The imperfect president

By Tony Phyrillas | 03/11/09

Barack Obama announced he will sign the $410 billion stop-gap budget bill approved by the Democratic Congress even though the bill contains billions in pork-barrel projects.Obama acknowledge the earmarks, saying it was an "imperfect" bill, but he was forced to sign it to keep the government going.He also confessed that he was breaking his own campaign promise to eliminate earmarks. Apparently, he had his fingers crossed when he made that... read more »

It's the Obama recession now

By Tony Phyrillas | 03/06/09

The nation's unemployment rate stands at 8.1 percent, the highest since 1983. More than 650,000 jobs were slashed in February."There is no light at the end of the tunnel with these numbers," Nigel Gault, economist at IHS Global Insight, told The Associated Press. "Job losses were everywhere and there's no hope for a turnaround any time soon."It's March and Obama can't blame George W. Bush anymore. U.S. companies eliminated 655,000 jobs during... read more »

Arlen Specter is done

By Tony Phyrillas | 03/05/09

Here's a prediction: Sen. Arlen Specter, the deciding vote on the trillion-dollar Obama "stimulus" package will not survive a Republican Party primary to keep his Senate seat in 2010.What little support Specter had among Pennsylvania Republicans evaporated when Specter sided with the Democrats.Here's my take on a potential Pat Toomey-Arlen Specter Republican Party primary showdown in 2010 for the U.S. Senate seat from Pennsylvania. Although he... read more »

PA fiscal crisis gets worse

By Tony Phyrillas | 03/02/09

With four months to go in the current fiscal year, Pennsylvania has already spent $1.3 billion more than it has taken in. The fiscal hole Gov. Ed Rendell and the Pennsylvania Legislature started digging last July keeps getting deeper. Pennsylvania collected $1.5 billion in General Fund revenue in February, $196.8 million, or 11.6 percent, less than anticipated, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue. Fiscal year-to-date General Fund... read more »

Voter remorse

By Tony Phyrillas | 02/23/09

Knowing what we know now about Barack Obama's first 30 days as president, if the election were held today, would John McCain win? I think so. I believe millions of Obama voters are sobering up and beginning to realize what a terrible mistake they made on Nov. 4, 2008. They fell for the Obama charm and didn't realize the kind of damage he would do to the United States.From a Colin McNickle column in The Pittsburgh... read more »

Surprise pick for US Attorney

By Tony Phyrillas | 02/17/09

The new U.S. Attorney for eastern Pennsylvania is Laurie Magid, who took over as Acting U.S. Attorney last July when Republican Patrick Meehan resigned to prepare to run for Pennsylvania governor.Attorney General Eric Holder, Obama's far-left appointee, made the decision to promote Magid last week, but it was announced today.Conventional wisdom was that Meehan's replacement would be somebody more in line with Holder and Obama, not a Republican... read more »

'Tax cheat' a badge of honor for liberals

By Tony Phyrillas | 02/02/09

Tom Daschle, President Obama's choice to lead the Health and Human Services Department, is sorry he didn't pay more than $120,000 in back taxes.Daschle, the former Democratic leader in the Senate, says he was "deeply embarrassed and disappointed" now that he's been exposed as a tax cheat.The revelation is not expected to slow down Daschle's confirmation by the Senate under our new one-party system of government. Being a tax cheat is now a badge... read more »

Obama sends deficit into statosphere

By Tony Phyrillas | 01/28/09

The House of Representatives passed the Obama economic stimulus bill today by a vote of 244-188. Every Republican in the House and 11 Democrats voted against the $819 billion measure loaded with pork projects and expanded government programs that many economists say will have little impact on the nation's economic woes.Rep. John Boehner of Ohio, the Republican leader, said bill will create few jobs, but "it will create plenty of programs and... read more »

Sarah Palin looks to 2012

By Tony Phyrillas | 01/28/09

Sarah Palin is here to stay.Much to the chagrin of the elite media that despises a strong female leader who espouses traditional America values, Gov. Palin has launched her own Political Action Committee.The move could be a prelude to a presidential run in 2012 and it can also help the Alaska governor raise money for other conservative candidates.Sarah Palin's Official PAC is dedicated to "to building America's future, supporting fresh ideas and... read more »

Is Ed Rendell turning into a Republican?

By Tony Phyrillas | 01/23/09

I have this image in my head of Gov. Ed Rendell, dressed in leather bondage gear and carrying a whip, preparing to go medieval on Pennsylvania taxpayers. I may need professional counseling to get over this.Rendell proclaimed Thursday at a news conference "there will be universal pain" because the state is facing a $2.3 billion budget deficit.This is the same governor who last July was getting high-fives from legislators after they agreed on a... read more »