Friday Mashup (10/29/10)

(I also posted some stuff here.)

It looks like “Governor Bully” is hob-knobbing with the "hoi polloi" again (here)…

Gov. Chris Christie took a jab from Jimmy Fallon on his late-night show last night over his decision to pull out of a cross-river tunnel project, in which the comic said people will have to get to New Jersey the way they usually do, "by accident."

Christie tweeted at Fallon just now: @jimmyfallon Heard your joke about NJ last night. Why dont u come across the river on purpose and I'll give u a tour http://bit.ly/cPS9KH

Then he got his own poke at Fallon for his Bruce Springsteen-homage opening sketch at the Emmys:

@jimmyfallon Consider this is a formal invite. By the way — nice attempt at Born to Run but Bruce does it better. http://bit.ly/cRRvbk

Keep reminding me that only liberals suck up to celebrities again, people, OK?

I guess the only reason why I’m mentioning this at all is because I’m a bit shocked (though maybe I shouldn’t be) by the cowed silence form our corporate media over the fact that Christie killed the $8.7 billion New-Jersey-to-New-York-City tunnel project with barely a peep of protest from our news organizations with initials for names.

Well, one person who most definitely is not going to go quietly is NJ Dem Sen. Frank Lautenberg, who tells us the following from here…

NEWARK – Today, U.S. Senator Frank R. Lautenberg (D-NJ) issued the following statement in response to Governor Chris Christie’s decision to kill the critical Access to the Region’s Core (ARC) Tunnel project:

“The Governor was given a deal from the federal government on Sunday that put no extra imposition on the state of New Jersey for its obligation to the ARC Tunnel project, and the Governor refused it. It was clear from the beginning that Governor Christie planned to kill the ARC Tunnel no matter what. In doing so, the Governor has once again put politics over performance.”

…

CHRISTIE MYTHS vs. THE TRUTH

Christie Myth: The Federal Government did not provide a proposal that would have shielded New Jersey from being responsible for cost overruns beyond the current state share of $2.7 billion.

Truth: The Federal Government provided options to the state for transferring responsibility for covering overruns to a private entity through a Public Private Partnership (“P3”).

*

Christie Myth: The Federal Government did not offer New Jersey any additional Federal funds beyond the $3 billion already committed.

Truth: The Federal Government offered a financing option in which it would provide an additional $358 million dollars, bringing the total Federal commitment to an unprecedented $3.358 billion.

*

Christie Myth: The actual cost to New Jersey of this project will be $3.5 billion because the state will be on the hook for Portal Bridge.

Truth: The Federal Government presented Governor Christie with a proposal for a Public Private Partnership (“P3”) that would not only relieve New Jersey of responsibility for cost overruns, but also of the cost of the Portal Bridge.

*

Christie Myth: He is killing the tunnel because the state cannot afford it.

Truth: He is killing the tunnel in order to move $1.25 billion in New Jersey Turnpike Authority funds dedicated to the ARC Tunnel to the state’s Transportation Trust Fund.

*

The Governor was presented with a proposal from the Department of Transportation (as noted above) that would shield New Jersey from the risk of cost overruns. The Public Private Partnership (P3) proposal was presented to Governor Christie as follows:

Federal Contribution: $3 Billion

Port Authority Contribution: $3 Billion

New Jersey Contribution: $2.7 Billion (hard cap)

Private Investors: $1.85 Billion plus assumption of risk of cost overruns

Good for Lautenberg – nice to see someone tell Christie off for a change, instead of the other way around.

Next, I give you the latest in the ongoing story of the rejected absentee ballot applications in Bucks County (from here – a brief summary of what has happened so far can be obtained from here).

And by the way, get a load of how the Courier Times divided up the stories online:

In response, here is some required reading for the person or persons responsible for the paper’s online content.

Returning to the story today, I give you the following:

In a news release, Murphy's campaign said the board of elections remedied errors on Republican ballot applications but not those of Democrats.

As evidence, the Democrats provided a copy of an absentee ballot application submitted by a Republican woman from Bensalem who used her married name, although she is registered under her maiden name, and failed to include her date of birth. Board of elections workers added the woman's maiden name and approved the application.

In contrast, the Democrats provided copies of applications submitted by Democrats from Levittown and Fairless Hills who put incorrect dates in the field for date of birth.

The Democrats "didn't get the same special treatment," as the Republican voter, the news release says.

(Board of Elections Director Deena Dean) said the campaign staff's allegations are absolutely false.

"No one has been tampering with any ballots and I'm offended by that," Dean said.

Dean explained that a ballot application with a woman's maiden name is permissible. A voter who has married and changed his or her name but has not updated his or her voter registration may sign an affidavit at the poll. Dean did not explain why the application was approved without a date of birth.

Of course she didn’t, because she didn’t want to admit that Cawley and Martin told her to do that (no, I don’t have proof, but this is beginning to “walk like a duck and talk like a duck,” if you know what I mean, particularly since Bucks has had trouble with running fair elections in the past, as noted in a Murphy campaign press release... I’ll try to track it down and link to it).

Continuing…

Bucks County Republican Committee Vice Chairwoman Pat Poprik said the congressman's news release was misleading. She said she was familiar with one of the rejected Democratic applications and noted that it had been denied for other defects in addition to the incorrect date of birth.

"They selectively told you what was on that card," Poprik said.

Well then, why else was the application rejected? Can the Repugs do anything on this story except accuse Democrats of wrongdoing without any proof?

The big “takeaway” for me on all this, though, is the letter on Rob Ciervo’s letterhead accompanying the absentee ballot application saying “Mike Fitzpatrick and I need your help” and instructing voters as follows: “If the application is for a student who will be away in November, be sure to use their college address to ensure they receive the ballot in a timely manner” (here...the whole business about whether the PA Voter Assistance Office exists or not is nothing but a red herring as far as I'm concerned).

So the application is filled out with the college address, sent to the Bucks County Board of Elections…and then it is tossed because it doesn’t match the address to which the absentee ballot application was originally sent.

Welcome To Voter Caging 101, ladies and gentlemen. Your instructors are Dr. Ciervo, Mr. Fitzpatrick, Mr. Cawley and Mr. Martin.

With all of this in mind, this makes the following information on behalf of Congressman Patrick Murphy for this Tuesday all the more important (I don’t know if I’ll have a chance to sneak in any more plugs for him over the next few days, but we’ll see).

As noted here, Murphy played a role in bringing the following jobs to our area:

• February 2009 – ETC Southampton, U.S. Navy contract: 300 direct jobs, hundreds more from using local contractors/vendors

• March 2009 – Humanistic Robotics: several dozen jobs and a new company moving into Bucks

• April 2009 – Neshaminy Creek Watershed: 200 jobs elevating homes and businesses along the flood plain

• May 2009 – Lockheed Martin, NASA contract: 50 new jobs direct from contract; many more expected through 2010 (total of 250 so far since Rep. Murphy took office)

• June 2009 – SEPTA Croydon Station revitalization: 2-year project, over 100 jobs

• August 2009 – Brenner Aerostructures, Boeing contract: 25 new jobs over 2 years

• November 2009 – ETC Southampton, South Korean Air Force contract: 100 direct jobs, hundreds more from using local contractors/vendors

• December 2009 – Y-Carbon, Inc.: 25 jobs from expanding their manufacturing operation to Bucks from Montgomery

• January 2010 – Gamesa USA: $2.8 million in tax credits for manufacturing and green jobs

• January 2010 – AE Polysilicon: $44 million in tax credits for manufacturing and green jobs

Also, Patrick was responsible for the following:

He won the endorsement of five small businessmen (four of whom are Republicans) here (last item).

Murphy has worked tirelessly to repeal Don't Ask, Don't Tell (second item here).

He kept teachers and other public workers from losing their jobs (last item here – and by the way, as long as Mikey has been screaming about the supposed profligacy of the Dem Congress, take a look at the chart in the post to see the debt run up by the Republican congresses earlier in this decade).

He supported primarily low-income veterans here – also, an amendment he sponsored in response to the awful Citizens United ruling that passed the House is noted.

He explained here about how taxes have been lowered under Obama and the Dems in Congress (yes, it’s true, people).

He took the lead in legislation creating the Washington-Rochambeau Revolutionary Route National Historic Trail - a 685-mile path crossing eight states from Newport, R.I., to Yorktown, Va., as noted here.

Oh, and the Courier Times said that Murphy has “shied away” from HCR – yeah, right.

Murphy also took the lead in passing the HOMESTAR Energy Rebate and “Cash For Caulkers” programs here.

And as noted from here…

This is part of Congressman Murphy's accomplishments along with those of the 111th Congress, including passage of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to create and save 3.5 million jobs, as well as giving a tax cut to 95 percent of this country's workforce (Mike Fitzpatrick, by contrast, said the stimulus "brought us less jobs," a claim that was called false by factcheck.org).

This Congress also enacted legislation reforming the system of federal student loans to save taxpayers $87 billion -and then investing $77 billion of those savings back into education, particularly by making college more affordable, and directing $10 billion back to the Treasury to reduce entitlement spending.

Add to this list of accomplishments numerous jobs bills, including a bill to invest $31 billion in science, technology, innovation, math education, cutting-edge research, advanced manufacturing technologies, and workforce training; the "Cash for Clunkers" program, which spurred the sales of 700,000 vehicles and revived the auto industry; blocking a 21 percent cut in Medicare physician payments; granting new powers to the FDA to regulate the advertising, marketing and manufacture of tobacco products as well as regulating the food supply to prevent illness outbreaks; forcing health insurance companies to cover pre-existing conditions; ethics reform including new lobbying restrictions; and passing a credit card bill of rights (I would say that the House, including Murphy, has a record to be proud of).

Also, as noted today from here…

Legislators who want to repeal (or in other ways, harm) the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act would rather you didn't know that any Pennsylvanian who has been denied medical insurance coverage for at least six months due to a pre-existing condition and do not qualify for Medicare/Medicaid can now get medical insurance coverage.

With federal funds allocated in the new law, any state can implement high risk pool coverage. Pennsylvania has done so under Highmark PPO Blue Shield.

I urge everyone who thinks they may qualify to call toll-free 1-888-767-7015 and place an application.

As of Oct. 1, I now have medical insurance coverage. Wholeheartedly, I commend Congressman Patrick Murphy for voting to pass the new law that made this possible.

Because of a seizure disorder - which has been medication-controlled for over 10 years and is not life threatening - I went without medical coverage for over three years. I was consistently turned down - or offered coverage at minimum $835 a month; $10,000 deductible, if coverage at all. A letter from Aetna reads, "We have declined your application ... a history of seizures (and) ... your health history exceeds the allowable limits provided by our underwriting guidelines."

This kind of letter is routinely sent to people with diabetes, high cholesterol, battered women and others who through no fault of their own have conditions that the medical insurance industry deems that, since there is the possibility that they may have to actually pay for services, they'd rather not. If denying coverage for illness' sake, then what are premiums collected for?

Here's an analogy: Old cars (I'm a 63-year-old) can get liability insurance. This liability covers you if I get into an accident (or a long-term illness). With my "liability" insurance if I go into the hospital and incur high medical bills, guess who doesn't have to pay for my repairs: You!

I pay an affordable premium: $283 per month with a $1,000 deductible and $20-$50 copays. I have the medical coverage I need, which keeps you from paying for me!

From an article in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Oct. 11: www.post-gazette.com/pg/10215/1077193-114.stm: "90 percent or more (premium dollars) will go toward patient care with the remaining share spent by the state for administrative expenses to Highmark for its contract work."

Again, I urge anyone who thinks they may qualify to call toll-free 1-888-767-7015.

Barbara Stakes
Oakford, PA

And I suppose I wouldn’t be “fair and balanced” if I ignored Mikey Fitzpatrick here, so I’ll merely add the following (from here)…

Republicans vow to repeal health care reform, privatize Social Security, end Medicare as we know it, give tax cuts to millionaires and preserve tax breaks for corporations that ship our jobs overseas.

They can call themselves the tea party, the Jefferson Club or even Kitchen Table Patriots, but they are still the same old Republicans to me.

Regina Axenroth
Levittown, PA

Also, a “Vent” submission today stated the following:

“The Murphy endorsement (by the Courier Times) was about his accomplishments. The Fitzpatrick endorsement was about bashing Murphy. All hat and no cattle, just like the campaign.”

Indeed, and to help Congressman Murphy (and time is short now, people), click here.