The LuLac Edition #5, 180, October 3rd, 2024

 

THE VEEP DEBATE

TWO STYLES

TWO VIEWS

The Vice-Presidential debate on Tuesday night varied wildly from the previous Harris/Trump debate a month ago. First off the debate was polite and civil. If you agreed or disagreed with the principles, at least you could get through the night with two coherent opponents.  There were no surprise statements like people eating animals but there was a bending of the truth on both sides. That stated, there were statements of incredulity that made a marked difference.

Vance in effect lied to the American people about Trump’s role in Health Care. Sinde day 1 in his term, Trump tried to get rid of the Affordable Care Act. Lou Barletta, a congressman at the time said that the numerous attempts (ore than 40) to get rid of it was a fool’s errand. Trump never had anything to replace it and if not for the courage and common sense of John McCain, it would be DOA.

Vance also talked about Vice President Harris and somehow silencing critics of the Biden CO-VID vaccine implementation.  That is an outright lie. I made several searches and found NOTHING about her censoring anyone.

Vance also seemed to forget that one Joe Biden not Kamela Harris was President. To hear him tell it, you’d think on January 21^st, Harris had the 46^th President locked p in the cellar of the Naval Observatory. 

The biggest thing though that stood out was when Vance refused to answer the question as to whether he thought Trump lost the election. Vance claimed that Trump didn’t do anything to interrupt President Joe Biden’s inauguration that specific day in 2021, skipping the ceremony and flying to his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida for the final minutes of his term.

But that ignores the reason for Trump’s second impeachment – for inciting the insurrection on Jan. 6. It's a day that was anything but peaceful, and Trump played a key role in it.

Trump “lit that fire,” Democratic Mississippi Rep. Bennie Thompson, chairman of the bipartisan House Committee that investigated the riots, wrote in the body's 814-page report.

Before Trump’s supporters stormed the Capitol, he spoke on the Ellipse and urged them to march while Congress was voting to certify the 2020 election results. Democrats have pointed to one phrase Trump used as an incitement: “We fight like hell. And if you don't fight like hell, you're not going to have a country anymore,” Trump said. His attorneys, however, argued that he urged his supporters to “peacefully and patriotically make your voices heard.”

The revelation today from Special Counsel Jack Smith will do nothing to bolster Vance's c enlargement.  (See following story)

Walzs’ question to Vance and his non answer had over 1 million hits in the following hour after the debate. This disqualifies Vance to be a Vice President because he’ll do whatever Trump tells him.

Up until this time, both men were holding their own. But this nonanswer was an admission that Walz was playing to an audience of millions of American voters while Vance was focusing in on one person: Trump,

 

 

BOMBSHELL IMMUNITY FILING DETAILS TRUMP'S ALLEGED 'INCREASINGLY DESPERATE' BID TO OVERTURN 2020 ELECTION

OR

 

TELL US SOMETHING WE DIDN’T  KNOW

 

Special counsel Jack Smith has outlined new details of former President Donald Trump and his allies' sweeping and "increasingly desperate" efforts to overturn his 2020 election loss, in a blockbuster court filing Wednesday aimed at defending Smith's prosecution of Trump following the Supreme Court's July immunity ruling.

Trump intentionally lied to the public, state election officials, and his own vice president in an effort to cling to power after losing the election, while privately describing some of the claims of election fraud as "crazy," prosecutors alleged in the 165-page filing.

"When the defendant lost the 2020 presidential election, he resorted to crimes to try to stay in office," the filing said. "With private co-conspirators, the defendant launched a series of increasingly desperate plans to overturn the legitimate election results in seven states that he had lost."

When Trump's effort to overturn the election through lawsuits and fraudulent electors failed to change the outcome of the election, prosecutors allege that the former president fomented violence, with prosecutors describing Trump as directly responsible for "the tinderbox that he purposely ignited on January 6."

"The defendant also knew that he had only one last hope to prevent Biden's certification as President: the large and angry crowd standing in front of him. So for more than an hour, the defendant delivered a speech designed to inflame his supporters and motivate them to march to the Capitol," Smith wrote.

The lengthy filing -- which includes an 80-page summary of the evidence gathered by investigators -- outlines multiple instances in which Trump allegedly heard from advisers who disproved his allegations, yet continued to spread his claims of outcome-determinative voter fraud, prosecutors said.

"It doesn't matter if you won or lost the election. You still have to fight like hell," Trump allegedly told members of his family following the 2020 election, the filing said. (AOL News)

 

BIDEN FEELING UNDER-UTILIZED IN CAMPAIGN

President Joe Biden has reportedly complained to his closest allies that he feels “left behind” as his fellow Democrats rush to embrace their new presidential nominee Kamala Harris and support her in the fight against Donald Trump.

Biden, 81, made the historic decision to step aside from the 2024 in July following intense pressure from his own party in the wake of his disastrous debate performance against Trump in June.

The president moved quickly to endorse the vice president, who went on to pick up the nomination unchallenged, her dramatic ascent reinvigorating a race many were previously unenthused by.

Harris and running mate Tim Walz have since come out swinging against Trump and his running mate JD Vance and the national conversation has moved on, all of which has left Biden feeling forgotten by a party he has served for more than five decades, insiders told NBC News.

Based on conversations with 12 administration insiders, the outlet reported that Biden feels his accomplishments in the White House are now being overlooked, leaving him with “very complex” feelings about how the events of the summer have played out.

Biden is said to have noted that Harris no longer mentions his name in her campaign speeches – having initially made a point of thanking him for his political service, often drawing chants of gratitude – seemingly in the interest of creating distance with him and the policies of his administration.

Speaking for Harris, a campaign official said: “We have to tell people who she is and what she would do.

 “There wasn’t a real interest in hearing about [Biden’s] accomplishments when he was running. That’s still the case.”

This is  where I think the campaign could use the Biden accomplishments by selectively tooting the administration’s record when the critics say “What has she done in the last three and a half years?”

People need to be constantly reminded of the accomplishments vs. the Trump promises. If she loses, life will be unbearable in this country. The Harris "experts" should review the lessons of the 1968 and 2000 campaigns of Hubert Humphrey and Al Gore. Humphrey failed to send out his President, Johnson to areas of strength in the south to blunt the George Wallace candidacy. Wallace won 45 electoral votes mainly from the south.

Gore didn't send Bill Clinton out to states like Arkansas and his home state of Tennessee., Those electoral  votes would have given Gore the Presidency.  

Plus, unlike Johnson and Clinton, Biden is not embattled with soldiers dying in combat overseas or dealing with the aftermath of  a sex scandal. To not use him, (especially in this state) is playing it too safe.  

It's a self inflicted wound they can't afford in a very, very close election.

(LuLac,  Microsoft News)

 

THIS WEEK IN LUZERNE COUNTY MAGA NEWS #12

 

This week, Lackawanna County Commissioner Gaughan called out the lack of intellect displayed by some drop box opponents at a recent election board meeting. He was right to do so. Jamie Walsh, founder of the anti-government, anti-LGBTQ group Citizens Advisory of Pennsylvania, and the Republican candidate for the 117th District in the General Election, claimed that drop boxes are "solely for the purpose of cheating" and other conspiracies. Walsh went further during a Luzerne County Council meeting, calling drop box supporters "Marxists." Ironically, the Citizens Advisory group operates as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, which prohibits partisan activity, while its members actively oppose voting rights and democratic access. To make matters worse, a threat against Gaughan was made on the group’s private Facebook page by a frequent attendee of Luzerne County meetings who often spreads conspiracies.

Prominent elected and appointed members of the Citizens Advisory Facebook group include:

Harry Haas, Luzerne County Councilman

Lee Ann McDermott, Luzerne County Councilwoman

Walter Griffith, Luzerne County Controller

TJ Fitzgerald, Luzerne County Republicans founder

Mark Rabo, Luzerne County Redevelopment Authority member

Chris Chermak, Lackawanna County Commissioner

Alyssa Fusaro, County Election Board member

Frank Scavo ("America Primero")

Ed Brunn, Northwest School Board Member

Eryn Harvey, former Luzerne County Election Director

Doug Mastriano, Pennsylvania State Senator

Stephan Urban, former Luzerne County Councilman, and current Government Study Commission member

Marc Nespoli, Berwick School Board member

Clint Lanning, Berwick School Board member

Jared Yost, Berwick School Board member

Pride Flag Ban in Berwick

The Berwick School Board is currently considering a Pride Flag ban, a move driven by Citizens Advisory President Benny Herring, who also sits on the Luzerne County Ethics Commission.

MAGA activist Scott Pressler has also been active, criticizing both Lackawanna and Luzerne counties on social media, spreading conspiracy theories, and stoking division among voters. Pressler’s rhetoric has heightened fear and tension in local communities, fueling the growing divide.

On another front, television ads funded by billionaire Jeffrey Yass’s PACs (Citizens Alliance of Pennsylvania) falsely labeled State Representatives Eddie Day Pashinski and Jim Haddock as "lazy legislators." This claim is ironic, considering these representatives are among the most active in the Pennsylvania House. Meanwhile, Yass’s PACs have been pouring money into the campaigns of McKayla Kathio and Jamie Walsh, both MAGA-aligned candidates for state representative seats. Walsh, running unopposed in the General Election, has benefited directly from this funding.

 

 

CARTWRIGHT ANNOUNCES $375,000 IN FEDERAL FUNDS TO HIRE ADDITIONAL POLICE OFFICERS IN WILKES-BARRE TOWNSHIP

Congressman Matt Cartwright (Photo: LuLacarchives)

Representative Matt Cartwright (PA-08), Ranking Member of the House Appropriations Commerce, Justice and Science Subcommittee, announced $375,000 in federal funds have been awarded to the Wilkes-Barre Township Police Department to hire additional police officers.

The funding is the result of a grant through the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) Hiring Program. The grant will cover up to 75% of the entry-level salaries and benefits for newly hired officers over a three-year period, significantly reducing the financial burden on the township.

“As a senior member of the House Appropriations Committee, I’ll always stand with our police and support their work to keep our communities safe,” said Rep. Cartwright, who oversees more than $70 billion in annual federal spending, including the budget for the Department of Justice. “In Congress, I’ll continue fighting to bring these federal resources home to support local law enforcement and all emergency first responders.”

“This grant is a significant step forward for our Township and Police Department,” said Chief Will Clark, Wilkes-Barre Township Police Department. “It allows us to enhance our police force without placing additional financial strain on our residents. We are committed to ensuring that Wilkes-Barre Township remains a safe and welcoming place for all. We would like to thank Congressman Cartwright for assisting us in making application for this vital source of much needed funding.”

The COPS Hiring Program (CHP) is a competitive award program intended to create and preserve jobs and increase community policing capacity and crime prevention efforts. The community policing approach focuses on forging trust between law enforcement and the members of the communities they serve.

 

CASEY INTRODUCES LEGISLATION TO IMPROVE FLOOD INSURANCE AFFORDABILITY FOR FAMILIES, HELP PENNSYLVANIANS PROTECT THEIR HOMES

AIR FLOOD PROTECTION ACT CAPS INSURANCE PREMIUMS, CUTS FEES

CASEY BILL TO PROVIDE LONG-TERM STABILITY FOR PENNSYLVANIA HOMEOWNER

Senator Bob Casey (Photo: LuLac archives)

Senator Bob Casey introduced legislation to cap the cost of flood insurance, making home ownership more affordable for working families. Across Pennsylvania, as floods become more frequent and intense, homeowners are struggling to keep up with significant increases in flood insurance costs, which can be as high as thousands of dollars per year. The Fair Flood Protection Act would lower the cost of flood insurance by creating a sliding scale premium cap to ensure that families pay fair amounts based on their income.

“Throughout the Commonwealth, including in my home county of Lackawanna, families’ budgets are being increasingly squeezed by the rising costs of flood insurance. This bill will cut fees and cap flood insurance costs to help ensure that Pennsylvanians can afford to keep their homes safe for generations to come,” said Senator Casey. “Hardworking homeowners should be able to protect their homes without worrying about how to pay the bills.”

With many Pennsylvanians struggling to get by and raise their families, flooding poses a looming financial threat. Most home insurance does not include flood insurance, making the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) a key safety net to protect against the devastating impacts of flooding. After hearing concerns about rising costs of flood insurance, coupled with reports of increased heavy rain and flood risk, Casey introduced the Fair Flood Protection Act to help working families protect their homes without breaking the bank. This bill would help make and keep flood insurance affordable and strengthen the NFIP. This legislation would help expand flood insurance coverage by reauthorizing NFIP for ten years, increasing the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)’s authorization to provide funding for flood protection and mitigation projects, and creating a cap for NFIP premiums based on a sliding scale determined by income. Currently FEMA has instituted a premium model that sets rates based on an individual’s flood risk, which can lead to prohibitively high costs of flood insurance. Adjusting premium rates to account for income, rather than risk alone, would help to ensure that working class homeowners are not priced out of flood protection.

 Senator Casey has long worked to help Pennsylvania communities mitigate and recover from the devastating impacts caused by floods. Most recently, he successfully pushed President Biden to provide federal disaster relief support to Pennsylvania communities affected by the devastating flooding last month. Additionally, Casey has championed infrastructure investments to improve flood control infrastructure, including through community project funding and FEMA grant programs. Additionally, Casey voted to pass the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which poured billions of additional federal funding into programs like the Flood Mitigation Assistance grant program and the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities grant program. 

Senator Casey has always fought to lower costs for working families in Pennsylvania. From creating tax credits for renewable energy development, to negotiating the price of prescription drugs, Casey has consistently worked to bring prices down Pennsylvania families

 

DEMOCRATIC GOVERNORS SHAPIRO, MOORE HIT THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL IN NORTH CAROLINA

 

 

Gov. Josh Shapiro  (Photo: LuLac archives)

Yahoo News reports that a duo of Democratic governors from up north met with North Carolina voters on Sunday, touting Attorney General Josh Stein and Vice President Kamala Harris as campaign surrogates visiting the Tar Heel State.

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro spoke with Democratic supporters in Burlington in the morning before later appearing with Stein at an event at the University of North Carolina-Greensboro.

And later, Maryland Gov. Wes Moore headlined a press conference blasting Trump and Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson.

Shapiro, formerly a frontrunner in the Democratic vice presidential sweepstakes, said he saw echoes of his 2022 race in Stein’s contest against Robinson.

“Obviously, we’re both named Josh, but we also ran against — in my case ran against, in his case running against — a really dangerous extremist,” Shapiro told NC Newsline in Burlington.

Shapiro ran against state senator Doug Mastriano, who was a leading voice in support of overturning 2020’s election results in Pennsylvania.

“I don’t want to dwell on his opponent,” Shapiro said, joking that “I actually haven’t been following the race for the last two weeks.” And he said it would be a “disservice” to Stein — to whom he was a peer as an attorney general — to focus only on Robinson’s controversies past and present.

Moore, who won his first term in 2022, sought to tie Robinson to former President Donald Trump, as Republicans have increasingly seized on the battleground state’s gubernatorial race.

“Extremists like Donald Trump and Mark Robinson are one and the same — running to push their Project 2025 agenda and raise costs for millions of working families across our country,” Moore said.

The Democratic governors’ visits are a stark contrast to out-of-state Republican leaders, who have effectively abandoned Robinson’s campaign. All four neighboring GOP governors have distanced themselves from or unendorsed Robinson, and the Republican Governors’ Association has halted ad spending.

 

 

MEDIA MATTERS

 

WALN

BOLD GOLD COMMUNITY FORM

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 MUSIC 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

Peter Ueberroth replaces Bowie Kuhn as 6th commissioner of Major League Baseball; he has a 4 year tenure………Papa John's Pizza is founded by John Schnatter in Jeffersonville, Indiana; it would go on to become the fourth-largest pizza delivery restaurant chain in the United States……Richard Miller becomes 1st (former) FBI agent to be charged with espionage…….Three cosmonauts return after a record 237 days in orbit…….US government shuts down due to lack of agreement over passage of bills…..13th NASA Space Shuttle Mission (41G): Challenger 6 launches with Marc Garneau, the first Canadian in space, on board……MLB National League Championship: San Diego Padres beat Chicago Cubs, 3 games to 2……… Striking umps return for Game 5 of NLCS, San Diego Padres win pennant……. Walter Payton passes Jim Brown as NFL's career rushing leade…and this week the number one song in LuLac land and America was “I Just Called To Say I Love You” by Stevie Wonder.