The LuLac Edition #4,598, October 14th, 2021

 STEVE SCALISE.  CONGRESSIONAL COWARDLY COCKROACH 

On Sunday, “Fox News Sunday” host Chris Wallace asked Steve Scalise, House Minority Whip Steve Scalise of Louisiana, a simple question: “Do you think the 2020 election was stolen from Donald Trump?”

It shouldn’t have taken Scalise more than a fraction of a second to respond.

To the reasonable person, the correct answer has two letters. To those who are either unmoored from reality or are unabashed liars, the answer has three. It shouldn’t have taken Scalise more than a fraction of a second to respond. But in his vain attempt to find a piece of solid ground between a yes and a no, he responded and responded and responded for more than two minutes, slipping out of every attempt Wallace made to force him into a definitive answer.

Scalise went on and on about how the election was problematic because some states operated under rules that were put in place by the courts and not those states’ legislatures. He didn’t mention that Covid-19 emergency election rules were in place in his own state and that they were imposed by a federal judge who ruled that the Republican-controlled Louisiana Legislature’s ref Legislature’s refusal to accommodate voters at risk of serious illness or death from Covid “is likely unconstitutional because it imposes an undue burden on Plaintiffs’ right to vote.”

Scalise is a snake and coward who can’t answer a straight question. He was shot on a softball field a few years ago and garnered some sympathy. But he is still a cowardly hard ass that is unpatriotic in his approach to government. Steve Scalise is almost as bad as the collaborators who fought against the Allies in WWII.

But he is like a political cockroach whose main goal is survival of his political ass at the expense of this democracy. (aol news, LuLac)

 

GEORGIA JUDGE DISMISSES LAWSUIT ALLEGING VOTER FRAUD IN 2020 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION

The Washington Post reports that a Georgia judge on Wednesday dismissed a lawsuit against members of Fulton County’s election board, ruling that the plaintiffs, who alleged that there were fraudulent mail-in ballots in the 2020 presidential election, lacked standing to sue.

The decision by Superior Court Judge Brian Amero effectively blocks a small group’s efforts to inspect all 147,000 absentee ballots cast in the state’s largest county last November. It also comes one day after investigators testified that they were unable to find any evidence of fraudulent ballots.

News of the decision was first reported by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. In his dismissal, Amero wrote that the plaintiffs “allege their votes have been diluted due to the ‘substantial likelihood’ that fraudulent ballots were introduced during ballot processing for the General Election.”

“They also allege that the issue will persist in future elections if not corrected,” he wrote. “However, regardless of the veracity of these allegations, the Court finds Petitioners have still failed to allege a particularized injury.”

Robb Pitts, chairman of the Fulton County Board of Commissioners, welcomed the decision, describing it as “a win for democracy.”

“This lawsuit was the result of the ‘big lie,’ which is nothing more than a meritless conspiracy theory being spread by people who simply cannot accept that their side lost,” Pitts said in a statement to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. (Washington Post)

 

 

REP. CARTWRIGHT ANNOUNCES $421,000 IN FEDERAL FUNDS FROM NEW COVID-19 TELEHEALTH PROGRAM AWARDS TO WAYNE MEMORIAL HEALTH CENTERS

Congressman Matt Cartwright (Photo: LuLac archives)

U.S. Representative Matt Cartwright announced Wayne Memorial Community Health Centers will receive $421,833 through the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to help offer telehealth and connected care services to patients at their homes or mobile locations in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Wayne Memorial Community Health Centers in Honesdale will use funding to purchase cameras and headphones to better communicate with patients, and ultrasound machines to provide patients obstetrical tests, all while supporting virtual communication for telehealth visits.

“The demand for telehealth services has skyrocketed since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic,” Cartwright said. “Healthcare providers’ ability to administer telehealth services helps lower the barriers to accessing affordable healthcare for vulnerable seniors, patients living in rural and underserved communities, and working families across Northeastern Pennsylvania. I commend Wayne Memorial Community Health Centers, and I am glad to see this funding benefit patients and providers in our district.”

The FCC’s COVID-19 Telehealth Program supports the efforts of health care providers to continue serving their patients by providing reimbursement for telecommunications services, information services, and connected devices necessary to enable telehealth during the COVID-19 pandemic. Wayne Memorial’s award comes from Round 2 of the program, funded at $249.95 million from the December 2020 government funding and coronavirus relief bill. It builds on the $200 million program established as part of the CARES Act.

 

AMERICAN ENERGY WORKER OPPORTUNITY ACT WOULD PROVIDE TRAINING AND RESOURCES FOR WORKERS AFFECTED BY CHANGES IN ENERGY INDUSTRY, PRIORITIZE THEM FOR NEW ENERGY PROJECTS

Senator Robert Casey (Photo: LuLac archives)

U.S. Senators Bob Casey (D-PA), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Tina Smith (D-MN) and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) introduced the American Energy Worker Opportunity Act, which would provide critical resources and training opportunities to assist and empower workers whose jobs are affected by the energy industry’s move toward renewable sources.

“Workers in our coal mines, power plants, steel mills and other emission intensive manufacturing sites provided the electricity and materials that have powered the American economy since the Industrial Revolution. We have a responsibility to ensure that these workers and their families are not left behind,” said Senator Casey. “We also have a responsibility to confront the climate crisis, as impacts of Hurricane Ida and other natural disasters in Pennsylvania reminded us. This legislation would provide a worker-centered solution to mitigating the climate crisis while supporting the workers who have kept the lights on in this Nation for years.”

“The United Mine Workers of America (UMWA) has been clear that as we continue to move through an energy transition in the United States we need to stop leaving workers, families and communities behind. For us, the principles of a true transition are to; first, preserve as many UMWA jobs as possible; second, create new well-paying union jobs in the coal-producing areas of the country; and third, create a bridge for those workers who are forced to make a transition so that they do not fall into poverty,” said United Mine Workers of America International President Cecil E. Roberts. “This legislation fulfills that last principle, and I thank Senators Brown, Casey, Whitehouse, Baldwin, Bennet, Duckworth, Smith and Warren for introducing it and standing up for UMWA members, their families and their communities. As Congress considers how to approach energy transition, this must be part of the solution.”

“Our union remains deeply committed to preserving our members’ jobs throughout the energy economy. However, workers also need meaningful economic support when this is no longer possible, so that they can secure their next high-quality job or retire with dignity,” said United Steelworkers (USW) International President Tom Conway. “The American Energy Worker Opportunity Act will aid dislocated coal and oil workers and their families, providing them with educational opportunities, wage supplements, health care benefits and retirement contributions. We applaud Sens. Baldwin, Casey, Whitehouse, Bennet, Duckworth, Smith, and Warren for announcing this crucial legislation.”

“Our economy is changing, and as we make the investments needed to fight climate change, America's working people must be at the top of the priority list. Maintaining well-paid union jobs at the same location is always the first and best choice, and we realize in some cases this will be difficult or take time,” said Fredrick D. Redmond, Secretary-Treasurer of the AFL-CIO. “The American Energy Worker Opportunity Act gives workers and their families the support they need during those difficult times, and we urge Congress to pass and fully fund this legislation.”

The bill would create a worker transition program with wage supplements, health care benefits, education and training funds, and an additional education benefit for children of laid-off workers. It would include:

Eligible workers: workers whose employment is terminated from a coal mine, coal-fired power plant, coal transport or oil refinery, provided that the worker was employed continuously and full time for at least 12 months prior to layoff, with authority for the Secretary to add additional groups of fossil fuel-dependent workforces as employment impacts make it necessary.

Wage supplement: workers will receive wage replacement or supplement in addition to assistance to maintain health benefits and contribute to retirement.

Worker education and training: workers will be eligible for grants for allowable education and training up to and including a four-year degree

Education for the children of dislocated workers: direct educational grants for the children of dislocated workers deemed eligible by the program for allowable education and training up to and including a four-year degree.

The proposal would also prioritize employers who plan to hire eligible workers for the clean energy grants created under the Build Back Better plan. It is endorsed by the United Mine Workers of America International, United Steelworkers (USW) International, the Utility Workers Union of America, AFL-CIO, BlueGreen Alliance, National Wildlife Federation, LCV, NRDC and the Union of Concerned Scientists.

 

GOVERNOR WOLF CELEBRATES INVESTMENTS IN EARLY LEARNING AND FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES TO STABILIZE CHILD CARE INDUSTRY

Governor Tom Wolf (Photo: LuLac archives)

Governor Tom Wolf today visited Gilson Child Development Center in Erie to celebrate the $30 million increase in state funding to expand early childhood learning to more than 3,200 additional young children and the $655 million available in federal funding to stabilize childcare providers during the pandemic.

“Studies show that children who learn in high-quality pre-k programs perform better in school and are more likely to graduate,” said. Gov. Wolf. “We know that early childhood learning programs are good for children, especially those affected by socioeconomic risk factors, but they’re also good for families and our economy, too. Parents and caregivers rely on affordable, accessible childcare to go to work every day. When we ensure high-quality learning programs are available for children, we are making an economic investment in our communities.”

Since taking office, Gov. Wolf has increased funding for Pre-K Counts by 149% and for the Head Start Supplemental Assistance Program (Head Start) by 77%. Both state programs ensure access to high-quality early learning programs for low-income families with children.

The $25 million increase this year allows Pre-K counts to serve an additional 2,900 children, while the additional $5 million for Head Start will serve 300 more children and their families. 

In addition to these historic investments in early childhood learning programs, the Department of Human Services (DHS) recently announced their plan to distribute $655 million in funding from the American Rescue Plan Act to stabilize Pennsylvania’s child care industry. Licensed child care providers are invited to submit applications for one-time grant funding that can be used to cover expenses and provide stabilization to this critical industry.

The governor was joined by Rina Irwin, CEO of Child Development Centers, Inc. (CDC) to discuss how more than 40 local families have benefitted from Gov. Wolf’s historic early learning investments, as well as how CDC centers were recently awarded approximately $1.5 million in ARPA funding to continue their services throughout the pandemic.

“As Child Development Centers, Inc. remains committed to removing barriers between families and impactful care and education for their children, challenges associated with the threat of COVID-19 initially posed a financial hurdle in the advancement of our mission,” said Irwin. “The early learning funding has enabled CDC to seamlessly persevere throughout the ongoing pandemic, immensely impacting our ability to serve families that rely on our programs. This support has allowed us to keep our doors open to families during times of uncertainty, ensure and improve the health and safety of our centers for children and staff, and maintain the employment of our tenacious employees.”

SENATOR MARTY FLYNN ON BUILD BACK BETTER

Senator Marty Flynn (Photo: LuLac archives)

Last week, I joined Scranton Mayor Paige Cognetti and Congressman Cartwright at City Hall in Scranton to urge Congress to pass the Build Back Better Act. We need to pass this bill now, more than ever, because of the economic impact of COVID-19. Even before the pandemic, though, our nation’s middle class was in a state of crisis. It was becoming increasingly difficult for people to chase and achieve the American dream - where if you worked hard enough, you could afford to buy a home and raise a family and truly build a better life for yourself. We risk losing that sense of hope and opportunity if this legislation doesn’t pass. That’s what’s at stake here – the idea that every American, if they work hard enough, can accomplish anything they put their mind to.

I still believe this is the land of opportunity. What President Biden’s Build Back Better Act will do is increase the number of those opportunities for Americans striving towards improving their lives and the lives of their families. Students will be given the financial assistance they need to attend college, so that they can learn a trade and enter the workforce without a crippling amount of student loan debt. Parents will be given access to more accessible and affordable child care, so they can manage to go to work or school while raising a family. The highest percentage of young adults still live with their parents since the Great Depression. With the Build Back Better plan, housing will be made more affordable, so that people entering adulthood can branch out on their own like generations past. What we’re attempting to build back here is our nation’s middle class. We need to build back the American dream. We need to build back the ideals that made this nation such a beacon of prosperity in the past. We need to invest in our nation’s middle class, and that ultimately is what this plan sets out to do. It’s not a handout; it’s an investment. And I believe this nation’s middle class is something worth investing in.

 

MEDIA MATTERS 

 

WALN TV 

 

BOLD GOLD COMMUNITY FORUM 

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BOBBY V’S DOO WOP SUNDAY NIGHT SOCK HOP

1987

Our “1987" logo.

338,500,000 shares traded on NY stock exchange (record)……….Dow Jones for 1st time falls more than 100 pts (108.35)….. Jessica McClure rescued 58 hrs after falling 22' into a well shaft…. Defending champion Mike Tyson beats Tyrell Biggs by TKO in round 7 at Convention Centre, Atlantic City to retain the unified heavyweight boxing title… US First Lady Nancy Reagan undergoes a modified radical mastectomy…. Woody Woodward resigns as NY Yankee GM, Lou Piniella is named GM and Billy Martin is named NY Yankee manager for 5th & final time….Black Monday is the name commonly given to the global, sudden, severe, and largely unexpected  stock market crash on October 19, 1987. In Australia and New Zealand, the day is also referred to as Black Tuesday because of the time zone difference from other English-speaking countries. All of the twenty-three major world markets experienced a sharp decline in October 1987. When measured in United States dollars, eight markets declined by 20 to 29%, three by 30 to 39% (Malaysia, Mexico and New Zealand), and three by more than 40% (Hong Kong, Australia and Singapore).The least affected was Austria (a fall of 11.4%) while the most affected was Hong Kong with a drop of 45.8%. Out of twenty-three major industrial countries, nineteen had a decline greater than 20%. Worldwide losses were estimated at US$1.71 trillion. The severity of the crash sparked fears of extended economic instability or even a reprise of the Great Depression. The degree to which the stock market crashes spread to the wider economy (or "real economy") was directly related to the monetary policy each nation pursued in response. The central banks of the United States, West Germany and Japan provided market liquidity to prevent debt defaults among financial institutions, and the impact on the real economy was relatively limited and short-lived. However, refusal to loosen monetary policy by the Reserve Bank of New Zealand had sharply negative and relatively long-term consequences for both financial markets and the real economy in New Zealand…………and this week in 1987 the number one song in LuLac land and America was “In My Dreams” by REO Speedwagon.