PAWaterCooler.com

(a recurring series, for all click here)

Our first congressional district is one of the two composing inner-city Philadelphia. The district is one thin sliver along the border to New Jersey and Delaware. Not surprisingly, being in the middle of one of the strongest Democratic machines nationally, the district is heavily blue. The district has not elected a Republican since James Gallagher in 1946. Machine politics have always defined this district and the surrounding city, sending Republicans to Congress consistently for over 82 years in times past, and now is likewise dominated by Democrats to the same degree it was once controlled by liberal Republicans. Politics here is personal, where ward leaders and city council members compete to bring the largest share of the burdened city’s resources to fix their constituents needs. This is often done with a wink and a nod, and politicians such as Ozzie Myers have consistently won elections based on their ability to do this. This district is also one of the two minority districts in the state.

The current emblem of machine politics here is Congressman Bob Brady, around since1997, and you couldn’t find a better example of a machine politician than him in Congress. In a city swimming with corruption, with names like Vince Fumo, former City Councilman Marino, Mayor Street and his brother, among others, Brady is the chairman of the city party, and his run for Mayor last year showed him using the same tactics and attitude we see on a regular basis. But this same mayoral election has showed the first cracks in what was the invincible machine he used to deliver PA to the Democrats in 2004. His personal politics has rubbed many Democrats in the city the wrong way, and his weak showing of third in the primary, not even half of Nutter’s vote, led many in the city to speculate that he would face his first serious primary challenger(Lucian Blackwell almost challenged him in 1997).

They were right. Keith Leaphart, a relative newcomer to elected politics, is challenging Brady for the Dem nomination in 2008. Leaphart is running on the notion that he can “cure” what ails the First District. His site does not mention Brady by name, but it is clear from his opening message that he is running against Brady’s style of politics much the same way the Nutter ran last year. As Brady is one of the few whites representing a plurality black district, and with Brady’s “Dennis Kucinich” style of ethnic politics, Leaphart’s race could swing a lot of votes towards him. It remains to be seen whether Brady’s institutional support will fade or not. If he does retain his support, he will likely win in a walk, corralling all of his precinct chairs into the type of politics that has been successful for two centuries. However, if Leaphart can ride the same wave that led Micheal Nutter to win last year despite little support from ward leaders, Brady may just have a fight on his hands.

District Statistics

2006 Election
Bob Brady- 100%

2004 Election
Bob Brady- 86%
Deborah Williams 13%

Kerry- 84%
Bush- 15%

Sources:
Wikpedia
Michael Barone’s Almanac
http://www.drkeithleaphart.com/

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Today on The Keystone Report, host Matthew Best interviews Dr. Mary Zennett of Citizens for Health Reform.  Dr. Zennett (Dr. Mary Z) is a Doctor of Medicine and a student of health reform for many years.  As founder of Citizens for Health Reform, she is committed to improving the health status of Americans through education and empowerment.  Dr. Mary Z travels and lectures on health reform across the United States.  You can learn more about her and her cause by visiting http://www.citizensforhealthreform.com. During the interview, Dr. Zennett and Mr. Best discussed the state of America’s health care and insurance situation, what can be done about the crisis, and what role each individual plays in fixing the problems.  Dr. Zennett also discussed the role of preventative medicine in health care.

To listen to this podcast click here.

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Stan Huskey, editor of the Times-Herald, writes a letter to himself.

Republican voters in Montgomery County voted for two Republicans to lead the county.

What did we get?

A Republican and a Democrat to lead the county.

And what was the first thing they announced they were going to do? Make the county government bigger by creating new positions.

I don’t know about you, but I’m having a hard time wrapping my head around the whole concept.

Now, I’ve been writing about this on Stan’s Blog, and at least one person came up with a constructive idea rather than just telling me that I shouldn’t be surprised about the turn of events because all politicians are crooks anyway. Someone posted that I should run for a Republican committee seat. I’m not sure I would ever want to do that, but at least the idea moves the conversation forward.

The Montgomery County Republican Party has become repulsive.

The only way to fix it is by getting rid of the top brass. Look, when you get a bad meal in a restaurant, you don’t blame the waiter, do you?

There’s more, read it all.

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Senator Specter is off on his seventeenth trip to meet with Syrian leaders since he was elected Senator in 1980.

Bryan @ Hot Air asks a relevant question.

One of the questions Americans are trying to answer for ourselves is which of the presidential candidates we’d prefer to represent us at the table when we have to deal with the world’s worst regimes and figures. I haven’t answered that question in my own mind in the affirmative, but I can sure answer it in the negative: Whoever represents us when dealing with rogue regimes ought not be Arlen Specter and Patrick Kennedy.

I’m still wondering what we have to show for his diplomacy.

17 trips should have achieved something.

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Right Wing Chicky took exception to my characterization of Congressman Patrick Murphy as “an honest liberal.”

She writes…

Patrick Murphy is anything but an honest liberal. Here’s the text of his statement [after the jump -ed] on the RESTORE Act. Murphy’s words were stricken from the record because he basically called the Republicans and the President liars. He’s nothing but San Fran Nan’s puppet. Remember when she said Republican’s “liked” the war. Don’t forget the Murphy never denounced Move On’s ad against General Petraeus. There’s no honesty there, pure partisan puppetry, easy to recognize by the favored “right wing attack machine” boogey man phrase

I stand corrected. Patrick Murphy is a dishonest liberal.

(more…)

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PoliticsPa’s Up & Down:

It was a tedious week for the two incoming Republican commissioners in Montgomery County. Jim Matthews made a deal with Joe Hoeffel and then seemed to back away from the initial reasoning behind it. Castorites everywhere cried foul.

By my count, there are four versions of the Matthews reasoning (directly from him), with a fifth one making an appearance over the weekend.

Jim Matthews betrayed Montgomery County Republicans because… (in chronological order)

1) Castor would not support Matthews for chairman
2) Castor would support him for Chair, but not support Barry Miller for Solicitor.
3) Neither Chair nor Miller, and that was a signal Castor would neuter his authority.
4) Definitely 1 above.

The latest idea, which was trotted out this weekend in a “Capitolman” comment on GrassrootsPa:

Apparently Joe Hoeffel has told others that Bruce Castor approached him about a deal for electing Bruce chairman. No specifics were discussed in their meeting because Hoeffel says he dismissed it right away telling Castor he couldn’t be trusted.

This story has been overlooked by the media (if nothing else, to refute it) and by the commentors on this site. Castor needs to denouce this story if it is not true (unless it is).

No need for denunciation, as Matthews and Hoeffel would have used this as excuse number zero, above.

It would have been a great bomb to drop two weeks ago when the deal was announced. Hoeffel’s crew could have nodded softly and set up Castor as the goat.

That being said, no mention was ever made by the Matthews-Hoeffel team regarding a potential Castor-Hoeffel deal.

It. Did. Not. Happen.

In any case, if this were true, why would Castor pen a reply to a Times-Herald columnist entitled, This Republican Will Never Turn from Red to Blue on December 10th… a story which Matthews claims convinced him that Castor was looking for a deal.

It is well known that Matthews met Hoeffel at the Huntingdon Valley Country Club at least two weeks before that column’s publication. If that’s true, he’s cutting deals based on some sort of eerie precognition.

Precognition which failed him on every other occasion it would have been of utility.

I thought the graphic below was premature when I made it last week (after only two reasons)… now it’s looking pretty sweet.

Speaking of talking (or rather not talking)…. it’s been two weeks since the news of the deal has been announced… where are Ken Davis, chairman of the Montco GOP and National Committeman Bob Asher?

Have they washed their hands of Matthews? Why not say so?

Are they somehow involved and laying low?

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Biggest Winners of 2007

It’s that time of year again when Freindly Fire heaps praise upon those most deserving. You probably aren’t going to find these winners on the lists of the mainstream media, though, since all of them either smash political correctness—or survive because of it.

The Biggest Winner of 2007 goes to none other than Illegal Immigrants, all twenty million of them. Year after year, they continue to win everything. They are handed driver’s licenses, free education—in some cases all the way to college, and receive free first-rate health care. Most appallingly, their freedom exists because of our government’s non-existent efforts to deport them. Their presence has forced the closure of hospitals, taken jobs from American workers, depressed wages, and caused taxes to sharply increase. And let’s not forget that many illegals are voting in our elections. How’s that for irony—foreigners deciding American elections. And every time the illegals win, there is an even bigger loser. Us.

Joey Vento: Vento, owner of world renowned Geno’s Steaks in South Philadelphia, has enjoyed immense success as a self-made businessman (he started with six dollars and a prayer), and he relishes his role as an “ambassador” for Philadelphia. His generosity is legendary, from funding scholarships for the children of murder victims, to creating the Police and Fireman Path of Honor, to feeding six thousand Navy sailors on his own dime. And what is his reward from our City? A court date, because the geniuses at City Hall think that having a bumper sticker in your store window that reads, “This is America. When Ordering, Please Speak English” is discriminatory, even though not one patron has ever been turned away. Vento will win, of course, because he has the guts and stamina to fight. His hard-line positions on stopping the invasion of illegal immigrants and making English the official language of American have made him a folk hero all over the world.

Joey Vento knows only one language, English, and one nationality, American. We all know that City Hall is a roll short of a cheesesteak, so on behalf of all common sense Americans, Freindly Fire applauds Joey for his courageous fight—and for frying political correctness to a crisp.

Georges Perrier: Philadelphia’s other bookend restaurateur, Perrier is one of the founding fathers of Philadelphia’s business and cultural revival. His numerous restaurants draw lavish praise, including Le Bec Fin being named the best restaurant in country. In typical Philadelphia fashion, Perrier’s success was met with a City Council proposal to ban foie gras (duck liver), one of Perrier’s signature servings. Not one to roll over, Perrier lashed out, stating that “…the school system is in shambles. The violence…and murders in Philadelphia are the highest of any city in the United States. The city is filthy and dirty. There are homeless and beggars everywhere. Parking is a huge problem. What are the City Council members thinking who want to pass a ban on foie gras? For everything we (the business community) pay in taxes, what do we get for it? Absolutely nothing. And now they want to pass a law banning foie gras? Don’t they have anything better to do? Do your job!”

Thanks for having the “guts” to say it like it is, Chef!

Congressman Ron Paul: The more the mainstream media and the Republican establishment label this Presidential candidate a “kook” and “lunatic”, the more successful he becomes. While corporate fat cats shell out the big bucks to the candidates who will do their bidding, Paul has bested them all, defying every pundit and critic in the country. He has smashed one fundraising record after another and has raised a whopping $19 million dollars in the fourth quarter alone—from a staggering 130,000 donors. His message of personal responsibility, humble foreign policy (on which President Bush originally campaigned) and sound financial management has returned hope to millions who would otherwise stay home. Because of Paul, the Republican nomination will not be a cakewalk, which is exactly the kind of shakeup the Party needs to regain its direction.

Senator Larry Craig: It doesn’t matter whether you like him or not, or whether you think he was set-up or guilty. The reason Craig makes the Winners List is simple. By standing firm, he powerfully delivered a grade school civics lesson to all of the “leaders” in the Republican party who self-righteously demanded his resignation: this is still a government by the people.

There are only two entities that have the power to decide whether an elected official should be removed from office, and neither are the leadership of a political party. That decision is solely up to the people, and the representative himself. Period. When did the people of Idaho relinquish the power to choose their own Senator and give it to Republican leader Mitch McConnell? End of discussion.

Iowa and New Hampshire: Relatively small and insignificant, these two states win every four years. It’s too bad that not one presidential candidate says it like it is: New Hampshire and Iowa have far, far too much power. Why do we permit these states to largely dictate the choice of our next President? That won’t change, however, until leaders are willing to buck the system so that the rest of America gains the voice it deserves.

John Edwards: Just because he is making Hillary sweat—and because, ultimately, he will be the Democratic nominee.

Chris Freind can be reached at CF@TheBulletin.us

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In the new year, I will write a profile every week on the congressional races as they are shaping up in Pennsylvania. I will analyze each race in depth, looking at announced and potential candidate, and including historical data and trends. I’ll do every district in the state, including the PA-1(Brady) and PA-2(Fattah), whether Republicans have a chance of winning them or not. I hope to do about one a week before the primaries in late April. Most serious candidates have already announced, and only PA-8 and PA-11(come on, Lou!) may have developments. If necessary, I’ll post updates.

Looking at the map right now, PA-1 may have a serious primary, PA-4(Altmire) and PA-10(Carney) look like the best opportunities for GOP pickups, and PA-3(English) and PA-6(Gerlach) look like the best opportunities for Dem pickups, although the DCCC has not been nearly as successful in PA this time, mostly because of their large wins here in 2006. PA-11(Kanjorski), PA-13(Schwartz), PA-15(Dent), PA-8(Murphy), PA-17(Murphy), and PA-7 (Sestak) could all become competitive, depending on national conditions and challengers(PA-11 and PA-8 are most likely of these). Pennsylvania accounted for over a tenth of the Democrats national House seat gain in 2006, and if the GOP recaptures control, at least three victories will likely be in PA.

I should have PA-1 done by the end of this week.

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The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette has denounced presidential candidates Clinton, Obama, Edwards, McCain, Giuliani, and Romney. Who would they like to see on the ballot?

For the Democrats, the P-G likes Al Gore. For the Republicans, Michael Bloomberg.

Yes, of course. Why not have a liberal on both sides of the ballot? That’s liberal “choice” for you. That’s liberal “diversity”. That would be like me saying with a straight face the Republican candidate should be Rick Santorum and the Democrat candidate should be Zell Miller. And Bill O’Reilly could run as an Independent.

It’s also ironic that the John Kerry endorsin’ P-G complains that Romney has changed his positions on numerous issues, and that’s what makes him an unacceptable candidate. Nevermind that Romney usually has a good explanation for why he’s changed his mind on individual issues, unlike John “Flip-Flop” Kerry.

But worry not, mindless Democrat voters of Allegheny County – I am 100% certain that the P-G will mindlessly endorse whichever Democrat candidate makes it through the primaries. Clinton, Obama, Edwards, Kucinich… it doesn’t matter. The P-G will endorse him/her/it for president.

And you mindless Democrat voters know who you are. Ever go into the voting booth and pull the Democrat lever, not knowing or caring exactly who you were voting for? Yep.

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Q: Who said these words?

“Gee, a benevolent dictator would really be good right about now to, to put in health care and to put in some of these policies that we all want, but somehow the gridlock within the legislature makes it impossible.”

A: Her Honor, Marjorie Rendell. Wife of Ed Rendell

There’s more info here.

The truly frightening thing is that she said this without a hint of irony! She means it! And I have to imagine Ed does too. God help us all.

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Steve alerted me to this recent event in Harrisburg:

TFP: Pro-Lifer Seriously Injured

Newsbusters: Abortion Supporter Knocks 69 Yr. Old Pro-Lifer Unconscious

Catholic Online: Pro-lifer Seriously Injured: Clinic Receptionist Shouts: “He got what he deserved!”

When veteran pro-lifer Ed Snell was counseling women entering the Hillcrest Abortion Clinic in Harrisburg, Penn. from atop his car, he was thrown to the ground and seriously injured. He suffered internal hemorrhaging in his head, four compression fractures of vertebrae, a broken shoulder and two broken ribs. Doctors even feared he might die.

Despite these injuries, a receptionist at the abortion clinic angrily responded: “He got what he deserved!” when asked for a statement.

After the attack, the police arrived and although Mr. Snell was unconscious and being rushed to the hospital, they allowed his assailant to go free. A police officer then argued with and threatened to arrest Mr. Snell’s fellow pro-lifers, who asked them why the assailant was let free. So far the media has been silent about the incident.

Mr. Snell’s assailant was apprehended days after the attack, when the full extent of his injuries became known, and will be charged with a felony assault.

I wonder how long it will be before the assailant is declared a hero of civil rights? If he is sentenced to jail time, pro-aborts will probably protest outside the jail, complaining about the “theocrats” who would dare to throw someone in jail for assaulting and seriously wounding a pro-lifer.

Interestingly enough, Mr. Snell was once arrested for merely handing out pro-life literature. This was during a pro-life event in York in which another act of violence was committed against a pro-lifer:

In John McTernan v. City of York, a District Judge John E. Jones III ruled against McTernan and upheld Planned Parenthood’s claim to the public property in front of the clinic. The case is being appealed, however, and the district attorney has decided to continue with criminal trespass charges against Ferguson.

McTernan told WND another protester was attacked and hit over the head with a board by a pro-choice protestor. “She suffered injury to her neck as a result of this blow that she received, but yet, they trump up charges against us,” he said.

Another pro-life advocate, Ed Snell, was charged with disorderly conduct after attempting to hand tracts to pregnant women who were entering the clinic. The charges were later dropped.

“Ed was injured during the arrest,” McTernan said. “They ratcheted the cuffs on him real tight. He took pictures after the arrest and you could see the marks and swelling where they had cuffed him. He told them they were tight and they refused to do anything.”

Yet for some reason, Snell’s attacker was not immediately arrested for truly violating somebody’s “civil rights”.

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2007’s Biggest Losers

Some tasks are really tough. With so many idiots in politics, sports, entertainment, and the news, it’s not easy to decide who should make Freindly Fire’s coveted Loser List. But here goes:

Gerry and Kate McCann: These esteemed British parents (and I use that term very loosely), while on vacation in Portugal, decided to go out on the town with friends. Which would be fine if they didn’t have children. But they did. So rather than pay a babysitter (the McCanns are both doctors, so life is tough), they made the decision numerous times that week to leave their three children, with a combined age of seven, alone, in their unlocked resort room. Their three year old daughter, Madeleine, disappeared, and still hasn’t been found. Was she kidnapped? That’s the McCann’s story, although evidence to that is lacking. Was there foul play, or was it possibly an “accident”? Maybe, since blood was found and police dogs detected the scent of death in the room.

Bottom line: the McCanns are either directly responsible for Maddy’s death (accident or otherwise), as Portuguese authorities believe, or they are complicit in her disappearance by their irresponsibility in leaving her and her siblings alone. The world has finally caught on, which is why they only have about four supporters left. Newsflash—Madeleine isn’t one of them.

Michael Vick: This talented NFL quarterback apparently grew tired of making millions and being a celebrity. So he opened up a dog-fighting ring, and personally saw to it that losing dogs were shot, electrocuted or drowned. While dogfighting isn’t funny, some of the reactions to Vick’s actions are. The head of the Atlanta NAACP couldn’t understand what all the fuss was about, since he compared dogfighting to hunting deer, which is perfectly acceptable. But best of all was Vick’s former teammate who appeared at a recent game wearing a “Free Michael Vick” shirt. Help me out on this one. He pleaded “guilty”, and, contrary to the sentiment of some in the NAACP, this has nothing to do with race. Vick got sacked big-time, and he may never make it back to the huddle.

Michael Nifong: This District Attorney prosecuted the white Duke University lacrosse players for rape crimes he knew they didn’t commit. Why? To pander to the black community for votes in the next election. This is the worst one of all. When any law enforcement official willfully breaks the law to imprison innocent people for political gain, we become a third-world nation. Nifong’s punishment? He was disbarred and made to serve one day in jail. Somehow, that just doesn’t cut it. It wasn’t nearly enough time for him to become a prison wife.

Runner-up in this category is Dick Brodhead, Duke University President. He threw the Constitution out the window when the rape story was first reported, and joined the lynch mob ready to burn the three players at the stake. His actions berated and humiliated the students, and amounted to a downright conviction of a crime—before the facts were in. And then he had the gall to act like he was in their corner all along—but only after Nifong’s actions came to light. Note to Duke: Fire Brodhead, restore your reputation.

Bud Selig: Major League Baseball’s cowardly Commissioner takes the cake for hypocrisy. He rode on the backs of players, including Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens, making billions for baseball, with full knowledge that steroid use was rampant in the game. Then he commissioned the Mitchell Report, a damning indictment of steroid use, although one with scant evidence. Selig postures himself as a decisive leader, speaking of “punishments” for steroid transgressions. One small problem: steroid use wasn’t against baseball’s rules until 2004. He won’t dole out sanctions because he can’t.

Selig loved baseball’s records, including attendance, being shattered, ignoring the fact that steroids made this possible. But when the world started paying attention, he played both sides, and didn’t even have the class to dignify Bonds’ home run record. His new-found piety is a joke, and everybody knows it. Unfortunately for Bud, this issue, and his hypocrisy, isn’t going to fade away. Is Clemens’ lawsuit an idle threat? Let’s hope not. Selig needs to be benched. Permanently.

Jim Matthews: This Montgomery County Commissioner was elected last month as a Republican, along with top vote-getter Bruce Castor, then stabbed Castor in the back by announcing his alliance with, and allegiance to, Democrat Joe Hoeffel. This isn’t about partisan politics, and it’s not even about issues. It’s about loyalty and honor, and voters abandon people who lack these qualities. Matthews is finished, and Castor will rise again. I threw out an open-ended question last week: Who would want to share a fox-hole with Matthews? Interestingly, no one responded. People who have character and loyalty know better—and ironically, so do fellow traitors. Matthews has pleased none and alienated all. Can’t wait for his next trick.

Alycia Lane: The Philadelphia anchorwoman has undoubtedly broadcasted her way out of a job. She allegedly punched a New York police officer, then announced for all to hear that she was an “(expletive) reporter”. After being arrested, she proclaimed her innocence. Fine. I have always defended those prematurely convicted in the Court of Public Opinion, from Paris Hilton to Don Imus to Barry Bonds. But then she made a personal call to Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell. That’s not just incredibly dumb, it’s also taboo in journalism. While this is the final strike for Alycia, she could always become a bikini model, based on the skimpy pictures of herself she had previously sent to married sports anchor Rich Eisen (and unintentionally, to his wife).

Honorable Mention: Presidential candidates opposed to water-boarding, Brian Westbrook for failing to return an Eagles’ overpayment—for almost two years, Don Imus for becoming politically correct, and Congressman Allyson Schwartz, who voted for a resolution recognizing Ramadan and the Muslim religion, but not for a resolution recognizing Christmas and Christianity. Can you say Grinch?

Happy New Year!

Chris Freind can be reached at CF@TheBulletin.us

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Millions headed to NePa as a result of this year’s budget.

President Bush was not thrilled with it, but he signed a $555 billion spending bill Wednesday that funds the federal government through September and the war in Iraq and sends millions of dollars toward Northeastern Pennsylvania for local pork-barrel projects.

The projects range from flood control and military research to downtown development and rural education.

Included is $3.27 million for the Scranton Flood Control Project protecting the city’s Plot section, $826,000 for construction of the Commonwealth Medical College in Scranton, $1.37 million for the planning of the widening of Interstate 81 between Waverly and Nanticoke and $1.3 million to continue planning the passenger train from Scranton to Hoboken, N.J.

…

But Larry Smar, a spokesman for U.S. Sen. Bob Casey Jr., D-Pa., told The Times-Tribune the president was being hypocritical.

“There’s less earmarks than there were in the previous Republican Congress,” Mr. Smar said. “Complaining about the lack of fiscal responsibility is totally bogus. It’s totally bogus. When the Republicans were in charge, there was no fiscal responsibility.”

The Democratic Congress’ decision to force disclosure of which member of Congress is behind an earmark has cut the number, Mr. Smar said. Taxpayers for Common Sense, a nonprofit group that tracks earmarks, estimates the number of earmarks is down 25 percent, but says that is not good enough.

“But we’re also finding funds for good programs,” Mr. Smar said. “All the programs that Sen. Casey pushed for are good programs.”

Fiscal hawk Senator Jim Demint would disagree with Senator Casey.

Less earmarks than the previous Congress?

Earmarks: Instead of reducing the number of pork projects in the federal budget, the bill drives the number of earmarks up from last year. The bill contains over 8,000 earmarks, bringing the total for 2008 up to over 10,000 earmarks compared to just 2,658 in 2007.

More fiscal responsibility than the previous Congress?

Spending Gimmicks: Instead of cutting wasteful spending out of the bill to bring its cost down to the President’s level, the bill uses budget tricks and gimmicks to hide at least $14 billion in extra domestic spending.

At least he didn’t say “more honest.”

Policy Riders: Instead of limiting the package to spending needed to fund government operations, the bill includes unrelated policy items. Many of these riders are backed by special interests, such as organized labor, and could not win passage on their own.

More on earmarks and this years budget here -> Omnibusting.com

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Some reshuffling in the Dem ranks in Montco.

State Sen. Connie Williams, D-Montgomery, announced yesterday that she will not seek re-election next year, and state Rep. Daylin Leach wants to replace her.

“I will be running for the Senate next year,” Leach, D-Montgomery, said yesterday, as he unveiled an all-star cast of Democrats to lead his 2008 campaign in the 17th District.

Gov. Rendell, U.S. Sen. Bob Casey and Williams herself will co-chair Leach’s campaign. U.S. Rep. Joe Sestak will chair the Delaware County effort and Commissioner Joe Hoeffel will run the show in Montgomery County.

You might remember Rep Daylin Leach’s blog, “Leachvent” where he amused constituents with his wit and humor.

While cross dressing and doing drugs are fun (and funny), I really enjoyed the post about “Keeping Busy” in the State House.

Being in the legislature is sort of the same thing. We’re not actually voting on anything substantive, but we don’t want to look like we’re not earning our salary, so we do completely mindless things that approximate activity on TV. For example, as mentioned in previous Vents, we vote on “Resolutions,” like declaring 2004 “The Year of the Ferret” and passing commemorations of the “Invention of the Speculum” and “Partridge Family Awareness Month.”

Sometimes we just give passionate, but utterly meaningless self-serving speeches to make us look good to the people back home. I gave into that temptation myself recently and talked for 20 minutes about how I found terrorism “distasteful,” and how I strongly believed that every child should have a mother and a father, at least biologically.

Hilarious!

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Um, this is kind of dishonest.

But they’re Freshmen Democrats in the most ethical Congress in the history of Western Civilization, so I repeat myself.

Half a dozen freshman Democrats took to the House floor one late-October morning to cast their lot with Republicans.

Their actions went unpunished by the Democratic leadership that day, as they have on many other occasions in recent weeks. The symbolic gesture — casting nay votes on approving the House Journal, essentially the minutes of the previous day — would have no bearing on the leadership’s agenda.

While they overwhelmingly support that agenda, the bloc of freshmen has begun casting votes against such minor procedural motions in an effort, Democratic sources and Republican critics say, to demonstrate their independence from their leadership.

Pray tell, are any of these honest Democrats from Pennsylvania?

I’m glad you asked.

Chris Carney from the Northeast and Jason Altmire from the Pittsburgh area.

“I’m viewed as an independent. I’m viewed as a conservative Democrat,” said Rep. Jason Altmire (Pa.), the first freshman to regularly oppose his party’s leadership on the journal vote.

Like several others, Altmire offered no explanation for voting against all but one of 18 roll calls on the routine measure, adding that he had no “pre-planned” rationale for the votes. “I’m certainly not going to win or lose my reelection based on my journal votes,” he said.

Surprisingly Patrick Murphy wasn’t listed.

At least he’s an honest liberal.

Tip to Jean-Paul, who pointed me to Paul Mirengoff @ Powerline who writes.

But it’s difficult to believe, in this political age, that “nay” Journal votes will convince constituents that these clowns are independent voters, not reliably liberal members. The ad that backs out the meaningless procedural votes and informs voters of the real extent to which a given member of this crew votes with Speaker Pelosi virtually writes itself. I’d call it “Liberal and Gutless.”

Heh.

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Why haven’t we heard anything officially from the MontcoGOP about the Matthews – Hoeffel situtation?

There’s nothing on the website.

The inbox is empty.

Pa State GOP Chairman Rob Gleason found time to speak publicly the other day.

Hmm…

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Well…

“Tonight we cross back into Jersey,” said Rinaldi, speaking in the role of Washington to troops assembled along the shores of the Delaware. “The fate of unborn millions will now depend, under God, on the courage and conduct that you show … I am resolved that by dawn both Trenton and victory shall be ours.”

After boarding the boats, Rinaldi and the crews of two other boats waited to cross, and watched as the first boat attempting the short voyage got carried downstream. A rescue craft stationed in the river snared the boat and returned it to the Pennsylvania shore. About 25 re-enactors were aboard.

The rowing portion of the event is scrapped if the river is running too fast or it is too windy, but the current apparently caught organizers by surprise.

Hilary Krueger, director of Pennsylvania’s Washington Crossing Historic Park which hosts the re-enactment, said safety is usually the first priority in determining whether the crossing can go forward.

“We’re kind of at the mercy of the river,” she said.

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Whuppin the English and Germans.

Washington’s famous crossing of the Delaware to attack Hessians at Trenton was 222 years ago today.

It’s been reenacted every year since 1976 at Washington’s Crossing in Bucks County (and Trenton, natch)

In the Dec. 25, 1776 crossing some 2,400 soldiers, 200 horses and 18 cannons ferried across the cold Delaware River. The Continental soldiers, many ill-prepared for the cold weather and poorly trained compared to the troops they were about to face, then marched eight miles downriver.

They soundly beat the German mercenary soldiers based there, capturing 1,000 prisoners, killing 30 troops and only losing two Continental soldiers — and both of them froze to death.

The event was a turning point for the bedraggled Revolutionary forces, showing the mighty British that they were a military force to be reckoned with, giving hope to civilians, and boosting morale with Continental soldiers readying to go home.

“If they didn’t win this battle, that would have been the end of the American Revolution,” said Hilary Krueger, director of Pennsylvania’s Washington Crossing Historic Park which hosts the re-enactment.

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“DEAR EDITOR: I am 8 years old.
“Some of my little friends say there is no Santa Claus.
“Papa says, ‘If you see it in THE SUN it’s so.’
“Please tell me the truth; is there a Santa Claus?

“VIRGINIA O’HANLON.
“115 WEST NINETY-FIFTH STREET.”

VIRGINIA, your little friends are wrong. They have been affected by the skepticism of a skeptical age. They do not believe except [what] they see. They think that nothing can be which is not comprehensible by their little minds. All minds, Virginia, whether they be men’s or children’s, are little. In this great universe of ours man is a mere insect, an ant, in his intellect, as compared with the boundless world about him, as measured by the intelligence capable of grasping the whole of truth and knowledge.

Yes, VIRGINIA, there is a Santa Claus. He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist, and you know that they abound and give to your life its highest beauty and joy. Alas! how dreary would be the world if there were no Santa Claus. It would be as dreary as if there were no VIRGINIAS. There would be no childlike faith then, no poetry, no romance to make tolerable this existence. We should have no enjoyment, except in sense and sight. The eternal light with which childhood fills the world would be extinguished.

Not believe in Santa Claus! You might as well not believe in fairies! You might get your papa to hire men to watch in all the chimneys on Christmas Eve to catch Santa Claus, but even if they did not see Santa Claus coming down, what would that prove? Nobody sees Santa Claus, but that is no sign that there is no Santa Claus. The most real things in the world are those that neither children nor men can see. Did you ever see fairies dancing on the lawn? Of course not, but that’s no proof that they are not there. Nobody can conceive or imagine all the wonders there are unseen and unseeable in the world.

You may tear apart the baby’s rattle and see what makes the noise inside, but there is a veil covering the unseen world which not the strongest man, nor even the united strength of all the strongest men that ever lived, could tear apart. Only faith, fancy, poetry, love, romance, can push aside that curtain and view and picture the supernal beauty and glory beyond. Is it all real? Ah, VIRGINIA, in all this world there is nothing else real and abiding.

No Santa Claus! Thank God! he lives, and he lives forever. A thousand years from now, Virginia, nay, ten times ten thousand years from now, he will continue to make glad the heart of childhood.

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Ahh…

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