“Show It” campaign is costly and confusing
Recently, you may have seen commercials and signs advertising the “Show It” campaign, which advises voters to bring their ID to the polls for the Nov. 5 election. Governor Corbett has decided to spend $1 million to educate the public about the Voter ID law, whose fate is still waiting on a determination from the courts, while he and the Republican majorities in both chambers fail to provide proper funding to educate our children. Keep in mind that, since taking office, the governor has cut more than $1 billion from early-childhood education programs.
I thought it important to tell you what Corbett isn’t: it’s not necessary to show your ID to cast your vote in the Nov. 5 election. The voter ID law places a bureaucratic hurdle in front of people who don’t have a valid photo ID — such as senior citizens whose driver’s licenses have expired or who never drove.
Although our office has been working hard to make certain everyone has the proper ID required under the law, it is estimated that over 500,000 voters in Pennsylvania don’t currently possess the necessary identification. Northeast Philadelphia has more than 29,000 registered voters without proper ID.
Currently, the controversial law has been suspended pending legal challenges, and a decision by the Commonwealth Court is due later this year. Whatever the decision is at that time, it will not be in effect for this upcoming election. However, we should be prepared for the future. In November, when you go to the polls to cast your vote, please show them your ID and ask those working if your ID will be acceptable under the voter ID law.
If not, please stop by my office so that we can be certain you are prepared for next year’s elections which will be important for our community to take part in.
State Rep. Ed Neilson
Time to make a change
This health care system (the Affordable Care Act), ostensibly labeled “Obamacare,” may turn out to be a good thing for the country, but it has yet to be proven, so for now, no one knows.
The only thing we know for sure is that the Tea Party hates it and is trying desperately to dismantle it as they are demonstrating so profusely.
This issue, combined with the excessive spending by the president, has brought our government to a standstill, precipitating hardships for many government workers and disappointment to the tourists who have come to see our museums and monuments.
However, our representatives and president in Washington who have caused this debacle with their obstinate refusal to compromise continue collecting their handsome salaries and elaborate perks. Something wrong with this picture? You bet your life.
Hence, I propose that the only ones who lose their income and benefits are the ones who cause these problems. If you don’t do your job, you don’t get paid. I don’t know how they accomplish anything in the first place when their “breaks” total more time than when they’re actually working.
We are the people in this democracy and we really should be calling the shots here, but unfortunately, the only thing we can do at this point is keep a record of whom the culprits are, and vote them out of office, which is our time to speak. They will all get the message.
Jim O’Keefe
Castor Gardens
Kudos to Mary Benussi
The Tacony Civic Association has recently had its president, Mary Benussi, resign. This is a non-glamorous volunteer job that requires many hours of hard work. Without the support of members and the community, it cannot work.
Mary, through your time and efforts and your various visits to City Council and many visits to City Hall, many good things have been accomplished for the Tacony community.
The time you spent on behalf of your community to have the summer concerts at Disston Recreation Center, the first Friday of the month community art festival, awareness along Torresdale Avenue, the Christmas gathering at the library for the kids, the Mayfair-Holmesburg Thanksgiving Day Parade and many others have improved Tacony.
Mary, we thank you for the many hours of hard work that you spent on behalf of your neighbors and your community in the Tacony section of Philadelphia.
Leon and Marie Dutkiewicz
Pennypack Woods
Toomey votes against government reopening
On Wednesday, Oct 16, Pennsylvania Sen. Pat Toomey showed what a hard-core extremist he truly is when he voted against the bill to reopen the government and keep America solvent. His New Jersey counterpart, Republican Senator Jeffrey Chiesa, voted in favor of the same bill stating, “It was the only responsible course we have.”
Toomey, who chose to take the irresponsible course, was disingenuous when he complained that the bill did not address the government debt when if fact the bill sets up a bipartisan committee to address that very issue and come up with a solution by mid-December. Regarding government gridlock in Washington, Senator Toomey is clearly part of the problem and not part of the solution.
William Cooney
Fox Chase
A very successful expo
I want to extend my heartfelt appreciation for everyone who came to the Pennsylvania National Guard Armory on Oct. 4 for my Senior Expo. We had a tremendous response, and everyone seemed to have a good time while learning new and important things about available health care tools and organizations, as well as state, local and federal programs.
I am extremely honored to be serving seniors and all residents of the 5th district and am already looking forward to next year’s Senior Expo at the Armory.
Sen. Mike Stack
5th Senatorial District
