Trump, in 2020 Campaign Mode, Calls Democrats ‘Radical’

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — President Donald Trump jabbed at the press and poked the political establishment he ran against in 2016 as he kicked off his reelection campaign with a grievance-filled rally focused more on settling scores than laying out his agenda for a possible second term.

Addressing a crowd of thousands at Orlando’s Amway Center on Tuesday night, Trump complained he was “under assault from the very first day” of his presidency by a “fake news media” and an “illegal witch hunt” that had tried to keep him and his supporters down.

He painted a disturbing picture of what life would look like if he loses in 2020, accusing his critics of “un-American conduct” and saying Democrats “want to destroy you and they want to destroy our country as we know it.”

“A vote for any Democrat in 2020 is a vote for the rise of radical socialism and the destruction of the American dream,” he said. Trump made only passing mention of any of the Democrats running to replace him even as he tossed out “radical” and “unhinged” to describe the rival party.

Trump has long railed against the special counsel’s investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 election and the ongoing probes by House Democrats in the aftermath of Robert Mueller’s report .

The apocalyptic language and finger-pointing made clear that Trump’s 2020 campaign will probably look a whole lot like his run three years ago. Even after two-and-a-half years in the Oval Office, Trump remains focused on energizing his base and offering himself as a political outsider running against Washington.

Republican Party Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel tweeted Wednesday morning that Trump had raised $24.8 million in less than 24 hours for his reelection.

In his speech, Trump spent considerably more time focused on former Democratic rival Hillary Clinton than on his current 2020 challengers, even though she is not on the ballot.

Thousands of Trump supporters began gathering outside the arena on Monday.

“Trump has been the best president we’ve ever had,” said Ron Freitas, a retired Merchant Marine and registered Democrat from Orlando.

Hundreds of anti-Trump protesters clapped and took photos when a 20-foot (6-meter) blimp of a snarling Trump baby in a diaper was inflated. Some members of the far-right hate group Proud Boys were also spotted marching outside the rally.

Trump aides scheduled the kickoff near the four-year anniversary of the day when the former reality television star and New York tabloid fixture launched his longshot campaign for president with a famous escalator ridein front of a crowd that included paid actors.

Trump spoke fondly of his 2016 race, calling it “a defining moment in American history.” He said that in the years since, he had upended Washington, staring down “a corrupt and broken political establishment” and restoring a government “of, for and by the people.”

He never has really stopped running. He filed for reelection on Jan. 20, 2017, the day of his inauguration, and held his first 2020 rally in February, 2017, in nearby Melbourne. He has continued holding his signature “Make America Great Again” rallies in the months since.

Trump asked the crowd whether he should stick with “Make America Great Again” or upgrade his slogan. His new one — “Keep America Great” — was greeted with boisterous cheers.

Trump is hoping to replicate the dynamics that allowed him to take charge of the Republican Party and then the presidency as an insurgent intent on disrupting the status quo. In 2016, he successfully appealed to disaffected voters who felt left behind by economic dislocation and demographic shifts. He has no intention of abandoning that mantle, even if he is the face of the institutions he looks to disrupt.

The president underscored that on the eve of the rally in must-win Florida, returning to the hardline immigration themes of his first campaign by tweeting that next week, Immigration and Customs Enforcement “will begin the process of removing the millions of illegal aliens who have illicitly found their way into the United States.”

That promise, which came with no details and sparked Democratic condemnation, seemed to offer a peek into a campaign that will largely be fought along the same lines as his first bid, with very few new policy proposals for a second term.

Early Democratic front-runner Joe Biden said Trump’s politics are “all about dividing us” in ways that are “dangerous — truly, truly dangerous.”

Another leading Democratic contender, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, said Trump had delivered “an hour-and-a-half speech of lies, distortions and total, absolute nonsense.”

But those involved in the president’s reelection effort believe his version of populism, combined with his mantra to “Drain the Swamp,” still resonates, despite his administration’s ties with lobbyists and corporations and the Trump family’s apparent efforts to profit off the presidency. Critics have pointed out his constant promotion for his golf courses, both at home and abroad, and note that this daughter, White House senior aide Ivanka Trump, made $4 million last year from her stake in the president’s Washington hotel, which has become a favored destination for foreign nationals looking to curry favor with the administration.

Advisers believe that, in an age of extreme polarization, many Trump backers view their support for the president as part of their identity, one not easily shaken. They point to his seemingly unmovable support with his base supporters as evidence that he is still viewed the same way he was as a candidate: a political rebel.

Trump tried to make the case that he had made good on his 2016 promises, including cracking down on illegal immigration and boosting jobs.

Near the rally’s end, Trump ran through a list of promises for a second term, pledging a new immigration system, new trade deals, a health care overhaul and a cure for cancer and “many diseases,” including eradicating AIDS in America.

Two People Charged In One of Largest Drug Busts In American History

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — U.S. authorities say they have seized more than $1 billion worth of cocaine from a ship at Philadelphia’s port, calling it one of the largest drug busts in American history. The U.S. attorney’s office in Philadelphia announced the massive bust on Twitter on Tuesday afternoon. Officials said agents seized about 33,000 pounds of cocaine from a large ship at the Packer Marine Terminal. Authorities say two members of the ship’s crew have been arrested and charged.

New England Newspaper Chain Trying To Prove That Investing In Newsroom Will Translate Into Paying Readers

PITTSFIELD, Mass. (AP) — As many local news outlets struggle to survive, the owners of a small New England newspaper chain are trying to show that investing in the newsroom will translate into paying readers. Its flagship daily in the Berkshires of western Massachusetts has hired more reporters, added sections, begun hosting community events and even improved the quality of the paper on which it’s printed. Even so, the newspaper is still fighting to attract subscribers. If it fails, it won’t be for lack of effort.

Urn with Man’s Ashes Stolen At Funeral Service In York, Pennsylvania

YORK, Pa. (AP) — Family members say someone stole an urn with a man’s ashes after his funeral in Pennsylvania. A service for 42-year-old Sam Abreght was held over the weekend at the Salvation Army in York. His cremains were divided into three urns, one of which was to go to his mother. Family friend Sherrie Ritz tells WGAL-TV most people gathered in a backroom after the funeral and that’s when the urn was taken.

PA State Rep. Jim Struzzi: Bring Back Whole Milk To Pennsylvania Schools

Supporters of dairy farming in Pennsylvania are asking for more support from state lawmakers for the industry. At a rally at the state Capitol Tuesday, the executive director of the P-A Dairyman’s Association, Dave Smith, says they need whole milk available again in schools across Pennsylvania. Right now, only one-percent or skim milk is available and if kids don’t like the taste they stop drinking any milk at home at all. House Resolution 402 is sponsored by Rep. Jim Struzzi (R-Indiana), who says he strongly supports the effort to ensure whole milk would once again be available to school children…

The group is also asking for support for a measure that would stop calling milk alternatives, like almond or cashew milk, from being labeled as milk.

Bill Requiring Drivers to Remove Ice and Snow From Vehicles Before Driving One Step Closer To Law

A measure requiring drivers to remove ice and snow from their vehicles before driving is a step closer to law. Senate Bill 114 moved through the Senate Transportation Committee Tuesday and is off to the full chamber for a potential vote. The measure would give drivers 24 hours after a storm to clean their vehicles off. This bill would increase the penalty to 15-hundred dollars if ice or snow from a vehicle strikes another car or pedestrian, causing injury.

S. SGT DYLAN ELCHIN Memorial Ride June 22, 2019

1st Annual Memorial Ride honoring  S. SGT DYLAN ELCHIN June 22, 2019

Begins and ends at Saxons Club, 112 Simes Ave., Rochester PA 15074

Kick-stands up at 12:30

TACO BAR dinner at 4:00

FEE: Bikes $20  Rider $5 Non-Rider $15

The DJ is Tom Wallace

Chinese Auction, 50/50 and Bake Sale

100% of Profit goes to the FOOT STEPS OF THE FALLEN MEMORIAL in Beaver, PA.

For more information or to donate, please contact Ben Langer 724-333-4974

www.beaverwarmemorial.org 

Volunteer for Condordia Tele-Caregivers.

Volunteer for Condordia Tele-Caregivers.

That ONE PHONE CALL could make a DIFFERENCE in one’s daily life!

Tele-Caregivers is a FREE program and is designed to help people stay safe and comfortable in their own home.

We’re in need of volunteers to make phone calls each morning to homebound elderly and/or others who live alone just to make sure they’re safe and secure.

The calls are designed to make the recipients feel safe and to perhaps identify an emergency situation.  All it takes is a 2-3 minute morning call between the hours of 8-10 AM to clients who meet the criteria.

VOLUNTEERING IS GOOD FOR OUR MIND AND BODY,

If you or someone you know would like to sign-up to be a volunteer or if you know someone in need of a friendly morning call, please contact us at 724-352-6260 or toll free at 1-866-352-6260 for more information.

Now you can volunteer from the comfort of your own home with Tele-Caregivers. 

www.concordiavn.org

 

City of Pittsburgh Reveals Cost of Michael Rosfeld Murder Trial

The City of Pittsburgh is revealing how much the Michael Rosfeld murder trial cost. Officials announced today it paid just over one-and-a-half-million-dollars during last year’s trial against the former police officer who killed 17-year-old Antwon Rose. The bulk of the cost went to pay police overtime, with smaller amounts covering the cost of fire crews and emergency medical crews. The Allegheny County Sheriff’s Office spent about 500-thousand-dollars during that time. Rosfeld was found not guilty.