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Manheim Township Dems Yard Sale...May 17 Penn Manor Dems' Spring Open House...May 18 Today's News...
A prospective smoking-ban deal that's weak or preempts Philadelphia's tough ban would be snuffed out, Gov. Ed Rendell warned on Monday. Urdaneta Posts New Campaign Website...
Jose has published his new campaign website at www.urdaneta4senate.com. Representative Mike Sturla has just endorsed José and SO CAN YOU. Add your name to the list of voters endorsing José for the state senate...
The Urdaneta for Senate
Campaign
headquarters is located at 150 N. Queen Street in Lancaster. He shares
the space with the Slater and Sturla campaigns. Volunteers are needed
to help with staffing, mailing, phone banking and many other campaign
tasks. Click
here to volunteer for José Urdaneta's Senate campaign... House passes bills to protect long-term care residents
The legislation
would fix several deficiencies in current law as it relates to patient
care and better arm patients and their families with information about
Pennsylvania's long-term care facilities and the doctors who work in
them. Read
more...
On Thursday, the U.S. House of Representatives approved a plan to rescue hundreds of thousands of homeowners at risk of foreclosure by helping them substitute high interest mortgages for affordable, federally backed mortgages. The House approved the plan by a vote of 266-154. Thirty-nine Republicans joined Democrats in backing the bill. Representative Joe Pitts, who's congressional district includes all of Lancaster County, voted against the plan but was silent when the Administration bailed out a major investment firm six-weeks ago. Pitts views the bill as a bailout for irresponsible borrowers. But the bill gained strong support from rank-and-file Republicans worried that escalating foreclosures are ruining lives and decimating neighborhoods.
Over one million homes are
in foreclosure, and millions more are forecast to join them over the
next two years. Home prices have fallen more than 11 percent, and
state and local tax collections are suffering.
Read more...
Yesterday,
the
state House unanimously adopted a resolution (H.R.
726) introduced by state Rep. Mike Sturla, D-Lancaster, that
recognizes May 6, 2008, as World Asthma Day in Pennsylvania. This
year’s theme is “You Can Control Your Asthma.”
Read more... State Senate Tables Gay-marriage Ban Amendment A bill intended to amend the state constitution to ban gay marriage and strip away rights for domestic partnerships for both straight and same-sex couples failed in the Senate caucuses last evening, May 6, 2008. The Senate was advised the bill would not see any action once it reached the state House, so its sponsor, Sen. Mike Brubaker, agreed to table it. Senate sources said head counts done in closed-door caucus meetings made it apparent the measure as proposed would likely not have the votes to pass. The proposal sought to define marriage as a union between one man and one woman and that no "functional equivalent of marriage" would be recognized in the Commonwealth. Read more...
Several Lancaster County
churches and faith-based groups, civil rights groups, and service
organizations strenuously opposed the discriminatory legislation and
had organized and participated in local rallies to defeat the measure. Rotunda Rally for the Defeat of SB 1250
Yesterday, there were approximately 400 people who opposed the proposed Marriage Amendment in the Capitol rotunda. Senators Connie Williams, Jim Ferlo and Vince Fumo spoke against the bill, as well as Representatives Babette Josephs, Dan Frankel and Mike O'Brien. Senator Wayne Fontana and Representatives Steve Nickol, David Steil, Kathy Manderino and Mike Gerber were also in attendance. Legislators, staffers and citizens heard and saw the rally. In fact, legislators said that they could hear the chants of "STOP THIS BILL" on the House floor.
Read more...
View pictures of this event...
Two lifetime friends of Lancaster's Democratic Party passed away on Friday, May 2nd. Harold Sommers and Milt Goldstein have been activists in the party for decades. Harold Sommers served as Lancaster City Treasurer in the early 1990's and Lancaster County Democratic Committee Chairman in the 80's. Read more... Milt Goldstein became the president and owner of the former Empire Shoe Manufacturing Company in Elizabethtown. Through his work in the shoe industry, in 1974, Goldstein was appointed by the secretary of Commerce to the Industry Sector Advisory Committee on Leather and Leather Products. The committee advised the White House and testified before Congress on various trade issues.
Mr. Goldstein was also a
leader in breaking down barriers in the workplace. He was among the
first employers in Elizabethtown to hire Hispanic employees. Goldstein
was instrumental in the hiring of the first African-American professor
at Elizabethtown College. For his efforts to fight racism and bigotry
he was awarded numerous honors by local and national organizations.
Read more...
The annual MTDC Yard Sale will be held May 17th at the home of Todd Baxter, 1723 Lititz Pike. Because the Lancaster County Democratic Women's Association has canceled their yard sale, the Manheim Twp. Dems are offering the same table rentals to those folks that intended to display at the Dem Women's event.
Space will be provided on
sidewalks from 1717 to 1723 Lititz Pike. Vendors and club members who wish
to store items for the yard sale, may drop them off at the barn behind
Todd's house prior to the event. Call Todd at 569-0856 or email at
datobaxter@aol.com.
Bruce Slater (above right) is the endorsed Democratic Congressional candidate running in the 16th Congressional district. View website...
Jose Urdaneta (above
left), Lancaster City councilman, is the endorsed Democratic candidate
running for the PA 13th Senate district. Jose has just been endorsed
by Democratic County Commissioner, Craig Lehman. Get
Directions... Chad Buffington Exhibit at the “Underground”
Watercolors flow
with ease from the brush of Chad Buffington, a self-taught artist
adept in multiple media. His faithfully-rendered portraits have made
him a favorite with local institutions for commissioned work that
graces their walls. His portrait of Pennsylvania Academy of Music
Founders Frances Veri and Michael Jamanis will soon be on permanent
display in the new Pennsylvania Academy of Music Building in downtown
Lancaster.
Read more... Where were the Republicans? Republicans hold a 1.8 to 1 voter registration lead in Lancaster County. But on Tuesday, primary election day, they polled only 42,121 votes for President for a turnout of 24.4%, while 49, 836 Dem voted for President for a turnout of 53.2%.
In Lancaster County, the
Democrats have added almost 12,000 new voters to the Democratic roll.
Many are new voters, but a good portion were Independents and
Republicans who have switched parties. The Republican Party won't
easily win them back without major changes in policy. Changes which
will bring them in line with the values Democrats have always held;
family, community, and a shot at the American Dream.
Read more...
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Jose
Urdaneta is the endorsed Democratic candidate for the 13th Senatorial
District He was unopposed in April's primary but outpolled by over one
thousand votes all four the the Republican candidates running to the
same state senate seat.
House
Approves 
Barry
Russell, spokesman for Rainbow Rose Community, a Lancaster based
civil-rights coalition, said during a telephone interview that he was
pleased by the Senate's refusal to bring the constitutional amendment
to the full Senate. Russell had led the Lancaster County bus trip
yesterday to lobby both Senators and Representatives to defeat the so
called, "Marriage Amendment". 
As
the
rally to defeat the "Marriage Amendment" was in progress yesterday at
noon, Senator Mike Brubaker's constitutional amendment was approved by
the Senate Appropriations Committee by a vote of 18 - 8. A full Senate
vote can occur as soon as today. 
Lancaster
Democrats 
The
Penn Manor Dems ask you to stop by and show your support for two of
the County's candidates, Bruce Slater and Jose Urdaneta on Sunday May
18th. The Open House will be held at the home of Judy and Bill Saylor,
310 N. George St. in Millersville, PA. Festivities will begin at 1:30
PM. 
The
Chad Buffington collection of watercolors drew accolades from
visitors to the Underground for First Friday held on May 2nd.
Micky Smith entertained guests with folk songs and
sing-a-longs. 