Category: Pennsylvania
Renewable Energy Experts Ask Congress for Support
ENERGY
Wsee-35 Web site
Lindsay Perna
Boston University Washington News Service
March 4, 2009
WASHINGTON – Banks and automobile companies are not the only ones looking for more green from their government.
Renewable energy experts nationwide appealed to Rep. Kathy Dahlkemper (D-Pa.), Rep. Glenn Thompson (R-Pa.) and other members of the House Small Business Committee for “must-have” support as bio-fuel plants suffer in a staggering economy.
At a hearing of the committee, the energy representatives asked for an extension of biodiesel tax incentives, a loosening of credit for struggling ethanol plants, and an overall commitment to the industry.
The current regulations on biodiesel include a temporary tax refund to consumers using biodiesel from vegetable oils, animal fats and food grease. After extending the energy policy act twice in the past five years, the incentive will expire Dec. 31, 2009.
“Current law sends the signal to the marketplace that the federal commitment to biodiesel is tenuous—the temporary nature of the incentive undermines overall confidence in the stability of the industry,” said Manning Feraci, the vice president of federal affairs of the National Biodiesel Board.
Feraci and the other four members of the panel testifying said that biofuel demand dwindles as oil prices dive. This creates an unappetizing market for investors un-willing to make a leap for this oil replacement.
Already, two-thirds of ethanol plants are not operating due to a stifling credit flow and minimal long-term investment, Feraci said.
Stating that renewable energy initiatives have a potential to create more than 78,000 jobs, Feraci elaborated on the benefits the nation would reap if they invested in the vitality of the industry.
Biofuel has displaced more than 20 million barrels of petroleum in 2008, according to Brooks Hurst, a board member of the Paseo-Cargill Biofuels Plant in Missouri.
After the hearing, Rep. Dahlkemper said, “We really want to move towards energy independence here—something that is already constructed, ready to produce—but we are not giving companies the incentives they need to make it viable financially.”
The congresswoman said she thinks credit will fall into place after the industry is revitalized.
“Private investment would jump at the chance to be part of this market but if the market’s not there—it’s a demand issue right now that I think is the crux of the whole thing,” she said.
She said it is a top priority as foreign dependence on oil creates national security and economic issues.
“We can talk about solar and wind and so many other things,” she said. “But this is already there; we just have to move it along a little bit.”
Though Thompson said he would like to see those tax incentives stay, he said the country needs to utilize petroleum and natural gas instead of ethanol from corn.
“It is my true belief that…we can’t move right into alternative energies, because they are not productive to do that,” said Thompson. “If our goal is to eliminate dependence on foreign oil…this is not a bridge that will get us there for many many decades.”
The 5th District congressman said that there are other more efficient forms of renewable fuels.
“It takes as much energy to create corn ethanol as what corn ethanol produces—so it’s a break even and we are taking from our food stock,” he said. “Biomass ethanol that uses landfill—there’s a win-win.”
For Michael Maniates, an environmental science professor at Allegheny College in Meadville, said in an email that extending tax incentives for biodiesel is only fair as the nuclear and oil industries have already seen billion-dollar tax incentives.
“If we’re going to see alternatives flourish, they need to be afforded the same support. Anything else stifles competition and innovation and is plain unfair,” Maniates said.
However, Maniates said that the ethanol industry already receives heavy subsidies and should not be rewarded with loans until production becomes more “energy positive.”
“They should be mothballed until oil prices rise or until the industry is able to shift production away from corn-fed fuels and towards more environmentally and energetically positive sources like woody biomass and switchgrass.”
“It may take more energy to raise the corn and process it into liquid fuels than the energy in the liquid fuel itself,” he said.
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Dahlkemper Aided by Democratic Committee in Win over English
DAHLKEMPER FEC
WSEE-35
Lindsay Perna
Boston University Washington News Service
March 3, 2009
WASHINGTON -- The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee spent more on behalf of Kathy Dahlkemper in her successful race for Pennsylvania’s 3rd Congressional District seat than the candidate’s campaign raised, according to year-end reports filed with the Federal Election Commission.
By making massive expenditures in the late stages of the campaign, the Democratic committee helped Dahlkemper defeat Republican incumbent Philip English, who raised twice as much money as his Democratic opponent.
The committee independently spent $1,567,016 for a seat that Republicans held for 32 years, according to reports filed with the election commission. The committee expenditures are separate from the candidate’s campaign and include money spent in support of the candidate and money spent against the opponent. The Democratic committee spent $783,509 for Dahlkemper and $783,507 against English.
“Having support from the party was very helpful, just in letting me compete on a level playing field,” Dahlkemper said of the expenditure made outside of her campaign.
Dahlkemper raised only $1,313,239 to English's $2,659,971, according to the year-end campaign reports filed with the election commission.
“I was going up against a 14-year incumbent who had resources well beyond what I had to start with and certainly was able to raise,” the congresswoman said in her House office. “The power of the incumbency is huge.”
Democratic committee ads “were able to take on the opposition while allowing us to stay focused on the positive message of change and vision for the district,” said Tina Mengine, Dahlkemper’s chief of staff and former campaign manager.
“Because we have no input into these ads nor do we know about them in advance, each ad that ran was a surprise and usually very welcome,” she said.
The National Republican Congressional Committee spent $776,828 on the race, according to election commission filings, including $7,659 on behalf of English and $769,169 in opposition to Dahlkemper.
“The fact that Kathy Dahlkemper was one of 30 that we targeted—it was a district and a seat we had our eyes on,” said Paul Lindsay, spokesman for the Republican committee.
Both the Democratic and Republican committees doled out the majority of their funds in October of 2008.
Realizing that English had serious competition after the Dahlkemper campaign released a poll in July of 2008 showing her leading, the Republican committee started saturating the Erie media market. At the same time, the Democratic committee began spending money in the district as well.
“I got their attention,” Dahlkemper said, proving that she was worth the extra Democratic effort.
The party committees were not the only big independent players in Dahlkemper’s win. The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) political action committee independently spent $497,875 against English on Oct. 15—the only other significant independent expenditure besides the Democratic committee’s, according to the year-end filings with the election commission.
This labor organization’s expenditures in Dahlkemper’s race were one of only five House campaigns it spent money on, according to the Center for Responsive Politics, a Washington-based group that tracks money in politics.
“We felt the need to counter that with the independent expenditure on our part,” David A. Bielski, the director of AFSCME in the district and secretary treasurer of the Northwest Pennsylvania Area Labor Federation, said of the Republican committee ads.
“It’s been a strategy of ours for a long time—we don’t want to let all of our tricks out of the bag early on,” he said. “It seemed to have worked.”
Daniel Shea, a political science professor at Allegheny College in Erie, said that there are different strategies on when to direct the cash: giving money early could help propel candidates, but storing it for the end could make a difference in the outcome.
Political action committees and interest groups used to spread their money around, Shea said, but are now spending it on a limited number of races.
“Their efforts now are more effective,” Shea said.
And the party committees increased their total independent expenditures significantly from years before.
The Democratic committee spent 21 percent more in the 2008 elections than it did in the 2006 elections, while the Republican committee spent 77 percent more, according to election commission data.
Dahlkemper, a small-business owner, beat four other more experienced candidates.
“I had connections with people from all over the district—through my life,” she said.
“She is pretty conservative on social issues; voters knew this wasn’t a typical Democrat—that match was a good one,” said Stephen Medvic, a government professor at Franklin and Marshall College in Lancaster, Pa.
Shea attributed Dahlkemper’s win to the fact that the National Republican Congressional Committee’s efforts were spread too thin and too late.
“One catch is that Republicans held their money. Money that the DCCC spent in very end was very necessary to stave off English,” Shea said. “I think Phil English felt his vulnerability early on and was begging for help.”
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How Would Stimulus Package Benefit Pennsylvania?
PA- White House
WSEE-35
Lindsay Perna
Boston University Washington News Service
Feb. 4, 2009
WASHINGTON – As the Senate prepares to vote on the pending economic recovery package, White House advisers and Pennsylvania members of Congress are trying to dissect what the near-trillion dollar price tag will mean for the taxpayers that are investing in it.
The passage of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Plan is an “important down payment on rebuilding our economy,” National Economic Council Director Larry Summers said in a press briefing Tuesday.
As the point person in charge of coordinating President Obama’s policies, Summers simplified the context of the bill that would create or save 3 million to 4 million jobs over the two-year period of the plan.
Summers estimated an employment impact of 152,000 jobs for Pennsylvania.
“We want to do infrastructure investment wherever possible, but we also want to prevent the economic implosion of our communities,” he said. “These funds will help us do that.”
Other Pennsylvania initiatives in the plan include the modernization of at least 409 schools, a work pay tax cut of up to $1,000 for 4.9 million workers and $100 per month increase in unemployment insurance benefits to 1 million workers in Pennsylvania who have lost their jobs.
Rep. Kathy Dahlkemper (D-Penn.) said she voted for the bill based on the urgency of the economic situation. She said in a press release that the bill’s allocation of $70 million into 3rd District schools will “address the modernization of classrooms, libraries, and labs…make our schools more energy efficient and make upgrades to their
educational technology infrastructure.”
The Erie School District is estimated to receive $20,765,100 from the stimulus bill, according to Dahlkemper.
Some Pennsylvania members opposed the House bill.
A spokesperson for Rep. Glenn Thompson (R-Penn.) said the congressman, who voted against the spending package, found the legislation “a wish list of the liberal, socialist agenda.”
He said that the congressman recognized “worthy programs in the stimulus package,” but not enough in the way of infrastructure.
As the bill is being considered in the Senate this week, some would like to see changes made.
Sen. Bob Casey (D-Penn.) introduced two amendments Wednesday to increase oversight and accountability in the economic recovery package.
Also, an amendment offered by Sen. Arlen Specter (R-Penn.) to provide incentives for U.S.-based companies to bring foreign earnings home and invest in the U.S. economic recovery was rejected by the Senate Wednesday.
Sen. Arlen Specter (R-Penn.) said he believes an economic stimulus is necessary. However, he said “there is insufficient money in infrastructure” in the bill, and “there needs to be more on the tax cut side.”
The Pennsylvania senator stated other “good” programs in the stimulus belong “in the appropriations process, as opposed to a stimulus.”
“Make no mistake though,” Summers said. “These problems were not created in a day or a month or a year and will not be solved in a day or a month or a year.,”
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Penn State Erie Grad Impressed with Obama’s Speech
College Democrat
WSEE-35
Lindsay Perna
Boston University Washington News Service
Jan. 21, 2009
WASHINGTON – When Dennis Kobielski first involved himself in politics during the 2004 presidential election, he never knew he would score tickets to the hottest inauguration in history.
His days of watching former President Bill Clinton’s swearing-in video tapes were over on Tuesday when the recent Penn State Erie grad witnessed Barack Obama’s oath and speech live.
As an Obama supporter and College Democrat, Kobielski said he was more than enthusiastic when he obtained two tickets to the National Mall for the swearing in from the office of Rep. Kathy Dahlkemper, D-3rd, in a lottery.
“A lot of people were envious,” the political science major said.
With a two-hour wait and below freezing temperatures, Kobielski said he found the packed crowds unsurprising as he stood with them for the five-hour event. But he said he “dashed immediately after the speech” to avoid the potential chaos.
What did surprise him was that it was not just the people who are obsessed with politics who attended and that all citizens took an interest in this inauguration.
Kobielski said he was impressed by Obama’s speech.
“I think he reassured the nation that he is going to bring about change,” he said.
Kobielski, who graduated in December, said he is hoping to either work for a politician or attend graduate school in public administration.
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Even With a Ticket, Local Woman Misses the Inauguration
Local Leader
WSEE-35
Lindsay Perna
Boston University Washington News Service
Jan. 21, 2009
WASHINGTON – President Barack Obama reached a goal that civil rights leaders gave their lives for. All Jennifer Dobbs Woods wanted was to be present at the ceremony honoring the actualization of not only her dreams, but the dreams of her ancestors before her.
“The enormity of this moment in time has empowered me, inspired me and I couldn’t live with myself if I couldn’t be a part of it,” the fundraising coordinator for United Way in Erie said two days before she planned on leaving for D.C. to attend the inauguration of Obama.
Prepared with numerous layers of clothing, snacks and packaged body warmers, Woods headed toward the National Mall at 7 a.m. Tuesday morning.
But Woods, who had a ticket for a standing area, did not make it through the security gate. Police officials told her to leave only 15 minutes before the ceremony was scheduled to start.
With all National Mall entrances to non-ticketed areas closed at that point, Woods was forced to hear Obama’s inaugural speech in the crowded California Pizza Kitchen miles away from the site.
Aware that with the crowds she could only attend either the parade or the speech, her “spirits were crushed” when she walked away from the Mall. “We got chipped out of both.”
She said she was born into an abusive family, “a life that was almost unimaginable,” and was then adopted into an upper middle class family. She had always felt lucky for her opportunities, she said.
“Like Barack I’m really someone who has done it on her own from an unbelievable beginning,” she said.
Even her father exemplifies such accomplishments as the first African American male teacher in Erie.
Despite the “trip from hell,” Woods said she appreciated her president’s speech.
“I needed for me to physically be there...what he said matters to me, but to be there physically to hear the reverberation of his voice…” Woods said of the disappointment.
“I don’t blame Obama,” she said.
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Erie Mayor Sinnott Attends Historic Inauguration
ERIE MAYOR
WSEE-35
Lindsay Perna
Boston University Washington News Service
Jan. 20, 2009
WASHINGTON—Instead of joining the more than 1 million people on the National Mall Tuesday to watch the inauguration of Barack Obama, Erie Mayor Joseph Sinnott shared the moment with other Pennsylvanians in the lobby of his Washington hotel. Sinnott chose to stay in to watch the swearing-in due to the overwhelming logistics of the viewing areas, he said.
“It was good to watch it with other elevated officials and party people,” Sinnott said.
Attending the Pennsylvania Democratic Party’s Yes, We Did! celebration Monday night, Sinnott did not have to go far to mingle with “some of the folks I don’t see that often,” as that event was held in his hotel.
“It was active, but that’s good,” said Sinnott of his overall inaugural experience.
Though remote from the outdoor celebration, the mayor was enthusiastic about what had taken place in the 44th President’s speech addressing the future of America.
“There were a lot of positive transitional things that really will change the philosophy of this country back to taking care of ourselves,” Sinnott said.
Sinnott said Obama’s speech laid a “good foundation” for solving the problems facing Erie. He said he is focused on rectifying those issues within the areas of infrastructure, social services and education.
“All of those things will have a holistic affect on our communities,” he said.
“I think it’s been a long time since we’ve seen a real strong policy towards handling our own business here first.”
Sinnott planned to take part in the celebration at the Vice President Biden Home State Ball Tuesday night in the Convention Center.
Sinnott is returning to Erie Wednesday afternoon, he said, to focus on the not so glamorous problems that await him.
“They are not the things that you necessarily have parades for, but things that really have an impact on our communities.”
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Rep. Dahlkemper Sees ‘A Lot of Hope for This Country’
Photos by Caroline Bridges
Congresswoman
WSEE-35
Lindsay Perna
Boston University Washington News Service
Jan. 19, 2009
WASHINGTON—Since Rep. Kathy Dahlkemper's swearing-in ceremony two weeks ago, the new freshman on campus has been acclimating herself to a Capitol more complex and staggering than her predecessors could imagine.
“This is not the world that most of us live in,” Dahlkemper said in an interview at a Starbucks coffee shop.
As the second Democratic woman in history from western Pennsylvania to serve in the House, this representative of the 3rd Congressional District, which encompasses the thousands of residents from Erie to Pittsburgh, spoke with confidence the day before the inauguration of President-elect Barack Obama.
“People have put a lot of hope in this new president, but they've also put a lot of hope into this new Congress,” she said.
“I have a big learning curve, obviously, having never been in any state legislature.”
But Dahlkemper said she does not let the daunting curriculum ahead faze her.
Dahlkemper, a former dietitian, business owner and arboretum aficionado, deems herself savvy in the issues relevant to her constituents.
“It's a people's house, it's not the house of career politicians,” she said, promising to stay in touch with her district by going home every possible weekend.
Dahlkemper has been assigned to the Agriculture, Small Business and Science and Technology Committees. She said she is building a new base as she “makes alliances with people with similar minds and interests.”
Adamant about following the “mandate by the people of this country” to act positively, she said she knows how it is “important to reach across the aisle. That's one thing the American people have asked for...to work together.”
Her biggest concern lies in the compromise between adhering to her platform promise to be
fiscally conservative and voting yes on an enormous stimulus package to bail out the economy of her country, and more specifically, her district.
“We are beginning to unfortunately catch up with the rest of the country in seeing the downturn in this economy,” Dahlkemper said of her district.
“The hardest part is turning off the spigot once we open it up.”
She said she intends to step back to see “how we are spending because we are bankrupting our children's future.”
She said she is excited by the part she and her fellow newbies will play as a “hope caucus” in the administration to come.
Her inaugural festivities range from new Vice President Joseph Biden's Delaware state ball to the inaugural prayer service at the National Cathedral Wednesday morning.
“I am very honored to be part of the new direction of this country,” she said. “I think there is a lot of hope for this country.”
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Senator Casey Questions Former Secretary of State at Hearing
The 110th congress has had a record 52 hearings on the war in Iraq so far this session. At a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing, Pennsylvania democratic Senator Robert Casey questioned Former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright about the urgent need for diplomacy in Iraq.
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Gun Funds
"Gun Funds": WSEE 35, Erie, PA.
How does the gun rights vs. gun control controversy play into the upcoming election? It's all about following the money.
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Andrews and Win Without War Continue Anti-War Campaign
WASHINGTON – Win Without War, the national anti-war coalition headed by former
Maine Rep. Tom Andrews, intends to continue expressing its steadfast opposition to the Bush doctrine of pre-emptive attack, despite the seeming unavoidability of war with Iraq.
"The United States is woefully unprepared for what could easily become a humanitarian catastrophe," Andrews said Wednesday at a press conference where he also emphasized the potential negative economic consequences of a war. "Americans will now be required to shoulder the burden of this unnecessary war - a price that will drive up our already skyrocketing deficit and put yet more pressure on our fragile economy."
In response to the war, the coalition announced a three-pronged plan of action that included a candlelight vigil on the first night of military action, support for American troops and the launch on Friday of a "Citizen's Declaration" that will attempt to indicate worldwide public opposition to war.
"You can support the warrior at the same time you oppose the war," said former Rep. Bob Edgar, a Pennsylvania Democrat who is now general secretary of the National Council of Churches. The coalition is advocating the use of "Operation Dear Abby," a service that sends supportive messages from home to troops overseas. Win Without War will link to the service on its Website.
"It's important to hear from the folks at home," Edgar said.
The coalition will also actively oppose President Bush's proposal to cut the Veterans Administration budget by billions of dollars, Andrews said. He described it as "outrageous" to "order our men and women in uniform into harm's way while simultaneously cutting the programs and services that they need and deserve," referring to hospital and education services that stand to be affected by cuts.
Andrews also congratulated Maine's legislature, along with other state and local governments, for weighing in on the national war debate. Anti-war resolutions like that considered by the Maine legislature, which was ultimately rejected by a single vote, contributed tremendous momentum to the cause, Andrews said. He called them "fine examples of democracy."
"We need to build on that momentum," Andrews said. "There is a very, very powerful force out there that we are going to tap and cultivate."
He encouraged the public to sign the Citizen's Declaration that will be available through the Websites and communications systems of the almost 40 Win Without War member organizations including the National Organization for Women (NOW), The American Friends Service Committee and Oxfam America.
The coalition hopes the declaration will affirm the opposition of the international community to the Bush administration's first-strike doctrine.
"We are committed to burying this doctrine in Iraq," Andrews said, adding that he hoped the invasion would end quickly and with a minimal loss of life.
Andrews and other group leaders who were at the press conference stressed their
concern about post-war Iraq, saying the United States is "grossly underprepared" to give humanitarian aid - food, clothing and medical care, among other things.
Published in The Kennebec Journal and The Morning Sentinel, in Maine.
