The LuLac Edition, #4617, November 11th, 2021

 VETERAN'S DAY

A MESSAGE FROM A VETERAN

With Veteran’s Day here, anyone who knows me, knows I am a proud veteran {non-combat} of the United States Navy. My service ended long ago, but a connection to that service lives on.

A few years ago, I wrote a book about a WWI Veteran suffering from PTSD. It is my hope that people read it and gain a new understanding of what those who wore, or continue to wear, the uniform may have gone through. It is why War Springs Eternal is dedicated to my brothers and sisters in arms –

-To those who were asked to do the unthinkable.

-To those who HAD to do the unimaginable.

-To those who are broken and still fighting.

-To those for whom the fighting became too much.

I implore you to please get your copy today.

click or copy and paste:

https://www.amazon.com/Springs-Eternal.../dp/B07FLF6T13

 

Thank you,

Joe  Leonardi

U.S. Navy 1982-1987

 

NRA LEADERS CALLED ITS MEMBERS 'HILLBILLIES' AND 'FRUITCAKES' IN SECRETLY RECORDED AUDIO FOLLOWING COLUMBINE MASSACRE

NRA leaders reportedly called its members "hillbillies" and "fruitcakes" in the wake of the Columbine shooting.

Private conversations within the NRA after the 1999 massacre were secretly recorded and published Tuesday by NPR.

The calls obtained by NPR show how the gun-rights group strategized on how to deal with the school shooting.

National Rifle Association leadership reportedly called its members "hillbillies" and "fruitcakes" in the wake of the 1999 Columbine High School massacre as officials in the gun-rights group strategized on how to deal with the shooting crisis.

The private conversations within the NRA in the aftermath of the Colorado shooting that left 13 dead were secretly recorded by a participant, according to NPR, which obtained 2.5 hours of recordings and published parts of them on Tuesday.

After the school shooting, NRA leadership held the conference calls to consider canceling their annual convention that was scheduled a few days later and just miles away.

NRA chief Wayne LaPierre and longtime NRA lobbyist Marion Hammer can be heard in a conference call ridiculing NRA membership who they said may embarrass them, NPR reported.

"You know, the other problem is holding a member meeting without an exhibit hall. The people you are most likely to get in that member meeting without an exhibit hall are the nuts," LaPierre says in the recording, according to the news outlet.

PR consultant Tony Makris then responded, "Made that point earlier. I agree," says Makris. "The fruitcakes are going to show up," NPR reported.

Hammer chimed in to say, "If you pull down the exhibit hall, that's not going to leave anything for the media except the members meeting, and you're going to have the wackos ... with all kinds of crazy resolutions, with all kinds of, of dressing like a bunch of hillbillies and idiots. And, and it's gonna, it's gonna be the worst thing you can imagine," according to NPR.

Ed Rendell the former Governor and Philly Mayor and DA used to say he won 6 elections and was opposed by the NRA every time. he called them a toothless paper tiger. He was right. (NPR, LuLac)  

 

KELLER AND MEUSER VOTED NO ON INFRASTRUCTURE 

 

110 BILLION DOLLAR PROJECT TO REPAIR ROADS AND BRIDGES. GETS YOU 

PUBLIC TRANSIT

PASSENGER AND FREIGHT RAIL

ELECTRIC VEHICLES.

GREATER RURAL INTERNET ACCESS.

MODERNIZING THE ELECTRIC GRID.

AIRPORTS.

WATER AND WASTEWATER.

THESE TWO GUYS

 VOTED NO FOR ALL OF THOSE THINGS!

REMEMBER THAT WHEN THEY TELL YOU HOW MUCH THEY LOVE THIS COUNTRY AND HAVE YOUR BACK!

THEY DON’T.

 

REP. CARTWRIGHT VOTES TO PASS MAJOR INFRASTRUCTURE BILL THAT WILL CREATE JOBS AND BOOST NEPA’S ECONOMY

Congressman Matt Cartwright (Photo: LuLac archives)

U.S. Representative Matt Cartwright (PA-08) today voted to pass the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, the largest job-creating investment in our infrastructure in nearly 100 years. It passed the House today by a vote of 228-206. Having already passed the Senate, it advances to President Biden’s desk to be signed into law.

“This once in a century infrastructure investment will create good paying jobs and make us more competitive with every other country in the world,” said Rep. Cartwright. “These investments will make it possible for us to put Northeastern Pennsylvania back on the passenger rail map, rebuild the roads and bridges that have been falling apart, bring high-speed broadband internet to every rural area, reclaim and revitalize all of our abandoned mine lands and so much more. After years of talk about passing an infrastructure bill, I’m proud to finally help deliver this investment in rebuilding and strengthening the foundations of our economy.”

Highlights from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act

This bill authorizes the single largest dedicated bridge investment since the construction of the interstate highway system. According to the White House, Pennsylvania is estimated to receive $11.3 billion for federal-aid highway apportioned programs and $1.6 billion for bridge replacement and repairs over five years.

It provides $66 billion for Amtrak to improve existing lines and expand service to new areas. Amtrak’s 2021 expansion plan included three round trips between Scranton, PA and New York City and estimated that this new service would generate $87 million in annual economic activity, plus $2.9 billion from one-time investments.

According to the White House, Pennsylvania will receive an estimated $100 million to help provide broadband coverage across the state, including for the at least 394,000 Pennsylvanians who currently do not have it.

Important for Pennsylvania, which has more unreclaimed abandoned mine land (AML) acreage than any state in the nation, this bill reauthorizes the AML Trust Fund and invests an additional $11.3 billion in reclamation and cleanup efforts. With Pennsylvania representing 40.7 percent of the United States’ reclamation costs, the Commonwealth would be slated to receive more than $4.5 billion from this fund, which would support the reclamation of every unfinished AML site in Pennsylvania.

Given that a major portion of unreclaimed AML sites in Pennsylvania are in the northeastern region, an estimated $1.2 billion from this fund would come back to the area. This is a critical investment that will create jobs, pave the way for new economic development, protect drinking water and clean up pollution.

According to a recent report by IHS Markit, funding for road and transit projects in Pennsylvania will grow the Commonwealth’s economy by an additional $3.5 billion each year for the next five years.

Additionally, the growth produced by these investments is estimated to boost Pennsylvanians’ disposable income by $1.35 billion each year for the next five years.

 

CASEY INTRODUCES FIVE FREEDOMS FOR AMERICA’S CHILDREN LEGISLATION, FORMALLY MOVING FORWARD PLAN TO INVEST IN FUTURE GENERATIONS

CASEY’S PROPOSAL INCLUDES AUTOMATIC MEDICAID ENROLLMENT FOR ALL CHILDREN AT BIRTH, ESTABLISHMENT OF CHILDREN’S SAVINGS ACCOUNTS

Senator Bob Casey (Photo: LuLac archives)

  U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) unveiled the Five Freedoms for America’s Children Act, comprehensive legislation which would ensure that every child has the support they need to be able to reach their fullest potential. Senator Casey’s proposal includes five core freedoms we must guarantee our Nation’s children so they can enjoy a prosperous future:

The Freedom to be Healthy

The Freedom to be Economically Secure

The Freedom to Learn

The Freedom from Hunger

The Freedom to be Safe from Harm

“For too long, our country has prioritized corporations while children and working families are left behind. As the results of the American Rescue Plan showed us, when we provide families the supports they need, children thrive. It is vital that we build off of that success and continue to pass legislation to prepare our children for the future. An investment in our children is the most important investment we can make,” said Senator Casey.

Senator Casey’s Five Freedoms bill includes wide-ranging investments for children:

Automatic enrollment in Medicaid through age 18

Establishment of children’s savings accounts for every child whose parent(s) or guardian earns under $100,000 per year, and permanent expansion of the Child Tax Credit

Increased Head Start funding by $18 billion annually and permanent expansion of the Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit

Enhanced automatic certification for school meal programs and expanded universal meal service in low- and moderate-income schools

Increased investment in community and state-based child protective services

Key aspects of Senator Casey’s Five Freedoms bill, including expanding the Child Tax Credit, school meals and high-quality early childhood education are included in President Biden’s framework for the Build Back Better Act. Congress is poised to pass the Build Back Better Act in the coming weeks.

 

WOLF ADMINISTRATION ENCOURAGES GENERAL ASSEMBLY TO BACK PACKAGE OF LEGISLATION AIMED AT IMPROVING THE LIVES OF VETERANS

Governor Tom Wolf (Photo: LuLac archives)

Governor Tom Wolfand Maj. Gen. Mark Schindler​, Pennsylvanian’s Adjutant General and head of the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs (DMVA), ​today called for the General Assembly to review, update and pass a package of legislation aimed at improving the lives of the commonwealth’s nearly 800,000 veterans.

“Pennsylvania’s veterans have served our nation and communities with honor, and we owe it to all of them to offer programs and services that will improve their quality of life,” said ​Gov. Wolf. “These bills will do just that, by increasing veterans benefits, expanding outreach efforts and strengthening education and employment opportunities. I encourage the General Assembly to pass these bills so we can begin administering these benefits to veterans.”

“As a nation and commonwealth, we must make sure that the service and sacrifice of our veterans is never overlooked or forgotten,” said Schindler. “I join Governor Wolf in encouraging the passage of these important bills to ensure the needs of our veterans are met.”

The package of bills would expand benefits such as veterans’ preference in hiring, ​the Real Estate Tax Exemption​ for veterans who are disabled, fishing license fee exemptions for therapeutic programs, and reimbursement for Servicemembers’ Group Life Insurance (SGLI) coverage for National Guard members. Several of the bills improve DMVA’s ability to support Pennsylvania veterans and servicemembers.

The following are bills the Wolf administration is supporting as priorities:

Veteran Services

SB 849: Clarifies that the state’s hiring preference for veterans applies to those who were discharged for medical reasons.

SB 578/HB 1953: Expands the Real Estate Tax Exemption program to all ​veterans who are 100% disabled and the unmarried surviving spouse of servicemembers who died in the line of duty.

SB 241: Grants fishing license fee exemptions for veterans in therapeutic programs.

HB 1612: Extends Servicemembers’ Group Life Insurance (SGLI) reimbursement to National Guard members on Emergency Federal (T32) Status.

Veteran Outreach

HB 995: Codifies PA VETConnect as DMVA’s veterans outreach program.

HB 803 /SB 433: Creates a special fund for the Keystone State Challenge Academy, Pennsylvania’s National Guard Youth Challenge program.

HB 1421: Updates the veterans’ burial program to increase the payment amount and allow for greater flexibility in contracting organizations that provide the program. 

HB 159: Recognizes the Department of Defense (DOD) Family Advocacy Program (FAP) to address child and domestic abuse in military communities and to complete the lines of communication with Child Protective Services (CPS).

Veteran Education & Employment

HB 941: Grants residency status on military personnel, their dependents and civilian personnel assigned to an active-duty station in Pennsylvania for in-state tuition rates at institutes of higher education.

HB 1868: Encourages veteran representation on state licensing boards and allows for military experience to replace education requirements in licensing.

 

MEDIA MATTERS 

WALN TV

BOLD GOLD COMMUNITY FORUM 

 

This week's guests are Meghan Loftus, Linda Robeson and Ryan Robeson from the Family to Family Food Basket Program.  You'll hear the program Sunday at 6 on 94.3 The Talker; 6:30 on 1400 am The Mothership and 7:30 am on 105 The River.

 

BOBBY V'S DOO WOP SUNDAY NIGHT SOCK HOP

 

 

 

1987

 

Our 1987 logo

US Supreme Court nominee Douglas H. Ginsburg admits using marijuana, later withdraws from consideration…….Tunisian premier Zine al-Abidine fires president Habib Bourguiba…………College Football Holy War: Notre Dame beats Boston College 32-25 in South Bend…….Cricket World Cup, Eden Gardens, Kolkata, India: David Boon scores 75 as Australia beats England by 7 runs for their first title;…….11 are killed in an IRA bomb attack in Enniskillen, Northern Ireland…..Steve Bedrosian edges Rick Sutcliffe 57-55 to win NL Cy Young Award…….."Roza" closes at Royale Theater NYC after 12 performances…….Football striker Mark Hughes plays for Wales and Bayern Munich in 2 countries on same day; appears for Wales in 2-0 European Championship loss to Czechoslovakia in Prague, then jets to Munich for 3-2 Cup win over Borussia….. "Teddy & Alice" opens at Minskoff Theater NYC for 77 performances and in 1987 the number one song in America and LuLac land was “(I've Had) The Time Of My Life” by Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes.