| Lots of stuff in the news is significant though it may not merit an entire article. Rather than a bunch of small items I like grouping them into one for the day's events.
Rep. Sam Rohrer, as expected, announced he is running for Governor. The man I call "The Crazy Fundie" doesn't even believe in government so his quixotic quest for the Governor's Mansion cries out for the question why? He has no chance against Jim Gerlach or Tom Corbett but this guarantees him huge amounts of free publicity. John Woodward gave him quite a run for his money last time and Rohrer feels threatened. This is simply an attempt to shore up his State House re-election campaign.
Jack Wagner has invited bloggers to his reception at The Pennsylvania Society extravaganza next month. The gala, always held in New York City will, I'm afraid, have to do without me. I can't see justifying the expense of going to the Big Apple. I'll see all of them in January at the Pennsylvania Progressive Summit and then again the following weekend at State Committee. Thanks for asking though Jack, no one else has.
The state laid off 319 more workers this week. Victims of the economic collapse and severe budget cuts in, especially, DEP, this just means more and more grief for more people due to failed GOP economic policies. DEP's budget was slashed 30% at the same as gas drilling was increased. Does that really make sense? Not that DEP did anything anyway...
Gov. Rendell held a press conference today to highlight autism efforts. I wasn't invited but tweets from the event say he said he'll focus on reforming state government his final year in office. Kudos go to him for even concentrating on issues such as campaign finance. Let us know if we can help.
Tea baggers held a rally in Harrisburg last weekend. Did anyone even notice? Astroturf leader Dick Armey spoke but as the PA Budget and Policy Center states they have their history wrong. So why should that amaze us? Having interviewed these militia, patriot nut jobs I know they're not very bright.
The Tea Party protesters have their history wrong and their anger is misplaced," said Sharon Ward, Director of the Pennsylvania Budget and Policy Center. "The Boston Tea Party was about tax fairness. Were these protesters acting in the spirit of the real Boston Tea Party, they would be protesting corporate tax loopholes that allow profitable corporations to avoid paying hundreds of millions of dollars in Pennsylvania taxes and leave the rest of us paying more."
Ward said all Pennsylvanians should support efficient government but that Tea Party protesters want to go much further, dismantling public structures that provide education, public safety, job training, health care and human services at a time when many middle class families are struggling to weather the recession.
"We learned during this year's state budget crisis that when you cut services or don't pay for them on time, there are real consequences for families and communities," Ward said. "Working parents lose childcare for their kids, library hours are cut and hospitals are forced to lay off staff, jeopardizing the quality of our health care.
"The Tea Party protesters frequently denounce the federal stimulus package, but unemployment would be much worse today without it. It was public sector spending that picked up where the private sector dropped off. That is basic economics. Angry protesters don't change that.
"Right now, unemployment insurance, job training and public health care programs are the only thing keeping many Pennsylvania families from losing their homes and savings and falling into bankruptcy. In many cases, it is the public programs that these protesters want to eliminate that are preserving the personal freedom of out-of-work Pennsylvanians and their families.
"Spending and tax cuts, the one-size-fits-all panacea prescribed by the Tea Party protesters, may benefit the powerful and well-connected but they offer little value to Pennsylvanians who have been laid off and have no taxable income. We should be doing everything we can to invest in Pennsylvania, get people back to work and come out of the recession stronger."
Saying these people are fact challenged puts the matter lightly. They are brainwashed into believing the most outlandish, outrageous lies ever told.
Losing GOP Superior Court candidate Temp Smith is contesting his loss by requiring a statewide recount. Democrat Anne Lazarus, the only victor in an impressive field, took the one seat of seven won by the Dems. All the other candidates, all Democrats, decided not to contest. State law automatically triggered a recount due to the closeness of the election. Because Smith elected not to concede this will cost taxpayers $1.3 million. How many libraries could we keep open for that?
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