Obama's Claim On Jobs A Myth

Obama plan would make small dent in jobless rate

Even if Congress heeds President Barack Obama's demands to "pass this bill right away" and enacts his jobs and tax plan in its entirety, the unemployment rate probably still would hover in nosebleed territory for at least three more years.

Why? Because the 1.9 million new jobs the White House says the bill would produce in 2012 falls short of what it's needed to put the economy back on track to return to pre-recession jobless levels of under 6 percent, from today's rate of 9.1 percent.

That's how deep the jobs hole is. The persistent weakness of the U.S. economy has left 14 million people unemployed and more than 25 million unable to find full-time work.

More on the Obama Campaign and A Stimulus Recipient Hosting a $25,000.00 Fundraiser

Missouri stimulus beneficiary hosting a $25,000-a-head fundraiser for Obama

Tom Carnahan is at the helm of Wind Capital Group, an investment firm that received a $107 million federal tax credit to develop a wind power facility in his home state of Missouri. In October, he’s scheduled to host a $25,000-per-person fundraiser to aid Obama’s reelection effort.

“At a time when Barack Obama is under fire for steering hundreds of millions of dollars in stimulus funds to a failed company linked to a major campaign donor, it is stunning that he would come to Missouri and raise money with another recipient of stimulus cash,” Smith said in a statement to POLITICO. “Sadly, Missourians have come to expect this kind of pay-to-play from the Obama administration. November 2012 can’t come soon enough.”

Please tell me how this scheme is all that much different than what Mericle did with Ciavarella and Conahan.

Commentary In The Times Leader- Stephen M. Alinikoff

Election will offer clear philosophical choices for U.S. COMMENTARY Stephen M. Alinikoff

I CONSIDER myself an average citizen, lucky enough to be born in a country that has bestowed bountiful gifts to my family and to me. I have lived my entire life in the Wyoming Valley and was born in the waning days of World War II. The country has changed dramatically since then and I must say in most respects not for the better. I honestly feel that we will not be leaving our children a country in which their generation will be better off and better equipped to surpass the achievements of previous generations.

If I were not so angry with what is happening with my beloved country I would have merely passed over an article in The Times Leader, which reported a meeting that Congressman Paul Kanjorski hosted at the East Mountain Inn on Sept. 8.

What Kanjorski was reported to have said is emblematic of one of, if not the major problems facing this nation: a dysfunctional Congress totally out of touch with the desires, needs and history of this country.

Kanjorski related his defense of the bailout packages over the last two years: “Those days will be remembered as the most instrumental moments of the 21st century.” Kanjorski, Nancy Pelosi, Charley Rangel and Maxine Walters were the ones standing between us and the total financial collapse of the United States. Yes, he honestly believes that and expects us to believe it.

The congressman went on to say: “If you recall gun sales were way up, America was weaponed up, that’s what the times were like two years ago.” He then said something that has yet to be followed up by our local or national media. He told the group “8,000 troops stood at the ready” in North Carolina to come to Washington to guard the White House and the Capitol.

I certainly was not aware we were so close to an armed insurrection. My question is: from whom?

It really is hard to believe, if nothing else Congressman Kanjorski is at the top of his game when it comes to political hyperbole on the campaign trail. History and its facts do not lie. The facts are that over the last 77 years, we have seen an undeniable march of one-party rule and that party’s philosophy being legislated into statutory policy.

It is the undeniable philosophy of central government growth at the expense of federalism and individual rights.

It is an undeniable fact that we are on the verge of a national bankruptcy, which, if continued, will have consequences for our national security and ability to remain the world’s preeminent power.

It is an undeniable fact that all legislation concerning matters of revenue, taxes, spending and finance must constitutionally originate in the House of Representatives.

From 1933, (the 73rd Congress) to the present (the 111th Congress) there have been 38 sessions of Congress. Thirty-one of the sessions – 81 percent – have been controlled by the Democratic Party. In the most recent 26 sessions the percentage in Democratic control has been 85 percent – even higher.

Kanjorski, one of the most senior Democrats, has served since 1985. He has worked to bring us public projects such as: an inflatable dam; some sort of shooting range/training facility to be placed somewhere. He also was successful in steering over 5 million in taxpayer funds to a failed business owned by family members. As one of the most senior members, he was one of the leaders in bringing us “Obamacare,” which will create the single largest bureaucracy by any Congress in our history.

In his meeting at the East Mountain Inn, he also heralded his role in passing Wall Street reform although he didn’t mention that the two main culprits – Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac – were left noticeably untouched in this new legislation. Those agencies have been used by Congress for years as a repository for political jobs and bad loans.

After reading the article, I do not for one moment doubt that Congressman Kanjorski believes in what he said and has done and is proud of where he has taken us. He is not only one of the leaders of the present majority in Congress, but also one of its most outspoken defenders.

So, our choice seems clear. If you are satisfied with the politics of Kanjorski, Pelosi, Walters and Rangel, and where they are taking us, your choice is easy.

However if you feel anger about the half truths, the lack of integrity, the self serving attitude and arrogance as well as the downright incompetence of our elected representatives, the choice is also yours.


Stephen Alinikoff lives in Kingston. He is a managing principal in a local insurance and investment firm.

Bloomsburg Press Enterprise Editorial On Paul Kanjorski And Special Interests

BLOOMSBURG PRESS-ENTERPRISE
Thursday, May 6, 2010
Editorial

Who's buying our congressman?

Out-of-state interest

The old joke goes like this: "We've got the best lawmakers money can buy!"

Well, if you never thought that was funny, you certainly won't laugh at this: They're now being bought by people who don't even live here.

Exhibit A is our man in Congress, Democrat Paul Kanjorski.

Officially, he represents the people of northeast Pennsylvania. However, 57 percent of personal contributions to his re-election campaign are coming from outside the state, according to data compiled by the Center for Responsive Politics, which tracks political finances.

It's hard not to wonder: Who are these folks so interested in the re-election of our Congressman?

No other member of Pennsylvania's congressional delegation even comes close to matching Kanjorski's popularity among people who don't live in Pennsylvania.

As a 13-term incumbent, Kanjorski is a key figure on a House committee that oversees regulation of financial services. To put that another way, he's someone to whom people and financial institutions with big money want access.

Keeping this in mind, consider what reporter Eric Boehm of the Pennsylvania Independent discovered when he took a closer look at Kanjorski's donors:

"... Mr. Kanjorski's ... funds come from 30 different states. During the current election cycle, he has received more than $46,000 from people in New York and more than $34,000 from people in Washington, along with donations from as far away as Ogden, Utah, and San Diego. ... Of his $116,000 in contributions from inside Pennsylvania, nearly $70,000 has come from Philadelphia and Pittsburgh combined, and neither of those cities are part of Mr. Kanjorski's congressional district."

In the popular imagination, it's the Republican lawmakers who live off the lint in the pockets of the monied interests.

Either Kanjorski is an exception to the rule, or the rules have changed. Lucky us.

If it's any consolation – and, in truth, it's not – our guy in Washington is not the only one being bought by interests outside of his district and the state.

"All told, Pennsylvania's 18 incumbent U.S. representatives have collected more than $1.68 million from out-of-state individual contributions during this election cycle ..." the Pennsylvania Independent found.
Forget the honest, principled Jimmy Stewart in "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington."

Big-time electoral politics today is more like a loud, garish, 3-D summer blockbuster, with the hidden producers putting up big dollars to re-hire proven actors, the incumbents.

As for the actual voters back home whom the members of Congress purport to represent? Mere extras.

Is it any wonder that, for most people, interest in politics and trust in government are at or near historic lows?

Cleaning House And The Senate

Ponder These Facts

In the United States there are 435 Congressmen/women and 100 Senators for over 307 million people. In Pennsylvania there are 203 House of Representatives(equal to Congress) and 50 Senators for a mere 12.6 million residents. If there was one more state like Pennsylvania were could be our own country...Not. If that simple statistic doesn't let Pennsylvania residents know how they are being taken then none will.

Ed Rendell duked it out yesterday with Tom Corbett over Corbett's no tax hike pledge. Here's what Rendell had to say.

“When you hear the political candidates — both Democrats and Republicans — say, ‘We don’t have to raise taxes. We can do it by cutting the budget,’ there’s no way they can do it by cutting the budget,” Rendell said.

Rendell, referring to Corbett, said: “I see that the leading Republican just signed a no-tax pledge. He needs to have his head examined.”

Uhh...Ed...read the first paragraph...I know a good physician who can examine your head any day. Ed's answer is to tax, tax, tax. Ed, lets cut out the "T" and ax, ax, ax.

Congressman John Murtha Dies

The Huffington Post is reporting that Pennsylvania Congressman John Murtha died this afternoon from complications of recent surgery.

First elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in February of 1974, Murtha dedicated his life to serving his country both in the military and in the halls of Congress. A former Marine, he became the first Vietnam War combat Veteran elected to the U.S. Congress.