A Conservative Without a Party?: Perhaps I’m Not Alone After All

Written by Roberta Biros

On Thursday, January 22, 2008, I published a blog post titled What is a Conservative to Do When They Find Themselves Without a Party?. If you have not read it, I would suggest that you do so when time permits.

The crux of my story is that I am an energetic, opinionated, and conservative woman that has made countless attempts to become involved with the Republican Party in Mercer County Pennsylvania. Every attempt has failed. My most recent attempt left me beaten and battered, but NOT down for the count (I’m far too bull-headed for that). Instead of “licking my wounds”, I openly expressed my opinions about “my situation” to all of you. I didn’t think much of it, I just figured that it would make me feel better, but in the process I hoped that my message would be noticed by other locals who have experienced similar problems. Perhaps we could all get together to form a “support group” of sorts.

Well, to my surprise, the topic (and the candid way that I described my situation) seems to have caught the attention of many across Mercer County and the State of Pennsylvania.

Upon publishing my post, comments began to pour in almost immediately. Some of the comments were public using the comment feature of my Blog Post [you can read those comments HERE]. Other comments were posted as new blog posts on other conservative news forums. And, many comments were received to my personal email account through the invitation that I added at the end of my original story.

What was the message that was conveyed in EVERY SINGLE ONE of the comments that I’ve received? You Are Not Alone.

It seems that the problem that I’ve experienced is a common one. Many of you have been following my post watching as my soap opera unfolded before your eyes. You were waiting to see how things “panned out” for this particular conservative. When you saw the final result of my “efforts to conform”, your hearts sunk in knowing that the same problems continue to plague the Grand Old Party for all of “us”.

I received many comments from folks right here in Mercer County. The comments and concerns all lead back to the GOP Leadership in Mercer (or lack thereof). Many of you stated concerns for your anonymity as a fear of backlash and retribution looms over your head. Good Lord! . . . the problems that we have with our Party are even worse than I had imagined!

I then received comments from people throughout the State of Pennsylvania. It seems that the problems that we are experiencing are not limited to our fine, rural County. No, the problems of the GOP seem to be more far reaching than that.

So what are we to do? Well, it has already begun. Concerned conservatives that have found themselves disenfranchised from the Party have already begun to organize. “Super Secret” meetings with “Super Secret Handshakes” have been happening in back rooms across the State for months (or longer). It is a concentrated underground movement of conservatives who want to take the Republican Party back. They are talking (on the “down low”, of course), they are plotting and scheming and planning. They are uniting for the good of the Party. They all have one goal in mind . . . take the Party away from the self-serving and self-centered bullies who have outstayed their welcome.

The message? “Re-build, Re-unite, and Re-juvenate the Re-publican Party!”

What is the plan . . . exactly? Hmmmm. Only time will tell. Besides, to tell would take all of the fun out of it.

What I CAN tell you is this . . . I’m still fielding comments and conversations from like-thinking conservatives. I’m gathering names and contact information as well as various opinions. So . . .

If you are a “Mercer County Conservative” who has found themselves shunned by the Mercer County Republican Party, email me to open a dialog.

If you are a “Mercer County Conservative” who is currently involved with the Mercer GOP but has concerns about its future, email me to open a dialog.

If you are a “Mercer County Conservative” who is interested in running for an elected office, but the Mercer GOP is not embracing you, email me. I can provide you with contact information for responsible party members that can help.

If you are a Pennsylvania Conservative who is experiencing similar problems in your County, email me. Perhaps by working together we can affect change state-wide.

I realize the sensitive nature of this topic, so all communications will be held in the strictest of confidence.

As always, just my opinion.

~Roberta Biros, Mercer County Conservatives

COLAs: What’s Good for the Goose Sure As Heck Should be Good for the Gander

Written by Roberta Biros

On the issue of Cost of Living Adjustments (COLAs) for PA State Legislators, the Governor, and Judges, my opinion has been clear (and I've shared those opinions with you all repeatedly). I appreciate all State Legislators who have vowed to “give back” their 2.8% pay raise, but I think it is more important to REPEAL the ACT 51 Cost-of-Living Adjustments (COLAs) that generated the raise in the first place. Some of you agree, and some of you disagree.

I read an article from the Patriot-News this week [READ HERE] that states that Gov. Ed Rendell would like to take it a step further. According to the Patriot-News article:

The Rendell administration has told state workers' unions it wants them to agree to cancel a 2.25 percent raise that went into their paychecks earlier this month and to forgo a 3 percent pay increase scheduled for July 1. It also wants to reduce the Pennsylvania Employees Benefit Trust Fund's reserve from $244 million to $50 million.

First, I support the idea of eliminating raises for all State Workers . . . whole heartedly, in fact. Do I feel their pain? Of course I do. I understand that it is painful when you don’t get a raise . . . as a small business owner, I haven't gotten one for at least five years (although I admit that I lost count a long time ago). However, with the fiscal woes that are facing the State of Pennsylvania, there should be NO cost cutting measure that is NOT ON THE TABLE. It is clear that we are in drastic times which require drastic measures. I ask, however, would the Governor expect the State Workers to also send a check back to the State Treasury each month for their raise "give back" (as in the way that the State Legislators, Judges, and Governor have been asked to “give back” their raise)?

I would guess that the answer is a definitive “No”, and for good reason. Can you imagine asking the 78,000 state workers to be responsible for sending their pay raises back to the Treasury every month? Well, then, why the heck should we accept the idea of the State Legislators, Judges, and Governor doing it that way? After all, “what’s good for the goose should also be good for the gander” . . . right?

This goes back to the point of why I support a complete REPEAL of the ACT 51 COLAs which would eliminate the pay raises for State Legislators, the Governor, and Judges entirely. I support it as an important cost-saving measure, and I support it because it would eliminate the stupid babysitting that has started regarding keeping track of who did and who did not send their raise back yet. [ See my post titled PA Lawmakers Chime in on COLAS: It Seems That I Wasn’t So Far Off-Target After All for details]

Times are tough, and the State is going to have to make up for their $2 billion budget shortfall from last year’s budget somewhere [See my comments regarding the 2008-2009 Budget HERE]. If the Legislature would REPEAL their COLAs, they would be “Leading by Example” (a strange concept, I understand). By making that BOLD MOVE, perhaps it would also help the State Employee Union to understand the seriousness of the situation. Someone needs to take the first step towards officially cutting costs, and the Repeal of the COLAs by the Legislature would be both symbolic and stimulating. “Symbolic” in that the Legislators would be showing that they are serious about fixing our problems . . . “Stimulating” as it might encourage other State Workers (as well as the Taxpayers) to try to do their part. It would serve as proof that our elected officials are serious about putting Pennsylvania back on the right path of financial stability.

The economy has managed to tighten some of our belts without warning. I, for one, did not have the option to accept or reject my recent “pay cut”. Perhaps it is time for government employees (at all levels) to understand what that pinch feels like. What's good for the goose . . .

As always, just my opinion.
~Roberta Biros, Mercer County Conservatives

Coconut-Gate Update #2: Words Worth Repeating Regarding Sen. Bob Robbins

Written by Roberta Biros

I’ve posted at length regarding Senator Bob Robbins recent comments regarding his Virgin Islands “networking trip”. If you haven’t been following the story, you can read all of the past posts HERE (listed in reverse chronological order, of course).

My posts have been one part of the discussion. Stories and editorials in the Sharon Herald have been a second part of the discussion. The third part of the discussion have been the numerous public postings to the Herald Forum (you can READ those conversations HERE).

I posted a response in that Forum today, and I thought that my comments were worth repeating here for all of you . . . my loyal readers.

The comment was in response to quote made by a Forum contributor that goes by the name of “Lifetime”. It also includes a reference to a comment made by contributor “wilma4bng”. Here is my post . . . just for the record:

Originally posted by Lifetime:
Just admit.... you don't like the GOP
You just don't like PA Sen. Bob Robbins

Response by Roberta in Mercer:
Like "wilma4bng", I, too, am a Republican (17 years for me). The term “Republican” does not define me, though. There are many flavors of Republicans. I, therefore, define myself as a Conservative. I specifically support Conservative values, and my record shows it. Whether you agree with me or not on “conservatism” is not the issue.

Unlike some "Mercer County Republicans", I'm honest in my opinions. If I see a Republican (or Democrat for that matter) doing something commendable, I make a point to commend them. If, however, I witness a Republican (or Democrat) demonstrate not-so-commendable actions, I point it out too. I call a “spade a spade”, so to speak.

To say “you don’t like the GOP” is interesting. It is true that I don’t like some things that the GOP does . . . especially locally. I find that I disagree with their actions often, so perhaps it is fair to say that “I don’t like them” if you are talking in broad terms.

To say that “you just don’t like PA Sen. Bob Robbins”, is simply unfair. I don’t even know PA Sen. Bob Robbins. I could not, therefore, have a reason to like to dislike him . . . personally. I do, however, disagree with things that he has done politically.
When he presents himself proudly as a “so-called” Republican, he makes all of US (“Republicans”) look bad when he does stupid things, and WE (“Republicans”) get blamed for his stupidity.

In my personal opinion, I do not consider Senator Robbins a “Conservative” . . . he is far from it, actually. If you look at the Senator’s voting record, you will find that he does not vote in a Conservative manner often (I could say “rarely”). When asked questions (like this issue about the Virgin Islands), he does not present himself as though he is concerned with voter opinion or public image. He presents himself as though he is simply concerned with “Bob Robbins”. I find that troubling. I find it terribly troubling in a Senator that is supposed to be representing the welfare and well-being of the people of the 50th District. Does that mean that “I don’t like him”? No . . . it simply means that I don’t like him as our State Senator. I don’t like the way that he represents US (the people of Mercer County) . . . all of US (from Mercer County). If we remind him that we “don’t like his behavior”, perhaps he could change or attempt to improve. If he cannot change (or simply refuses to change), then perhaps he should step aside and allow someone else to take over his position as “public servant”.

This is NOT personal. This is an issue of an individual’s ability to LEAD and SERVE. I simply think that Senator Bob Robbins is doing both poorly.

Just my opinion.

IN CLOSING:

Do I have some personal dislike (or should I say it . . . “hate”) for the Senator? Absolutely not.
I am simply providing comments and commentary that the Senator (and the people of Mercer County and the State of Pennsylvania) can read at their leisure. Everyone who reads my comments has the FREEDOM to make up their own minds on this issue.

If you think I’m being unfair . . . so be it.

If you think that I’m simply speaking the truth . . . thank you.

If you just hate me no matter what I say . . . please don’t bother reading my opinions any more (you have the FREEDOM to NOT read my comments).

If you’d care to comment, I welcome your thoughts through my moderated “comment” feature HERE. I will publish your comments . . . even if they disagree with my own. I will not, however, publish your comments if you are rude or improper in any way, shape, or form.

As always, just my opinion.

~Roberta Biros, Mercer County Conservatives

The State Budget: Are There Responsible Fiscal Caretakers in Harrisburg Who Really Watch Our Money?

Written by Roberta Biros

I usually choose my blog topics based on recent news stories, but today I’m writing “By Request”.

I receive comments and suggestions often. I even received an interesting “list” of topics via my Comment feature today [read the suggestions HERE].

I have a growing list of topics on which I’d like to eventually research and report. Today’s topic, however, was a request made only last night, but I felt it worthy of my attention as it is an important and timely topic of interest . . . the upcoming proposed State Budget for 2009-2010.

As I understand it, Governor Rendell plans on revealing his 2009-2010 Budget next week (February 4, 2009). I'm personally counting the days. This is a very important story that we should ALL watch closely (I know I will be). Last year’s budget put Pennsylvania in a $2 billion hole that seems to be getting deeper. Everyone is aware of the financial problems of our government (at the County, State, and National level), but I ask the question “Who is REALLY doing something about it?”

Last year, the bloated 2008-2009 State Budget passed overwhelmingly 170 – 32. So, who was trying to “do something” about our fiscal problems then? In my opinion, the only people in Harrisburg that truly earned their paychecks last year were the 32 Legislators who voted AGAINST that Budget. Who were they? Well allow me to list them for you (in order by District Number):

Rep. Bradley Roae
Rep. Daryl Metcalfe
Rep. Michele Brooks
Rep. Timothy Hennessey
Rep. Mike Turzai
Rep. Thomas Creighton
Rep. John Maher
Rep. Keith Gillespie
Rep. Scott Hutchinson
Rep. Kathy Rapp
Rep. Jerry Stern
Rep. Michael Fleck
Rep. Russell Fairchild
Rep. Rob Kauffman
Rep. Todd Rock
Rep. Dan Moul
Rep. Scott Perry
Rep. Ronald Miller
Rep. Stanley Saylor
Rep. Rosemarie Swanger
Rep. Karen Boback
Rep. Samuel Rohrer
Rep. Jim Cox
Rep. Michael Peifer
Rep. Paul Clymer
Rep. Bob Mensch
Rep. Curt Schroder
Rep. Carl Manz
Rep. Steven Nickol
Rep. Kathy Manderino (the Lone Democrat in the group)
Rep. Beverly Mackereth
Rep. William Gabig

Make note of each and every name on this list. THESE are the brave people in Harrisburg who had the intestinal fortitude to vote NAY on last year’s so-called “Budget”.

Points of interest for those of us interested in the Mercer County (and surrounding) area?

ON THE LIST:
Representative Michele Brooks (R-17)
Representative Brad Roae (R-6) from neighboring Crawford County

ABSENT FROM THE LIST:
Representative Dick Stevenson (R-8)
Representative Mark Longietti (D-7)

If you are a "detail junkie" like me and you’d care to read the entire text of the Legislation (all 207 pages of it), CLICK HERE to download the PDF.

Some of you may be of the opinion that “it is just a Budget” . . . “you have to pass something”. Well, I beg to differ with you. I am the fiscal steward of my home and business. We have a very strict “Budget” in our household. According to “responsible fiscal procedures”, our Budget is balanced. We force ourselves to live within our means. We do not plan our Budget based on borrowing money to make ends meet. The same should hold true for the Government . . . at EVERY level.

So, I wait with great anticipation to see what Governor Rendell has up his sleeve in the soon-to-be released 2009-2010 State Budget. There has been much discussion of ways to cut costs, but will those cost cutting measures actually make their way to paper? And if the Governor's budget suggestions are again "bloated", will there still be brave fiscal stewards willing to protect our best interests in Harrisburg? I'm counting on it.

As always, just my opinion.
~Roberta Biros, Mercer County Conservatives

Coconut-Gate Update: Senator Bob Robbins Still in the Limelight

Written by Roberta Biros

For those of you that have been locked away in a dark room for the past week, it is my duty to bring you up to speed on the local political news.

On Saturday of last week (January 24, 2008), I found some interesting Mercer County news buried in the news postings of the Philadelphia Inquirer. The story was regarding Senator Bob Robbins’ recent trip to the Virgin Islands.

It seems that Senator Robbins (R-50th) took a trip to the Virgin Islands for the purpose of “networking”, and he paid for the trip out of his own pocket . . . which we applaud. However, when asked by a Philadelphia Inquirer reporter “Why” he paid for the trip, the Senator’s answer was:

“Because of calls like this”.

He went on to say

“It is unfortunate that our members are not networking like before”. In closing he stated “And it’s all because of the media pressure and stories that beat us up.”

Well, as a public service, we posted the information (and our commentary) in our post titled:

Senator Bob Robbins Pays for Virgin Islands Trip Because He Was Afraid of Getting Caught with His Hands in the Till

After our blog post populated throughout Mercer County, it found itself in the hands of the Sharon Herald. Matt Snyder of the Herald wrote the piece on Monday, January 26 titled:

Sen. Robbins pays for trip to conference in Caribbean.

We couldn’t let the Herald have the last word on the topic, so I fired back with a response on the morning of Tuesday, January 26 with my post titled:

Senator Robbins Only Needs to “Network” Where It’s Warm and Sunny

I then took the liberty of starting a discussion thread in the Herald Forum which can be read HERE (excellent reading by the way if you are interested in this topic and the opinions of “the locals”). The discussion in the thread has been heated at times, but the general consensus seems to be the same . . . Senator Bob Robbins’ attitude toward the press and the voting public seems to be that of utter contempt.

The latest news? Yesterday, the Sharon Herald published an editorial titled:

OUR VIEW: Key legislative conference or just a sunny vacation?

In this latest addition to the conversation, the Herald again repeats many of the points that we have already made in this Blog.

It seems that this issue is turning into the Senator’s own “Coconut-Gate”.

Have we caused this by being unfair to the Senator? No way, and don't even try to blame us.

“Coconut-Gate” is a story created by Senator Bob Robbins due to his arrogant response to the press regarding a valid question.

This is not the first time that the Senator has responded this way, and I am certain that it will not be the last. Senator Robbins has lost the understanding of his position as a “public servant”. To be fair, this is an “illness” that often afflicts politicians who have had too much control for too long (and who do not have the “moral compass” to control themselves). If the Senator cannot realize that his duty is to answer to the people of the State of Pennsylvania (specifically those people from the 50th District), then perhaps he needs to consider the possibility of retirement . . . where he could enjoy coconuts and sunshine for as long as he wants . . . with no questions from the press or the tax payers of this area.

As always, just my opinion.
~Roberta Biros, Mercer County Conservatives

PA Lawmakers Chime in on COLAS: It Seems That I Wasn’t So Far Off-Target After All

Written by Roberta Biros

Over the weekend, I published my opinions regarding the delayed “give back” of pay raises by local Lawmakers [READ HERE]. Specifically, I addressed the publicized holdup by Senator Bob Robbins’ and Representative Michele Brooks’ in giving their 2.8% pay raises back to the State Treasury.

I was publicly criticized [READ MORE HERE] for being too “soft” on Representative Brooks regarding her apparent delay when I suggested that the Legislator might be considering the idea of repealing the COLAs before bothering to give the raise back to the state.

Well, folks, it seems that my idea wasn’t so far fetched after all.

I read an article from the Lancaster Intelligencer Journal today [READ THE FULL ARTICLE HERE] that shows that other Pennsylvania lawmakers have the same idea. According to the article:

“three Republican state lawmakers — state Reps. John Bear, Bryan Cutler and Dave Hickernell — said Tuesday that they would either donate their pay hikes to charity or return them to the Treasury. But they're waiting for pending legislation that might tinker with or repeal the mechanism by which legislators receive annual pay raises.”

Huh? Funny.

The article went on to say:

Bear, Cutler and Hickernell have chosen a wait-and-see approach before parting with their pay raise. One reason is several bills that, if passed, would repeal the COLA — possibly retroactive to Dec. 1. Thus, lawmakers who had already donated their pay hikes could stand to lose more money.

"I'm going to give the money away; I'm not going to keep it," Bear said. "I'm just waiting to see the legislation out there."

Now, it is true that this was not the official statement made by Representative Michele Brooks or her office (and I do not intend to imply that it is), so I cannot confirm that she agrees with my suggestion. I can say, however, that it is a sensible approach for any lawmaker that takes the Repeal of ACT 51 COLAs seriously . . . and Rep. Brooks has stated that she does.

In the case of Senator Bob Robbins, Mr. Robbins has given me no information that shows that he has ANY interest in the repeal of the raises, so I cannot (and will not) give him the benefit of the doubt on this issue.

I know it's wrong . . . I know I shouldn't . . . but I'm going to quote Judge Judy again . . .

“Of course I'm right; I'm always right. I'm like a truth machine.”

As always, just my opinion.
~Roberta Biros, Mercer County Conservatives

Expansion of Smoking Areas in Pennsylvania Casinos is a Farce

Written by Roberta Biros

I received an automatic email this morning from the office of Representative Curt Schroder, and I found it worthy of discussion here.

The statement titled “Schroder Urges Halt to Smoking Expansion in Casinos” [READ HERE], outlines the basis by which the Pennsylvania Casinos are attempting to expand the smoking areas on their gaming floors.

The Clean Indoor Air Act limited casinos to allowing smoking on only 25% of the casino floor. The casinos were then given 90 days to “research” if gross revenues generated in smoking areas exceeded revenues generated in non-smoking areas. Rep. Schroder makes the point that casinos “may be staking the deck in their favor” while performing such “research”.

As per Representative Schroder’s announcement:

“In a recent letter to David Satz, vice president of government relations at Harrah’s Chester Downs, Schroder said he visited Harrah’s and found that the placement of electronic blackjack machines and electronic roulette – both high-yielding games – appeared to be located only within designated smoking areas. “This caused me to ask whether, in fact, machines were arranged on your floor to guarantee an outcome that would allow you to request a larger smoking area,” Schroder wrote."

From my personal experience (OK, I admit that I "may" have been in one or more of our Pennsylvania Casinos once or twice), I’d like to add that on the gaming floors of both Presque Isle Downs (in Erie) and The Meadows (in Washington County), the “High Stakes” areas are exclusively smoking areas. "High Stakes" areas are generally segregated from the general floor of the casino and are reserved for patrons who are interested in wagers of $5, $10, $25, or more per chance (these are "High Roller" patrons). The fact that these areas are also exclusively smoking areas backs up Schroder’s findings and opinions.

I understand that Rep. Schroder “wants proof that smoking areas generate more gaming revenue” before expanding the smoking areas, but I wonder if an expansion should be considered at all. The fact that 25% of casino floors were originally designated as “smoking” was generous. As I see it, this is an issue of public health. To expand the smoking areas (regardless of the generation of revenue) provides a disservice to the health and well-being of our citizens.

I know many smokers. I know many smokers that also partake in casino gambling as a past-time. I know from those smokers that if smoking were banned entirely from Pennsylvania casinos, the smokers would still go . . . they would still spend their money . . . they would survive a few hours of not smoking . . . and they would probably be better off (and healthier) for it.

This is an issue of public health. Was that not the purpose of the Clean Air Act in the first place? Should we dilute the purpose of the Act because the state is looking to increase their tax revenues from Pennsylvania Casinos? Let’s be clear . . . the State isn’t looking to expand the smoking area on casino floors for the good of the casinos or for the happiness and well-being of the tax payers. The State is simply concerned about “their” bottom line.

As always, just my opinion.

~Roberta Biros, Mercer County Conservatives

Mercer Conservatives Accused of Media Bias—A Shot in the Heart

Written by Roberta Biros

On Sunday, January 25, 2009, I published a piece titled “Following Every Dime: Legislator Pay Raise “Give Back”; Mercer County Legislators Respond”. As usual, the post took a local news story and dissected it . . . and then added my own commentary and opinion for additional “flavor” (my own personal “fun factor”). On that same evening, I received an email criticism regarding my post. The complaint accused this writer of bias toward Rep. Michele Brooks and a misrepresentation of the facts in an effort to make Ms. Brooks “look better”. It was sited that I "added my conjecture" as a way to "apologize" for Ms. Brooks' actions.

While email complaints to this office are not unusual (believe me on that), the odd twist of the complaint was that it was also emailed to Senator Robbins, Representative Brooks, Representative Longietti, Representative Stevenson, the Editor of the Sharon Herald, PAWaterCooler.com, GrassRootsPA.com, as well as other Pennsylvania leaders and news sources. A very public email conversation then ensued as I was left to “defend my opinions” (a silly concept in itself).

Now that the dust has settled, I feel a need to explain my position to all of my readers (friends and foe). So here it goes . . .

For those of you that haven’t noticed, I’m an outspoken conservative with some very strong opinions. Every day I track local, state, and national news out of pure entertainment and interest. During my daily “self education”, I find news stories that interest me or strike a nerve. I often choose to write my blog posts based on those stories.

When I state an opinion in my blog, I usually go about the process in the same way every time. I ask myself “What Would You Do”? When I look at a situation (especially a political one), if the public figure does EXACTLY what I would do, I praise them for it. If they do the EXACT OPPOSITE of what I would do, I publicly complain about it. In both cases, I also generally provide an explanation of the “why” (whether positive or negative).

In the case of Representative Michele Brooks (since I was criticized for this), have I provided her with much praise? Yes. Why? Because when I examine actions that she has taken, she VERY OFTEN makes the same decisions that I would make.

In a recent project on which my assistance was requested, I was asked to examine the voting records of local Legislators on a vote by vote basis. I reviewed 176 bills from an independent prospective. I read each bill and decided how I would have voted and why. After determining MY voting record, I then compared that voting record to Rep. Brooks, Rep. Stevenson, Rep. Longietti, and Sen. Robbins (as well as 3 other State Representatives—Rep. Schroeder, Rep. Roae, and Rep. Swanger). I found that my voting record most closely matched that of Rep. Brooks where we only differed on opinion on one major piece of Legislation. OK, to be honest, I would have probably voted NAY on a few of the "bridge naming" acts just to be cantankerous. BUT--Based on the results of that experiment, does it seem odd, therefore, that I would agree with Rep. Brooks on most issues with which she is involved? No.

To be fair, however, have I provided praise for other lawmakers like Rep. Stevenson, Rep. Longietti, and Senator Robbins? ABSOLUTELY! Specifically during the discussion regarding the pay raise “give back” and ACT 51 COLAs, I have made it a point to provide a very public and personal “thumbs up” to all of the Legislators who have chosen to make the right decision. Much like Pavlov, I feel that we need to give our Legislators a “bone” now and then to let them know that they are doing the right thing.

Have I been critical too. Oh sure. Have I been more critical of some than others. Most definitely. Why? Because some others . . . like Senator Robbins, for instance . . . seem to set themselves up for criticism, and I am a willing participant . . . every single time.

Have I criticized Rep. Brooks too? Perhaps you should ask Rep. Brooks that question.

In early January I made a very public criticism of Rep. Brooks and Sen. Robbins regarding their apparent “in action” regarding a request for information as it related to the Repeal of ACT 51 COLAs. The response from the Brooks’ Office was not "endearing appreciation" for the free press. I’m certain that the Brooks Camp (along with the offices of Robbins, Stevenson, and Longietti) watch my comments carefully with subtle dread. They read my posts (whether positive or negative) in hopes that I will someday simply disappear. Therefore, to say that Mercer Conservatives is “in their Camp” (any of them) would be completely untrue and unfair.

In response to the email criticisms of this past weekend, I have clearly marked up my previous post “Following Every Dime: Legislator Pay Raise “Give Back”; Mercer County Legislators Respond”. In response to the direct accusation that I "added my conjecture" as a way to "apologize" for Ms. Brooks' actions., I've attempted to clearly delineate between fact and opinion, but I add that I never intend to "put words into anyone's mouth" or to edit the facts to help or hurt any individual or cause. Upon reading the post with its markups, I hope you can all see the silliness in all of it. The fact that I needed to parse out fact from opinion shows that some readers of this blog are not as intelligent as I gave them credit for. I have a feeling, though, that they are in the extreme minority.

IN CLOSING

Will I continue to praise lawmakers that I agree with? Yup.

Will I continue to poke and prod at the ones that make poor decisions? You betcha.

Will I continue to receive complaints? Undoubtedly.

Will I stop or change or alter who I am and how I think so as to pacify the complainers? No way.

As always, just my opinion.
~Roberta Biros, Mercer County Conservatives

Senator Robbins Only Needs to “Network” Where It’s Warm and Sunny

Written by Roberta Biros

I posted a blog over the weekend titled “Senator Bob Robbins Pays for Virgin Islands Trip Because He Was Afraid of Getting Caught with His Hands in the Till”. I’ve received numerous comments and the story seems to have grown some wings. Our story caught the eye of the Sharon Herald, and they decided to do some follow up investigating on their own.

As published in the Sharon Herald article titled “Sen. Robbins pays for trip to conference in Caribbean”, the Herald found that Senator Robbins had no need to attend a similar networking conference a few years ago that was held in Philadelphia.

Oddly enough, the Herald states “Robbins said he didn’t go because he didn’t have a specific reason to attend.”

As stated in our original story, Senator Robbins paid for his most recent networking conference in the Virgin Islands out of his own pocket because he was afraid of “bad press”. According to the Herald, “[Senator Robbins] told The Herald Monday that stories critical of lawmakers charging taxpayers for such conferences keep legislators from attending them.”

Well, our question is this, Senator . . .

If networking trips are SO important [in the Senator’s words ’If you want to find out what’s going on and get different ideas, networking is extremely important for all professions,’]. . . but stories about charging taxpayers for the conferences keep legislators from attending them . . . why did you NOT attend a conference in good old Pennsylvania when the cost to taxpayers could have been SUBSTANIALLY LESS? Oh, I forgot . . . you had no “specific reason to attend”.

I suppose I could find a “specific reason to attend” a trip to the Virgin Islands too if I was really pressed to do so. Unfortunately, I generally use the telephone and email to “network” because my travel budget simply doesn’t support extravagant trips to warm and sunny places.

Does anyone else see the irony, or is it just me?

As always, just my opinion.
~Roberta Biros, Mercer County Conservatives

Following Every Dime: Legislator Pay Raise “Give Back”; Mercer County Legislators Respond

Written by Roberta Biros

ADDENDUM NOTICE REGARDING THIS POST:

It seems that my comments in this particular post have been misinterpretted and publicly criticized. I would, therefore, like clarify a few points.

Although this information has been posted in the description of my blog at mercerconservatives.blogspot.com since its inception in October of 2008, it seems that it is necessary for me to repost the following here so that there is no further misinterpretation of my statements:

The posts in this blog are all original creations of the primary author, Roberta Biros (a.k.a. "Roberta in Mercer") unless otherwise noted. Each and every blog entry includes the personal opinions of Roberta Biros and are not intended to be representative of any other organized group or individuals in the Mercer County, Pennsylvania area.

For additional clarification, the contents of this blog are also republished on other sites (namely PAWaterCooler.com and BlogNetNews.com). In those cases, again, the comments and opinions sited in each post are those of Roberta Biros only and are not intended to be interpretted otherwise.

The post below will remain published with its original text, but MY OPINIONS have been highlighted in RED to make it clear that they are not intended to be the statements or thoughts of any other parties. It is not my intention to put words into anyones mouth, so hopefully, this attempt to distinguish opinion from fact will be helpful.

It appears that the Sharon Herald has been doing some legwork for a change. For a recently published article titled "2 of area's 4 state legislators have returned pay raises" [READ HERE], the Herald contacted Mercer County’s State Legislators (Representative Mark Longietti, Representative Dick Stevenson, Representative Michele Brooks, and Senator Bob Robbins) to see if they had, in fact, given back their 2.8% pay raise as we originally promised (and extensively publicized) in December of 2008.

As my loyal readers know, I have been following the issue of Pay Raises and Cost-of-Living Adjustments (COLAs) very closely since early December. I saw the Herald article and was interested in the content. I had not originally intended to comment. However, upon review of the associated thread in the Herald Forum, I found that I was called out on the issue (by name no less). I responded briefly in the forum (due to lack of time and energy), but I’d like to provide a full opinion here . . . in my forum.

First, let us review the Herald’s findings.

The Herald asked each Legislator if he/she had “officially” returned their pay raise (as promised in their public statements in December). Here are the “short” results:

Rep. Mark Longietti (D-7): He had donated his raise for that period to the Joshua’s Haven City Mission in Sharon.

Rep. Dick Stevenson (R-8): He had submitted the funds for his raise back to the State Treasury on Thursday, 01.22.09.

Rep. Michele Brooks (R-17): She had not yet returned her raise. The reason given by the Herald? “Mrs. Brooks said she has been taking care of personal matters since the death of her mother.”

Sen. Bob Robbins (R-50): He had not yet returned his raise. The reason given by the Herald? “Robbins said he wanted to wait for state leaders to meet and ensure everyone was on the same page.

In the cases of Rep. Longietti and Rep. Stevenson, they have managed to get “off the hook” in the eyes of the voting public. By refunding their raises, they have held to their promises. I have nothing more to say in these cases other than “thank you, Sirs”.

Now let me discuss my opinions regarding Rep. Brooks and Sen. Robbins. In the Herald Forum, I was “invited” to respond being sited as the “Republican Apologist”. I did respond, briefly. However, if I had offered my full opinion I would have taken a written beating for it. So, I saved the good stuff for this blog.

First, in order to have an educated opinion on the action (or inaction) of Rep. Brooks and Sen. Robbins, you must have some additional information. Luckily, I have that information. As many of you already know, after the “give back” was announced, I pressed these Legislators for a move to Repeal the Cost-of-Living Adjustments (COLAs) entirely [READ MORE HERE]. The extra information that must be taken into account at this time are the responses of Rep. Brooks and Sen. Robbins regarding the Repeal of COLAs. Allow me to summarize those now:

Rep. Michele Brooks:

Ms. Brooks responded to this office by phone. Ms. Brooks supports the repeal of the COLAs, and has reviewed multiple variations of proposals suggesting COLA repeal as well as other cost saving initiatives. Ms. Brooks has is being very careful to review the full details of any proposal that is presented to make sure that everything in the package is a benefit for Mercer County and the State of Pennsylvania. She is cautious regarding throwing support too quickly before all of the details are examined. Her motives appear sincere.

Sen. Bob Robbins

Sen. Robbins responded to this office by letter [VIEW HERE]. While Senator Robbins agreed to return his 2.8% pay raise, he has made NO COMMENT regarding any plans to support a Repeal of the COLAs.

Based on this additional data, my opinions regarding the latest Sharon Herald story and the actions of Rep. Brooks and Sen. Robbins are as follows:

Rep. Michele Brooks:

I am aware that Ms. Brooks has been busy with private matters (on a personal note, I condemn the Herald for making those private matters an issue in a public statement). However, the additional data regarding her commitment to a possible Repeal of the COLAs is important. If “I” were in Ms. Brooks’ shoes, I wouldn’t be sending my raise in just yet either. Instead, I’d be focusing my efforts on pushing through a Repeal of the COLAs that is retroactive to November 30, 2008. If such legislation is passed, the “give back” of the raises will be a moot point. If “I” were in the same situation, I would hold off on sending any money to the State Treasury until the issue has run its course.

That said, I will undoubtedly receive criticism from Herald Forum contributors for being a “Republican Apologist” again. However, I offer my opinions based on a “what would I do” scenario, and I just report my truthful responses. In this case, I have no problem with Rep. Brooks “holding off” on returning her pay raise until the Repeal of COLAs has run full circle.

Sen. Bob Robbins:

Senator Robbins response to the Herald is more “politically motivated”. His statement that he “wanted to wait for state leaders to meet and ensure everyone was on the same page” was construed by Herald Forum contributors as “political side-stepping”. It was actually described as “If the other guys return their raise I'll return mine, but if they keep theirs then I'm keeping mine too!”. Unfortunately, I tend to agree.

Senator Robbins is experiencing some serious problems with his public image as of late. His responses often come off as being in complete disregard of public opinion. My recent blog post titled “Senator Bob Robbins Pays for Virgin Islands Trip Because He Was Afraid of Getting Caught with His Hands in the Till” illustrates this point rather directly.

Some might say that my criticisms of Senator Robbins are unfair, but I’m simply restating his own words. Mr. Robbins is doing the damage to himself . . .
I’m just reporting it.

Once again, the Sharon Herald has published a piece that tells only half of the story. If they would put forth a little extra effort and provide all of the details, readers could make an educated opinion of their own. I suppose that will remain the responsibility of this forum.

As always, just my opinion.

~Roberta Biros, Mercer County Conservatives

Senator Bob Robbins Pays for Virgin Islands Trip Because He Was Afraid of Getting Caught with His Hands in the Till

Written by Roberta Biros

The Philadelphia Inquirer reported on Friday, January 23, 2008, that State Rep. James Robebuck (D-188th) and Senator Bob Robbins (R-50th) have agreed to pay for a networking trip to the U.S. Virgin Islands out of their own pockets. You can read the whole story HERE.

State Rep. Roebuck rethought his decision after the Philadelphia Inquirer “inquired” about the spending of public dollars for the extravagant expense. The Inquirer quotes Rep. Roebuck’s response as:

"I still believe it is a legitimate expense, but it's not worth the hassle of its winding up in the newspaper."

Senator Bob Robbins, who also attended the trip, stated that he had decided to pay for the trip himself before he left. The curious part of the story is Senator Robbins' reason for the decision. According to the Inquirer, Senator Robbins told a reporter on January 22 that his reasoning for paying for the trip was . . .

“Because of calls like this”.

He went on to say

“It is unfortunate that our members are not networking like before”. In closing he stated “And it’s all because of the media pressure and stories that beat us up.”

Very interesting Senator Robbins. Of the numerous responses that you could have formulated, your only reason that you could come up with for paying for the trip out of your own pocket is because YOU WERE AFRAID THAT THE PRESS WOULD WRITE ABOUT IT.

In response, I’d like to offer the following advice to Senator Bob Robbins in this open letter.

Dear Senator Robbins,

I read your statements regarding your recent Virgin Islands trip. First, I’d like to thank you for NOT passing this expense along to the taxpayers. However, in the future, if you find yourself in a similar situation, you might consider giving an answer like any of the following:

“I felt that it was fiscally prudent to pay for the trip out of my own pocket and not burden the tax payers with what was clearly a luxury trip.”

-OR- “During tough economic times it would be unfair to ask the tax payers to foot the bill for such a luxury.”

-OR- “While I felt the trip was important, I did not think it was fair to pass the expense along to the tax payer.”

-OR- “I paid for the trip myself because I thought it was the right thing to do.”

-OR- Just about anything that doesn’t sound like “Because of calls like this”.

Respectfully,
Roberta Biros
Mercer County Conservatives

Taxpayers in Pennsylvania (and specifically Mercer County) need to know who our leaders are and what motivates them. This story is both SAD and TROUBLING.

As always, just my opinion.

~Roberta Biros, Mercer County Conservatives

What is a Conservative to Do When They Find Themselves Without a Party?

Written by Roberta Biros

For those of you that read my blog with any regularity, you are familiar with the on-going trials and tribulations that I’ve experienced regarding the Mercer County Pennsylvania Republican Party. After numerous attempts to become an involved volunteer, my efforts have been thwarted at every turn. After numerous attempts to “conform”, I believe that I’ve found myself without a Party in our fine County.

I realize that I have no right to complain. I had fair warning months ago from a good friend who has seen the Mercer PA GOP in action for years. On November 25 of 2008, my friend (“Anonymous”) posted a comment on my blog and predicted the following with absolute precision:

“As a new friend of mine once said, "I prefer to rely on experiences from past history to predict the future." From many of our past experiences and the history of the Mercer GOP, I predict that you will have a difficult time with "cracking the nut" as you say, unless of course you have some use in any of the three elected official's upcoming elections.”

There have been other warnings too. Another excellent conservative blogger in Mercer County stated the following only two weeks ago in the blog post titled “2008 in Review: The Political Clubhouse”:

“The local [Mercer County PA] GOP needs a serious housecleaning, and I have cited this problem several times during 2008. Some of the county GOP elected officials have successfully set up a banana republic for themselves, in that they use their power to suppress competition from other Republicans. New faces come and go within the local GOP, since they are not permitted to have their say and are deliberately, selectively and actively excluded. The only possible solution, unfortunately, will be to wait out these individuals until they are satisfied with the size of their respective pensions (and 4th pension in one case). Many voters already view these three individuals as less than adequate public servants, but due to GOP voter loyalty, and the lack of alternate choices, they will continue to hang on. I would like to exclude, and commend, the following current GOP elected officials who support the local GOP without undue exertion of their personalities and preferences on the county committee--Rep. Brooks, Rep. Stevenson, Recorder McClelland, Coroner McGonigle.”

I read the above post on January 5th (the day it was posted), and I found it very truthful . . . as usual. At the time, I was still “hopeful”, which is apparent in tone of the comment that I posted on that day as follows:

“The ability of the Mercer County GOP to exclude newcomers has been frustrating, but some of us will continue to “knock at the door of the Clubhouse” in hopes of someday getting our foot inside that darn door.”

After my experiences of the past several weeks, I think it is now safe to say that this particular Conservative has finally lost that last ounce of “hope” for the Mercer County PA GOP. My most recent attempt to become involved as a “worker bee” has been manipulated and man-handled by a very determined group of self-centered and self-serving bullies. I’ve never seen so much effort and so many road blocks erected to keep out a VOLUNTEER.

Excuse my language, but “What the Hell is Wrong with These People”?

The funniest thing about the whole episode is how the “politicians in charge” managed to scheme in such a way that they appear completely innocent . . . or at least on the surface . . . to anyone that doesn’t fully comprehend the level of sophisticated dishonesty that they are capable of. In this particular case, the old saying is true:

“How can you tell when a politician is lying? . . . Their lips are moving.”

So, instead of helping the candidates in “my Party” to continue their successful careers, this Conservative will be “without a Party” until something changes.

Just last week I was discussing this very issue with another good friend. In reference to the Mercer GOP turning me away my attempts yet again, the friend asked, "what will you do?". Well, friend, very good question!

Of course, when the question was asked I fired back with a “light hearted” and joking remark in an effort to lighten the mood. The truth was, I had never asked myself that question so I didn’t have an answer.

I’ve had some time to think about, and I think I have a few options. If the Mercer GOP won't have me, I will eventually do one of the following:

Option 1.
My husband and I have discussed the possibility of officially changing our party affiliation. If the Republicans in Mercer County won’t have us, we might follow in the steps of other former Republicans by registering as Democrats. We could be DINOs . . . Democrats in Name Only! It wouldn’t be the first time that good people have left the Grand Old Party to join the party of the “donkey”, and it wouldn’t be the last . . . especially in Mercer County. Hello? Democratic Party? Are you listening?

Option 2.
I could remain a registered Republican, but attempt to split the Party by promoting a new "right wing" of the Mercer GOP. The new "right wing" would support only conservative and hardworking candidates, and it would devote its efforts to getting rid of the “RINO bums” that currently control the Mercer County Republican Committee. This could prove to be personally satisfying but it would damage the Republican Party in this County and it could potentially hurt the few “good conservative Republican leaders” that we have left (i.e., Representative Dick Stevenson and Representative Michele Brooks are just two names that come to mind . . . off the top of my head).

Option 3.
I could remain a loyal Republican by supporting conservative candidates through an independent field office that provides support and services to “good Republicans” . . . a “safe-haven” that is outside of the control of the Mercer GOP. These services could be provided to current elected officials that are deserving of extra assistance, or it could be a much needed resource for new and ambitious candidates who have been left out in the cold in Mercer County Republican politics by the current “regime”. This is an ambitious goal that may be too ambitious and expensive for this particular Conservative to do alone.

Option 4.
I can give up on the idea of contributing at the County level altogether. Perhaps this “political activist” has a more useful purpose elsewhere. There are, after all, “bigger fish to fry”.

Option 5.
I could continue on my current path by continuously pushing and poking in hopes of finding a weak spot . . . much like a mouse trying to get into a pantry full of goodies . . . I may eventually find my way “in” with perseverance and determination. I may need to crawl through a crack under the doorway or nibble a hole through some paneling and insulation, but I’ll get there . . . eventually.

Option 6.
I could simply stop my silliness. I could stop trying to be honest, trust-worthy, transparent, ambitious, and fair, and, instead, I could try to “become one of them”. I could abandon who I am and morph into a foot soldier for “the powers that be”.

All of these options have merit on their own, and some of them could be combined in some way to produce a myriad of variations. I’m not exactly sure what to do. So I ask for the help of those of you that are reading this today . . . to the loyal readers of this blog, what do you think I should do? I’d love to hear the opinions of those of you out there that have similar frustrations and concerns. E-mail me with your private comments. For those of you that are also "with out a Party", what would you like to do?

ON A PERSONAL NOTE:

To my wise friend ("Anonymous") who predicted these problems months ago I say "you were right and I was wrong . . . I'm a dumbass and I promise to quit “friggin' apologizing” to people that don't deserve it."

To my thoughtful friend that asked “what will you do?”, I say thank you for making me stop and think.

As always, just my opinion.
~Roberta Biros, Mercer County Conservatives

Fiscal Responsibility: You’ve Got to Know When to Hold’em and Know When to Fold’em

More Comments Regarding Boscov’s Bailouts, Bank Bailouts, and More! Could It Get Any Worse?

Written by Roberta Biros (David Biros, Contributor)

I’m finally willing to watch the news again. With images of the inauguration behind us, I felt that it would be alright to turn on Fox News this morning. It was 9AM when Fox’s “America’s Newsroom” announced its headlines “Projected Bank Bailout $3 – 4 Trillion” as follows:

“Top lawmakers and treasury officials now suggest that America’s taxpayers will have to spend between $3 and 4 trillion in order to rescue American banks. That is $3-4 trillion in direct spending. These are not guarantees, they are not commitments to cover future loses, this is money that is going out of the treasury in the coming months.”

(It was later stated that the sources of this information were Sen. Chuck Schumer and Paul Volcker. )

Wow. What a way to start the day!

I published a blog post yesterday titled “Rubber Stamp Leadership: The Same Mistakes . . . Over and Over Again!” that discussed the current Pennsylvania bailout of Boscov’s and Mercer County’s bailout of the Woodland Place nursing facility. The post referenced a commentary by Nathan A. Benefield that was posted by the Commonwealth Foundation in Harrisburg titled “Boscov's Bailout is Bad for Business”. In my post I asked the simple question, “So, when will it all stop?” Based on today’s news (above) I would suggest that there is no end this fiscal irresponsibility, and the numbers are becoming staggering and incomprehensible. We are now talking TRILLIONS.

I have a very simple statement of wisdom regarding fiscal responsibility (which was made famous by Kenny Rogers in 1978) . . .

“You’ve got to know when to hold them . . . know when to fold them . . . know when to walk away . . . know when to run”

Now this isn’t rocket science, and I am surely not a rocket scientist. Fiscal responsibility is a matter of common sense.I am responsible for running my household and my own small business. Every month we are forced to make financial decisions using no tools other than our own “noggins”. About two years ago, my husband started a small business in hopes of generating additional income for our household. About a year later, we ran the numbers and found that the business did not generate sufficient income to pay for the associated taxes and numerous business expenses (like business and liability insurance). We made the “common sense” decision to FOLD the business and cut our losses while we were ahead. Simple, right? . . . you need to know when to “hold’em” and know when to “fold’em”. We made the decision quickly and without hesitation.

Now, let us take a look at the Boscov’s situation.

Boscov’s was struggling. Instead of cutting their losses (“fold’em”), they decided to try to finance their way out of debt (“hold’em”). Unfortunately, no right-minded financial institution in the private sector would lend them they money that they needed. Instead, Ed Rendell decides that the State of Pennsylvania should “help” Boscov’s by offering a “no-risk loan”. Then the outrageous step is made to push that financial responsibility onto the Counties. They took Boscov’s problem and made it the problem of already cash-strapped County governments. At this point, the Counties needed to “know when to run”.

My question is “Who will bail out the Counties in the end?”

No one is concerned about bailing out Mercer County after Woodland Place failed to pay back it’s bond debt. State Legislators Sen. Bob Robbins, Rep. Michele Brooks, Rep. Dick Stevenson, and Rep. Mark Longietti have not brought $8 million back from Harrisburg to keep Mercer County out of bankruptcy. Ed Rendell is not losing sleep about the financial problems of Woodland Place in Mercer County. Why? Because they all know that the tax payers of the County will foot the bill in the end. County Commissioners recently raised County taxes to push the debt to each and every household in Mercer County----simple.

Mark my words . . . the same will be true when Boscov’s fails to pay on their bond debt too. Harrisburg will not be concerned about bailing out the handful of Pennsylvania Counties that signed onto the bond. It is shameful.

If Ed Rendell wants to bailout his friends at Boscov’s with this so called “risk free” loan, he should do it with his own money. Unfortunately, if the loan were actually as “risk free” as they claim, Ed Rendell and his Philadelphia Lawyer friends would have taken on the loan “opportunity” and we would have never heard a word about it.

Ed Rendell . . . if you want to bail out a company, I’ve got a wonderful small business in Mercer County who had to pull money out of our savings account last month to pay our mortgage. That business is “my business”, and I’m still waiting for my bailout. Like other Pennsylvanians, I’m struggling to keep my head above water as it is . . . I can’t afford to bailout Boscov’s or any other personal friend of the Governor’s office.

The sad part of the story is the list of who will eventually be hurt by all of this tom-foolery. First, the County Commissioners in the Pennsylvania Counties that have signed onto the Boscov’s Bailout will soon be GONE. Much like former Mercer County Commissioners Ken Seamans, Gene Brenneman and Olivia Lazor who signed up Mercer County for the financial responsibility of Woodland Place in 2002, the Commissioners who have signed their Counties on for the Boscov’s Bailout will disappear from the political scene . . . and deservingly so.

Who are the REAL victims? . . . the answer is . . . taxpayers in the Counties that signed on for the Boscov’s Bailout. They will eventually be left with the debt of the unpaid bond.

Perhaps I’m over simplifying, but it seems so straight-forward to me! The answers are as close as day-time television. Have none of these County Commissioners ever watched “Judge Judy”? I wish I had a nickel for every time she said “what idiot co-signs for somebody else?”. Just think about that for a minute. People only need co-signers because they have BAD CREDIT.

Judge Judy has another great line that is worth repeating here. “Don't pee on my leg and tell me it's raining.” In other words, we need to be smart enough to see these obvious problems for ourselves and quit listening to lines like “the loan is virtually risk-free”. We need to spot the lies before the damage is done.

As always, just my opinion.
~Roberta Biros, Mercer County Conservatives

Perhaps I should start closing my blog posts with another fine quote from Judge Judy as follows: “Of course I'm right; I'm always right. I'm like a truth machine.”

Rubber Stamp Leadership: The Same Mistakes . . . Over and Over Again!

Bailout after Bailout. AIG . . . Boscov's . . . Mercer County's Woodland Place. They are all the same and we never seem to learn.

Written by Roberta Biros

I read a commentary by Nathan A. Benefield that was posted by the Commonwealth Foundation in Harrisburg. The post titled “Boscov's Bailout is Bad for Business” was, firstly, very well written. Second, the post was absolutely on point regarding the current bail out situation. I’d like to quote one small portion as follows:

With bailout mania sweeping the nation, it is hardly a surprise to see the struggling Boscov's department store with its hand out. But the current proposal to give Boscov's $35 million in taxpayer backing for a loan is bad economic policy.

While county commissioners from a handful of counties have agreed to go along with this scheme, Snyder County officials have rejected it outright, and officials in Blair and Butler counties are still considering putting their taxpayers on the hook. Pennsylvania state officials are pressuring the counties to go along, arguing the loan would be "risk free" and guaranteed to revitalize Boscov's and the local economy.

However, if the loan is risk free, why doesn't the private sector put up the money? Investors are always looking for a no-risk, guaranteed return. However, state (along with federal and local) government officials might be assessing the level of risk a little differently—since they are "investing" other people's money.

So, what do I find so interesting about this article, and how does it tie into Mercer County Pennsylvania politics (which is my usual focus)? Well, ladies and gentlemen, Mr Benefield eloquently describes a problem with Boscov’s that is occurring now, but I have been talking about the same problem as it relates to Mercer County’s involvement in Woodland Place for months. To read all of my past blog posts regarding Woodland Place, go HERE. But in my blog post dated 12/20/2008, “Mercer County Residents Get 2-Mill Tax Hike to Fund Nursing Home Bailout”, I made some of the same observations as Mr. Benefield. Specifically, former Mercer County Commissioners Ken Seamans, Gene Brenneman and Olivia Lazor “hitched Mercer County’s wagon” to the failing nursing home in 2002 when they decided to guarantee a bond for the poorly managed Woodland Place Nursing facility. The tax payers of Mercer County are still left holding the bag on that "risk-free loan".

How long will it be before government start to understand that a bond loan is not FREE MONEY, it is not RISK FREE. If it was risk free, the private sector would put up the money. Besides, EVERY LOAN is RISK FREE until someone DEFAULTS!

It sickens me to see the same problems occurring over and over again. Individuals, businesses, and government need to learn an important financial lesson . . . YOU CAN’T BORROW YOURSELF OUT OF DEBT!

So, when will it all stop?

Well, in Mercer County, we seem to be stuck with the debt of Woodland Place. The best we can hope for is the sale of the nursing home with a chance of recouping some small portion of our losses. Current Mercer County Commissioners (Brian Beader, Kenneth Ammann, and John Lechner). . . can you please rid us of this drain on the County tax payers?

In Pennsylvania, current Legislators representing Mercer County Pennsylvania (Bob Robbins, Michele Brooks, Dick Stevenson, and Mark Longietti) need to stay on top of issues like this. Governor Rendell should have never gotten the Boscov’s Bailout this far. Where is the oversight? If we can’t trust our Legislators to watch our backs in Harrisburg, who can we trust?

I, personally, can’t afford any of it. Can you?

As always, just my opinion.
~Roberta Biros, Mercer County Conservatives

THE BIG THREE: Steelers, Basketball, and Politics (what else is there?)

Written by Roberta Biros

My husband and I love sports. I can watch almost any sport, but I prefer football or basketball. I’ll watch any sport on any occasion as long as I have someone to cheer for. In light of the fact that we have been trying to keep away from network TV and cable news (to avoid all mention of the upcoming inauguration and politics), we’ve had a great couple of days submersing ourselves in sports. You could call it a “safe zone” away from all mention of the coronation of Barack Hussein Obama.

We watched over 7 hours of football on Sunday. We enjoyed seeing Larry Fitzgerald (former Pitt wide receiver) help the Arizona Cardinals clinch the NFC Championship. We also yelled and screamed as the Pittsburgh “Stillers” put the smack down on the Baltimore Ravens (which I like to refer to as the Baltimore Browns or the Dirty Birds).

Yesterday was almost as great. With the MLK Holiday (and no Postal service) we had an easy work day. After work we headed out to a local High School Basketball game for 3 hours of excitement. We returned home to watch another 2 hours featuring (17 – 1) Pitt Basketball vs. the Orangemen of Syracuse that we had taped on the DVR from ESPN a few hours earlier.

Everything was fine and we were in our glory . . . until the ESPN announcer had to ruin it by mixing politics with basketball!

For a little personal interest story, Jay Bilas and Bill Raferty were interviewing the President of the infamous “Oakland Zoo”. For those of you that aren’t familiar with Pitt Panthers Basketball, the Oakland Zoo is a group of students that transform the Peterson Event Center into a hum of chanting and excitement for each and every Pitt Basketball game in a sea of gold t-shirts. The interviewee was talking about the Oakland Zoo organization. He mentioned that he had been with the Zoo for 8 years since its inception in 2001. Bill Raferty had to respond with “You’ve served 8 years, the equivalent of 2 terms . . . It's a shame that they were both George Bush’s”.

Where did that come from? I was stunned . . . The interviewee was speechless . . . The secondary announcer, Jay Bilas, even had to say "why did you need to go political"?

What is wrong with these people? Has it become so completely acceptable to bash Republicans that they are now even doing it on ESPN? Is “Obama Mania” so out of control that even a safehaven like ESPN has been invaded and/or taken over by the liberal media? ESPN should be ashamed.

I realize that the bashing of Republicans has ALWAYS been a past-time of the “liberal media”. I realize that I even ruffled some feathers last week when I made some strong statements regarding an apparent lack of response from of our State Legislators Bob Robbins, Michele Brooks, Mark Longietti, and Dick Stevenson regarding the COLA Repeal issue. Some thought that, perhaps, I was unjustly attacking the few conservatives that are left with unreasonable criticisms. Republicans are generally accustomed to getting constant criticisms from "the liberal media", but they didn't expect it from "their conservative corner".

It is true that I felt bad (and still feel bad) about "shooting an arrow" unfairly at some, but there are others that were well deserving of the shots . . . and to them I do not apologize. For those that were openly “disappointed” in me, I have apologized and I can only hope to regain their respect in the future. To the others, they need to regain MY respect.

As a serious conservative, I feel very comfortable criticizing liberalism, but I also feel that it is my responsibility to keep conservatives on their toes (and keep them honest if necessary). Unlike the ESPN comment referenced above, my comments have purpose and facts to back them up. Blatant bashing for the sake of blatant bashing is tiring and it just isn't my style. Instead, I feel that it is my duty to attempt to be honest and to be truthful in the information that I share with my readers. I never intend to be unfair in any way. . . instead, it is my goal to be completely honest.

ESPN . . . shame on you for injecting politics where it didn't belong.

As always, just my opinion.

~Roberta Biros, Mercer County Conservatives

Pennsylvania State Senator Bob Robbins Responds to the Issue of Repealing Act 51 COLAs

Written by Roberta Biros

I've been hammering at the issue of Repealing the Act 51 COLAs for a while now, and it doesn't look like the need for my activism will be ending any time soon. I published a blog post this week titled "Sen. Bob Robbins, Rep. Michele Brooks, Rep. Mark Longietti, Rep. Dick Stevenson, and Rep. Curt Schroder Respond (or NOT) to REPEAL of COLAs". In summary, the post noted which legislators had responded to the issue, and which had not. At that time, there was only ONE Legislator that had not responded to our multiple attempts at contact. Eventually, ALL of the legislators representing Mercer County chimed in with responses, and I'd like to review the status of each of those responses at the end of this post.

But first . . . I'd like to address the response that I've received from the lone holdout on this issue, PA State Senator Bob Robbins. Today I received a letter from the Harrisburg Office of Senator Robbins date January 15, 2009. The content of the letter is presented here in text as well as through an image linked HERE in an effort to be fair and complete. Please feel free to review either or both versions. They should match exactly (unless I made a error in my transcription). The image version has been edited from its original version to compress the entire content onto one readable page (but the content has remained unchanged). The letter read as follows:

Thank you for your correspondence, which was received in my office January 5, stating your support for legislators who are not accepting their 2.8 percent salary increase.

In early December, State Republican Leadership -- which I am a part -- announced it would not accept the annual cost of living adjustment (COLA). Furthermore, in order to do more for Pennsylvania, Senate Republican Leadership is continuing its push to reform state government. After the successful passage of Senate Bill 1 (Overhauling and Strengthening the Right-to-Know Law) and House Bill 10 as amended by the Senate (Unlinking State Judicial Salaries from Federal Salaries) and adopting several new operating rules for the Senate, Senate Republican Leadership is reintroducing a ten bill reform package that unfortunately stalled in the House at the end of the previous legislative session. This legislative package is made up of common-sense reforms that will further open up government and make a real difference in terms of saving taxpayer money. Below are brief descriptions of the bills:

-Increasing Penalties for Violating the Sunshine Law
-Procurement Reform for Consulting Contracts
-Prohibiting Bonuses for Commonwealth Employees
-Increasing Accountability Related to State Vehicle Use
-Creating an Online Budge Database
-Eliminating Sine Die Sessions
-Posting Government Salary Information Online
-Succession of the Governor and Lieutenant Governor
-The Taxpayer-Funded Advertising Transparency Act
-Improving Access to, and the Information in, State Plane Logs

Obviously, other reform legislation will be considered during the 2009-2010 session, but I am optimistic these ten bills will enjoy strong bipartisan support in the Senate and can be passed early this year.

Please do not hesitate to contact my office if you wish to set up a meeting with me to discuss other issues of interest.

First, I'd like to thank Senator Robbins for responding to my query. His letter was quite informative, and it will give me all sorts of issues to review further when time permits. Upon reading the letter, you are given the impression that Senator Robbins provided a very complete presentation. Unfortunately, I'm not much for "impressions". Instead, I prefer to read the details very closely. If you take the time to read the letter, you will find (as I did) that the REPEAL of the COLAs is not mentioned. Based on the careful nature with which the letter was written, I believe that it is safe to assume that this exclusion was not an accident. Mr. Robbins clearly stated that he announced that he would not accept the annual cost of living adjustment, but he never states that he supports (or plans to support) a repeal of the COLA process for this year or future years.

That said, I'd like to summarize the responses from ALL of the Legislators that represent Mercer County:

Representative Dick Stevenson

Dick Stevenson responded by email and simply stated that he is open to discussing the issue with me. Unfortunately, I have not had the opportunity to respond to Mr. Stevenson's invitation, but I will soon. Based on Mr. Stevenson's record, I would guess that our future discussion will be a positive one.

Representative Michele Brooks

Michele Brooks responded with a personal phone call. She explained that she supports the repeal of the COLAs, and she has reviewed multiple variations of proposals suggesting COLA repeal as well as other cost saving initiatives. Ms. Brooks went on to explain that she is being very careful to review the full details of any proposal that is presented to make sure that everything in the package is a benefit for Mercer County and the State of Pennsylvania. She is cautious regarding throwing support too quickly before all of the details are examined (in much the same way that I carefully examined Mr. Robbins' letter above before embracing it's content, Ms. Brooks is looking at the "small print" which demonstrates a genuine interest in this issue and its importance to the overall fiscal well-being of the State of Pennsylvania).

Representative Mark Longietti

Mark Longietti responded by email and stated that he does not support the REPEAL of the COLAs. In general, Mr. Longietti feels that he deserves the money that he earns, and a cost of living increase is only "fair". It is apparent that Mr. Longietti will not be interested in voting FOR any repeal that is proposed. It makes me curious, however, as to why Mr. Longietti agreed to "give back" his 2.8% increase this year if he thinks he "deserves" it? You can all read into that as you wish.

Senator Bob Robbins

Bob Robbins responded by mail as discussed in detail above. After reading the content of his letter carefully, I'm forced to assume that Mr. Robbins does not have any plans to assist in the REPEAL of the COLAs. Although it should be pointed out that he never states that he is AGAINST the COLAs . . . he simply doesn't state that he would support their repeal.

Based on these summaries, my work is far from done. I will continue to do research regarding the "dirty details" and I will attempt to keep the lines of communication open with our Legislators. I sincerely hope that they are willing to do the same.

I thank them all for their time and attention to this matter.

As always, just my opinion.
~Roberta Biros, Mercer County Conservatives

Sen. Bob Robbins, Rep. Michele Brooks, Rep. Mark Longietti, Rep. Dick Stevenson, and Rep. Curt Schroder Respond (or NOT) to REPEAL of COLAs

Written by Roberta Biros

UPDATED

It seems that the suggestion of repealing automatic cost-of-living increases for Legislators (and Judges) is not very popular in Mercer County Pennsylvania. You could even go so far as to say that the idea is completely UNWELCOME.

As many of you already know, I applauded when Rep. Michele Brooks, Rep. Mark Longietti, Rep. Dick Stevenson, and Sen. Bob Robbins made the bold decision to "give back" their 2.8% cost of living increases in December of 2008 (read the details HERE). I proclaimed (through the on-line forum of the local newspaper) my support for this move, and I promised to send "thank you notes" to each of the legislators involved. I did exactly as I had promised.

Unfortunately, the state has NO system in place to “hold back” the raises. Instead, Legislators and Judges have the burden of writing a check back to the state each month in an effort to refund the automatic pay increase. In response to this, some Legislators have decided to donate their raises to charity (rather than give the money back to the state), and others have chosen to do nothing and simply continue to take the pay raise.

This issue has now begun a new set of debates as to the legitimacy of the “give back” if it is not given back directly to the state. There are criticisms of those Legislators that are choosing to give their raises to charity instead. My personal opinion is that anyone willing to “not keep” the raise is a “good egg”. I have no problem with how individuals choose to "give back" their raises. What I do have a problem with are the COLAs in general. If the Legislators are "serious" about their "give back", they should want to make it official and permanent.

Last week I wrote a post regarding the response of Judges to “giving back” their raises. You can read the details HERE. This is just another example of NOTHING getting done regarding this issue. Everyone seems to have an excuse. The judges can't change anything, so it is up to the Legislature to confront this issue face on. Unfortunately, it is beginning to look as though the legislators from Mercer County ONLY agreed to "give back" their raises in an effort to get some "good press". It seems that when it comes to making the change permanent, the legislators are hitting the brakes . . . hard.

I support the Legislature putting through a COMPLETE REPEAL of the Act 51 COLAs. In this way, every Legislator would be given the opportunity to show how SERIOUS they are about the issue. By FORCING all Legislators to provide an UP or DOWN VOTE on the REPEAL of the COLAs, we would clearly see where everyone stands on the issue. If the COLAs were successfully repealed, NO further cost-of-living increases would occur, and the Legislature would be forced to request a raise when it was deemed appropriate.

I contacted the Legislators that represent Mercer County. I sent a letters to the Harrisburg offices of Senator Bob Robbins and Representative Mark Longietti. I also sent a personal email to the House Office of Michele Brooks. Unfortunately, I received no response from ANY of them to my polite request. Hmmm . . . ignored by my State Legislators? I wondered if it was "the subject matter", "me", or "the Legislators" themselves that were the problem. To find out, I went one step further.

Over the weekend I posted an email to Rep. Curt Schroeder of Chester County asking for his support on this issue. One of my readers noted that Mr. Schroder supported the idea of repealing the COLAs and he might be of assistance to me in my "quest". I wrote a short and courteous email to Rep. Schroder and crossed my fingers. On the "first business day" after receiving my email message, Mr. Schroeder responded to me by email.

Good News . . . It seems that Rep. Curt Schroder has plans to put together a comprehensive cost reduction package that will include an elimination of the COLAs. He is still working on the package, but we will keep a hopeful eye on this issue and Mr. Schroder.

What else did I find out? First, I was relieved to hear that SOMEONE in Harrisburg is taking this issue seriously (so it wasn't the "subject matter"). Second, it was nice to know that someone was responsive to my non-intrusive and polite request for information (so it wasn't "me"). Third, I was extremely disappointed that my requests were ignored by ALL of the Mercer County Legislators, and I was forced to reach across the state to Chester County to find a Conservative Legislator (it seems that it was "the Legislators" after all).

In disgust, I sent an electronic communication to Sen. Bob Robbins, Rep. Michele Brooks, Rep. Dick Stevenson and Rep. Mark Longietti. I told them how disappointed I was that the Legislators representing my County had no interest in so much as a polite response to a local voter.

Within minutes I received a response. Was it from one of our so-called conservative legislators? No. It was from Democrat Mark Longietti. The fact that he took the time to respond provides me with a new respect for the Representative of the 7th District. Unfortunately, Mr. Longietti DOES NOT agree with the issue of repealing the cost-of-living increases.

As per Mr. Longietti's lengthy response,

"I respect your view regarding the COLA, but I do not think that repealing it is good public policy. "

Mr. Longietti further states,

"If the COLA is repealed, you will eventually see bills introduced to provide for a large pay increase. That is the wrong approach. Further, you will subject the whole process to deal making. "

Mr. Longietti goes on to state numerous examples where cost of living increases are implemented and he closed with,

"I work hard as a legislator, and I know that I earn my keep, and an increase to keep pace with inflation is as justified for this position as it is for other workers and for Social Security recipients. So, we may part company on this issue, but we respect each other’s point of view."

It is clear by his response that Mr. Longietti has a "union mentality" and feels that a cost-of-living increase is an "entitlement". Unfortunately, what Mr. Longietti does not understand is that while a cost-of-living increase seems "fair" for some, not all of us are so lucky to receive one. Those of us that don't live in the "entitlement society" often-times don't get a raise. In my 28 years of working for a living, I've NEVER had a job that enjoyed the benefit of a automatic cost-of-living increase. Every pay raise that I ever received was based on performance and the financial capabilities of the company that I worked for. As a small business owner for the past 10 years, I can't count on automatic increases in my pay. Instead, in 2008, I experienced a 14% drop in income. THAT IS A DECREASE IN MY PAY BY 14% IN ONE YEAR.

Apparently, there is NO cost-of-living increase for me! Do I not "work hard"? Did I not "earn my keep"? Unfortunately, if the money isn't there, I don't get a raise. In the case of State Legislators and Judges, shouldn't the same be true? If the money isn't there, they should also do without. Instead, Mr. Longietti feels that it is fair for the tax payers of the state to give him more money "because he deserves it".

As Mr. Longietti stated, "we may part company on the issue, but we respect each other's point of view". Regardless of our disagreement on the issue, I applaud Mr. Longietti for contacting me by email and taking a stand . . . any stand . . . on this issue. That is more than I can say for our Republican Legislators from Mercer County.

This morning, I also received a response from Dick Stevenson (Republican from the 8th District). Rep. Stevenson was not included in my original round of letters and email messages, so he was not "guilty" of ignoring me initially. He did respond to the first communication that he received from me. Bravo! He responded with a polite email message that stated that he would be willing to discuss the issue with me personally anytime. I will take him up on his offer.

UPDATE: For the record, I received a phone call from Michele Brooks this afternoon regarding this issue. Representative Brooks apologized for the delay in getting back to me. She whole-heartedly supports the repeal of the cost-of-living increases. She is looking very closely at the various proposals that are coming forward to determine which one provides the greatest protections and benefits for the tax payer.

As for Bob Robbins? He is still silent on this issue. I cannot even express my disappointment.

As always, just my opinion.

~Roberta Biros, Mercer County Conservatives