Looking to 2014

As my long time readers know the primary focus of this blog has always been elections. Next year we choose a Governor of the Commonwealth, members of the US House and state House and half the state Senate. In the next few days I will post about these and some races around the country.

PA Gov Tom Cabot Corbett has an uphill climb according to the polls but things can change in the next year and no sitting Guv has lost reelection since they have been allowed to run for a 2nd term. So far there are 8 Dems smelling blood in the water.

The Lt. Governors race is most interesting as I have met most of the Democratic contenders. My early favorite is Brad Koplinski because he sent me a bribe.

Of the 3 local Congressman I keep an eye on only Matt Cartwright has a declared opponent so far. 2 of them in fact. A few people are teasing that they will run against Lou Barletta including Bill Vinsko, Gene Stilp and Chris Carney but I doubt any of them will run. Libetarian Betsy Summers may get into it.

A few weeks ago an old friend called to feel me out about running against Tom Marino in the Republican primary. His rational was Marino is one of the most ethically challenged people to ever hold office.  I had to throw cold water on the idea because his family wasn't behind it and he would need to declare right now and raise at least $100K before the end of the year.


On the state scene Sen. John Yudichak has no declared opponent so far. Neither do Mike Carroll, Phyllis Mundy, Eddie Day Pashinski, Tarah Toohil or Gerry Mullery. I heard a rumor that Mullery may get a primary opponent.

Karen Boback however is being challenged by Laura Dickson. I haven't been this excited about a state rep race since James May took her on.

The day after

I was up late so I feel like the guy pictured above.

The President was reelected and I have been reading some apocalyptic things on right wing blogs and Facebook. Relax people. We lived through 8 years of Bush and you will survive 8 years of Obama. The late Bob Novak once said something that has stuck with me. The President doesn't run the country, the people do. The economy will improve no matter who is President, it's called the business cycle. The Republicans should have won this election but they nominated a candidate that didn't believe in anything except he wanted to be President. Romney switched so many positions in so many elections you couldn't trust him. That and the steady stream of lies from his campaign. See Mitt's Mendacity Vol I thru XLI.

Pennsylvania made history by electing the first Democrat and woman as Attorney General.I hope she digs into Tom Corbett's handling of the Sandusky investigation.

Senator Bob Casey beat back the coal guy 54%-47%.  he spent a big chunk of his own  money on  a losing cause. Coal and Oil are not our future.


No surprises in the local races for Congress. Tom Marino won 2-1 and Matt Cartwright gathered 60% of the vote as predicted. Gene Stilp ran a fun campaign but you still need money to win. Lou Barletta will continue to defend us against the Barbarians at the Gate

The incumbent state house member were returned for another term.

The photos of Tarah Toohil probably helped her as we all have done things we are not proud of.  It was dirty pool by someone who wanted to hurt her but the Democratic candidate or party had nothing to do with it.She won 67% of the vote.

Rick Arnold got a late start and it wasn't enough to beat Jerry Mullery. Mullery improved his performance from 2010 winning 61%-39%.

The 120th HD race was near and dear to my heart. Phyllis Mundy has been a friend for some time and is my xxx favorite legislator. Aaron Kaufer became a pal and ran a great campaign that gave Phyllis the run of her political career. In the end Kaufer got more votes than any other challenger over the last 20 years but came up short. He will be back. Phyllis won 56-44 improving on the 53% she got last time.

Now the speculation begins about the 2016 Presidential candidates. I predict that Hillary won't be one of them because President Obama will appoint her to the Supreme Court.

On to the 2013 local elections. Walter Griffith is running for reelection as Luzerne County Controller and Bob Morgan may take him on again. Steve Urban is also making noise about a Controller run. Some seats on the Luzerne County Council will also be up.

Lou Barletta is worried

By all the metrics of a political campaign Lou Barletta (R) is a lock. He is the incumbent that has a million dollar campaign warchest with  a winning issue on immigration that appeals to the fears of people. Gene Stilp (D)  has no money or party support but has an army of supporters and has run an unconventional campaign.

 Like many people I dismissed Gene Stilp's chances in the Democratic primary against Bill Vinsko. He is known as the guy with the big pig and other stunts and I didn't take him seriously. He proved me wrong.

Lou Barletta has noticed. In his 2 TV ads he repeats the lie that Stilp wants to cut Medicare by $716 Billion. Lou's first ad  and second. If he wasn't worried he would be running warm fuzzies instead of attack ads.

Another sign of panic from the Barletta camp is trying to drum up controversy about Tim Holden endorsing Stilp or not.  Like anyone gives a shit about what Tim Holden thinks. Most endorsements are good for a press release and not much else.

This may be the  surprise of the night.

The WVIA debate

Watch 2012 PA 11th Congressional District Debate on PBS. See more from WVIA Special Presentations.

PA 11th Congressional District Poll

I still say this may be the big surprise on election night.

Vote in the poll on the sidebar. Remember the question is who do you think will win not who you are voting for.

Like many people I dismissed Gene Stilp's chances in the Democratic primary against Bill Vinsko. He is known as the guy with the big pig and other stunts and I didn't take him seriously. Then I talked to him for an hour at the Spring Blogfest and found out that he came close to winning a state house seat in the very Republican year of 2010.

From Waynestock:

The conventional wisdom holds that Gene doesn’t have a prayer against Republican incumbent, Lou Barletta, but conventional wisdom may not apply to Gene Stilp.
Gene will be running in the 11th Congressional district, newly configured to ensure Barletta’s reelection. The Republican power brokers who drew that map certainly anticipated that Barletta would be running against a conventional Democrat, but Gene is anything but a conventional Democrat.
Gene appeals to voters across party lines. He has established a solid reputation as a reformer bent on improving government, holding officeholder accountable for their actions and fearlessly exposing corruption....Barletta is practically unknown in the Dauphin/Cumberland/Perry part of the 11th, and many people question his understanding of the politics, the culture or the needs of their communities...
Incidentally, the registered voters in the new 11th are 44% GOP, 43% DEM and 12% IND.
Gene has HUGE appeal with the IND voters, and GOP voters below Luzerne County.

In an interview  Barletta  didn't sound like he likes his new job.


Among the many criticisms leveled by citizens at Congress is that bipartisanship has caused stalemate in the House and Senate. The popular opinion is that much is said and discussed by the legislators but little comes of it.
"I'm just as frustrated as the average citizen with the gridlock," Barletta said.
The first-term congressman said he's sought for and found opportunities to find common ground among both Republicans and Democrats, even bucking party leadership on at least one occasion.
He found a Democrat to co-sponsor transportation legislation and sought Democrats' support to revamp relief funding in the wake of a presidentially declared natural disaster...."For me, that's dysfunctional. It doesn't matter if you're a Democrat or Republican, we still have a responsibility to do the business of the American people," he says. "You can have disagreements with these bills, but I believe all the Senate should have the opportunity to vote on it, debate it, send it back to the House and maybe we could amend it. We could see where there's common ground."

There is more to being a Congressman than yelling about immigration.

Dueling ads from Barletta and Stilp

Lou Barletta has his first spot up.

From the inbox: Dear Gort --

Today we released our latest campaign ad and I wanted to make sure you saw it. It’s called “In Our Corner” and you can watch it here. It highlights my record of fighting for Pennsylvanians, whether it’s their jobs, their Medicare benefits, or their safety. It’s a record I’m proud of and I hope you are too.

It shows a boxing ring and says he is fighting for Pennsylvania seniors. I am the only one sick of the boxing metaphors and the "fighting for us" tag line from politicians on both sides. An election is about who will govern not who can win a brawl in the schoolyard. 

I'm sure you will be shocked that he says he is against illegal immigration. Then he takes a shot at Gene Stilp saying "He’s fighting for a radical agenda." That tells you Lou is worried about Gene.  Barletta attacks his opponent in his first TV spot when the Captains Obvious college professors think he is lock for reelection.  There has not been any public polling in this race but it just might be the surprise of election night.

Stilp responds with his usual good humor.

 

 

From the inbox:

Today, 11th Congressional District Candidate and Democratic Nominee, Gene Stilp, unveiled a campaign advertisement which recounts the difficult fights he has taken on in the past, under intense heat and pressure to do otherwise, and states that he is not afraid of doing the right thing in Congress, no matter how hot it gets.  

The unique 30 second ad cites the longtime activist's prior fights against the 2005 illegal legislative payraise and perpetrators of government waste, fraud and abuse in state government and states that Mr. Stilp can take on "the firestorm of corruption in Washington". 

See the new ad here.

Additionally it cites the misleading comments from his opponent, Congressman Lou Barletta's recent ad.  It states that Mr. Stilp wants to cut over $700 million from Medicare.  

In addressing the false claim, Mr. Stilp said, "Mr. Barletta's ad is completely false.  It's Congressman Barletta that wants to cut Medicare, as he voted for the Ryan Budget, which would turn Medicare into a voucher program and would harm our seniors.  Mr. Barletta has taken hundreds of thousands of dollars from lobbyists and corporations to run this false and misleading ad.  That is what is wrong with Washington and is why I am running.  As you can see in this ad, I am uniquely equipped to take on this fight."

 And I love this one.

Pignelope in a drag race

Barletta staffer may have broke the law

Shawn Kelly was candidate Lou Barletta's spokesperson in the 2010 election campaign and was given a staff job as Congressman Lou Barletta's spox on official business after the election.

I like Shawn and he has always been great about answering my questions in the election in 2010 and since then. I asked him a political question a few months ago and he referred me to the campaign for an answer. He explained that he is now a pointy headed bureaucrat that couldn't comment on the reelection effort.

So I was shocked when I read this

DANVILLE - The absence of Congressman Lou Barletta at a campaign event Tuesday night rankled his election opponent, Gene Stilp, and lead to unanticipated debate over the event's format.
The candidates for the 11th Congressional District were expected to debate each other at the American Legion during a Candidates Night hosted by the Danville Area League of Voters.
Instead, it was Stilp and a congressional aide trading barbs.

Stilp attacked Barletta for skipping the event, while Shawn Kelly, Barletta's communications director, said the congressman was simply keeping a prior commitment....
Kelly took a long pause and followed with an explanation that, as a employee of his congressional office and not his campaign, he did not know what event Barletta was attending Tuesday.
He did, however, say that "He committed to an event over two months ago and he's keeping that commitment.


KP is all over it:

 There’s just one problem: staffer, Shawn Kelly, doesn’t work for Congressman Barletta’s campaign, but is actually his Legislative Communications Director, who draws a taxpayer salary.

 If Kelly in any way charged the taxpayers by using resources issued to him by the United States Congress, that is really bad news for Barletta–especially considering the fact that Gene Stilp is responsible for bringing down this type of behavior in Harrisburg.

KP points to this part of Ethics Committee rules:

 It is permissible for House employees to do campaign work, but only outside of congressional space, without the use of any House resources, and on their own time (as opposed to “official” time for which they are compensated by the House).  Accordingly, any House employee who does campaign work must ensure that the work – including any telephone conversations or other communications concerning campaign business – is performed strictly in compliance with these limitations.

Edit: Executive branch personnel are subject to restrictions on partisan political activity by the Hatch Act (5 U.S.C. § 7321 et seq.), but those restrictions do not apply to congressional employees

Thanks Yuri and McG

  It’s still completely unethical.  He doesn’t know where Barletta is, because he’s not part of the campaign, but he’s debating at a campaign event. Total BS.

Update: You know I try to be Fair and Balanced. Barletta's campaign manager Lance Stange responds 

Gort,

 

Thank you for correcting some of Mr. Stilp’s bogus claims.  Since they were corrected, I won’t go into them but I would like to ask that you correct another:

 

The event in question was not a debate.  We have agreed to the same number of debates as President Obama and Governor Romney.  This has been widely reported throughout the district.  One was at Wilkes University under the sponsorship of the Times Leader; another was in Dauphin County under the sponsorship of WHP580 News Radio which covers Dauphin, Cumberland and Perry counties; the third will be on WVIA  in a week to cover the six northern counties – Carbon, Columbia, Luzerne, Montour, Northumberland, and Wyoming Counties.

 

If Mr. Stilp received the same letter we did inviting us to participate, he is also aware that it was not a debate.  The League doesn’t even describe it as a debate and, as a matter of fact, they clearly identified the event as the “Danville Area League of Voters Candidates Night” in the invitation letter.

 

About two months ago, Congressman Barletta agreed to participate in the Dauphin/Cumberland Fall Dinner.  Invitations that were sent out and the event was publicized shortly after that.  Less than two weeks ago, the campaign received a formal invitation to participate in the Danville Area League of Voters Candidates Night.  At that time, we indicated that we had a scheduling conflict.  The League understood but didn’t want to reschedule the event.  Instead, the League suggested that we send a surrogate so that’s what we did.

 

Mr. Stilp’s attack on the League suggesting they changed the rules at the last minute is also untrue.  The League determined the rules and notified us of them, in writing, on October 15.

 

Instead of making false charges and impugning the character of the League, Mr. Stilp should be explaining his plan for “the long run” to “get this country out of its fiscal dilemma” – something he said he would do over six months ago.

WVIA debates set

2012 Congressional Debates to be Broadcast Live on WVIA 


PITTSTON, PA  - The 2012 WVIA Citizens' Voice Times-Tribune Congressional Debates will broadcast live from the Sordoni High-Definition Theater at the WVIA Studios on Tuesday, Oct. 30, Wednesday, Oct. 31, and Thursday, Nov. 1 starting at 7 p.m. each night on WVIA TV. The Debates will also be simulcast live on WVIA FM.

The live debate for the 10th Congressional District between Congressman Tom Marino (R) and Phil Scollo (D) will air on Tuesday, Oct. 30, while the 17th Congressional District live debate between Matt Cartwright (D) and Laureen Cummings (R) will be broadcast Wednesday, Oct. 31. Then on Thursday, Nov. 1 Congressman Lou Barletta (R) and Gene Stilp (D) will debate live for the 11th Congressional District.

The moderator for all 3 debates will be WVIA President Bill Kelly.

11th CD Forum tonight

The Times-Leader is sponsoring a forum with Congressman Lou Barletta (R) and challenger Gene Stilp (D) tonight at Wilkes University in Room 101 of the Stark Learning Center, 150-180 S. River St., Wilkes-Barre. Starting at 7PM

The TL will also be hosting a forum for  17CD hopefuls Laureen Cummings (R) and Matt Cartwright (D) on Wednesday at the same location at 7PM.

Both meeting will be televised live on WYLN. If you don't get WYLN on your cable you can watch it online.

Stilp and Barletta are also set to square off on WVIA on November 1st. Channel 44 will also be hosting the candidates in the 10th and 17th Congressional Districts.

A debate between the 17th District candidates, Republican Laureen Cummings and Democrat Matthew Cartwright, will be broadcast at 8 p.m. Oct. 17. The Morning Call, PBS39 and partners will air the debate.. 

 

 

On October 23rd we will see a couple of meetups between state house candidates.

 

 In the 120th HD the League of Women's voters will host a forum with incumbent Phyllis Mundy (D) and her challenger Aaron Kaufer (R) at 7 p.m. Oct. 23 at Wyoming Seminary's Buckingham Performing Arts Center.

 

 

 The League of Women Voters of Susquehanna County has announced that they will hold a "Candidates Forum" on October 23th at 7-9 pm at the Montrose Theatre, 18 Public Ave, Montrose. 111th candidates Jeffrey Dahlander (D)  and incumbent Sandra Major (R) will attend.

 

 

 

Dem Picnic Sunday

The Headliners

The Luzerne County Democratic Committee welcomes you to attend our annual Fall Picnic on Sunday, October 7th beginning at noon. The event will be held at the Catholic War Vets Grove in Ashley, PA. Congressional candidates Matt Cartright and Gene Stilp will speak at the event. Meet Democratic candidates for office and enjoy an old-fashioned fall picnic. The event is FREE and all Democrats are welcome.

Don't let the weather deter you, Bob Boyer says it will under pavilions. Senator Bob Casey will be attending.

RSVP on Facebook

This week's Events

The NEPA TEA Party is hosting a Fire Obama meeting Tuesday October 02, 2012 at The Cafe, 112

0 Highway 315, Plains Township, PA 18705 for 6:30pm.
.

 The NEPA Tea Party has secured thousands of yard signs, bumper stickers & hand outs. It is our goal to arm teams & individuals all over Northeastern Pennsylvania with those materials to make the difference necessary to deliver the votes that will carry the rest of the state!
.

Yeah, yard signs and bumper stickers will turn the tide.Maybe they will have Tri Corner tin foil hats.
.

Details at the FB event page.
.

I spotted 3 local debate watch parties. There maybe more.
.

 Wilkes University College Republican Debate Watch Party 
.

  Starting at 8:30PM

 Henry Student Center
84 W. South St.
Wilkes-Barre, PA 18701
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The local Obama For America campaign 
.

 What: Debate watch party in Wilkes Barre

Where: 70 South Main Street
Wilkes Barre, PA 18711

When: Wednesday, October 3rd  9:00 pm
.

Across the street my local Republicans friends will gather.

 The Luzerne County Republican Party is sponsoring a Presidential Debate Watch Party. 2 Large Screen TV's, Pizza, Cash Bar. Event is open to the Public. Please join us!

8-11PM

Mulligan's Irish Pub

41 S. Main St, Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania 18701
.

Again on Facebook. 
.

In the future I gotta get a laptop with wifi  so I can live blog an  event while I hang out. Before then we have to pay for a new roof. 
.

This Sunday the Luzerne County Democrats have the annual picnic in Ashley.
.

The Luzerne County Democratic Committee welcomes you to attend our annual Fall Picnic on Sunday, October 7th beginning at noon. The event will be held at the Catholic War Vets Grove in Ashley, PA. Congressional candidates Matt Cartright and Gene Stilp will speak at the event. Meet Democratic candidates for office and enjoy an old-fashioned fall picnic. The event is FREE.

.My Republican friends say Obama cool aid will be served.

RSVP on Facebook 
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I noticed that the CV didn't run Political Scene Monday. Maybe I should tell them what is going on or the event organizers could drop them an email.

Debating Debates

It's an age old dance. The challenger wants as many debates as possible and the incumbent wants as few as possible. The thinking is you don't want to give the upstart any exposure but usually agree to one encounter close to the election.

In the 120th HD the League of Women's voters will host a forum with incumbent Phyllis Mundy (D) and her challenger Aaron Kaufer (R) at 7 p.m. Oct. 23 at Wyoming Seminary's Buckingham Performing Arts Center. The LVW doesn't actually have a debate but the candidates will read opening and closing statements and answer questions from the moderator and the audience. I don't know how many of these type of things I have attended and they always bore the pants off of me. Any wonder why only 30 or 40 people usually show up.

Kaufer still keeps hitting himself in the head with this. Kaufer also said he wants to have multiple debates because Mundy was a former president of the League of Women Voters a few decades ago and suggested a debate with another moderator.

I don't know anyone that doesn't think the LVW isn't fair. He suggested to me on Facebook that Tiffany Cloud would be a neutral moderator. Stop laughing, I love Tiff but she is hardly neutral as I'm sure she will be the first to tell you. I suggested the Yonk as the moderator of a blogger hosted debate. No response from either campaign.

Gene Stilp wants a a debate in every county of the the 11th CD just like Lou Barletta wanted a debate in every county of the district last time. Not gonna happen but we may get at least 2. WVIA-TV has one already scheduled for Nov. 1, and an announcement is expected next week about plans for a debate in Luzerne County that will be hosted by a news organization. No word if a debate will be held in the Harrisburg area.

A debate between the 17th District candidates, Republican Laureen Cummings and Democrat Matthew Cartwright, will be broadcast at 8 p.m. Oct. 17. The Morning Call, PBS39 and partners will air the debate..

Legislators plan debate 2 weeks before election

 

In the new and sprawling 11th, debates could matter

 

The Morning Call, PBS39 to present face-offs for candidates in 15th, 17th districts.

Blogfest post game report

A big thank you to Gene Rooney and staff for the outstanding service as usual.

We walked by the pink bus with long lost blogger Zen to find Pope George Ringo and Forrest Gump had set up a forward observation post at the bar, their natural habitat. Harold and Michelle set up the NEPA Bloggers display. They do a great job promoting the event.

17th PA CD candidate Matt Cartwright came early to work the crowd and was there when Gene Stilp assembled his big Medicare wheelchair. I asked Matt if he had one, he replied "The dog ate it." He left before his opponent Laureen Cummings showed up. Her campaign Manager James O'Meara came early and stayed late.

Luzerne County Controller Walter Griffith had a nice chat with his 2009 opponent Bob Morgan. Bob said he is not looking for a rematch in 2013 despite what Luzerne County Dem Chair Bob Boyer tells me.

A couple of candidates from outside Luzerne County came  because " I know that bloggers are now part of the political conversation and you guys are read by people in in my district."

10th CD candidate Phil Scollo with his campaign manager Will Sherry made it and  are running hard against Tom Marino. Who knows what will happen, that is why we have elections.. In 2006 no one gave Chris Carney a chance then Sherwood was exposed as  the Tunkhanock Strangler. 111th HD candidate Jeff Dalander has an uphill race against long time incumbent Sandra Major in Wyoming County. Good to see him.

My 2nd favorite back cracker turned radio loudmouth Dave Madeira charmed the crowd as did fellow blogger Betty of Pure Bunkem. Blogger Big Dan was there along with health blogger Karin.

The 120th HD candidates Phyllis Mundy and Aaron Kaufer worked worked their magic.  Lou Barletta was stuck in Washington but sent the lovely and talented Renita Fennick to represent him. Tom Marino was somewhere and sent no one.

State Rep Mike Carroll didn't like my baseball bat comments but he is a leader for reform of PA government. Take redistricting away from the politicians and campaign finance reform.

The Young Democrats and Young Republicans were out in force. Tom Shibula and Bob Zaruta are our future leaders that brought along a posse including Alex Milanes, Mike Szu and others.

116th HD candidate Ransom Young told me he wants to run a clean campaign. He was there with his wife and PR person Jana.Tarah Toohil was a no show and didn't send a surrogate. 

GOP Party stalwart Lynette Villano brought a few people.

I'm sure I have missed mentioning some people because there was so many.

 Professor Milburn Cleaver lurking in the shadow smoking a pipe. 

Bible Buck, Karla Porter, Bill Goldsworthy, Justin Vaculla, Angie Fanelli, Jane Waitikus, Bill Urbanski, Terri Stella and many more.

Let me know if  I left you out.

I'm not hotlinking this post because it would days to do it. Blogger is telling me that there are too many labels.


The bloggers report.

Fall 2012 Blogfest another huge success

 The Lu Lac Political Letter 

 Pittston Dispatch

 

NEPA Blogfest packs Rooney's in Pittston

 

Another great Blogfest

We had so many people at Blogfest come and go on Friday night  that I lost count.

Like the last one 11th CD candidate Gene Stilp stole the show,  this time  he parked his pink pig bus in front of Rooney's in the afternoon then assembled his 10 foot tall Medicare wheelchair. He got 17th CD candidate Matt Cartwright to join in.

Full report in the morning..

The political bloggers that make Blogfest happen.

Yonk, Joe V and your humble narrator

More photos at this LINK

Even more photos on Joe V's Photobucket

Snarky Blogger time. Some Bigwigs weigh in on Blogfest.

  Joe Biden. "I hear this Blogfest is a big fucking deal."

 Mitt Romney. " I'm sorry I couldn't make it tonight, Blogfest sounds like great sport. I had a crises when my dancing horse got stuck in the car elevator again. 47% of YOU people can't even imagine the problems I have to deal with for Pete's sake.


GOP US Senate candidate Tom Smith responded to my invitation to Blogfest. "Where the hell is Pittston? Do they have coal there?"

 Bob Casey. " I introduced a resolution in the Senate recognizing Blogfest as a great Pennsylvania tradition but the Republicans filibustered it."

 Clint Eastwood. "What do you want me to tell Gort? I can’t tell him to do that. I can’t tell him to do that to himself."

PA 11th CD happenings

Congressman Lou Barletta's disater relief bill was passed by the House of Representatives with a poison pill built into it. We will see if the Senate takes it up next week. The funding offset is “the  lower rate and the refunds will be paid for by eliminating federal funding for political party conventions” Good luck with that.

His opponent Gene Stilp is a master of free media.

 The pig bus covers up 47% of the Romney bus.

This headline from KP is great:

Gene Stilp’s Bus Challenges Mitt Romney’s Bus to a Fight

From Stilp: Where's Mitt Romney? I had some serious questions for him, but he apparently wasn't on his own bus trip.
But then again, where is Lou Barletta? I have a few questions for him also.
I'll debate whichever one of them is willing to step up and defend their lock step positions on Medicare, Social Security, Jobs, etc. Anywhere. Anytime.

Barletta has a duty to constituents to debate Stilp Kevin Blaum In the Arena

Lou poses with the VP Nominee

 Maybe Barletta should bring Paul Ryan to the district to help him get reelected. Ryan is real popular with people that have Medicare.

 

 Update: 

Barletta Spox Shawn Kelly takes issue with my "poison pill" comment.

I noticed in your posting about Rep. Barletta’s Disaster Loan Fairness Act of 2012 that you referred to the eliminating of political party convention funding as a “poison pill built into it” that will doom the bill in the Senate.

I respectfully disagree. You might not be aware that the Senate recently voted for a measure that does just that.

On June 21, 2012, the Senate voted 95-4 for an amendment offered by Sen. Tom Coburn. This amendment, S.AMDT.2214, is “To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to prohibit the use of public funds for political party conventions, and to provide for the return of previously distributed funds for deficit reduction.” You can learn about that amendment here: http://thomas.loc.gov/. Search for S.AMDT.2214.

If the Senate was willing to add that amendment to another bill by such a overwhelming margin, it stands to reason that they would support a bill that includes that language to begin with. Therefore, to call the inclusion of such a provision a “poison pill” is incorrect because the Senate has already shown a willingness to pass a similar measure.

Shawn

 

 

 

YouTube weekend

Gene Stilp Runs A Unique Campaign 

 

 

Funding for the Tobyhanna Army Depot

Republican freshman Congressman Lou Barletta and Tom Marino are taking heat for voting for a Defense appropriation bill that will cut funding for the Tobyhanna Army Depot which is the largest employer in the area. Barletta spokesperson Renita Fenick says he voted for the bill but later discovered an accounting error.

Their Democratic opponents are having a field day with this.

From Phil Scollo: How could he have possibly voted for a bill that does so much damage to his own district? How could he have voted to cut hundreds of jobs in his own district when we are already struggling to reduce unemployment?

Rep. Marino either doesn't care about local jobs or is just plain clueless. 

Gene Stilp: “This is a huge bill and a major bill, and for Mr. Barletta to not understand, at least, how it would affect people in the newly redrawn 11th District shows he still has a lot to learn about how Congress works. He certainly could have proposed an amendment to the bill that would have held it up and protected a leading employer like Tobyhanna. With an economy like this, you have to be aware of things like this.”

Meanwhile, Marino could not be reached for comment.

 I don't think that Barletta and Marino would knowingly vote to cut funding for Tobyhanna but that's the problem, they voted for a bill not knowing what was in it. I remember some Tea Party types demanding that members of Congress should read every bill that is voted on. These guys didn't read the bill but they should have staffers that should spot a problem for their constituencies.

 But don't panic, Senator Bob Casey will get this fixed in the conference committee.

It is understandable that Barletta missed the details of the possible disaster because he is busy with other issues.

From Barletta's website:

He is working for a coal miner stamp that I support but doesn't say anything about the Postal Service near term funding problem.

I agree that gassing animals  is bad. 

A Post Office was renamed.

And illegal immigration!

He should have another Telephone Town Hall soon. Lou blasted Kanjo for hiding from the voters but he has not had an in person town hall  for a while.

 Vote was an error

Defense vote haunts GOP incumbents

 

 

PA voter ID law

The Pennsylvania legislature recently enacted a voter suppression ID law that supporters say is a common sense measure to ensure that people who vote are who they say they are. After all a photo ID is required to buy alcohol or  fly on an airplane. Critics contend that this is another way that Republicans are trying to rig the next election since in person voter fraud is non existent. This is on top of the Citizens United decision that threw out the campaign finance laws that lets billionaires who make their money in China spend unlimited amounts of money in an American election. Foreign money in an American election used to be illegal. Before that PA Republicans wanted to change the way we cast our Electoral College votes changing winner take all to allocating them by Congressional District.

Locally there have been shenanigans with absentee ballots but the only case I remember of in-person voter fraud was when W-B Area  school director Joe Moran's kid was up for a seat on the WVW School board but it came out that he had been voting at his old man's address in the Miner's Mills section of Wilkes-Barre. Even then he only voted once but at the wrong address.

Before Tom Corbett became Governor he was the Attorney General of the Commonwealth but he didn't prosecute one case of voter fraud. He was busy with the Bonusgate investigation that put Democrats in in jail and  ignored the allegations against Jerry Sandusky.

To help sell this new law the Corbett Administration gave a contract to a Romney fundraiser.

TNC:  Republican Gov. Tom Corbett's administration has signed a $249,660 contract with a company run by Mitt Romney fundraiser, former state GOP party executive director, pharmaceutical lobbyist, and school voucher advocate Chris Bravacos to direct a media campaign promoting the state's Voter ID law.

Yes, that very same law, requiring that voters present identification at the polls, which critics contend will suppress Democratic-leaning non-white, poor, elderly and youth voters and which House Majority Leader Mike Turzai recently boasted (video) is “gonna allow Governor Romney to win the state of Pennsylvania.”

 See a video produced by this outfit of overly happy people showing a card that is supposed to resemble an ID.  Also confuses the issue by saying “other kind of photo id” will be accepted, without explaining what that means.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HBQhp7dUkGE&feature=youtu.be

!7th CD candidate Gene Stilp is calling Bullshit and filed a lawsuit.

GENE STILP FILES FEDERAL AND STATE COMPLAINTS AND REQUESTS FOR INVESTIGATION INTO THE $249,000 VOTER IDENTIFICATION CONTRACT AWARDED TO THE BRAVO GROUP THROUGH THE PENNSYLVANIA DEPARTMENT OF STATE.

Gene Stilp, today filed a complaint and a request for investigation with the United States Department of Justice at the Middle District federal offices. Stilp also filed similar complaints and requests for investigation with the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General and the Pennsylvania State Ethics Commission.

The complaints and requests for investigations concerns the use of federal taxpayer funds to pay certain Pennsylvania lobbyists who have a long history of Republican political involvement through a Pennsylvania State contract approved and administered by the administration of Republican Governor Tom Corbett.

Gene Stilp said, “There is a direct and substantial conflict of interest when Tom Corbett, the Republican governor of Pennsylvania, through his Department of State, awards a quarter of a million dollar contract utilizing federal funds to a Republican operative that as recently as April hosted a Mitt Romney event in Harrisburg. It is even more questionable when the contract involves the voter identification process which is under considerable criticism for a large number of Pennsylvania voters that are being disenfranchised in an admitted political effort to keep voters from voting in the upcoming elections only 118 days away.”

Stilp further called for the immediate return of all the federal HAVA funds involved in the contract.

The Pennsylvania Department of State contracted with the Bravo Group to develop and implement advertising related to the voter identification process.

 Pignelope is 7! 

  Don't miss the biggest, pinkest birthday party you've ever seen! Come celebrate the birth date of our beloved Pignelope!

In July 2005, the Pennsylvania Legislature voted themselves a illegal pay raise in the middle of the night.


Like many of us, Gene was outraged that our legislators could be so greedy. He wanted a symbol to show the waste and abuse of the system shown by these legislators.

From that, your favorite 25 foot pink pig was born and became famous!

American Legion Post 730

3813 Walnut St., Harrisburg, Pennsylvania 17109

Lou Barletta to get Tommy John treatment

No, there is nothing wrong with Lou's pitching arm although some wags say he may need corrective surgery on his tongue.  The Cincinnati Reds tryout  and New York Yankees fan (another reason not to vote for him) has former Evil Empire pitcher Tommy John coming to town to stump for him. The event will be at Genetti's in Wilkes-Barre on Friday, June 22, 6:30 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. Not to be picky but Wilkes-Barre will no longer be in the 11th Congressional District after the latest gerrymander.

Barletta continues to wage his war on immigrants getting an amendment passed to block the Department of Justice from enforcing the laws on the books. If we don't have immigrants who will play shortstop or kick extra points?

There is a rumor that his challenger Gene Stilp will be bringing in an offspring of Arnold Ziffel of Green Acres fame  to campaign for him. Pignelope is handling the details.

Young Dems to meet

First meeting of the 2012 General Election.
The Luzerne County Young Democrats will hold their Post-Primary Election at Rodano's located on Public Square on Thursday May 31, 2012 at 7:00 P.M.


Representative Phylis Mundy will be attending the meeting to discuss Pennsylvania's Delaware Loophole. Democratic Congressional Candidate Gene Stilp will be sponsoring the meeting and will also be speaking to the group.

The Young Democrats will be discussing the upcoming General Election, endorsing the Democratic slate for the General Election, and discussing agenda items to support such as the opposition to the Delaware loophole and Voter ID Laws. 

The Luzerne County Young Democrats encourage all registered Democrats age 18-35 to attend. Matt Cartwight will also be there.


They also have invited some LCYD alumni such as yours truly. I may just hobble down on my crutches. I heard that Gene Stilp is springing for the food so don't expect pulled pork as I'm sure that Pignelope would consider that cannibalism.


The Young Democrats of America will be meeting in Philadelphia June 29th-July 1st.That's a big feather in the cap of Herself and the PA Young Dems.

Looking to the fall: Congress

Right now you have to say that the 2 GOP freshman have the upper hand along with the Dem in the open 17th CD.

Democrat Phill Scollo will be taking on Tom Marino in the 10thCD. Scollo has assembled many of the campaign staffers that helped Chris Carney win his 2 improbable victories in 2006 and 2008 but has not done well fundraising. Add in the fact that the district was made more Republican in the latest gerrymander and Mr. Scollo has a big hill to climb. Mr. Marino has had a second bout of cancer recently and some people wanted me to use his illness to score points contrasting his opposition to the Affordable Care Act with the health coverage he receives. I thought that was ghoulish as there will be plenty of time to discuss health care policy before the election. I wish Congressman Marino a full and speedy recovery.

In the 17CD Matt Cartwright will be the overwhelming favorite to defeat Republican Laureen Cummings. Money will be no object for Cartwright in this newly drawn Dem favorable district. Money will also not be a factor in Cummings campaign, she doesn't have any, raising just $305 according to her latest FEC report.Tim Holden ran a terrible campaign that overreached in his attack ads then went back to the Social Security canard when he got called out on it. Cartwright billed himself as the hometown boy and a "Roosevelt Democrat" for those of us who know who FDR was. With Congress polling at a 10% approval rating I think an anti-incumbent sentiment played a part in his win. Holden has been in Washington for 20 years but couldn't point to one piece of significant legislation he authored. A few other incumbents also lost on Tuesday.

Gene Stilp surprised me. He and Bill Vinsko worked hard but Stilp just out hustled him. Neither one had a lot of money but Vinsko pissed his away on consultants. I wasn't too surprised that Stilp won this race but the 10 point margin was a bit of a surprise. His name recognition and the pink pig won the day. The combination of  new district lines and the anti-incumbent mood may make this one competitive. Stilp wants Barletta to sign a pledge to run a clean campaign but even if he does plenty of outside groups could still spend all kinds of money if it starts to look close. The recent unwritten rule is that you need about $1 million to run a competitive congressional race. After the Citizens United ruling that should be modified to say you need about a million to be spent on your behalf .