After 156 years, I’m no longer the worst
By James Buchanan, The 15th President of The United States
Whew. It’s been a really long 156 years, but I have to say, but finally it feels pretty darn good.
Although there have been so many enjoyable experiences in my post-life times — wherever you’d call where I am, I don’t know, but the Cosmopolitans are to die for, so to speak — I’m no longer stuck with the title “Worst President...
Costello, Meehan dodge bullet on health care bill failure
By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times
In the end — for at least two of Chester County’s members of Congress — the decision to withdraw the American Health Care Act, the Republican’s much touted replacement for the Affordable Care Act (known more commonly as Obamacare) may have ended up as the best of a lot of bad possible outcomes.
Both Ryan Costello (R-6) and Pat Meehan (R-7) said following...
Who enforces the electoral rules?
By Nathaniel Smith, Columnist, The Times
Three years ago, a candidate for the 158th district seat in the PA House withdrew from the race more than a month after the deadline to be replaced on the ballot. The court let a replacement candidate get on the ballot anyhow.
Now a candidate for West Chester Area School Board files his financial papers late and Voter Services says it is up to the School...
The AHCA: the perfect bill…to hate
Deeply flawed health-care bill will raise taxes, unemploy local Congress members
By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times
Having read through the new Republican replacement for the Affordable Care Act, the — the American Health Care Act — I’m left with just one thought:
I guess we’re going to find out how Lloyd Smucker, Pat Meehan and Ryan Costello fare in the private sector if this mess somehow...
Congress members can’t hide from the voters
By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times
The phone rang the other night during dinner, it was a phone “town hall” for U.S. Rep. Pat Meehan (R-7) — I happen to live in the 7th — but the timing was lousy and as a practicing journalist, I kind of feel like it is inappropriate as a journalist to participate in such events.
And to be honest — Meehan and his colleagues need to put on their big boy...
A brave new world for local Congress members
By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times
It is a brave (cough-cough) new world for some of our elected officials — specifically the three gentlemen who hold congressional seats in Chester County and find themselves coming home to districts this week they may not recognize.
Yes — we’ll grant everything is new for U.S. Rep. Lloyd Smucker, who is little more than a month in from joining the world’s...
Chris Ross talks Harrisburg and good government
By Nathaniel Smith, Columnist, The Times
Former state representative Chris Ross (R-158) recently was so kind as to spend an hour and a half talking with me about his 20 years representing a district that stretches from eastern and southern West Goshen west through the Bradfords and then south as far as London Britain and the Delaware border.
I had interviewed him before back in the fall of 2012....
Letter: Did UCF board violate the law?
To The Editor:
At the UCF School Board public meeting on January 23rd, the Board members took the remarkable action of accepting Superintendent John Sanville’s resignation with two years remaining on his current contract. This is probably the best thing this current board has ever done.
However, right after this action the board took what is probably the worst decision ever made in our district....
Letter: Are we paying attention?
To The Editor,
Our U.S. citizens need to think seriously about a number of compelling facts affecting our nation right now.
There is overwhelming evidence that even well before the November election, when the Republicans have had the power, they change the rules in mid-stream, as long as it is convenient for them.
Here are some examples of change-overs and suppression on their part:
Abortion ban makes no religious, moral or political sense
Rushing through SB3 is a suicide play for Pa. GOP
By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times
On a very special Monday edition of “Why Your State Legislature Sucks,” let me chat with you for a moment about state Senate Bill 3.
With the myriad of problems facing our commonwealth, it is this bill, which addresses exactly none of them, that will likely dominate headlines this week and beyond in Pennsylvania.
With...
