News & Brews February 20, 2024
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The Left tries to block TV ads against EV mandates
The Wall Street Journal Editorial Board writes that “after the American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers (AFPM) launched ads in Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Michigan, Nevada, Arizona, Ohio and Montana to educate Americans about the Administration’s back-door EV mandate … the progressive umbrella group Climate Power … shot off a missive to broadcasters demanding that they pull the AFPM ads—or else.” The climate group claims the ads are deceptive, but the Journal notes the climate lobby is the deceptive one. The Ed Board concludes, “There’s no reason for local broadcasters to bow to the climate lobby’s deceptions.”
Intra-party tension in state Senate GOP primary
Last month, the Dauphin County GOP endorsed Ken Stambaugh to run for the Senate seat being vacated by GOP state Sen. John DiSanto. After the endorsement, newly elected Dauphin County Treasurer Nick DiFrancesco announced his candidacy for the GOP nomination. This has led the county party—which endorsed DiFrancesco in his treasurer’s race last year—to call on him to either drop his candidacy for state Senate or resign as treasurer. PennLive reports that first, the party is upset that DiFrancesco is running for another office just weeks after being sworn into his current office. Second, the party is upset that after receiving the GOP endorsement and financial backing last year, DiFrancesco is challenging the party’s endorsed Senate candidate now—which will cost the party money.
‘Biden’s electric bus to nowhere’
The Commonwealth Foundation’s André Béliveau looks at President Biden’s plan to “swap the ubiquitous yellow school bus for something greener;” namely, electric vehicles. Béliveau writes that “before fully converting to EVs, Pennsylvania school districts may want to seek a second opinion from the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA).” It turns out SEPTA already tried the EV experiment, and now “the agency’s $24 million fleet of 25 electric buses collects dust.”
McCormick backs ‘limited military action’ v. cartels
At a recent roundtable on the fentanyl crisis, GOP U.S. Senate candidate Dave McCormick said he supports “in concert with the Mexican government … taking limited military action to stop the cartels from pushing fentanyl across our borders.” He’s not the first to pitch this idea, which has support among many Americans but is still controversial.
Watch today’s budget hearings
State budget hearings kick off today. The Senate Appropriations Committee will hear from the Independent Fiscal Office at 9:30 a.m. (watch here) and from the Department of Corrections/Pennsylvania Parole Board at 1:00 p.m. (watch here). The House Appropriations Committee will hear from the Department of Community & Economic Development at 10:00 a.m. (watch here) and from the Department of Revenue at 1:00 p.m. (watch here).