News & Brews January 7, 2025
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GSD: Going to southern destinations
New data shows Texas is winning the “everyone wants to move here” contest. Per U-Haul’s tracking of one-way moves, Texas was the top destination state in 2025. Rounding out the top five were Florida, North Carolina, Tennessee, and South Carolina. As for the states people are leaving? California was the worst, followed by Illinois, New Jersey, New York, and Massachusetts. But Pennsylvania isn’t off the hook. We’re just a couple states behind the top losers saying “Buh, bye” to folks. Looks like Gov. Shapiro’s GSD has a new meaning: Going to southern destinations.
Strategists say Dems shouldn’t focus solely on Trump in 2026
The Hill reports, “Political strategists say Democrats running in competitive races in this year’s midterm elections for the House and Senate [including several House seats in Pa.] should steer clear of making President Trump the centerpiece of their campaigns.” Instead, they should focus “on the economy and affordability.” Per one source familiar with the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee’s thinking, “You can’t ignore Trump because it’s his economy. But the top message is the economy and affordability.” That means Dems “shouldn’t take the bait” by focusing on things like the Epstein files. Somehow, I think a lot of Democrats simply won’t be able to help themselves.
Pa. Republican candidate embraces universal healthcare
A Republican candidate hoping to challenge Democrat U.S. Rep. Chrissy Houlahan wants to replicate the awesome results of America’s public education system in the arena of healthcare (read the sarcasm there). PennLive reports that Marty Young “is proposing universal healthcare for children, young adults and expectant mothers.” Young says his plan provides the healthcare “while removing these costs from family and employer budgets.” He says, “Just as America guarantees public education for every child, we can and must guarantee their health.” First of all, families and employers pay the taxes that will supposedly fund this healthcare. And second, America’s public education system has proven woefully terrible at providing every kid a quality education.
Pa. lawmakers to propose Protect Child Care Funding Act
In the wake of the Minnesota daycare fraud investigations, two Pennsylvania lawmakers are teaming up to propose the Protect Child Care Funding Act. The proposal by Republican Reps. Jill Cooper (Westmoreland) and Kate Klunk (York), ”would authorize the Pennsylvania auditor general to conduct an audit of child care programs operated by the Department of Human Services” in order “to determine if similar cases are occurring in Pennsylvania.”
LNP lays off employees ahead of ownership transfer
The Left-leaning LNP/Lancaster Online is laying off 11 employees—or 9% of its staff—as the media outlet prepares for its transfer of ownership from Pennon to a newly formed nonprofit named Always Lancaster. Pennon also operates WITF. The recent layoffs follow an almost 10% staff reduction in 2024. Per the LNP, “readers will see no immediate changes to LNP’s print edition.”