The LuLac Edition #5, 283, March 27th, 2025

 

3

REASONS

TO WORRY ABOUT YOUR SOCIAL SECURITY

Keep in mind that when Franklin Roosevelt instituted social security. Ere are the facts:

1935: Almost all Republicans in Congress oppose the creation of Social Security.

1939: 75 percent of Republicans in Senate try to kill legislation providing Social Security benefits to dependents and survivors as well as retired workers.

1950: 79 percent of House and 89 percent of Senate Republicans vote against disability insurance to defeat it.

The same Republicans opposed Medicare in 1965. 3 percent of Republicans in House and 62 percent in Senate vote to kill Medicare. 

So when Democrats warn against the same party coming after Social Security they are accused of scare tactics. Republican candidates who smile and look like butter wouldn’t melt in their mouth say THEY would never hurt those on Social Security. They insist on calling it entitlements. Last I looked, people pay into Social Security from THEIR OWN MONEY. Last I looked, people who get social security checks pay taxes.

Here are three reasons why people need to be concerned: The Trump administration needs to make big cuts to fulfill Elon Musk’s promise to trim 20% from the federal budget of $6.8 trillion and extend tax cuts for wealthy people.  The goal here is Robin Hood in reverse. Take from the poor and give to the rich.  The issue though is that Musk’s chainsaw approach — including shuttering offices and slashing federal staffing — is not gonna get to that 20% mark. The Social Security Administration paid $120 billion in benefits to more than 67 million people in 2024, providing benefits to elderly people, disabled people and dependents. These obviously are not the 1%, they are the majority.  The very arrogance of the Trump team on that alone is astounding. 

The second reason is that the administration doesn’t understand how SS works and has no inclination to learn. It is a complicated agency and Musk can only call it a Ponzi scheme which is inaccurate and disparaging. 

All of this leads to the third reason which is in fact a conclusion. They don’ t give a rat’s ass about federal workers an the way they are treated. The gutting of departments with no plan and no empathy for the personal needs of said workers is thuggery.

My God, when the Mafia downsized an individual (albeit via murder) at least THEY had the empathy to take care of their disengaged families.  . You see that in the closure of field offices and the scaling back of help lines with seemingly no regard for how elderly or disabled recipients or beneficiaries will get help.

Make no mistake. Past is prologue and the Republicans via Trump are coming after Social Security. To deny that is cult like ands just plain foolish. Why any senior voted for a Republican will be a mystery to me for my entire life. Obviously with some people, they are as dumb as they look.

 

OF ALL PEOPLE, JEFFREY GOLDBERG

The Atlantic’s Jeffrey Goldberg has always been a lightning rod for conservatives and Trumpanzees. It is a sweet irony that out of ALL the people in Washington, Goldberg got the text with war plans.

Axios reports that in the aftermath of those texts, Multiple top Trump officials insisted Tuesday — including under oath — that "no classified material" or "war plans" were shared in a Signal group chat that mistakenly included The Atlantic's editor-in-chief Jeffrey Goldberg.

Why it matters: The White House has confirmed the authenticity of the explosive text messages published by The Atlantic, but disputed Goldberg's claim that he withheld "operational details" about U.S. strikes in Yemen out of concern that they were classified.

Goldberg, who was accidentally invited to the chat by national security adviser Mike Waltz, said the texts included the specific time, targets and sequencing of the operation.

"The information contained in them, if they had been read by an adversary of the United States, could conceivably have been used to harm American military and intelligence personnel," Goldberg wrote.

Driving the news: Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, whom Goldberg said had shared the sensitive operational details, categorically denied Monday that "war plans" were discussed in the group chat.

When asked about all of this, Hegseth did not talk about the mistake but attacked Goldberg who by all accounts was an innocent bystander that had a story land in his lap.

BTW, old Pete looks like he might need a brew after this one.

 

CANIARIES IN PENNSYLVANIA POLITICAL COAL MINES

Tuesday night in Pennsylvania two seats in the State Legislature went Democratic. Democrat Dan Goughnour handily won a special election in western Pennsylvania on Tuesday, keeping majority control of the state House in his party’s hands by a single seat.

Goughnour beat Republican Chuck Davis in a district in the Mon Valley region southeast of Pittsburgh, winning a seat that became vacant in January with the death of Democratic state Rep. Matthew Gergely.

On the Senate side for the first time in 46 years in Lancaster County Democrat James Andrew Malone, the mayor of 4,500-population East Petersburg, maintained a narrow lead over Republican Lancaster County Commissioner Josh Parsons. That was a Democratic flip of the district and has been regarded as an upset. 

To be sure this was an off year election and a minor glint of hope for the discombobulated Dems but a signal that there might be buyer’s regret regarding the Trump second go round. 

 

CARTWRIGHT CHECK IN

Well, February made us shiver, but Eagles fans sure got a treat from a big Birds performance at the Super Bowl! Marion and I enjoyed cookies baked by Renee Castaldi.

After the election, while I decide if I have any more politics left in my system, I accepted a Visiting Professorship at my old school, Hamilton College, in upstate New York. Once a week, I'm teaching a senior seminar on Serving in Congress.

Otherwise, you can find me at my office, 227 Penn Ave. in Scranton.

Our sons, Jack and Matty, are doing well. Jack is practicing law at a fine firm in Atlanta, doing interesting work on election law cases and business litigation. Matty is at the M.I.T. School of Business, for his master's in business administration. He got engaged this summer, to a beautiful, smart young lady, Celeste Pallone, who just was awarded her Ph.D. this summer from Columbia University. She's in a Research Fellowship at M.I.T. So, we're getting lots of M.I.T. swag!

Marion is hard at work as usual on her law cases and getting ready to serve as the President of the American Association for Justice in two years. She got named to the top 10 lawyers in Pennsylvania by SuperLawyers, for the second year in a row. The boys and I are busting our buttons with pride.

Be safe and well, and stay in touch!

Matt

 

BRESNAHAN VISITS TOBYHANNA ARMY DEPOT

Congressman Rob Bresnehan (Photo: LuLac archives)

U.S. Representative Rob Bresnahan, Jr. (PA-08) visited the Tobyhanna Army Depot. Following the visit, Rep. Bresnahan issued a statement on his commitment to working with the U.S. Army and the Department of Defense to secure the resources needed to keep Tobyhanna operational and thriving.

“The hardworking men and women at the Tobyhanna Army Depot are vital to our military readiness and strength of our local communities,” said Rep. Bresnahan. “As our nation discusses proper allocation of federal resources to ensure mission critical operations and our national security, ensuring the continued operations is a top priority. Our team is in constant communication with the Army and the DoD to ensure the facility’s continued success. I want to assure our community that I will continue to advocate for Tobyhanna and the family-sustaining jobs it provides Northeastern Pennsylvania.”

Tobyhanna Army Depot plays a key role in providing the joint services with essential command, control, communications, cyber, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance support. Their efforts ensure America’s military is ready, modern and prepared to execute their warfighting mission. Tobyhanna employs more than 3,000 from across Northeastern Pennsylvania.

 

SHAPIRO ADMINISTRATION LEADS THE WAY IN RESPONSIBLE, ETHICAL USE OF AI; FIRST-EVER GENERATIVE AI PILOT FOR STATE WORKERS LEADS TO SIGNIFICANT TIME SAVINGS AND INCREASED PRODUCTIVITY

THE FINDINGS REVEALED THAT EMPLOYEES HAD A HIGHLY POSITIVE EXPERIENCE, REPORTING AN AVERAGE TIME SAVINGS OF 95 MINUTES PER DAY WHILE USING CHATGPT FOR WRITING, RESEARCH, SUMMARIZATION, AND IT SUPPORT – GIVING STATE EMPLOYEES THE ABILITY TO GET MORE DONE AND SERVE MORE RESIDENTS DURING THEIR WEEKS.

FOLLOWING THE PILOT, THE OFFICE OF ADMINISTRATION IS WORKING TO ACQUIRE A VETTED SUITE OF GENERATIVE AI TOOLS AS PART OF A BROADER STRATEGY TO ENABLE COMMONWEALTH AGENCIES IMPROVE EFFICIENCY AND DELIVER GOVERNMENT SERVICES MORE EFFECTIVELY

Governor Josh Shapiro (Photo: LuLac archives)

Governor Josh Shapiro joined leaders from OpenAI, Carnegie Mellon University, and Pennsylvania’s labor community to unveil the results of the Commonwealth’s first-in-the-nation Generative AI Pilot Program. The findings revealed that employees had a highly positive experience, reporting an average time savings of 95 minutes per day while using ChatGPT for writing, research, summarization, and IT support.

The pilot underscored the importance of human oversight, demonstrated AI’s potential to streamline government operations, and showed that Commonwealth employees across various roles, ages, and demographics benefited from the tool. Employees across multiple roles — including human resources, information technology, policy, and program management — benefited from the tool, helping them work more efficiently and focus on more complex, high-value tasks.

Launched as part of the Shapiro Administration’s commitment to responsibly integrating artificial intelligence into government operations, the pilot program provided state employees with access to ChatGPT Enterprise to enhance efficiency, streamline workflows, and improve the delivery of services for Pennsylvanians.

“Pennsylvania is leading the way in responsibly integrating AI into government by giving Commonwealth employees access to tools that enhance efficiency while ensuring people remain at the center of decision-making,” said Governor Shapiro. “This pilot program showed that when used thoughtfully, generative AI can help employees save time, streamline processes, and improve services for Pennsylvanians. But let me be clear — AI will never replace our workers. Instead, we’re equipping them with the best tools to do what they do best: get stuff done for Pennsylvanians.”

A First-in-the-Nation AI Pilot Program

Governor Shapiro signed(opens in a new tab) Executive Order 2023-19(opens in a new tab) in September 2023, establishing Pennsylvania as a leader in responsible AI adoption. The order set clear principles for generative AI use in government — prioritizing accuracy, transparency, security, fairness, and employee empowerment — and created the Generative AI Governing Board to oversee AI policy and implementation in the Commonwealth. 

In January 2024, Pennsylvania launched(opens in a new tab) its first-in-the-nation pilot program in partnership with OpenAI to explore how generative AI could enhance productivity across state government. The Office of Administration (OA) collaborated with leading generative AI experts and researchers from the Carnegie Mellon University Block Center for Technology and Society throughout the pilot.

Over the course of a year, 175 employees from 14 agencies used ChatGPT Enterprise to test AI’s impact. Nearly half of the participants, 48 percent, had never used ChatGPT before, yet over 85 percent reported a “somewhat positive” or “very positive” experience — demonstrating strong employee buy-in and the tool’s accessibility across different roles.

The results of the pilot, collected through biweekly feedback sessions, user interviews, and live demonstrations, showed significant benefits:

Time Savings: Employees reported saving an average of 95 minutes per day on administrative tasks, such as drafting emails, summarizing lengthy documents, and navigating complex bureaucratic processes.

Enhanced Efficiency: AI-assisted work helped employees improve hiring timelines, streamline procurement, more quickly analyze contracts, and research new policies faster.

Human Oversight Remains Essential: Employees emphasized that AI augments human expertise rather than replacing it, reinforcing the importance of human review and judgment.

Training and Adoption: Early challenges — including a learning curve and workflow adjustments — highlighted the need for robust training to help employees successfully integrate generative AI tools into their daily work. While targeted training and implementation strategies helped address some barriers, ongoing support and adaptation remain essential for maximizing AI’s effectiveness in government operations.

“This first-in-the-nation pilot was led by Governor Josh Shapiro, powered by talented Pennsylvanians and shaped by some of the world’s finest scientists and engineers here at Carnegie Mellon University and OpenAI,” said Carnegie Mellon University President Farnam Jahanian. “It is a remarkable collaboration and one that underscores the immense capacity and inevitable necessity of AI in helping governments operate more efficiently, effectively and responsively." 

Labor, Industry, and Elected Leaders Applaud Thoughtful AI Integration

The Shapiro Administration has prioritized employee engagement in AI implementation, ensuring Commonwealth employees play a key role in shaping the state’s approach. In a letter(opens in a new tab), Governor Shapiro reaffirmed eight core principles by which Commonwealth employees can responsibly implement generative AI tools. This includes the establishment of the Generative AI Labor and Management Collaboration Group, which will continue evaluating AI use cases while keeping employee perspectives central to decision-making, reflecting the Administration’s enduring commitment to transparency and collaboration. 

"We appreciate Governor Shapiro's leadership in ensuring workers have a voice when it comes to innovation and new technology, and his efforts in ensuring workers have the tools to succeed at work. Generative AI is exactly that – a tool. It's important that AI is used ethically, with a human hand at the wheel to ensure those risks are mitigated,” said Steve Catanese, President of SEIU Local 668. “Alongside the principles announced today, the Governor is entering into an agreement that will provide forward-thinking protections for both public employees and citizens of Pennsylvania. No matter how sophisticated technology becomes, the public will still be able to connect with skilled, trained Pennsylvania employees to guide them through times of need."

The Shapiro Administration remains committed to the safe, ethical, and effective use of generative AI in the workplace, providing employees with tools that enhance efficiency while maintaining human oversight. Findings from the pilot program reinforced that while AI can improve workflows, it is not the right tool for every task and works best as a supportive tool rather than a replacement for employee expertise.

To build on this approach, the Generative AI Labor and Management Collaboration Group will continue assessing AI applications with direct input from employees and labor representatives, ensuring their voices shape how AI is integrated into government operations. As the Commonwealth explores new AI uses, the focus will remain on empowering employees, upholding ethical standards, and recognizing that Pennsylvania’s workforce is its greatest asset.

"In Pennsylvania, we are not just focused on what AI can offer but on understanding when and where it is the most effective tool to address the challenges we already face. For many pilot participants, ChatGPT provided the extra support they needed — helping an IT project manager streamline software upgrades, a policy analyst condenses hundreds of pages into clear summaries, a developer debug code efficiently, and a project manager improve stakeholder communications. Even a once-skeptical HR professional now relies on it daily,” said Harrison MacRae, Director of Emerging Technologies at OA. “These tools have empowered employees, enhancing their ability to serve Pennsylvanians. After this pilot, the Commonwealth is better prepared to navigate AI’s responsible use, and I remain committed to engaging our workforce in a human-centered way as this technology evolves."

Commonwealth employee Kaylene Wance, an eLearning Developer at OA, shared how the pilot program demonstrated real-world benefits.

"My job is to create engaging, effective digital training courses that resonate with our workforce of 80,000 employees under the Governor’s jurisdiction. I quickly learned that if you don’t give good instructions, you don’t get good results. I took the initiative to attend free AI prompt trainings and workshops available through the pilot to build my skills,” said Wance. “Once I got better at crafting prompts, my results improved dramatically, opening the door to exploring additional ways to use generative AI. Whether it’s drafting feedback for training scenarios, restructuring content, outlining courses, or simplifying policies — generative AI has become a powerful tool in my daily workflow. It saves time and helps me focus on more complex tasks. This experience also reinforced something important: AI is a tool that enhances creativity and efficiency, but it can’t replace human expertise. It can’t replace my professional instincts, honed by years of on-the-job experience.”

“This is the age of intelligence, where we can put capabilities in the hands of humans to solve hard problems that, just a decade ago, would have seemed like miracles in fields like science, healthcare, education, and government services. The story of America is about scaling innovations to create progress and productivity that everyone can participate in,” said Chris Lehane, OpenAI’s Chief Global Affairs Officer. “At our best, we are scaling freedoms — the freedom to learn, to think, to produce, and to create. And at the core of it all, it's about doing this for people. What’s remarkable about this pilot program is that it’s the first of its kind in the nation, where a state has thoughtfully brought AI into government to empower its workforce.”

Pennsylvania’s Ongoing AI Strategy

Following the success of the pilot, Pennsylvania will continue to refine and expand AI integration in government operations, focusing on:

Expanding AI training opportunities to equip employees with the skills needed to use AI tools responsibly and effectively. 

Testing additional AI applications for improving customer service, legal analysis, and internal operations.

Ensuring long-term AI governance through continuous oversight from the Generative AI Governing Board.

Pennsylvania’s proactive approach to AI has set a national precedent, demonstrating that when deployed responsibly, generative AI can help government work smarter, faster, and more efficiently — while always keeping employees at the forefront. 

 

MEDIA MATTERS

 

CHELSEA MEETS THE PRESIDENT

Former WNEP TV reporter Chelsea Strub had the opportunity to meet the President in the Oval Office nonetheless. Having been a journalist covering Mr. Trump for nearly a decade, she went full circle on with this meeting. Here she is with Congressman Rob Bresnehan and the President. Her traveling troll not sen in the photo but undoubtedly proud of the visit.

 

DENISE PARSHAC

ON NBC NIGHTLY NEWS

When NBC Nightly News contacted the local Democratic Club for comments via Zoom on the issue of Social Security, Denise Parashac stepped up, Denise who is also a member of my parish Sts. Peter and Paul in Plains gave her opinions that were wel thought out and received. You don’t get on network TV without that presentation skill. 

 

 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY GENE SHALIT 

 

Former Today host and Theater critic Gene Shalit turns 99., 

 

 

 WALN

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

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.

 

THE LAURIE CADDEN SHOW

Tune in every Saturday morning at 9am for The Laurie Cadden Show on WILK FM 103.1 and AM 980 and 910. Laurie’s program has been a northeastern Pennsylvania mainstay every Saturday. Tune in to hear her insights and take on local issues as well as entertaining and informative interviews.

 

THE LULAC TIME MACHINE

March 1968

Fifty seven years ago this week the biggest political announcement of the early 1968 campaign was made by an embattled President Lyndon Johnson. As he had served less than two years of President Kennedy's term, Johnson was constitutionally eligible for election to a second full term in the 1968 presidential election.[318][319] Despite Johnson's growing unpopularity, conventional wisdom held that it would be impossible to deny re-nomination to a sitting president. In September 1967 Johnson openly admitted he was considering dropping out of the race for re-election. Johnson won a narrow victory in the New Hampshire presidential primary on March 12,but in a March 31 speech, Johnson shocked the nation when he announced he would not run for re-election by concluding with the line: "I shall not seek, and I will not accept, the nomination of my party for another term as your president". The next day, his approval ratings increased from 36 percent to 49 percent.

 

Historians have debated the factors that led to Johnson's surprise decision. Shesol says Johnson wanted out of the White House but also wanted vindication; when the indicators turned negative he decided to leave. Woods writes that Johnson realized he needed to leave in order for the nation to heal. Dallek says that Johnson had no further domestic goals, and realized that his personality had eroded his popularity. His health was not good, and he was preoccupied with the Kennedy campaign; his wife was pressing for his retirement and his base of support continued to shrink. Leaving the race would allow him to pose as a peacemaker. Bennett, however, says Johnson "had been forced out of a reelection race in 1968 by outrage over his policy in Southeast Asia. Johnson may also have hoped that the convention would ultimately choose to draft him back into the race. When leaving office in 1969, Johnson was not regarded highly. Even at the time of his death, 4 years later in 1973, LBJ’s stock wasn’t that high. But history has a way of turning and now in 2025 Johnson is  ranked as the 6^th best President by historians beating out his immediate predecessors Eisenhower and Kennedy and fifty seven years ago the number 1 song in LuLac land and America was “(Baby Baby Sweet Baby ) Since You’ve Been Gone by  Aretha Franklin.