After 133 years, the Pennsylvania General Assembly should approve an enabling act for a true citizens’ constitutional convention.
In 1872, the citizens of Pennsylvania agreed to convene in a dedicated review of the frame of government. At that constitutional convention, much of the focus was on the abuses of special legislation, disturbing and fraudulent election practices, and the structure of the state’s court system.
The convention lasted just over a year, where these and other issues were hotly debated by statesmen of the day. Although there were court challenges to the proceedings and fractional political groups voicing strong opposition, the press covered the convention faithfully and produced largely favorable editorials.
When Pennsylvanians confronted the new Constitution at a special election, they adopted it by a two to one margin. This was the last time citizens fully participated in such a broad review of government at a convention. Since then, constitutional change has been carried out in piecemeal fashion by the hands of others.
Between 1901 and 1959, 86 constitutional amendments emanated from the legislature. 59 were adopted by the voters. All were minor sectional changes to the document, and as the mood of voters changed from year to year, so did their embrace of amendments.
Running parallel to this incremental and unpredictable path of change were periodic pushes for general revision instigated by various Governors: The Sproul Commission in 1921, a separate pre-depression effort by Gifford Pinchot, the 1935 Earle Advisory Committee and the Woodside Commission in 1959. These efforts all failed to produce any constitutional change whatsoever.
In 1961, an alternative plan was conceived. William Schnader, who led the Earle Committee and was serving as president of the Pennsylvania Bar Association, urged the group to get involved. By 1963, 14 committees of the Bar Association produced a comprehensive plan - dubbed Project Constitution - to amend the Constitution in article-sized chunks rather than the small sectional bites taken since 1874.
Governor William Scranton took office in 1962 with constitutional change as a high priority. In 1963 the legislature proposed a convention to the electorate. The Bar Association was prepared to submit its plan to the convention, but the voters refused to authorize one.
Scranton then prompted legislative introduction of several of the Bar Association’s “article by article” amendments. Scranton was term-limited out of office in 1966, but he and successor Raymond Shafer successfully shepherded nine amendments through the legislative and voter adoption processes by mid-1967. At the same time, voters approved a convention to consider the remaining articles and the issue of apportionment.
By the time delegates gathered in Harrisburg, the convention’s preparatory committee, consisting entirely of the Lt. Governor and legislative leaders, had already set the agenda. 69 of the 163 delegates to the convention - including 9 of the 13 preparatory committee members - were lawyers.
The delegates carried out their duties and adjourned just 79 minutes before a mandated deadline. When the convention’s recommendations were approved by the electorate eight weeks later, the citizens’ Constitution of 1874 became history, replaced by something rewritten and rearranged on a wholesale scale by the Pennsylvania Bar Association.
While the 1967 convention was indeed of the “limited” variety, it was only because most of the job had already been completed through the Bar Association’s article-by-article amendment process.
To be sure, constitutional change in Pennsylvania since 1874 hasn’t been all bad, but it has only occurred with the sovereign people sitting in the grandstands, relegated to merely ratifying the notions of others rather than molding government in their own hands.
Whenever a crisis in public confidence occurs, any correction or reform must be aimed squarely at the underlying causes. The crisis of the 1870’s was wholly internal, directly caused by actions and abuses within the institutions of government. During the 1960’s, the causes were largely seen as external to government: stunted population growth, the loss of employable young people, and dismal economic conditions.
Clearly, Pennsylvania’s current crisis of confidence more closely resembles the former than the latter. After 133 years, the General Assembly should approve an enabling act for a true citizens’ constitutional convention.
It must be a convention with a deliberate emphasis on the common interest, rather than self-interest. The process must look forward as well as backward, and it must be focused on the structure and integrity of government rather than partisan issues.
At such a convention, Pennsylvanians would shape a government prepared to take on the challenges of the future, restore the virtues of self-governance and blaze a trail for the rest of the nation to follow. Anything less would simply be unacceptable.
Permission is hereby granted to reproduce, publish and/or distribute this article in its entirety.
About PACleanSweep
PACleanSweep is a non-partisan effort dedicated to returning honor, dignity and integrity to government in Pennsylvania. For more information, please visit www.PACleanSweep.com.
Russ Diamond, Chair, chair@pacleansweep.com, 717.383.3025
Wednesday, March 14, 2007
Citizens’ Convention Would Address Crisis in Confidence
AntiRust: This Arena Deal Sucks
One of my favorite blogs. My reactions on the Pens deal comes shortly.
AntiRust: This Arena Deal Sucks This Arena Deal Sucks
I am eating some sour grapes these days. Sour grapes that have been marinating in gasoline and splintered glass.
Pi Day - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Pi Day - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Pi Day and Pi Approximation Day are two unofficial holidays held to celebrate the mathematical constant π (Pi). Pi Day is observed on March 14.
Live blogging: House fire on 12th Street. Smoke.
About seven trucks and plenty of firefighters rushed to the scene of a housefire on 12th Street after 5 AM as blocks on the South Side Flats filled with smoke. A three floor house was puffing with smoke from the walls and roof edge. One older gentleman, was taken out of the building on a stretcher. Conditions unknown. Property damage is sure to occur. Two houses saw a good deal of damage. Red Cross and Fire investigators came to the scene too.
After firefighters put a five-foot hole into the roof with a chainsaw and opened the windows, flames were visible from the street.
The action is about a dozen buildings from ours and on the other side of the street.
Meanwhile, Erik is headed to Harrisburg today to play violin in the Capital with the Frick Middle School's strings. He reported that water pressure for his shower was just fine, despite the fire hoses stringing the neighborhood.
Another resident, a gifted scholar hoping to remain nameless said, "This isn't a good start to Pi Day. But we'll get on the right track by 8:30, we expect."
After firefighters put a five-foot hole into the roof with a chainsaw and opened the windows, flames were visible from the street.
The action is about a dozen buildings from ours and on the other side of the street.
Meanwhile, Erik is headed to Harrisburg today to play violin in the Capital with the Frick Middle School's strings. He reported that water pressure for his shower was just fine, despite the fire hoses stringing the neighborhood.
Another neighbor, dressed in a sweater and flip-flops and sporting the scent familiar to those after spending a night around a campfire said, "Hope everyone is okay."
Erik, with instrument, headed to school. Meanwhile, South 12th Street, between Bradish and Freyburg, was dripping wet from the fire trucks.
Another resident, a gifted scholar hoping to remain nameless said, "This isn't a good start to Pi Day. But we'll get on the right track by 8:30, we expect."
Tuesday, March 13, 2007
Ben Howland Thinks CBS Manipulates the Brackets | NCAA Football Blog - The FanHouse
Ben Howland Thinks CBS Manipulates the Brackets | NCAA Football Blog - The FanHouse: UCLA coach Ben Howland implied yesterday that he thinks the network does, indeed, manipulate the brackets, and that's why his team's first three games could include the storylines of Howland coaching against his alma mater (Weber State), then against the school where he got his first coaching job (Gonzaga), then against the school he coached before UCLA (Pittsburgh).Ben, the air is thin when you are at the top of the world. I hope the UCLA players don't have to take a charge, tip-toe near the out of bounds line, or otherwise play a competitive game throughout the tournament.
I'm worried about George Washington vs. Georgetown vs. Washington whatever. Plus, I hated to see the Catholic schools (Notre Dame vs. Georgetown) against one another in the Big East semis. And why didn't our former Bishop get interviewed by the local Mainstream Media?
Ballot Challenges are IN. Let the torture begin in earnest
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County Council #13 Vernon Boozer by Matt Arena (GD-07-005123)
County Council #13 Brenda Frazier by Matt Arena (GD-07-005120)
City Council #9 Rachel Cooper by 12th and 13th Ward Committee people
(GD-07-005171) The objection is from Kirkland, not committee people. Kirland is in the race and stands to gain the most, perhaps.
City Council #7 Tom Fallon by Michelle Bielen et al
(GD-07-005122) and (GD-07-005152) Tom said on his ethics form he was "unemployed," but had worked in the past year in the office of PA Senator Jim Ferlo, so goes the document.
City Council #7 Patrick Dowd by Anthon Liscowsky
(GD-07-005056) Mr. Dowd filed his statement but put 'see attached' and didn't seem to attach anything with the City Clerk, so the charges read. And, he signed 2006, not 2007.
Play one in the playbook from the Ds is toss the opponent off the ballot. There is not much worse than an un-democratic democrat.
Ugh.
Should Patrick, Tom, Rachel or others want to still run for office, call me. Perhaps it would make sense to enter the November general election race as a Libertarian. I'll help you get onto the ballot.
Early Returns - sloppy again
I'm here to make history, not be a slave of it.
Furthermore, the last time I checked, there were three GOPers running for the post, not two. Humm...
Early Returns - A Post-Gazette Journal Campaign contributionCount on a robust independent candidate in the fall. And, I've emerged already.
Kevin Acklin could wind up with a county salary of $9,000 next year. The Point Breeze lawyer is running against Charles McCullough of Upper St. Clair for the GOP nomination for an at-large seat on county council next year. Under the county charter, the two at-large seats can't both be held by the same party. Unless some robust independent candidate emerges in the fall, therefore, the Democratic and Republican primaries determine those seats.
Furthermore, the last time I checked, there were three GOPers running for the post, not two. Humm...
Early Returns: Doctor Ron Paul is a member of the US House of Reps
The P-G's early returns is covering Ron Paul. That is "DOCTOR" Paul. He is a M.D.
Furthermore, the guy from Green Tree, now in Texas in the Houston area, is a member of the US House, and has been for some time. The blog mention does not even mention that he is in the US CONGRESS.
Furthermore, he isn't the favorte son II. He's been #1 in my book from the get-go.
Furthermore, the guy from Green Tree, now in Texas in the Houston area, is a member of the US House, and has been for some time. The blog mention does not even mention that he is in the US CONGRESS.
Furthermore, he isn't the favorte son II. He's been #1 in my book from the get-go.
Early Returns - A Post-Gazette Journal Favorite son IICandidate get lots of mention in the newspaper before they file official papers to get onto the ballot. There is a lot of talk now about 2008. That's fine. But, it would be nice if folks get a peek at ALL THE CANDIDATES locally in 2007 too.
Pittsburghers still mourning the loss of native son Tom Vilsack's presidential candidacy have a new home town boy to pin their hopes on, presuming their political preferences are dictated more by geography than ideology.
Rep. Ron Paul, a Texas Republican who, like the former Iowa governor, is a Steel City native, announced this weekend that he is forming an exploratory committee in anticipation of his candidacy for the GOP nomination for president. In 1988, Mr. Paul ran for president as a Libertarian earning little notice and few votes. Mr. Paul is one of only six Republican who voted against authorizing the war in Iraq. In addition to opposing the war, he is an immigration hawk and strong critic of President Bush's immigration proposals. You can catch an interview on his web site.
Libertarian Party says Governor’s budget more of same
Rendell’s budget: higher taxes, more spending, bigger bureaucracies
Harrisburg, PA – The Libertarian Party of Pennsylvania Research Committee today released its review of Governor Rendell’s proposed 2007 budget.
The review is highly critical of Rendell’s plans to increase spending, raise a number of taxes and extend Harrisburg’s meddling even further into the marketplace and into individual lives.
Ron Satz, Ph.D., the research chair of the Libertarian Party of Pennsylvania, remarked that, “The governor’s budget proposal accelerates us in the wrong direction. While history shows that small government, low taxes and free enterprise are necessary for prosperity, this budget only gives us higher taxes and more spending on new and expanded Harrisburg government programs.”
Rendell’s budget would increase total state general-fund spending by 3.6% to $27.3 billion. Rendell’s increased spending will be funded by:
* A higher PA sales tax
* A new electricity consumption tax
* A new tax on oil producers and suppliers
* Higher cigarette taxes and new taxes on other forms of tobacco
* A new payroll tax on employers who do not provide employee health care benefits
* Increased municipal solid-waste disposal fees
* Higher taxpayer debt obligations via more state bonds.
Rendell plans to use this money to expand the state government’s involvement in pre-K and primary education as well as health care. Parents, students and health care consumers will pay more yet lose control of these most personal aspects of their private lives.
"This is a bad budget for Pennsylvanians," concluded Satz. "Governor Rendell continues to adopt the failed big-government approach of trying to 'run' Pennsylvania from the top down. The key to reviving Pennsylvania is for Harrisburg to stand aside to let individuals keep more of their money, and let Pennsylvanians’ personal situations and choices target real needs."
The report, which consists of a summary of 18 critical concerns regarding the proposed budget, along with the LPPa's comments and alternatives, is available at the end of this release.
Libertarian Party is the third largest political party in both Pennsylvania and the United States. Nationwide there are over 200,000 registered Libertarians with organizations in all 50 states. Libertarians serve in hundreds of elected offices throughout the nation. Please visit www.LP.org or www.LPPA.org for more information.
Pennsylvania Libertarian Party Review of Governor Rendell's Budget Proposals
1. Governor: Increase total state general-fund spending by 3.6% to $27.3 billion.
LPPa: Begin reducing total state general funding spending to ultimately provide for the police, courts, part-time legislature, and one executive department to protect life, liberty, and property. Nothing else.
2. Governor: Increase the state sales tax from 6% to 7% to help provide property tax cuts, along with gambling revenues, of $900 million next year.
LPPa: Eliminate all income taxes and begin reducing the sales tax. Property taxes should be based on the actual cost of protecting buildings and land, not for raising money for schools. Schools should be paid for and controlled at the local level by their users.
3. Governor: Impose a new electricity consumption tax to pay off $850 million in borrowing for alternative power development and energy conservation.
LPPa: Eliminate or reduce regulations on power companies so that they will make private investments to improve energy efficiency based on engineering calculations and not Harrisburg's political calculations.
4. Governor: Increase municipal solid-waste disposal fees by $2.75 per ton for hazardous-waste cleanup.
LPPa: Privatize solid-waste disposal operations and let strict
enforcement of property rights laws address any environmental concerns.
5. Governor: Impose a new tax on oil companies' gross profits and exempt those companies from the state's corporate net income tax.
LPPa: Eliminate all income taxes to promote development. Don't single out an industry, or a single corporation within an industry, with special favors or with special penalties.
6. Governor: Increase the cigarette tax from $1.35 to $1.45 per pack, levy a new tax on other forms of tobacco and impose a new 3% payroll tax on employers who do not provide employee health care benefits.
LPPa: Stop levying special taxes on products the government doesn't like. As all state taxes are reduced on all business and individual, let the free market address health care needs.
7. Governor: Boost overall education spending by 6%.
LPPa: Reduce state-level spending on education and give local school districts more financial and educational control of the schooling of their children including the elimination of financial penalties against private education providers.
8. Governor: Expand accountability block grants for pre-K and kindergarten by $100 million.
LPPa: Let parents decide on pre-K and kindergarten programs for their children instead of mandating a "one-size fits all children" state-government program.
9. Governor: Expand programs for special education students, improve elementary science education, make academic programs in 30 high schools more rigorous and provide laptops.
LPPa: See 7 and 8. Remove barriers to having future job providers get involved with educational providers in the education of young people at no charge to taxpayers.
10. Governor: Ban smoking in workplaces, restaurants, and bars.
LPPa: Let private workplaces, restaurants, and bars decide for
themselves whether to have smoke-free areas or not.
11. Governor: Expand by more than 18% an early intervention program for 76,000 children age 5 and younger.
LPPa: No evidence exists for the benefits of such a program. Stop
wasting taxpayer money for the sake of expanding state government!
12. Governor: Increase Corrections Department spending by 13% to handle growth in the state prison population by adding beds and to reduce recidivism by treating substance abuse and better monitoring inmates after they are released.
LPPa: The governor has the constitutional authority to release
through pardon non-violent drug offenders. This eliminates the need for additional spending and replaces expensive incarceration with lower-cost outpatient medical treatment.
13. Governor: Make possession of a stolen gun a felony, require police notification whenever a gun is lost or stolen, let local communities restrict the distribution and use of handguns, and limit gun purchases to one per month.
LPPa: "The right of the citizens to bear arms in defense of
themselves and the State shall not be questioned." Article I, Section 21, PA Constitution.
14. Governor: Establish the "Energy Independence Fund" to pay for such items as conservation initiatives, solar energy, research, research, support for emerging clean-energy products and companies, and purchase of low-power appliances.
LPPa: See 3 and 5 above. Don't let politicians play scientist or engineer.
15. Governor: Seek legislative and voter approval for $850 million in bonds to encourage alternative energy development and energy conservation.
LPPa: See 3 and 5 above. Dont let politicians play scientist or engineer.
16. Governor: Create a $500 million Jonas Salk Legacy Fund to foster biomedical research funded by tobacco settlement revenue.
LPPa: See 3 and 5 above. Don't let politicians play doctor or medical researcher. Tobacco settlement money should only go to those affected by tobacco company fraud, if any. Otherwise the money should be distributed to the all taxpaying citizens of Pennsylvania as hard tax reductions.
17. Governor: Lease the Pennsylvania Turnpike to a private company to raise $965 million for roads and bridges.
LPPa: Sell the Pennsylvania Turnpike to the highest bidder; let them handle the maintenance.
18. Governor: Tax oil companies' gross profits to raise $750 million for mass transit.
LPPa: See 3 and 5 above. Privatize mass transit and don't subsidize it with tax revenues from private industries, especially industries who would be subsidizing their own competition.
Doing back flips for the YouTube campaigns. Give us a break.
Bob Mayo of WTAE and others are make a big deal about the YouTube campaigns. Anyone up for a food fight? Shall I set the table?
These numbers of page views are not going to set the world on fire. They might be a spark. Time will tell. The important element in these videos is trust. To see, watch, hear and catalog the perspectives can't be denied. That is where the power resides. Meanwhile video ads from faceless, nameless, image trashing sources amount to pimples on the digital landscape and our shared political spaces.
Finally, the coverage from the MSM to the trite and the fumbles to the matters of substance is fuel for the fire -- even the sparks. Seems that the MSM would like to give props to empty shoes. That's just another example of Pittsburgh needs oversight.
The links to my video sites, and the photo catalogs at Picassa, are to the left of this blog. I have toyed with this medium and various messages. There isn't any one 'masterpiece.' The best offering of mine has been the CDs that are given in person to those who attend candidate functions.
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Finally, the coverage from the MSM to the trite and the fumbles to the matters of substance is fuel for the fire -- even the sparks. Seems that the MSM would like to give props to empty shoes. That's just another example of Pittsburgh needs oversight.
The links to my video sites, and the photo catalogs at Picassa, are to the left of this blog. I have toyed with this medium and various messages. There isn't any one 'masterpiece.' The best offering of mine has been the CDs that are given in person to those who attend candidate functions.
Recent highly viewed video: Rauterkus.Blip.TV video called, "Democracy is Important to Me" from city council presentation.
Monday, March 12, 2007
Pokora sues fellow Dems
Pokora sues fellow Dems - Pittsburgh Tribune-ReviewNo sense in making sure that ever vote counts. No way.
The worst: un-democratic democrats.
Second worst: Run to court politicians.
Tony should just pull out of the Dem party so he can run in the general election against the winner of the D's primary. Well, he should have done that. Now it is too late.
Staying put. The Pens won't be tossing in the towel.
KDKA TV News is reporting that the NHL's Pittsburgh Penguins are not going to move. A meeting is slated to dot the "i"s and cross the "t"s and the announcement will be made before the next home game.
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Sources: Pittsburgh arena deal done - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review: A spokesman for Pittsburgh Mayor Luke Ravenstahl said he knew nothing of a deal.
'I never heard that. I heard nothing like that,' spokesman Dick Skrinjar said.
Why Do Evangelicals Ignore Ron Paul? by Chuck Baldwin
Why Do Evangelicals Ignore Ron Paul? by Chuck Baldwin The question burning in the minds of evangelicals today is: Which Republican candidate for president will we anoint? There are several possibilities, but apparently Congressman Ron Paul is not one of them.
Ron Paul received his Bachelor's degree from Gettysburg College. He received his MD from Duke University. He began his OB/GYN career in 1968. He was also an Air Force Captain and a member of the Air National Guard.
Ron Paul received his Bachelor's degree from Gettysburg College. He received his MD from Duke University. He began his OB/GYN career in 1968. He was also an Air Force Captain and a member of the Air National Guard.
OpenOffice.org urges Dell's CEO to respond to customer demand and bundle OpenOffice.org's free software alternative to Microsoft Office with
In an open letter released today, the OpenOffice.org community invites Michael Dell to work with them to pre-install OpenOffice.org 2 office software on Dell computers. Dell's own IdeaStorm website has recorded an overwhelming customer demand for this feature, currently showing more than 70,000 requests for OpenOffice.org 2.
The OpenOffice.org community is the home of the leading free software competitor to Microsoft's Office suite. The letter claims that OpenOffice.org 2 software and Dell hardware make a perfect match, sharing identical values of delivering high quality at unbeatable value. A joint development by Dell and OpenOffice.org raises the prospect of an "OpenOffice.org supplied by Dell" product, with finance from Dell helping to built security for the open-source community.
Text of the letter:
Michael S.Dell, Chairman and CEO
Dell Computer Corporation
One Dell Way
Round Rock, Texas 78682
Dear Michael
Dell Computer Corporation has become one of Fortune's “America’s Most Admired Companies” by providing great value, high quality computers and peripherals, but most of all, by listening to your customers. Your recent “IdeaStorm” initiative is the latest example of this. Here at OpenOffice.org, we were delighted to see that the second most requested feature by Dell customers was to have our office software pre-installed on Dell systems. This request attracted more than 25,000 votes in two
days.
We believe that OpenOffice.org 2 software perfectly matches Dell’s values. OpenOffice.org 2 is high quality office software, the result of over twenty years’ continuous software engineering. It runs under all common operating systems. It offers everything users expect from office software, plus some bonus features that may pleasantly surprise them. It’s easy for customers to use, with a familiar look and feel, and can read and write a wide range of file formats, including Microsoft’s. On top of all this, being licenced under open-source terms, it represents outstanding value for money for you and your customers.
Let’s have a conversation about how we could build an “OpenOffice.org supplied by Dell” product to give your customers what they are asking for. We’d also be happy to accept any financial contribution that Dell might offer to help ensure that OpenOffice.org continues to evolve in the future.
Sincerely
John McCreesh, Marketing Project Lead, OpenOffice.org
House bill would further restrict voter choice
Libertarian Party announces opposition to PA House Bill 48I went into the Allegheny County Elections Department after the 2006 general election ended. Sadly, our designated poll watcher was not allowed to be there in the tabulation time, but that is another story. I counted the write-in votes from those in Allegheny County for the office of US Senator in the Casey vs. Santorum race.
Harrisburg, PA – The Pennsylvania Libertarian Party today announced its strong opposition to House Bill 48 which defines criteria for disqualifying votes in an election.
The bill contains a clause preventing a write-in campaign by an independent state-wide candidate who, after submitting the minimum number of signatures to be placed on the General Election ballot, is then removed from the ballot due to procedural technicalities.
This is exactly what happened in the last election. Carl Romanelli submitted 95,000 signatures to be placed on the General Election ballot for Senate. Democrats challenged and convinced the courts that thousands of signatures were invalid, leaving Romanelli 8,931 short of the 67,070 required.
Pennsylvania’s petition signature requirements are extremely strict. Signatures are rejected for technicalities such as forgetting to enter the date or entering information in the wrong box. In addition, the courts have arbitrarily redefined “qualified electors” as registered voters from its less stringent statutory definition of Pennsylvania citizens over 18.
Under House Bill 48, Mr. Romanelli would be unable to then mount a write-in campaign, as any vote cast for him would not be counted.
Doug Leard, LPPa Media Relations Chair, remarked “Factions in the state bureaucracy and the state legislature are committed to restricting political choice on the ballot. With last year’s crushing 67,070 signature requirement, Pennsylvania is the second worst state in the nation for ballot access. When Mr. Romanelli submitted 95,000 signatures, the courts scrutinized the signatures then threw him off the ballot, as well as ordering him to pay over $80,000 in court costs and Democratic Party legal bills. Now, to add injury to insult, the House has introduced legislation to prevent Pennsylvanians who support such a candidate from having their vote even counted.”
Michael Robertson, LPPa Chair added, "Limiting the choices of voters and not counting votes is directly contrary to what government should be doing. Every voter should have their say and every vote cast should be recorded and reported. We urge Pennsylvanians to contact their representative in the General Assembly to oppose House Bill 48.”
Guess what.
My guy, a Libertarian, didn't get his votes reported to Harrisburg. His votes were not put together in a total. I conducted a write in for him. It didn't matter.
Hundreds of voters in Allegheny County made write in votes. Most of them didn't count.
Rep. Ron Paul To Run For President - Politics
Rep. Ron Paul To Run For President - Politics: "U.S. Rep. Ron Paul, a strict constitutionalist and fierce anti-war critic, will formally declare his candidacy for the Republican presidential nomination Monday when he appears as a guest on a C-SPAN call-in program.
Paul, R-Texas, created a presidential exploratory committee in January, allowing him to begin collecting money on behalf of his bid. Kent Snyder, the chairman of that committee, said Saturday that Paul would make his candidacy official on Monday.
This will be Paul's second try for the White House. He was the Libertarian nominee for president in 1988.
...Paul, for example, was the only Republican congressman to vote against Department of Defense appropriations for fiscal year 2007, which he opposed because of the war in Iraq -- a war he says is "not necessary for our actual security."
He once described President Bush as "not a constitutional president" and voted against a resolution declaring that the United States would win the war on terror.
He acknowledges that the national Republican Party has largely shunned him despite his nine terms in office under its banner. He gets little money from the GOP's large traditional donors, but benefits from individual conservative and Libertarian donors outside Texas.
Paul bills himself as "The Taxpayers' Best Friend," and is routinely ranked either first or second in the House of Representatives by the National Taxpayers Union, a national group advocating low taxes and limited government.
Pittsburgh Comet gives insights. Pi Day is just around the corner!
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The Pittsburgh Comet When you get into a pie-fight with Mark Rauterkus, be ready for a faceful of cherry-lemon meringue and custard.I'm not that interested in a food fight. However, I'm not going to be idle when others try to re-write history.
Likewise, is Peduto the first to do YouTube? Well, I'm the first at JumpCut.com and Blip.tv. Furthermore, being first isn't what this is about. Sure, I want to make history and not be a slave of it. But, this is a long-haul endeavor. In a swim race, the winner isn't called by seeing how hits the water first. Often in the real world it is the pioneer who gets the arrow in the back.
The pie quote from The Pittsburgh Comet comes at a great time, just two days before "Pi Day" -- one of my favorite holidays. When I'm elected, I'll decalre "Pi Day" a big harry deal. (Harry, as in Harry Readshaw.)
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On March 14, 2006, (last year's pi day), was the special election for Pgh City Council district 3. That was the first race I was in which I didn't get last place.
Sunday, March 11, 2007
Letter to the editor in the PG from Mark C, with insights
Plum's Mark C, a Libertarian, posted to our Libertarian list:
I had a LTE in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette today (3/11/2007) about how a spending cap on the Iraq war might not be enough to stop it. The LTE link and text is below.
What's different about this LTE (letter to the editor) was that I got two calls
from the PG about it. The first was simply to confirm my intent to be printed. The editor who called said she agreed with everything I said and even complimented me on a particular sentence.
The second call was a few days later from another editor who wanted verification of a statement I made about routing calls to Canada to avoid US law. She had no problem with the example of outsourcing torture to avoid US law.
I told her that I remember reading it in what I think was WorldNetDaily years ago. She asked if she could soften the statement for printing since there was no proof. Since it was late Friday and they were soon going to print for the early Sunday edition, it was either soften or don't print. We agreed on wording, but I said I'd try to find the reference for her anyway and she gave me here email.
Instead of the WND reference I found another that made the case and revealed that it was even worse than I thought. (The US, England, Canada, Australia and New Zealand have routinely used each other to get around their own laws to monitor their own citizens based on an agreement made in the late 1940s.) I emailed the link to her, stayed polite and told her that fact-checking must not be dead because she really made me work for this letter.
I hope that I'm establishing credibility with the editorial staff at the Post-Gazette. Maybe the small-government viewpoint will gain credibility with them too. I did like the title they gave it.
By the way, has anyone else ever been challenged on a LTE like this?
Mark C.
Link to the letter published in the P-G
Downsize it all Post-Gazette, 3/11/2007
It's naive to think that a targeted spending limit ("The Half-Trillion-Dollar Solution" by Bruce Ackerman and David Wu, March 4 Forum) is the solution to the Iraq war. Limits are easily circumvented and soon forgotten.
Years ago, during the Clinton administration, I read that government pressures telecommunications providers to route calls and e-mails through Canada to avoid U.S. wiretapping laws.
The Bush administration outsourced interrogation to Egypt to avoid torture bans.
Congress usually doesn't even read the legislation it passes. A catchy-titled "Iraq Cap Act" might also include the fine print preparing for an Iran invasion.
The fundamental problem is that our government is too big. It has too much power, too many resources, too many agendas and too many places to hide too many secrets.
Even if we manage to stop the bleeding in Iraq, that will only redirect blood to other domestic and foreign policy wounds, all too numerous in our bipartisan welfare and warfare state.
That's why the real solution must include capping all of government back to its libertarian origins, as the U.S Constitution intends. If not, our country will suffer a debilitating shock as the burden from these wounds threatens our financial and personal lives.
MARK CROWLEY, Plum
City Council District 9 candidates forum in Homestead - first blush
Most of the candidates in the crowded city council district 9 race came to a forum today at the Homestead branch of the Carnegie Library of Pgh. The incumbent was absent and she had said she'd attend. Randall Taylor came an hour late.
I got an hour of video tape and will upload some of it to YouTube in the hours and days to come. Audio from start to finish was also obtained, but I'm not sure of its quality yet.
T.C. should not get a single vote. Well, she'll get the votes from her family members. She wants to snub the residents and voters by not showing up to the candidate debates. So, she should be snubbed at the polls.
All in all, a lot of nice candidates are in the race.
Most of them say things that cause fear in terms of their desires for bigger government. One said that no shovel would turn any dirt in the district unless he had been involved and was on-board with the project before it got started.
Just putting up the raw video would tell a great story in some instances. However, some of the comments need to be discounted within the clips as an over-reach of the roles of city council, however.
Great event! Good people. Some wonderful answers mixed with a few well intended but un-sound approaches.
The only other technical note, now, goes to the fact that the endorsed Democrat, a 22 year old women who has graduated from Howard University did not get the entire packet of her papers filed in the right place at the right time. However, at this point there has been no challenge filed. Time will tell.
I got an hour of video tape and will upload some of it to YouTube in the hours and days to come. Audio from start to finish was also obtained, but I'm not sure of its quality yet.
T.C. should not get a single vote. Well, she'll get the votes from her family members. She wants to snub the residents and voters by not showing up to the candidate debates. So, she should be snubbed at the polls.
All in all, a lot of nice candidates are in the race.
Most of them say things that cause fear in terms of their desires for bigger government. One said that no shovel would turn any dirt in the district unless he had been involved and was on-board with the project before it got started.
Just putting up the raw video would tell a great story in some instances. However, some of the comments need to be discounted within the clips as an over-reach of the roles of city council, however.
Great event! Good people. Some wonderful answers mixed with a few well intended but un-sound approaches.
The only other technical note, now, goes to the fact that the endorsed Democrat, a 22 year old women who has graduated from Howard University did not get the entire packet of her papers filed in the right place at the right time. However, at this point there has been no challenge filed. Time will tell.
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