Food Stamps Reported Bought and Sold Illegally on Facebook

A Milwaukee Journal Sentinel investigation into possible fraud in the state's FoodShare benefits program found that some people are illegally buying and selling food stamps on Facebook.

The newspaper reported Sunday that it found nine Facebook users in Milwaukee and about 70 users nationwide had posted to Facebook to either buy or sell food assistance benefits illegally -- or to help others do so.

State Department of Health Services spokeswoman Beth Kaplan acknowledges social networks could be used to scam the program. She says the department would refer suspected criminal activity to authorities.

Gov. Scott Walker's commission on fraud and government waste is looking at FoodShare fraud for a report due later this summer.

Wisconsin's $1 billion a year FoodShare program is run by the state and counties with federal money.

from FOXNews.com

Dean Minnich Won’t Sign My Petition

Len Lazarick and the folks at the Maryland Reporter seem to love Dean Minnich. I love reading the Maryland Reporter. So, I have been (somewhat) reluctantly introduced to Mr. Minnich’s point of view.

Dean Minnich strikes me as the Carroll County version of my friend Mike Pretl. Intelligent, amiable, almost always liberal, and usually wrong. He also shares with Mike a love for a particular rhetorical device. Minnich loves to present a left leaning point of view bundled in a conservative argument.

Case in point – Minnich’s piece opposing the petition drive to force the MD DREAM Act to referendum. In many ways it’s almost a rehash of the highlights of conservative political theory:

• Edmund Burke’s Letter to the Electors of Bristol.
• The Federalist
• Locke
• Montesquieu
• even a touch of Aristotle’s Politics

Minnich argues that we have elections. We elect representatives (Locke). We shouldn’t allow legislation by referenda (a twist on Burke). Direct democracy leads to chaos (Federalist). And so on …

All interesting, and valid, arguments. They are also prime examples of sophistry in action.

Yes, we have elections. Yes, we have representatives. Yes, direct democracy such as legislating by initiative, is bad public policy (at best) and anarchic (at worst). Fortunately, the people organizing the petition drive to put the “MD DREAM Act” to a referendum are not advocating for direct democracy or arguing (as the Electors of Bristol did) that our elected representatives should be at our beck and call on each vote they make in the legislature.

Quite the contrary; the petition organizers are affording themselves of a tool that our Founders most heartily approved of – checks and balances (a take on Montesquieu’s separation of powers).

Unlike the chaotic California, Maryland is not an initiative state. However, the authors of Maryland’s constitution had the wisdom to recognize that there are times when our elected representatives in Annapolis can fail us. When this occurs, the authors afforded the people a tool to hold those representatives in check – a means to bring a (presumably bad) law directly before the people and afford them the opportunity to uphold it .. or reject it.

Like the Founders, these authors view the Constitution (Federal or Maryland) as a limiting document. Like the Founders, the authors prescribed certain negative rights. This is one such case.

Bringing a matter to a statewide referendum is difficult. It should be. Minnich argues:

First of all, I am tired of people getting up petitions to take everything they don't agree with to referendum. Our country's system depends on electing representatives to make policy decisions, and if we don't like what they do, we can un-elect them in four years. If we let the public vote on every item of business, we don't need elected officials, but we'd need more referees.

This simply isn’t true. Minnich wants us to believe that bringing a law to referendum is as simple as going out to your mailbox. It isn’t. This year the petition organizers will need almost 58,000 VALID signatures.

As an aside, I find it ironic that the same people who will challenge every signature are the same folk who will fight to the death (or at least to the highest available court) any attempt to request valid ID from voters. But I digress …

This attempt to provide a check, and a balance, to a politically motivated act of our legislature is in the finest tradition of our Founding Fathers.

If Dean really believes what he was preaching, he would not only sign the petition; he would be out gathering signatures. If Minnich ever comes down to Ocean City, he ought to look up Mike Pretl. They share a common bond.

G. A. Harrison is the Managing Editor of “Salisbury News”. “Delmarva Dealings” appears each Wednesday and Sunday at Noon on SbyNEWS.com.

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Today's Survey Quesiton

What SERVICES are you willing to give up to avoid a tax hike?

NOTE – the question is WHAT SERVICES.  Don’t tell us how much money your local government wastes.  We will save that discussion for another post.  Either cite a specific line item in the budget that you want cut OR tell us what government services you are willing to go without.  Sheriff’s Office?  Parks? Recreation?  Schools?  And yes, I know that the Sheriff’s office and the schools cannot be entirely eliminated under state law.

PS – thanks to the commenter who suggested this question.

An $8,000.00 Segway Will Revolutionize Your Golf Game

How cutting edge can you get? 

If you've got the bucks, there's a world of awe-inspiring gadgets and goodies out there for you. From hundred thousand dollar watches to speakers that sound so good they'll make an audiophile weak in the knees, The Big Ticket is your weekly peek into the best goods gobs of money can buy.

The Segway was initially launched amidst a storm of hype. Originally codenamed "Ginger," this two-wheeled, self-balancing electric vehicle invented by famed inventor Dean Kamen was supposed to be the next big thing, revolutionizing transportation.

The vehicle never reached such lofty heights but Kamen and co. have been able to find new and novel uses for their gyroscopic machine.

More 

Companies, Unions Wrestle with ObamaCare

Pete Bryant, a leader of a Maryland-based bricklayers union, faced a difficult decision last year over how to apply the nation's new health care law to his 1,400 members: He could offer them nearly limitless health insurance, as the law demands, or he could try to get around the requirement.

The decision to provide the most comprehensive health coverage available should be a no-brainer, Bryant said. But the cost of providing coverage with virtually no annual cap on payouts — which government regulators acknowledge can raise premiums as much as fivefold — would likely reduce the number of construction projects that contractors would be willing to pursue. That could put workers out of a job, leaving them with no health insurance at all.

READ MORE …

Citizen's Trial Finds State Guilty in Deaths Of 49 Children

"We didn't expect support from so many people in the capital. The authorities have to answer for this, and they must understand that we will not give up until justice is done," Manuel Rodríguez Amaya told IPS, his eyes still wet from bursting into tears at the end of the citizen's trial.

His son, Xiunelth Emmanuel, was one of the 49 children who died June 5, 2009 in a fire at the public-private ABC daycare centre in the northwestern state of Sonora.

Their parents' battle for justice led to the unprecedented citizen's trial against the Mexican state Sunday May 29 in the Zócalo, the main square in Mexico City.

A former Mexico City ombudsman acted as judge, and a score of renowned academics, human rights defenders and distinguished members of civil society served as the jury and witnesses of honour. A prosecutor and a public defender, both researchers at the National University, together with relatives of the deceased children, took part in the exercise "based on the power of ethics."

"The state's crimes continue to mount. This is a citizen's trial against impunity and corruption, against a rotten state, as (poet Javier) Sicilia calls it, against the 'bandit state'," said playwright Sabina Berman, one of the witnesses of honour.

Forty-nine children under four died in the fire at the ABC nursery, and another 75 were injured.

More

Today's Survey Question

What Brands Do You Blindly Follow?

Examples: Coffee, Katsup, Mayo, Gasoline, etc...

Lawmaker Outraged After Fed Reserve Bank Flies Gay Rights Flag Outside Building

Virginia Del. Robert G. Marshall isn‘t happy with Richmond Federal Reserve Bank’s decision to fly a rainbow flag outside of its building. The lawmaker wrote a letter of condemnation to bank officials, calling the decision to fly the gay-rights symbol “a serious deficiency of judgement…not limited to social issues.”

Marshall’s letter, addressed to Richmond Fed President Jeffrey M. Lacker, goes on to say that the bank should not be celebrating homosexual behavior. This, in his view, “undermines the American economy.” The Richmond Times-Dispatch has more:

“The Richmond Fed’s endorsement of costly, anti-social, immoral behavior is rejected by 6,000 years of Western Religious and moral teaching,” writes Marshall, who is among the General Assembly’s most conservative members and has long been outspoken on gay-rights issues. “You want the American people to trust your [judgment] in economic matters when your spokesperson celebrates an attack on public morals?”

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Little Boy Delivers Epic Speech After Learning To Ride His Bike

This is one of those videos you have to watch until the very end. No stopping or pausing early. You‘ll be glad you didn’t.

The little guy below just learned to ride his bike. Afterwords, he is more than excited. Much more. His dad asks if he has any words of wisdom for the camera. And boy does he ever. He launches into an inspiring, confident, and frankly epic bloviation that is Braveheart, Gladiator, Rudy, and Winston Churchill all wrapped into one. It just made me go slay a dragon.

See for yourself:

YR’s, Young Dems Face Membership Pressures

As the road to 2012 becomes more crowded, it appears that both the Young Republicans (where I previously served as a Virginia board member and a member of the National Committee) and Young Democrats are facing difficulty in attracting new members.

The Annapolis Capital reports that only about 40 YR’s are slated to attend this year’s MDYR Convention.  The Young Democrats face similar recruiting difficulties.  This simply confirms a general political malaise among the 20 – 30 year olds which make up the lion’s share of both group’s memberships.

Careers, starting a family, the general state of the economy all conflict with the time required to get involved in local and state politics.

Should Tea Party Support ANY Republican Candidate?

First we were told that the Tea Party is a bottom-up movement.  No one dictated to the “grass roots”.  Now a leader in the movement has declared:

"whoever the Republican nominee is will have to have the support of the Tea Party movement, the entire Tea Party movement."

Amy Kremer, of the Tea Party Express, believes that this is the only way to ditch President Barack Obama.

Of course, she’s probably right.  However, Ms. Kremer has also made a decision which the conservative movement of the 1980’s and 1990’s took a few more years to fall into – a Republican, even a moderate – left-leaning Republican is better than almost any Democrat.

Ms. Kremer should be reminded that this is the same attitude that landed us with a GOP-controlled Congress that spent money like a bunch of Dems.

Harry And Bess

Harry Truman was a different kind of President. He probably made as many, or more, important decisions regarding our nation's history as any of the other 42 Presidents preceding him. However, a measure of his greatness may rest on what he did after he left the White House.

The only asset he had when he died was the house he lived in, which was in Independence Missouri . His wife had inherited the house from her mother and father and other than their years in the White House, they lived their entire lives there.

When he retired from office in 1952, his income was a U.S. Army pension reported to have been $13,507.72 a year. Congress, noting that he was paying for his stamps and personally licking them, granted him an 'allowance' and, later, a retroactive pension of $25,000 per year.

After President Eisenhower was inaugurated, Harry and Bess drove home to Missouri by themselves. There was no Secret Service following them.

When offered corporate positions at large salaries, he declined, stating, "You don't want me. You want the office of the President, and that doesn't belong to me. It belongs to the American people and it's not for sale.."

Even later, on May 6, 1971, when Congress was preparing to award him the Medal of Honor on his 87th birthday, he refused to accept it, writing, "I don't consider that I have done anything which should be the reason for any award, Congressional or otherwise."

As president he paid for all of his own travel expenses and food.

Modern politicians have found a new level of success in cashing in on the Presidency, resulting in untold wealth. Today, many in Congress also have found a way to become quite wealthy while enjoying the fruits of their offices. Political offices are now for sale. (e.g. Illinois )

Good old Harry Truman was correct when he observed, "My choices in life were either to be a piano player in a whorehouse or a politician. And to tell the truth, there's hardly any difference!

I say dig him up and clone him!!

Live Blog Event – Monday, June 6th – Salisbury Budget

Join us Monday, June 6th (that’s right, D-Day), as SbyNEWS hosts another LIVE BLOG EVENT.

Time:  6PM

Place:  A computer near you.

What:  Salisbury City Council’s 2nd Budget Public Hearing followed by the debate, amendment, and adoption of the FY 2012 Salisbury City Budget.

This event will prove to be either a snoozer or full of fireworks.  If you can’t come out to the hearing, tune in on PAC-14 and follow the hearing and meeting with our always insightful play by play.

Don’t forget; you get to participate as well.  Comments are live.  Just remember, the same rules apply.

Live Blogging software courtesy of CoverItLive.com

Come Have Lunch Courtesy of “Salisbury News”

Come on down to Panni Pit Pizza on Tuesday, June 7th between 11AM – 1PM.  SbyNEWS will be giving away free slices of pizza

Take a break.  Come on down to Panni and enjoy some great pizza and meet some of your neighbors.

Panni Pit Pizza is located at 2657 N. Salisbury Blvd.  It’s in the same shopping center as Old Navy and Bed, Bath, and Beyond.  Just a couple of doors down from Coldstone Creamery

First come, first served.  So don’t miss out.

Highlighted Events In Wicomico Schools

Monday, June 6
Maryland State Police Torch Run for Special Olympics
Pinehurst Elementary School

In celebration of the Maryland Special Olympics, the Maryland State Police Torch Run will go by Pinehurst Elementary School at approximately 1:05 p.m. Monday, June 6, with some Pinehurst students joining law enforcement officers for the run by the school. Students will gather outside the school starting at 12:50 p.m. to cheer on the runners. 410-677-5810.

Tuesday, June 7
Board of Education Awards & Recognitions Night
James M. Bennett Auditorium

The fifth and final Wicomico County Board of Education Awards & Recognitions Night of the 2010-11 school year will be held at 7 p.m. Tuesday, June 7 in the James M. Bennett Auditorium. This recognition night will highlight the outstanding students, teachers and other staff members, schools, and community partners listed below.

Friday, June 10
Last Day of 2010-11 School Year
The last day of the 2010-11 school year will be Friday, June 10. Elementary students will receive their report cards on the last day of school, while secondary report cards will be mailed by June 17.

Schools will be on a half-day schedule on June 8, 9 and 10.

Dismissal schedule* on half-days:

Middle and high schools dismiss at 12:50 p.m.
Elementary schools dismiss at 1:30 p.m.

*Exceptions:
11:30 a.m. Delmar Elementary Magnet students dismissed.
11:55 a.m. Delmar Elementary dismissed.
12:20 p.m. North Salisbury/Pemberton Elementary Magnet students dismissed. Pinehurst Special Learning Center dismisses.
12:30 p.m. Wicomico High/Wicomico Middle Special Learning Centers dismiss. ELL dismisses. Prince Street Elementary dismisses.
12:45 p.m. Willards Elementary dismisses.
12:50 p.m. Pittsville Elementary and Middle dismisses.

Special Notes:
-Wicomico Early Learning Center (WELC) dismisses at 1:30 p.m. June 8 and 9. There will be no WELC classes on June 10.
-Choices schedule on half-days: Choices I, 8-11 a.m. Choices II, 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
-ATEX, CTE I: June 8 is last day for classes.
-Prekindergarten: ends Tuesday, June 7 for PM prekindergarten. AM prekindergarten classes only will attend on June 8 and 9. They will dismiss at the regular time and ride their usual buses. There will be no prekindergarten on June 10.
-High school orchestra, Latin, ROTC, VPA will have last day of classes on June 8.

Hearing Set on New Liquor Enterprise Fund

The first public hearing of its kind in Worcester County will be held in Snow Hill on June 7, when the county commissioners take a detailed look at the new Liquor Control Enterprise Fund fiscal year 2012 budget.

Because of liquor licensees’ strong dissatisfaction with the Liquor Control Board and an investigation by the state Comptroller’s Office, the General Assembly approved a measure this year that allows the county to take over that formerly independent entity on July 1. It will become the Worcester County Department of Liquor Control and its employees will be county employees.

The public hearing will be held at 2 p.m. during the county commissioners’ regularly scheduled meeting.

The proposed budget keeps intact pricing and profit targets at the retail store level but would pass discounts through to the wholesale licensees.

 READ MORE …

Worcester Budget Includes Aids to Towns, Ocean Pines

The town of Ocean City is slated to receive $4.6 million in county funds in the county’s fiscal year 2012 budget to be passed next week.

The largest portion of that money is an unrestricted grant of $1.76 million. Ocean City is also set to receive an ambulance grant of $1.2 million, $430,000 for beach maintenance debt service, $270,000 for tourism marketing, a restricted fire grant of $134,000, $90,000 each for downtown redevelopment and recreation and $45,000 for the convention bureau.

The town of Ocean City would also receive $400,000 as an unrestricted grant. The towns of Berlin, Snow Hill and Pocomoke would receive the same grant and each town would get $199,743 for its volunteer fire company.

Ocean City’s share of revenues, which total $12.55 million, are $10.7 million in room tax, $997,500 in food tax, $526,101 in income tax, $292,594 from liquor license distributions and $2,000 in bingo license receipts. The resort will also receive state aid pass-throughs for the fire company of $34,560.

Altogether, Ocean City is slated to receive $17.22 million.

In addition to the unrestricted $400,000 grant, the town of Berlin is pegged to get a restricted fire grant of $183,000 and $4,500 for tourism marketing. The town is also slated to get a $563,979 ambulance grant.

As for shared revenues, Berlin would receive $239,362 in income tax, $14,127 in room tax and $4,688 for liquor license distributions. It would also get $30,558 in state aid for the fire company. Altogether, Berlin should receive $1.63 million.

The municipality of Snow Hill is expected to get the $400,000 unrestricted grant, $4,500 for tourism marketing, $90,000 in other grants and $90 for a restricted fire grant. Its shared revenues would be $$96,763 in income tax, $4,347 in room tax and $4,688 in liquor license distributions. It would also get $23,922 in state aid for its fire company.

Pocomoke City would receive the restricted grant of $400,000, $4,500 for tourism marketing, a restricted fire grant of $59,000 and an ambulance grant of $383,395. It would also get shared revenues of $164,848 in income tax, $114,109 in room tax and $9,375 in liquor license distributions. It would also get $31,688 in state aid pass-throughs for the fire company.

Ocean Pines, which is a homeowners association and not a municipality, does not get the unrestricted grant of $400,000 and the shared revenues, but will receive $400,000 for police aid, a restricted fire grant of $43,000 and $26,459 for streets. Ocean Pines is also slated to get $199,743 for the volunteer fire department, $301,011 for an ambulance grant and a state pass-through for the fire department of $23,424.

The county commissioners are scheduled to adopt the fiscal year 2012 budget on Tuesday, June 7.

from Nancy Powell @ Ocean City Today

Alabama Governor Weighs Arizona-style Illegal Immigrant Bill

The governor of Alabama is taking the weekend to decide whether he will sign an Arizona-style bill into law to crack down on illegal immigrants.

If Gov. Robert Bentley gives his stamp of approval to the controversial legislation, the American Civil Liberties Union has vowed to challenge it in court.

"It's an outrageous throwback to the pre-civil rights era and we call on Governor Bentley to veto this deeply misguided bill," Cecillia Wang, director of the ACLU Immigrants' Rights Project, said Friday. "The Alabama Legislature has invited rank discrimination into people's everyday lives,"

The bill, passed by the Alabama Legislature on Thursday night, makes it a crime for a person to be in the state without a valid federal registration or other proof of legal presence. 

READ MORE …

GOP Candidates Struggle to Bridge Fiscal-Social Divide

In an election season driven by economic worries, Republican leaders are trying to keep Christian conservatives excited and involved by blurring the line between religious/social issues and low-tax crusades -- a divide that has helped shape past GOP primaries.

Failure to do so could potentially depress turnout by an important part of the Republican base. Not only are fiscal issues dominating the debate, but social and Christian conservatives have no obvious candidate to turn to, as they did in 2008 when Baptist minister Mike Huckabee ran.

Facing this vacuum, a host of presidential hopefuls are emphasizing their religious faith and opposition to abortion and gay marriage, even though most are better known as business-like managers of state governments and private companies.

Their efforts were on display Friday at a Washington gathering of the Faith and Freedom Coalition, a group whose name summarizes the bid to combine religious and libertarian priorities.

It drew nearly all the GOP presidential hopefuls to one stage. The Coalition's two-day conference proved that the religious right still plays a major role in the party's nominating process, even if it's somewhat less organized than it was in the Christian Coalition's heyday, and even if economic issues are dominating the run-up to the 2012 elections.

READ MORE …