Mood:  sad

Wisconsin State Senator (D) Accidentally Runs Over, Kills Granddaughter...

Senator Accidentally Runs Over Granddaughter

GREEN BAY -- A Wisconsin State Senator accidentally killed his granddaughter. It happened in Green Bay. State Senator Dave Hansen didn't see his 2-year-old granddaughter as he backed his car out of his driveway.

Neighbor Sharon Konitzer saw the tragedy first hand.

"I was just sitting in my living room and I ran outside and Dave had his granddaughter over his shoulder and said he just ran her over," Konitzer said.

Konitzer called 911. She says Hansen was frantic.

"He was just sweating and screaming and crying. He said, 'I just ran over my little girl. I just ran over my little girl, my granddaughter,'" Konitzer said.

Elliana Zaidel, who would have turned two next Wednesday, died as a result of the accident.

Senator Hansen's office released a statement. It says, "Ellie adored her grandfather and she was the apple of his eye."

It goes on to say "Senator Hansen is in shock and is currently attending to the needs of his family."

Hansen's office tells us the senator was leaving his house for a meeting around 8:30 a.m.

Elliana ran out of the house and behind the car. Neither Hansen nor his wife saw her.

The Green Bay Police Department called the incident "a tragic unfortunate accident." Police said no criminal charges will be filed.

Todays TMJ4.com ~ Heather Shannon ** Senator Accidentally Runs Over Granddaughter
Also at: Minneapolis / St. Paul Star Tribune ~ Associated Press **
Wisconsin state senator accidentally drives over granddaughter

Too sad of a story to comment much... but no matter whether there's a (D) or an (R) next to his name, this is a nightmare come true. What a tragedy for this poor guy and his family, unreal.

Posted by yaahoo_ at 3:45 AM EDT

Updated: Sunday, 15 July 2007 3:50 AM EDT

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Commander says Iraq surge

operations have 'significant' impact

Iraqi forces patrol alongside Marines during a recent sweeping operation in Baghdadi, Iraq, July 5, 2007. The operation served as both a test of the Iraqi Army's abilities, and a sweeping mission to clear weapons from the area. Courtesy photo.

BAGHDAD -- Ongoing anti-insurgent operations conducted in and around Baghdad and to the south of Iraq’s capital city are achieving continued success, a senior U.S. military officer said Friday during a teleconference with retired military analysts.U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Rich Lynch, commander of Multi-National Division-Center and U.S. Army’s 3rd Infantry Division, said he is optimistic that the surge will reduce violence in Baghdad while seriously disrupting insurgent operations in Iraq.

“Eventually, I believe you’ll see (an) improved security situation inside of Baghdad” due to the surge operations, he said. “But, it’s not going to happen overnight.”

Seeing on TV that the surge has minimal impact on the insurgents, “causes me great confusion,” he noted.

In reality, U.S. and Iraqi security forces participating in Operation Marne Torch are busily knocking out insurgent sanctuaries located within his battle space, Lynch said, which includes parts of eastern and southern Baghdad, as well as Najaf, Karbala, Babil and Wasit provinces.

“We’ve had significant impact on the enemy with the surge forces,” Lynch asserted. “I contend that they are indeed being successful.” Yet, he cautioned it will take some time to gauge the overall effectiveness of the surge operations.

Operation Marne Torch is one of several ongoing operations that are part of an overall offensive against insurgents in Iraq. U.S. troops to Iraq earlier this year as a surge of forces to assist the Iraqi government in confronting the insurgency. called Operation Phantom Thunder, which began June 15, once all of the surge troops were in place. President Bush directed a deployment of about 30,000 additional troops.

Many surge-related operations designed to eliminate enemy activity in Baghdad and its environs are being conducted within Multi-National Division-Center’s battle space, Lynch said. Since it was launched nearly a month ago, Operation Marne Torch has killed or captured 300 insurgents and netted 60 large enemy weapons caches, the general reported.

When he surveyed his area of operations in March before all the surge troops had arrived, Lynch observed there were four enemy sanctuaries that needed to be taken out.

Those sanctuaries were used by Sunni and Shiite insurgents, as well as al Qaeda in Iraq operatives, because “there weren’t any security forces” in the area, Lynch explained.

“So, we’ve got major operations across my battle space to disrupt those four sanctuaries,” Lynch said. One ongoing operation is focused on knocking out Sunni-insurgent strongholds in the Tigris River valley region, including the Arab Jabour area south of Baghdad.

Lynch said another offensive, Marne Avalanche, has just commenced against Sunni and Shiite insurgents operating in the Euphrates River valley.

And, a top al-Qaeda in Iraq chieftain believed responsible for the downing of a U.S. helicopter in April 2006 and the adduction and killing of two Soldiers in June 2006 was apprehended July 9 thanks to tips from Iraqi citizens, Lynch said. Iraqi citizens had tipped off Coalition forces about the location of a large enemy weapons cache that day, he noted, while local Iraqi militia had captured the suspected terrorist and turned him over to coalition authorities.

Lynch also pointed to suspected Iranian support of insurgents in Iraq, noting his troops have found numerous rocket-propelled grenades and other ordnance, including powerful explosive-formed-penetrator munitions, with Iranian markings.

The Iranian ordnance is being trucked-in into Iraq from the border in Wasit province, Lynch explained, noting much of it has been delivered to Shiite-backed insurgent groups. Lynch said U.S. and Iraqi troops, including a brigade from the country of Georgia, are setting up additional checkpoints in that area to intercept such cross-border arms shipments.

Yesterday, Coalition troops patrolling east of the Tigris River destroyed 40 enemy-emplaced, Iranian-sourced rockets that were aimed at U.S. troops, Lynch said.

(Story by Gerry J. Gilmore American Forces Press Service)
Multi-National Force - Iraq ~ American Forces Press Service - Gerry J. Gilmore **
Commander says Iraq surge operations have ‘significant’ impact

Next Story >

In other developments throughout Iraq:
• Marines from Company I, Battalion Landing Team 3rd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit, discovered 500, one hundred-pound bags of ammonium nitrate July 11.

• An Iraqi citizen who has been working with Coalition Forces during the past week led them to two caches in Qarghuli Village, Iraq, a known terrorist safe haven.

Related: (.PDF File) • 50,000 Pounds of Ammonium Nitrate!, Confiscated in Iraq
U.S. Marines Ambush Insurgents In Ramadi, (...or how to wake-up Terrorist Tenants)
• Herald News Daily ~ AP - Charles J. Hanley ** Air Force quietly building Iraq presence

Why should we listen to him? He's an actual General actually in Iraq fighting the actual war!!! I'd much rather get my military news from the libtards in New York, Washington, and Los Angeles.

Posted by yaahoo_ at 2:38 AM EDT

Updated: Sunday, 15 July 2007 3:04 AM EDT

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Demented-crats block amendment

to prevent Fairness Doctrine

WASHINGTON -- Senate Democrats on Friday blocked an amendment that would have prevented the return of the Fairness Doctrine, a federal rule requiring broadcasters to air opposing views on issues.

Although no legislation has been offered to bring back the regulation, which was scrapped in 1987, South Dakota Sen. John Thune, Minnesota Sen. Norm Coleman and other Republicans have been mounting a pre-emptive attack in recent weeks. They argue that a return to the old rule would give the government too much power in regulating content. The House recently passed an amendment banning the rule's return.

When Coleman, R-Minn., tried to bring up his amendment Friday to a defense authorization bill, Sen. Carl Levin, a Michigan Democrat who chairs the Armed Services Committee, objected. Levin's office said he objected because the amendment belonged in the Commerce Committee's jurisdiction, and because it would have taken up time while the Senate was trying to debate Iraq.

The subtext of the debate over the Fairness Doctrine is talk radio's perceived dominance by conservative voices.

In a telephone interview, Coleman said his motivation was to preserve the First Amendment. But he added: "I do have a strong objection to folks wanting to cut off talk radio because it's conservative. Let the people be able to make the choice."

Thune agreed.

"Having the bureaucrats dictate the content of the airwaves isn't much different from what we are seeing in places like Iran and Russia where they are rolling back freedom of the press," he said.

Republicans have seized on a comment made last month by Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin, D-Ill., who said "it's time to reinstitute the Fairness Doctrine." Durbin's spokesman, Joe Shoemaker, said that Durbin was expressing support for the concept but has no plans to introduce legislation.

"There is no big conspiracy here, there's no secret plan, there's no nothing," he said.

Durbin and Coleman briefly debated the idea on the Senate floor Friday, with Durbin asking Coleman if he believed it serves the interests of an educated electorate if people could hear both sides of the story.

"Absolutely," Coleman responded. "But I believe - strongly believe - that the government should not be in the position of deciding and dictating, 'now here is the other side.'" He said with the proliferation of communication options such as the Internet, Americans have plenty of opportunity to get the other side.

"The airwaves belong to the American people," Durbin said. "Those who profit from them do by permission of the people through their government." He said that broadcasters should provide both points of view on an issue.

Ed Schultz, a North Dakota-based liberal-leaning talk show host who has more than 3 million listeners on more than 100 stations, also said the airwaves belong to the public.

He said the Republicans' efforts are overreactions, and said he is traveling to Washington next week to talk to talk to Democrats about the issue.

"The issue is liberal talkers haven't even been given a market opportunity in many markets across the country," he said.

He is frustrated because his show is not airing in such major markets as Boston and Philadelphia, where he says certain companies are keeping progressive shows out.

"I'm just open to hearing these conservative companies explain their thought process," he said.

The Federal Communications Commission on Friday referred to comments made by its chairman, Kevin Martin, in an interview this year with Broadcasting & Cable. Asked if he'd support bringing back the Fairness Doctrine, Martin responded, "No. The commission eliminated the doctrine in 1987. Doing so has made for a lot of opportunities in things like talk radio."

Coleman said in the telephone interview that he also has concerns when the FCC tries to regulate content for sex and violence.

"There are limitations on what the FCC should do," he said. "We need to tread very carefully when regulating content ... The best tool is a good family."

Fred Frommer can be reached at ffrommer@ap.org.
In-Forum ~ AP - Frederic J. Frommer ** Democrats block amendment to prevent Fairness Doctrine

Posted by yaahoo_ at 8:52 AM EDT

Updated: Saturday, 14 July 2007 8:57 AM EDT

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Clintax, Breck Girl talk of limiting debates;

exclude lower rivals...

Edwards and Clinton are overheard discussing the limiting of participants in future debates/forums. I guess everyone doesn't have the right to be heard, just those with the most campaign cash...

Clinton, Edwards
talk of limiting debate

DETROIT -- Democrats John Edwards and Hillary Rodham Clinton consider themselves among the top presidential candidates.

They were caught by Fox News microphones discussing their desire to limit future joint appearances to exclude some lower rivals after a forum in Detroit Thursday.

Edwards says, "We should try to have a more serious and a smaller group."

Clinton agrees, saying, "We've got to cut the number" and "they're not serious." She also says that she thought their campaigns had already tried to limit the debates and say, "We've gotta get back to it."

Others taking part in the forum sponsored by the NAACP were Senators Barack Obama, Chris Dodd and Joe Biden, Congressman Dennis Kucinich, New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson and former Alaska Senator Mike Gravel.

One Republican, Colorado Congressman Tom Tancredo, also participated.

WLUC TV6, NBC Upper Michigan ~ Associated Press ** Clinton, Edwards talk of limiting debate

Video link... Take a listen:
After a Democratic forum, Clinton and Edwards agree "our guys should talk."
ABC News ** i-CAUGHT: Clinton and Edwards Team Up?

Related: Breitbart.com ~ PR / US Newswires ** Kucinich Camp Outraged by 'Overheard' Plans of Clinton and Edwards to Eliminate Candidates from Future Presidential Debates, Forums

They'll probably put a sign up saying "Whites Only", or maybe "No Men Allowed".

Posted by yaahoo_ at 3:32 PM EDT

Updated: Friday, 13 July 2007 3:40 PM EDT

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Pittsburgh Drops "Public" from Public Schools to Boost Image

RUSH: "In Pittsburgh, the schools there "will drop 'public' from its name and adopt a new, standardized way of referring to its schools as part of a campaign to brighten and strengthen the district's image. For example, Schenley High School will be called Pittsburgh Schenley. Superintendent Mark Roosevelt's staff unveiled the policy at a school board Education Committee meeting last night. Under the policy, the district simply will call itself the 'Pittsburgh Schools.' The district's logo -- a pattern of circles, triangles and squares -- will still be used. ... By dropping 'public' from its name, Randall Taylor said, the district might be able to avoid the negative attitude often associated with public schools."

Let me tell you people in Pittsburgh something. It has nothing to do with what you call it! Gee! It's called results! You just have to marvel at bureaucrats in the way they tackle a problem -- they don't fix the problem. They fix a name -- that may get rid of the bad image -- but it doesn't fix the problem. Now don't get mad at me -- I love Pittsburgh. I lived there for four or five years in the early seventies. It's just that bureaucrats are bureaucrats. Democrats are Democrats. Liberals are liberals. They never fix the problem, they just try to change the image. You know, "How can we fool 'em today?"

jsmydo@post-gazette.com
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette ~ Joe Smydo ** Pittsburgh schools drop 'public' from name to boost image

You gotta love how libtards "fix" a problem, just call the original problem something else, and it's "all taken care of".

Just like how the new Demented-crat Congress promised to "get rid of earmarks" for 'fiscal responsibility'... they pulled that off by having James Clyburn (D-SC) changing the word "earmarks", to the acronym "L.D.S.I.'s" (Legislative Directed Spending Investments)

Posted by yaahoo_ at 2:57 PM EDT

Updated: Friday, 13 July 2007 3:15 PM EDT

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Lawmakers plan to increase cigarette taxes 61¢ a pack

WASHINGTON -- Smokers would pay an extra 61 cents per pack of cigarettes to expand health insurance to about 2 million children under a tentative deal worked out Tuesday between Democrats and Republicans on the Senate Finance Committee.

The tobacco tax increase would boost the federal levy from 39 cents per pack to $1, an increase of 156%. It would raise about $35 billion over five years to pay for the largest expansion of the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) since its creation a decade ago.

"It really does come down to a choice between children and tobacco," said Sen. Gordon Smith, R-Ore., who originally proposed the 61-cent increase. "This is a 'two-fer.' It does decrease smoking, and it does connect public health care costs with one of the drivers of that cost, and that's tobacco."

Some details remain to be worked out before the committee votes on the package, probably next week. Expanding the popular program by taxing tobacco, however, has broad support, including from Republicans such as Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah.

"Tobacco politics has changed very dramatically," said Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore. In a non-binding vote in March, the Senate voted 59-40 for a tobacco tax hike of no more than 61 cents to expand the children's health program.

The CHIP program has insured about 6.6 million children ineligible for Medicaid. Most are in families with incomes below 200% of the federal poverty level, or $41,300 for a family of four. About 6 million children who are eligible for the program are not covered.

The federal tobacco tax, last raised in 2003, has never been increased by more than a dime per pack. Eleven states increased tobacco taxes this year, putting the national state average at $1.07.

The House is working on a similar package that could add $50 billion to the program over five years by combining a tobacco tax increase with reductions in federal payments to private insurers under Medicare.

President Bush could block any deal. In his 2008 budget, Bush proposed adding $5 billion over five years to the program, which currently costs almost $5 billion per year. He has criticized some states' expansions of the program to adults and less needy children.

"The program is going beyond the initial intent of helping poor children. It's now aiming at encouraging more people to get on government health care," Bush said Tuesday in Cleveland. "I'll resist Congress' attempt to federalize medicine."

Some elements of the emerging Senate deal would make the program more strict. Income limits for children would be set. No more parents could be added other than pregnant women. Adults without children would be moved to Medicaid, which pays less. Currently, 11 states cover adults under the children's program.

The tobacco industry opposes the deal, saying smokers pay $89 million a day in federal and state taxes and tobacco settlement costs.

"We think that smokers are already paying enough," said Steve Kottak of R.J. Reynolds Tobacco.

Anti-smoking groups say higher taxes save lives. "Research shows a clear health benefit from higher tobacco taxes," said William Corr of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids. A 61-cent increase, he said, would prevent nearly 1.9 million children from smoking and help nearly 1.2 million adults to quit.

USA Today ~ Richard Wolf ** Lawmakers plan to increase cigarette taxes 61 cents a pack

Only our resident closet libtard fascists would see this as something besides social engineering. It's definitely not for the kids.

Posted by yaahoo_ at 3:47 PM EDT

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Security Forces Improve in Baghdad,

Iraq Meets 8 of 18 Benchmarks

First White House Report Since Troop Surge Finds Mixed Success

An eagerly awaited White House report on Iraq will be released tomorrow, which will claim that the Iraqi government has made satisfactory progress on eight of the 18 benchmarks set by Congress.

This is the first assessment of the Iraqi government's success rate since President Bush ordered the troop surge last January. White House officials tell ABC News' Jonathan Karl the report will cite encouraging signs that should eventually lead to a reduction of U.S. forces in Iraq.

The report notes that progress is "satisfactory" on eight of the benchmark criteria, the criteria that deals mostly with the Iraqi security forces.

In one case of a "satisfactory" benchmark, the Iraqi army sent three brigades to help secure Baghdad, as promised.

But a senior White House official told ABC News the report would also show disappointments, as progress on eight other benchmarks is described as "not satisfactory" -- that includes most of the benchmarks on political reconciliation.

Progress on the remaining two benchmarks is labeled "mixed."

Overall, the report points to an eventual draw down of U.S. troops and claims "some encouraging signs that, over time, should point to a more normal and sustainable level of U.S. engagement in Iraq."

New Strategy 'Succeeding'
In advance of the expected White House report, Republican Sens. John McCain and Lindsey Graham -- who both recently returned from Iraq -- gave their own assessment in a briefing with Bush today.

"We adopted a new strategy, and this strategy is succeeding and should be given a chance to succeed," McCain said.

But ABC News has also learned of a recent military intelligence assessment that offers a more mixed picture.

This report notes a decline in attacks on civilians and a near miraculous turnaround in Anbar Province, which, just last year, was considered the most dangerous in Iraq.

At the same time, the intelligence assessment said attacks on U.S. forces are way up, with the overall number of violent incidents in June reaching a record high in Iraq with an average of 178 attacks a day -- the overwhelming majority against U.S. forces.

Still, the surge of additional forces in Iraq has only been fully in place for about three weeks, and military officials indicate it's simply too early to say whether it is working.

Gen. David Petraeus, the top U.S. military commander in Iraq, said again today that fighting a counterinsurgency war takes time -- and in his assessment, that is about 10 years.

ABC News ** Security Forces Improve in Baghdad, Politics Founder
Related: Muqtada al-Sadr runs back home to mommy.... Muqtada al Sadr back in Iran **
Mahdi Army leader leaves Iraq and goes to Iran for second time this year

Posted by yaahoo_ at 4:36 AM EDT

Updated: Thursday, 12 July 2007 4:55 AM EDT

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Hypocrite Demented-crat Lawmaker Opposing

Deadly Force Bill Shoots Would-Be Thief...

"A Texas state lawmaker," a Democrat, "who opposed a law giving Texans a stronger right to defend themselves with deadly force, shot a man at the house he is building in Houston, the police say." Lawmaker "Rep. Borris Miles told the police he was fixing a leak on the second floor of the house on Sunday when he heard a noise downstairs, saw two men trying to steal copper wiring, he confronted them.

One threw a pocketknife at him, and Mr. Miles, former law enforcement officer, shot the man in the leg." Give this guy the Feinstein award, ladies and gentlemen, for utter hypocrisy! So this is perfect: a Democrat, liberal, who reserves special common sense behavior as rights for yourself, but deny them to all of the plebes. The great unwashed, the hoi polloi, if you will...

Texas State Lawmaker Opposing Deadly Force Bill Shoots Would-Be Thief

HOUSTON -- A state lawmaker who opposed a bill giving Texans stronger right to defend themselves with deadly force pulled a gun and shot a man he says was trying to steal copper wiring from a construction site, police said Monday.

Rep. Borris Miles told police he was fixing a leak on the second floor of the Houston house he's building Sunday night when he heard a noise downstairs and saw two men trying to steal the copper. After Miles confronted the pair, one of the men threw a pocketknife at him, Houston Police spokesman Victor Senties.

Miles, a former law enforcement officer, shot the man in the left leg, police said. The wounded suspect was being treated at a Houston hospital. Police were trying to identify the other suspect.

Charges of aggravated robbery are pending against the wounded suspect, Senties said.

Police said Miles, who is in his freshman term, is licensed to carry a concealed weapon. No charges have been filed against Miles, Senties said.

Miles, a Democrat, voted against a bill that gives Texans stronger legal right to defend themselves with deadly force in their homes, vehicles, and workplaces. The so-called "castle doctrine," passed by the Legislature this year, states that a person has no duty to retreat from an intruder before using deadly force. The law goes into effect Sept. 1.

Fox News.com ~ Associated Press ** Texas State Lawmaker Opposing Deadly Force Bill Shoots Would-Be Thief

Here's even more about this particular libtard, he's a real piece of work...

State Representative: Let's Hang the Artist!

Excerpt:
On March 12, freshman state Rep. Borris Miles, D-Houston, was walking through the Capitol with his two young children when he saw two works of art in a public corridor he didn't like. He liked them so little that he took them down off the wall and hid them in his office...

Now no one knows where they are.

Miles took down two paintings depicting executions because, he says, he found them offensive. Scott Cobb, president of the anti-death-penalty group Texas Moratorium Network, which organized the exhibition, condemned Miles' action. "Here we are in the seventh year of the 21st century," he said, "and people are still confiscating artwork for political reasons like it's 1955."

Full story at:
Austin Chronicle ~ Richard Whittaker ** State Representative: Let's Hang the Artist!
Isn't this stealing???

Posted by yaahoo_ at 12:01 AM EDT

Updated: Thursday, 12 July 2007 5:31 AM EDT

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Mood:  don't ask

Demented-crat blogger who wants

Rush Limbaugh and Ted Nugent killed

Also calls for volunteer to assassinate Ted Nugent

A Democratic Party blogger says he wants to shoot Rush Limbaugh and is calling for volunteers to assassinate rock star Ted Nugent, who champions the Second Amendment.

Hart Williams, a former writer for porn magazine Hustler and who now toils for the Democratic Daily, was waxing incoherent about a recent Wall Street Journal op-ed by Nugent, complaining that it was likely ghost-written.

"How we can remain 'civil' in the face of this is beyond my ken," wrote Williams. "I will only reiterate what I've said WHEN they manage to inevitably push their litany of hatespeak into actual bloodletting, and full-blown civil war (for there is no other place that this hatred of American against American can go), well ... I've got dibs on Rush, as soon as it's legal and lawful to shoot him. Whoever wants Ted Nugent is welcome to him, but I would prefer that you would call it now, so as to conserve on ammunition. We will need to manage it prudently. But when the day comes that they have finally set brother against brother, and sister against sister in the name of their pocketbooks, I won't approach exterminating them with anything approaching remorse. They've already told me what they think of me, of my friends and of my peers. Now, I'm returning the favor. Put that in your pipe and have the WSJ editorial staff show you how to smoke it, Nugent. Courage."

The Democratic Daily is the brainchild of Pamela Leavey, whose claim to fame is working as a volunteer writer for JohnKerry.com during the 2004 election cycle. Her site describes her as a writer, entrepreneur and single mother living in Southern California.

Williams identified himself as a former editor of Hustler, who, among other duties, read letters from readers on their "real-life" sexual experiences.

He says that job showed him writing is more difficult than it looks. His point being that Nugent's op-ed was so tightly written it had to have been ghost-written.

He made a similar point about Chuck Norris' columns in WND.

"I have no doubt that it was heavily rewritten by the WSJ staff, if not – as is too often the case with our books, our articles, and columns by 'famous' people – entirely ghost-written, with a vague idea of where Nugent either stood, or what he was willing to 'say,'" wrote Williams.

He continued: "A good (alleged) example is Chuck Norris' 'column' on the WorldNetDaily website. Joseph Farah, the malady behind the WND internet publishing empire loves 'celebrity' columns, and I have no doubt that virtually none of the 'celebrities' involved ever lifts a finger to have those columns written. This is the dirty secret of American publishing for a century and more. The vast amount of ghost-written, and simply written to go with a 'licensed' name (recognizable, 'celebrity') adds to a staggering heap of lies."

World Net Daily ** Democrat blogger wants to shoot Rush Limbaugh
Related: Media Research Center / News Busters' Bozell on Hannity & Colmes Re Blogger Advocating Killing Rush; Couric's Slap

Posted by yaahoo_ at 4:25 AM EDT

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Libtard Pa. Gov. Ed Rendell (D) orders partial shutdown...

Pa. residents wake up to less government

Museums, state parks closed as shutdown keeps 24,000 workers off the job

HARRISBURG, Pa. -- The state museums didn’t open Monday. State parks were closed to visitors at the height of the summer tourism season, and many state services were idle because of a government shutdown that kept about 24,000 workers off the job.

Gov. Ed Rendell shut down the Pennsylvania government late Sunday over a budget stalemate with the Legislature that partly hinges on his energy plan for the state.

“I sincerely hope that this will be a one-day furlough, and I have reason for optimism,” Rendell said at a news conference Sunday night, though he declined to be more specific.

Monday morning, the shutdown set in as the partisan battle of wills between the Democratic governor and Republicans who control the Senate entered the ninth day of the new fiscal year. Lacking an approved state budget, the state has lost the authority to spend money on nonessential services.

With Rendell’s order, state workers deemed not critical to health or safety were furloughed without pay.

'Somewhat difficult'
Pennsylvanians discovered they couldn’t take driver’s license tests. Highway maintenance and a range of permitting and licensing functions were stopped or severely curtailed. Even the lights that normally illuminate the Capitol dome are off, and state tourist attractions aren’t open. Only critical services such as health care for the poor, state police and prisons remain in operation.

Outside one driver’s licensing station, University of Pittsburgh student Dandan Hong, 21, found out from security guards that she would have to wait to get her permit -- the office was closed. She had been cramming for the test and leaves on vacation in two days.

“I didn’t know about it until I got here,” she said. “I don’t know how I’m going to get my permit.”

Gamblers and employees of the state’s five slots parlors got a reprieve when a judge granted a request late Sunday by casino owners to remain open, at least until a Tuesday hearing.

Bobby Soper, chief executive of Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs, worried that his patrons -- there are usually about 5,000 on a typical Monday -- might not know the casinos were open.

“The fact that it occurred at the 11th hour made it somewhat difficult to get the message out,” Soper said.

Republican outcry
Rendell, whose last-ditch negotiations with lawmakers fell short of a budget deal that could have averted the furloughs and partial shutdown, said he hoped the budget impasse would be brief.

Republicans lashed out at Rendell, saying they doubted the furloughs were a legal necessity and repeated complaints he had included other priorities in the budget talks.

Among the key sticking points in agreeing to a new $27 billion-plus budget are raising the state’s debt ceiling and an energy plan that Rendell has insisted the Legislature approve before he signs, they said.

“We have a $650 million surplus in Pennsylvania,” said Senate Majority Leader Dominic Pileggi, a Republican. “There’s absolutely no reason why we can’t have a budget agreement. We could have had a budget earlier but for these ancillary issues.”

The centerpiece of Rendell’s energy plan would place a surcharge on electricity use for a fund for alternative energy programs and electricity conservation. Republican legislators and some Democrats oppose the surcharge and accused the governor of holding state employees hostage to force them to approve it.

“I can’t believe that a man who would call himself governor would do this to state employees,” said Senate President Pro Tempore Joe Scarnati, a Republican.

'Paycheck to paycheck'
One labor leader, David Fillman, the executive director of Council 13 of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, said his union members, 14,000 of whom face furlough, should not have been caught in the middle of a political dispute.

“A lot of them live paycheck to paycheck, and even if it’s a day’s pay that they lose, it has an effect on their personal budgets,” Fillman said.

A legal effort by state employees’ unions to put furloughs on hold failed Saturday, but a hearing was scheduled for Monday.

On Sunday, Mark Tintle of Shady Side, Md., was packing up and leaving French Creek State Park in the Philadelphia suburbs. He and his wife drove 3½ hours Friday night in a car packed with supplies for a weeklong camping vacation, but were told they would have to leave Monday.

“The most disappointing part is that it wasn’t something that was uncontrollable,” Tintle said. “It wasn’t because of a fire, a flood, an act of God. It was just an act of bureaucracy, of Democrats versus Republicans.”

Gamblers trying their luck at Philadelphia Park Racetrack and Casino in Bensalem, just outside Philadelphia, called the showdown nothing more than politics. “It’s all grandstanding, and it’s ridiculous,” said Maryann Breen, playing a Wheel of Fortune machine.

MSNBC.com ~ Associated Press ** Pa. residents wake up to less government

Thanks Fast Eddie, for another job well done. I also heard one of his "pet projects" for this budget was a new arena for the Penguins.

Cops? Don't need 'em. Firemen? Don't need 'em. Medical care and education? Screw that... But gambling? Whoa, gotta have that!

Priorities... Also open for business: Liquor stores (state run in PA) & the State lottery.

Posted by yaahoo_ at 1:46 PM EDT

Updated: Monday, 9 July 2007 2:21 PM EDT

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