Pause the Pa. gas rush

The state must deal with environmental questions before it allows more drilling.

By Greg Vitali

Gov. Rendell plans to lease more state forest land for Marcellus Shale gas drilling, perhaps as early as this spring, to raise an additional $180 million for the 2010-11 budget. This would be in addition to the almost 700,000 acres of state forest land already available for drilling.

But no one knows what the environmental impact of the anticipated drilling will be. That’s why I have introduced legislation to impose a moratorium on further leasing until we know more.

One-and-a-half million acres of Pennsylvania forest land sits atop the Marcellus Shale formation. With the leasing of 32,000 acres last month, 692,000 acres of state forest land is now available for drilling. The remaining unleased public land is environmentally sensitive, containing old-growth forests, fragile ecosystems, and rare and endangered species.

Continue reading PA Democrat Rep. Greg Vitali Calls for Suspension of New Gas Drilling Permits →

by Randy Shannon

In the first debate of the Democratic candidates for PA Governor in Harrisburg, Joe Hoeffel was the only candidate supporting single payer healthcare. Hoeffel is Montgomery County Commissioner, former US Congressman, and the 2004 Democratic candidate for US Senate against Republican Arlen Specter.

Wall Street owners angry with their purchase

Bankers threaten to once again fund the GOP if Obama continues saying mean things about them

Glenn Greenwald

Political science professors could require students to read this article from today’s New York Times and little else would be needed to convey the essence of the American political system.  The article describes how Wall Street — which poured massive amounts of money into the Obama campaign and the Democratic Party over the last several years, ensuring unparalleled access and influence — is now threatening to support the Republicans if Obama keeps saying mean things about them.  Wall Street executives are angry that, after duly purchasing the Democrats (they have receipts and everything), the Obama White House is now rousing the dirty rabble with their anti-banker rhetoric:

Republicans are rushing to capitalize on what they call Wall Street’s “buyer’s remorse” with the Democrats. And industry executives and lobbyists are warning Democrats that if Mr. Obama keeps attacking Wall Street “fat cats,” they may fight back by withholding their cash.

“If the president doesn’t become a little more balanced and centrist in his approach, then he will likely lose that support,” said Kelly S. King, the chairman and chief executive of BB&T. Mr. King is a board member of the Financial Services Roundtable, which lobbies for the biggest banks, and last month he helped represent the industry at a private dinner at the Treasury Department.

“I understand the public outcry,” he continued. “We have a 17 percent real unemployment rate, people are hurting, and they want to see punishment. But the political rhetoric just incites more animosity and gets people riled up” . . . “If the president wanted to turn every Democrat on Wall Street into a Republican,” one industry lobbyist said, “he is doing everything right.”

Continue reading Wall Street Wants more Austerity for Americans →

Pennsylvania Democrats Unanimously Endorse Single Payer Senate Bill 400 and House Bill 1660

Lancaster – The Pennsylvania Democratic State Committee today unanimously endorsed a resolution calling for passage of single payer healthcare, Senate Bill 400 and House Bill 1660, also known as the “Family and Business Healthcare Security Act.”

Given the healthcare reform deadlock in Washington, D.C., Pennsylvania’s nation-leading status in the battle for state-based “Medicare for All,” is all the more significant.

“Not only does Pennsylvania now have the Democratic Party on board with the Single Payer healthcare for all,” said Healthcare for All PA executive director Chuck Pennacchio, “we also have the promised signature of our governor and the active support of Republican and Democratic leaders in both the State Senate and State House.”

Added Pennacchio, “Pennsylvania is clearly ‘ground zero’ for cost-saving, life-enhancing, job-creating, quality, comprehensive, publicly-funded, privately-delivered, healthcare for all.  Once PA adopts the proven single payer solution, our neighboring states will move rapidly to adopt the same answer, and congress will quickly follow suit.”

Presenting the resolution before the voting body of 301 Democratic State Committee members was Tom Herman, Chair of Berks County.  Seconding the motion were Jon Fox of Lancaster County and James Burn of Allegheny County.  The vote in support of House Bill 1660 and Senate Bill 400 was by unanimous consent.

By Mark Feeney and Bryan Marquard, Boston Globe Staff

They Still Don’t Get It

The Supremes Have Opened the Floodgates

By Sen. Russell Feingold
January 24, 2010

Sen. Russ Feingold

Published by CounterPunch.

Key Points About the Citizen’s United v. FEC Decision

The Supreme Court’s decision in Citizens United v. FEC has opened the floodgates to corporate money in federal campaigns in ways we haven’t seen for nearly a century. While for decades corporations have been able to set up special accounts, called PACs, to accept contributions and spend them on political activities, they have not been allowed to spend money from their vast corporate treasuries in connection with federal elections. Citizens United v. FEC has changed all that.

In this case, the Court took a narrow campaign finance issue and decided a much broader one—whether a century of laws protecting against corruption in government, laws which have been repeatedly upheld as constitutional, should suddenly be overturned. While the core of the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act (BCRA), often known as McCain-Feingold, isn’t affected by this decision, the decision does eviscerate longstanding campaign finance law.

Below are some key points about the decision, and how the Court’s move to overrule Austin v. Michigan Chamber of Commerce (1991) and portions of McConnell v. FEC (2003) will undermine our democratic process.

Continue reading Corporate Coup by Supreme Court Right Wing →

Beaver County

Area doctors plan

Haiti mission

By: Bob Bauder
Beaver County Times

Times photo by SALLY MAXSON

Jan 21, 2010 – Dr. Raniah Khairy, left, of Tri-State OB/GYN in Beaver goes through supplies with office manager Kelly LeFebvre. Khairy will take the supplies with her when she leaves for Haiti Sunday as part of a medical relief mission with other Heritage Valley personnel.

Some of the same local organizers of a relief mission to rescue orphans from Haiti are organizing a second trip scheduled for departure on Sunday to deliver medical personnel and supplies to the earthquake ravaged nation.

The plan is to help staff and supply three hospitals in the Port-Au-Prince area, including one set up with the assistance of Dr. Chip Lambert of Sewickley, who specializes in emergency medicine and disaster relief. Continue reading Local Solidarity with People of Haiti →