DAILY GRINDER: Voter ID Decision Today
A decision in the Voter ID case is due today—and no matter what Judge Robert Simpson decides this time, it is not over. Not even close! The best he can do is delay the law, not destroy it. The law was passed back to him by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, and they asked him to look at it under a new standard. I’m busy as hell this morning and may miss...
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DAILY GRINDER: Judge Says He May Block Voter ID Law
Commonwealth Court Judge Robert E. Simpson “hints” he may block the Pennsylvania voter ID law this time around. And by hints, I of course mean he flat-out said it. “I’m giving you a heads-up,” he told lawyers after yesterday’s testimony, according to the Inquirer, “I think it’s a possibility there could be an injunction here.” Gov....
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DAILY GRINDER: $1.6 Million Settlement in Contaminated Water Fracking Case
So you're saying this isn't Perrier? Coulda fooled me. Three northeastern Pennsylvania families have reached a $1.6 million settlement with Oklahoma-based Chesapeake Energy over contaminating their water wells and forcing them to go somewhere else. It’s a good chunk of change, but one of the families say it’s not much considering they have to leave...
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Obama, Casey Hold Large Leads in Pennsylvania
Last night’s Democratic loss in Wisconsin was a huge blow for liberals and public sector unions (and probably those still in denial about the impact of the Supreme Court’s Citizens United decision), but finding a parallel to Pennsylvania might be a little tough. Because in most statewide elections here, the Demcorat seems to be crushing it—for now. According...
Continue ReadingDAILY GRINDER: SEPTA Police May Strike
SEPTA Police are threatening to strike if they can’t reach a deal with the Authority. The union representing the workers’ president Richard Neal Jr. said if they can’t reach a deal, “we might have no choice but to go out.” SEPTA police have been working under the terms of a contract that ended April 1, 2011. The union wants 24 percent in wage hikes,...
Continue ReadingDAILY GRINDER: Pennsylvania Salaries…SOPA News…Did Santorum Win Iowa?
Ever wonder why Pennsyltucky hates Philly so much and is slowly—but surely!—tightening the cash faucet with each drying, dying day? It’s because of things like this: The top four public employee earners in the state, according to a recently-released study (there have been a lot of them, lately) notes Arlene Ackerman has made the most in a year, at $348,140;...
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With Obama Prepared to Sign, Pennsylvania Senators Get ‘TwitterBombed’ over Defense Bill
Image: Shutterstock President Barack Obama said yesterday he was backpeddling on his months-long threat to veto the National Defense Authorization Act, which, many contend, gives the U.S. military the right to indefinitely detain U.S. citizens as part of the war on terror. As we’ve noted, both Pennsylvania senators Bob Casey and Pat Toomey not only voted in...
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Is Bob Casey’s National Defense Authorization Vote Hurting His Global Reputation?
Did you know Pennsylvania Sen. Bob Casey is a champion of human rights? That’s correct! His spot on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee has made him the main man in tiny Asian nation Sri Lanka. That country finally won its 26-year war against the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Ealam — a terrorist group known for participating in ethnic cleansing, suicide...
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