Tag Archive for "Pennsylvania"
November 20, 2008Pennsylvania’s lawmakers, judges and Governor are set to accept an automatic 2.8% pay raise even as the Governor warns of severe state budget cuts because of a $1-$2 billion shortfall and cautions that he doesn’t “want to hear any whining.”
The pay raise comes as the result of a 1995 law that mandates cost-of-living adjustments. Rank and file legislators base pay goes up to $78,315 (the fourth-highest in the nation), and the Governor’s pay is estimated to increase to $174,956.
Rendell has suspended executive branch pay raises in the past and may or may not do so this year, but the lawmakers’ attorneys say they “have no right to forgo the raise.” Darned convenient.
In the meantime, as the salaries for those who create fiscal problems go up, those who have to execute their doomed plans are being warned to expect deep cuts and those who have to pay for them are starting to be warmed up for a “broad-based tax increase.” Raising taxes in a recession. Where have I heard that before?
“We are going to do everything we can to get through this with as little harm as possible, but I also want to remind people that the cuts are coming, and I don’t want to hear any whining,” Rendell said.
[...]
Rendell added that he hoped to avoid imposing a “general, broad-based tax increase” to balance the budget either this year or in the 2009-10 fiscal year, but could make no guarantees.
Yeah, “Gosh, I hope I don’t have to impose a tax increase. Oops. I guess I did have to. Sorry. I had to.”
The office of Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell, who was Chairman of the Democrat National Committee when they tried to steal the 2000 election on behalf of Al Gore, slapped back an overture at bipartisanship from New Lieutenant Governor Joe Scarnati by predicting “the senator will continue to be partisan.”
Scarnati steps into the role vacated by the death of Catherine Baker Knoll. The hostility and hyperpartisanship from Rendell’s office comes across as very unseemly in what should be fairly somber times considering the circumstances surrounding Scarnati’s new role.
Continue Reading “Partisan Posterboy Rendell Slams New Lt. Governor As ‘Partisan’” »
Sebastian at Snowflakes notes that recently defeated Democrat State Representative Chris King (PA House District 142) has closed his district office. His phone message instructs constituents to contact State Senator Tommy Tomlinson’s line.
According to PA law, the transition between old and new offices is supposed to take place on November 30.
Continue Reading “More Classlessness From Ousted State Representative Chris King” »
Tonight’s episode of TruTV’s (the channel formerly known as Court TV) Forensic Files focuses on the case of Rachel Siani, the Bucks County stripper who was murdered and thrown from the bridge connecting the New Jersey and Pennsylvania Turnpikes in March of 2000.
Continue Reading “TruTV Features Murdered Bucks County Dancer On Forensic Files” »
Courier-Times scribe David Rauch reports buzz from some lefty blogs that Li’l Pat may have his eyes on Arlen Specter’s Senate seat.
[Leftist blogger John] Morgan said he’s been “reading rumors” that 8th District Congressmen Patrick Murphy and Joe Sestak of the 7th District might run. Both just won their second terms by healthy margins “but don’t yet have the clout Allyson [Schwartz] does,” he said.
Senateguru.com apparently is on the same page with Morgan. They list Murphy, Schwartz and Sestak as “House members who I think are especially likely to be in a position to run for Senate in 2010.”
Although running for jobs for which they’re not qualified worked out well for the Democrats in 2008, the same may not be true in 2010. Historically (1978, 1994) modern mid-term elections after voters usher in Democrat Presidents work out well for Republicans. It’s like we forget how terrible Democrats are in control of the government and then get big cases of buyers’ remorse.
Having Li’l Pat run for the Senate would provide a good opening for Republicans in PA-8, provided we find a dynamic and articulate conservative candidate who can explain the benefits of small, unintrusive government and who is willing to stick a finger in the eye of Democrats every once in a while and fight on the battlefield the Democrats create.
The Office of Governor Rendell has announced that Lieutenant Governor Catherine Baker Knoll has died.
Mrs. Knoll, 78, had battled a rare form of cancer.
Earlier today, Mr. Rendell had reported that Mrs. Knoll remained in a rehab center and was continuing her “rough and difficult fight” against the cancer.
Mrs. Knoll died at 6 p.m. at the National Rehabilitation Hospital in Washington, D.C., according to Mary Isenhour, executive director of the Democratic State Committee.
“This is a very emotional thing. We extend our sympathies to the Baker Knoll family in their time of loss,” Ms. Isenhour said.
Rendell has been discussed for a possible cabinet position in the upcoming Obama administration.
Joe Scarnati, the Pennsylvania Senate’s President Pro Tempore, will become the new Lieutenant Governor.
Former House Speaker and leader of the 1994 Republican mid-term Congressional landslide Newt Gingrich has let it be known that he would be open to serving as Chairman of the Republican National Committee if asked.
Is this even a question? Apparently, it is.
Continue Reading “Gingrich Ready To Serve As GOP Leader If Asked” »
I have been nothing less than effusive when it comes to expressing praise for the grassroots street-level workers I met during my too-brief stint volunteering locally for the election of McCain and Manion.
That said, the more I look into it, the more disappointed I am in the higher-ups in the Republican party here. Albert Einstein said that the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again expecting different results. Looking at the local Republican bosses, one could come to the conclusion that their strategy is insane.
Continue Reading “PA GOP Head Whistles Past Electoral Graveyard” »
FOX News is reporting that 2 individuals wearing Black Panther Party garb, one brandishing a night stick, were blocking white voters from entering a polling place in Philadelphia while complaining that they were “tired of White Supremacy” and stating “a black man is going to win this election no matter what.”
Funky video of the report that someone recorded with a camcorder pointed at the television below.
Updated with watchable video.
Continue Reading “FOX: Philadelphia Black Panthers Blocking GOP Voters With Night Sticks” »
Red State is reporting that voters in Pennsylvania’s conservative Lancaster County have been receiving telephone calls incorrectly informing them that their polling place has been moved in an attempt to suppress the vote in this expected McCain stronghold.
In at least one instance, the call was traced back to a Philadelphia-based cell phone.
Continue Reading “Report: Vote Suppression Via Telephone in Lancaster County” »
