Congressman Matt Cartwright. (Photo: LuLac archives).
7 VOTES SHY OF HUMANITY
The GOP controlled Congress voted to increase hunger in America the other day. These fat and happy leaders who have theirs are hellbent on denying people a step up. The good news is the votes are getting closer as the fraud of this GOP leadership and its Tea Party ilk are becoming increasing evident to thinking Americans. Our own Congressman Cartwright quoted the late Ronald Reagan in pointing out the insanity of this latest punitive measure by a bunch of mean spirited “Represenhtatives of……..whoever the hell they are representing because it certainly isn’t the people.
Rep. Cartwright voted against the “Nutrition Reform and Work Opportunity Act”, legislation which cuts food aid (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program/SNAP) by nearly $40 billion, denying basic food for nearly 4 million Americans next year. The measure passed by a vote of 217 to 210.
“Today, I joined with religious and hunger prevention leaders across the county in standing up for America’s families who are struggling to put food on the table, including 28,000 here in Pennsylvania’s 17th District,” Rep. Cartwright said. “Voting against draconian cuts that will take the food out the mouths of nearly 4 million Americans next year was the right thing to do. These devastating cuts will harm children, seniors, veterans, and Americans looking for work.”
“SNAP is a vital tool to fight hunger and help unemployed Americans feed their families as they seek new employment, send their children to school, and get themselves back on their feet. More than 90% of people on SNAP are children, the elderly, disabled, or already working, and yet they are struggling to put food on the table as SNAP benefits amount to only $1.40 per meal here in Pennsylvania,” Rep. Cartwright stated.
The bill contains a number of provisions that ignore the reality of a sluggish job market and unemployment, which is at 7.5% here in Pennsylvania. For example, the bill would end governors’ ability to waive SNAP’s harsh time limit for people looking for work in time of high unemployment. Further, the House bill will cut school lunches for over 200,000 children and eliminate food assistance for 170,000 veterans.
“Not only is this bill harmful to the most vulnerable, it will weaken our nation’s farm and rural economies and jeopardize any chance of enactment of a new farm bill to support our nation’s farmers, ranchers, food security, conservation, rural communities,” Rep. Cartwright stated.
“I agree with Former President Reagan, who said, ‘As long as there is one person in this country who is hungry, that’s one person too many, and something must be done about it.’ As too many children and seniors go to bed hungry each night, my vote today rejecting these shameful cuts was a vote for enacting a bipartisan Farm Bill that restores essential nutrition initiatives for nearly 50 million Americans,” Rep. Cartwright said.
Pope Francis I. (Photo: The Guardian).
FRANK'LY SPEAKING
You just knew when Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio became Pope things were going to change at least in the language coming from the Holy See. Here is a guy who eschewed the ermine stoles of past Pontiffs, paid his own hotel bill and decided to live in small quarters inside the Papal compound.
In an interview with The American, a magazine put out by the Jesuits he said the church needed to focus in on the person and not make judgements on people. He said that the Church as an institution has to rid itself of its obsession with small minded rules that focus on sex, gay rights and abortion. Now to be clear, the Pope is not advocating gay priests, abortion and even women priests but what he was pointing to was the minutia certain Catholic Bishops have been dealing with in their churches.
Case in point, I don’t think any Bishop has a right to deny communion to a politician that is pro choice or is pro life and votes for a health care bill that gives people the opportunity to buy contraception. All it is an opportunity to obtain those services, and nothing more.
The Pope also decried abortion as part of our throw away society and even though that was seen as an olive branch to the church conservatives, it was also a common sense thing to say. Abortion should be last a resort but it does remain a resort for people who choose that route.
It is refreshing to see a Roman Catholic leader still adhere to the true principles of the church which are preaching the gospel of humanity instead of trying to tell people how to run their sexual lives.
And I think it is freaking hysterical that the same right wing conservatives who wring their hands about how we have to get back to the principles of our founding fathers think Francis is out of line when he gets down to the basics of what Christinanity was founded upon, Faith, Hope and Charity.
NO FREE LOADERS ON HEALTH CARE
Let’s put this one health care rumor to rest being spouted by people opposed to Obamacare. No one can dime the system by contracting a disease, then signing up for the Affordable Care Act and then opt out of it. Like all insurance, there are enrollment periods. The first enrollment period starts from October through March 2013, 2014. You can enroll in a health care exchange program. After that, like all insurance, there is an enrollment period from October through December. THAT’S IT!!!
So if you hear that the costs of this are gong to be driven up by transient users of the Affordable Care Act, that’s a lie. As a matter of fact it is out and out BULLSHIT. I don’t know anyone who plans a heart attack, cancer or stroke. The people who are opposing Obama care are going to look as silly as the people who said that Presidents Clinton and Obama were going to their precious guns away because they opposed assault ban rifles in the hands of average Joes. You still have your guns and in five years, you’ll have cheaper health care.
THE INDEPENDENT PENS AGAIN!!!!
Okay, okay, that headline doesn’t mean someone is going to revive the old Sunday Independent newspaper, but it does mean Independent Luzerne County Council member Rick Williams has penned some thoughts on how the County has been running and what the Council’s impact has been. Here are his thoughts.Dear Editor
Less than two years ago, the new Luzerne County Home Rule government began to change the way Luzerne County governs itself. As I listen to residents throughout the county, I am often asked: "So what's really different, except now there are 11 council members instead of 3 commissioners?"
When it comes to reforming the past practices of Luzerne County government, most people would like to see major changes happen quickly. From my perspective as the only Independent on the County Council, important changes are happening, though not as quickly as we would like. Changing government is not simple. But progress is being made.
County Council is now implementing sound fiscal and budget practices that have put us on a path to pay down our debt and budget our money wisely.
We are modernizing, improving efficiencies and increasing transparency in county government.
New systems are being put in place to improve services to citizens by raising performance expectations, while simultaneously treating county staff fairly and with respect.
Many dedicated citizens, not previously included in past political processes, are now serving on boards, authorities and commissions.
And the Council is considering long term policies to improve the health, safety and economic development of our county to make Luzerne County an even better place to live, work, and visit.
I am running for a second term on Luzerne County Council to continue this work because I believe these changes are essential to achieving ethical, excellent and accountable county government….the level of service the people of Luzerne County expect and deserve.
I hope citizens will consider the hard work that the Council has devoted to building a foundation for the future and will support me with a vote in the November 5th election.
Rick Williams