The Pennsylvania Progressive

Lawyers Asking $2.3 Mill From Hazleton

How is Lou Barletta going to spin this debacle?  The attorneys for the plaintiffs who were recently successful overturning Hazleton's illegal illegal immigrant ordinances are asking for $2,300,000 in fees.   That's a lot of property taxes.  Other costs associated with the claim amount to $45,000.  This is what everyone tried to warn would happen if they tried to use demagoguery to advance their Mayor's personal political agenda.  See Barletta wants to be more than just a Mayor, he wants to be a Congressman or something.

He used the people of Hazleton as his springboard to national publicity and now he'll stick them with the legal fees too.  Of course they were stupid enough to go along so they get what they deserve.  Next time Lou read a copy of the constitution first.

People who go off half cocked without doing their homework deserve to get smacked by these legal fees.

Rendell Criticizes PHEAA's Management

Surely this cannot be the same agency it's employees spent all week touting on this blog!  There must be some mistake.  I suppose all those high powered PHEEA PR personnel will spend their Labor Day weekend spinning this one.  The Governor criticized PHEAA's management after these numbers were released for the past nine months:

Operating expenses grew 70% faster than operating revenue (must be for those PR people)

Operating income went down by over $1 million

Net assets declined by $11.5 million

"Agency spokesman Keith New disputed Rendell's interpretation of the financial results. Among other things, he said, changes to federal rules concerning government subsidies paid to lenders cost PHEAA more than $29 million for nine months."

DOD Green Zone Slime

Democratic Members of Congress visiting Iraq take more than their lives in their hands trying to land in the country and getting safely in and out of the Green Zone.  They must also deal with the Pentagon's smearing of their statements and records to everyone they're scheduled to see.  Background information sheets are compiled and distributed to everyone these lawmakers meet prior to those meetings.  They contain any and all statements they have made about the war.

The Newsweek article says this:

"This is beyond parsing. This is being slimed in the Green Zone," Ellen Tauscher said of her bio."

Everything these people see is carefully orchestrated and produced by the Pentagon.  They see and speak with only those authorized to do so.  No one else is allowed to approach and talk with Senators and Congress persons.   Everything is carefully controlled and manipulated so they  come back only with the picture the Administration wants them to have.

News & Notes

Bits and pieces from the news...

Sen. John Warner, as expected, announced he is retiring at the end of his term in January 2009.  The Senior Senator from Virginia is a Navy veteran and served on the Armed Services Committee.

A judge in Iowa has stricken that state's defense of marriage laws and now gay and lesbian couples should be allowed equal rights in the Hawkeye State.  Judge Robert Hansen stayed his ruling when the decision was appealed.  Meanwhile one couple applied for and received a marriage license.

Burned out snip teaser Tony Snowjob has resigned as White House press secretary.  The revolving door keeps spinning.  Who's next?  Rather, who's left?

Not Karl Rove as today was his final one on the job.  Turd Blossom is finally gone.  The White House Political Director remains under suspicion in the firings of US Attorneys and for rampant violations of the Hatch Act.  The allegations of caging voters also lies at his door.

How to get lucky:  be Leona Helmsley's dog or play this man's lottery numbers.

Gov. Rendell says he'll keep the forty some thousand bucks fugitive Norman Hsu contributed to his campaign.  He's just one more corporate Democrat so what do you expect?  It isn't like he's running for office again.  He'll funnel the money to other campaigns next year, including Hillary's.

Keystoners may rejoice if the Supreme Court rules that stores and supermarkets can sell beer in six packs.  Right now one must go to a bar or tavern to purchase expensive six packs or buy full cases at distributors.  The current archaic system fleeces consumers.  I'm not a drinker but I sympathize.

A court ruling says Pennsylvania can halt gun sales while the computer system is upgraded over the holiday weekend.  That should equate to 10 saved lives in Philadelphia alone.

Have a joyous Labor Day weekend and remember to honor our working families Monday.

Update:  Sen. Larry Craig will resign tomorrow.  No confirmation on the rumor he will then go to the water closet.

The Silence is Deafening

Just a quick note to say that I've been emailing the State Democratic people about the whole issue of John being threatened with a law suit by the County Democratic group (i.e. fellow Democrats).

I've sent email after email to nick@padems.com

Haven't heard a word....not even the courtesy of some trite reply.

I don't know who the non-communicative 'Nick' in question actually is. Perhaps he's on vacation, perhaps he has lost the ability to read, or type. Perhaps he scared shitless of the questions I'm asking. Perhaps he's in colusion with Uncle Tom Caltagirone to keep this all on the back burner until after November(although I suspect John's might have something to say about that cowardly tactic).

Whatever the reason I find the lack of communication between a Democratic voter (that would be me) and the State party (that would be "Nick") somewhat confusing. Any other time I can't shut these people up. I'd bet that if I was sending an email about contributing money I'd hear from them in a flash.

I guess voters only count during election cycles...oh...wait...aren't we in an election cycle? Isn't there an election in November? Hmmm..........

Longtime Virginia Republican Senator John Warner Retiring in '09

Thirty-year Virginia Republican Senator John Warner announced retiring of seat in 2009. He made speech about history and his serving in Korean War in front of press. Some broadcast reporters believe that the seat may be attainable for Democratic hands. John Warner is the latest conservative senator defecting and asking for a troop pullout, specifically by Christmas.

----------------------------------------------------------------------
Idaho Senator Larry Craig is in trouble. Will Sen. Craig opt to run again and allow his seat to be taken into Democratic possession? Can Democrats attain his seat in the conservative, Republican-dominated state, even if he does resign?

MoveOn.org-related Town Hall Meeting in York, PA Against Occupation/York House Rep. Dodging Timetable Vote

Tuesday, August 28th at the Yorktowne Hotel, in York, Pa, in front of CBS cameramen came 100 people packing the house for a Move on.org-related Town Meeting on telling House representative for York County,Todd Russell Platts, to be more involved in helping to end the occupation of Iraq. The fury in the air was thick, and people were dead set against Todd Platts voting along with the President and against Platts' stance against a timetable on when to bring our brave, exhausted, 4th/5th tour-worn troops home. It is clear in town, the tide has turned in one of the most conservative districts such as York. It's time to stop the dodging of our officials from being responsible in their obligation to stop the occupation and bring the troops home.

Edwards In Piitsburgh Labor Day

John Edwards is coming to Pittsburgh Monday to speak at the Mellon Arena.  He will appear at 9 am just before the parade.  The United Steelworkers will announce their endorsement of Edwards at the event.

Michigan Moves Primary

The game of Presidential Primary Leapfrog is getting crazier.  The legislature in Michigan has now voted to move their primary to January 15, 2008.  The DNC announced it will deny seating at the convention next year to any state taking such action.

This is all absurd.  States are moving their primaries because their voters are sick and tired of not having a say in who the nominee of the Party will be.  That's a very legitimate argument and the same we keep claiming here in Pennsylvania.  The trouble arises because of the intransigence of states like Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina which have enacted laws requiring them to be earlier.  Every time a Florida, California or Michigan moves forward on the calendar they then move forward.

The DNC is trying to quell this madness by it's statement to not sit those delegates.  No one believes they'll follow through on that threat.  We need Congress to step in and set a schedule of national primaries for federal elections.

Mortgage Meltdown Will Affect Local taxes

I expect the mortgage meltdown crisis to begin affecting state and local taxes in the next year.  Experts predict the effect on the stock market to worsen and the full toll may take six months to hit investors.  This will begin affecting pension plans as the market slumps and state, local and county governments will be forced by law to increase their taxpayer contributions to these plans.

These bodies guarantee these fixed benefit pension plans and they exist as a plum for governments to entice good people to work in government for less money than they'd get in the private sector.  The pensions save taxpayers money when the markets are healthy and keep growing in value to match the liabilities of paying the promised pensions.  When the markets tank these groups must funnel cash into the plans to keep them solvent.  This is where the mortgage meltdown will hurt taxpayers.