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FakeNoose

FakeNoose's Journal
FakeNoose's Journal
October 1, 2022

Pa. Supreme Court Chief Justice Max Baer dies at 74



(link) https://www.post-gazette.com/news/obituaries/2022/10/01/max-baer-pennsylvania-supreme-court-dies/stories/202210010040

Max Baer, the chief justice of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, died overnight. He was 74.

Mr. Baer was first elected to the Supreme Court in 2003, and was sworn in as its chief justice in 2021. He was set to retire at the end of 2022, after reaching the mandatory retirement age of 75 on Dec. 24.

The state Supreme Court confirmed his death in a news release Saturday morning. A cause of death was not immediately available. Justice Debra Todd, who was set to replace Mr. Baer in January after he retired, will now serve as chief justice, the court announced. She is the first woman to lead the state’s highest court.

Mr. Baer’s Pittsburgh roots are deep. Named after both his grandfathers, David Max Baer began using his middle name in law school at Duquesne University, perfectly happy to have people confuse him with the 1930s heavyweight boxing champ of the same name, according to a profile in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette in 2003.


- more at link -

Rest in Peace, Chief Justice Baer.
September 29, 2022

How to apply for a Pennsylvania property tax rebate or rent rebate

(Spotlight link) https://www.spotlightpa.org/news/2022/09/pa-property-tax-rebate-status-pennsylvania-guide/

HARRISBURG — Pennsylvania’s rent and property tax rebate program — which helps older and disabled residents offset the rising cost of housing — got a major, one-time boost this year as part of the state budget.

But as Spotlight PA reported in a new investigation, fewer and fewer people receive rent and property tax rebates each year, largely because state lawmakers haven’t increased the income limits to qualify in more than 15 years. Still, many people who could benefit are missing out because they don’t know about the program. State officials estimate that about one-third of eligible Pennsylvanians don’t apply each year.

How do I know if I qualify?

If you’re 65 or older, or receive disability benefits, and paid rent or property taxes last year, you qualify if you meet the income requirements. The income limit is $35,000 per household for homeowners and $15,000 per household for renters. If you receive Social Security benefits, the state only counts half of that towards the income cap. (Some veterans’ benefits aren’t counted at all.)

You could also be eligible if you’re a widow or widower and over the age of 50. More detailed information is available from the state Department of Revenue, which administers the program. One thing to bear in mind: the income limit doesn’t change based on how many people are in your household. If you are married and live together, you and your spouse’s combined income still needs to be at or under the threshold in order to qualify.

If you think you might be eligible, contact your state lawmaker’s office, a regional office of the state Department of Revenue, the Area Agency on Aging in your county, or a local senior center. None should charge you a fee for letting you know whether you qualify or helping you apply.


- more at link -

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September 27, 2022

Gov. Tom Wolf takes lawsuit on constitutional changes to Commonwealth Court



(link) https://www.post-gazette.com/news/crime-courts/2022/09/26/tom-wolf-constitutional-amendments-lawsuit-commonwealth-court-pa-legislature/stories/202209260074

HARRISBURG — Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf is taking another shot at a lawsuit that argues Republican lawmakers improperly bundled together five proposed state constitutional amendments to get them approved by the Pennsylvania Legislature.

Mr. Wolf's new lawsuit filed late last week in Commonwealth Court is similar to the litigation he previously tried to get the state Supreme Court to take up directly, and it comes less than two weeks after the justices said no but that the governor was free to sue in the lower Commonwealth Court.

- snip -

Mr. Wolf's new filings argue the Legislature violated the procedures for recording votes when amending the constitution and that “nothing less than an independent vote on each and every proposed change to the constitution” is required.

“The bundling of the amendments was calculated to shield Republican lawmakers from scrutiny of their positions on the various amendments,” Mr. Wolf's lawyers wrote, “particularly the General Assembly's attempt to annul constitutional rights relating to abortion.”

One of the proposed amendments would state the Pennsylvania Constitution does not guarantee any rights relating to abortion or public funding of abortions. Mr. Wolf and his acting secretary of state, Leigh Chapman, are claiming that alone is “deceptively compound” and would require two separate votes.


- more at link -

Gov. Wolf is trying very hard to get these Amendment bills struck down in the courts. If he can't stop them in court, then next year (in an off-year) voters will be asked to approve FIVE AMENDMENTS to the Pennsylvania Constitution at one time. They are all objectives of the Repukes who are trying to do an end-run around the Governor.

The Governor has until the end of 2022 to get these proposed Amendments struck down. Thank you Governor Wolf!



September 25, 2022

Fetterman holds rally in Philadelphia, his 1st public event in the city


(Caption: Pennsylvania Lt. Gov. John Fetterman, Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate, meets with supporters Saturday as he leaves his event in Philadelphia. Phono credit: Ryan Collerd/Associated Press)

(link) https://www.post-gazette.com/news/state/2022/09/24/fetterman-philadelphia-pa-senate-mehmet-oz-democrats-republicans-pennsylvania/stories/202209240056

Standing in front of a blown-up photo of the LOVE Park statue in a Northwest Philadelphia gym, Lt. Gov. John Fetterman introduced himself to a cheering crowd as “Jawn” Fetterman.

It was the first public event of his campaign in the deeply Democratic city that’s vital to his party’s hopes in November’s election, but he promised not to pander to Philly voters, saying that’s something they’d hear from Republican Senate nominee Mehmet Oz.

“I’m not going to say that Wawa is so much better than Sheetz,” said Mr. Fetterman, who hails from Braddock.

After coming onstage to AC/DC’s “Back in Black,” Mr. Fetterman spoke to a crowd of about 600 for about 12 minutes, at times with halting speech and on occasion stumbling over at least one of his lines as he recovers from a May stroke.

For example, following up his Wawa line, the big Steelers fan said he’d never tell Philadelphians that “the Steelers are so much better than the Eagles.” (The crowd rallied to help him, unleashing a quick E-A-G-L-E-S chant).


- more at link -

Well ... the Steelers ARE better than the Eagles ... so he's right about that.

September 23, 2022

Sen. Pat Toomey R-PA will back bill to change how Electoral College votes are counted


(Caption: Senate Banking Committee Chairman Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, left, speaks with ranking member Sen. Pat Toomey, R-Pa., during an annual Wall Street oversight hearing Thursday on Capitol Hill in Washington. Mr. Toomey announced Thursday he will co-sponsor a bi-partisan bill to reform how Electoral College votes are counted. Photo credit: Jacquelyn Martin/Associated Press)

(link) https://www.post-gazette.com/news/nation/2022/09/22/pat-toomey-pennsylvania-harrisburg-electoral-college-gop-democrats-senate-trump-biden/stories/202209220173

Sen. Pat Toomey, R-Pa., will cosponsor a bipartisan bill to reform how Electoral College votes are certified, adding more Republican weight to the push to avoid a repeat of the attempt to overturn the 2020 presidential election.

Mr. Toomey will join 10 other Republicans sponsoring or cosponsoring the Electoral Count Reform Act, giving it enough formal GOP support to clear a filibuster if at least 49 of the chamber’s 50 Democrats also support the plan. Other Republicans have also expressed openness to the plan, potentially giving it even more room to maneuver through the Senate.

His support for the legislation, reported first by The Inquirer, comes after Pennsylvania was one of two states formally targeted by dozens of congressional Republicans on Jan. 6, 2021, as they attempted to dismiss its 20 electoral votes and the will of its voters. Mr. Toomey, who supported nearly all of former President Donald Trump’s policies and voted for him twice, strongly opposed attempts to throw out Pennsylvania’s election results as Mr. Trump fueled a riot at the Capitol.

Mr. Toomey announced his backing for the Senate bill a day after the House approved a competing plan supported by the chamber’s Democrats but widely opposed by Republicans. A number of GOP lawmakers who support some reform have urged Democratic leaders to focus on the bipartisan Senate proposal.


- more at link -

Complicated article here, comparing the House and Senate bills. However it seems that almost everyone in Congress recognizes weaknesses in the current Electoral College. How it will be repaired/revised is what's being discussed now. It's imperative that these important changes are made before 2024.

Despite my many criticisms of Sen. Pat Toomey, I recognize that he firmly opposed the "Big Lie/Steal" that other Repukes (including some from PA) tried to make happen after the election two years ago. Thank you Senator Toomey!




September 22, 2022

Doug Mastriano associate is a prayer-coin salesman who calls Biden the 'antichrist'

(link) https://www.post-gazette.com/news/election2022/2022/09/22/doug-mastriano-lance-wallnau-preacher-prophet-prayer-coin-salesman-pa-governors-race-2022/stories/202209220134

Five years before Lance Wallnau joined Republican gubernatorial candidate Doug Mastriano on the campaign trail, the Texas-based evangelist told his audience in a livestreamed video about how an “anointed cake” baked by prostitutes once resulted in a gay man becoming heterosexual.

“Now, I’m not saying this is going to work for you,” he says in the video, before recalling a story he’d heard of “hookers” in a bar transforming its “very adamantly anti-Christian” proprietor.

“The power of God hit him while he was eating the cake,” Mr. Wallnau said in the clip, first reported by the Dallas Morning News in 2017.

That same year, Mr. Wallnau, a self-styled Christian “prophet” whose stump speech for Mr. Mastriano blew up on Twitter over the weekend, posted another outlandish rant online, explaining his theory that the Women’s March on Washington and protests of Donald Trump’s inauguration were manifestations of “the spirit of Jezebel.”


- more at link -

Oh dear Lord ... what's next? Here's further proof that Mastriano is a crazy Christo-fascist who shouldn't be elected the county dog-catcher, let alone Governor of Pennsylvania.


September 21, 2022

This is very touching and I want to share it with you



I didn't write this, and I don't know who did. Just found it on Imgur and I think it's very well done.

The person who posted it gave this title:
"Made this after my brother took his life last month. PLEASE - if you're hurting, ask for help"


September 21, 2022

Live videocam of the Oktoberfest in Munich

https://www.earthtv.com/en/webcam/munich-devil-wheel

Wishing I were there, having wonderful memories of happier times.

Best time for Americans to watch live video is earlier in the day, because of the time difference.

Profile Information

Name: Kathy Hinsman
Gender: Female
Hometown: Pittsburgh PA
Home country: USA
Current location: Pittsburgh
Member since: Sat Feb 18, 2017, 02:16 PM
Number of posts: 32,853

About FakeNoose

Hey DU friends! Baby boomer here. I became a voter in 1972 when I turned 21, and I've been voting regularly ever since. For a long time I remained independent - always voting for Dem candidates. However that changed in 2008 when I wanted to vote for Hillary Clinton for President. But I live in Pennsylvania where we have closed elections, and my only chance to vote for Hillary was in the Dem primary. So I joined the Democratic Party in 2008, voted for Hillary, and I've never looked back. Barack Obama won the primary in Pennsylvania, as ell as most other states, and I supported him in the general election. It was a different story in 2016 .... You'll never convince me that Chump didn't CHEAT his way into the White House. The worst 4 years in the history of our country ensued, 2017 to 2020, and the first few days of 2021. We all lived through it and i don't need to explain it now. My goal is to make sure that Chump NEVER gets elected to ANYTHING again. Not even Dogcatcher of West Palm Beach FL. Whether he goes to prison is not up to me - but he must be CONVICTED of his crimes and PREVENTED from running for office again. Better yet - he should be in prison or six-feet-under. You get me? I love the cooperation, optimism and can-do spirit of Democratic Underground. We're a community of liberal-minded Americans and we know how to share our stories constructively and pro-actively. Let's all pitch in and get this job done. There has never been a more important election that right now, this year. Democrats everywhere MUST WIN. Joe Biden must win FOUR MORE YEARS!
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