Category: politics

Rep. Phil English talks to constituents about the economic rescue plan

Earlier this evening, Rep. Phil English met with a group of constituents in downtown Grove City for well over an hour. Rep. English summarized his reasons for voting no on the massive 700 billion package as well as other issues of interest to Western Pennsylvanians.
Rep. English said he wanted to help enact legislation to aid the ailing economy but wanted to get it right rather than do something rapidly. English said he believed the defeated House bill would have established a dangerous precedent for the government. He also wanted to make sure that there were no golden parachutes hidden in the new version of the bill which was voted on in the Senate this evening. On the plus side, he believed the rescue plan could be structured in such a way that profits would go to toward deficit reduction.
Going forward, English called for tax reform and incentives favorable to small business as a part of any rescue package. He pointed out that Republicans called for focused regulation of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac back in 2005. However, it was the Democrats in Congress that blocked reform. English also recounted a long list of accomplishments which have benefitted the people of his district.
Tonight, the Senate passed their version of the rescue plan by a 74-25 margin. The bill has become a part of the longstanding effort to pass mental health parity legislation with a variety of tax cuts and other incentives to bring the votes of Representatives in the House.

Palin gives exclusive interview to Wasilla newspaper

Sarah Palin denies claims of wrong doing in an exclusive article in her hometown paper, the Frontiersman.
On an issue, I have covered here and am about to cover in greater detail, Palin remarks on her real record of support for disabled people. She has actually done more than she reports here which I will document in coming days (e.g., the waiting list was 1300 when she took office and her administration is committed to eliminating the list).

9. You’ve stated on the trail that you would be an advocate for families with special needs, yet the state of Alaska has a Developmental Disabilities Waiting List with more than 900 people waiting for the critical assistance they need. The latest report said it would take $45 million dollars to eradicate this waiting list. What is your administration doing to address the issues that families with special needs face?
In March 2008, I signed legislation reforming Alaska’s education funding formula to bring more accountability and predictability. The legislation increases funding for students with special needs from $26,900 to $73,840 per student. It is our hope that by providing the necessary funding support, we can touch more children with special needs who did not have opportunities before due to the prohibitive costs of providing the appropriate care. I’m an advocate for special needs children. Ever since I took the chief executive’s job up North, I’ve pushed for more funding for students with special needs. It’s touched my heart for years, especially with the beautiful addition to our family 13 years ago, of our nephew with autism, then with the birth of our beautiful baby boy, Trig, we joined so many American families that know that some of life’s greatest joys come with unique challenges. We’re going to make sure the government is on their side. John McCain and I have a vision of an America where every child is cherished.