Posts Tagged ‘Rendell’

PA GOP News Brief 8.30.10

1. PA GOP: Liberal Joe Sestak Earmark Issues Continue

2. PA GOP: Did Pennsylvania’s Other Elected Officials Know About Kanjo’s Plans To Bomb The 11th Congressional District

3. The Patriot-News: Candidates for governor heat up race

4. Pittsburgh Tribune-Review: Beck’s D.C. rally draws 500,000 to honor heroes

5. Lancaster New Era: Sarah Palin’s speech is a hit in Hershey

6. The Hill: GOP chances of winning House are rising as midterm election nears

7. Lancaster New Era: Don’t hike license fees to fix roads

8. Pittsburgh Tribune Review: Help me (less), says Danny O – Must Read

1.    PA GOP: Liberal Joe Sestak Earmark Issues Continue

Republican Party of Pennsylvania Chairman Rob Gleason released the following statement criticizing Joe Sestak for funneling taxpayer dollars through a nonprofit organization to a for-profit company.  Sestak’s latest scandal appeared in an article in The Morning Call on Saturday.

“Joe Sestak talks a lot about how he is different from the typical Washington, D.C. politician, but his actions speak much louder than words ever could,” Gleason said. “It appears that the further we dig into Joe’s record, the more it becomes clear just how entrenched he is in the Washington, D.C. way of doing business.

“In this case, Sestak either knowingly diverted money to a for-profit company or he does not do the proper research necessary before earmarking funds. Either way, Joe Sestak’s actions raise some serious questions about his ability to serve as a Congressman and certainly don’t warrant a promotion to the U.S. Senate.”

2. PA GOP: Did Pennsylvania’s Other Elected Officials Know About Kanjo’s Plans To Bomb The 11th Congressional District

Republican Party of Pennsylvania Chairman Rob Gleason released the following statement regarding Congressman Paul Kanjorski’s announcement that Luzerne County may be the new home of a military-style training camp that would result in the detonation of 500 bombs each year in the 11^th Congressional District.  Gleason also questioned whether or not U.S. Senators Casey and Specter, Governor Ed Rendell, members of the state legislature or the Pennsylvania State Police were aware of the project.

“Congressman Paul Kanjorski will do absolutely anything to get re-elected, even if it means blowing up part of his district,” Gleason said. “With so many explosives involved and the possibility of public backlash against the project, one can’t help but wonder if Congressman Kanjorski discussed his plans to bring this facility to Luzerne County with U.S. Senators Casey or Specter, Governor Ed Rendell, local members of the state legislature or the Pennsylvania State Police.  One can only imagine how many complaints the Pennsylvania State Police will receive as bombs are detonated more than once a day, nine or ten times a week.

“Kanjorski’s announcement last week was a desperate move by a desperate candidate who sees his long career as a Washington, D.C. bureaucrat coming to an end.”

3.The Patriot-News: Candidates for governor heat up race

Some observers say Labor Day weekend serves as the unofficial kickoff to the fall political campaigns, but the state’s gubernatorial candidates aren’t waiting that long.

Republican Tom Corbett and Democrat Dan Onorato began ratcheting up their political attacks on each other last week.

Onorato, who is behind in most polls, has been aggressively hammering Corbett. While Corbett had been less visible earlier in the summer, he has made more campaign stops in recent days, including an appearance in Palmyra.

4. Pittsburgh Tribune-Review: Beck’s D.C. rally draws 500,000 to honor heroes

Glenn Beck fans, drawn by the conservative TV and radio talk show host’s promise of an American revival, streamed to the National Mall on Saturday from the four points of the compass.

Beck’s organizers had told the National Park Service that they expected as many as 300,000 people at the rally. Attendance might have exceeded that mark, with a crowd estimate of as many as 500,000 from rally organizers.

…

“Look past the monuments,” Beck implored the crowd. “Where are the heroes of today?”

Beck and Palin pointed to the military, fighting the nation’s longest war.

5. Lancaster New Era: Sarah Palin’s speech is a hit in Hershey

Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin urged conservatives to continue fighting for a “culture of life, a pro-family agenda that will strengthen our country” and a drastically limited government in Washington.

She called the growing national debt a burden on families and “the greatest national security threat we face.”

“We need to demand that Washington start putting our kids first and stop racking up the debt and mortgaging our futures,” Palin told a sold-out crowd of some 1,100 people Friday night at Pennsylvania Family Institute’s annual fundraiser at the Hershey Lodge.

6. The Hill: GOP chances of winning House are rising as midterm election nears

The playing field of competitive House races has expanded substantially over the past two months, increasing the chances that Republicans will control the lower chamber next year.

The news is good for Republicans, as many open seats are trending to the GOP while dozens of Democratic incumbents are scrambling to keep their jobs.

Democratic leaders are on the defensive, making the case they can still retain the majority in November while playing defense in districts they weren’t expecting to be concerned about earlier in the cycle.

7. Lancaster New Era: Don’t hike license fees to fix roads

As his term comes to an end in uncertain economic times, Gov. Ed Rendell is casting about for any and all tax revenue he can find.

He wants to tax companies extracting gas from Marcellus Shale. He wants to tax oil companies that sell gasoline. And he wants to increase fees for every Pennsylvanian who drives.

Whether taxes on gas and oil should be raised is one thing. Whether fees should be raised for drivers is quite another.

Unequivocally, fees should not be increased for drivers. They are suffering enough.

8. Pittsburgh Tribune Review: Help me (less), says Danny O

The Trib has obtained an exclusive copy of a letter from Allegheny County Chief Executive Dan Onorato, the Democrats’ nominee for governor, to fellow Democrat Gov. Ed Rendell, who is entering the final four months of his second term. Onorato faces Republican Attorney General Tom Corbett in the November general election.

Dear Ed:

I can’t thank you enough for all your help. Having your people assist my fundraising, along with the right word from you here or there, helped me raise millions of dollars.

It was a stroke of genius in July 2009, while declaring your neutrality in the Democrat primary, that you stated I would “probably be our next governor.”

Wow! Did the money roll in after that. Having a couple of your people on staff has been an enormous help, too. I owe my primary victory to you and I haven’t forgotten my promise to continue sending legal work to the Ballard Spahr law firm in Philadelphia, keep Donna Cooper on as director of policy, do whatever Comcast needs and wear a Philadelphia Eagles shirt during Monday night games (as long as the Steelers aren’t playing). I’ll even do the Eagles post-game analysis on Comcast.

I’ll keep Aramark on to run the Capitol cafeteria. It’s been months since they’ve found any rodent droppings.

But I really need your help again — in a big way. Please don’t be offended. But I really need you to back off a bit, stop talking about raising taxes and curtail the endless news conferences.

Look, I know it is against your nature but you’ve seen the poll numbers showing the Rendell “fatigue” among voters. You’ve heard the talk about legislators who can’t wait for you to leave town.

On two occasions recently you stated that lawmakers should pass state gas taxes and fees now because a major candidate for governor, Corbett, has signed an anti-tax pledge.

It sounded, Ed, like you were saying Corbett is going to win. You didn’t say Corbett would win but, hey, some people got that impression.

The tax talk in the first place creates problems for me. You know I won’t sign that idiotic anti-tax pledge from Americans for Tax Reform. You and I both believe it’s foolish to lock yourself in.

Corbett keeps harping on my refusal to sign that thing and I won’t.

He’s Mr. Flip-Flop for saying his anti-tax pledge doesn’t include transportation fees and tolls.

User fees are a tax and, before it’s said and done, a gas tax hike will be on the table as well. I came out against any tax hike after Corbett’s statement and I said I’d be hard-pressed to consider any fee increase. Those nagging reporters kept trying to get me to say I would never raise taxes or fees during my term and that would be like signing the stupid pledge.

Corbett claims user fees, like driver’s license fees and tolls on high-occupancy-vehicle lanes, are things people choose to pay.

I can’t say too much because the Port Authority of Allegheny County might run out of money next year and I can’t allow that to happen on my turf.

Corbett is hitting me on a litany of tax increases in Pittsburgh and Allegheny County.

Can you believe it?

So you clearly see my dilemma and whatever you can do to go out a little more quietly would be greatly appreciated.

Sincerely, your humble servant, Dan (or “Rendell lite,” as some call me).

PA GOP News Brief 8.23.10

1. Allentown Morning Call: So Far, Sestak Back On His Heels

2. Williamsport Sun-Gazette: Republican Candidate Visits Area Airport

3. Sunbury Daily Item: Corbett Praises Valley Firm

4. Williamsport Sun-Gazette: Republican Candidate Takes Tour Of Jersey Shore Steel

5. Wilkes-Barre Times-Leader: GOP Ahead In Area Congress Tilts

1. Allentown Morning Call: So Far, Sestak Back On His Heels

More than midway through the political calendar, Sestak seems endlessly on the defensive. It’s partly of his own doing, but largely because Toomey, with a sharper message and flush finances, has been the aggressor.

So far, Pennsylvania’s U.S. Senate battle has been fought on Toomey’s terms.

2. Williamsport Sun-Gazette: Republican Candidate Visits Area Airport

“Our campaign is in a great position,” he said, adding that the Democratic administration and Congress is “making it easier” to win.

“This is a dangerous agenda,” Toomey said of the Democrats’ continuous spending. “It is staggering in scope, breadth and the departure of everything that made this country great.”

Of his Democratic opponent, Joe Sestak, Toomey said that “the contrast between what we stand for couldn’t be more clear.”

“I would never support the job-killing agenda these guys are pushing on us,” he said. “Joe Sestak is for all of it. In fact, he doesn’t think it goes far enough.”

Toomey was speaking of the multi-billion dollar stimulus package recently pushed through by the Obama administration.

3. Sunbury Daily Item: Corbett Praises Valley Firm

State government must reduce taxes and become fiscally responsible to help keep businesses like L/B Water Service in Selinsgrove thriving, says Tom Corbett, state attorney general and Republican gubernatorial candidate.

Pennsylvania has the resources and the people to be No. 1 in the nation in job creation, Corbett said, but that starts with good government leaders.

During a tour Friday, Corbett praised the Selinsgrove company for its business practices, including buying many products manufactured in Pennsylvania.

4. Williamsport Sun-Gazette: Republican Candidate Takes Tour Of Jersey Shore Steel

Corbett called for fiscal discipline, limited government and free enterprise.

“A tax increase does not help the economy,” he said.

The Rendell Administration has brought the state increased debt, higher taxes and a budget that in eight years rose from $22 billion to $28 billion, Corbett noted.

He said as attorney general he’s done more to clean up corruption in state government than any one else who’s held the office.

If elected governor, he’ll seek to reduce the state’s corporate net income tax to 6.9 percent and phase out the death tax. The corporate net tax stands at 9.99 percent.

5. Wilkes-Barre Times-Leader: GOP Ahead In Area Congress Tilts

In the 11th District, polling of 400 likely voters shows U.S. Rep. Paul E. Kanjorski, D-Nanticoke, with a 96-93 percent lead over Barletta in name recognition. The slim difference may be because Barletta has run for the seat two times previously.

But poll results show Barletta receiving 52 percent of the vote, compared to just 41 percent for Kanjorski, a 13-term congressman. Seven percent were undecided. Sixty-three percent said it’s time for someone else to represent the district, while 31 percent said Kanjorski deserves re-election.

1. The Morning Call: Corbett: Job loss in Pa. is Rendell’s fault

2. Erie Times News: Pat Toomey: Toomey defends vote to allow lake drilling

3. The Wall Street Journal: Karl Rove: The Missing Word In Our Afghanistan Strategy

4. The Hill: Republicans focus on tax cuts for recess

5. Politico: New business plan: crushing Dems

1.    The Morning Call: Corbett: Job loss in Pa. is Rendell’s fault

Republican gubernatorial candidate Tom Corbett on Wednesday laid the blame for nearly 600,000 lost Pennsylvania jobs at the feet of Gov. Ed Rendell, charging that his tax-and spend policies have hindered the state’s ability to ride out the worst economic downturn since the 1930s.

“In the last eight years our state budget has gone from $22 billion to $28 billion,” Corbett said. “And what’s the result today? Our state has nearly 600,000 unemployed citizens on the rolls.”

Corbett made his remarks at Longwood Gardens, a regional attraction where he touted the link between Pennsylvania’s tourism industry and economic development.
2. Erie Times News: Pat Toomey: Toomey defends vote to allow lake drilling

I decided to run for political office because I believe there are serious changes needed in Washington so we can reduce our country’s exploding deficit, create the jobs we desperately need and reduce the rising cost of health care.

I believe it is important to discuss these issues so voters can make accurate, informed decisions about whom to support.

Unfortunately, my opponent Joe Sestak does not feel the same way. A couple of days ago, he wrote an Op-Ed piece that dramatically distorted a vote I took in 2001, claiming I support drilling in Lake Erie (”Toomey wrong on lake drilling,” Erie Times-News, July 15). That is not the case.

The vote in question would have imposed an across-the-board federal prohibition on oil exploration in many bodies of water across the United States. I, along with half of the Pennsylvania congressional delegation, voted against this federal prohibition. I do not believe that it is the federal government’s job to dictate to the people of Erie or anywhere else in the country whether or not they can engage in oil and gas exploration in their local bodies of water.

3. The Wall Street Journal: Karl Rove: The Missing Word In Our Afghanistan Strategy

What President Barack Obama and British Prime Minister David Cameron didn’t say during last week’s joint news conference may have mattered more than what they did say. The omissions could lead to a grave setback in the war on terror and deadly results for the Afghan people.

The president and prime minister declared their solidarity on the Afghanistan war. Both leaders “reaffirmed our commitment to the overall strategy,” in Mr. Cameron’s words. Mr. Obama said that approach aimed to “build Afghan capacity so Afghans can take responsibility for their future,” a point Mr. Cameron called “a key part” of the coalition’s strategy.

All well and good. But neither leader uttered the word “victory” or “win” or any other similar phrase. They made it sound as if the strategic goal was to stand up the Afghan security forces, leave as soon as that was done, and hope the locals were up to keeping things together.

4. The Hill: Republicans focus on tax cuts for recess

Instead of calling for an extension of Bush’s tax cuts, which House Republican leaders support, they refer to the looming “Democrats’ tax hikes.”

Under the heading “Job Creation,” Republicans call the expiring tax cuts, set to lapse at the end of this year, a Democratic plan “on increasing taxes by $3.8 trillion.”

The scarce references to Bush come as Democrats attempt to tie the Republican Party to the 43rd president three months before the midterm elections.

…

The document, provided to The Hill, states, “Since taking office, President Obama has spent more than $6.1 trillion in 18 months. At $333 billion per month, that is more than twice the amount spent during the first two years of the George W. Bush administration.”

5. Politico: New business plan: crushing Dems

Democrats may be going out of their way to say they aren’t anti-business, but business is gearing up to demonstrate that it’s anti-Democrats — at least when it comes to members of the party’s liberal wing.

The latest blatant signs of hostility come from coal executives who are considering starting up their own political operation to work against candidates they deem unfriendly to their interests. Their first three targets are all Democrats.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce has already vowed to invest $75 million in the mid-term elections. And health insurers are also planning to play big in November, although the specifics remain in flux. Both groups are hedging their bets by aligning themselves with some moderate or conservative Democrats in case Republicans don’t win control of Congress.

PA GOP News Brief – 7.21.2010

1. PA GOP: Return The Money, Joe!

2. The Philadelphia Inquirer: Corbett speaks out on jobs, jobless

3. Lancaster New Era: Rendell tax plan running on empty

4. The Hill: New poll shows GOP lead in generic ballot

5. Delaware County Daily Times: Spencer: Stimulus spending not so stimulating

6. Town Hall: 2010 Race of the Day: Taking Back a Longtime GOP Seat in Pennsylvania

7. The Washington Times: Obama’s bogus pro-business credentials

1. PA GOP: Return The Money, Joe!

Republican Party of Pennsylvania Chairman Rob Gleason released the following statement regarding Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Joe “Says Tax” Sestak’s failure to honor his pledge to refuse any campaign contributions from recipients of his earmark requests.

“Apparently, the Joe Sestak way of doing business is ‘do as I say, not as I do,’” Gleason said. “For months, Joe Sestak has tried to portray himself as a man of principle, only to flip-flop on one of his highly-touted ethical pledges at the first sign of political inconvenience. If he refuses to hold himself accountable to his constituents as a Congressman, how can we trust him to be an ethical U.S. Senator?”

“Joe Sestak continues to strike out with Pennsylvanians who are sick and tired of the ‘business-as-usual’ style of politics. It’s time for Joe Sestak to stop this taxpayer-funded charade and return any and all campaign contributions from recipients of his earmarks!”

2. The Philadelphia Inquirer: Corbett speaks out on jobs, jobless

Republican gubernatorial candidate Tom Corbett, outlining his plan to lift Pennsylvania out of the recession, addressed the issue of jobs and the jobless Tuesday for the first time in a public forum since his controversial comments about unemployed people 11 days earlier.

Corbett, who is state attorney general, said that as governor he would work to foster a better business climate by reducing the state’s corporate taxes and developing job-training programs tailored to employers’ current needs.

“We need to align education with opportunity,” he said, just as the Senate was voting in Washington to extend unemployment benefits.

3. Lancaster New Era: Rendell tax plan running on empty

Gov. Ed Rendell seemingly is relentless when it comes to adding to the financial burden of Pennsylvania taxpayers.

Now the governor wants to raise the gasoline tax by 3.25 cents per gallon, which he says would generate $200 million toward the $472 million needed to fund road improvements, bridge replacements and various transit projects.

Rendell would raise another $265 million by increasing fees for various licensing and registration documents, driver’s license, car registration, inspection sticker, driver-history report.

The remaining $7 million of the $472 million could be raised by cracking down on uninsured drivers. (One way to do this, Rendell says, would be to install surveillance cameras at toll plazas and highway ramps, snap pictures of licenses plates, and compare license plate numbers with insurance records).

4. The Hill: New poll shows GOP lead in generic ballot

Republicans have a five-point lead over Democrats in a generic congressional ballot, the latest Qunnipiac poll shows.

The survey, which was released Monday, showed that registered voters prefer Republicans 43-38 percent. Republicans have a strong lead among independent voters, 44 percent said they would vote for a Republican for their district in the midterm elections if they were held today, opposed to 29 percent who said they would vote for a Democrat.

5. Delaware County Daily Times: Spencer: Stimulus spending not so stimulating

Who creates jobs in this country? Big and small businessmen. Why aren’t they hiring people? Because they aren’t convinced that hiring them will help them make more money.

We live in a country with the highest corporate tax rate in the free world (35 percent). We live in one of the most litigious societies on the planet, under a government that regulates business as strongly as any in civilization. All these things combine to kill jobs and send them overseas.

6. Town Hall: 2010 Race of the Day: Taking Back a Longtime GOP Seat in Pennsylvania

Sprawling across Northeastern Pennsylvania, the 10th Congressional District, which includes more than a dozen counties, covers the towns of Shamokin, Williamsport and Carbondale and extends into the corner of the Keystone State touching the New York State border.

Although two-term Democrat Chris Carney currently represents the 10th District, it is historically conservative and is rated R+8 by the Cook Partisan Voter Index. This November he faces former United States Attorney Tom Marino, who emerged from a contested primary with a double-digit victory on May 18.

Before Chris Carney won in 2006, Republicans held this seat for more than four decades with McCain winning 54 percent of the vote in 2008 and George W. Bush winning with 60 percent in 2004. Although Chris Carney claims to be a prominent member of the Blue Dog Caucus, his record of voting with Nancy Pelosi nearly 91 percent of the time proves otherwise.

7. The Washington Times: Obama’s bogus pro-business credentials

The Obama administration wants Americans to think it is pro-business. Top aides to the president have made the case on television and elsewhere that major corporations are better off now because Obama policies saved the economy from a complete meltdown and that pro-trade policies going forward will keep things afloat.

No one can doubt that the combined policies of Presidents George W. Bush and Obama saved the day over the past couple of years. But any notion that Mr. Obama is a corporate advocate beyond that is ludicrous. Even the Business Roundtable – the most mild-mannered of Washington’s corporate lobbies – recently wrote a letter that made clear at great length that the president is no friend of business.

The impact of new federal regulations on the economy “is enormous, and often harmful,” the Roundtable wrote. In addition, it said, Obama proposals to increase taxes on multinational corporations would kill thousands of jobs here at home.

PA GOP News Brief 6.30.2010

1) PA GOP: BRYAN LENTZ – A Biden-Pelosi Democrat, Out-Of-Touch With The 7^th Congressional District

2)     Pa2010.com: Toomey Rolls Out The Vets

3)     Human Events: Toomey – Sestak’s ‘Job-gate’ Still An Issue

4)     Associated Press: Pa. Lawmakers Could Vote on State Budget Today

5)     Philadelphia Inquirer: Santorum: Christie Shows How To Cut

6)     Fox News: Rep. Stark Mocks Border Security Advocates: Who Are You Going to Kill Today?

7)     Washington Times: Editorial: Still Waiting For That Middle-Class Tax Cut

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1) PA GOP: BRYAN LENTZ – A Biden-Pelosi Democrat, Out-Of-Touch With The 7^th Congressional District

Republican Party of Pennsylvania Chairman Rob Gleason released the following statement regarding 7^th District Congressional Democrat candidate Bryan Lentz’s decision to hold a high-dollar fundraiser with Vice President Joe Biden and San Francisco’s own extreme liberal Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

“Bryan Lentz’s decision to align himself with two of the architects of the most wasteful liberal agenda in American history tells you all you need to know about what type of Congressman Bryan Lentz will be,” Gleason said. “If 7^th District voters needed any further proof that Washington, D.C. Democrats are scared of the common-sense fiscal policies of Pat Meehan, they need only to look at Joe Biden and Nancy Pelosi’s decision to campaign on behalf of a candidate who will serve as little more than a rubber stamp for their big-government, fiscally irresponsible policies in Bryan Lentz.

2)      Pa2010.com: Toomey Rolls Out The Vets

Republican Senate hopeful Pat Toomey took aim at Democrat Joe Sestak’s national security policies Tuesday, trotting out a group of military veterans to paint himself as the true candidate for vets in the competitive Senate race.

Flanked by veterans and their families during an afternoon news conference here, Toomey criticized Sestak, a former Navy Admiral, for opposing missile defense systems and supporting civilian trials for terrorism suspects. He also promised that, if elected, he would support legislation to make it easier for those in active service to vote.

“My record is clear,” Toomey said at the First Troop Philadelphia City Cavalry Officer Quarters on Tuesday. “When I was in Congress, I supported the types of programs and benefits that veterans deserve, and I absolutely intend to support those principles and those policies and those ideas in the United States Senate.”

3)     Human Events: Toomey – Sestak’s ‘Job-gate’ Still An Issue

The conservative hopeful also spelled out the issues on which he plans to paint Sestak as “to the left of Obama:”  the Democrat’s calls for an even-larger stimulus package (“He wanted a trillion-dollar stimulus”), a government bailout for people who were unable to pay mortgages, and his support for a measure by Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D.-Ohio) to make it legal for states to ban private health coverage.

“He’s on the left fringe,” said Toomey, who added that he would appeal to voters on his traditional agenda of smaller government, reform of what he called the “egregious” tax code, repealing healthcare, lowering the capital-gains tax, and abolishing the Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT).

4)     Associated Press: Pa. Lawmakers Could Vote on State Budget Today

Pennsylvania could meet its budget deadline for the first time in Ed Rendell’s eight years as governor if lawmakers approve a handshake spending deal reached by negotiators.

The state House and Senate could vote on a proposed budget as early as today, a day before the start of the new fiscal year. Rendell and legislative leaders agreed Tuesday on a $28 billion budget after spending the last week in discussions.

5)     Philadelphia Inquirer: Santorum: Christie Shows How To Cut

Gov. Christie has gained YouTube fame with his Jersey straight talk. He’s been taking on the state teachers’ union and the Trenton press corps. And in the face of deficits amounting to more than a third of projected revenues, he has stuck to his guns about not raising taxes, and he actually cut business taxes.

By comparison, the federal budget deficit is almost half of projected revenues. Sounds like Obama has the tougher job – except that he only pledged to cut the deficit in half in two years. Christie put together a plan to eliminate the deficit in one, and it garnered bipartisan support.

6)     Fox News: Rep. Stark Mocks Border Security Advocates: Who Are You Going to Kill Today?

A California congressman known for edgy sarcasm mocked an opponent of illegal immigration during a town hall meeting last week, asking, “Who are you going to kill today?” before the constituent, a self-identified Minuteman, posed his question.

Rep. Pete Stark, D-Calif., no stranger to controversy, mocked the idea that the borders are not secure when asked about the federal government’s lack of activity on border security.

7)      Washington Times: Editorial: Still Waiting For That Middle-Class Tax Cut

Almost 1 1/2 years into Barack Obama’s presidency, we’re still waiting for that mid-dle-class tax cut that he promised during the campaign. “Here’s what I can tell the American people: 95 percent of you will get a tax cut,” Mr. Obama said in the first presidential debate. “And if you make less than $250,000, less than a quarter-million dollars a year, then you will not see one dime’s worth of tax increase.”

To highlight the difference between the candidate’s words and the president’s actions, Americans for Tax Reform this week released an “Obama tax hike exemption card.” The bearer of this card supposedly can present it to any authorities that try to collect on new taxes imposed under the Obama administration. The list of these taxes grows longer by the day…

Mr. Obama’s other proposals clearly would affect everyone, regardless of income. The president’s budget initially estimated that his cap-and-trade taxes on energy would generate $646 billion in revenue over the next 10 years. The impact on families would be around $3,100 per year, on average. Combine that with other ideas the administration is exploring, such as the possibility of imposing new taxes on sodas and sugary snacks in the name of reducing childhood obesity. “Obviously there is resistance on Capitol Hill to those kinds of sin taxes,” Mr. Obama told Men’s Health Magazine. “It is true, though, that if you wanted to make a big impact on people’s health in this country, reducing things like soda consumption would be helpful.”

PA GOP News Brief 6.21.2010

1)    CNN: PA Republican chairman requests Sestak-related records

2)    The Daily Review: Corbett visits well site in Wysox Twp.

3)    FOXNews: House Republicans Seek Sestak-Romanoff Documents from Justice Department

4)    Allentown Morning Call: Pa. ex-lawmaker gets 6 to 14 years for corruption

5)    Toomey Campaign: Sestak Hangs Out in Pelosi’s San Francisco District Today

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1)     CNN: PA Republican chairman requests Sestak-related records

The head of the Republican Party in Pennsylvania Friday formally requested records that might explain how members of the Obama administration sought to convince Rep. Joe Sestak to abandon his Senate campaign last month.

State GOP Chairman Rob Gleason penned a letter to Pennsylvania’s Agency Open Records Officer Mily Maiden seeking “all cell phone, landline and email/written correspondence, sent/received by the Governor [Ed Rendell] or his office, regarding any job offer or other enticement provided to Congressman Joe Sestak or any other Pennsylvania primary candidate, by the White House.”

Rendell told Fox News on June 2 that he and White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel “had discussions” about how to persuade Sestak not to challenge incumbent Sen. Arlen Specter.

“We very much wanted to persuade Congressman Sestak to stay in the House and run for his seat, ’cause he would have won his seat easily and now that’s a seat that’s up for grabs,” Rendell told Sean Hannity. “So I know that the administration did not want to offer him a job that would have meant he would have to leave Congress.”

“Governor Ed Rendell has said that Democrats need to do a better job of explaining their attempts to bribe Joe Sestak out of the race,” Gleason said. “…Now it’s time for Governor Ed Rendell to put his money where his mouth is and comply with our request as soon as possible.”

The Pennsylvania Office of Open Records policy dictates that the open record officer has five days to issue what’s called an “interim response” to a Right To Know Law request if the records must be redacted, are located at a “remote location,” a legal review is required, or any of several other conditions apply.

2)     The Daily Review: Corbett visits well site in Wysox Twp.

The state attorney general and Republican gubernatorial candidate was too excited about what he said the natural gas industry holds for Pennsylvania.

“They getting a little dirty doing this, but it’s clean energy,” he said.

While in Bradford County, he visited the Schoonover well site in Wysox Township with Chesapeake officials and government leaders.

At a drilling rig, Brian Grove, director of corporate development for Chesapeake, walked with Corbett as he showed him around and talked with him. The noise from the operations drowned out their voices for the others taking part in the tour.

“This is about the third drill site I’ve been on, and I think it’s the future of Pennsylvania,” Corbett said, when asked for comment after the tour. “It’s a natural resource that we have here in Pennsylvania that we need. It’s clean energy. It’s going to provide a number of jobs for people not only in Bradford, but all across Pennsylvania, and a fair amount of income for the people who just live on the land and are getting the royalties and the lease payments. This is the future.”

“We have to make Pennsylvania competitive with the rest of the nation, and really the rest of the world,” Corbett continued. “This allows us to become competitive. We have to do other things like reducing the business taxes in Pennsylvania, more importantly reducing the spending in Pennsylvania.”

Among those taking part in the tour were county commissioner Doug McLinko and Sheshequin supervisor Eric Matthews, chairman of the county Republican committee.

3)     FOXNews: House Republicans Seek Sestak-Romanoff Documents from Justice Department

House Republicans on the Judiciary Committee are demanding that the Justice Department turn over documents on the White House’s attempts to lure Democratic candidates out of Senate races with job offers.

Republicans filed a resolution of inquiry Thursday night seeking to uncover whether Justice attorneys were consulted about the legality of the White House making offers to Rep. Joe Sestak, D-Pa., and Andrew Romanoff.

Once a resolution of inquiry is introduced, the committee has 14 legislative days to consider it. Democrats on the committee have indicated that they may take it up as early as next Wednesday, a GOP committee aide said.

“For an administration that prides itself on transparency, the Obama administration is remarkably secretive when it comes to possible criminal misconduct by White House officials,” said Rep. Lamar Smith, R-Texas, the ranking member on the committee.

“If the administration has nothing to hide, why not provide Congress with the requested documents and restore integrity to our election process?” Smith said. “It’s time for the White House to make good on its promise of transparency and come clean about what other elections administration officials may have sought to influence.”

4)     Allentown Morning Call: Pa. ex-lawmaker gets 6 to 14 years for corruption

Mike Veon, once an influential power broker in the Pennsylvania Legislature, was sentenced to at least six years in prison Friday for his role in a scheme that used taxpayer resources for election campaigns and paid bonuses to state employees who helped Democrats win control of the House of Representatives four years ago.

Dauphin County Judge Richard Lewis sentenced Veon to a term of six to 14 years and ordered him to pay $100,000 in restitution and $37,000 in fines.

The judge denied Veon’s request for bail. He was taken initially to the Dauphin County Prison in Harrisburg, then transferred to the nearby state prison in Camp Hill for processing, said the county prison warden, Dominick DeRose.

The judge told Veon his actions constituted “a clear and damning violation of the public trust” and “a flagrant and glaring abuse of power” that subverted the electoral process and damaged the reputation of the Legislature.

5) Toomey Campaign: Sestak Hangs Out in Pelosi’s San Francisco District Today
As Congressman Joe Sestak travels to Nancy Pelosi’s San Francisco district today, it should come as no surprise that his voting record is more in sync with Speaker Pelosi’s liberal extremism than Pennsylvania’s commonsense fiscal conservatism.

Congressman Sestak has voted with Nancy Pelosi 100% of the time for the 111th Congress far (Congressional Quarterly).  Sestak’s MoveOn.Org agenda may fly in San Francisco, but it is too extreme for Pennsylvania.

Sestak is just another San Francisco liberal.  Watch the video here.