From MediaMatters.org
July 01, 2011

After the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit upheld the constitutionality of the individual mandate provision of the Affordable Care Act, many right-wing bloggers criticized the decision or downplayed its significance. But one of the judges who voted to uphold the statute was Jeffrey Sutton, an appointee of President George W. Bush who was such a proponent of states’ rights during his legal career that he once proclaimed that he became involved in states’ rights issues because “I really believe in this federalism stuff.”

By A 2-1 Vote, The Sixth Circuit Upholds The Constitutionality Of The Individual Mandate. In Thomas More Law Center v. Obama, the Sixth Circuit held by a vote of 2 to 1 that the provision of the Affordable Care Act mandating that individuals purchase health insurance does not violate the Constitution. The majority consisted of Sixth Circuit judges Boyce Martin and Jeffrey Sutton. District Judge James Graham, acting as a Sixth Circuit judge in this case, dissented. [Thomas More Law Center v. Obama, 6/29/11]

Read more HERE

Governor Christie’s profligate use of the line item veto on the state budget enacted by the Legislature this week did serious damage to virtually every constituency imaginable in this state – except for corporations and the super-rich.

Christie red-lined a litany of critical funding needs: health care for working families; tax credits for low-wage workers; after school programs for inner-city youth; legal counsel for indigent defendants; drugs for people with AIDS; college scholarships for gifted middle-class students; a resource center for Hispanic women; protective services for abused children; postpartum education; legal clinics; libraries; museums; mental health services; technology and even public television programming. The list is as long as it is damaging.

Unlike responsible governors in states such as Connecticut and California, Christie chose only to make cuts in services to balance the state budget. He refused to sustain the critical investments in New Jersey’s social infrastructure that have allowed all of its residents to enjoy a broadly shared prosperity.

The only winners in the governor’s budget are corporations that will continue to rake in hundreds of millions of dollars in tax subsidies; those wealthy residents whose yearly income exceeds $1 million; and a governor who continues to choose partisan politics over sound public policy.

It’s now up to the Legislature to right these wrongs by over-riding the governor’s veto, line-by-line if necessary.

As reported here and at other websites the meeting was overflowing with residents from the the Applebrook and TwinBrook neighborhood that are effected by the methadone clinic being so close to their homes. At times the meeting became very loud boisterous and contentious. Residents found it hard to believe that they were being told the true about the clinic and the process that enabled it to open at the current location.

You can read all about it HERE in the newsletter.

As an added bonus for your listening pleasure I have an audio clip from that night that features resident Patricia E. Corridon, who spoke to the committee about the opening of the Middletown Methadone clinic. She said she did not feel a great deal of trust in the Committee who were elected to protect their citizens. She said everything from a broken toenail to a cell tower is aired in Middletown. She said it is hard to believe when they say they knew nothing about this and were blindsided. She said for them to say they will be protected but then turn Apple Farm Rd. into a police state is not what is wanted. She said the Committee does not have the pleasure of plausible deniability.

Ms. Corridon was interrupted midway through her comments by Tony Fiore who sounded arrogant, exasperated and helpless in the wake of all the criticism being leveled against himself and others who’s job it was to know about this before the clinic opened at the only entrance into or out of a residential neighborhood

http://www.archive.org/flow/flowplayer.commercial-3.2.1.swf

On June 29, 2011 at approximately 6:10 am Patrolman Felipe Benedit and Patrolman Anthony Gigante responded to the area of Antonia Court in reference to a report of a car burglary in progress. Patrol officers were advised that a home owner was currently involved in a struggle with the suspect.

Patrolman Benedit arrived on scene and engaged in a foot pursuit with the actor, identified as Matthew Drury, age 25, from Emory Drive in Lincroft, NJ, who had broken away from the home owner. Officer Benedit and Officer Gigante were able to apprehend Drury and take him into custody. Police say the home owner was awoken by his dog barking and observed Drury inside his neighbor’s car. The homeowner then confronted Drury and tried to detain him for the police.

Drury was charged with four counts of Burglary, Simple Assault, Receiving Stolen Property, Resisting Arrest, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, and Unlawful Possession of Prescription Medication. Drury was found in possession of Xanax and Soboxin at the time of his arrest. He was being held on $52,000.00 bail with no 10% option set by Judge Thompson. Police are investigating whether Drury may be connected to other car burglaries in the area.

Once again Governor you definitely have your priorities straight!.

http://www.myfoxphilly.com/video/videoplayer.swf?dppversion=10588

Campbell’s Soup Co. Announces Layoffs: MyFoxPHILLY.com

CAMDEN, N.J. – Campbell’s Soup Co. plans to lay off about 770 people worldwide, Including about 130 people at its Camden headquarters, in an effort to reduce overhead and improve efficiency.

The reductions will be phased in over the next two years and will result in a savings of about $75 million dollars.

The cuts include about 10 percent of the company’s workforce in Camden, its longtime headquarters.

Fox 29′s Steve Keeley has more in this Wednesday morning live report from “Good Day.”