How Do Congressional Candidates Feel About Strike on Iran

Incumbent Congressman Ryan Mackenzie -". The world will become a safer place in the long run because of President Trump’s actions."

Robert Brooks -"The Iranian people deserve freedom. Our kids deserve a country that learns from its mistakes. And our troops deserve better than another war in the Middle East. Especially without Congress signing off."

Ryan Croswell - "No one doubts the Iranian regime is dangerous and repressive, but starting a war without a clear objective, without a defined end state, and without Congressional authorization, puts our troops at risk and weakens the very rule of law they swear to protect and defend."

Aiden Alexander Gonzales - nothing on Facebook. 

Lamont McClure - refers to it in passing as an "undeclared, unauthorized war in Iran."

Carol Obando-Derstine - "Regarding the strikes in Iran today - the American people re-elected Trump in hopes of seeing lower gas prices, lower utility bills, and less inflation. But, what we're seeing is unilateral and unchecked decisions to deploy illegal tariffs, launch foreign wars, and experiment with regime change. We deserve better."

Lewis Shupe - nothing on Facebook.

The Attack On Iran Was Overdue

Regular readers of this blog know I detest President Donald Trump. But I agree completely with his decision to authorize a joint US-Israeli attack aimed at Iran. It's about time. 

We've been at war with Iran since 1979, when that country's militants attacked our embassy in Tehran and took 66 hostages. That war has continued with the murder of American troops in Beirut and with the IED devices it supplied to kill hundreds of Americans in Iraq. It has been a state sponsor of terror, arming Hamas, Hezbollah, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, Houthis and Shia militias. While denying nuclear ambition, it had enriched uranium nearly to the point in which it could build a nuclear bomb. This is the country that has referred to the US as "the Great Satan." It has called Israel a "cancerous tumor," using language that would make Hitler proud.

It brutally represses dissent. It has killed thousands just over the past few months. There is no gender equality. Women are inferior and can be beaten or fined if caught without a hijab. If you're gay and caught in a relationship, the punishment is death. Prostitute? Death. Blasphemy? Death.  

So yes, this attack is overdue.

Is it legal? Many experts say No and that Trump needs Congressional authoriztion. They are forgetting his Article II powers, which are provided for in the Constituion. I believe it imbues the President with broad authority to use military force as he sees fit. This is also what past Presidents have done.

The Gracedale Resident Who Called Wolf ... 275 Times

In Aesop's Fables, the little boy who cried "Wolf, Wolf!" only succeeded in fooling villagers twice before they stopped believing him. At Gracedale, resident Tanya Hatch has cried "Wolf!" at least 275 times over an 18-month period. Her incessant 911 calls, which now have come close to 300, has landed her in hot water with Upper Nazareth Tp police. She's been charged with an assortment of misdemeanors and felonies over her penchant for calling 911 to complain of nonexistent medical emergencies as well as an attempt to falsely incriminate a nursing aide. 

Hatch is just 29 years old. This strikes me as an unusually young age for someone living in a nursing home. At one time, that may have been true. These days, around 20% of nursing home residents are under age 65.  

She's been charged in two separate complaints, filed February 18 and February 21, which you can review yourself below. 

In the Complaint filed February 18 by Officer Cory Fluck, Hatch is charged with false alarms to public safety agencies (a first-degree misdemeanor) and misuse of 911 (a second-degree misdemeanor). She had placed 275 calls to the 911 emergency number for nonexistent medical emergencies between July 23, 2024 and January 6, 2026. After being told to stop crying "Wolf!", she placed 22 more calls to 911. 

In addition, she's been charged with making a false report with the intention of implicating another (a second-degree misdemeanor). According to an affidavit of probable cause filed by Officer Fluck, a nursing assistant watched her lay on the floor and prop her head up on a tub to make it look as though she had fallen and hit her head. When confronted, Hatch accused the nursing assistant of recording her in her private room.  

A second Complaint filed February 21 by Officer Zach Dugan charged her with a third-degree felony for two more false alarms within a 20-minute span despite previous warnings and criminal charges. 

First degree misdemeanors carry a maximum sentence of five years imprisonment. Second-degree misdemeanors carry a maximum sentence of two years in jail. A third-degree felony is punishable by up to seven years in jail. 

Can a nursing home resident who engages in criminal behavior be evicted? If it's a Medicare and Medicaid nursing home like Gracedale, the answer is generally No. A resident can be evicted "if their welfare, or that of other residents, is endangered by their continued presence, such as when behavior poses a threat to safety or health. Discharge is also permissible if the resident’s needs cannot be met by the facility, meaning the required care exceeds what the nursing home provides. Finally, a nursing home can discharge residents if the facility ceases to operate."

Hatch Criminal Complaint by BernieOHare

Linc Treadwell Replaces Stan Margle as Wilson Borough's Solicitor

Attorney B. Lincoln Treadwell is Wilson Borough's newest Solicitor. He was appointed by Borough Council during a special meeting on February 18. The vote was 8-0, with one member absent. 

Voting to appoint Treadwell were Council members Shaun Gable, Susan Allen, Kendra Cooper, John Burke, Grace Hurd, Jeffrey Bracken, Russell Lipari and Michael Figueroa. Council member Kimberlee Muzac was absent.

Treadwell previously served as Solicitor to Lower Saucon Tp for 23 years. He walked away in 2023, after that Council became fractious. 

Treadwell was one of two applicants. The other was Attorney Chris Spadoni, who served as Solicitor to Bethlehem City Council and, most recently, to Northampton County Council. 

Treadwell replaces Attorney Stan Margle, who was incarcerated early this month for criminal contempt after he refused to be drug-tested in connection with cocaine-related charges filed against him. Margle has since been paroled for treatment at an inpatient facility.  

Seven Employees at Allegheny County's Nursing Homes Suspended, Fired and/or Arrested

Allegheny County owns and operates four county nursing homes known as the Kane Community Living Centers. According to CBS, two maintenance workers have been arrested and charged with theft by deception for claiming considerably more hours than they actually worked. In addition, the HR director has been charged with fraud and theft after directing that funds be deposited into the account of a niece for a full year after that niece was no longer employed. The HR director allegedly intercepted those checks and deposited them into her own account. 

The administrator at one of these homes has been suspended along with one of his top assistants. In addition, the Director of Nursing and two of her deputies have also been suspended. 

NorCo Council Member Jason Boulette: Trump Accounts Have Their Pitfalls

One of my takeaways from President Donald Trump's Tuesday night SOTU was my praise for Trump accounts, a special kind of IRA that can be set up for children. Uncles Sam will contribute $1,000 to accounts for babies born between 2025 and 2028, with the program officially launching on July 4, 2026, to coincide with the 250th anniversary of U.S. independence. The funds must be invested in low-fee index funds that primarily hold U.S. stocks. Now as anyone who has seen my estate knows, I'm no financial expert. But I'm thinking $1,000 is $1,000. Unlike me, NorCo Council member Jason Boulette actually is a financial expert. And while he agrees that those who can take the money should do so, he pretty much thinks that's all you should do. He has given me permission to share his analysis with the "disclaimer that the information is intended for educational purposes and does not constitute investment, legal, or tax advice.

When you choose to invest, there are a lot of different account options under the tax code. You want to choose the one that will yield the greatest benefits for yourself and your child. And in that regard, Trump accounts are simply, mathematically, worse than just about any other option.

First, look at the Trump accounts' treatment in the tax code against IRAs. There are two main types of IRAs, traditional and Roth. Traditional IRAs are tax-deferred, meaning you get a tax deduction for contributing (the pro), but you'll later pay income tax on withdrawals including on all gains (the con). With Roth IRAs, your contributions are with after-tax dollars, meaning you've already paid income tax on the money that goes in and get no deductions for contributing (the con), but on the other hand your earnings grow tax-free and you pay no tax at all on withdrawals (the pro). With Trump accounts, you contribute post-tax dollars like a Roth, but your child will need to pay income tax on all the earnings, like a traditional. It combines the cons of both IRA structures with neither of the pros.

When your child turns 18, it converts into a traditional IRA that you got no deductions for. Note that because it converts into a traditional IRA, there's a 10% penalty for withdrawals pre-retirement from Trump accounts that don't meet special exceptions like education or buying a first-time home.

Now, compare Trump accounts to alternatives you could use to invest for your child:

• Coverdell IRAs: these allow you to invest for educational expenses. Coverdells have a $2,000 annual contribution limit vs Trump's $5,000 annual limit; they also have an income restriction of $220,000 for a married couple. Coverdells are not tax deductible, however unlike with Trump accounts, withdrawals (including on gains) are tax-free if used for educational expenses.
• 529s: on the whole, a MUCH better investment choice. Again, these are primarily to save for educational expenses, but the definition is pretty broad (they can be used for room & board, for example). Contribution limits are much higher for 529s: in 2026, the limit is $19,000, whereas for Trumps, it's $5,000. While 529s don't allow for federal tax deductions, they allow for state income tax deductions in almost every state. Here in Pennsylvania, that'll get you a deduction on our flat 6% income tax. Qualified 529 withdrawals are tax free. If your child is withdrawing from a Trump account for educational expenses, they're paying income tax on all the gains. If they're withdrawing from a 529 for educational expenses, they're paying no tax on any gains. The one edge I'd give to Trump accounts over 529s is that while both can be converted to IRAs, there appears to be no cap on the Trump conversions whereas there's a $35,000 lifetime cap per child for 529 to IRA conversions. However, the 529 can be rolled over to a Roth IRA as opposed to a traditional for a Trump account -- that's $35,000 your child will never pay taxes on.
• UGMA/UTMA: these are custodial accounts that are managed by the guardian, but the money invested into them belongs to the child. You can contribute up to $19,000 in these annually without triggering gift taxes. Again, no tax deductions for contributions. Unlike 529s and Coverdells, they do not grow tax-deferred. However, up to $1,350 of interest/dividend growth annually will be tax free (standard deduction), and $1,351-2,700 of growth will be taxed at the child's tax rate of 10%. Your child will be able withdraw the money in the UGMA/UTMA without paying a tax penalty pre-retirement. I've run simulations and have looked at other investors' simulations that show that even though this is a taxable account, your child will end up ahead here, because long-term holdings will be taxed as long term capital gains, and Trump account gains will be taxed as income.
• Roth IRA: when your child is old enough to get a job with earned income, help them set up a Roth IRA and contribute the annual maximum to that. The Trump account will, at age 18, convert to a traditional IRA. Your child can roll over money from his traditional to his Roth IRA, but depending on when it's done, it could be subject to Kiddie Tax rules (which means up to age 24, your child could pay YOUR income tax rate for any conversions). If you funded an UGMA/UTMA for your child, once they become an adult and get the money, they can use that to fund their Roth in future working years. With the Trump account (like a traditional IRA), you pay a 10% penalty (on top of the income taxes) for any money withdrawn for a reason other than education/buying a first time home. With a Roth, your child can withdraw any of the contributions (as opposed to the gains) without paying any tax penalty.
• Just invest in a traditional taxable brokerage account that your child will inherit when you die. The con here is you'll be dead when your child gets it (or, again, you can give up to $19,000 annually without triggering gift taxes), but they won't get the bulk of the Trump account money until they're retired. The pro is that thanks to stepped up basis, they'll get a massive tax advantage with this money. Again, like with the UGMA/UTMA, run a simulation where you invest the same amount in a taxable brokerage and a Trump account, and the end result is the taxable brokerage account will end up with a lot more money.

The bottom line is that an account where you're contributing after tax money, but the gains are taxed as income and not long term capital gains (or tax free) is much worse than just about every other option. Again, like I said, everyone whose child is eligible should take the $1,000 federal contribution. But when it comes to investing your own money, you should prioritize all these other accounts over a Trump account.

Another plug for 529s: here in Pennsylvania, our former Treasurer, Joe Torsella, started a program, Keystone Scholars, where every child born in the state gets $100 from the state in their 529 (the legislature later made this $100 permanent; with Trump accounts, the free $1,000 goes away at the end of 2028). If you contribute further to the 529, you get a tax deduction. And your child will not pay taxes on any of that money or the growth in the account. 

Takeaways From Trump's Longest-Ever SOTU

I made it through President Donald Trump's SOTU last night. I need more time to consider what he had to say, but I'll share my takeaways and welcome yours. 

First, it was too long. Trump shattered the record for longest SOTU, a record that he himself set last year. As a result, it was boring at times.

Second, Democrats who opted to boycott the speech are childish and guilty of the very partisan behavior that Trump himself exhibited during his address. Like it or not, he is the President. I do not respect the person but do respect the office. 

Third, most of Trump's partisan rants at Democrats are just as childish. At a time when we need to be talking to each other, we tend to talk at each other. 

Fourth, his call to end insider trading was one of the few instances that resulted in bipartisan applause, but it's unclear to me whether Congress will act.

Fifth, the Trump accounts for kids (he claims he did not come up with the name), which will be seeded with $1,000 from the federal government, is an excellent idea and a way to help our children build a nest egg they can collect when they turn 18. He also deserves credit for eliminating taxes on tips (up to a point) and on overtime. 

Sixth, his claim that tariffs could result in the elimination of income tax is sheer nonsense and would be regressive, hurting the poor. 

Seventh, his claim to have stopped illegal immigration appears to be accurate.

Eighth, his claim that the economy is doing well is one with which most Americans disagree. 

Ninth, his foreign policy is simply chaotic, but he avoided addressing many of the problems he himself has created, like alienating most of our allies.