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Sunday, April 29, 2007
When Politics
Becomes Criminal
Written
by Stephen Crockett, co-host of
Democratic Talk Radio
It
has recently been reported that prominent Republicans in the Bush
Administration are screening potential federal government employees
concerning how they intend to vote in upcoming elections. This
development calls for both Congressional investigation and an
independent federal prosecutor. There is a federal law known as the
Hatch Act which clearly makes such blatantly politicization of the
federal government hiring program illegal. These activities may
violate other federal laws, as well.
Read more...
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DC Tour with Lois Herr
Following up on campaign
promises, Lois Herr took Bill Severance and Anne Murray from Chester
County and Phil Lastowski and his daughter Laura from Millersville to
Washington for a day in our nation's capital. Joining the group were
campaign supporters Beth Becker, Jane Shull, Jerry Policoff, Jo
McLaughlin, and Deirdre Coyle from TeamBlue, the campaign's consultant
team.
Starting with breakfast
and a tour at the Woman's National Democratic Club, our group went
next to Congressman Pitts' office, where Legislative Assistant
Virginia Wing and Staff Assistant Betsy Christian provided an
excellent tour of the Capitol. While we were in the House Gallery, the
members were putting forth legislation to honor the Lady Vols of
Tennessee for their NCAA victory, and while we were in the statue
gallery, Speaker Nancy Pelosi passed by.
In the afternoon, Senator
Bob Casey met with us; then we had a delightful tour of the Library of
Congress led by our own Jo McLaughlin. Our day ended with supper at
Kramerbooks, a special place for many of us. This was Laura's first
visit to Washington, and we think she caught Potomac Fever.
Friday April 27, 2007
Ambassador David
Newton to Speak at Hempfield High School
 David Newton,
former U.S. Ambassador to Iraq, will present a public workshop
entitled Understanding Iraq from 10 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. Saturday, May 12
at the Hempfield High School 200 Stanley Avenue, Landisville.
Ambassador Newton spent
22-years of his 36-year Foreign Service career in the Middle East. He
served as Ambassador to Yemen (1994-97) and as Ambassador to Iraq from
1984-1988. He is currently an adjunct scholar at the Middle East
Institute in Washington DC.
Read more...
Monday, April 16, 2007
From The Top A
Smell Of Corruption
Written
by Stephen Crockett, co-host of
Democratic Talk Radio
 The
shear number of scandals that seem to link back to the highest reaches
of the Bush White House is alarming. They are so numerous that a short
article is insufficient to even list them much less accurately detail
them. From the CIA Agent Outing Scandal to the firing of US Attorneys
for not playing politics as prosecutors, links to George W. Bush, Dick
Cheney and Karl Rove are everywhere.
Read more...
Editors note:
Now is the time for Republicans to register their support for open
government, honesty, and accountability. The way to do that is not
just to vote for a Democrat but to be a Democrat. It's easy to
change your registration.
Get a
registration form...
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Tuesday, April 10, 2007
Hanging Bush’s
Iraq War Critics
Written
by Stephen Crockett, co-host of
Democratic Talk Radio
Published
reports have recently noted comments by Republican Congressman Don
Young (where he misquotes President Lincoln) that seem to urge that
members of Congress who criticize the Iraq War should be “hanged.” The
people of Alaska should be deeply ashamed of their only member of
Congress. His comments are beyond civil political discourse in a
democracy.
Read more....
Casey to Vote
Against Stem Cell Bill
 Senator Robert
Casey said Monday he will oppose a bill that would clear the way for
government financing of new embryonic stem cell research. Legislation
being debated today would end President Bush's 2001 ban on
taxpayer-funded research of embryonic stem cells.
In an effort to win
the support of Casey and others who have backed the ban, sponsors
included a provision stating that Congress endorses all types of stem
cell research. A similar bill passed Congress last year, but was
vetoed by President Bush.
Read more....
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Sunday, April 8, 2007
Walter Reed is NOT a Department of Veterans Affairs Hospital.
by Jason Leisey
Editor's note: this
article by Jason Leisey is a comment to a March 6th article by John
Morgan entitled, VA Abuses...
It should be noted that
Walter Reed Army Medical Center is NOT a Department of Veterans
Affairs hospital. WRAMC is a Department of Defense facility. There is
a difference, a BIG difference. I know that the VA has its own issues,
but I hate that they are receiving bad media coverage over a DoD
problem. Military personnel that are at WRAMC are still Active Duty,
and not considered veterans at this point, so they don't fall under VA
care. I receive my care at Lebanon VAMC [Veterans Administration
Medical Center] and I am glad that I do. We are fortunate to have one
of the best VA hospitals in the country in our backyard. It is clean,
modern, and the staff goes out of their way to help veterans.
The VA is still catching
up to meet the needs of the GWOT [Global War on Terror], but doesn't
deserve all of the blame that John Morgan is giving them. For someone
who has been "writing about these Veterans issues all along," he is
grossly misinformed. By no means am I defending the administration,
they have a long way to go on Traumatic Brain Injury, but be aware
that there are many of us VA employees doing our absolute best to take
care of our returning heroes.
comment on this news item...
Suggested Links:
Department of Veterans Affairs information on the Lebanon VA...
Lebanon VA home page...
Lebanon VA Guide to Medical Services...
Thursday,
April 5, 2007
Health Care Forum...
by John Morgan,
The Pennsylvania
Progressive...
The healthcare forum at
F&M [on April 4, 2007] was very well attended. Dr. Chuck Pennacchio
spoke about HELP Fund PA, a
non profit organization formed to bring a system of comprehensive,
universal health care to Pennsylvania through a single payer system.
Senate Bill 300 would replace the health insurance companies,
responsible for swallowing 25% of our healthcare expenditures, with a
state agency as a single payer entity. This could reduce overhead by
20%, enabling everyone to be covered by quality care.
Governor Rendell discussed
his plan "Prescription
for Pennsylvania" which would require every resident of the state
to purchase health insurance. A question and answer session followed
this and the Governor took every question until he left and the
microphone was made available to the other participants. Some
challenged various factors of the Governor's plan. For instance
reducing trips to emergency rooms by covered insureds would seriously
hurt hospitals cash flow making it harder for them to treat indigent
patients. The point was made that those are visits for which these
institutions actual make the profit required to offset those unable to
pay for their treatment.
Read more...
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Comments:
by Bruce Slater, Narvon Pa.
After attending the health
care forum at F&M, I came away with mixed emotions. One side of me
likes the single payer plan, Help Fund Pa. of Dr. Pennacchio. The Idea
of cutting insurance companies out of the health care system agrees
with me. But Dr. Pennacchio's panel did not address the reforms our
medical professionals need to make so it is cost effective too. Just
throwing more money at the same broken system wont work. Governor
Rendell's plan, Prescription for Pennsylvania addresses the reforms
long needed in our medical system but still leaves the insurance
industries foot in the door. More people covered by his plan and lower
Medical costs mean higher profits for the insurance industry. But this
is the best deal the Governor can cut for us with conditions as they
are in the Harrisburg and the Legislature.
Wednesday, April 4,
2007
No Response from Pitts
on Stem Cell Research Question!
by Alison
L. Needles
On February 7, 2007 I sent
a letter about my personal daily struggle with diabetes to Rep. Pitts’
website and to his Washington, D.C. office. That letter was also
published in the Chester County Press on February 14. My
question was “what are you doing to fight for the thousands of
diabetics in the 16th district who are waiting for a cure?” I
have yet to receive a response two months later!
I asked this question
because Rep. Pitts’ website said that he was a “strong supporter of
ethical stem cell research”. Since January 2007, there have been
no updates posted to his website regarding any activity demonstrating
such support.
Most dictionaries render
multiple definitions of the word “representative”. They include:
-
1. An advocate who
represents someone else's policy or purpose.
-
2. A member of the
U.S. House of Representatives or of the lower house of a state
legislature.
When I vote, I am voting
for the person who I believe will demonstrate definition #1 above -
the person who will genuinely be an advocate for many different
concerns of the constituents within the 16th district. I am more
than ever convinced that Joseph Pitts is simply the kind of
representative who is in name only - a member of the House of
Representatives.
Visit the American Diabetes Association Action Center...
comment on this news item...
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