PA: Twenty BUDGET QUESTIONS FOR LEGISLATORS
James Brody, Ph.D., www.ValleyForgePatriots.org
November 14, 2009
1) What is the Commonwealth’s responsibility for enforcement of election laws in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh? Cheating is said to be rampant and some voters are intimidated at the polls. Do you support activity from our Commonwealth’s Attorney General? And why hasn’t it happened under the Rendell administration? And what is your reaction to Representative (D-Phil) Babette Joseph’s continued membership in, and sponsorship of, ACORN? (In a similar manner, James Murtha pipes federal dollars into the Johnstown/Altoona area, not only supporting local development but also local dependency on him, the Democrats, and the feds.)
2) PA has perhaps the second largest population of elderly in this republic: Do you support ObamaCare? And why? Particularly when those voting have not read the bill? And will be exempt from its provisions?
3) Required purchase of health insurance forces young voters to pay for the care of people who are two generations older. Judge Andrew Napolitano, for example, finds this to be unconstitutional. Many of us also think it to be unfair and a forced dependency on government bureaucracy. What is your position on this injustice?
4) “Real ID” … information from Driver’s License applications is handled by PennDOT without citizen consent and in a format compatible with a national and international data base. (http://www.unrealid.com/what.html) PA has until the end of this year to opt out. How will you ensure our absence?
5) Cap and Trade gets Democrat support despite the shoddy data in support of “global warming.” Indeed, predictions are now for two decades of unusually cold weather and coal can be a clean source of energy. How can you support Cap and Trade legislation when Pennsylvania mountains have several centuries of fuel and Pennsylvanians need the jobs? And when, with Cap and Trade, we will have massive increases in prices for heat, gasoline, food, and goods manufactured in the U.S.?
6) According to the Department of Education, group and individual school prayers are required when students request them. What are you doing to ensure the students’ awareness of and access to this right?
7) Teacher retirement is due to “bubble” in three years. Is the taxpayer to fill union promises?
8) The local school district charges a full tax rate while serving less than all of the students in this district. How is this justifiable?
9) Many parents pay double tuition but find private and home schooling produces desirable or even superior outcomes for less money. How can you justify charging such parents twice for tuition – once for the local district and a second for private school? (Note also that homeschooling outcomes are achieved without education degrees, continuing education, and union membership. And home schooling parent’s educational costs are often about $500.)
10) Pennhurst State School was closed for violation of its residents’ constitutional rights. Pennsylvania now encourages the creation of “Continuing Care Residential Centers” (CCRC) that are both expensive to enter and may eventually repeat Pennhurst’s wrongs. Further, the CCRC option preempts local exploration of dispersed, community-based choices for care of our elderly. What is your solution?
11) Military personnel often move to positions in local police departments. They are also sworn to protect and defend our nation’s Constitution. Some point out a conflict in these two roles. Comment?
12) Groups such as Tea Parties, Campaign for Liberty, Americans for Prosperity, 912, and Freedom Works catch on as if a virus or a grassfire. Their members share hunger for smaller government, strong national defense, restored personal privacy, educational excellence, protections for the unborn, and lower taxes. There are also proposals to restore traditional representative:voter ratios in our legislatures. What is your response?
13) Substantial comfort for politicians comes from gerrymandering. What are your suggestions for changing this practice that makes 75% of our districts “safe” for one party or the other?
14) Term limits are one recommendation for sweeping the spider webs that grow between politicians and between lobbyists and those same politicians. How soon can term limits be developed? And would this increase the power of lobby groups that would then have greater continuity than our elected representatives?
15) Short brown people ride in vans to construction projects and take their breaks – sometimes alongside police officers – at minimarts. The same staff restaurants. They staff lawn services. They trim the tree branches from around power lines. Management pays low wages and transfers to the rest of us the risks of disease and crime and the costs of subsidized mortgages, medical services, lawyers, and special education. These new arrivals bring their Mexican culture and, in many instances, destroy the neighborhoods already established by legal Mexican immigrants. What is your plan?
16) “Everyone needs to be aware that the BILLIONS they are using in THIS ‘09-’10 budget that are from the Federal Government ”Bailout/Stimulus” fund WILL NOT be there in ‘10 – ‘11!!!! So common sense says that since those “revenues” won’t be there, they will HAVE TO pass a 1.5 to 2.4 BILLION Dollar tax increase for 2010-2011 budget even if they keep that budget status quo!!” What is your plan? BACKGROUND from Linda Herzog, Valley Forge Tea Party: “From a PA Medical Society newsletter to members: ‘The Philadelphia Inquirer had reported that $100 million was set aside in the budget to fund legislator’s pet projects, known as ‘walking-around-money’ or ‘WAMS.’ “But WAMS are controversial, so now the $100 million is being used to secure votes for the budget in a different way. News media sources confirm that legislative leaders and the Rendell administration will use $100 million to increase key line items in state budget allocations to appease legislators who would otherwise oppose the budget. Either way, your Medicare insurance premium dollars will balance the budget ‘deal.’
17) The federal government gives out money that it took but did not earn. State officials rush to accept it and taxpayers put out their hands for “grants,” money taken from other people. This is a Ponzi scheme, it is also theft abetted by politicians of both parties. What is your involvement with WAM and with “grants” for special projects?
18) What is your reaction to schemes to collect tolls on I80?
19) Saul Alinsky described procedures for the transfer of influence and resources from the “haves” to the “have nots.” Obama’s election has created a new, sustained group of have-nots who support large groups who do not support themselves. Are you prepared for radicalism from a new group of people, angered by the destruction of their culture, neglect of their history, and robbery of themselves, their children, and their grandchildren?
20) How long do you plan to stay here? What is your next job?
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