Where To Be Election Night

Terry Casey, Chairman of the Luzerne County Republicans sent out an email announcing the GOP parties on election night.

Please join us for a victory celebration at Luzerne County Republican Headquarters, 41 S. Main St., Wilkes-Barre, on Election Night.

There will be food and beverages.

Other GOP parties:

· PAT TOOMEY, Holiday Inn, 7736 Adrienne Drive, Allentown

· TOM CORBETT/JIM CAWLEY, Pittsburgh

· LOU BARLETTA, Mea’s Restaurant, 8 W. Broad St., Hazleton

· TOM MARINO, 33 East Restaurant, 33 East St., Williamsport

· STEVE URBAN, Luzerne County GOP HQ, Wilkes-Barre

· FRANK SCAVO, Arcaro & Genell, Main Street, Old Forge

· KAREN BOBACK, Lakeside Skillet, Harveys Lake

· RICK ARNOLD, Cavanaugh’s, Mountain Top

· BILL GOLDSWORTHY, Bo Brothers, Wyoming Avenue, Wyoming

· JAMES O’MEARA, Luzerne County GOP Headquarters

· TARAH TOOHIL, Elks Lodge, East Broad Street, Hazleton

· TERRENCE O’CONNOR, Luzerne Co. GOP Headquarters, Wilkes-Barre


· TERRY CASEY, LUZERNE COUNTY GOP CHAIRMAN
GOP Headquarters, Wilkes-Barre

570-208-4671

Barletta 52% Kanjorski 41% In New Poll

In a new poll conducted for the American Action Forum voters say the country is on the wrong track by a three to one margin. A majority of the voters canvassed in the districts included in the poll are against the health care reform plan by a 51 to 39 percent margin.

The 11th Congressional District race poll confirms a previous poll showing Barletta leading Kanjorski by a much wider margin than the last race.

Challenger Lou Barletta’s 93 percent name recognition is very similar to Rep. Paul Kanjorski’s 96 percent, and Barletta holds a 52 to 41 percent lead on the ballot.

A similar result was found for the GOP challenger Tom Marino in the 10th district against Chris Carney. He leads 52% to 37%.

So how did that "Hopey Changey" thing work out for Obama, Pelosi, Reid, and Kanjorski?

Where Is The GOP Healthcare Proposal?

Numerous articles and commentaries examined and dissected the Democratic health proposals. But this article on ABCnews.com asks the question "Where is the GOP proposals?" Here is the answer.

Elements of GOP plans include:


• Tax credits to individuals who purchase health insurance on their own.


• Incentives for states and small businesses to band together and offer health insurance at lower costs.


• Tort reform to reduce costly "defensive medicine."


• Incentives to save through health savings accounts.


• Incentives to promote prevention and wellness.


• Reforms to end discrimination on the basis of preexisting conditions.


• Breaking down barriers to purchasing health insurance across state lines.


"Why don't we put forward our own 1,000-page bill? Because then with one vote they can defeat it," says Sen. Michael Enzi (R) of Wyoming, a member of the two panels that worked on healthcare legislation – the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee and the Finance Committee.


GOP's healthcare vision: light on mandates


What GOP plans have in common are elements to increase competition and defend against government deciding terms of healthcare or insurance.


"You ought to be able to pick your plan as opposed to having Congress dictate," Senator Enzi adds, noting that Massachusetts – which requires universal healthcare – has 1,200 mandates; Wyoming has 23.


"Congress is going to say what the minimum insurance is that you have and if you don't like it you pay a fine, and if you don't pay the fine you go to jail," he says.


Amendments ignored


As congressional panels drafted bills, Republicans also proposed hundreds of amendments, most of which were rejected.

Jonathan Krohn- Defines Conservatism

Here's a link to his interview on Fox News.

Rendell Tries To Convince Specter To Switch Parties

From Aaron Blake at The Hill.

Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell’s (D) office on Monday confirmed the governor’s recent comments that he has tried to get Sen. Arlen Specter (R-Pa.) to switch parties and run as a Democrat.

After Rendell said in a news station interview that he, Vice President Biden and Sen. Bob Casey Jr. (D-Pa.) have all lobbied Specter to make the switch, Casey’s office denied that Casey had done so in any private manner, and Biden’s office declined to comment.

But Rendell spokesman Chuck Ardo said Rendell has indeed tried to convince Specter on many occasions to switch parties.

“The governor has had conversations — both public and private — trying to urge Sen. Specter to switch parties, and each and every time, he has received a resounding ‘no’ in response,” Ardo said.

Ardo did not speak to how serious the supposed lobbying efforts by Biden and Casey were. He agreed with Casey’s office that Rendell might have been referring to an event last month at which Rendell and Biden joked about Specter switching parties.

“I think the governor was alluding to some [conversations that were] public, some private, some tongue-in-cheek, some a bit more serious,” Ardo said.

AG Corbett Moves Closer Toward Running For PA Governor

There is this thing about being a governor who cannot seek another term. People want to jump in your grave faster than spit. An anticipated announcement was reported today on Philly.com.

Two-term state Attorney General Tom Corbett has taken his first official step toward a run for governor.

Corbett, 59, a Republican, filed paperwork today to form an exploratory committee after discussions with friends and family, a spokesman said.

"Pennsylvanians are looking for a leader with the experience to create economic opportunities for Pennsylvania families through tax cuts, cutting government waste and spending, reforming state government, and creating good family-sustaining jobs," Corbett said in a statement.

The paperwork filing allows Corbett to begin raising money and hiring staff for the 2010 race.

Corbett also announced members of his exploratory committee, among them some of the most influential names in state Republican politics. They include Bob Asher, Republican national committeeman, and Jack Barbour, CEO-elect of the Buchanan, Ingersoll & Rooney law firm, as cochairmen of his committee.

Christine Toretti, a Republican national committeewoman, will serve as a finance chairwoman. Sandra Schultz Newman, former Pennsylvania Supreme Court justice, will serve as an honorary chairwoman to the committee.

I believe he will work Bonusgate to victory for Governor. Of course along the way a few other criminal types will make it to the front page.

Justice And Mercy Entered The Room and Between Them Walked The Offer/Promise Of Quid Pro Quo

AFL-CIO pledges votes for Specter

Angling for a critical Senate swing vote to pass the "card check" bill that would make it easier to form unions, Pennsylvania labor leaders promised Sen. Arlen Specter that they will switch union members from the Democratic Party to the Republican Party to help him win a tough 2010 primary election, The Washington Times has learned.

Pennsylvania AFL-CIO President William M. George said he pledged Mr. Specter "all kinds of help from the union" in a series of meetings to woo the Republican senator's support for the bill, which would ease rules favoring secret-ballot elections to unionize workplaces.

"We are pushing to give him help in the primary, including changing Democrats to Republicans for the primary," Mr. George told The Times. "It's hard to do because of other races in the state ... but we'll do it for 'card check.' "

"It is surprising in this era of change that anyone would be brazen enough to suggest a quid pro quo" of endorsements and other political support, said Jerry Gorski, national chairman of the Associated Builders and Contractors, a group spearheading opposition to the bill.

"Why would the AFL-CIO throw their support to a candidate based on one single issue?" he asked, accusing the union of trying to "buy" Mr. Specter.

Specter Thinking About Being A Democrat???

SEN. SPECTER EYES 'OPEN' 2010 PATH.

Arlen Specter's "Panicky in Pennsylvania" tour continues.

The veteran Republican U.S. senator, who is openly concerned about his re-election chances after voting for the $787 billion economic stimulus bill, has been contacting state legislators, according to a Harrisburg source.

Specter supposedly has been asking the state pols about the prospect of Pennsylvania having an open primary next year.

He obviously will attempt almost anything to avoid a direct party confrontation with Pat Toomey. The former U.S. representative nearly defeated Specter in the 2004 GOP primary and has all but formally declared his intention to run again.

Specter already has one announced challenger for the Republican nomination: Peg Luksik of Johnstown, the conservative activist who has run unsuccessfully for governor three times.

Talk in Harrisburg is that Specter will change his party affiliation to Democrat if he can't persuade state lawmakers to approve an open primary.

Citizens To Protect PA Jobs!

GOP voters ‘check’ strong NO to Employee Free Choice Act.

“It is clear that GOP voters throughout the Commonwealth believe that passage of EFCA and the effective elimination of the private ballot to determine union representation will result in the closing of businesses and the loss of jobs,” said Gene Barr, vice president of government and public affairs for the Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry. “Respondents to the poll believe Congress should be focused on other issues, such as jobs and health care, which are far more pressing than EFCA.”

Hazleton mayor lights fire under county GOP

Read the article online at the Pittsburgh Tribune Review website.

"Some believe the key to our future lies in moderating," he said. "With all due respect, those who believe that could not be more wrong."