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Nazareth, Pa., United States

Friday, March 27, 2020

SpotlightPA: Wolf Granted Waiver to His Former Company

Tom Wolf, who ran as the reform candidate, is obviously a hypocrite. Check this in Spotlight PA.

78 comments:

Anonymous said...

In the wider scheme of this health crisis, my problem IS, admittedly, small. Now that we’ve got that out-of-the way, read on.

I believe the heavy caution about ‘touching surfaces’ is very important. So, quickly and lengthy hand washing, better yet, temporarily wearing gloves, will save MANY more lives than forcing people out of business. Especially, if shutting down commerce is done just because everyone else is doing it.

Assuming those who serve certain goods observe rigid precautions when interacting with the public, I see little harm in relaxing more of these closures.

I currently have a new refrigerator sitting in my local appliance store back room. My current refrigerator has difficulty keeping cool and is an older unit with other problems. As it stands now, I will be without remedy for 3 weeks, maybe more. My appliance guy (very good dealer) is being prevented from delivering pre-ordered, fully paid for, in stock, food preservation devices.

Should this wonderful, local small business declare bankruptcy, and go missing, it could take many months to get what I fully paid for, sitting one mile away from my home!

Everything would be fine, if I had dealt with a big box store like Lowe’s. They are wide open.

What logic is there in forcing a local business to keep storage area for in-stock items locked-out to consumers. Even worse, to shut down his ability to take delivery of new stock?

Anonymous said...

Sorry for your problem, truly. Exceptions to any general rule can be justified, but those who have to actually make decisions, as opposed to just post on blogs, can't anticipate every wrinkle. The obvious point of the governor's order is to keep people from being together in public. It's working pretty well, and we're all safer for it.

Anonymous said...

One of the Wolf Companies manufactures building materials, which has always been an allowed activity under the Governor's original order. Some industrial processes require very few people and social distancing can be easily maintained. It makes sense that production of some materials must continue, otherwise there would be a huge backlog once restrictions are lifted, further delaying projects. Certain building materials are also needed for medical construction projects. We cannot be ostriches, but we cannot distrust everyone either.

Bernie O'Hare said...

Of course, you'll claim it's working pretty well, but the question is whether it was ever necessary. I think not. Less draconian measures like hand washing and social distancing, along with self-isolation, are almost certainly the best deterrents. What Wolf did will have a human cost as well. There will be deaths of despair and domestic violence. He has triggered a recession that could turn into a depression.

I am appalled at his hypocrisy. His former business got a waiver. There are some golf courses being granted waivers while others are denied. It obviously is a case of connections.

Anonymous said...

And you don't know whether it was necessary, and more than Dr. Trump knows how many ventilators are needed.

Anonymous said...

I had no idea that the governor of PA had such power over the national economy. Oh, wait--yes, there are several other governors (and rulers of nations) who see it the same way. And the rest will soon enough, I'm afraid.

Anonymous said...

9:43 -

Come on! Who could possibly know with absolute perfection what the ONLY response to this situation should be. Not me, for sure. This topic is a discussion of the efficacy of what our POLITICIANS are requiring from us under the threat of fines and jail.

When people suggest what they believe to be “better practice” those views must not be discounted so quickly. What many Governors are RULING the nation are very questionable.

For example, Montana Governor Bullick just gave himself authority to do precisely what Wolf did. Montana has had one death! A state where thousands and thousands live at least an acre between each other.

Was he wrong? I can never be sure of that. I am sure in my opinion, this is yet another “Monkey See/Monkey Do” overreaction.

Anonymous said...

Now we have the Governor of Michigan ‘playing doctor.’ She is threatening to take away the license to practice in Michigan for doing everything possible to save the patient.

No, I didn’t read this in Ripley’s Believe it or Not.

Bernie O'Hare said...

"I had no idea that the governor of PA had such power over the national economy. "

When he shuts down the state and gives this country its highest unemployment figures, he certainly does. But don't worry. As Spotlight PA has revealed, he will take care of his pals like you.

Anonymous said...

I prefer governors who err, if it's an error, on the side of safety. Understating the threat has economic consequences, too.

Bernie O'Hare said...

"And you don't know whether it was necessary, and more than Dr. Trump knows how many ventilators are needed."

It is Dr./ Birx who said yesterday there is no ventilator shortage or shortage of hospital rooms, in sharp contrast to the mass hysteria that Chicken Littles like you are trying to create. You are part of the problem.

Bernie O'Hare said...

"I prefer governors who err, if it's an error, on the side of safety. Understating the threat has economic consequences, too."

This is not about erring on the side of safety. This is about a hypocrite who is shutting people down while taking care of his pals. And how many deaths will be caused by the shutdown. How many suicides? How many people will die bc they cannot get emergency dental surgery? How many people will beat their wives to death? You musty be a hypocrite just like Wolf to make such a stupid argument.

Anonymous said...

I don't knows how many deaths the shutdown will cause, including you.

What does it say about you that you feel it necessary to call names?

Anonymous said...

It's a beautiful day outside. For most of us, God willing, the sun will come out tomorrow. I'm too frustrated to continue to shake my fist at my government.

Anonymous said...

Birx: “There’s no … no reality ... on the ground where we can see that 60% to 70% of Americans are going to get infected in the next eight to 12 weeks.”

The current doubling rate of the coronavirus in the United States is between two and three days, so we easily could go above 20% in fewer than three weeks. To get to 60%, eight weeks.

Well before we get to either number, the system collapses. Not everyone with the virus will need hospitalization, thankfully, but there are only enough hospital beds in the entire nation to accommodate less than 0.3% of the population. On any given day, more than half of those beds—including the ones that need ventilators—are already occupied by people with other issues.

Anonymous said...

A Meteor crashing into Earth would create even more panic. Still, it IS possible.

My view has always been, the mortality rate (exclusive to this virus) is FAR more an indicator than the total number of cases. Most of which require no hospitalization. Very high cure rate!

Anonymous said...

"The current doubling rate of the coronavirus in the United States is between two and three days, so we easily could go above 20% in fewer than three weeks. To get to 60%, eight weeks."

Give me an example anywhere in the world where a 2-3 day doubling rate continued for three weeks. More importantly, since the issue of hospital beds is a regional one, show me a region where this rate was maintained for that long. A 3 days to doubling rate is about a 30% increase per day. Lombardy in Italy and Washington State fell below that rate withing a week. Even Westchester County and NYC are below that rate now.

While the US is a big country and overall, the rate might be maintained higher than any given region as new regions ramp up, hospital beds are only usable for any given region.

Bernie O'Hare said...

"What does it say about you that you feel it necessary to call names?"

Unlike you, I ID myself and have called you out. You are clearly a hypocrite who is backing up Wolf, not because he is right, but bc he is a fellow elitist. You have demonstrated that time and again in numerous unsigned posts, although you made the mistake of letting your identity slip out in the beginning. The reality is that Wolf has done iIS catastrophic to the Pa economy and yes, to the US economy. What he has done may very well take more lives than Covid-19. And you thank him. People like you make me puke.

Anonymous said...

Good reporting Bernie. It does seem that certain businesses are allowed the waiver while others are denied. I am aware that a gym was actually approved to remain open. Connected clients I guess.

Bernie O'Hare said...

Can you name the gym?

Anonymous said...

Matryx Performance

Anonymous said...

More names. And what is it that supposedly makes me an elitist? Do tell.

Anonymous said...

"What he has done may very well take more lives than Covid-19."

I agree, however he(Wolf) is but a small player in the much wider Election Virus scheme.

The worst offender is the Main Stream Media, it's owners, and facilitators, who will direct the outrage on political figures who are there to draw fire away from the true perpetrators.

Bernie O'Hare said...

“More names. And what is it that supposedly makes me an elitist? Do tell.”

I am simply identifying you for what you are - a hypocrite and an elitist who will actually thank someone for screwing your lessers. That alone demonstrates your elitism but it is all thru your comments. And who the fuck sez “do tell”? Elitists like you.

Bernie O'Hare said...

“Matryx Performance” will check out

Anonymous said...

Bernie - you should wait for 12:36 in the parking lot after school.

Anonymous said...

You're quite the little ray of sunshine, aren't you? And all because you don't like it when the governor makes a judgment call with which you disagree and someone dares to agree with him.

Get used to disappointment. Now I'm going to powder my wig, thank you very much.

Anonymous said...

1:25 - there really IS a limit to how much restriction by Royal Decree is put upon them. Some will reach that level very soon. I’m sure you understand, looting and burning is more likely when people feel they have no other way to be heard. You know, the the poor.

You must also know, illegal acts are more likely to occur in large groups where actors believe “no one will notice me, nor be able to stop this.”
Even before all this, large cities have been defenseless to prevent what are called FLASH MOBS in places like their neighborhood CVS.

California no longer even tries to halt 2 or 3 people from casually walking around the store and stealing things. There’s video of that on YouTube and found on the perpetrators own cell phones !

We MUST NOT delay easing things up!

Anonymous said...

Sorry for all my typos like 1:38. I am very pissed about this whole thing!

Anonymous said...

While a confirmed elitist such as myself does come in fleeting contact with the Little People whilst I spread my charity coins around the neighborhood once a year, I do not believe it is quite yet time to predict that "they" will start to riot. I hasten to point out, dear sir, that any such activity likely would be in violation of the White House's guidelines and thus sure to be respected.

Anonymous said...

I see that the President now has invoked the Defense Production Act to require GM to produce ventilators.

Anonymous said...

If you actually can do such a thing by Twitter. Ford, too.

Anonymous said...

If people stay at home, they will eat way too many cookies. They will climb on ladders to try and repair things, but fall. They will try to cut the grass with scissors but catch something deadly from the lawn. They will eat those Twinkies that were lost in the garage a couple of years ago. They will try to have sex for the first time in months. They will go crazy trying to decide what to watch on Netflix. They will run out of booze, then toilet paper. They will try to learn how to shoot those four handguns they just bought. They finally will try that dive into the pool from the roof.

Anonymous said...

The heavy hand of government?

“Today, I signed a Presidential Memorandum directing the Secretary of Health and Human Services to use any and all authority available under the Defense Production Act to require General Motors to accept, perform, and prioritize Federal contracts for ventilators,” he said in a statement. “Our negotiations with GM regarding its ability to supply ventilators have been productive, but our fight against the virus is too urgent to allow the give-and-take of the contracting process to continue to run its normal course. GM was wasting time. Today’s action will help ensure the quick production of ventilators that will save American lives.”

Anonymous said...

5.01
"The heavy hand of government?"
How about if there is a shortage of ventilators it is GM's fault.

Anonymous said...

I see where you're going there. Even gets the governors off the hook.

Anonymous said...

5:01 -

I think you are leaving off some details. Like GM’s past promises to pay back taxpayer support, and the promise not to close plants. Both promises broken. Also, GM trying to reduce their promise of 40 thousand ventilators, down to just 6 thousand. Then, asking too high a price per unit. Trump is no dummy when it comes to getting things done quickly. Barra poked the American bear too many times.

I’m still waiting on Multi-Millionaire Hollywood Big Mouth’s to jointly take over that 25 billion now going to Kennedy Center. Let us know when that happens, please.

Anonymous said...

Actually, this is a heavy hand against hypocrisy. I’m damn glad to see it, finally.

Anonymous said...

The Kennedy Center is going to make ventilators?

Anonymous said...

5.13
it is a win-win.
If there are plenty of ventilators than it is due to dynamic leadership by the politicians
If not GM takes the hit.
Of course GM gets to get a cost plus contract.
Wonder what Ford gets to do.

Anonymous said...

Refurbish ventilator parts, I think. Plus, maybe stand at a podium with Trump and shake hands?

Anonymous said...

5.16
25 million not billion.

Anonymous said...

Well, that's sure going to be fewer ventilators, I'll tell you that.

Anonymous said...

Thank you, 5:25. I try to proofread before posting, as I do not get the ability to edit after hitting submit. Lately, I’ve been typing too
fast for me when not using a traditional keyboard.

Let’s see what happens here.

Bernie O'Hare said...

"While a confirmed elitist such as myself does come in fleeting contact with the Little People whilst I spread my charity coins around the neighborhood once a year, "

I doubt very much you spread charity coins at any time of the year.

Anonymous said...

I doubt very much that you would know charity if you saw it.

Of course, you're to insecure not to delete this one, too.

Insecurity is its own reward!

Anonymous said...

It is not his company anymore, nor does he have any interest in it. A lot of to-do about nothing.

Anonymous said...

Doesn't DCED grant the waivers not the Governor specific? I suspect DCED provides a list to the Governor and he signs it.

Anonymous said...

Having read the Spotlight article I agree with 12:08. It states he has no financial interest in the company at all. If there was a way the governor was profiting from it, I didn't see it in the article.

Bernie O'Hare said...

I disagree. He may have no interest legally, but is still connected to the new owners. It appears this is part of a bigger story in which our "reform" Governor is handing out waivers unevenly and refuses to be transparent about who is getting them and who is denied.

Anonymous said...

My how rules change.

Interested parties might try googling the words cheney, halliburton.

Despite this conclusion from a notoriously "right-wing" site:

https://www.factcheck.org/2004/09/kerry-ad-falsely-accuses-cheney-on-halliburton/

You will find plenty of articles insisting that, as far a Cheney was concerned, once Halliburton, always Halliburton.

Wolf of course is much purer.

Anonymous said...

Wolf is a typical politician--especially the dems they want to controll your life-they want to be like LEINER A WHITEHALL DEMOCRATIC POLITICIAN who wants to tell people how to live because he knows better

Anonymous said...

Yes-I noticed in the letters to the editor that Bill Leiner was bragging that he told 2 men how to walk during this crisis--First of all Leiner wants to control your life he always was like that-he has been very controversial-involved in fight at church picnics among other problems he caused during his political life

Anonymous said...

Mr. Leiner has been a left wing liberal in Coplay for the last 30 years-he will try to control you any way he can so it does not surprise me that he would brag when he tells people how to walk.

Anonymous said...

Bernie - I hope 1236 is Don Moore. Such a hypocrite

Anonymous said...

Hypocrisy is EVERYWHERE these days.

Anonymous said...

Leiner is not to sharp if he write letters to the morning call telling how he tries to control people who go out to exerise--this is the type of people we must get out of office come on Coplay people vote him out --the hospital did.???

Bernie O'Hare said...

11:03, Little doubt in my mind. He gave himself away.

Bernie O'Hare said...

I resent very much when government intrudes into my life. I do a good enough job messing it up all by myself.

Anonymous said...

Leiner is the type of person who can tell you what to do but he will do the opposite--

Anonymous said...

Mr. Leiner is on the free spending whitehall school board who raises taxes every year and last year very big tax increase. So after reading the morning call today and reading that Leiner likes to tell people how to walk, he also likes to tax people to death--he does not care about the senior citizen but he does care how you walk.

Anonymous said...

It does not surprise me that Leiner wants to control people--he is left wing always was--He is not good for this country or Coplay.

Anonymous said...

Wolf's "former company" seems no different than Home Depot or Lowes, which also got waivers. Much ado about nothing.

Anonymous said...

From Reuters:

Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, estimated in an interview with CNN that the pandemic could cause between 100,000 and 200,000 deaths in the United States.

Since 2010, the flu has killed between 12,000 and 61,000 Americans a year, according to the website https://www.cdc.gov/flu/pandemic-resources/1918-commemoration/pandemic-preparedness.htm of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The 1918-19 flu pandemic killed 675,000 in the United States, according to the CDC.

Anonymous said...

From USA Today:

It's been two weeks since President Trump announced his 15-day guidelines for social distancing and other measures aimed at containing the outbreak. Fauci said the White House task force will take up the issue soon, and that those guidelines probably will be extended.

"It's going to be a matter of weeks, it's not going to be tomorrow," Fauci said. "It's certainly not going to be next week."

Anonymous said...

rom the Philadelphia Inquirer:

Gov. Tom Wolf has asked President Donald Trump to declare Pennsylvania a “major disaster area” to unlock federal assistance that would aid in the state’s response to the coronavirus pandemic.

“The COVID-19 outbreak has taxed our commonwealth and our communities in ways that are almost incomprehensible,” Wolf said. “I am calling on the President and the federal government to make available to us the assistance that will make a tangible difference in the lives of our friends and neighbors, and the dedicated public servants who are working in overdrive to support them.”

Anonymous said...

From the Philadelphia Inquirer:

The numbers were grim: Pennsylvania health officials announced 530 more cases of the coronavirus, bringing the statewide total to 2,911 in 56 counties. The death count was at least 35, with 13 new deaths reported Saturday.

Anonymous said...

From the Associated Press:

Even some of Trump’s usual allies are continuing to move ahead with tighter controls on travel, commerce and mobility, despite the president’s words. In Texas, Republican Gov. Greg Abbott has endorsed stay-at-home orders that continued to spread through the biggest cities. Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey said public health needed to come first, and South Dakota Gov. Krisiti Noem is stressing limiting business activity, not relaxing them.

Anonymous said...

11:30 AM

How come suicides don't get reported? Does anyone know how many people killed themselves?

Anonymous said...

From the Philadelphia Inquirer:

As the coronavirus pandemic spreads across the country, researchers at the University of Washington have estimated how many might die from the crisis.

In Pennsylvania, researchers predict over 3,000 may die by August due to complications from COVID-19. New Jersey was predicted to have over 4,100 deaths, while the national toll was predicted to reach 81,000.

Estimates are based on states implementing “strong social distancing orders.”

Anonymous said...

Why can print media make their toilet paper softer?

Anonymous said...

Why don't you make your butt harder?

Anonymous said...

Harrisburg Patriot-News:

The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Pennsylania increased by 643 in the past day, reaching 3,394 statewide, the state Department of Health announced Sunday.

The number of deaths, reported to be 34 on Saturday, increased to 38. All were adult patients.

Anonymous said...

PA Dept. of Public Health:

Cases across the state are expected to increase at an exponential rate. Because of limited testing and other factors, experts believe the virus is far more widespread than case counts suggest.

Anonymous said...

Sacramento Bee:

The National Rifle Association is suing to have California gun stores declared essential businesses amid Gov. Gavin Newsom’s coronavirus emergency.

The NRA, along with several other plaintiffs including two individuals, filed the lawsuit Friday in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California.

Newsom is among as the defendants listed in the lawsuit, as is Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva, who on Thursday issued a statement that gun stores in the county are not an essential business and that they must close to the general public.

Anonymous said...

Even our Sleeper at the Wheel in Chief agrees that businesses should stay closed for another month. Wolf looks smarter every day.

Bernie O'Hare said...

That's completely inaccurate.

Anonymous said...

Hey I didn't vote him...

He's not my governor!!!

16,000 lies I tell ya.

See How That works.