🙂 Another manic Monday. Make it a great week.
Weather in Pennsylvania
☀️ Big Beaver | Mostly radiant, 82
☀️Towanda | Mostly radiant, 81
☀️ New hope | Mostly radiant, 85
Sports PA
⚾ Phillies (41-19) | St.Louis 4-5 (10) | Monday-Wednesday vs. Milwaukee
⚾ Pirates (27-32) | Toronto 4-5 | Tuesday-Thursday vs. LA Dodgers
⚽ Union (4-8-4) | Montreal 2-2 | June 15 – Inter Miami
🗓️ What’s happening today. The transition period begins when the House and Senate return to session.
❓ Did you know? In 2024, Jeff Yass holds the title The richest man in Pennsylvaniaboasting an impressive net worth of $27.6 billion.
🗞️ Pennsylvania. The ultimate swing state. Where can you find the latest information on political events in the Keystone State? Sign up for the PoliticsPA Guide. We will bring you all the latest headlines in an easy-to-read format every day at 8am. And it’s free. Add your name to the list and sign up now.
The best story
1. Biden’s substantial weakness vs. Trump: voters without higher education
“President Joe Biden hemorrhages support among non-college-educated voters – a large group that includes blacks, Latinos, young voters and suburban women – leading to a much more intense rematch with his Republican predecessor Donald Trump than in 2020, according to a Reuters/Ipsos survey.
“Biden’s support among voters without a four-year degree has fallen 10 percentage points from this point in the 2020 campaign, according to an analysis of approximately 24,000 recorded voter responses in Reuters/Ipsos polls in 2020 and 2024.” (Reuters)
Related
RFK Jr. is trying to create a debate stage with Biden and Trump. “Robert F. Kennedy Jr. “is using every tool at his disposal to reach his first debate with President Biden and former President Trump, although his path to qualifying before June 27 is bumpy.” (Hill)
The upside-down American flag is going mainstream as a form of right-wing protest. “Following former President Donald Trump’s historic criminal conviction, many of his supporters protested the verdict by posting photos on social media of an upside-down American flag.” (WQLN)
Black leaders decry Trump’s contradictions with the criminal justice system as he opposes his conviction. “Donald Trump this week sharply criticized the guilty verdict in his secret money trial in the same Manhattan courthouse that was the site of one of the most famous examples of injustice in recent New York history in which he participated.” (Philadelphia Tribune)
Trump joins Tiktok and calls it “honor.” As president, he once tried to ban a video-sharing app. “Donald Trump joined the popular video-sharing app TikTok, a platform he once tried to block in the White House, and posted a UFC fight two days after becoming the first former president and presumptive major party nominee in U.S. history to become found guilty of a crime.” (AP)
Country
2. The AP school voucher fight is back – and both sides have novel strategies
“The debate over school vouchers is heating up again.
This time, both sides will enter the fight, much better organized and better financed than last year.
School vouchers could once again become a sticking point that could clog the state’s budget after the June 30 deadline, with Democratic leaders in the House and Republican leaders in the Senate vowing not to budge on the issue. (Questioner from Philadelphia)
Related
Smucker and other Republicans ask the U.S. Supreme Court to reopen lawsuit against Joe Biden and Josh Shapiro. “Congressman Lloyd Smucker of Lancaster is participating in an effort to persuade the U.S. Supreme Court to hear a lawsuit opposing voter suppression efforts in Pennsylvania and beyond.” (WITF)
How AP Republicans are doing damage control after Trump’s conviction. “For former President Donald Trump’s staunchest supporters in Pennsylvania, Thursday’s guilty verdict does little to change their faith. If anything, it motivates them.” (Questioner from Philadelphia)
Shapiro and Kavulich unveil 10-year ‘road map’ to improve services for seniors in Pennsylvania. “By 2030, it is estimated that 1 in 3 Pennsylvanians will be 60 years of age or older, outnumbering every other age group in the state, exceeding 3.8 million people. “Governor Josh Shapiro today formally unveiled a 10-year strategic plan called “Aging Our Way, Pennsylvania,” which is intended to serve as a roadmap for delivering services to older adults in Pennsylvania.” (WVIA)
Fairness Pennsylvania wants to bring LGBTQ+ lobbying to Harrisburg. “Pennsylvania has its first full-time lobbyist focused on LGBTQ+ issues.” (State of the city)
Around the Republic of Poland
3. We must wait for the Commonwealth Court rulings in the Cabell/Walsh Race case
“We are awaiting Commonwealth Court rulings in a tight race for the 117th House District nomination for the Republican Party as all required court briefs have been filed.
Beneficiary Michael Cabell and pretender Jamie Walsh they are currently three votes apart, with Walsh leading. The April 23 Republican winner is essentially assured of the seat because there were no Democratic candidates or declared candidates on the November general ballot.
Three appeals against decisions of the District Court of Common Pleas are pending in the Commonwealth Court.” (Leader of the Times)
Related
First lady Jill Biden to community college graduates: Erie isn’t doing ‘I can’t’ “First Lady Jill Biden encouraged more than 80 Erie County Community College graduates to ignore people who tell them they ‘can’t’ and pursue their dreams anyway, while advocating for one of President Joe Biden’s key education initiatives – two years of free community college – during a commencement address Saturday in Bellwether County. (Erie Times-News)
Who is George Soros and why is he a problem in Western Pennsylvania? “Investor George Soros, founder of progressive groups and Democratic candidates, has been a Republican bogeyman for years. “He played a significant role in Western Pennsylvania this year as Republicans significantly singled him out in their efforts to defeat U.S. Sen. Bob Casey and U.S. Rep. Chris Deluzio in the region’s only two competitive congressional races this fall.” (Pittsburgh Postal Newspaper)
Could Trump’s conviction sway Pennsylvania voters? A “fragment of voters” may decide in November. “With polls suggesting that the outcome of Donald Trump’s latest criminal trial will have minimal impact on voters this fall, however, it is unclear what this all means for Pennsylvania politics.” (Shipment from York)
Editorial
4. What do you mean
- In courting voters of color, Biden’s record in office is at odds with Trump’s history of racism. (Questioner from Philadelphia)
- In Trump’s drama, a sign of hope for a jury of ordinary Americans. (Pittsburgh Postal Newspaper)
- Former President Trump is now a convicted felon: a melancholy time in American history. (PennLive)
- Donald Trump and the employ of violence. (Andrew Moss)
- Trump is not wrong. The system is damaged. Ordinary Americans saved us. (Will Bunch)
- Trump’s prosecutors stretched the law to find him guilty. (Kyle Sammin)
- Many Americans cannot support a convicted felon in the White House. (Marek S. Singel)
- Bon Appetit, Trump’s zombie. (James E. Garcia)
- Trump is guilty. But now is not the time to celebrate, says a former Bucks County solicitor. (Joe Khan)
- Trump wins the “popular vote”, 34-0. (Chris Kelly)
- Democrats and their unconventional measures. (Andy Bloom)
- Concern for Justice Alito’s ethics are not about ethics. (May postman)
- Older Pennsylvanians are the most crucial voting bloc this year. (Bill Johnston-Walsh)
- The state is behind on school funding reform. (Sharon Herald)
- Scanlon and team. (Wally Nunn)
- Historic tax cuts for ALL Pennsylvanians. (Representative Tim O’Neal)
1 item
5. Cosmo cheese
“Growing up in north-central Pennsylvania meant enjoying the culinary benefits of being located between Philadelphia and New York. Pizza and sandwiches, especially cheesesteaks, are staples on the fast-casual menu in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, and something I missed after moving to Pittsburgh. While I found local substitutes for the substantial slices and New York-style sandwiches of my youth (thanks for the seitan cheesecake, Spak), one food item eluded me – Cosmo cheese.
How to define Cosmo cheese. This isn’t grilled cheese, this isn’t your average cheese sandwich. A generous slice of cheese (I usually ordered provolone) comes balmy and ready on a bun with a variety of toppings – you can make it ‘in the garden’ with lettuce, tomato and onion, along with vinegar dressings, spices and this wonderful, peppery pepper sandwich spread. You can also add meat or grilled vegetables. Although this type of sandwich has many names, a 2011 article on the website PA Eats stated that Williamsport is the only place that calls it “Cosmo”. (Pittsburgh City Document)
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