The LuLac Edition #4,585, September 17th, 2021

 

 BIDEN SAYS HE WILL ‘LEVEL PLAYING FIELD’ FOR MIDDLE-CLASS FAMILIES

 

Joe Biden (Photo: LuLac archives)

 Right now, Democrats are working to pass a $3.5 trillion package that will provide long overdue help for working Americans. The final bill hasn’t yet been determined, so we don’t know the exact dollar amounts for all its policies. We’ll probably find that out in late September or early October. For now, the Democrats’ budget resolution frames what’s in the bill. 

The bill would make permanent key benefits for working families, including the expanded child tax credit in the pandemic relief plan that sends families up to $300 per child each month but is now set to expire in December, and is estimated to cut child poverty by half.  It would also establish universal child care, for which low- and middle-income households would pay no more than 7 percent of their incomes.  And provide a national program of paid leave — worth up to $4,000 a month — for workers who take time off because they are ill or caring for a relative.

The bill expands Medicare to include dental, vision, and hearing benefits and lowers the eligibility age. It also expands Medicaid to cover people living in the 12 states that have not yet expanded Medicaid, and makes critical investments to improve healthcare for people of color.

The big question is how far it will go to reduce prescription drug prices by, for example, allowing Medicare to negotiate prices with pharmaceutical companies. That could reduce Medicare and Medicaid spending, and free up more money for other parts of the bill. But Big Pharma is dead-set against this.

In another step toward fairness, all of these are to be financed by higher taxes on the rich and big corporations.

The bill would also increase the Internal Revenue Service’s funding so the agency can properly audit wealthy tax cheats, who fail to report about a fifth of their income every year, thereby costing the government $105 billion annually.

If President Biden fails to act boldly and quickly in improving the material lives of poor, working-class and struggling middle-class Americans of all colors, the right wing is likely to come storming back into power through the 2022 and 2024 elections.

With Biden’s popularity lagging, success or failure for his administration hinges on who he listens to on various pressing issues. Will he side with the “radicals” or with the go-slow, yes/no, status-quo corporate media?

The Democrats must act fast, quickly and with balls to the wall. He should know that even though he won the race because of Trump’s behavior, this is a moment that can change America. All the things he has championed throughout the 50 plus year career of his can guarantee for him a vaunted place in American history. 

 

 

CAN SCHWEIKER SAVE THE PENNSYVANIA GOP IN 2022? 

Former Governor Mark Schweiker (Photo: LuLac archives) 

 

There is talk in Republican circles that former Governor Mark Schweiker is being encouraged to run again. Schweiker was the Lt. Governor under Tom Ridge but then moved up to the top chair when George Bush asked Ridge  to be the first Secretary of Homeland Security. Schweiker did not run in 2002 and has been in private business.

When I spoke to him in 2020 at the Luzerne County Republican Lincoln Day breakfast, he said he was content and could not imagine another run for office. With right wing extremists taking over the party asking for an election audit, there is  concern. The party won two row offices, are they questioning those totals? You might think as a sane moderate he’d be eaten alive by the Trupanzees. However with Dan Mueser and Lou Barletta coming from Luzerne County and the numbskull from the western part of the state that even the Senate threw off the committee,   the party regulars  see an opening of those guys splitting the vote.

A Schweiker general election candidacy would be a nightmare for the Democrats because even if he takes very conservative positions, he’s not an extremist. Plus, he has run statewide campaigns and wait for it...has a record to run on. He can run a straight GOP campaign that through the years in Pennsylvania worked for the 8 year cycle that had Dems in the Governor's chair for 8 and the GOP for the next 8.This could get interesting. 

 

THAT GOP AUDIT CAN RUIN YOUR CREDIT

 

Republican representatives in Harrisburg want to collect personal information of all voters who participated in the 2020 election. Social security number, license number, all identifying numbers of personal information that can be easily stolen and hacked.  This is voter intimidation plain and simple. But the stupid GOP members don’t realize that they will drive their own voters away. The state GOP, by calling for an audit in this state will be coming after your personal information for their short term gain. Just so you know what the GOP "patriots" (and I say that sarcastically folks)  in Harrisburg are doing. 

 

 

 CASEY ANNOUNCES $7 MILLION IN FUNDING FOR YOUTH HOMELESSNESS PREVENTION

Senator Bob Casey (LuLac archives) 

 U.S. Senator Bob Casey  is announcing that the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development will receive $7,122,756 in discretionary funding for its Youth Homelessness Demonstration Program (YHDP). This program works to prevent and end youth homelessness across Pennsylvania. Senator Casey supported this funding in the Fiscal Year 2019 and 2020 appropriations bills.

 “Many children experiencing homelessness also struggle with hunger, poor physical and mental health, trauma and inconsistent schooling. The effects of homelessness follow children throughout their lives. This funding will invest in community-based solutions to see that every young person in America has a home, ensure communities across the Commonwealth are able to invest in safe housing options and set up children to succeed,” said Senator Casey. “I will continue to advocate for resources for people experiencing homelessness in Pennsylvania.”

 The YHDP is designed to support communities in rural, suburban and urban areas develop and implement a coordinated community approach to preventing and ending youth homelessness.

 

 

 REP. CARTWRIGHT: CHILD TAX CREDIT DELIVERED $30.8 MILLION IN TAX CUTS TO PA-08 FAMILIES IN AUGUST

ACCORDING TO NEW REPORT, CHILD TAX CREDIT TAX CUTS ARE GENERATING NEARLY $20 BILLION IN LOCAL ECONOMIC ACTIVITY EACH MONTH NATIONWIDE, SUPPORTING LOCAL BUSINESSES AND JOBS

 Congressman Matt Cartwright (Photo: LuLac archives)

 U.S. Representative Matt Cartwright (PA-08) announced that an estimated 96,000 Child Tax Credit monthly tax cut payments were sent to families in the Eighth Congressional District in August, according to a new report from the Joint Economic Committee. An estimated total of $30.8 million in tax cuts went back into the pockets of hardworking Northeastern Pennsylvania families.

 Across the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, 1.3 million tax cut payments went to families in August for a total of $554.2 million. The average payment was $424. Nationwide, the Joint Economic Committee estimates the Child Tax Credit tax cuts are pumping $19.3 billion into local economies each month.

 The next payments will be sent out on Wednesday, September 15.

 “This tax cut for working families through the American Rescue Plan is helping tens of thousands of Northeastern Pennsylvania families catch up on bills and pay for things like child care, gas and groceries, while supporting local jobs and businesses,” said Rep. Cartwright.

Using state-level data from the Treasury Department on advance Child Tax Credit (CTC) payments, the Joint Economic Committee estimated the number of qualifying children, total number of payments, and total payment amount by congressional district in August 2021, when the second round of CTC payments was distributed.

 The American Rescue Plan (ARP) dramatically increased the value of the CTC, from $2,000 per child to up to $3,600 per child under six and $3,000 per child six and older. The ARP also expanded the CTC so that it is now fully refundable, and previously ineligible low-income families will receive the full credit. Half of the expanded CTC will be distributed in advance via monthly payments, helping families meet their financial needs in real time. JEC analysis of data from the Census Bureau show the expanded CTC is already having a major impact on family budgets, with dramatic declines in food insufficiency and financial hardship, and the JEC estimates that monthly CTC payments will inject nearly $19.3 billion into local economies each month.

 

   

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1987 

 

Our 1987 logo.

At a small rally in New York City's Harlem district, televangelist Pat Robertson announces his candidacy for the 1988 Republican presidential nomination…….

Pope John Paul II arrives in San Francisco for his first visit to the city, in which he embraces several AIDS sufferers, including an infected child, and proclaims abstinence from illicit sex and drugs are the two main ways to avoid infection…. 1`5 year old American tennis player Michael Chang becomes youngest man to win a match at the US Open when he beats Australian Paul McNamee in 4 sets in the opening round,, New York City's WNET-TV channel 13 begins round clock broadcasting……USSR performs nuclear test at Eastern Kazakh/Semipalitinsk USSR… Detroit first baseman Darrell Evans hits home run #30 off Bill Wegman in 5th inning of Tigers' 7-6 win over the Milwaukee Brewers; first 40 year old to hit 30 MLB HRs in a season….US & USSR sign accord to remove mid range missiles….. USSR performs nuclear test at Eastern Kazakh/Semipalitinsk USSR…. 12th Toronto International Film Festival: "The Princess Bride" directed by Rob Reiner wins the People's Choice Award…. "Big River" closes at Eugene O'Neill Theater NYC after 1005 performances, Bruce Willis wins an Emmy for his role in “Moonlighting” and this week in 1987 the number one song in America and LuLac land was “I Heard A Rumour” by Bananarama.