The LuLac Edition #5, 119, May 30th, 2024
Matthew 20:16 KJV:
So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen.
TRUMP
GUILTY
Eight years ago on the day after the 2016 election, I said on TV that Donald Trump made history being the first civilian President of this country. No military or government experience. I like many others said we were hopeful he’d do well.
He didn’t.
This afternoon, Donald Trump made history again. He became the first President ever convicted of a crime. We’ve had a few scoundrels in office now and then, but never one where the wheels of justice, the rule of Law made it abundantly clear that he was guilty by a jury of his peers. That group included two lawyers and a few Trump admirers Given all that, with the way Trump has benefited from the delays imposed by a court in Florida and even the sainted Supreme Court which once was worthy of confidence seemed to give him the benefit of the doubt.
This case was the first indictment of Trump and was regarded as the weakest of the four. The jury was left leaning, it’s a technical campaign issue, it’s about a porn star, Alvin Bragg got money to do this was all we heard. Bragg went from first to last in a hurry given the severity of the other crimes. Insurrection, taking classified documents home and asking for only 12,000 more votes to a Georgia Secretary of State over the phone on tape. This surely trumped (excuse the pun) this case of checks, home loans, testimony by a convicted felon and the fact that New York city never took a shine to Mr. Trump.
But then with the delays, the constant motions, the drama, and all of a sudden Alvin Bragg was one of many called but finally chosen.
First.
The prosecution team was a group of lawyers who followed structure. They did what all decent lawyers do: tell a logical story step by step so the jury like a movie sees the beginning, the middle and the end.
His defense relied on only rebutting the testimony of one witness. Then put another one on who raised the ire of the Judge. Then they rested and hoped for the best. To the jury, there was no story. No logical road map that the defense could defend.
Trump will say he got a raw deal, he’ll bring up every reason to say he was framed and that this New York Judicial system was going to get him come hell or high water.
But Trump’s great flaw is that he has no frame of reference for history. He didn’t realize that the New York Justice system had prosecutors like Tom Dewey, Frank Hogan, Robert Morganthau and Cy Vance Junior. All told the story of crimes for their convictions in a process followed closely by Alvin Brag and his team.
On the campaign trail, Trump must have said 100 times that he was hounded more than Al Capone was. Again had Trump bothered to follow history, (or had someone close enough to tell him) Alphonse Capone did go to jail, not for the monstrous crimes he escaped justice from, but from the one he least expected.
The last shall be first…..and the more things change…at least in a stable and honest justice system, the more, thank God they stay the same.
NOW THE NEXT FIGHT
Trump will be a convicted felon and will appeal. He’ll campaign on this. Rile his supporters up. There will be people who will pooh pooh this verdict as just sloppy paperwork. This will be an election issue.
The key for all of us now is to politely push back when a Trump fan tells us it’s all a lie. It is imperative that for every 2 votes they get, we need to get 4.
The race for justice now is not just on 12 people in a courtroom, but people who don’t want to make history themselves by putting a felon back at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.
DAN AND THE RED TIE BRIGADE
Wonder how Dan Meuser will defend this verdict. Meuser is proof positive that everything Trump touches turns to dust. Dan Meuser was featured in this cartoon this past weekend. History judges political figures. America keeps a record. This will be on Dan’s permanent record.
DO NOTHING DAN STRIKES AGAIN AND SOME PEOPLE ARE ASKING………..
Is Congressman Dan Meuser incompetent? Illiterate? Incapable of doing the job? Or is his need to misrepresent facts, bs voters, & fear monger sooo great, that he just can’t help himself?
Saying he wants to write a law to prohibit illegal immigrants from voting just to make it appear that he & his fellow circus clowns are actually doing something is idiotic! The law has been on the books since 1996 - nearly 30 years!
Since #DoNothingDan couldn’t be bothered to READ, here’s the law that was initially passed in 1996, with the sections and subsections in the images below.
https://www.congress.gov/104/crpt/hrpt828/CRPT-104hrpt828.pdf
Don’t people believe they deserve better than to be lied to and mislead by someone collecting a 6 figure taxpayer funded check? There is real work to be done! Not pretending to accomplish something new that was actually PASSED IN 1996!!!
#DoNothingDan#GOPLies
#ChangeIsComing
#WETHEPEOPLEHAVEHADENOUGH
#waldman4pa
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REP. MATT CARTWRIGHT REINTRODUCES BIPARTISAN, BICAMERAL LEGISLATION TO PROTECT COLLECTIVE BARGAINING RIGHTS FOR PUBLIC SECTOR UNIONS
Congressman Matt Cartwright (Photo: LuLac archives)
EDITOR’S NOTE: To all those union members, former union members join a union pension and those who want fair wages. Look at this bill and see that there are only TWO REPUBLICANS supporting it. If you’re still a member of the Republican party, or a Democrat who votes Republicans, I simply ask this question: WHY?
U.S. Representatives Matt Cartwright (D-PA-08) and Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA-01) and Senator Mazie Hirono (D-HI) reintroduced the Public Service Freedom to Negotiate Act, which protects the right of public employees to join unions and engage in collective bargaining on behalf of middle-class workers.
In 2018, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Janus v. AFSCME to overturn more than 40 years of legal precedent and strip public employee unions of their ability to collect fees for representation they are legally required to provide workers. Since Janus, many states have passed laws threatening workers’ rights and weakening unions.
The Public Service Freedom to Negotiate Act would help to level the playing field for those essential workers by establishing a minimum standard of collective bargaining rights that states and localities must provide.
“I will always fight to maintain collective bargaining rights for hard-working Americans, including my constituents in Northeastern Pennsylvania, where union rights are a time-honored tradition,” Rep. Cartwright said. “Strong public and private sector unions built the middle class in our country. With all of the progress workers of all stripes have made, now is not the time to turn back the clock on fair pay and workplace protections when struggling families need it the most.”
“Private sector workers are guaranteed the right to organize under federal law, so too should public sector workers,” said Senator Hirono. “The Public Service Freedom to Negotiate Act will help ensure every public employee has their voice heard in the workplace, protecting their rights to organize for fair wages, benefits, and working conditions. I’m proud to lead this legislation to preserve and strengthen the right to unionize for public sector workers who teach our children, protect our safety, and keep our communities moving forward.”
“Our public servants at every level of government are crucial to ensuring that the important functions of our nation are carried out each day,” Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick said. “Beyond being grateful for their dedication, Congress must guarantee the rights of these employees to organize and collectively bargain. I am proud to co-lead the bipartisan Public Service Freedom to Negotiate Act which will do just that, expanding protections for those who work tirelessly for the benefit of my constituents in Bucks and Montgomery Counties and for communities across the country.”
“From first responders to bus drivers to teachers, America’s public sector workers deserve a voice on the job and the freedom to join a union and bargain collectively for higher wages, better benefits, and safer working conditions,” said Congressional Labor Caucus co-chairs Reps. Steven Horsford (D-NV), Mark Pocan (D-WI), Donald Norcross (D-NJ), and Debbie Dingell (D-MI). “As co-chairs of the Labor Caucus, we’re proud to support the Public Service Freedom to Negotiate Act and safeguard the right to organize for public employees who are the backbone of our communities.”
Organized labor is a main pillar of the strong American middle class. Research shows union members employed by a state government earn 17 percent more than their non-union counterparts, and union members employed by a local government earn 35 percent more than their non-union counterparts.
Unfortunately, many states outright prohibit their public-sector employees from engaging in collective bargaining to improve wages or working conditions.
Where states fail to provide basic collective bargaining rights for public sector employees, this bipartisan, bicameral legislation would empower the Federal Labor Relations Authority to protect the rights of state, territorial, and local government employees to:
Form, join, or assist unions, to bargain collectively, and to join together to engage in other activities to improve their working conditions;
Have their union recognized by their public employer through democratic procedures;
Have a procedure for resolving impasses in collective bargaining; and
Authorize the deduction of fees to support the union to the extent permitted by law.
This legislation is endorsed by the AFL-CIO, Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU), American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), American Federation of Teachers (AFT), Communications Workers of America (CWA), Department for Professional Employees, AFL-CIO (DPE), International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE), International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM), International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW), International Brotherhood of Teamsters, International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers (IFPTE), International Union of Painters & Allied Trades (IUPAT), Transport Workers Union of America (TWU), United Food and Commercial Workers International Union (UFCW), United Steelworkers (USW), Utility Workers Union of America, AFL-CIO (UWUA), United Automobile Workers (UAW), Laborers’ International Union of North America (LIUNA) and the International Union of Police Associations (IUPA).
“We applaud Senator Hirono and Representatives Cartwright and Fitzpatrick for again introducing the bipartisan Public Service Freedom to Negotiate Act, which would finally give public service workers nationwide collective bargaining rights,” said American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) President Lee Saunders. “With a seat at the table, we can fight for fair pay, better benefits, and safer working conditions — all of which are critical for recruiting and retaining qualified people to work in public service. During a time when many public services face drastic staffing shortages and turnover, we must identify ways to strengthen this workforce. This crucial legislation will help do this and more.”
“The Teamsters are proud to endorse the Public Service Freedom to Negotiate Act, guaranteeing all public sector workers the right to organize and join a union, and this bill establishes a standard that states must meet,” said Teamsters General President Sean M. O’Brien. “These are the workers that make our cities and states run and we owe it to them to protect their right to organize and ensure they have a safe and dignified environment where they work.”
“Our communities are safer, healthier, and stronger when public service workers – educators, state and local government employees and others – have the freedom to bargain for family-sustaining wages, good healthcare, and the ability to retire securely,” said American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten. “When unions bargain, they don’t just bargain for their members, they bargain for the common good, and for real solutions that address the real issues that impact all of us every day, whether it’s putting food on the table or putting our kids through college. The Public Service Freedom to Negotiate Act would make sure that an educator in Louisiana has the same right to bargain as a scientist working in New Hampshire, because the right to advocate for a better life should not depend on the state where you live. This bill ensures that workers can protect their voice on the job, which helps them advocate for themselves, their families, and the people they serve.”
“We fight every day for more people to have access to collective bargaining which changes lives through better pay and benefits and safer working conditions,” said Utility Workers Union of America President James Slevin. “We wholeheartedly support the Public Freedom to Negotiate Act and the impact it will have on expanding collective bargaining rights to public sector workers everywhere. Thank you, Senator Hirono and Representative Cartwright, for advancing this important legislation.”
In the U.S. House of Representatives, this legislation is co-sponsored by U.S. Reps. Emanuel Cleaver (D-MO-05), Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL-08), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), Marc Veasey (D-TX-33), Jan Schakowsky (D-IL-09), Dwight Evans (D-PA-03), Donald Norcross (D-NJ-01), Scott Peters (D-CA-50), Jahanna Hayes (D-CT-05), Chuy García (D-IL-04), Debbie Dingell (D-MI-06), David Trone (D-MD-06), Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR-01), Brendan Boyle (D-PA-02), Seth Moulton (D-MA-06), Paul Tonko (D-NY-20), Stephen F. Lynch (D-MA-08), Lori Chavez-DeRemer (R-OR-05), Ritchie Torres (D-NY-15), Chellie Pingree (D-ME-01), Brad Sherman (D-CA-32), Julia Brownley (D-CA-26), Susan Wild (D-PA-07), Lucy McBath (D-GA-07), Frederica Wilson (D-FL-24), Nikema Williams (D-GA-05), Dan Kildee (D-MI-08), André Carson (D-IN-07), Bill Foster (D-IL-11), Mary Gay Scanlon (D-PA-05), Jill Tokuda (D-HI-02), Gerry Connolly (D-VA-11), Angie Craig (D-MN-02), Nydia M. Velázquez (D-NY-07), Greg Landsman (D-OH-01), Jimmy Panetta (D-CA-19), Marcus Molinaro (R-NY-19), Ilhan Omar (D-MN-05), Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (D-FL-20), Mark Pocan (D-WI-02), Katie Porter (D-CA-47), Betty McCollum (D-MN-04), Steve Cohen (D-TN-09), Morgan McGarvey (D-KY-03), Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ-05), Deborah Ross (D-NC-02), Danny Davis (D-IL-07), Rick Larsen (D-WA-02), Don Bacon (R-NE-02), Nikki Budzinski (D-IL-13), Jerrold Nadler (D-NY-12), Anna Eshoo (D-CA-16), Haley Stevens (D-MI-11), Linda T Sánchez (D-CA-38), Kevin Mullin (D-CA-15), Paul Tonko (D-NY-20), Eric Swallwell (D-CA-14), Colin Allred (D-TX-32), Dean Phillips (D-MN-03), Mikie Sherrill (D-NJ-11), Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ-12), Mark Takano (D-CA-39), Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL-25), Elissa Slotkin (D-MI-07), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE), John Garamendi (D-CA-08), Glenn Ivey (D-MD-04), Rosa DeLauro (D-CT-03), Melanie Stansbury (D-NM-01), Chris Deluzio (D-PA-17), Frank Mrvan (D-IN-01), Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA-06), Steven Horsford (D-NV-04), Robert Garcia (D-CA-42), Dan Goldman (D-NY-10), Salud Carbajal (D-CA-24), Greg Casar (D-TX-35), Steny Hoyer (D-MD-05), Val Hoyle (D-OR-04), John Sarbanes (D-MD-03), Mike Lawler (R-NY-17), Don Beyer (D-VA-08), Maxwell Alejandro Frost (D-FL-10), Bennie Thompson (D-MS-02), Bill Pascrell (D-NJ-09), Judy Chu (D-CA-28) and Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (D-WA-03).
In the U.S. Senate, this legislation is co-sponsored by U.S. Senators Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Ed Markey (D-MA), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Jack Reed (D-RI), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Laphonza Butler (D-CA), John Fetterman (D-PA), Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Bob Casey (D-PA), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Peter Welch (D-VT), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Tina Smith (D-MN), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Patty Murray (D-WA), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Ben Cardin (D-MD) and Ron Wyden (D-OR).
CASEY CONTINUES FIGHTING TO REDUCE BARRIERS TO HIGHER EDUCATION FACED BY STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES
CASEY: “STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES DESERVE AS FAIR A SHOT AS ANYONE AT PURSUING HIGHER EDUCATION”
Senator Bob Casey (Photo: LuLac archives)
U.S. Senator Bob Casey Chairman of the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging, introduced two bills that would make American higher education far more accessible for students with disabilities. Students with disabilities currently face unique, challenging, and often unnecessary barriers to enrolling in and completing higher education programs. Chairman Casey’s bills remove some of these barriers and provide additional funding to ensure that students with disabilities have a fair shot at pursuing higher education.
“Students with disabilities deserve as fair a shot as anyone at pursuing higher education, but too often face disproportionate and unnecessary barriers throughout the process,” Chairman Casey (D-PA). “Today, I’m introducing bills that would take down some of those barriers and invest in programs that make sure students with disabilities can achieve their educational goals and realize their full potential.”
Casey’s new Higher Education Grant Flexibility Act, would allow many students with disabilities who are taking a reduced course load as an approved disability accommodation to receive the same federal financial aid as other full-time students Right now, many students with disabilities with reduced course loads are required to prorate their financial aid, which threatens their Pell Grants and other federal aid programs, and forces students to choose between the accommodations they need and the full amount of financial aid they were awarded. Casey’s bill would make it possible for students with disabilities to utilize the disability accommodations they are entitled to by law without financial consequences.
Chairman Casey’s Expanding Disability Access to Higher Education Act, would provide federal programs aimed at helping first-generation and low-income students pursue higher education through TRIO programs with $50 million to enroll and support eligible students with disabilities. TRIO programs include Upward Bound, Student Support Services, and the McNair Postbaccalaureate Achievement Program, and provide eligible students with support such as mentoring, career development services, and preparation for postsecondary education. Eligible students with disabilities would benefit greatly from these programs, but the resources and skills needed to support their unique needs are often not present. Casey’s bill will help TRIO programs obtain those resources and capacities.
Chairman Casey has long been a champion in the Senate for students with disabilities. Last March, he introduced three bills to make education more accessible for students with disabilities and to help ensure their safety at school. Those bills would make transitions to postsecondary education smoother, campus emergency procedures more accurate, accessible, and inclusive of students with disabilities, improve training for school security and staff, and develop stronger federal oversight and support.
GOVERNOR SHAPIRO, LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR DAVIS BRING GREAT AMERICAN GETAWAY RV TOUR TO PHILADELPHIA TO KICK OFF THE NATION’S 250TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATIONS, VISIT HISTORICAL SITES AND PROMOTE SMALL BUSINESSES
Shapiro and Davis (Photo: LuLac archives)
, Governor Josh Shapiro and Lieutenant Governor Austin Davis brought the Great American Getaway RV tour to Philadelphia to promote the city as a premier travel destination ahead of 2026 and to celebrate the kickoff of a multi-year schedule of events and programs leading up to the nation’s 250th anniversary.
Yesterday in Lackawanna County, Governor Shapiro launched(opens in a new tab) Pennsylvania’s new state tourism brand: The Great American Getaway. The new brand showcases all the Commonwealth has to offer as a premier weekend getaway destination with thousands of attractions – including blockbuster events coming to PA in 2026 like America’s 250th anniversary celebration, the FIFA World Cup, and the MLB All Star Game in 2026.
While in Philadelphia today, Governor Shapiro and Lieutenant Governor Davis visited iconic historical landmarks, promoted local small businesses, and encouraged more people to visit Philadelphia and Pennsylvania. Read more about The Great American Getaway RV tour stop in Philadelphia below.
Kicking Off the Nation’s 250th Anniversary Celebrations and Celebrating Philadelphia’s Iconic Attractions
Governor Shapiro, Lieutenant Governor Davis, and Secretary Siger joined Visit Philly President and CEO Angela Val, Philadelphia City Representative Jazelle Jones, CEO and Executive Director of TED Conferences LLC Jay Herratti, and City of Philadelphia 2026 Director Michael Newmuis to officially kick off the nation’s 250th anniversary of independence by announcing the first wave of a robust multi-year schedule of programming, events, and activities through 2026. The announcement included the launch of TED Democracy, the first ever TED equity series focused on the future of democracy, to be hosted in Philadelphia over the next 3 years.
After kicking off the nation’s 250th anniversary celebrations, Governor Shapiro and Independence Visitors Center CEO Kathryn Ott Lovell visited the iconic Rocky Statue and steps at the Philadelphia Museum of Art and then toured the new Rocky Store, which opened in October 2023. The RV tour continued with a visit to Independence Hall, where the Governor and, Lieutenant Governor toured the Governor’s Council Chamber, which served as the executive chamber for the Governor of Pennsylvania until 1799.
Supporting Philadelphia’s Great Spaces and Small Businesses: BOK Building, Cherry Street Pier, Mural City Cellars
Governor Shapiro and Lieutenant Governor Davis also visited the BOK Building – a former technical high school repurposed into workspaces for Philadelphia, small businesses, nonprofits, and artists. While there, the Governor and Lieutenant Governor toured several small businesses, including Remark Glass, Firth & Wilson Transport Cycles, and Greenly Plant Company.
Lieutenant Governor Davis then visited The Garden at the Cherry Street Pier – a year-round, mixed-use public space on the central Delaware River Waterfront that serves as a creative incubator, marketplace, performance venue, and social space, created for and by the Philadelphia community.
In the evening, Governor Shapiro and Lieutenant Governor Davis joined Visit Philadelphia to host the Great American Happy Hour at Mural City Cellars. The Governor and Lieutenant Governor were joined by Philadelphia leaders and prominent travel and lifestyle creators to highlight all Pennsylvania tourism has to offer while supporting a family and Latino-owned business.
The Great American Getaway: How the New Brand and the Governor’s Proposed 2024-25 Budget Prioritizes Pennsylvania Tourism, Encourages Millions to Visit Pennsylvania, and Supports Our Communities
Tourism is a key piece of the Governor’s economic development strategy, generating $76 billion and supporting more than 486,000 jobs a year in PA – and the new brand builds on Governor Shapiro’s proposed(opens in a new tab) $18 million tourism investment to boost our economy, attract more visitors, and support good-paying jobs
MEDIA MATTERS
WALN TV
BOLD GOLD COMMUNITY FORUM
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
STEVE CORBETT’S SCRANTON CITY NEWS
Here's the link: News – The Outlaw Steve Corbett (theoutlawcorbett.com)
BEATLE EDD’S FAB FOUR HOUR
Tune in every week to the Home of Rock and Roll for a jam packed, unpredictable hour starting at 9am Sundays. Host Edd Raineri gives you facts and great music from the immortal Fab Four on ROCK 107.
1984
Our 1984 logo
1960 champion Arnold Palmer fails to qualify for the US Open Golf Championship for the first time in 32 years………Columbia Records releases Bruce Springsteen's 7th studio album "Born in the USA", his biggest commercial success topped the charts in 11 countries and sold over 30 million copies, worldwide….. DNA is successfully cloned from an extinct animal…….
in the MLB Draft: New York Mets take Mechanicsburg Area Senior HS outfielder Shawn Abner at #1. His carer ran from from 1987 to 1992 for the San Diego Padres, California Angels, and Chicago White Sox. In 392 career games, Abner had a batting average of .227 with 191 hits, 11 home runs, and 71 runs batted in. He is widely considered a draft bust. Abner married his high-school sweetheart Kris in October 1987 at A Little White Wedding Chapel in Las Vegas. During the MLB off-season, Abner enjoyed playing blackjack in casinos in Las Vegas. His son Seth "Scump" Abner is a professional Call of Duty player.
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| Abner |
The Democratic Presidential nominating convention race ended in June with Walter Mondale pulling ahead. Decided that day were delegates from five states: South Dakota, New Mexico, West Virginia, and the big prizes of California and New Jersey. The proportional nature of delegate selection meant that Mondale was likely to obtain enough delegates on that day to secure the stated support of an overall majority of delegates, and hence the nomination, no matter who actually "won" the states contested. However, Hart maintained that unpledged superdelegates that had previously claimed support for Mondale would shift to his side if he swept the Super Tuesday III primary. Once again, Hart committed a faux pas, insulting New Jersey shortly before the primary day. Campaigning in California, he remarked that while the "bad news" was that he and his wife Lee had to campaign separately, "[t]he good news for her is that she campaigns in California while I campaign in New Jersey." Compounding the problem, when his wife interjected that she "got to hold a koala bear," Hart replied that "I won't tell you what I got to hold: samples from a toxic-waste dump." While Hart won California, he decisively lost New Jersey after leading in polls by as much as 15 points…………and this week in 1984 the number one song was “Time After Time” by Cyndi Lauper, a follow up to her first hit, “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun”.
posted by David Yonki @ 8:40 PM
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