Monday, July 13, 2015
Report: Sanctuary Cities Freed Over 8,000 Illegal Offenders in Just 8 Months
Barack Obama and his Democratic minions are hiding notorious Mexican criminals inside US cities and releasing them to harm Americans.
Report: Sanctuary Cities Freed Over 8,000 Illegal Offenders in Just 8 Months | Truth Revolt
Report: Sanctuary Cities Freed Over 8,000 Illegal Offenders in Just 8 Months | Truth Revolt
Sunday, July 12, 2015
Saturday, July 11, 2015
Friday, July 10, 2015
GUEST COLUMN: Gov. Wolf irresponsible in vetoing historic pension reform
By State Rep. Warren Kampf & State Rep. Tom Quigley
While we are proud of our work to pass a serious, sensible pension reform bill, we are saddened to report that Gov. Tom Wolf has just vetoed that bill.
The governor is claiming everything from not enough savings to being unfair to public employees as his reasoning for the veto, but each of his claims rings hollow.
This legislation — Senate Bill 1 — would save taxpayers $10 billion, would preserve the benefits of current employees, and provide new employees a fair hybrid retirement plan much like the 401(k) plans of the private sector. This legislation would also be a major step forward in helping to control property taxes across the state.
This common sense pension reform was to be a turning point in securing Pennsylvania's economic future. It would help stop the ever-growing pension liability burdening state government and school districts while still providing a fair retirement benefit for new employees and keeping our promise to current enrollees and retirees. But Governor Wolf says, "no."
Employer contributions into the pension system have been driving the increases in school district costs — which have led to increases in school property taxes for homeowners. Without changes, an amount equal to or greater than 30 percent of the salaries of teachers and other school employees will go to funding these looming pension costs.
That’s money that cannot go to books, infrastructure or classroom instruction.
The two public pension systems have a combined "unfunded liability" — the difference between the amount of benefits due enrollees and assets available — of at least $53 billion. The estimated cost of this liability is more than $30,000 for every Pennsylvania working resident.
The House has taken the right and responsible action in addressing this pension crisis. This legislation would save taxpayers approximately $10 billion while providing a more predictable, sustainable cost structure for the future.
Under Senate Bill 1, future state employees first hired on or after Jan. 1, 2016, and future school employees first hired on or after July 1, 2016, would be assigned to a defined contribution/cash balance hybrid plan, similar to the 401(k) plans offered by the private sector.
By moving future employees to a defined contribution/cash balance plan, Senate Bill 1 would shift risks associated with volatile markets and benefit enhancements away from taxpayers; it also would enhance the portability of future state and school employee retirement benefits.
The bill would stop the creation of new unfunded liabilities associated with adding new members to the defined benefit plan. Quite simply, we are forcing the state to stop digging the hole that taxpayers are in.
Legislators are also included in this change as they, too, would either switch to the new system upon their re-election (for current legislators in the pension system), or simply start in the new system for newly elected legislators.
How could the governor oppose this?
We urge the governor to join us in setting a sustainable, responsible fiscal path that saves taxpayers billions of dollars.
We urge him to reconsider his decision.
State Rep. Warren Kampf is a Republican who represents the 157th House District in parts of Chester and Montgomery County. He was first elected to the Pennsylvania Legislature in 2010. State Rep. Tom Quigley is a Republican who represents the 146th House District in parts of Montgomery County. He was first elected to the Pennsylvania Legislature in 2004.
While we are proud of our work to pass a serious, sensible pension reform bill, we are saddened to report that Gov. Tom Wolf has just vetoed that bill.
The governor is claiming everything from not enough savings to being unfair to public employees as his reasoning for the veto, but each of his claims rings hollow.
This legislation — Senate Bill 1 — would save taxpayers $10 billion, would preserve the benefits of current employees, and provide new employees a fair hybrid retirement plan much like the 401(k) plans of the private sector. This legislation would also be a major step forward in helping to control property taxes across the state.
This common sense pension reform was to be a turning point in securing Pennsylvania's economic future. It would help stop the ever-growing pension liability burdening state government and school districts while still providing a fair retirement benefit for new employees and keeping our promise to current enrollees and retirees. But Governor Wolf says, "no."
Employer contributions into the pension system have been driving the increases in school district costs — which have led to increases in school property taxes for homeowners. Without changes, an amount equal to or greater than 30 percent of the salaries of teachers and other school employees will go to funding these looming pension costs.
That’s money that cannot go to books, infrastructure or classroom instruction.
The two public pension systems have a combined "unfunded liability" — the difference between the amount of benefits due enrollees and assets available — of at least $53 billion. The estimated cost of this liability is more than $30,000 for every Pennsylvania working resident.
The House has taken the right and responsible action in addressing this pension crisis. This legislation would save taxpayers approximately $10 billion while providing a more predictable, sustainable cost structure for the future.
Under Senate Bill 1, future state employees first hired on or after Jan. 1, 2016, and future school employees first hired on or after July 1, 2016, would be assigned to a defined contribution/cash balance hybrid plan, similar to the 401(k) plans offered by the private sector.
By moving future employees to a defined contribution/cash balance plan, Senate Bill 1 would shift risks associated with volatile markets and benefit enhancements away from taxpayers; it also would enhance the portability of future state and school employee retirement benefits.
The bill would stop the creation of new unfunded liabilities associated with adding new members to the defined benefit plan. Quite simply, we are forcing the state to stop digging the hole that taxpayers are in.
Legislators are also included in this change as they, too, would either switch to the new system upon their re-election (for current legislators in the pension system), or simply start in the new system for newly elected legislators.
How could the governor oppose this?
We urge the governor to join us in setting a sustainable, responsible fiscal path that saves taxpayers billions of dollars.
We urge him to reconsider his decision.
State Rep. Warren Kampf is a Republican who represents the 157th House District in parts of Chester and Montgomery County. He was first elected to the Pennsylvania Legislature in 2010. State Rep. Tom Quigley is a Republican who represents the 146th House District in parts of Montgomery County. He was first elected to the Pennsylvania Legislature in 2004.
1,355,000 Page Views
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Thursday, July 09, 2015
Wednesday, July 08, 2015
Tuesday, July 07, 2015
Obama Continues to Weaken US Armed Forces
With Russian bombers flying off our coast, ISIS threatening attacks on U.S. soil, with our borders left unsecured and Iran about to secure nuclear weapons, what perfect time to reduce the size of the Army. It all makes sense in Obama's bizarro world. What's that they say about "the enemy within"?
Army Plans to Cut 40K Troops, Lay Off 17K Civilian Employees Over Next Two Years
Army Plans to Cut 40K Troops, Lay Off 17K Civilian Employees Over Next Two Years
Obama's ISIS Remarks Display 'Disturbing Degree of Self-Delusion'
If Barack Obama was president in 1941, would the U.S. be speaking German or Japanese today?
McCain: Obama's ISIS Remarks Display 'Disturbing Degree of Self-Delusion' | Truth Revolt
McCain: Obama's ISIS Remarks Display 'Disturbing Degree of Self-Delusion' | Truth Revolt
Study: Pa. ranks 41st in fiscal health among states
A new study ranks Pennsylvania No. 41 out of the 50 states in fiscal solvency. So explain to me again why we have one of the most expensive state legislatures in the country and the highest-paid governor in the country? The permanent political class continues to destroy the lives of working people.
Ranking the States by Fiscal Condition | Mercatus
Ranking the States by Fiscal Condition | Mercatus
Monday, July 06, 2015
1,350,000 Page Views
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Sunday, July 05, 2015
Hillary Clinton Humiliates News Media
Did you see how Hillary Clinton roped off the news media during a campaign stop in New Hampshire? She might as well put them on a leash. This is how pathetic the media has become today ... allowing a political hack like Hillary Clinton to humiliate them. Imagine how tame the media will be when Hillary gets into the White House.
Saturday, July 04, 2015
Women Still Short-Changed in Obama White House
Women working in President Barack Obama’s White House make just 84.2
cents for each dollar earned by men, according to an American Enterprise
Institute analysis of 2015 salary data.
Women Still Short-Changed in Obama White House
cents for each dollar earned by men, according to an American Enterprise
Institute analysis of 2015 salary data.
Women Still Short-Changed in Obama White House
Friday, July 03, 2015
Thursday, July 02, 2015
GUEST COLUMN: Wolf's 'My Way Or The Highway' Approach Blocks Progress
By Matthew J. Brouillette
In his 2015 budget address, Gov. Tom Wolf urged dissenters, “If you don’t agree with my ideas, here is my request: please come with your own ideas. It’s not good enough to just say no and continue with the same old same old.” Talk is one thing — action is another.
Wolf’s recent veto of a responsible budget that shields working families from massive tax hikes reveals a “my way or the highway’” response — the equivalent of just saying “no.” Even after the House resoundingly defeated his tax-raising plan by a 193-0 vote, Wolf insists that legislative leaders to drop Pennsylvanians’ priorities to focus on his own extreme agenda — one that, according to the National Association of State Budget Officers, would increase taxes in our state higher than the other 49 states combined!
Consider that Wolf’s budget, while dramatically increasing funds for school districts, includes harsh cuts to public charter schools, slashing funding for cyber charter schools to less than half of the state’s per-pupil average. He’s also proven hostile to giving parents and children more educational options in struggling school districts in Philadelphia and York.
Wolf vetoed historic liquor privatization passed by the General Assembly. Though a majority of voters — Democrats, Republicans and Independents — want to end the government monopoly of wine and spirit sales, Wolf says it’s his way or the highway.
On pension reform now sitting on his desk, Wolf has also threatened a veto, despite the fact that the legislation mirrors a transition his own company made from defined benefit to defined contribution, or 401(k)-type, plans.
No matter the issue and no matter public opinion, Wolf is strictly adhering to the agenda of his largest campaign contributors — public-sector unions — at taxpayers’ expense.
Sadly, that’s hardly surprising. During his campaign for governor, Wolf received $3.4 million in campaign contributions from government unions. He also received indirect support from at least three government unions that funneled $1.6 million in union dues to PA Families First, a Super PAC established by the Democratic Governors’ Association, which aided his election as governor.
Another group called “America Works USA” has been sending out mailers attacking Republicans for voting against Wolf’s tax increases, although every single Democrat representative voted against them as well. It’s no surprise that this group is also affiliated with the Democratic Governors’ Association and received $1.1 million from union dues as recently as 2012.
And while Wolf recently said he hopes to restart budget negotiations, his spokesman called one legislative leader “delusional” and another “the reason people don’t like Harrisburg.” The administration has called organizations that question its policy proposals “dishonest” and accused others of putting special interests “over the interests of children.” That’s not how to win friends and influence people.
While harsh rhetoric may not be unusual in Harrisburg, it is unexpected from someone who campaigned as “a new kind of governor.”
In the midst of budget negotiations, Wolf even took the unprecedented step of forming a political action committee (PAC). This new PAC, “Rebuild Pennsylvania” was registered earlier this month by one of Wolf’s campaign staffers, and will be run by another of his political advisors. Wolf himself is reportedly the first contributor. This new group will support candidates of Wolf’s choosing and bring political pressure to advance his agenda.
In practice, Wolf never stopped campaigning, even sending out fundraising emails “to help pass his budget.” But while his campaign is still swinging, he’s yet to get around to governing.
On the campaign trail, candidate Wolf promised a middle class tax cut. But his budget will cost the middle class and every other income group in Pennsylvania — including low income families — more of their hard-earned money, all to meet the demands of his largest campaign supporters.
Given Wolf’s extreme positions, it may take months to convince him he needs to reach across the aisle and work with lawmakers. Historic opportunities to reform public pensions, privatize state liquor stores, and improve public education are too critical to simply reject.
Gov. Wolf is right that the “same old same old” is no longer good enough. Unfortunately, the only thing standing in the way of progress is Wolf himself.
Matthew J. Brouillette is president and CEO of the Commonwealth Foundation (CommonwealthFoundation.org), Pennsylvania’s free market think tank.
In his 2015 budget address, Gov. Tom Wolf urged dissenters, “If you don’t agree with my ideas, here is my request: please come with your own ideas. It’s not good enough to just say no and continue with the same old same old.” Talk is one thing — action is another.
Wolf’s recent veto of a responsible budget that shields working families from massive tax hikes reveals a “my way or the highway’” response — the equivalent of just saying “no.” Even after the House resoundingly defeated his tax-raising plan by a 193-0 vote, Wolf insists that legislative leaders to drop Pennsylvanians’ priorities to focus on his own extreme agenda — one that, according to the National Association of State Budget Officers, would increase taxes in our state higher than the other 49 states combined!
Consider that Wolf’s budget, while dramatically increasing funds for school districts, includes harsh cuts to public charter schools, slashing funding for cyber charter schools to less than half of the state’s per-pupil average. He’s also proven hostile to giving parents and children more educational options in struggling school districts in Philadelphia and York.
Wolf vetoed historic liquor privatization passed by the General Assembly. Though a majority of voters — Democrats, Republicans and Independents — want to end the government monopoly of wine and spirit sales, Wolf says it’s his way or the highway.
On pension reform now sitting on his desk, Wolf has also threatened a veto, despite the fact that the legislation mirrors a transition his own company made from defined benefit to defined contribution, or 401(k)-type, plans.
No matter the issue and no matter public opinion, Wolf is strictly adhering to the agenda of his largest campaign contributors — public-sector unions — at taxpayers’ expense.
Sadly, that’s hardly surprising. During his campaign for governor, Wolf received $3.4 million in campaign contributions from government unions. He also received indirect support from at least three government unions that funneled $1.6 million in union dues to PA Families First, a Super PAC established by the Democratic Governors’ Association, which aided his election as governor.
Another group called “America Works USA” has been sending out mailers attacking Republicans for voting against Wolf’s tax increases, although every single Democrat representative voted against them as well. It’s no surprise that this group is also affiliated with the Democratic Governors’ Association and received $1.1 million from union dues as recently as 2012.
And while Wolf recently said he hopes to restart budget negotiations, his spokesman called one legislative leader “delusional” and another “the reason people don’t like Harrisburg.” The administration has called organizations that question its policy proposals “dishonest” and accused others of putting special interests “over the interests of children.” That’s not how to win friends and influence people.
While harsh rhetoric may not be unusual in Harrisburg, it is unexpected from someone who campaigned as “a new kind of governor.”
In the midst of budget negotiations, Wolf even took the unprecedented step of forming a political action committee (PAC). This new PAC, “Rebuild Pennsylvania” was registered earlier this month by one of Wolf’s campaign staffers, and will be run by another of his political advisors. Wolf himself is reportedly the first contributor. This new group will support candidates of Wolf’s choosing and bring political pressure to advance his agenda.
In practice, Wolf never stopped campaigning, even sending out fundraising emails “to help pass his budget.” But while his campaign is still swinging, he’s yet to get around to governing.
On the campaign trail, candidate Wolf promised a middle class tax cut. But his budget will cost the middle class and every other income group in Pennsylvania — including low income families — more of their hard-earned money, all to meet the demands of his largest campaign supporters.
Given Wolf’s extreme positions, it may take months to convince him he needs to reach across the aisle and work with lawmakers. Historic opportunities to reform public pensions, privatize state liquor stores, and improve public education are too critical to simply reject.
Gov. Wolf is right that the “same old same old” is no longer good enough. Unfortunately, the only thing standing in the way of progress is Wolf himself.
Matthew J. Brouillette is president and CEO of the Commonwealth Foundation (CommonwealthFoundation.org), Pennsylvania’s free market think tank.
Wednesday, July 01, 2015
1,345,000 Page Views
My site counter has recorded 1,345,000 Page Views from 535,000 Unique Visitors to Tony Phyrillas On Politics. Thanks for checking out my blog ... and come back again.
Despite Denials, White House Aides Knew About Hillary's Private E-Mail Account
There's nothing to see here folks. Just more lies from Hillary
Clinton and Obama Administration officials. Just business as usual for
the Democrats.
Proof: Despite Denials, White House Aides Knew about Hillary's Private E-Mail Account
Proof: Despite Denials, White House Aides Knew about Hillary's Private E-Mail Account
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