Category: Legislative Issues
Legislative Issues
They’ve Crossed the Line – A Patriot’s Guide to Religious Freedom
I recently read PA State Representative Stephen Bloom’s book They’ve Crossed the Line A Patriot’s Guide to Religious Freedom. What a great book! The forward is written by Senator Rick Santorum. It is a quick read and I encourage you do take the time and read it. So often we as Americans are told we do not have our freedoms and so many people throw their hands up and walk away. We do have religious freedoms, no matter if we are at school, work, or in a public place. It’s time more Christians stood up and fought.
101 Million Americans Received Food Aid Last Year
U. S. Department of Agriculture statistics show nearly one-third of Americans received government-funded food aid in 2012. With roughly a dozen federal food assistance programs operating today, 59 percent of American households participate in one of the four largest food assistance programs – food stamps, school breakfasts, school lunches, and WIC – and end up receiving benefits from two or more programs.
In general, the federal government funds roughly 80 welfare programs including 12 educational assistance programs and 11 housing assistance programs at a cost of nearly $1 trillion a year.
For decades, the federal government has been pouring taxpayer dollars into an increasing number of welfare programs in an attempt to tackle poverty. Yet this system has proven ineffective at helping individuals and families reach self-sufficiency.
The size of today’s welfare system clearly demonstrates the need for both opportunity-based economic policies and critical positive reforms to promote self-sufficiency through work, personal responsibility and human dignity.
Pennsylvania lawmaker (Daryl Metcalfe) calls for impeachment of official issuing gay marriage licenses
An ardent proponent of traditional marriage on Wednesday called for the impeachment of the Montgomery County government official who has begun to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples.
State Rep. Daryl Metcalfe (R-Butler) said that Bruce Hanes was violating the law and should be removed from office. He said that the marriage licenses issued by the office have no legal standing.
“It’s not legal,” Metcalfe said. “Our laws are very clear about what marriage is. Marriage is between a man and a woman. Anything that that courthouse issues to anyone other than a man and a woman would not be valid in Pennsylvania. The individual doing so is committing an act of lawlessness. It’s outrageous to see a locally elected official believing he has the ability to set state policy like this from a local county office. If it wasn’t so wrong it would be laughable.”
In defiance of state law, Hanes on Wednesday began to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples. At least five licenses were issued, and one couple married.
Metcalfe has revived efforts to reintroduce legislation aimed at a state constitutional amendment to define marriage as between one man and one woman. Metcalfe’s legislation would also outlaw same-sex civil unions and domestic partnerships
“If it wasn’t so wrong it would be laughable.” – Rep. Daryl Metcalfe
Metcalfe added that under the law, same-sex marriages performed in other states or territories are not recognized by Pennsylvania.
“You have an individual who is charged with carrying out the law of Pennsylvania and this individual breaks the law,” Metcalfe said. “Ultimately, I think there might be an impeachment procedure. The Legislature could remove this individual from office for violating the law.
Metcalfe said he is also drafting a resolution seeking the impeachment of Attorney General Kathleen Kane.
Kane, a defendant in an ACLU federal lawsuit against the state, is refusing to defend the law in court. She is leaving it up to Gov. Tom Corbett, who is also named a defendant.
The ACLU filed the lawsuit two weeks ago on behalf of 23 gay and lesbian couples.
Metcalfe said Kane was breaking the law.
“I think breaking the law is worthy of impeachment,” he said. “Her duty is to defend the law. By her example this Montgomery County official felt emboldened to violate the law also.”
http://www.pennlive.com/midstate/index.ssf/2013/07/gay_marriage_licenses_montgome_4.html
ACTIVIST ALERT – Prevailing Wage Bills considered today!
ACTIVIST ALERT: Today, June 28, 2013 two prevailing wage bills HB 655 and HB 796 are scheduled to be considered. While these bills don’t go far enough, they are a step in the right direction of allowing public works dollars to go to the public works projects they were designed to and not to artificially bloated salaries.
Unfortunately, some of the Southeast members of the Republican caucus are listening to the union bosses who would prefer the prevailing wage laws stay stuck in the 1960s and are undecided about how they will vote. Please call all Republican members of the Berks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, and Bucks delegation and ask them to SUPPORT HB 655 and 796. Then pass this information on to your friends and ask them to do the same.
For contact information visit http://www.house.state.pa.us/
ACLU launches campaign to win GOP support for gay marriage
Shortly after the Supreme Court struck down part of the Defense of Marriage Act, the American Civil Liberties Union announced a new initiative aimed at winning Republican support for gay marriage at the state level.
The ACLU’s campaign will be led by Steve Schmidt, a Republican consultant who held senior positions in the presidential campaigns of George W. Bush and John McCain. Schmidt also managed Arnold Schwarzenegger’s California gubernatorial re-election campaign.
Additionally, the ACLU announced the hiring of GOProud co-founder and former Executive Director Jimmy LaSalvia. LaSalvia’s task will be outreach to gay conservatives, according to a statement released by the group.
The two Republicans were hired as part of a broader initiative challenging state legal and constitutional provisions that restrict marriage to a man and a woman. The ACLU is planning to spend $10 million on this effort through 2016.
ACLU Executive Director Anthony Romero told The Daily Caller News Foundation that he was interested in reaching Republicans “where they are” and trying to change minds on marriage. He praised Schmidt as someone who would help connect them to GOP leaders in the nearly 40 states that do not permit same-sex marriage.
LaSalvia will play a similar role with the tea party. “Jimmy isn’t with the ACLU on issues like abortion or voting rights,” Romero said. “But he has connections that can help us reach the tea party.”
Romero told TheDC News Foundation that the ACLU decided to begin a “respectful dialogue” with Republicans after the oral arguments in the gay marriage cases before the Supreme Court. They concluded the court was unlikely to strike down state laws on marriage, and therefore engaging the states in a bipartisan manner was “the next step for marriage equality.”
“Momentum is everything in advocacy,” Romero said, hailing Wednesday’s Supreme Court ruling — written by Justice Anthony Kennedy, a Republican appointee — as “a tipping point.”
While the ACLU’s alliance with Republican supporters of gay marriage is new, the push by GOP strategists and donors to change the party’s position has been going on for several years. Over 70 prominent Republicans signed an amicus brief urging the court to overturn Proposition 8, California’s state-level gay marriage ban.
Schmidt came out in support of same-sex nuptials after McCain was defeated in the 2008 presidential election. Ken Mehlman, the former Republican National Committee chairman who ran Bush’s 2004 re-election campaign, announced his support for gay marriage in 2010.
House Defeats Farm Bill
Concerns over cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, and overall spending, sunk the 2013 Farm Bill in the House of Representatives. The bill failed 195 to 234, with every Democratic member of the Pennsylvania Congressional delegation voting against the bill. Pennsylvania Republicans Scott Perry, Pat Meehan, Bill Shuster, Keith Rothfus, and Joseph Pitts also voted against the bill. American Farm Bureau Federation President Bob Stallman expressed disappointment following the bill’s defeat. “It was a balanced bill that would have provided much needed risk management tools and a viable economic safety net for America’s farmers and ranchers,” Stallman said. An amendment to the Farm Bill that would have added new work requirements of individuals receiving food assistance siphoned Democratic support from the bill and some Republican lawmakers also sought more reform, AFBF said. Members of the Senate previously adopted their own versions of the Farm Bill, a bipartisan move that cut spending but also gave strong safety net and risk management tools to farmers. Prior to the House vote on Thursday, several news agencies reported the President was considering a veto of the bill because of cuts to food assistance.
SIGN UP FOR BUS TO DC FOR IRS RALLY
The Mifflin County Tea Party Patriots will be taking a bus to DC from State College, Burnham and Mifflintown PA for the IRS rally on June 19. If you are interested please contact Lisa Nancollas @ 717-437-1327 email Lnancollas@aol.com.
Lisa Nancollas, lnancollas@aol.com
Mifflin County Tea Party Patriots, Coordinator
Tea Party Patriots PA State Coordinator
717-437-1327
Senate passes bill to prevent taxpayer funding of abortions
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PA Leadership Council Announces Quarterly Briefings
The Pennsylvania Leadership Council is pleased to announce a series of quarterly briefings that will be open to attendees of the 2013 Pennsylvania Leadership Conference.
The first PLC Quarterly Briefing will be held on Tuesday, June 18, 2013 from 9:00 A.M. until Noon at the PMA Building, 225 State Street, Harrisburg, PA.
Featured speaker will be Jonathan Williams of the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), co-author of the Rich States/Poor States report on state business climates. He will speak about the competitiveness of Pennsylvania’s business climate and what needs to be done to improve our economy.
Additionally, invitations have been issued to key legislative leaders to discuss the 2013-2014 Pennsylvania State budget and key legislative issues.
Seating is limited and pre-registration (at no charge) is required.
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You can register for the briefing by visiting our web site at www.paleadershipconference.org.
Please click on the REGISTER NOW button in the masthead to be linked to EventBrite to register.
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Rock Star GOP - Grassroots Activism Awareness 