Governor Corbett and unConstitutional GOP Policies wastes time and money.

              Another of Governor Corbett’s landmark policies was determined by the Commonwealth Court to violate the Pennsylvania State Constitution. His Human Services Block Grant Program got hit this time. Ths 2012 program, was said to give counties flexibility to spend Human Services funds where they most needed them. There was also another 10% slashed from their budgets.

Apperently it was so flexible in its interpretation of State Law that it went outside the bounds of the Constitution. Court reviews of laws presented by Governor Corbett and the Republican party are quite normal over the last 2 years. The Voter I.D., Act 13, stripped municipalities of the ability to establish their own zoning regulations. The elimination of the Adult Basic Health Care Program. It provided Health Care for working Pennsylvanians and partially paid for tabacco settlement funds. Republicans first attempts at reapportionment were all found unConstitutional.

Governor Corbett’s lawsuit against the NCAA was dismissed. His plan to privatize the Pennsylvania state lottery was rejected by the attorney general. The truth is the laws Governor Corbett is trying to pass are a waste if taxpayer money. The Governor’s office has spent almost $3 million on consulting firms for the lottery alone. If House Republicans would allow fair debate in the House these expenses could be avoided. During both the Act 13 and Voter I.D. debates, Democrats brought up the issue of Constitutionality only to be rebuked.

If Corbett’s liquor privatization and pension schemes get signed they will likely see court. Governor Corbett, just like Republicans nationwide care little for what the people want. It seems as if the Constitution only matters if it works in their favor and if not they stomp all over it. It is just a matter of time before they overwhelm the people and we are governed by the Koch Brothers.

2014 election can save Pennsylvania from Governor Corbett’s corporate cronyism.

             Governor Corbett has been recieving large donations from corporations since he was Attorney General. He recieved over $1 million from the Natural Gas Drilling Industry while the AG and another $350,000 since he became Governor. He recieved over $15,000 worth of corporate gifts in 2012 alone. A corporation even bought his wife a dress for some sort of fundraiser. Add in the fact that he recieved money from corporations that benefitted from his decisions and you have one of the most corrupt Governors in Pennsylvania history.

Governor Corbett, while not quite as bad as Governor Rick Perry of Texas, has done quite a bit of damage to Pennsylvania. He has cut several billion dollars from the Education Budget. He has closed many of the State Health Centers, resulting in the loss of nurses who helped catch several outbreaks and helped administer vaccinations, just not enough according to Corbett. Pennsylvania ranks among the worst in the country at processing Food Stamp applications in the Federally Mandated time limit. Pennsylvania also ranks 49th in the country in Job Creation, which Corbett blames on Pennsylvanians being drug abusers.

During Governor Corbett’s reign of inadequacy; Natural Gas Drilling Companies have paid a pittance in taxes. These companies claimed they pay over $1 billion in taxes, when in actuality they only paid about $75 million. At last count there were 85 actual drilling companies, about 75% pay zero in taxes. Why is Pennsylvania not taxing these companies? Corbett speaks of all the good they do, but doesn’t mention the water and air pollution, or the damage done to the roads. Someone is picking up the tab for that. The Pennsylvania tax payers, of course. The lazy, drug addicted and did I mention the leeches who suck the lifeblood of the Government.

Corporate Corbett wants to privatize the State run Liquor Stores. Cutting another 3,000 and some good paying jobs. He said it will create more private industry jobs, at minimum wage of course. He wants to privatize the State Lottery, which many of the proceeds go to helping the elderly. He wants to sell that to a British company. AG Kathleen Kane has at least temporarily stopped that, saying it violates Pennsylvania’s Constitution. His newest bright idea, to screw the people, is reforming the Pension Plan. Which of course was contractually agreed to. He wants to turn it into a 401k style plan, Republicans love those plans. Please don’t forget while he us doing all this, he is the highest paid Governor at least in the East and I believe in the whole country as well at 170, 000.

At this moment One Term Tommy is losing to any possible Democrat challenger, the closest was 8 percentage points. I think he might be losing to the clerk at the Turkey Hill around the corner. That was a lame joke, I hope you get my meaning. The Voter I.D. was aimed specifically to prevent minorities in larger cities from voting. A Republican lawmaker in the State Senate said as much, saying that this was how they would beat President Obama. But Pennsylvanians are very unhappy with Governor Corbett. We just need to get everyone out to vote, so we can remove this parasite from office. GET OUT TO VOTE 2014! TAKE PENNSYLVANIA BACK FROM CORPORATIONS!

Pay to play in Pennsylvania, a little more corruption for us.

            Top former officials of the Pa. Turnpike and a prominent ex-legislator were among 8 people indicted Wensday. Joseph Brimeier, retired 2011 as Chief Executive of the Turnpike Commission and former state minority leader Robert J. Mellow (D-Lackawana) are accused of illegally soliciting political contributions and misusing Turnpike funds. Others indicted were Mitch Rubin former turnpike chairman, George Hatalowich former COO, employees Raymond Zajicek and Melvin Sheldon and vendor employees Dennis Miller and Jeffrey Suzeski.

                  A pay to play culture permeated the turnpike, according to Attorney General Kathleen G. Kane. Companies seeking work with the turnpike lavished officials with entertainment, dinners, trips and sporting events. Political contributors were rewarded with contracts and politicians were rewarded with gifts and perks, according to the grand jury. The jurors 85 page presentment told of a 60/40 rule, the majority in power got 60% of contracts and jobs, the minority the other 40%. The Pittsburgh grand jury deliberated for 44 months and interviewed hundreds of witnesses. Investigating is continuing but is restricted under an 8 year statute of limitations.

                     Mellow who is currently in a federal prison in South Carolina on unrelated corruption charges. He was charged with corrupt organizations, bribery, bid rigging, conspiracy and other offenses. Brimeier is facing similar charges. Miller, Rubin, Hatalowich and Suzenski were arraigned on Wensday and released on $100,000 unsecured bail. Shelton and Brimeier are expected in court today.

              In March 2009, then Governor Ed Rendell fired Rubin as commissioner chairman when he found out Rubin was a targetn a corruption probe of Vincent J. Fumo. The turnpike figured tangetially in the federal case against Fumo. Fumo was convicted of fraud and other charges in 2009.

                 Well this shows that corruption is not just a one party item. Democrats are guilty as well. Pennsylvania needs to get a lid on things because corruption is tearing through our state. We have good reason not to trust our state government. This is an abuse of power and all involved should be punished to the full extent of the law.

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Privatization of Liquor sales in Pa., who benefits?

                  Govener Corbett is trying force liquor privatization down Pennsylvania throats. His attemots to sell the lottery to a British company, by Attorney General Kathleen Kane has put at least a temporary stop to that. His proposal would remove the state from the sale of liquor and at the same time add funding to education.

                      Supporters of liquor privatization cite several benefits we would see. They say it should be a private business because government cannot run anything without making a mess of it. The sale of liquor stores would boost the states revenue. Corbett is proposing $1 billion toward state education funded mostly through the sale of liquor licenses. Proponents of privatization say you will get better prices and selection. Corbett also states the fact that only Pennsylvania and Utah still control the sale of liquor.

              Opponents of privatization say we will see more incidents of drunken driving and underage drinking. With a 17 year old kid at the register can we really trust them to card everyone or even pay much attention to the cards thry are seeing. They say less selection and higher prices, Washington state shoppers say they have experienced higher prices due to the increased taxes. The LCB makes $2.1 billion in sales a year, $494 million in profits and taxes. They could make more if liquor stores were open on Sundays. Also if privatization occurs 3,000 employees would lose their jobs.

                Niw to be clear the $1 billion would be paid out over 4 years, to me he created the illusion that it would be $1 billion every year for education. Who really benefits here are your large chain stores who have been pouring in a good amount of lobbying money. So I am sure our Governer is seeing some sort of benefit. It just came out that he recieved over $11,000 in illegal benefits. So there is not a question of whether he is corrupt, it is how corrupt is he. It appears the wealthy benefit from liquor privatization.

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