CARDCARRYPSEA's Comments

GrassrootsPA : 2 lawsuits: Corbett mismanaged AG's office...

Tue, 22 Jun 2010 02:27:41 +0000

I see election year static here more than a serious case.

GrassrootsPA : Onorato calls for 14 debates...

Tue, 22 Jun 2010 02:24:31 +0000

That's one debate for every percentage point that Onorato will lose by in November. Just like RINO Ridge rolled over the Dems I have no doubt that RINO Corbett is a sure winner in this year of the "Obama Repudiation." Voters "in the middle" will send Corbett to Harrisburg because I won't be voting for him just like I didn't vote for Ridge when he won twice.

GrassrootsPA : Rohrer: Pension 'reform' is generational theft...

Mon, 21 Jun 2010 16:22:30 +0000

There aren't too many "heroes" in our legislature. I don't even fully trust the Metcalfe's and Rohrer's, much less the rest of the RINO and Dem lot....... The bottom line is party leadership (caucus) control of individual members.....

GrassrootsPA : Rohrer: Pension 'reform' is generational theft...

Mon, 21 Jun 2010 05:07:04 +0000

Considering that both AFSCME and PSEA government employee unions were behind the "reform" that passed 192-6 and no doubt will be signed by Ed Rendell in the end, we can rest assured that this legislation is junk. PSEA President Jim Testerman will no doubt praise this as a victory because the legislation heads off attempts to do what really needs to be done with government employee pensions in Pennsylvania. That is to convert the pension system from the defined benefit kind we have now to a defined contribution system (401 K). I guess this "reform" is just designed to park the pension system to allow further financial decline and collapse. Then the federal government will come in and take over the pension system????????

GrassrootsPA : Gay-Straight Alliance club controversy at Cumberland Valley...

Mon, 21 Jun 2010 04:16:05 +0000

Each individual has to set their boundaries and stick to them and live by them.
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That's where I come from.
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I have to work inside a school building with students, other staff etc.
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Too many of my colleagues are living by lower standards than the ones I live by.
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That is my deep concern.
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It was nothing to do with 'Gay-Straight' as much as it has to do with what's right and wrong.�
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Are we here to use our bodies and minds to exploit other human beings sexually or are we here to use our�bodies and�minds to serve other people in a spirit of giving and love?

GrassrootsPA : 5 State Reps unveil YourPAbudget.com to gauge ideas and discussion on budget...

Wed, 16 Jun 2010 20:11:32 +0000

Too much money is being spent. Cut it back to 25 billion dollars.

GrassrootsPA : SANTORUM PLANS 4TH IOWA TRIP...

Wed, 16 Jun 2010 02:37:14 +0000

Rick Santorum is a stalking horse for Mitt Romney who's job is to undercut Sarah Palin or Mike Huckabee or anyone that happens to be in Mitt's way by splitting off conservative voters so the more "mainstream-common sense conservative" as in Romney can win. That's the way I see it.

GrassrootsPA : PA House to consider bill to control state pension costs...

Wed, 16 Jun 2010 02:31:26 +0000

These moves especially juggling the employer contribution into my retirement system from the school districts look like band aids on the dike. New hires are affected only for the rise in retirement age and lengthening of vesting from five to 10 years. Act 9 in 2001 lowered vesting from 10 to 5 years in the PSERS. Act 9's changes need to be rolled back in their entirety and frankly should apply to current employees like me.

GrassrootsPA : PA teachers, school boards debate pension reform proposals...

Tue, 15 Jun 2010 03:04:57 +0000

My union president, James Testerman, has reminded the PSEA rank and file of the "contractual obligation" for the pension system to be funded. He has said that the politicians are blowing smoke on this issue but in the end the money will have to be dished out by the taxpayers. Its time for some dramatic action that goes beyond the simple changing of the system to a 401K for future hires. Act 9 0f 2001 with the 25 percent pension hike and only a 20 percent increased employee contribution was dead wrong.

GrassrootsPA : Officials laud PA's vehicle emissions inspections, but some drivers aren't convinced...

Sun, 13 Jun 2010 16:06:04 +0000

Emissions testing is bad enough. The environmental agenda is when one cuts through the crap sort of a slow motion attempt to take our cars away from us and force us onto mass transportation for the sake of "sustaining the planet."

GrassrootsPA : Gay-Straight Alliance club controversy at Cumberland Valley...

Sat, 12 Jun 2010 17:58:40 +0000

Sexual militancy and selfishness is being disguised as victimhood. A Gay-Straight Alliance on a high school campus is a reflection of the out of control attitudes about sex in general. Sex between staff and students, sex between students in bathroom etc. etc.

GrassrootsPA : Raises for Tulpehocken administrators stir debate...

Sat, 12 Jun 2010 17:35:30 +0000

We must have some sort of salary caps in education from superintendents down to teachers down to custodians, cafeteria workers etc. Lets start at the top and mandate a salary cap of 115-thousand a year for school superintendents with limits on any bonuses or expense accounts as well. The principals can be capped around 100-thousand and teachers with a basic BA type degree can be capped at 80-thousand.. Pennsylvania has mandated minimum teacher salaries.....Why not mandate maximum teacher salaries???????

GrassrootsPA : Rohrer: Pennsylvania could be bankrupt in 2011...

Sat, 12 Jun 2010 17:18:19 +0000

The problem is spending and a figure to spend less must be spent. Im sick of the 'nickel and dime' fight between Republicans who want to spend 28 billion and the Democrats like Rendell who want to spend 29 billion. You're both wrong. Its time to spend 26 billion or 25 billion.......Spend less money and let the chips fall where they may. A 20 percent cut in legislative staff and a ten percent cut in lawmakers pay seem like some good starting points. Then abolish legislative pensions and cut other perks. Then go after the education system and make it live within its means insisting that pay and benefits be on the table. A pay freeze is needed for education with pay cuts for top administration from local school districts to Penn State University.

GrassrootsPA : Pero: Soros-funded group 'manipulating' data to eliminate election of PA judges...

Fri, 11 Jun 2010 03:15:57 +0000

The judiciary in Pennsylvania isn't perfect, but we have the chance to elect them and the chance to vote yes or no on them for retention every ten years. I'll take that over "merit selection" any day of the week.

GrassrootsPA : 'Spycam' judge orders district to share evidence...

Thu, 10 Jun 2010 06:44:44 +0000

When public education goes into cover up mode, it goes into coverup mode. I hope that anyone and everyone including the FBI treat this like an organized crime case. Dig deep and uncover any coverup. The pride, arrogance and condesension of public education knows no end.

GrassrootsPA : English teacher blogs her way out of a job...

Thu, 10 Jun 2010 06:35:11 +0000

This is a private school and the union protections don't apply. If the teacher wanted to criticize the student for tone and help them to make a better more effective presentation, that's one thing, but to push ideology just stinks. One of my earliest essays of a conservative nature was criticized by my middle school teacher for not getting into specifics. That was a good and valid critique.

GrassrootsPA : SEN. LEACH REBUTS GRAND JURY 'BONUSGATE' REPORT...

Wed, 9 Jun 2010 07:52:17 +0000

The grand jury report blew the lid off on how the system really works. We think we elect people to represent us when we send them to Harrisburg but even the Eichelberger's, Folmer's, Metcalfe's etc. have to depend on 'the Caucus." We need to free our elected officials from the enslavement of ":the Caucus."

GrassrootsPA : PA BUDGET DEBATE CENTERS ON EDUCATION...

Tue, 8 Jun 2010 02:15:20 +0000

What this state needs is a 25 billion dollar budget for the coming year? Lets mandate a two year pay freeze for public school employees to ease the taxpayers financial burden. It would occur at the beginning of any new contract negotiated between a school district and the union.

GrassrootsPA : PA school districts foresee financial shortfall...

Tue, 8 Jun 2010 02:12:14 +0000

One more thing I would like to promote is either at the local school board level or statewide a two year pay freeze for public school employees to give taxpayers a break in these tough economic times and to provide financial support for the pension spike that PSEA President Jim Testerman says is contractually mandated.

GrassrootsPA : PA school districts foresee financial shortfall...

Tue, 8 Jun 2010 02:10:28 +0000

Its time for the state of Pennsylvania to follow the lead of 40 years ago when a minimum teacher salary was first mandated by law. It was 6-thousand dollars a year then and its been raised to 18, 200 dollars the last I heard. I think there should be a maximum salaries mandated by law that will cap salaries in public education. It starts with superintendents was 115-thousand, assistant superintendents at 110-thousand, secondary principals at 100-thousand, elemenatary principals at 95-thousand, teachers with PhD at 90-thousand, Masters Degree at 85-thousand and BA-BS degrees at 80-thousand per year. The law will have to have provisions in to prevent school boards from sneaking in extra bucks under the "bonus" or "expenses" categories to pad those salaries. The pension system must be scrapped. A 20 percent co-pay for medical coverage must be mandated for public school employees. Another reform sorely needed is a law that prohbits public school employees and close relatives from serving on school boards. Members of my union and their spouses are littering the school boards of this state em masse.