The LuLac Edition #5, 258, February 18th, 2025

 

THE COMMON SENSE OF A TRUTH TELLER

WILL THE MAGAs LISTEN?

 

U.S. Representative Rob Bresnahan, Jr. released a statement in response to current budget reconciliation negotiations, Politico published an article about his statement.

“GOP Rep. Rob Bresnahan is the latest swing-district Republican to issue a warning to GOP leaders over deep spending cuts they’re targeting for key safety net programs in their massive domestic agenda bill…Bresnahan is also part of a group of vulnerable Republicans who privately warned GOP leaders last month to not slash key safety net programs as they look for ways to pay for the sweeping domestic policy bill that spans border, energy and tax cuts.”

Here’s what  the Freshman Congressman said on Politico.

“I ran for Congress under a promise of always doing what is best for the people of Northeastern Pennsylvania,” said Rep. Bresnahan. “If a bill is put in front of me that guts the benefits my neighbors rely on, I will not vote for it. Pennsylvania’s Eighth District chose me to advocate for them in Congress. These benefits are promises that were made to the people of NEPA and where I come from, people keep their word.”

Pennsylvania’s Eighth Congressional District is home to more than 200,000 Medicaid recipients, amounting to 25% of the district. Additionally, it is home to 66,000 Medicare recipients, and 190,000 Social Security recipients.

In case you haven’t read it, here is the full article from Politico.
https://www.politico.com/live-updates/2025/02/14/congress/vulnerable-house-republican-bresnahan-warns-against-benefit-cuts-00204354

Now truth be told, I was a little rough on Bresnehan during the campaign.  I met his opponent Matt Cartwright in 2009  on WYOU TV when the Judicial scandal hit. Both of us, me as a blogger, Matt as a member of the bar . We became friends  and I supported him in every campaign he had, both financially and through this site. Having voted for Ford in ’76, Bush 41 in ;’88 and Thornburgh and Ridge for Governor, maybe in another era and not knowing Matt I most likely would have voted for Bresnehan.

Bresnehan is standing up for his district which is more than I can say about Dan Meuser who is storm  trooping in lock step with the craziness of this new administration.

In this Congress, Bresnehan is making a big name for himself among the GOP and the Dems. He is one of few that is standing up for his people. ALL OF THEM.

Admirable, gutsy and sadly unheard of on both sides of the aisle. Here’s his problem or opportunity. He has to convince   the

200,000 on Medicaid

the

66,000 on Medicare

and the

100,000 on Social Security

that they need to stop voting against their own interests.  I hope the Republicans who voted for him will not listen to the MAGA crazies in the party. It was high jacked by MAGA forces with the broad support of Dan Meuser  and the people who complain about everything at Luzerne County Council meetings. The only reason why party registration went up was because the administration of P.J. Pribula and Joe Valenti made it okay for reasonable people to join it. While Prtibula has not been in contact with me since a contentious conversation over immigration, he did introduce me to B4esnehan years ago and I knew then he (Rob) was a comer.  Valenti and I have become sparring partners on Facebook because I respond well to a provocateur like himself. But this administration n was derailed by a bunch of party  opportunists who think that these polices are just grand.

They are now after the head of a guy I argued with non stop on election night on WBRE TV. Gene Zaremba and I disagreed but we parted as reasonable people. Now just before an election word is out that the MAGAs don’t like Gene.

But here’s a question to be pondered. Among those numbers  you see, how many MAGAs are on disability, how many of them are on Social Security, and how many on Medicaid?  Those are the people who will try to give him trouble.

If they do  his on future ambitions, this will be one person who will call them out as ingrates and at the very  least, people with really, bad selfish  judgments inflicting harm on themselves and everyone else.

Bresnehan  has shown us something lacking in decades, a true Profile In Courage.