Kanjorski Isn't The Only One With The Gaffes

Obama orders NASA to Improve Relations With the Muslims? Why?? Former NASA Director Says Muslim Outreach Push 'Deeply Flawed' At least someone sees it right.

I thought job creation is the Number One priority in this country. That was yesterday.

Obama can't tackle immigration so he decided to tackle Arizona instead at the fifty yard line. Federal government files lawsuit against Arizona This action follows 34 illegal immigrants who were caught landing on the shores of California including 18 at Camp Pendelton.

He can't handle the BP Oil spill so he decides to take on the next two most important items on the country's agenda. What flawed thinking. But don't worry. Just when you think he's lost direction along comes Specter and Casey to save the day.

Our wounded veterans will be facing a tax on prosthetic limbs courtesy of Senators Robert Casey and Arlen Specter.

“On March 24, Senate Democrats had the opportunity to exempt our veterans from Obamacare’s new tax on medical devices such as prosthetic limbs. But 54 Democrats voted against the measure. They chose to side with the tax-and-spend crowd in Washington over our wounded warriors,”said Grover Norquist, president of Americans for Tax Reform. “This is one of the many reasons Harry Reid and the Democrats did not want Americans to read the 2,500 page health care bill before it was passed.”

In addition to those who served in Afghanistan and Iraq, the Department of Veterans Affairs reports the following number of veterans from America’s wars:

World War II: 2,079,000

Korean War: 2,507,000

Vietnam War: 7,569,000

Desert Shield/Storm: 2,254,000

Casey and Specter(Democrats) voted against Senator Orin Hatch's(Republican) attempt to remove the tax from the bill. The pair announced in December that they would support defense funding including the following appropriation.

• $1.6 million for KCF Technologies in Centre County develop a self-powered prosthetic limb to aid combat-injured veterans. (Specter, Casey, Thompson)

Did I read that right???

Tolling I-80 A No-Go and Northeastern Pennsylvania The Ugly Duckling

As the Associated Press writes about Northeastern PA being key to control of Congress Karin Andren of the Patriot News reports that the Feds are going to reject the tolling of I-80.

The U.S. Department of Transportation has rejected Pennsylvania's plan to toll Interstate 80, according to two sources with knowledge of the application. For months, the Federal Highway Administration has been poring over Gov. Ed Rendell’s proposal to remake I-80’s 311-mile, east-west track into a northern sister to the Pennsylvania Turnpike.

Sources say Rendell is expected to be notified of the decision today or tomorrow. They said the application will be rejected because it would violate language in a federal transportation law that would require money from I-80 tolls to be used only for that roadway.

The Rendell administration's plan would use the toll money to fund transportation initiatives statewide.


Just as Paul Kanjorski reportedly sunk Chris Carney's chance for a seat on the powerful House Appropriations Committee Robert Casey remained wishy-washy about the plan as reported by Becky Polaski of the Ridgway Record.

EMPORIUM – The debate over whether to convert Interstate 80 into a toll road continues to be argued across the state and residents asked Senator Bob Casey, Jr. about his stance on the matter when he visited Emporium yesterday afternoon.

“I don’t know what the federal government could do,” Casey said. “We don’t vote on it.”

Casey remarked that if he had a vote he would want to see some economic data and analysis showing the benefits that would be gained from adding tolls to Interstate 80.

“There’s a big debate about that, but I haven’t seen any conclusions with regard to what the studies show about the impact,” Casey said.

In particular, individuals stressed to Casey the concern that adding tolls to Interstate 80 would cause more vehicles to use other routes across the state, increasing the cost for those roads to be maintained.

Senator Casey seems to be in the dark about alot of issues. As reported on PAPundits Casey supported continued funding of Acorn.

I called Senator Robert P Casey Jr’s DC office, but no one answered. I then called the DC toll free number, was put through to voicemail after hearing a message saying there was extremely high call volume, then a recording said the inbox was full.

Then I called the Harrisburg office, and again, no one answered. I finally got an unimpressive witch to answer on the Hburg toll free line. I asked her what Casey’s defense was for continuing to support the corruption of ACORN. She seemed annoyed, and said that Casey voted against the Johanns Amendment (#2355 to H.R.3288) because it “went too far” and that criminal activity should be tried in court. She further stated that the statement Casey gave them (presumably to read to angry voters) said that the Amendment was to prevent ACORN from getting any money. I corrected her and told her that it only prevents ACORN from getting money from HUD. She declined “to argue” with me, but said she’d take my comments on the matter. I told her, “This crap right here, him supporting a corrupt organization, this is exactly why I changed my party affiliation to Republican last year after being a Democrat since I was 18. And this crap, this is exactly why he’s FIRED.”

She simply said in her monotone voice, “Okay,” then hung up.


Here's another example demonstrating Senator Casey's lack of familiarity with legislation he votes on. ProLife PA by Sue Cirba writes about Casey's apparent attempt to promote "Buy American" AFTER he voted for the stimulus bill that didn't protect American jobs.

Senator Bob Casey appeared on On the Record with Greta Van Susteren yesterday on Fox TV. According to Casey, "Well, there's a section of the recovery bill where dollars go to companies that are creating clean energy jobs. The problem we have now is that we've got lots and lots of companies that are benefiting, but unfortunately, too many of them are overseas in China and other places around the world. We want to make a correction to the recovery bill so that we're creating American jobs with American tax dollars." Sue Cirba; Bob Casey voted for the stimulus bill!. Was this loop hole in a part of the bill Casey read or the part he didn't read? Isn't this akin to closing the barn door after the million dollar stallion escaped? Casey has long been blindly promoting everything Obama wants. Perhaps Casey will learn a lesson from this experience and take a more thorough look at the health care bill before voting for it. Perhaps Casey should seriously consider Bart Stupak's objections to Obama's health care bill before Casey makes another huge blunder.

All of this post brings me back to the point that Northeastern Pennsylvania doesn't get the attention it deserves even from homegrowns. Kanjorski disses Carney in the name of Philadelphia and Casey sits on the sideline. This Opinion in the Philadelphia Inquirer by Rob Wonderling, president and CEO of the Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce promoting the tolling of I-80 and this article highlighting the support of SEPTA and the AFL-CIO from Philadelphia to toll I-80 demonstrate the impotence of the seniority Kanjorski claims he professes time and time again. Never mind that Philadelphians stick up for whats best for them, Kanjorski's vote sustains their actions.

Kevin Blaum wants us to believe that Kanjorski did the right thing by voting against Carney if he didn't have the support of the rest of the committee. Mr. Blaum couldn't be more wrong on this issue. From all perspectives it appears Kanjorski doesn't have enough juice to persuade the members of the Appropriations Committee to support Carney. Kanjorski had to rely on the coattails of John Murtha and Charlie Rangel for "sap from the tree" to feed the "district family".

Combine that problem with Casey's blind support for Obama policies and inept posturing on Northeastern Pennsylvania issues its no wonder we are relagated to feeling like the Ugly Duckling.

Here's Bobby- An Acorn of Sorts

To say that Senator Robert Casey has had a bad couple of says may be an understatement. A couple of amateur journalists accomplish what the Yellow Stream Media(forget drive-by, Rush already trademarked that name) refused to do after the last election. ACORN, the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now, was accused of voter fraud during the most recent national election. There were repeated reports of criminal investigations against the organization.

If you go to BigGovernment.com you can watch the videos that expose the truth about the corruption within the organization. ACORN not only had its pants pulled down in public but I'm not sure whether they were wearing any underwear. Prostitutes are used to being naked and, it seems, ACORN representatives facilitate that behavior. Locations in Baltimore, Washington D.C., New York, and San Bernadino, CA. were targets of the novice investigators. In each case similar unacceptable, no unbelievable, advice was given to the fuax "professionals."

Evidently Senator Casey doesn't get out much. On Friday the Census Bureau severed ties with ACORN after allegations surfaced when the videos were launched nationwide.

Census Bureau spokesman Stephen Buckner said officials in the bureau, which is part of the Department of Commerce, had been concerned with news reports about ACORN for awhile and “had been monitoring them.”

Buckner said recent videotapes posted on BigGovernment.com and broadcast on Fox News -- showing a young man and young woman pretending to be a pimp and prostitute, declaring themselves such and apparently able to secure the help of ACORN employees in Washington D.C. , and Baltimore, in obtaining housing – was “the tipping point.”

On Monday the Senate voted 83-7 to deny funds to ACORN but Bob Casey was one of the seven who wanted ACORN to continue receiving our hard earned money so they could continue to support tax evasion.

Today the White House calls ACORN employees' behavior unacceptable. But you gotta love Robert Gibbs. He should be DJ Spinmeister.

Gibbs said the Census Bureau decided that ACORN could not assist the group in meeting "the bureau's goal of achieving a fair and accurate count in 2010" and that some other agencies are evaluating their relationship with the group. "We constantly evaluate to ensure that any grantee is living up to what has to happen in order to fulfill that grant application."

He pointed out that "previous administrations" had awarded grants to ACORN either through the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Uhh..Gibbs...the Administration can't spend what the Congress and Senate did not fund and authorize with legislation. Even you don't get paid without legislative action. Speaking of past adminstrations authorizing watch the following video where Casey is proud of the funding he provided to ACORN and LA RAZA. I did a fact check and Bob Casey is not George Bush although Gibbs hanging participle almost worked.



For those of you that may not know La Raza is a great supporter of illegal immigration regardless of their claims to the contrary.

My other observation- Obama gets called out by Illinois Congressman Luis Guiterrez (D)for barring undocumented immigrants from purchase healthcare coverage in the government exchange. Senator Jay Rockefller(D) bails on Senator Baucus's(D) proposal for healthcare. Senator Robert Casey (D) votes for continued funding of ACORN while the Whitehouse blasts ACORN. Are the D's in disarray less than 10 months into this presidency or is it me?

Back to Bobby. Here's is the keynote speaker for the 2007 ACORN national convention held in Columbus, Ohio .

Sallie Mae Announces 600 Jobs, Formerly Overseas, For NEPA-

Call me synical but what the hell was Sallie Mae doing sending 2,000 jobs overseas in the first place. The dog and pony show by Paul Kanjorski and Bob Casey today detracted from asking that question which is germane to any discussion about "BRINGING BACK JOBS". You don't mean to tell me that Sallie Mae was exploiting the cheap labor overseas. Nahh...that would never happen. Kanjo and Casey should have thought this one through a little more. Why did they let the jobs go overseas?

Let's take a few highlights from the SEC filings for SLM-stock ticker symbol for the private firm, Sallie Mae.

Our primary business is to originate, service and collect student loans. We provide funding, delivery and servicing support for education loans in the United States through our participation in the Federal Family Education Loan Program (“FFELP”) and through our non-federally guaranteed Private Education Loan programs.

At December 31, 2008, we had approximately 8,000 employees.(Note-According to their Form 10-K filings for years 2005 through 2007 they had 11,000 employees.)

Our primary marketing point-of-contact is the school’s financial aid office.

To sum up ,although all of their business is derived in the United States one quarter of their work force is overseas and will continue to be for the near future.

If you look here you will find the principal facilities owned and leased by Sallie Mae. Are any of those facilities overseas? I don't see a one.

I went down their corporate structure and clicked on every entity. Not one listed an overseas address.

In 2004 their Form 10-K listed 9,000 employees. As previously stated the number was increased from 9,000 to 11,000 in 2005 and remained there through 2007. In the 2008 filing the number was decreased to 8,000 employees.

So basically they fired 3,000 employees in the U.S. Evidently they replaced them with 2,000 people overseas in India etc. Now they want to bring them back. Magnanimous of them isn't it? Instead of hailing them for gesture they should be chided for the first act because all of their loans originate in the U.S. according to their filings.

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.

Earmarks-So What Did We Need A Stimulus Plan For

Our legislators passed the Porkulus Spendulous package which was full of money for projects in each state. Now that they finished that mission we are now back to our regularly scheduled programming.

The Senate and House passed thier biennial Omnibus(take the ride on the money bus) bill which is the traditional legislation packed with earmarks. Robert Casey was number 15 in the Senate with $27,169,750.00 of earmarks. Arlen Specter reeled in the number 17 spot with $25,320,000.00.

You can look up the entire database here at Taxpayers for Common Sense. Well, at least the taxpayers have it.

Senator Vince Fumo Behind Anti-Rendell Ads in 2002

The Associated Press is reporting out of Philadelphia that testimony in ex-Senator Vincent Fumo's trial indicates he quitely funded anti-Rendell campaign ads according to an article in today's Times Leader. As you read the story it parallels Attorney General Tom Corbett's efforts in Bonusgate.

Fumo gave $35,000 to a political action committee that placed anti-Rendell newspaper ads, had state Senate aides set up computer and phone equipment at Rendell rival Bob Casey’s headquarters, and delegated Senate contractor Howard Cain to run a get-out-the-vote effort for Casey, Cain and others testified.

The newspaper ads gave no hint that Fumo, a longtime Philadelphia power broker, was involved. In small type, they said only that they were sponsored by “Public Officials for a Better Pennsylvania” — a PAC formed two months earlier by two high-ranking Democrats, Rep. Bill DeWeese and Sen. Bob Mellow. Both men supported Casey.

Mellow told The Philadelphia Inquirer recently that he could not recall what role Fumo played in the PAC. DeWeese also cited a hazy memory. But DeWeese conceded that using the group to shield Fumo’s role in the attack “certainly seems to be a dubious mechanism.”

Harrisburg is nothing but a breeding cesspool full of corrupt politicians. Some get caught and others get talked about.