Corbett to Visit Corruption Central

  
As I had a late night event yesterday, my otherwise trustworthy biological alarm-clock never kicked in this morning. Seems I'm a little late to the party. Check my Blogroll for comments by others.
  
This "public is invited" event could be an interesting day under the dome.

Lots of items on the Saturday "honey-do" list to accomplish this morning.

  
Later.
     

PA Governor Corbett Exceeds Expectations

          
For those not following this issue closely, I wanted to make you aware of PA's latest approach to helping the natural gas industry frack every square inch of PA; hold back payments to the Delaware River Basin Commission.

And what of PA's payments to the Susquehanna River Basin Commission?

"The governor went lighter with cuts to the Susquehanna River Basin Commission, which has been issuing permits for water withdrawals related to natural gas drilling. It was cut by only 10 percent. And the Susquehanna commission, unlike the Delaware commission, is allowed to charge fees, which amounted to about half its $12 million budget in 2010. That's more than double the $5.6 million the Delaware commission plans to spend this year."

Industry-puppet Tom Corbett has turned out to be everything I anticipated...and more.

       

Team Corbett Slashes Scientific Funding

     

..including some projects designed to assess the impact of the natural gas industry on PA's environment.

Go figger. Read more about it here.

This guy and his team are far worse than anticipated.

  

 

Corbett Noshes in Tunkhannock

 
I find it amazing that PA Governor Tom Corbett went out of his way to keep his paddling schedule under wraps so that he could avoid being confronted by environmentalists ( a/k/a fellow Pennsylvanians ) as he traveled for three days on the Susquehanna recently, yet had plenty of time to nosh with representatives from the natural gas and supporting industries in Tunkhannock. Now in order to get all those folks together, there had to be some advance discussions and planning...don't you think?

Read more here.

Be it waters from our Class A trout streams or natural gas that's been locked underground for 300 million years, Tom Corbett and his entire cabinet are 100% in the corner of the unrestricted exploitation of our natural resources, regardless of the long-term environmental and social consequences.

How evil is Tom Corbett? I believe the answer is beyond our comprehension...

      

Marcellus Shill Report: Analysis Paralysis

     
More than quite a few folks are offering their opinions on the recently released recommendations of Team Tom-Tom's Marcellus Shale Advisory Committee. I'm not going to add to the noise at this time.

I'll simply offer that, as I have several times to date, the rape of PA's resources under the Republican Reign of Team Tom-Tom continues.

This is our time, folks. Don't sit this one out.

Later.
       

Corbett Hamstrings DEP with More Budget Cuts

     
Having shoveled tons of muck and debris from homes and businesses in the Wyoming Valley after Hurricane Agnes in the summer of '72, I fully understand the flood prone nature of the Susquehanna River basin and the devastation flooding can wreak.

Here's a quote from a Citizen's Voice article about recent DEP cuts:

"The cuts include $2.3 million to DEP general government, all $682,000 for the Safe Water program and the entire $3.4 million for flood control projects."

 
So, Team Tom-Tom - bought and paid for by the natural gas industry - continues to work its their master plan right in front of our eyes.  Let me guess what their ultimate storyline will be: 

"Approving More Water Withdrawals for natural gas drilling will eliminate threat of flooding in Commonwealth."

    
That sounds about right...

 
Reminder to all Pennsylvanians: This is OUR commonwealth, and Tommy C. and his cast of characters work for US!

Are we ready for a recall yet?
  

Corbett Must Go

      

Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power. - Abraham Lincoln

Well, by now, everyone should have figured out that our new Governor has no character. He and his cabinet are fully in bed with the natural gas industry, and they really don't give a damn about the people they were elected to serve.

Read the full article here.

Seriously...does anyone actually believe that someone sitting in an office in Harrisburg is in a better position to make a decision about a violation of state or federal laws than the person in the field that discovered and documented the infraction in situ? 

'Splain that one to me, folks!

This is truly getting out of control. Based upon what I've seen so far, and what I am hearing on the streets, I do not think this man will last his full term. People are starting to get royally peeved...even the folks that voted for him.

Once again, I will remind you of the words in PA's Constitution:

***

Section 2. Political Powers

All power is inherent in the people, and all free governments are founded on their authority and instituted for their peace, safety, and happiness. For the advancement of these ends they have at all times an inalienable and indefeasible right to alter, reform or abolish their government in such manner as they may think proper.

***

Is it too early to start whatever action is necesary, through the courts or on the streets, to remove Tom Corbett from office?

  

Awneptitude Accentuated

     
Thanks to fellow blogger Another Monkey for his post about today's first meeting of Team Tom-Tom's Marcellus Shale Cheerleading Advisory Commission. Good job, Harold!

From Tactics 101: Want to guarantee minimal attendance at similar meetings in the future? Hold them with short notice on a weekday at a time when most people are working. Honestly...Corbett's Dog & Pony Show is starting to get old, and it's just over two months out of the box.

Just curious...did anyone read FU's post, specifically the quote from PA's Constitution?

Chew on that over a few beers & bratwursts. It has some real teeth.


Happy Friday!!
       

Whitewash in Philadelphia...and Harrisburg

    
According to CityPaper, over 100 people showed up. Fifty-six offered testimony, and fifty-five were clearly against natural gas drilling. I'd call that a whitewash.

Almost down to the second, I had prepared for a three-minute turn at the microphone, but with about ten speakers ahead of me, they announced that due to the number of folks still wanting to testify, they had to cut the time to two minutes for all those remaining. I was less than happy to have to cut my testimony short, but did the best I could to get my point across in the limited time allowed.

Philadelphia's City Hall is a beautiful building. I hope to find the time to take a full tour someday soon.

Speaking of whitewashes, our new Governor Tom-Tom Corbett has put together his Marcellus Shale Advisory Commission. Of the 30 members, 4 are from environmental groups and the remaining 26 are from government and the natural gas industry.

I did get a laugh that Terry Pegula was named to the panel. Lest ye forget, the Pegulas donated $360,000 to Corbett's campaign.

Pegula and his wife, Kim, were frequent funders of pro-drilling politicians. Kim Pegula donated the most money in 2010 to a single candidate: $360,000 to Tom Corbett.

Looks like business as usual in Harrisburg.
        
  

Corbett Wins - Penn's Woods Loses

    
"Pennsylvania Governor-elect Tom Corbett says one of his first acts in office will be to lift a moratorium on Marcellus Shale gas-drilling permits on state lands -- a move that would reverse a drilling halt imposed by outgoing Gov. Ed Rendell."


Read the rest here.

Tom Corbett's following act will be to rename the Rachel Carson Building, the Department of Environmental Protection's headquarters in Harrisburg. He's currently accepting bribes bids from all natural gas drilling companies to earn the naming rights. Details to follow.  

Congratulations to the Marcellus Shale Coalition.

You got what you paid for.

Ladies and Gentlemen...let the games begin.

             

Tom Corbett: PA's Flop Cop

By now, everyone who follows blogs online should know about this issue.

To say that this Republican candidate for Governor of Pennsylvania has stepped into a political minefield is an understatement of biblical proportions. He can backpedal, or avoid comment, or have his SpinMeisters twist this any way they want...but he has made a major, major miscalculation. Of course, his arrogance will lead him to believe otherwise. That and the hefty contributions from BIG OIL.

Mistake #2.

As PA's current Attorney General, he is supposed to enforce the law, not abuse it. I did not believe this man was worthy of my vote in the primary, and he's proven me right in spades.

The bloggers and what's left of the mainstream media have already jumped on this. Personally, in addition to focusing on his every move from now through November, I am going to take down every roadside "Corbett for Governor" sign I see.

I wonder, my fellow Americans, is that against the law?

Tom Corbett a/k/a BIG OIL's BOY

Guess which Republican candidate for the Governor of Pennsylvania has received, by far, the largest amount of campaign contributions from BIG OIL?

Mr. Tom Corbett

And guess what his position on Marcellus Shale is?

You got it: Drill, Baby, Drill.

And guess what his current position is on the proposed severance tax on gas production?

No, Baby, No!

Read all about it here.

Also check out Deep Drilling, Deep Pockets, released May 11th.

As a lifelong Republican, this man will never get my vote. He's been bought and paid for by the industry that is going to rape our forests and contaminate our waters and leave the clean-up to our children and grandchildren.  

Tom Corbett...a puppet and prophet of BIG OIL.