Free Republic

Protesters that were part of an angry mob that included many ACORN supporters nearly knocked New York state Sen. James Alesi, a Republican, down on the floor and spat in the face of his chief of staff, according to reports. The protesters were reportedly upset that two Democratic senators decided to caucus with Republicans, a move that when finalized by the state Senate would hand Republicans control of it. Majority Democrats have shut down the chamber to prevent the transfer of power. Meanwhile, Pennsylvania state Rep. Stephen Barrar, a Republican, is circulating a petition calling on his state's attorney general...

After waging a successful campaign to extend the deadline for accepting overseas military ballots, Republicans turned their attention to the prison vote Friday, vowing to challenge the legitimacy of all absentee ballots received from any Pennsylvania correctional facility. "We have every reason to believe that there has been gross abuse of the absentee ballot process in the prison system," said U.S. Rep. Curt Weldon, R-7, of Thornbury. While waiting to begin a press conference outside Philadelphia’s Curran-Fromhold Correctional Facility Friday afternoon, Weldon said he watched the crime he was prepared to speak about unfold before his eyes. "Four girls walked...

A reader sent me this message about voter fraud in Pennsylvania: I'm listening to WPHT, 1210AM. Dom Giordano is interviewing PA Congressman Curt Weldon (from Pennsylvania's Delaware County). Weldon caught four women who visited a prison and they were filmed running from the prison with absentee ballots from the prisoners. It was filmed by a Philly TV station (not sure which one). Weldon caught these women red-handed, allegedly college girls, who should not have been inside and involved in this absentee ballot process. The women somehow went inside to "assist" the prisoners in filling out the ballots. These four...

Editorial Second Thoughts By: William W. Lawrence 10/28/2003 What Happened!? What caused the world to turn upside down? It used to be that the Democrats were always in favor of tax hikes and the Republicans fought against them. Now our once-proud Delaware County House Republicans voted in lockstep for a big income tax increase raising the rate from 2.8 percent to 3.25 percent. When Lord Cornwallis surrendered at Yorktown, his fifers played "The World Turned Upside Down." His soldiers, instead of stacking their muskets neatly, hurled them angrily to the ground. Our local GOP representatives do not even have the...

Second Thoughts By: William W. Lawrence We have some interesting letters on this page. Raymond Euler of Newtown -- with whom I usually agree -- is blasting State Rep. Steve Barrar (R-160) for expressing doubts about the new drunk driving standard decreed by our princes in Washington.However, Steve, a superb legislator, is dead right.The proposed (ordered, actually) standard is .08-percent blood alcohol (BAC) content. I can't think of a single accident -- much less a serious one -- in the 20 years I have edited this paper in which a .08-percent BAC was a significant factor. I'm having trouble thinking...

As a member of the General Assembly, I am deeply frustrated by the recent remarks and accusations made by Pennsylvania's new governor, Edward G. Rendell. His declaration of a budget crisis and critical remarks regarding Pennsylvania's new budget are inaccurate and unfounded. Rendell states that the 2002-03 legislative budget is a gross example of over spending and will send Pennsylvania further into debt. . In reality, the General Assembly has given Rendell a balanced budget, which he has now taken and turned into a mockery. Rendell's effort to exploit the current economic state of the Commonwealth is a pathetic attempt...

Rep. Steve Barrar (R-160) will introduce a resolution in the General Assembly requiring the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board (LCB) prohibit state stores from carrying and selling imported French wines. "I am tired of America always being there for the French through the 60 years of the Cold War, and with billions of dollars in aid," Barrar said.

Representative Steve Barrar (R-160) is my kind of guy. He has drafted a resolution to the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board which calls for a ban on French booze. He said Pennsylvania is one of France's biggest customers and we could send a loud message by not buying their products. I agree and hereby promise not to drink French wine until the French surrender. OK, Steve, the next move should be to privatize the state liquor stores so your friends and neighbors will no longer have to cross the border into Delaware to get good California wine.***Actually we would be better...