Froth Slosh B'Gosh

Your Backdoor Man

Daryl Metcalfe, The Shame of Butler County, tries the old end around on abortion funding.

Rep. Daryl Metcalfe, R-Cranberry, said in a Wednesday news conference introducing the measure that it would end the "flow of taxpayer money to support abortionists."

The bill, similar to legislation attempted in a half-dozen states and supported by several Republican legislators and anti-abortion groups, prioritizes funding for hospitals, rural health care clinics and other providers, but prohibits Department of Health funds from going to any of those organizations that provide abortions.

As the article points out, the laws on the books already prohibit taxpayer dollars from going towards abortions, so the real effect this law would have should it pass is cut off money for other health services that have nothing to do with abortion.  That loss of service will likely impact poorer residents who lack insurance or who live in rural areas.

The law could have an unintended consequence as well.  By eliminating state funding to those health care facilities that perform abortions, it very well likely make those hospitals and clinics facilities provide abortions only, as the funding for that proceedure isn't supplied by tax dollars. 

Just as an aside, I get the distinct impression that every far right bill that comes up in Harrisburg is associated with Daryl Metcalfe, The Shame of Butler County.  Those bills are usually ones that have been introduced in other states first, or authored by ALEC, which leads me to suspect that Metcalfe is probably too stupid to actually write any orginal legislation on his own.

 

Orie Resigns, Accusations From Melvin's Camp

Jane Orie, facing sentancing following her felony and misdemenor convictions, resigned from the Pennsylvania Senate yesterday.

Meanwhile, her sister, accused Pennsylvania State Supreme Court Justice Joan Orie-Melvin, is claiming through her attorney that Allegheny County DA Zappala is engaged in a political vendetta against the Orie family.

And to that, I say, "So what?"  I don't have a clue if Zappala has a vendetta against the Ories or not, but the fact of the matter is, a grand jury found enough evidence to warrant charges.  If the evidence isn't there, no charges would be forthcoming.

Bottom line, if you have political enemies, be they real or perceived, its not a good idea to provide them with ammunition they can use against you.

Breaking Promises

I see in my newspaper today that Harrisburg and Governor-Bought-And-Paid-For are starting to lay the groundwork to attack public employee pensions.

Orie-Melvin Charged

State Supreme Court Justice faces charges in the Orie Affair.  Looks like she's charged with four felony and five misdemeanor counts.  The criminal complaint against her is here. 

The charges include three counts of theft of services, two counts of criminal conspiracy to commit tampering with or fabricating physical evidence, two counts of official oppression and one count each of criminal conspiracy to commit theft of services and misapplication of entrusted property of government.

The grand jury's presentment is here, and it sounds like working for the Orie sisters was a nightmare.

 Its good that she's stepping aside (although not resigning her seat) until the case is resolved.  So as it stands, we now have one Orie convicted and awaiting sentencing, another awaiting trial, and now a third facing charges.   

Its Been The Law Of The Land Since 1943!

I've got to wonder what the heck school officials in Brownsville were thinking when they punished a student for refusing to stand for, or recite the Pledge of Allegiance. As justice Jackson wrote way back in 1943, when the ruling was handed down, ""If there is any fixed star in our constitutional constellation, it is that no official, high or petty, can prescribe what shall be orthodox in politics, nationalism, religion, or other matters of opinion or force citizens to confess by word or act their faith therein." While the P-G's editorial was mostly on the money, they too managed to screw up when the editors wrote: Perhaps the offended teacher could have had a quiet word with the girl's parents, gently suggesting that, while the girl was within her constitutional rights, it would be a courteous gesture to stand and be silent. Noooooo....Perhaps the offened teacher should STFU and stick to teaching, instead of attempting backdoor coercement via the parents.

Voter ID Faces Court Challenge

And so it begins....

Groups opposed to requiring photo identification at the polls plan to file a lawsuit today in Commonwealth Court seeking to prevent the law from taking full effect at the November elections. The lawsuit will name about 10 people who lack the documents needed to obtain an acceptable form of identification, said three attorneys involved in the suit....

David Gersch, an attorney representing the plaintiffs, said the state cannot justify the new ID requirements without demonstrating that voter fraud is taking place.

"In order to take away somebody's right to vote, there needs to be a real problem they're addressing," he said. "The state hasn't shown that there's a problem with people showing up at the polling place and saying they're somebody who they're not."

Supporters of the voter ID law, including Secretary of the Commonwealth Carol Aichele, have described it as a common-sense effort to protect the integrity of the voting process.

You may recall Carol Aichele from awhile back, when she said this in defense of Pennsylvania's Voter ID law:

"The reason people don't have confidence is because they think there's fraud," she said. "This would eliminate or dramatically reduce anyone thinking that there are people voting illegally in Pennsylvania."

Ms. Aichele said her office knows of reports of voter fraud in Pennsylvania but has no overall measure of its occurrence.

And yet to my knowledge, Aichele, or anyone else supporting this law, has provided a single instance of fraud that this law would prevent.

Faugh A Ballagh!!

Last ones, I promise!

Ahhh, the reenactors reward!  All the lasses love a man in a smelly wool uniform!  Of course, if these young ladies had any idea at all of the reputation these lads have, they wouldn't be standing so close!

I Still Have A Few More Of These

Even MORE St. Patrick's Day Pictures!