti-democratic.

What’s worse is that while Republican legislators spent hours and hours on this nonsense, they are failing to do the people’s business and invest funds available to the state to help people get back to work, feed their families, fix the generations-old education funding inequity, and invest in our communities.

 

GEORGIA OFFICIALS COLLECT FEES FROM TRUMP’S LAWYERS

Election officials in two Georgia counties have recovered legal fees stemming from former President Trump's failed election lawsuit — but his attorney is playing coy about who really paid the bills.

Election officials in DeKalb and Cobb counties in February sought to recoup legal fees over what they described as a "meritless and legally deficient" lawsuit, which claimed, entirely without evidence, that tens of thousands of illegal voters participated in the presidential election. Trump withdrew the lawsuit a day before the hearing, the same week as the Jan. 6 assault on the U.S. Capitol.

A court was set to hear arguments over the legal fees last Friday but both counties said in filings that they had recovered the costs, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.  (LuLac, AP) 

 

SUPREME COURT CONSERVATIVES JUST 'UNDID ONE OF CÉSAR CHÁVEZ'S GREATEST ACCOMPLISHMENTS'

The Supreme Court session, which up to now has not shown a great ideological bent has displayed its Conservatism with this ruling that does not help laborers. In a 6-3 ruling along Conservative  lines, the Supreme Court struck down a California law that gave union organizers access to farm sites. The decision means people seeking out farm workers for unionization purposes going forward will be violating the property rights of agricultural landowners and food processors, who can now legally keep them off their land.

Critics lamented the result. Niko Bowie, a professor at Harvard Law, wrote that the regulation "was the product of a years-long campaign by César Chávez" and the United Farm Workers "to force agribusiness to respect the dignity and workplace rights of agricultural workers." Slate's Mark Joseph Stern agreed, tweeting that the high court's "conservative supermajority just undid one of César Chávez's greatest accomplishments." He called it "a complete and total blowout against unions" that marks "an incredibly dark day for organized labor."

Chief Justice John Roberts, who penned the majority opinion, said the regulation is "not germane to any benefit provided to agricultural employers or any risked posed to the public," while it "grants labor organizations a right to invade growers' property," which "constitutes a per se physical taking." Read more at The Los Angeles Times.  (The Hill, LuLac) 

 

 REP. CARTWRIGHT ANNOUNCES $21,000 IN FEDERAL FUNDING FOR THE EARTH CONSERVANCY 

Congressman Matt Cartwright (Photo: LuLac archives) 

U.S. Representative Matt Cartwright announced that the Earth Conservancy received $21,000 from the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) to support their efforts to conduct a solar feasibility study to build solar installations on 6,000 acres of abandoned mine lands. With an additional $21,000 from local funding sources, the Earth Conservancy has a total of $42,000 to invest in this initiative.

“The Earth Conservancy is doing important work to transform previously unusable lands into job creating projects that are good for our environment and our economy,” said Rep. Cartwright, a member of the House Appropriations Committee. “It is projects like these that demonstrate why the ARC is so meaningful for our area. I look forward to seeing this investment in solar installation for our region move forward.”

For fiscal year 2021, Rep. Cartwright secured $180 million in federal funding for ARC, a $5 million increase over fiscal year 2020.

“On behalf of Earth Conservancy, I am grateful for the support of ARC, and excited to get started on this study of utilizing legacy mine lands in Luzerne County for solar development.  We’ll screen approximately 6,000 acres and rank their suitability for photovoltaic arrays. Those that meet the selected criteria will have great potential for reuse – turning “brownfields into brightfields,” as they like to say – which ultimately can help northeastern Pennsylvania meet its energy needs,” said Terry Ostrowski, Earth Conservancy President and CEO.  “Solar has other important benefits, including diversifying the local energy supply, creating skilled jobs, and attracting investments by both developers and businesses looking to green their operations. It can also provide money-saving opportunities for local energy consumers. I especially appreciate Congressman Cartwright’s support of this project and for his ongoing efforts to revitalize abandoned mine lands in the communities he serves.”

The funding comes from ARC’s Area Development Program which supports critical infrastructure as well as business and workforce development. It also encourages Appalachian communities to partner with their state governments to invest in revitalization projects.

 

REP. CARTWRIGHT STATEMENT ON SUPREME COURT DECISION TO UPHOLD PATIENT PROTECTION AND AFFORDABLE CARE ACT 

 

U.S. Representative Matt Cartwright  made this statement on the U.S. Supreme Court’s dismissal of Republicans’ third legal challenge to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) in ten years:

“For more than ten years, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act has been the key to health coverage for millions of working families, seniors and people with pre-existing conditions,” said Rep. Cartwright. “With the Supreme Court’s rejection of the GOP’s latest assault on this critical health care law, everyone who relies on it can finally breathe a sigh of relief. Now, it is time for us to get back to work to improve upon the ACA and make health care better and more accessible for all Americans.”

Rep. Cartwright has been an outspoken critic of this lawsuit brought by a group of state GOP attorneys general, which attempted to strike down the entirety of the ACA. Had the legal challenge been successful, health coverage for over 1 million Pennsylvanians and dozens of rural Pennsylvania hospitals would have been jeopardized.

 

 CASEY STATEMENT ON THE SUPREME COURT’S ACA RULING 

Senator Bob Casey (Photo: LuLac archives) 

Senator Robert Casey made this statement about upholding the Affordable Care Act by the Supreme Court last week. Republicans in Congress and far-right Attorneys General have once again failed in their attempt to rip health care away from millions of Americans and decimate Medicaid. It’s past time for those Republicans who keep bringing these frivolous lawsuits to finally stop these attacks on affordable health care. It’s time to make the changes in the American Rescue Plan permanent and build on the Affordable Care Act to expand coverage and bring down costs for working families.

 

MEDIA MATTERS 

 

WALN TV

BOLD GOLD COMMUNITY FORUM

 

This week's guests are Dottie Johnson and Bruce Spencer from Equines for Freedom.  You'll hear the program Sunday morning at 6 on 94.3 The Talker; 6:30 on 1400am The Mothership, and at 7:30 on 105 The River

 

1987

Our 1987 logo

Iraqi warplanes drop mustard-gas bombs on the Iranian town of Sardasht in two separate bombing rounds, on four residential areas. This is the first time a civilian town was targeted by chemical weapons……..An accidental explosion at the Hohenfels Training Area in West Germany kills 3 U.S. troops……..South Korean politician, presidential candidate of the ruling party Roh Tae-woo makes a speech promising a wide program of nationwide reforms, the result of the June Democracy Movement……….Canada introduces a one-dollar coin, nicknamed the "Loonie"……Ali Stroker, American actress and singer, first actress to appear in a wheelchair on Broadway and win a Tony award, born in Ridgewood, New Jersey…"The Living Daylights", 15th James Bond film, 1st film to star Timothy Dalton premieres in London…… In South Africa, the Afrikaans Protestant Church, a breakaway faction of Dutch Reformed Church, is formed……… "Dreamgirls" opens at Ambassador Theater NYC for 177 performances…….Don Baylor sets career hit-by-pitch mark at 244 (Pitcher Rick Rhoden)…..the Phil's Steve Bedrosian is 1st to record 12 saves in 12 attempts…..and this week in 1987 the number one song in LuLac land and America was “Something So Strong” by Crowded House.

The LuLac Edition #4,543, June 23rd, 2021

 

WRITE ON WEDNESDAY

Our “Write On Wednesday” logo

This week we feature another entry from Andrea Glod from the local newspaper. Glod this week is taking on the feckless and impotent GP Senate of no. Who would ever think that any sane political party would say no to voting rights.

GOP CAN'T HANDLE THE TRUTH

Editor: Of course the Republicans in the U.S. Senate would refuse to even just talk about the For the People Act. Republicans all over the country have already decided to propose legislation to make it harder for people to vote and, more importantly, make it easier for political hacks to decide which votes to count. So why would they support an actual investigation of current voting regulations?

Remember, these are the same cowards who voted not to support a commission to investigate the deadly attack on the Capitol because they are too scared to actually find the truth about Jan.6. Unfortunately, there is not even enough backbone among the entire Republican Senate to award medals to the Capitol Police who sacrificed their lives and well-being to protect them. This from the hypocrites who hide their cowardice behind the “Back the Blue” signs.

In their defense, it must be noted: Why would you search for the truth if the truth doesn’t fit with your plans for your political future?

Why search for the truth when you can just buy into the insanity being foisted upon the American people generally and more specifically upon the shrinking Republican base by the disgraced ex-president and his disillusioned supporters?

Why search for the truth — when you can just ask Q Inane?

Andrea Glod

WilkesBarre