I have always been a supporter of our local chapters of the Young Democrats and Young Republicans in Luzerne County . Both outfits have very generous to me over the years.
Just looking at their Facebook pages they both have been dormant since 2013 so it's good to see one of the organizations getting back in gear.
2016 is a very important Presidential Election and no matter who you
are supporting it is important to come out to get the ball rolling. In
addition 2015 can be a great opportunity to get a new crop of Democrats
elected on the Municipal level and get geared up for the 2016 Primary
and General Election. We will also discuss officer elections and possibly be joined by 2015 candidates!
Thanks YDs President Thomas Shubilla
Membership is open to anyone under 36 who is a
registered Democrat. Please come participate. We will elect board
members and discuss future plans.
Note that this is the Plains Township location at 1092 Rt 315 Wilkes Barre, PA 18702.
I hope to see the Young Republicans become active again. Under Bob Zaruta they put on a great event Youth in Politics. Frank Mazza is now the President but he is busy working for Pat Toomey and is a Temple fan
I'm having a hard time wrapping my head around this one. The press has been reporting forever that Democratic politicians are so pissed at Joe Sestak for taking on Arlen Specter in 2010 that they can't forgive him. After all they went through a lot of trouble to get him to switch party affiliation for the 2010 election then he lost the primary to an actual Democrat. For all the inside baseball criticism of Sestak that he ran a poor campaign he came within 2 points of knocking off Toomey in very Republican year. One of the arguments for her is that with Hillary at the top of the ticket it would be good to have a female candidate ride her coattails. Tell that to the last heartthrob Josh Shapiro. We will leave Ed Pawloski out of this.
WASHINGTON -- The Senate voted Thursday to approve the Employment
Non-Discrimination Act, landmark civil rights legislation that would
make it illegal to discriminate against LGBT individuals in the
workplace.
The final vote was 64-32, with 10 Republicans joining Democrats. The
Republican senators backing the legislation were cosponsors Susan
Collins (R-Maine) and Mark Kirk (R-Ill.), along with Kelly Ayotte
(R-N.H.), Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.), Orrin Hatch (R-Utah), Dean Heller
(R-Nev.), John McCain (R-Ariz.), Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), Rob Portman
(R-Ohio) and Pat Toomey (R-Pa.).
Sen. Toomey tried to amend the bill at the last minute that would have weakened the protections under the guise of religious liberty but that was shot down and he voted in favor of it in the end. Nice try of Pat trying to have it both ways.
Only one Senator spoke against the measure and it now moves to the House. It is hard to speak out against ending discrimination. The Speaker says it's a jobs killer and won't bring it up for a vote. I think that may change.
Congressman Matt Cartwright sent a press release supporting the law but Lou Barletta has not stated his position.
Cartwright Statement on Senate Passage of the Employee Non-Discrimination Act
Washington – U.S. Representative Matt Cartwright released the following statement after the Senate passed
the Employee Non-Discrimination Act with a bipartisan vote of 64-32:
“Today,
the Senate took an important step forward toward protecting all
Americans from workplace and employment discrimination by passing the
Employment Non-Discrimination
Act with a strong, bipartisan vote of 64-32.
“This
legislation will make it illegal to discriminate against LGBT Americans
in hiring, provide safeguards against wrongful termination, and ensure
that LGBT employees
cannot be held back from advancement because of discrimination.
“Currently
21 states and the District of Columbia have laws prohibiting workplace
discrimination based on sexual orientation, unfortunately, Pennsylvania
is not one of those 21 states.
“I
applaud Senator Bob Casey and Senator Pat Toomey for supporting this
legislation and urge Speaker Boehner to reconsider his previous remarks
and allow the House
to take up the Senate's bipartisan Employment Non-Discrimination Act
without delay.”
Statement by the President on Senate Passage of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act of 2013
For
more than two centuries, the story of our nation has been the story of
more citizens realizing the rights and freedoms that are our birthright
as Americans. Today, a
bipartisan majority in the Senate took another important step in this
journey by passing the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, which would
help end the injustice of our fellow Americans being denied a job or
fired just because they are lesbian, gay, bisexual
or transgender. Just as no one in the United States can lose their job
simply because of their race, gender, religion or a disability, no one
should ever lose their job simply because of who they are or who they
love.
Today’s
victory is a tribute to all those who fought for this progress ever
since a similar bill was introduced after the Stonewall riots more than
three decades ago. In
particular, I thank Majority Leader Reid, Chairman Harkin, Senators
Merkley and Collins for their leadership, and Senator Kirk for speaking
so eloquently in support of this legislation. Now it’s up to the House
of Representatives. This bill has the overwhelming
support of the American people, including a majority of Republican
voters, as well as many corporations, small businesses and faith
communities. They recognize that our country will be more just and more
prosperous when we harness the God-given talents of
every individual.
One
party in one house of Congress should not stand in the way of millions
of Americans who want to go to work each day and simply be judged by the
job they do. Now is the
time to end this kind of discrimination in the workplace, not enable
it. I urge the House Republican leadership to bring this bill to the
floor for a vote and send it to my desk so I can sign it into law. On
that day, our nation will take another historic
step toward fulfilling the founding ideals that define us as Americans.
Update from Lou Barletta's spox:
The
Congressman opposes discrimination. He has not seen the bill, however,
and wants to make sure it does not infringe on any rights of others –
religious
institutions for example.
Rudy Guiliani, former Senator Norm Coleman (MN) and former Governor Bob Ehrlich (MD) were at the W-B Victory Center this morning supporting Governor Romney. Senate hopeful Tom Smith and AG candidate David Freed also attended . Senator Pat Toomey was there and Actor Jon Voight was the celeb attraction.
WASHINGTON –U.S. Rep. Lou Barletta, PA-11, said he voted against a continuing resolution Wednesday because the measure didn’t provide enough disaster relief funding.
Rep. Barletta released the following statement after his vote:
I support the Senate version of this bill because this continuing resolution doesn’t include enough funding for disaster victims. I, along with 76 Democrats, sent a letter to the House leadership saying that we support the Senate version of the bill because it includes more funding for disaster relief. I agree with Senator Casey and Senator Toomey, who supported the Senate bill.
Every day I toured the destruction caused by record flooding in Northeastern Pennsylvania, I told my constituents at home that I would come back to Congress and fight for them. I promised them that I would make sure the full resources of the federal government are used to help them rebuild and protect them from future floods. This continuing resolution does not do enough to rebuild the lives of people who lost everything they own. It doesn’t do enough to fund mitigation efforts so this type of flooding doesn’t happen again. It doesn’t do enough to help local businesses reopen and protect American jobs.
Rather than spend money on disaster relief funding, the continuing resolution continues funding for the United Nations Populations Fund (UNFPA), and it continues $300 million in annual funding to the Title X family planning program, a prime funding source for Planned Parenthood.
Because the continuing resolution does not include adequate funding for disaster relief, I voted against it.
When disaster strikes anywhere in the world, the United States is the first country to help rebuild. But now that a disaster occurred right here in our own backyard, we need to start rebuilding here, first. Let’s help Americans first.
My friend McGruffpoints out that he joined with Democrats to reject budget games to get people who were flooded the help they need now. Even Senator Pat Toomey decided he had enough and joined with other GOP Senators from states that have major damage from Hurricaine Irene and Tropical Storm Lee to provide disaster relief.
It's disgusting that the Congress is even delaying disaster relief so they can play political games. Many people in the House and Senate didn't worry about offsets to fund the wars in the middle east. As Dick Cheney once said "Deficits Don't Matter" unless a Democrat is in the White House.
Everyone I talk to says Tom Corbett will be the next Governor and I have to agree. If that does comes to pass I hope he will be a better Governor then he has been a candidate. I'll forgive him the usual Republican claptrap about waste, taxes and regulations. There is going to be a big budget gap to be dealt with next year and we will see if he throws the rhetoric out the window and governs responsibly. There is no way he going to balance the state budget by cutting the number of cars owned by state agencies and some taxes will have to be increased. His stance on Marcellus gas drilling borders on criminal neglect. Dan Onorato would be a much better Governor and still may win, that's why we have elections.
In the Senate race I think Jose Sestak eeks it out against Pat Toomey. I really can't imagine having a Rick Santorum clone representing PA in the US Senate.
After returning from California I had a few chores to do around the house, get over the jet lag and catch up on all the local political news of the past week. Now I'm tanned, rested and ready to dive right back in.
Home rule continues to be a hot topic and the 10th and 11th PA Congressional races are at the top of the lists of the most watched in the country. If the polling can be believed Joe Sestak is surging in his his race against Santorum. Dan Onorato is looking to scratch the 8 year itch and wild card Tim Mullen has the 120th State Rep race in a jumble with the help of Walter Griffith. Tarah Toohill had a funny ad that put Todd Eachus into panic pass mode. I just want to dispel any rumors that I flew to California on Robert Powell's private jet. Who the hell would let me on on a private jet or into a private club anyway? Finally, the big dog is coming to town to help out Kanjo.
I'll give you a full report on our adventures in San Diego over the weekend.
Republican US Senate candidate Pat Toomey will make an appearance Saturday at the Luzerne County GOP Headquarters, 41 S. Main St., Wilkes-Barre at 4:30 PM. Sorry, the Penn State game starts at 3:30 so I will be occupied.
If you answer a knock on the door in Avoca or Duryea tomorow morning it just might be Congresman Paul Kanjorski. He has been doing more of these type of events lately.
Congressman Chris Carney's biggest assett in his quest for reelection continues to be his Republican opponent Tom Marino. His latest misspeak happened in Williamsport when he got into a shouting match.
PoliticsPA: The video, taken at a joint appearance with Republican U.S. Senate nominee Pat Toomey in Williamsport on Aug. 26, shows him getting into an argument with a group of people the Democratic-produced clip identified as voters. “What do you do for a job?” he thrice asked a group of people not pictured in the video, who appeared to be yelling back at him. “What kind of welfare are you on?” he asked.
This comes on top of his interview with WKOK in which he says he wants to eliminate Social Security for future generations and shows a total ignorance of how the system is financed while trying to assure people who are getting benefits now. What a train wreck.
Q: Where do you cut? Give me a specific?
Marino: “Let me address Social Security. You have paid into it. I am paying into it. And my generation – like you did for the generation before you – we are paying for your Social Security. You paid for the generation’s before you Social Security. My generation and probably the generation that follows me, we are going to have to step up to the plate and say, We are not going to get Social Security. But we are going to pay into it to get this debacle squared away. So if I have to sacrifice my Social Security to get it squared away – because we can’t take Social Security away from people that are on it now. They are dependent on it. It is a fixed income. And for someone to say we are going to cut Social Security to the seniors, we cannot do that.
I got a press release yesterday from the Marino camp yesterday demanding that Carney agree to the 9 debates that he has previously proposed. Nice try to change the subject and damage control.
This entire campaign Marino has been a gaffe machine second only to Joe Biden.
SUNBURY-“I challenge anyone that has information on anything that Mr. Denaples has done illegally to call me and we will go to the FBI together,” Marino said. ”He is my friend and he has never done anything wrong, and I won’t throw him under the bus just to get a vote.”
Uhm, I don't know about "never."
MC:DeNaples pleaded no contest in 1977 to felony charges of stealing $525,000 from the city of Scranton for cleanup work following Hurricane Agnes.
Friends of Ours :DeNaples pleaded no contest to the fraud charge following an earlier mistrial in the case against him. Four people, including James Osticco, a reputed associate of the Bufalino crime family in Scranton, PA, were convicted in 1983 for their roles in bribing a juror in the original trial against DeNaples. . Then there was that perjury thing that forced DeNaples out of the casino business after Marino provided a reference for him. Marino stepped down as US Attorney shortly after that. Borys reports . Marino has made as the lawyer for DeNaples pulling in $250,000 as his in house attorney. He also has real estate interests in Florida. Marino defended the ponzi scheme scumbag Sean Healy until recently when he withdrew as counsel when he told the court among other things Healy could no longer pay him
Marino was on WILK and was pressed on his relationship with DeNaples. You have to listen to it.
Asked if DeNaples was a criminal, Marino responded circuitously: "There was clearly a violation of the federal system that he paid the price for. … If you want to say for one offense, they're a criminal, I guess you're entitled to say that."
Marino'sfundraising has been abysmal and I doubt if he will even be able to to go on the airwaives although outside groups might run some ads to remind us that Nancy Pelosi is a San Fransisco liberal and Carney belongs to the same political party or maybe not.
RNC leaves Marino waiting: The Republican National Committee has yet to give Thomas Marino a red cent.Nor has it spoken with the former federal prosecutor, who will face incumbent Democrat Chris Carney on Nov. 2 in the 10th Congressional District race.
Much has been made of a partisan poll that showed Marino ahead but it is hard to put much stock in it. Borys breaks it down.
CQ Politics recently had a nice write up about Tom Marino and this caught my eye.
The success of a second Republican revolution may rest in this beat-up mobile home named Bessie, 20 feet of faded purple upholstery and wood paneling plagued by bad shocks and unpredictable windshield wipers.
“This is not BonJovi’s tour bus,” Tom Marino warns before inviting guests aboard the 1989 Damon Escaper, which doubles as his unofficial campaign headquarters and a rolling billboard that sleeps six.
MEDIA, Pa. -President Bill Clinton will participate in a rally in support of Joe’s Senate candidacy on Tuesday, August 10 at Scranton High School.
President Clinton, who served from 1993 to 2001, was the first Democratic president to be awarded a second term in six decades. Under his leadership, the United States enjoyed the strongest economy in a generation and the longest economic expansion in U.S. history. His administration resulted in moving the nation from record deficits to record surpluses; the creation of over 22 million jobs; low levels of unemployment, poverty and crime; and the highest home ownership and college enrollment rates in history.
EVENT DETAILS
WHAT: Joe Sestak for Senate Rally WHO: U.S. Senate candidate Joe Sestak with President Bill Clinton WHEN: Tuesday, August 10 at 2:00 p.m. WHERE: Scranton High School Gym, 63 Munchak Way, Scranton, Pa. 18508
Those interested in attending must RSVP and should call the campaign’s Scranton office at (570) 983-2280.
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The latest Q poll shows the race to be a dead heat.
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I'll be at the beach next week so I won't get a chance to hobnob again with the Big Dog and the Admiral.
The candidate brought his wierd act to Wilkes-Barre and nobody gave me a heads up. Former U.S. Sen. and Presidential candidate Rick Santorum was in town yesterday to hobnob with the common working people at the Westmoreland Club.
He has been running around the country endorsing various candidates like Marco Rubio in Florida's Republican Senate primary and Jay Riemersma for the U.S. House of Representatives in Michigan. Locally he has added his kiss of death to 10th CD GOP hopefull Tom Marino. He has also been hitting all the early primary states like Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina.
Santorum's endorsement of Arlen Specter in the 2004 Senate primary race against Pat Toomey still sticks in the craw of many of my Republican friends
Speaking of his loss in 2006 he said “The voters of Pennsylvania had always given me what I had wanted, but in 2006 they gave me what I needed” ... so he could spend more time with his family. Then he channels Michael Corleone saying “I just feel like I’m being pulled back into it.”
Below we see Santorum talking to possible running mate Carl Romanelli with 2nd choice Hazleton Mayor Lou Barletta hovering in the background.
Yes I know that the Constitution says that the the President and VP must be from different states but Santorum has lived in Virginia for years so that shouldn't be a problem.
Senator Specter was in Wilkes-Barre yesterday touring the new muli-million dollar over budget and behind schedule parking garage (intermodal transportation center) promising more money for the project. The city needs another $500,000 to replace sidewalks on Public Square. The Blogfather has documented the incompetence of the last administration in doing simple maintenance especially because the materials have been available for years. On a side note Mark is feeling bit neglected by the local blogosphere so I thought a little link love would be appropriate.
A few months ago the reports I was getting was that Sestak's campaign was a mess. He could show up on MSNBC all the time but his campaign couldn't bother to return a phone call or send out an email alerting local supporters when he would be in town. That is improving.
In his latest web ad he slams President Obama for supporting Specter despite his own support of Hillary Clinton in the primary.
I really can't make up my mind in this race. I've never been an Arlen fan but Sestak's campaign has been just so incompentent until lately.
Pat Toomey was in town on Friday which was a surprise to me and many of my Republican friends. He talked with Bill O'Boyle of the Times-Leader and decried "the lurch to the left” of the federal government. His solution to the health care crises is tort reform. He also continued to hammer Senator Arlen Specter (PA-D,R,?, plaid) He said he decided long ago that he would challenge Specter – then a Republican – in the 2010 primary. “Then a poll came out and Specter decided to switch parties,” Toomey said. “I think voters are fed up with the political opportunism of Arlen Specter.”
The polls are all over the place in this race which is to be expected this early in the contest but Specter's reelect number is not good.
In an interesting twist Toomey has agreed to meet with Democratic Senate candidate Joe Sestak to hold a joint town hall on health care in Toomey's home town of Allentown. Afterward he wants to go drinking, "I'm happy to welcome Joe to the great city of Allentown and I'd extend to him an invitation to share a beer with me at one of our fine local establishments after the town hall meeting." I would like to be part of that, I'd buy them both a Yuengling. I think the country needs more beer summits.
I don't know if Republican Senate candidate Peg Lusikdrinks beer but her campaign is doing a good job of keeping bloggers updated.
Senator Arlen Specter (PA-D/R/?) got the last word on CNN's State of the Union with John King today and discussed health care and his reelection campaign.
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King asked him he thought if all the ruckus going on in town hall meetings across the country was orchestrated or just people expressing their opinions spontaneously, he said it was both.
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On the much maligned public option that seems to be driving much of the misinformation about the health insurance reform proposal he said it would be very helpful and should be fully explored but reminded King that the Senate has not produced a bill yet.
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King then showed a clip from 1994 where Specter was on the Senate floor with a complicated flow chart outlining Hillary Care. I think you may have seen something similar about the present proposal. Specter said that the 1994 plan was different because it included a single payer system and the new plan doesn't.
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Responding to Joe Sestak's contention that "I'm not sure he is a Democrat" he pointed out that he broke with the Bush administration over stem cell research, was pro choice and supported the nuclear test ban treaty.
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He then attacked Sestak for missing 104 votes saying if he was still in the Navy he would be court martialed for being AWOL.
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They finished up with the recent polling showing people in PA don't think he should be reelected and is in dead heat with Pat Toomey. He said he is willing to go toe to toe with all comers and said
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"I didn't ask the President to clear the field."
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I think if he was asked what his favorite color was he would respond plaid.
FOLSOM—Congressman Joe Sestak officially entered the race for Senate Tuesday morning, ending his long march toward a primary showdown against Senator Arlen Specter next year and setting up what will be one of the most high-profile races in the country.
Sestak has toured all 67 counties in Pennsylvania drumming up support and has been exchanging barbs with Sen. Arlen Specter (PA-?) for months. My favorite was Specter's criticism of Sestak joining the Democratic Party "only" in 2006 so he could run for Congress. The irony of that statement is that Specter switched party's a few months ago because he said he couldn't win a Republican primary against Pat Toomey. Many of my Republican friends would say that he has been a Democrat at heart for a long time. Toomey welcomed him to race.
"Pennsylvania Democrats will make an important choice between Joe Sestak, a consistent liberal who really believes in his values, and Arlen Specter, a career political opportunist who believes in nothing but his own reelection."
Toomey has an op-ed in today's Inky announcing that he would vote to confirm Sonia Sotomayor's nomination to the Supreme Court. I'm sure that is going over well with the abortion hot heads and gun nuts that make up the GOP primary electorate.
Congressman Joe Sestak was in Luzerne County over the weekend. Bill O'Boyle and Mike Sisak had a chance to chat with him and he laid out his case for taking on Arlen Specter in the Democratic primary. He earlier described Specter as a "flight risk." .
Specter was a Democrat when it helped him win office in Philadelphia then switched to the GOP to win a Senate seat. Now he is a Democrat again because he knows he can't beat Pat Toomey in a Republican primary this time. I'm no fan of Toomey but at least he knows what he believes in and I can respect that.
Rapid Edward, Bob Casey and the President are in Specter' s corner but the idea of Arlen Specter as the Democratic nominee for US Senate makes me and many of my friends in the blogosphere and elsewhere in Pennsylvania want to throw up.
Some choice quotes:
“I’m getting in this because Pennsylvania voters need a choice, a choice of someone who will vote for them and their values.”
“I believe changing parties is not the change Pennsylvanians need for the future. We also need a senator who is in this for Pennsylvania and not for saving their legacy.”
"If you run on principle, politics will take care of itself.”
“But he actually voted with President George Bush four out of five times. This country has seen an economic collapse; good families have lost jobs and health care benefits. We need a senator that will fight for them and those key issues.”
"It's about Pennsylvanians, it's not about your job," Sestak said of Specter. "We Pennsylvanians have lost too many jobs in this recession to worry about his job security, particularly since he voted with President Bush on the economic tax policies that sent us over the precipice into this recession."
Arlen Specter vs. Toomey, Luksik, Ridge, Sestak, Torsella, Lamb, Watkins and a cast of thousands.
About the only people I have heard that are happy about the possibility of Arlen Specter winning another term in the US Senate are the talking heads on cable TV news, the top brass of the PA Democratic Party and this guy.
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I have never have been a Specter fan but always enjoyed how he had a way of pissing off my republican friends and annoying my fellow Democrats.
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Just a few highlights from his career that have rubbed me the wrong way in addition to his voting record, there are more. He came up with the single bullet theory to explain the murder of President Kennedy when he was working for the Warren Commission in 1964. We all believe that one. He voted "Not Proved" in the Senate trial of President Clinton after he was impeached by the House of Representatives invoking Scottish Law. That was not an an option and his vote was recorded as not guilty. He should have voted to convict or acquit not invent some third way. He also wanted to stick his nose into the NFL. His treatment of Anita Hill (she's a liar) in the Supreme Court nomination hearing of Clarence Thomas inspired me to work for Lynn Yeakel. We came close in that one only losing Wayne County by 20% instead of 40% and statewide by 3%.
So the question is will Arlen Specter see all this opposition from the base of both party's and try to run as an independent? He said he wouldn't but who can believe anything he says now.
Former Lehigh Valley Congressman Pat Toomey is again taking on Senator Arlen Specter in the Republican primary in 2010. This time it looks like Peg Luksik may also get into the fray along with a few other people . I voted for Peg a few years ago when she ran for governor. A multi-candidate GOP primary has to be good news to Arlen and is music to this blogger's ears. I hope that Specter hangs around forever because he drives my Republican friends nuts. He is an almost extinct species, a Rockefeller Republican. The question of who Rick Santorum will back in this race has the gang over at GrassrootsPA twisting in their knickers.
According to a story in Roll Call Bucks County Rep. Patrick Murphy (PA-8) is looking at taking on Sen. Arlen Specter (R-Pa.) in 2010. His top aide said "he’s looking at it very strongly right now.”
Murphy is an Iraq war vet who easily won a 2nd term in Congress taking 57% of the vote in November. He is a proven fundraiser raking in almost $4 million this cycle and would probably need at least $20 million for a Senate bid. He has some local ties being a graduate of Kings College and his brother JJ Murphy is the Wilkes-Barre City Administrator. JJ is an Air Force Reserve officer who was recently called up to active duty and deployed to the Horn of Africa. Another local connection is that he once told me that he reads my blog.
The buzz about Chris Matthews running for the seat took a hit when Politico reported he has signed a long-term contract with MSNBC to keep hosting Hardball. Some other reports say he is house shopping in Philadelphia and the latest Rasmussen poll has him trailing by just three percentage points, 46% to 43%. Other polls have him way down. The crew over at PAWaterCoolerhave had a collective tingle going up their legs at the possibility and will be very disappointed if he doesn't make the race. We will see. The Rain Man pointed out something I didn't even think of. Imagine Tweety at a confirmation hearing grilling a nominee and telling the guy "you don't know what you're talking about." Pat Toomey came close to knocking off Specter in the 2004 Republican primary ( he may try again) and Tweety made mince meat of him on an appearance his show. What a great debate that would be!
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If Matthews decides not to make the Senate primary a circus another serious candidate is Allyson Schwartz.
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