* Turzai has derailed bipartisan negotiations to balance the state budget, leaving even some members of his caucus confused. The Allegheny County legislator insists that the $32 billion budget passed in June can be balanced without raising taxes. But, like the repugnant Republican ideas to replace Obamacare, his proposals don’t stand up to scrutiny.  * ... Read more

* Republicans, meanwhile, continue to reject a severance tax on natural gas drillers, a source of recurring revenue that would grow as the industry regains its feet in the years to come as pipelines and processing plants come online. So, instead, the Republican-controlled General Assembly continues to try to nibble away at the problem from ... Read more

Pennsylvanians from across the commonwealth have spoken out to oppose Toomey’s reckless efforts to sabotage people’s health care. Because of this, the Senate Republicans’ plan to take health care away from 22 million Americans, increase costs for working families, charge an age tax on older Pennsylvanians, and make prescription drugs unaffordable for millions failed. Mitch ... Read more

Today after Republicans failed to bring their health care plan to a vote, Democrats held a press conference to call Scott Wagner out for refusing to answer questions about his support for this devastating plan. Luzerne County citizens, led by Representative Eddie Day Pashinski, held a press conference to hold Scott Wagner accountable. “This health ... Read more

One thing was clear coming out of the National Governor’s Association meeting this weekend – that Trumpcare would be a complete disaster for states and it is not just Democrats who have come to this conclusion. Republican governors have also come out strongly against Trumpcare while Paul Mango and Scott Wagner are continuing to hide ... Read more

Today, Senate Republicans are renewing their misguided efforts to slam through a new Trumpcare bill that would be devastating for Pennsylvanians, especially seniors, women, and people with pre-existing conditions and substance use disorders. Yet Paul Mango and Scott Wagner are refusing to back down from their support of this disastrous bill. “Why do Paul Mango ... Read more

Today, as Senate Republicans ramp up their plans to bring Trumpcare to a vote, Democrats held a press conference to hold Scott Wagner accountable for refusing to answer questions about his support for this devastating bill. Northampton County Democrats, led by Chairman Matt Munsey held a press conference outside of Wagner’s tour stop to get ... Read more

The GOP’s health care plan just keeps getting worse. A report from the Commonwealth Fund projected that Pennsylvania would lose 85,000 jobs under the House’s version of Trumpcare. Yesterday, the Commonwealth Fund released an updated report that confirmed that the Senate’s plan — the version that Senator Pat Toomey helped to write — would be ... Read more

Pat Toomey’s version of Trumpcare will devastate Pennsylvania. The Congressional Budget Office estimated that 22 million Americans would lose health insurance if Toomey’s plan were to become law, including 731,000 Pennsylvanians.   Pennsylvania’s uninsured would rate would rise by 197%. Those still with insurance could see their premiums rise by as much as 288% and ... Read more

* You can’t blame Pennsylvanians wondering who Sen. Pat Toomey represents. He’s a ring leader of the effort to replace the Affordable Care Act with a Republican proposal that would jeopardize the lives and livelihoods of thousands in this state. That suggests Toomey’s allegiance lies elsewhere. * It’s not just older citizens who would be ... Read more