Guest Column by Lowman S. Henry
Perzel's stunning fall from power should serve as a lesson to today's General Assembly.
The Lincoln Institute's recent "Keystone Business Climate Survey" found just 16 percent of state employers held a positive view of the state House of Representatives and 14 percent thought well of the state Senate. Those numbers reflect the public's low esteem for the legislative branch.
Eight years of missing budget deadlines, a growing fiscal crisis and rampant corruption have soured citizens. To its credit, the 2011 General Assembly balanced the budget -- and did so on time. Further, the state Attorney General's Office has made significant and commendable progress in cleaning up legislative corruption.
Complete validation of former Attorney General -- now Governor -- Tom Corbett's Capitol corruption scandal probes came with the plea bargain of former House Speaker John Perzel. Perzel, the former 800-pound gorilla of state politics, ruled the House with an iron hand and was ruthless with anyone who opposed him.
He is now headed for federal prison.
Perzel and his minions spent millions of taxpayer dollars for one purpose -- to elect enough subservient Republicans to the Legislature to retain a majority and preserve Perzel's power. Some 25 individuals have been charged with corruption and 15 have either been convicted or copped a plea. The other 10 -- including former House Speaker Bill DeWeese, a Democrat -- await trail.
Lord Acton said: "Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely." First uttered in 1887, that is as true today as it was then. Perzel arrived from Philadelphia as the unlikely winner of his House seat in 1979. He served 16 terms before losing last November.
Perzel's stunning fall from power should serve as a lesson to today's General Assembly. Despite this, there remain in power those who feel they are entitled to their jobs; who believe they are to be courted, rather than to serve. While not guilty of legal corruption, these legislators have perverted the governmental process.
It is, however, important not to paint all members of the General Assembly with the same brush. The positive effect of Bonusgate and the Capitol corruption scandals has been to bring about a housecleaning of sorts -- numerous incumbents were swept out in 2010. The new lawmakers are keenly aware of the circumstances that brought them to Harrisburg and are pushing for change. But, given the top-down nature of Pennsylvania's legislative bodies, change will be slow in coming.
For starters, Pennsylvania should return to the part-time citizen Legislature envisioned by our Founding Fathers. Forget about arguments that today's complex society requires a full-time Legislature. It does not. Texas, a much larger state, operates with a part-time Legislature. Maryland's legislative sessions last 90 days each year. Truth be told, Pennsylvania's legislative sessions occupy about the same amount of time, but are spread out with two- or three-day work weeks and lengthy recesses. For example, the General Assembly recessed June 30 and won't return until late September, almost a three-month break.
The fall of Perzel and corruption convictions are a necessary first step in cleaning up the mess in Harrisburg. The Attorney General's Office has mopped up, but the task of rebuilding and reforming lies ahead.
Lowman S. Henry is Chairman & CEO of the Lincoln Institute and host of the weekly Lincoln Radio Journal. His e-mail address is lhenry@lincolninstitute.org
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