Meet the candidate

A new feature at Gort42.

If you want to meet the candidates in the upcoming election I'm happy to tell you where to find them. I encourage all local campaigns to send me their schedules and I will publish them unlike the big media.

Dr. Joseph Leonardi is doing the pierogie and halushki circuit this weekend.

Saturday 9:00am Monroe Farmers Market Main Street Stroudsburg, PA

10:30am Nicholas Church Flea Market Rt's 940 and Commerce St. Pocono Summit (Monroe)

12:00pm Pocono Commuters Picnic Mountainview Park, Pavilion 3

4:00pm Chicken BBQ Meridian Ave., Scranton

5:00pm St. Joseph's Summer Festival 2006 2010 Adams Avenue, Scranton

6:00pm northeast fair pittston fairgrounds grimes industrial park

7:00pm Holy Trinity Russian Orthodox Church Bazar 401 East Main Street W-BSunday1:00 pm

1:00 pm Art in the Park Monroe Chestnuthill Township Park

3pm St Joseph's Summer Festival 2010 Adams Avenue, Scran

4:00PM northeast fair pittston fairgrounds grimes industrial park

5:00pm Holy Trinity Russian Orthodox Church Bazar 401 East Main Street W-B

The Times They Are A-Changin'

A poll of the 50 most competitive (including the PA 10th) congressional districts across the country points to a possible change in control of the House of Representatives.

NPR Survey: Brave New World in America's Top 50 Districts

This is a very special study conducted solely in the 50 most competitive House seats that will determine the outcome in 2006. Only 10 of the districts are currently held by a Democrat, while 40 are held by Republicans. Voters in these 50 districts gave 58 percent of their votes to George Bush (over Kerry in 2004) and 56 percent to Republican candidates for Congress. But as Congress is recessing for the summer, Republican candidates (polled by name) are getting only 43 percent of the vote. The results are breathtaking and suggest that in the real world where the campaigns are fighting it out for votes, Democrats are in a very strong position to hold virtually all their seats, while the Republicans could readily lose most of theirs. Clearly, the probability of a Democratic takeover in November is rising, and is more likely than not.

In local campaign news John Murtha will be in the area to support Chris Carney.



CLARKS SUMMIT -Congressman John Murtha will be the main speaker at a 12:30 p.m. lunch in support of Chris Carney at the Inn at Nichols Village on U.S. Route 6 in Clarks Summit on Aug. 3, Carney's campaign announced Thursday.
Murtha will be making a major announcement in support of Chris Carney at this event, according to Carney's campaign manager, Andrew Eldredge-Martin.

The Roadmap to Reform

Democracy Rising has a list of some needed changes to the way the Commonwealth is governed entitled the Roadmap to Reform. I think this is an effort all Pennsylvanians can support regardless of party. It's not about specific policies but the process.
The first item on the agenda is lobbying reform:

Lobbyist Control
Ban gifts and entertainment
Quarterly reporting for lobbyists with expenses greater than $2,500 per quarter
Restoration of reporting requirements that were modified in the House.

You can't ban lobbying but I think you can restrict it to business hours. We always hear about some lobbyist picking up the tab for a sporting event or dinner that one of our tribunes of the people attended. They're only human, if someone does you a favor you will do one for them. But we pay for those favors. Common sense tells you that this not a healthy relationship. Stop it.

All lobbyist should be registered and disclose all expenditures regardless of how much. I want to know what they spend on everything including office supplies and postage and who paid for it!

The Tubes on YouTube

I'm spending entirely too much time on this YouTube site. But it is fun.

The latest on Hugo

First the old news.

DA to seek death for Selenski, Weakley

Luzerne County District Attorney David Lupas on Wednesday filed paperwork notifying Hugo Selenski and Paul Weakley that he intends to seek the death penalty against them in their trial for the deaths of Michael Kerkowski and Tammy Fassett.

Yes this is old news as it was first reported on that awful Nancy Grace show on Headline News. But at least the DA filed the paperwork this time.

Now we are back to Lupas vs. Olszewski. Forget Hugo, these two have been in a pissing contest for a while. Judge Peter Paul Olszewski Jr has smacked down Luzerne County District Attorney David Lupas in this and other cases ever since Lupas was elected. Now Lupas is going after Olszewski and accusing him of misconduct via a law clerk and has asked for his removal from the case. Olszewski was the DA before Lupas and knows what a prosecutor should do. So when Lupas screws up he is hard on him. Some advice for Dave, don't pick a fight with a judge. On a side note Lupas was elected DA after raising and spending $ 750,000 on a platform to lock up all the drug dealers. That has been a real success.

The coverage in the local rags is interesting. The Times-Leader has quotes from everybody involved and the Citizens Voice only talked to Lupas.

Some trial balloons

The most important office for many of the politically active in Luzerne County is county commissioner. Sure it's important who is Senator or President but most government decisions that affect your everyday life are made on the local level. For as long as I can remember the county commissioners regardless of party have treated the county government as an employment agency for friends and family. Things have been cleaned up somewhat the last few years but minority GOP commissioner Steve Urban points out that games are still being played such as picking someone for a post yet to be created by the salary board.

The TL has a run down of some possible Republican Candidates next year. Crestwood School Board member Bill Jones said he’d like to tackle Luzerne County’s money problems because he’s concerned about the county’s growing long-term debt. That's music to my ears as I have been bashing the bond brothers for borrowing money left and right for everything from giving a golden parachute to long time employees (then hiring them back as consultants) to just meeting payroll. The only knock I have heard about him is that he is a buddy of Democratic commissioner Greg Skrepenak. We don't need another get along/go along guy like Red Jones. Hanover Area School Board member David Shipula I know nothing about. 20th Senate district runner-up Dave Madeira said he’s been tossing around the possibility. “I’ve been asked (to run) and certainly am considering it.” I like Madeira, I don't agree with him on many issues , but he speaks his mind. Incumbent Republican Commissioner Steve Urban is being coy about his plans. Urban has done a good job just raising hell the the last few years, in fact he was the only one I voted for in the last general election. I know my GOP friends will be shocked by this but I always vote for good government regardless of party.

I'm not the only one who doesn't like cell phones

Man Accused of Shoving Phone Down Throat

The assault trial of a man accused of shoving a cell phone down a woman's throat has begun.
Prosecutors say 24-year-old Marlon Brando Gill was angry and jealous when he forced the phone into Melinda Abell's throat in December. But defense attorneys insist the 25-year-old victim swallowed the phone intentionally to prevent Gill from finding out who she'd been calling.

Gill is charged with felony first-degree assault.
A doctor at a Kansas City hospital's emergency room used a tool called a "pincher" to remove the phone from Abell's throat.

She testified yesterday that she couldn't remember how the phone got in her throat, saying she drank too much that night. Court records show that her blood alcohol content was three times the legal limit.

The latest in the 10th CD

Washington, DC (July 20, 2006) Vote Against Violence Political Action Committee (VAVPAC) is dedicated to ending domestic and sexual violence by supporting candidates who advocate on behalf of survivors and work to prevent domestic and sexual violence in their communities. Vote Against Violence is excited to endorse Chris Carney in his race against Representative Don Sherwood in Pennsylvania’s Tenth district. Mr. Carney’s tireless commitment to and experience with the issue of domestic violence characterizes his ability to work towards real change.

Chris will focus on stopping the cycle of abuse that affects nearly one in four women and one in seven men. He will make it a priority to fund education programs in schools that will teach kids how to handle their anger in productive ways. Carney explained, “Stopping this problem at the source is crucial to ending this cycle.”

His work to prevent domestic violence can be traced all the way back to college. While attending school he worked as an EMT where he cared for many survivors of domestic violence. This will allow him to draw upon first hand knowledge when passing laws to protect survivors.
With the authority and power granted to Congress it is extraordinarily important that members of Congress set the right example for Americans.

Pennsylvania 10th’s incumbent and Carney’s opponent, Don Sherwood, recently settled a domestic violence case out of court for $5.5 million. While cheating on his wife, he was accused of abusing his "mistress." This is a gross violation of power by someone who is supposed to set a good example for his constituents and for the country.

And the spigots have opened for Don Sherwood because they are worried about losing a supposedly safe Republican seat. From The Hill:

The final ROMP fundraiser is used for candidates in the most desperate need of campaign money. Three of the recipients trail their challengers in terms of cash on hand. Most of those who are ahead in funds have only modest leads.

The ROMP list included five incumbents, four open-seat candidates and one challenger. The other beneficiaries were Minnesota open-seat candidate Michele Bachmann; Rep. J.D. Hayworth (R-Ariz.); Jeff Lamberti, who is challenging Rep. Leonard Boswell (D-Iowa); Idaho open-seat candidate Bill Sali; Rep. Don Sherwood (R-Pa.); and Iowa open-seat candidate Mike Whalen.

Sherwood stumbled through his primary with 56 percent of the vote after it was revealed that he had settled a multimillion-dollar assault-and-battery lawsuit with a former mistress. The DCCC announced recently that it was adding Sherwood’s opponent, Democrat Chris Carney, to its Red to Blue program, which aids candidates trying to unseat Republican incumbents.

ROMP was created by former Rep. Tom DeLay (R-Texas) and is run by the Republican leadership.


So a battered women's group backs Carney and big money pitches in for Sherwood. Of course Sherwood can decide to open his checkbook and blow a lot of money in a losing cause or he can face reality and save his money for retirement.

Romanelli getting close

Carl Romanelli is claiming to have 60,000 signatures and expects more by the August 1st deadline to be on the ballot as the Green Party candidate for U.S. Senate. I understand that they have been paying people to gather signatures and he has a little help from an unlikely friend.

TL: He'll need at least 67,072 confirmed signatures. Dictated by state law, the figure is based on 2 percent of the highest vote-getter in the last state election.
To be eligible for the ballot, Democrats and Republicans need only 2,000 votes. Romanelli called the 67,072 benchmark "an arbitrary computation" because the number has varied in past years.
"It's simply a reflection that the old parties make the rules, and they are doing everything to keep us out,' he said. "This is an impossible standard for any party to meet. … What made the Greens different this year is I stepped up and used every ounce of my 25 years of experience."

What friend would that be?

Santorum team aiding a Casey rival

In trying to earn a spot on the ballot in Pennsylvania this November, Green Party candidate Carl Romanelli has no better friend than the man he wants to topple: U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum.
The Republican incumbent says that everyone in state politics should help Romanelli gather the large number of voter signatures - more than 67,000 - that he needs to qualify for the Senate race. Romanelli can use all the help he can get: Pennsylvania has among the toughest requirements in the country for independent or third-party candidates to get on the ballot.
Why should Santorum aid a potential foe?

Vince Galko, his campaign manager, says it is because of his interest in free debate. "Democrats, Republicans and independents all agree that the democratic process should be open and welcoming to people of differing positions," Galko said in a letter posted on Santorum's Web site.

Free debate my ass.

The state Republican Party, in the spring GOP primary, challenged the signatures of a potential Santorum rival and drove him from the race.
But now he's seeking a commitment from Casey not to challenge Romanelli signatures if he gets enough to qualify.

Leonardi backs Barletta

I recently asked both candidates running for the 11th CD seat about their thoughts on the Hazleton immigration controversy. Paul Kanjorski has not responded yet but Dr. Joseph F. Leonardi the Republican Candidate gives us his thoughts:

I would like to take this opportunity to applaud Hazelton Mayor, Lou Barletta, for stepping up to the plate on the illegal immigration issue. He has taken the initiative at a time when others have ignored blatant violations of U.S. law, specifically those who enter this country illegally and those Americans who hire illegal aliens. Most recently, the mayor stepped up to the plate again, ensuring that Hazletonâ's police department will have additional training to properly enforce the city's new ordinance as certified immigration enforcement agents.

A section of Hazelton's new ordinance requires city business to be conducted in English only, it has provoked some critics of Mayor Barletta to use insulting and inflammatory terminology in an unjust effort to degrade his character. Their efforts, I feel, are intended to bolster their own political agenda.

There is a side benefit arising from the English only provision these same critics have failed to mention--- a benefit that will directly affect those that have legally entered our country. At a town meeting in Hazleton, as reported in one of the local newspapers "Luzerne County Commissioner Greg Skrepenak said English classes would be made available for everyone." It seems that Mayor Barletta's courage has sparked Luzerne County to take positive action for our hard working, deserving, legal immigrant community.

I have always been concerned about people who enter this country then choose not to learn the English language. My father, at the age of 30, in 1963, immigrated to this country from Italy. Over time, he learned his new country's language. While his proficiency wasn't such that he could have written "the great American novel," he ably functioned in society, and eventually earned his U.S. citizenship. The fact that government documents were not translated into my Dad's native tongue did not hamper his ability to earn a living, raise a family, develop his own business and exercise his right to vote.

Violation of our borders is a genuine cause for concern. It is a problem that has not been adequately addressed at any governmental level. Consequently, mayors are being forced to protect their citizens from criminal violations that compromise U.S. Sovereignty.

For this reason, since announcing my candidacy for the U.S. House last August, I am extremely outspoken on strengthening all of our borders, not just our southern border. The problems that accompany illegal immigration demand re-enforced border security. I pledge that I am, and will remain, wholeheartedly committed to this cause.

I am a strong believer in legal immigration into the United States. Obviously, had it not been for legal immigration I would not be in the position I am in now--- running for the office of U.S. Representative to represent all citizens in the Pennsylvania 11th district.

Shift change

This my first day on night shift and I'm not sure how it will affect the blog. I strive to post something everyday even if it's just a verbatim press release but I don't know if that will be possible. I have a full plate in my pre-work hours and can't surf and comment as much on my favorite blogs. It's lonely out here at 1:30AM when all my blog buddies are in bed.

Hopefully I will work out my scheduling problems. Stay tuned.

A great disturbance in the force

As I was was wandering around Wilkes-Barre today I sensed a great disturbance in the blogosphere. What could it be? It wasn't a far off planet being destroyed but something closer to home. At first I was fearful that the NSA monitoring finally resulted in my fellow lefty bloggers being sent to Gitmo. But after checking my blogroll I found out that it was much worse, Dr. Rick is back posting at The American Checkup.

Welcome back Rick! Dr. FrankenFitz' creation has been unleashed on us once again.

Update on the weird ad

First of all Rick Santorum is shown receiving an award from Pat Boone for sponsoring a bill to protect Social Security for people born before 1950. Then it goes on to plug the group's travel website. Strange combination. It turns out that Pat Boone is the front man for a group that calls itself the 60 Plus Association. Thanks to the reader who pointed this out. According to it's website the 60 Plus Association is:

.....a non-partisan seniors advocacy group with a free enterprise, less government, less taxes approach to seniors issues. 60 Plus has set ending the "death" tax and Saving Social Security for the young as its top priorities. 60 Plus has been described as an "anti-tax advocacy group" and an "increasingly influential lobbying group for the elderly...often viewed as the conservative alternative to the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP)."

Sounds good until you check them out. I found this on a Wisconsin political site What's Left:

Earlier this week Rep. Mark Green was touting an award he won from what he called a leading senior advocacy group. The group is called the "60 Plus Association". It sounded a little fishy since I had never heard of this group so I thought I'd see what this group is about.Turns out, Green's award is the equivalent of Kentucky Fried Chicken giving an award to the person that kills the chickens and expecting the chickens to cheer about it.The group is funded by big pharmaceutical companies so Rep. Green is getting an award for protecting the bottom line of the pharmaceutical companies, not Wisconsin seniors.

But according to SourceWatch.org, a website run by the Center for Media and Democracy, there are really are no members other than the pharmaceutical companies.
The AARP Bulletin of February, 2003, has an excellent, well-researched article explaining this subversion of the democratic process by 60 Plus and two other astroturf organizations (United Seniors Association and the Senior Coalition). It notes that none of these groups have significant membership roles or community bases. "All three organizations claim to speak for millions of older Americans, although as recently as 2001 none of the three listed any revenue from membership dues on their tax returns," it states. "Moreover, an investigation by the AARP Bulletin shows that virtually all of their largest contributions in recent years have come from the same source - the nation's pharmaceutical industry."

From StealthPacs.org, a group run by Public Citizen:

60 Plus President Jim Martin told the British Medical Journal in 2003 that his group had 225,000 donors, whom he said he would not disclose to protect their privacy.10 But in 2002, 60 Plus received nearly $11 million (91 percent of its total revenue) from a single undisclosed donor, according to the group's Form 990 filing with the IRS.11 It is quite likely that such a large contribution came from the pharmaceutical industry. The Washington Post reported that 60 Plus was the beneficiary of an unrestricted educational grant in 2002 from PhRMA, the trade association of the brand name prescription drug industry;12 AARP Bulletin reported that 60 Plus received contributions in 2001 from PhRMA and from drug giants Pfizer, Merck and Wyeth-Ayerst.13 In the last three years, 60 Plus has relied increasingly on contributions of $5,000 or more, according to its disclosures to the IRS. The group's 2003 revenue represented a dramatic leap. Its annual revenue from 1999 to 2001 ranged from about $1.6 million to $2 million.14

Although 60 Plus bills itself as a non-partisan organization, its electioneering messages in 2002 exclusively benefited Republicans. Martin, the group's president, has long been associated with Republican politics. Among other things, the group's Web site advertises that Martin "was instrumental" in hiring George W. Bush for his first job in politics to work on the successful 1968 U.S. Senate campaign of Edward J. Gurney (R-Fla.).17

Another shadowy group that won't tell you who their donors are ala American for Job Security.

Linkety link

Has a Ukulele ever given you an ear worm? Damn you Carl and Miss C. I keep playing this:

Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain plays Nirvana's "Smells Like Teen Spirit"

The best way to start your day is to have Pissed off Patricia mix you a Morning Martini.

It's hard to keep up with eRobin but she hit on something that I have a great deal of interest in but never blog about. Fact-esque has a run down about some recent changes at NASA.

Santorum is doing push polls and Maria at 2 Political Junkies gives us the play by play.

Crooks and Liars found a gem

Ava Lowrey, the fifteen year old video extraordinaire produced her first political ad.


It concerns the one and only–"Had Enough of Rick Santorum?"

Money, money, money

The amounts of money involved in funding political races is obscene. The Pennsylvania Progressive points out that Santorum got some money from someone tied to Jack Abramoff. I'm sure if you look at Casey's reports you will find some questionable donations. Every campaign is involved in this sort of gotcha. It just doesn't register with the rest of us.

The general perception, right or wrong, is that they are all bought and paid for. I don't what can be done about it. The law of the land is money=free speech. The practical effect is that people with a fat bank account have a louder voice than the rest of us.

Short of amending the constitution I don't know what can be done. And there are very few constitutional amendments I favor. It's worked so far so don't mess with it.

Well there is one constitutional amendment I favor.

The designator hitter rule shall not be used in the game of baseball in the United States.

Reforming Pennsylvania

Matthew Best has decided to expand his blogging duties and has a new endeavor called Courage of Conviction. I don't know how he does it all. He is doing a series of posts about the Roadmap to Reform sponsored by Democracy Rising. I plan to join in. Today he comments on the ridiculous signature requiements for third party candidates. I couldn't agree more. Why should Carl Romanelli or Russ Diamond have to get 67,000 signatures just to get on the ballot? The Democratic and Republican candidates need far less. As Matt says:

Having a level playing field for all citizens to enter the political arena makes our political discussion more about issues than about personal attacks as well. When there are more people running for the same office, each candidate needs to clearly define who they are, what they stand for, what they as needing change, and what they want to do about it. More candidates in an election allows candidates to be who they truly are, not dodging issues or speaking in some obtuse manner in order to no offend certain constituencies.

Hazleton, Barletta, Santorum and immigrants again

I'm not the only one who thinks that Hazleton's immigrant ordinance will be thrown out in court because immigration law is the purview of the federal government. Plus it opens up the people of the city to all kinds of legal actions.

ALLENTOWN, Pa. (AP) - Congressional researchers say they are skeptical that Hazleton's recent crackdown on illegal immigrants would survive a court challenge, asserting that the federal government has sole jurisdiction over immigration matters.

The ordinance "would very likely be found by a reviewing court to be preempted in whole or in part by federal immigration laws, just as similarly comprehensive state and local laws regulating immigration matters have been," according to the report, written by two lawyers for the research service.

But congressional researchers questioned whether businesses and landlords, worried about violating the ordinance, would discriminate against Hispanics in violation of federal employment and housing law. The report also said that states and municipalities are precluded by federal law from making determinations about immigration status.

Who would ask for such a study? No surprise here.

The research service completed its analysis on June 29, before the ordinance was approved. It was requested by U.S. Rep. Paul Kanjorski, a Democrat whose district includes Hazleton and who survived a challenge from Barletta in the fall 2002 election.

Rapid Edward weighed in on the nonsense today.

SCRANTON, Pa. (AP)- "The only ones I want to hear speaking up and complaining about immigration are the Native Thursday Americans who we screwed," he told a gathering of young professionals on Thursday........"A lot of this is being pushed by politicians who absolutely want to keep your eyes away from real stuff," he said. "They feed off hate and divisiveness."

Weird ad

I just saw a weird ad featuring Rick Santorum and some game show host plugging a website called 60plus travel.com. It was on CNN about 4:20PM. I wasn't paying close attention until I heard Santorum's name. I hope it is on again as I have my VCR ready. Did anyone else see it?

I just watched it again. My question is since when is it OK for a Senator to appear in an ad plugging a commercial venture? I can't wait for my friends at Santorum Blog to try to spin this.

The Government of the Commonwealth

A great thing about this blog thing is when you fell like you are just yelling at the wall your online buddies pick you up. As Jane pointed out we have a great blog community going on in our corner of the world.

The one thing I have noticed in almost all the stuff I read lately is liberal or conservative, Democrat or Republican most of us think the government of the Commonwealth needs some improvement. And that's putting it mildly. Forget specific policies such as minimum wage, tax cuts, etc. The process is the problem. There is some hope. The pay raise thing set off a firestorm but it doesn't end there. The few people who showed up to vote in the primary threw out a bunch of long time state legislators including the top 2 guys of the Republican leadership in the state senate. Many other tribunes of the people chose to retire instead of facing the wrath of the voters. The job is not done. There are many problems with the way the state government conducts business. Lobbyist don't have to disclose how much money they spend and on who? They legalized slot machines and promised that that it will solve all our funding problems for a myriad of problems, then created 14 agencies to regulate it all. There are some technical issues in the state house that keep bills from being voted up or down.

The biggest problem with our legislature and the US House of Representatives is gerrymandering. A couple of states have taken redistricting out of the politicians hands. It will be a cold day in hell when that happens here but we can try. Why should districts be drawn to favor one person or one party over another?

My friends at Penn Patriot have some suggestions and give a list of groups all over the ideological spectrum that want some changes:

Please support these reform groups that are advocates for state government reform
Common Cause Pennsylvania
Commonwealth Foundation
League Of Women Voters
PA Citizens For Legislative Accountability
PA Council of Churches
Rock The Capita
Stop the Illegal Pay Raise, INC
Young Conservatives of Pennsylvania (YCOP)
Democracy Rising

Do we want more development?

Keep paving the forest and the farms then wonder why there are floods.


PLAINS TWP. — Plans to improve access to Interstate 81 from State Route 115 were met with mixed reviews Tuesday when the latest plans were unveiled....The current plan has been scaled back considerably from the original proposal. The original plan was to build a connector road that would run from Route 115 to Highland Park Boulevard, through the Seven Tubs Nature Area and Earth Conservancy land. White said that proposal was eliminated because of cost and environmental concerns. Earth Conservancy Executive Director Mike Dziak said even though the previous proposal would have cost at least $36 million, it would have opened up hundreds of acres of mine-scarred land for development.....County Commissioner Steve Urban is in favor of the current plan because it leaves the tubs area alone and costs half as much as the previous proposal.“I’m happy with this proposal,” he said. Urban was not concerned about lost development opportunities.

The area that is under discussion is a couple of mountains covered in trees that is hard to get to. Leave it to the bears, deer and other animals. People will just ruin it.