It must have been tough for the folks at Human Events to narrow the list down to 10.
Top 10 Examples of Government Stupidity - HUMAN EVENTS
Sunday, July 31, 2011
Saturday, July 30, 2011
Weekly GOP Address On Debt Ceiling
Sen. Jon Kyl: "We start from the understanding that the reason the debt ceiling is a problem is because of runaway Washington spending. So, Republicans have been united in the belief that raising the debt ceiling without making significant spending reductions would be irresponsible."
Newspaper: America abandons Obama
Excellent editorial in The Washington Times about Obama's failed presidency.
From the Times:
EDITORIAL: America abandons Obama - Washington Times
From the Times:
So much for hope and change. With the economy growing worse and worse, the grand promises of Barack Obama's 2008 campaign have faded as the reality of malaise takes hold.Read the full editorial at the link below:
EDITORIAL: America abandons Obama - Washington Times
Friday, July 29, 2011
Global Warming Junk Science Unravels
From Investor's Business Daily:
Junk Science Unravels - Investors.com
The scientist who claimed that global warming threatens polar bears is under investigation. There's a hole in Earth's greenhouse. A cooler era lies ahead. That hiss is the hot air coming out of alarmists' balloon.Read the full editorial at the link below:
Junk Science Unravels - Investors.com
Bill O'Reilly: Demonizing Christianity
Bill O'Reilly wants to know why the New York Times and some other liberal media are playing the "Christian extremist" card in the wake of the Oslo, Norway, massacre by a deranged left-wing extremist.
From O'Reilly's latest column:
Bill O'Reilly: Demonizing Christianity
From O'Reilly's latest column:
Anders Brevik did not kill in the name of Jesus. He was not a member of a Christian-based al Qaeda-like group. He was not funded by Iran or enabled by Pakistan. He is simply a murderer, a man devoid of any spiritual conscience. A direct descendent of Cain.Read the full column at the link below:
Yet, somehow, Brevik is now a member of a peace-loving, compassionate group, at least according to some media. He's a Christian.
Who knew?
Bill O'Reilly: Demonizing Christianity
Thursday, July 28, 2011
Report: Obamacare won't rein in costs
I hope you weren't dumb enough to believe that ObamaCare would bring down the cost of health care. A new study shows health care costs will go up substantially for most Americans under ObamaCare.
Health care law won't rein in costs, study says - Washington Times
Health care law won't rein in costs, study says - Washington Times
Your Daily Dose of Liberal Media Bias
There was a time when reporters at The Associated Press tried very hard to keep their personal opinions out of news articles. Not anymore. The AP is in the tank for Barack Obama and the Democrats.
AP's Abrams, Quoting No One, Claims That 'Some Legal Scholars' Believe Obama Can Bust Debt Ceiling With 14th Amendment | NewsBusters.org
AP's Abrams, Quoting No One, Claims That 'Some Legal Scholars' Believe Obama Can Bust Debt Ceiling With 14th Amendment | NewsBusters.org
Columnist: Southern Poverty Law Center the Real Hate Group
Just like the ACLU, beware of left-wing advocacy groups that use fascist tactics to get their way.
Isn't the Southern Poverty Law Center the Real Hate Group? - HUMAN EVENTS
Isn't the Southern Poverty Law Center the Real Hate Group? - HUMAN EVENTS
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Obama: More than Twice the Debt in Half the Time as Bush
George W. Bush added $2.4 Trillion to the National Debt during his eight years in office. Current projections have Barack Obama adding $6.1 Trillion to the Nation Debt during his first four years in office. It's time to cut up Obama's credit cards.
Obama: More than Twice the Debt in Half the Time as Bush
Obama: More than Twice the Debt in Half the Time as Bush
Editorial: Gov't Welfare Widens The Wealth Gap
We now have 50 years of evidence that government handouts is not the way to deal with poverty. Big government liberalism has failed miserably.
Editorial: Gov't Welfare Widens The Wealth Gap - Investors.com
Editorial: Gov't Welfare Widens The Wealth Gap - Investors.com
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Penn State Tuition Rises 104% In 10 Years
Penn State University pays its president, Graham Spanier, more than $1 million a year.
Facing tough economic times, Spanier has been whining about how the state (the Pennsylvania taxpayer) isn't sending enough money to Happy Valley.
Instead of dealing with the economic reality and finding ways to cut costs from the university's bloated $4 billion-a-year budget, Spanier keeps blaming Gov. Tom Corbett and the Legislature for reducing PSU's annual taxpayer allotment by about $70 million.
That meager reduction prompted Penn State to raise tuition by 5 percent.
For the amount of money Spanier is getting paid, he should be able to come up with ways to cut costs and reduce the burden on Pennsylvania families who want to send their children to Penn State.
From an editorial in The Harrisburg Patriot-News:
Facing tough economic times, Spanier has been whining about how the state (the Pennsylvania taxpayer) isn't sending enough money to Happy Valley.
Instead of dealing with the economic reality and finding ways to cut costs from the university's bloated $4 billion-a-year budget, Spanier keeps blaming Gov. Tom Corbett and the Legislature for reducing PSU's annual taxpayer allotment by about $70 million.
That meager reduction prompted Penn State to raise tuition by 5 percent.
For the amount of money Spanier is getting paid, he should be able to come up with ways to cut costs and reduce the burden on Pennsylvania families who want to send their children to Penn State.
From an editorial in The Harrisburg Patriot-News:
... tuition at Penn State is too high. It has gone up 104 percent in the last decade and its tuition rate is the highest for a four-year, public university in the nation — the University of Pittsburgh is No. 2 — according to the U.S. Department of Education.Read the full editorial, "Sharing the pain: Penn State must find ways to cut costs," at the newspaper's website.
Taking into account room and board plus books, the increase means it will cost more than $100,000 to get a four-year degree from Penn State. This from a school that has its humble beginnings as a land grant university. It has long been a place for a student who is the first in their family to go to college. That goal might be harder to achieve.
Sad ... But True
Another fine example of why Randy Bish of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review is the best editorial cartoonist in Pennsylvania ... and one of the best in the country.
Monday, July 25, 2011
Newspaper: Time to Fire Eric Holder
Human Events says it's time for Eric Holder, the worst U.S. Attorney General this side of Janet Reno, to go.
From a recent editorial:
Time to Fire Eric Holder - HUMAN EVENTS
From a recent editorial:
It has been strange to watch the mainstream media ignore the most incredible scandal of the modern era — the "Gunwalker" program used by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives to pump American guns into Mexico — while lavishing obsessive coverage on the News of the World phone-hacking debacle in England.Read the full editorial at the link below:
Of course, the motivations of the media are not difficult to understand. There has been absolutely no evidence that News Corp. owner Rupert Murdoch had anything to do with the invasions of privacy carried out by certain employees at one of his many newspapers. But because he also owns influential conservative American media properties such as the Wall Street Journal, and especially, Fox News, media liberals find themselves looking at a very large domino and praying for it to fall.
Time to Fire Eric Holder - HUMAN EVENTS
Columnist: Young People Wise Up, Abandon Obama
Elise Jordan says Obama has a real problem holding on to the youth vote that supported him in large numbers in 2008 but is disillusioned by Obama's broken promises.
Obama's Young Ex-Fans - Elise Jordan - National Review Online
Obama's Young Ex-Fans - Elise Jordan - National Review Online
Thun Trail work day planned for July 31
The Schuylkill River Greenway Association TrailKeepers and the Berks County Bicycle Club will hold a workday on the Thun Trail from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. July 31.
Volunteers will meet at the Trailhead at Morlatton Village, Old Philadelphia Pike, Douglassville, to install bollards, clear brush and complete general maintenance.
A rain date will be held on July 31. In the event of questionable weather or conditions, call Greg Marshall at 610-780-3195.
Volunteers will meet at the Trailhead at Morlatton Village, Old Philadelphia Pike, Douglassville, to install bollards, clear brush and complete general maintenance.
A rain date will be held on July 31. In the event of questionable weather or conditions, call Greg Marshall at 610-780-3195.
Sunday, July 24, 2011
Columnist: Obama Must Go
The biggest impediment to restoring fiscal sanity to Washington, D.C., is Barack Obama, argues columnist George F. Will.
From his latest:
Sustaining the unsustainable - pottsmerc.com
From his latest:
The tea party, the most welcome political development since the Goldwater insurgency in 1964, lacks only the patience necessary when America lacks the consensus required to propel fundamental change through our constitutional system of checks and balances. If Washington's trajectory could be turned as quickly as tea partyers wish — while conservatives control only one-half of one of the two political branches — their movement would not be as necessary as it is. Fortunately, not much patience is required.Read the full column at the link below:
The Goldwater impulse took 16 years to reach fruition in the election of Ronald Reagan. The tea party can succeed in 16 months by helping elect a president who will not veto necessary reforms. To achieve that, however, tea partyers must not help the incumbent achieve his objectives in the debt-ceiling dispute.
Sustaining the unsustainable - pottsmerc.com
Saturday, July 23, 2011
Top 10 Obama Lies
When you have a president who is a habitual liar, it's difficult to keep track of all the lies he tells, but Human Events has come up with a list of the 10 biggest lies Obama has told ... so far.
TOP 10 OBAMA LIES
TOP 10 OBAMA LIES
Weekly GOP Address: Cut, Cap and Balance Act
Republicans have a plan to turn the economy around: Cut, Cap and Balance Act. Barack Obama and the Democrats want to raise taxes and keep spending us into oblivion.
Friday, July 22, 2011
Thursday, July 21, 2011
Newspaper: Obamacare to slam families with higher insurance costs
Hey, Nancy Pelosi, this is what happens when you pass a law before you read it.From an article by Julian Pecquet in The Hill:
A major provision of the healthcare reform law designed to prevent businesses from dropping coverage for their workers could inadvertently leave families without access to subsidized health insurance.Healthcare law could leave families with high insurance costs - The Hill's Healthwatch
The problem is a huge headache for the Obama administration and congressional Democrats, because it could leave families unable to buy affordable health insurance when the healthcare law requires that everyone be insured starting in 2014.
Some of the administration's closest allies on healthcare reform warn this situation could dramatically undercut support for the law, which already is unpopular with many voters and contributed to Democrats losing the House in the 2010 midterm elections.
"It's going to be a massive problem if it comes out that families have to buy really expensive employer-based coverage," said Jocelyn Guyer, deputy executive director at Georgetown University's Center for Children and Families.
"If they don’t fix this — and by 'they' I mean either the administration or Congress — we’re going to have middle-class families extremely unhappy with [healthcare] reform in 2014, because they'll basically be facing financial penalties for not buying coverage when they don’t have access to any affordable options."
Pennsylvania jobless rate rises to 7.6%
The Obama Recession continues.
Pennsylvania's unemployment rate rose to 7.6 percent in June, up from 7.4 percent in May.
While the state's rate is lower than the national average of 9.2 percent, it still signals the fact that Barack Obama's economic polices are a total failure.
Pennsylvania's Employment Situation: June 2011
Pennsylvania's unemployment rate rose to 7.6 percent in June, up from 7.4 percent in May.
While the state's rate is lower than the national average of 9.2 percent, it still signals the fact that Barack Obama's economic polices are a total failure.
Pennsylvania's Employment Situation: June 2011
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
AHEPA Remembers 37th 'Black Anniversary' of Invasion, Occupation of Cyprus
Supreme President Calls for Removal of Turkish Troops from CyprusMIAMI BEACH - American Hellenic Educational Progressive Association (AHEPA) Supreme President Nicholas A. Karacostas issued the following statement on the 37th anniversary of the illegal invasion and subsequent occupation of the Republic of Cyprus that occurred July 20, 1974:
"Today marks a somber day as we observe the 37th anniversary of the illegal invasion and occupation of the Republic of Cyprus by the Republic of Turkey. This was, and remains to this very day, an intolerable act; one that is a gross violation of the rule of law, human rights, and democratic ideals. We pause to remember the innocent civilians who lost their lives and the thousands who went missing, including four American citizens whose investigations remain incomplete. The illegal invasion and occupation caused the displacement of 170,000 Greek Cypriot refugees, including my family, who to this day are unable to return to their homes which is also a violation of human rights as determined by the European Commission on Human Rights.AHEPA is the largest Greek-American association in the world with chapters in the United States, Canada, Greece, Cyprus, and sister chapters in Australia and New Zealand. For more information, visit www.ahepa.org
"The ongoing direct talks between Cypriot President Demetris Christofias and Turkish Cypriot leader Mr. Dervis Eroglu, under the scope of the high-level UN Agreement of July 8, 2006, have provided minimal tangible progress toward a settlement to reunify Cyprus. This is due to the latter's hardline positions that continue to present proposals outside UN parameters and European Union principles. It is our hope the July 7, 2011 meeting between the two sides and the UN secretary-general in Geneva will impress upon the Turkish Cypriot side the importance of presenting specific positions on the fundamental issues that are founded under UN parameters. This will help the process going forward.
"However, the key to a successful settlement also rests in Ankara. We call on the U.S. government to convey a strong message to Turkey that it must provide the Turkish Cypriot community with the necessary freedom to negotiate a solution within the July 8 framework, and equally as important, facilitate the removal of 43,000 of its troops from the island.
"Therefore, we restate our call for a reunified Cyprus with a single sovereignty, single international personality and single citizenship; and with its independence and territorial integrity safeguarded as described in the relevant U.N. Security Council resolutions. We contend that such a solution is in the best interest of all Cypriots, and must emanate from Cypriots themselves without arbitrary timetables.
"Furthermore, on this 'black anniversary' we call on Turkey to begin the removal of its 43,000 troops from Cyprus. These are troops that as American citizens we contend would serve a better purpose, especially to NATO, in another theatre such as Afghanistan as opposed to Cyprus where there have been more than 15 million incident-free crossings by Greek and Turkish Cypriots.
"We call for these actions in the best interests of the United States. A just and viable solution to the division of Cyprus will strengthen the eastern Mediterranean and bring peace and security to the region. Furthermore, it will aid Turkey's candidacy to become a member of the European Union.
"Our hope is that we will no longer need to observe this 'black anniversary,' but instead, celebrate the anniversary of a settlement. AHEPA remains committed to doing all within its power to keep the Cyprus issue in the public eye until a just and viable solution is realized."
Turkish Invasion in Cyprus (1974)
Today is the 37th anniversary of the Turkish invasion of Cyprus. More than 6,000 Greek-Cypriots were killed, thousands more wounded ... and 1,300 men, 116 women and 133 children taken captive by the Turks to be murdered or sent to concentration camps. Nearly 200,000 Greeks were forced from their homes by the Turkish army, which still occupies Cyprus today. We will never forget!
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Time for Pennsylvania to End Religious Discrimination for Teachers
An 1895 law prohibits Pennsylvania teachers from wearing religious garb such as a yarmulke or religious symbols, like a cross or the Star of David, while in the classroom. A bipartisan bill introduced in the Pennsylvania Legislature would repeal the restrictions.
Only two states - Pennsylvania and Nebraska - have such prohibitions on what teachers can wear.
House Bill 1581, co-sponsored by state Reps. Eugene DePasquale, D-York County, and Will Tallman, R-Adams County, would end the discrimination imposed on educators.
"The time has come for Pennsylvania to repeal it," state Rep. Eugene DePasquale told The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. "We're not talking about people proselytizing. It's what they wear. There's a big difference between wearing a cross or yarmulke and saying, 'You should be Catholic.' "
Added state Rep. Will Tallman: "This is about restoring religious neutrality to our public school system and upgrading an old and discriminatory law. We want every teacher to be free to exercise his or her religion, regardless of that faith."
It's time for Pennsylvania to join the rest of the nation and allow teachers to display their faith without fear of disciplinary action.
Read more about the issue at the Tribune-Review website.
Newspaper: Wynn's Rant: One Among Many
From Investor's Business Daily:
Las Vegas CEO Steve Wynn drew attention for a boardroom rant denouncing the intolerable business climate fostered by the White House. He's hardly the first. What's happening is emblematic of a bigger problem.Wynn's Rant: One Among Many - Investors.com
Natural Gas Industry Launches PR Campaign
After taking a beating from Democrats who want to tax it out of existence and environmentalists who apparently don't heat their homes, the natural gas industry is fighting back with a new PR campaign.
Natural Gas Community Spotlights Safe and Responsible Development in Pennsylvania
Natural Gas Community Spotlights Safe and Responsible Development in Pennsylvania
Monday, July 18, 2011
Columnist: Modern Poverty Includes Air-Conditioning and an Xbox
From a new column by Ken McIntyre at National Review Online:
Modern Poverty Includes A.C. and an Xbox - By Ken McIntyre - The Corner - National Review Online
Census officials continue to grossly exaggerate the numbers of the poor, creating a false picture in the public mind of widespread material deprivation, writes Heritage Foundation senior research fellow Robert Rector in a new paper.Read the full column at the link below:
"Most news stories on poverty feature homeless families, people living in crumbling shacks, or lines of the downtrodden eating in soup kitchens," Rector says. "The actual living conditions of America’s poor are far different from these images."
Modern Poverty Includes A.C. and an Xbox - By Ken McIntyre - The Corner - National Review Online
'Harry Potter' earns $169.2M in opening weekend
From Brandon Gray's analysis of the weekend's record-setting debut of the last "Harry Potter" installment.Working its final movie mojo, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 soared into the record books with the highest-grossing opening weekend ever. The series finale drew $169.2 million on around 11,100 screens at 4,375 locations, dethroning The Dark Knight's $158.4 million.Read more at BoxOfficeMojo.com
Deathly Hallows Part 2's first weekend flew past the previous franchise high of $125 million, posted by Deathly Hallows Part 1 last November, and it topped the franchise in terms of estimated attendance as well. While its opening gross also out-distanced The Dark Knight, Spider-Man 3 ($151.1 million), The Twilight Saga: New Moon ($142.8 million), Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest ($135.6 million) and the first Spider-Man ($114.8 million), Deathly Hallows Part 2's estimated opening attendance was less than those titles, ranking sixth overall.
After conjuring the opening day record of $91.1 million on Friday (buoyed by a record-shattering $43.5 million midnight launch), Deathly Hallows Part 2 saw the steepest Friday-to-Saturday drop on record for a non-holiday first weekend, falling 53 percent to $42.4 million. Its Saturday slotted ninth among the top-grossing Saturdays of all time. On Sunday, it declined 16 percent to $35.7 million, which ranked fourth on the all-time Sunday grosses chart.
Gov. Corbett: $3.8 Million will Improve Operations at 8 PA Airports
Pottstown Municipal Airport will receive $146,250 for final design on the runway pavement rehabilitation and for final design of the runway safety area, according to the governor's office.
Governor Corbett: $3.8 Million will Improve Operations at Eight Airports
Governor Corbett: $3.8 Million will Improve Operations at Eight Airports
What the Debt Limit Battle Is All About
Michael Barone cuts through the spin and gets to the heart of the matter.
What the Debt Limit Battle Is All About - HUMAN EVENTS
What the Debt Limit Battle Is All About - HUMAN EVENTS
Obama Mounting Lies
How low will Obama go? Turns out he fabricated a story of how his late mother struggled with the health care system while she was battling cancer in an attempt to bolster Obamacare. The man knows no shame.
From an editorial in The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review:
From an editorial in The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review:
The president of the United States has been caught in a lie. It's no small matter. And it should lead reasonable people to raise serious questions about the veracity of every word Barack Obama utters.Read more: Another Obama's tale exposed at the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review website.
During the 2008 campaign, then-Sen. Obama said on more than one occasion that his late mother, Ann Dunham, waged a death-bed fight with her insurance company over whether the uterine and ovarian cancers that would claim her life were pre-existing conditions that disqualified her from medical coverage.
Mr. Obama employed the anecdote to press his case for health care reform. ObamaCare does not allow for such disqualifications for children under 19. The provision extends to adults in three years.
But a new book about Obama's mother by New York Times reporter Janny Scott refutes the president's story and uses his mother's own correspondence to do so. Ms. Dunham's health insurance covered most of her medical expenses and without argument. Only disability coverage, designed to replace lost wages, was denied and that by another carrier, Ms. Scott writes.
Sunday, July 17, 2011
Obama's Sorry Record
The Republican National Committee has done a nice job of recapping Barack Obama's legacy on the economy so far. Hekavu, job.
HOW HAS OBAMA DONE?RNC: 'Give It To Me'
$1.65 Trillion: Projected Federal Deficit For FY2011 – Will Be The Largest In U.S. History. (OMB, 2/14/11)
$1.42 Trillion: Federal Budget Deficit For FY2009 – Highest In U.S. History. (CBO, 10/7/10)
$1.29 Trillion: Federal Budget Deficit For FY2010 – Second Highest In U.S. History. (CBO, 10/7/10)
44.6 Million: Americans Receiving Food Stamps. (The Wall Street Journal, 5/31/11)
14.0 Million: Unemployed Americans. (Bureau of Labor Statistics, Accessed 7/14/11)
6.8 Million: Foreclosure Filings Since Obama Took Office. (RealtyTrac, Accessed 7/14/11)
2.5 Million: Jobs Lost Since Obama Took Office. (Bureau of Labor Statistics, Accessed 7/14/11)
2.0 Million: Private Sector Jobs Lost Since Obama Took Office. (Bureau of Labor Statistics, Accessed 7/14/11)
1.8 Million: Jobs Lost Since Obama's Stimulus Was Passed. (Bureau of Labor Statistics, Accessed 7/14/11)
1.59 Million: Personal Bankruptcies In 2010. (United States Courts, 2/15/11)
9.2%: Unemployment Rate. (Bureau of Labor Statistics, Accessed 7/14/11)
Saturday, July 16, 2011
Top 10 Most Egregious Government Regulations
Here are 10 examples of why so many businesses have been driven under by government regulations ... and why 14 million Americans are out of work.
Top 10 Most Egregious Government Regulations - HUMAN EVENTS
Top 10 Most Egregious Government Regulations - HUMAN EVENTS
Harry Potter Fans Flock to Theaters for Final Film
The final "Harry Potter" film could end up as one of the biggest box-office hits of all time. It already shattered the record for opening day, earning $92.1 million in U.S. theaters on Thursday.
Harry Potter Fans Flock to Theaters for Final Film
Harry Potter Fans Flock to Theaters for Final Film
Editorial: No, U.S. Doesn't Want Tax Hikes
Is Barack Obama clueless?
From Investor's Business Daily:
No, U.S. Doesn't Want Tax Hikes - Investors.com
From Investor's Business Daily:
Four of five Americans are "sold" on higher taxes to solve the deficit impasse, according to President Obama. Either he's deceiving himself or he completely misunderstands how the public really feels.Read the full editorial at the link below:
No, U.S. Doesn't Want Tax Hikes - Investors.com
Rep. Tom Quigley: Controlling PA Spending Starts with Welfare Reform
Controlling State Spending Starts with Welfare ReformBy Rep. Tom Quigley (R-Montgomery)
In light of the recent passage of the budget for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, I wanted to focus on an area of the budget that may not have received much attention; welfare reform. Nearly 40 percent of Pennsylvania's annual state budget is used to support public welfare programs, making public welfare the single largest expenditure in the Commonwealth, above even public education. In the 2011-12 fiscal year, welfare programs will receive more than $10.5 billion out of our $27.15 billion total budget.
Even when faced with a worldwide economic downturn and multi-billion dollar budget deficits, the public welfare allocation in Pennsylvania continued to balloon, while nearly every other sector of state spending was being slashed. Our Medical Assistance benefits are growing at a rate of nearly 12 percent every year, increasing by a total of 97 percent in the past decade. At the same time, our general revenue collections are only increasing by 3 percent per year. Clearly if we are going to control state spending and balance our budgets into the future, we must take a hard look at managing welfare spending and reforming welfare programs.
House Republicans have made welfare reform the foundation for our agenda to return sensibility to state spending. This spring, we introduced a package of eight measures designed to return fairness, accountability, integrity and responsibility to Pennsylvania’s welfare system. Of those eight bills, six gained approval in the House and four were signed into law by Gov. Tom Corbett as part of the final budget agreement.
The four welfare reform measures that have now been signed into law include:
• Instituting drug testing for welfare applicants who have been convicted of a drug felony in the past five years.
• Creating an Income Eligibility Verification System to detect fraud by authenticating recipient information.
• Basing benefit amounts on the permanent legal residence of applicants to discourage benefit shopping.
• Requiring greater oversight into the Special Allowances program, as outlined by Auditor General Jack Wagner.
Because of the inclusion of these reforms in the budget package, hundreds of millions of dollars were applied to restoring many of the Governor’s proposed cuts to public and higher education.
Welfare reform is not about denying assistance to people who are truly in need, but it is about ensuring that every taxpayer dollar is being used appropriately. The four proposals signed into law were designed to preserve welfare assistance for senior citizens, people with disabilities, children and those who need a temporary safety net until they are able to get back on their own feet.
If we had not taken action to implement these reforms, our welfare system would eventually become unsustainable and our state budget unsound. Not only must we contend with our current liabilities, but we must also look down the road to when the federal health care law takes effect and even more people are added to our welfare assistance rolls through Medicaid programs. The federal government will only fully fund these additional beneficiaries for three years and after that some of the costs will be turned over to the states. While we will not have much control over the addition of these new beneficiaries, we can and should better manage other public welfare programs.
I am pleased about the great strides we have made to improve the way in which Pennsylvania administers welfare programs, and I am hopeful we will be able to achieve even greater success in the future. The viability of all state programs depends on our ability to control welfare costs and appropriately oversee how our state tax dollars are being spent.
State Rep. Tom Quigley is a Republican who has represented Pennsylvania's 146th House District in the state Legislature since 2004.
Friday, July 15, 2011
The race card again? Really?
How desperate are Democrats? Incompetence has nothing to do with race, Ms. Jackson Lee.
Jackson Lee: Congress complicating debt ceiling because Obama is black - The Hill's Floor Action
Jackson Lee: Congress complicating debt ceiling because Obama is black - The Hill's Floor Action
Columnist: We're All Greeks Now
Columnist Pat Buchanan says the United States is headed for the same fate as Greece.
We're All Greeks Now - HUMAN EVENTS
We're All Greeks Now - HUMAN EVENTS
Toomey: Obama Out of Touch with American People
Sen. Pat Toomey (R-PA) issued the following statement after President Obama made comments today on the debt ceiling negotiations:"President Obama once again demonstrated a lack of seriousness today in dealing with the nation’s looming debt crisis. He chose to mischaracterize House and Senate efforts to reach a balanced budget despite the fact that he has failed to produce a plan of his own to rein in the spending problem that he and his administration have largely created over the past three years. He has also demonstrated how out of touch he is with the American people by denigrating a balanced budget amendment, which has the overwhelming support of the American people. It is a shame that the president doesn't understand that a constitutional amendment to balance the budget is consistent with Congress doing its job. The president's actions continue to point in the same direction: He wants a debt limit increase without real limits on spending. I cannot, and will not, support any plan that that does not institute meaningful spending cuts and does not put our country on the path to a balanced budget."
Columnist: Controlling PA spending starts with Welfare reform
Pennsylvania spends $10.5 billion a year on Welfare programs from a General Fund budget that totals $27.2 billion. And you wonder why the state is facing a fiscal crisis?
Rep. Tom Quigley: Controlling spending starts with Welfare reform - pottsmerc.com
Rep. Tom Quigley: Controlling spending starts with Welfare reform - pottsmerc.com
Fast And Furious Scandal: A Watergate For Obama?
What did Obama know and when did he know it?
Fast And Furious Scandal: A Watergate For Obama? - Investors.com
Fast And Furious Scandal: A Watergate For Obama? - Investors.com
Thursday, July 14, 2011
Rep. Quigley to Host Town Hall-Style Conference Call
State Rep. Tom Quigley (R-Montgomery) will host a town hall meeting via telephone for residents of Pennsylvania's 146th House District at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, July 19.From a Quigley press release:
"I am hosting this town hall-style conference call to give everyone I represent the opportunity to find out what is going on in Harrisburg and our community and also ask questions without having to leave their home. In light of the recently passed state budget, I am interested to hear what people have to say."
At approximately 7 p.m. on July 19, automated calls will be placed to residents of the 146th District inviting them to participate in the hour-long call.
At any point during the phone call, people will be given the chance to ask questions by pressing *3, and he will try to get to everyone's inquires during the allotted hour.
Newspaper: Obama Exposes Social Security 'Lockbox' Lie
From Investor's Business Daily:
Giving Lie To The 'Lockbox' - Investors.com
In trying to score political points against the GOP by warning that retirement checks were in jeopardy if the debt ceiling isn't raised, President Obama exposed the fraud at the heart of Social Security.Read the full editorial at the link below:
Giving Lie To The 'Lockbox' - Investors.com
Krauthammer: Regime Change May Be Needed To Cut Deficit
Charles Krauthammer says the GOP should call Obama's bluff on the debt ceiling talks.
Regime Change May Be Needed To Cut Deficit - Investors.com
Regime Change May Be Needed To Cut Deficit - Investors.com
40 Years Later Charlie's Hiring Is Still Willy Wonka's Greatest Failure
A clever article revisiting "Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory."
40 Years Later Charlie's Hiring Is Still Willy Wonka's Greatest Failure - CinemaBlend.com
40 Years Later Charlie's Hiring Is Still Willy Wonka's Greatest Failure - CinemaBlend.com
Columnist: Obama Shatters Social Security Myth
In trying to scare Americans about their Social Security checks not arriving in August, Barack Obama told the truth for the first time in his life. Social Security is a giant government-run Ponzi scheme. Your money has already been spent by the politicians in Washington.
John Hayward, writing at Human Events:
John Hayward, writing at Human Events:
President Obama has performed one very important service for his country during the debt ceiling negotiations: he has utterly and forever shattered the myth of the Social Security "lockbox."Shattering the Social Security Myth - HUMAN EVENTS
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
The Permanent Obama Campaign
In between rounds of golf, Barack Obama has found time to hold more than 30 campaign fundraising events in the first half of 2011.
It's not like he has any important issues to deal with as president. He fixed all our problems, right?
The Permanent Obama Campaign | The Weekly Standard
It's not like he has any important issues to deal with as president. He fixed all our problems, right?
The Permanent Obama Campaign | The Weekly Standard
Newspaper: PA taxpayers miffed at COLA for lawmakers
At a time when Pennsylvania residents are dealing with a tough economy and cuts in the state budget, state lawmakers continue to enjoy high salaries and perks. The Pottstown Mercury wants to know why lawmakers are not sharing the sacrifice?
Pa. taxpayers miffed at COLA for lawmakers - pottsmerc.com
Pa. taxpayers miffed at COLA for lawmakers - pottsmerc.com
Movie Tavern offers dinner and a movie all in one place
People love to go to the movies. People usually grab a bite to eat before or after a movie. Why not combine a restaurant and movie theater? Better yet, serve your favorite draft brew or mixed drink, which you can enjoy before, during or after the movie.What a concept. Why didn't I think of this?
Movie Tavern, a Texas-based chain, has opened its 15th location in the U.S. and first in Pennsylvania near Collegeville.
It's a whole new movie experience that will leave you wondering why you'd ever go back to a regular theater.
You know this is not your mother's movie theater from the moment you walk in the doors.
Movie Tavern features a full bar with three big-screen TVs, lounge seating to enjoy a snack or beverage before or after the movie and personal table side service inside each of its eight theaters.
You heard it right. Servers will bring food and drinks to you while the movie is playing.
The comfortable stadium seating comes with individual tabletops and a service call button so you don't interrupt other patrons when you need a server to come to you. (Hint: Get to the theater at least 30 minutes before your feature starts so you can place your food order).
And you get real napkins and silverware. No plastic forks and knives in this place.
If you just want to watch a movie, the tickets prices in the eight first-run theaters are comparable to other area theaters. No extra charges to see a movie ... unless you order food or drink.
The Movie Tavern menu offers a wide variety of food choices, including burgers, sandwiches and wraps, skewers and salads.
Appetizers run in the $6-$8.50 range. Burgers and sliders will run you $8.50-$9.75. You can also order a 10-inch personal pizza starting at $8.75 with additional toppings at .75 cents each.
Sandwiches and wraps run in the $7.50 to $9.75 range.
Movie Tavern offers a half-dozen beers on tap as well as bottled beer, a variety of wines and margaritas.
You can also order from the Kids Meals menu, offering five different choices plus a small drink for kids under 12.
If you prefer a non-alcoholic drink, you can try a milkshake, fruit smoothies, soft drinks, coffee and bottled water.
And yes, you can still buy popcorn and other theater concession favorites, but where else can you enjoy a slice of red velvet cake or brownie bottom pie? Only at Movie Tavern's "Reel Dessert" area.
Movie Tavern lives up to its slogan: "Movies Never Tasted So Good"
The Collegeville Movie Tavern is located in the Providence Town Center, 140 Market St., right off Route 422.
For more information about what's playing the menu and prices, visit the Movie Tavern website.
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
Newspaper: New law puts teeth into PA Sunshine Laws
From an editorial in The Mercury:
New law puts teeth into state sunshine laws - pottsmerc.com
Senate Bill 101 increases the fines that may be imposed on elected officials who participate in a meeting with the intent of violating the open meeting requirements.Read the full editorial at the link below:
The fine, which was previously a flat rate of $100, was raised to as much as $1,000 for a first offense and $500 to $2,000 for a second offense. The mandate is set to take effect in 60 days.
The increased penalties for violating state sunshine laws were long overdue.
Pennsylvania has been known to be among the most antiquated states in the nation in its laws on open meetings and open records — a standing that was improved somewhat with the passage of open records reform several years ago.
New law puts teeth into state sunshine laws - pottsmerc.com
Monday, July 11, 2011
Toomey staffer needs better phone manners
I noticed this comment left by a Pottstown Mercury reader on the newspaper's Sound Off line:
Monday's Sound Off - pottsmerc.com
I want to thank The Mercury for putting in the paper all the phone numbers for all the local congressmen and senators from this area. But be known to all the people that when I called (Sen. Bob) Casey's office, I found very polite people to listen. When I called (Sen. Pat) Toomey's office, this man I voted for, I found people who argued with me and told me that I didn't know what I was talking about.It's possible the caller was a flaming liberal calling Toomey's office to harass staffers, but the caller is still a constituent who pays Toomey's salary (and those of his staffers) so anyone answering phones for elected officials should always be curtious and patient and just pass on the information to their boss (not argue with callers).
Monday's Sound Off - pottsmerc.com
Columnist: Obama as Job-Killer-in-Chief
Columnist John Hayward says the jobs picture under Obama is MUCH worse than the government will admit.
Those Awful June Unemployment Numbers Are A Candy-Coated Fantasy - HUMAN EVENTS
Those Awful June Unemployment Numbers Are A Candy-Coated Fantasy - HUMAN EVENTS
RNC: Obama Admits He Will Raise Taxes If He Is Reelected
Looking for more hope and change?
Obama said he will raise taxes and cut Medicare benefits if he gets another term in office.
RNC: Two Simple Truths From Obama
Obama said he will raise taxes and cut Medicare benefits if he gets another term in office.
RNC: Two Simple Truths From Obama
Can jobs news get worse under Obama? Just wait and see
Columnist John Crudele on Barack Obama's dismal record of creating jobs despite repeated promises that massive federal spending will lead to jobs:
Jobs report is real ugly, and that's the good news - NYPOST.com
You aren't crazy, the job market is truly bad, and it's not simply in your head.Read more:
Washington, of course, isn't likely to take action until the situation looks hopeless. President Obama looked stunned at a press conference following the jobs report, so hopefully he's feeling hopeless.
That -- and the fact he could lose his job -- may force the president to look for new ideas. And I just happen to have a few for him.
Jobs report is real ugly, and that's the good news - NYPOST.com
1974: The Cyprus Tragedy
This month marks the 37th anniversary of the brutal Turkish invasion of Cyprus using American-supplied weapons in violation of U.S. law. Despite numerous U.N. resolutions condemning the invasion and ordering Turkey to withdraw its troops from the island, Turkey maintains a 40,000-man occupation force on Cyprus.
Berks County League of Women Voters may disband
The Berks County League of Women Voters, which has been providing nonpartisan information to voters and hosting candidate forums for seven decades, is on life support.
Less than 20 active members remain in the group and just nine of them voted to keep the organization going at a recent meeting.
Efforts are under way by the state and national League to keep the Berks group afloat for another years, but it's not looking good unless more people join and become involved.
From the Reading Eagle:
Berks voters group elects to continue, for now
Less than 20 active members remain in the group and just nine of them voted to keep the organization going at a recent meeting.
Efforts are under way by the state and national League to keep the Berks group afloat for another years, but it's not looking good unless more people join and become involved.
From the Reading Eagle:
The League of Women Voters of Berks County is fighting for its life.Read the full story at the link below:
After a knockout 9-8 vote June 26 to disband the group, members convened a special meeting and voted to continue with a streamlined format for one more year, leaving the specter of an end to the group still in play.
Berks voters group elects to continue, for now
Sunday, July 10, 2011
Liberals, Democrats More Likely to Disbelieve Bible, Says Gallup Poll
Liberals have their own god - his name is Obama.
Liberals, Democrats More Likely to Disbelieve Bible, Says Gallup Poll | CNSnews.com
Liberals, Democrats More Likely to Disbelieve Bible, Says Gallup Poll | CNSnews.com
Saturday, July 09, 2011
Fast-And-Furious-Gate: Media Covers Up Latest Obama Scandal
Investor's Business Daily is one of the few American newspapers asking questions about a massive scandal inside the Obama administration involving the use of tax dollars to supply guns to Mexican drug lords.
From a new editorial on the scandal and the liberal media's attempt to shield Obama from scrutiny:
Fast-And-Furious-Gate (Cont'd) - Investors.com
From a new editorial on the scandal and the liberal media's attempt to shield Obama from scrutiny:
The ATF's acting director spills the beans on a program involving multiple agencies that not only supplied guns to Mexican gangs and drug cartels but may also have used taxpayer dollars to buy them.Read the full editorial at the link below:
Fast-And-Furious-Gate (Cont'd) - Investors.com
Obama Still Blames Bush
Two-and-a-half years into his failed presidency, Barack Obama is still trying to blame George W. Bush for his very own incompetence. When will the corrupt liberal media stop giving Obama a free pass and hold him responsible?
Disgusting. Obama Again Blames His Record Deficit & Debt On Bush - HUMAN EVENTS
Disgusting. Obama Again Blames His Record Deficit & Debt On Bush - HUMAN EVENTS
Republicans have a plan to create jobs
House Republican Conference Vice Chairwoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) delivers the Weekly Republican Address. She discusses the latest monthly jobs report, which shows increased unemployment and a stalled economic recovery. House Republicans have passed 9 bills to spur job growth and foster an environment of confidence for America's small businesses - but Senate Democrats have taken no action on these bills. The president has failed to understand that our nation spends too much, not taxes too little. Further taxing businesses across America will destroy any chances of economic recovery. It's time for real solutions. Visit http://jobs.gop.gov to see the House Republican Plan for America's Job Creators.
Friday, July 08, 2011
Newspaper: Unemployment Rate is Really Above 11%
The official government number for the nation's unemployment rate is 9.2% but The Wall Street Journal reports today that the real U.S. unemployment rate is above 11% if you count the people who have given up looking for jobs that don't exist.Barack Obama and Congressional Democrats have really dug us into a hole.
From The Wall Street Journal:
The share of the population in the jobs market, called the labor-force participation rate, fell to 64.1% last month — the lowest level since 1984 when women were still just beginning to enter in full force. The participation rate peaked in 2000 and has been steadily declining since as the effect of women taking full-time jobs plateaued and Baby Boomers began to retire, but the decline accelerated sharply during the recession. The participation rate was 66% at the start of the recession and 65.7% when the recovery started in June 2009. If the participation rate were still at that level, the unemployment rate would be more than 11% right now.Read more at the newspaper's website.
With nearly a third of the unemployed out of work for over a year, it makes their reintegration back into the labor market more and more difficult. People out of a job that long tend to lose skills and experience long-term effects on their lifetime earning power. It's even harder to reintegrate workers who have dropped out altogether.
There's also a problem of underemployment. A comprehensive gauge of labor underutilization, known as the "U-6" for its data classification by the Labor Department, accounts for people who have stopped looking for work or who can't find full-time jobs. That number shot up in June to 16.2% from 15.8% a month earlier.
Obama Political Advisor: Unemployment Isn't that Important to Voters
Barack Obama and the elites who work for him don't care about America's jobless.
Obama Political Advisor: Unemployment Isn't that Important to Voters
Obama Political Advisor: Unemployment Isn't that Important to Voters
More than 14 Million Americans Still Unemployed
If we give Obama a second term, I'm sure he can double the number of unemployed.
More than 14 Million Americans Still Unemployed
More than 14 Million Americans Still Unemployed
Gov. Tom Corbett Issues First Veto
Gov. Tom Corbett issues his first veto today, rejecting HB 1696, which involves reassessments in Washington County. Corbett says the bill is unconstitutional.
Governor Corbett Vetoes House Bill 1696
Governor Corbett Vetoes House Bill 1696
Thursday, July 07, 2011
Newspaper: Obama Has Made Things Worse
Blaming the previous administration only lasts so long. Investor's Business Daily recaps some of the damage Barack Obama has done to the economy in the past two years:
Romney's Right: It Is Worse Now - Investors.com
• There are 2 million fewer private-sector jobs now than when Obama was sworn in, and the unemployment rate is 1.5 percentage points higher.Read the full editorial at the link below:
• There are now more long-term unemployed than at any time since the government started keeping records.
• The U.S. dollar is more than 12% weaker.
• The number of Americans on food stamps has climbed 37%.
• The Misery Index (unemployment plus inflation) is up 62%.
• And the national debt is about 40% higher than it was in January 2009.
Romney's Right: It Is Worse Now - Investors.com
Newspaper: Obama Lies, Damned Lies And Job Statistics
One of the nation's leading business publications, Investor's Business Daily, calls out Barack Obama on the lies he's been telling about the economic recovery that has yet to materialize
The Economic Spin-You-Less - Investors.com
The White House tries to spin its own economists' conclusions that the Democrats' massive, ineffective stimulus package cost a whopping $278,000 per job. If only it was that cheap.Read the full editorial at the link below:
The Economic Spin-You-Less - Investors.com
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