Politics

Helping veterans as Memorial Day approaches is the goal of a bill sponsored by Senator Bob Casey. Casey has crafted legislation that would make it easier for veterans to start a small business by way of a franchise.

“It would provide a tax credit for veterans who choose to purchase a franchise and open a business in their local community. The credit would a 25-percent credit, meaning up to 25-percent of the franchise fee up to a cap of
100-thousand dollars.”

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, more than
200-thousand post 9-11 vets are currently unemployed.

Retired Navy nurse, Dot Michael, took part in a protest at a Horsham IRS building earlier this week. Michael is the coordinator of the Philadelphia Tea Party Patriots of Eastern Montgomery County. Michael says, the hearings in Washington are only one step in a process that she feels need to move to another level.

“A real in-depth investigation with a special prosecutor to find what happened and who was involved. I don’t think this was the idea of some low level IRS flunky. It’s clear to me that they are targeting conservative groups and it really destroys trust. If the President knew about or sanctioned the situation he should face impeachment proceedings.”

Michael and other local Tea Party members protested outside a IRS facility in Horsham earlier this week.

Congressman Jim Gerlach is fuming over what he perceives as an out-of-touch President concerning IRS intimidation.

“He says he didn’t know anything about it and that he saw it on the news, and that is what is so disturbing.”

Gerlach adds, even more troubling is the actions of the Department of Justice

“The Department of Justice continues to thwart the Oversight Committee in looking for documents and e-mails regarding what really happened with the IRS.”

The 6th District Congressman ,who was on the AM-Edition with Darryl Berger, discussed what little impact the nation’s Attorney General, Eric Holder, is having on the issue.

“He apparently doesn’t know anything about the Associated Press story.”

Darryl Berger….. ”How is Eric Holder still in office.”

Congressman Gerlach…..”I don’t know and he still has the confidence of the President, I guess because he’s an appointee of the President. I don’t have any confidence in him. He doesn’t know anything. He’s the Attorney General and he doesn’t know anything. If he doesn’t know anything, then get the hell out of there and get somebody in there who does know something.”

Gerlach says, two resolutions were passed against Holder, one criminal and one civil to obtain information.

Despite drawing the ire of some conservative groups, U-S Senator, Pat Toomey says, he still thinks expanding background checks on gun sales makes sense. Toomey says, the bill he crafted with Democratic Senator Joe Manchin was the subject of lots of misinformation.

“We did have to end up spending a lot of time correcting people who had a mistake or impression or had read something that was a factional an error, and that I think inhibited our ability to make the case for what actually was in the bill.”

Toomey’s bill fell short of the 60 votes needed in the Senate during an April vote.