Is Tom Corbett a Revolutionary?

By G. Terry Madonna & Michael L. Young 

Revolutionary, radical, iconoclast, insurrectionist—these are not words one usually uses to describe Pennsylvania’s new governor, Tom Corbett. Yet if Corbett achieves most or all of his announced first term agenda, he will easily become the most transformative governor in modern state history. 

Compared to Corbett, Tom Ridge was a slacker, Bob Casey a slouch, Dick Thornburgh a shirker, and Milton Shapp a mere idler. 

Skeptical that Corbett will pursue his ambitious agenda? Then consider this: most governors, including recently departed Ed Rendell, actually accomplish most of their aims in office. Contrary to much received wisdom, most governors keep most of their promises most of the time. 

Just how sweeping is the Corbett change agenda? Its details won’t be revealed until his budget speech in early March. But this much is clear: Corbett and his Republican allies are proposing to remake state government in ways not seen in anyone’s lifetime.

Massive budget reductions are just the opening act. Corbett intends to shrink state government, eliminate the state liquor monopoly, reduce business taxes, institute school vouchers, pass lawsuit reform, restructure public welfare, reform the state legislature, and much more. 

And he has pledged to do all of this without raising taxes or fees.

What sets Corbett so apart from his predecessors is the scope of his goals. Past governors have run campaigns to “reform” and “change” the culture in Harrisburg. Running against Harrisburg is not new. Nor are many of Corbett’s ideas, such as privatizing liquor stores or instituting school vouchers. Both Dick Thornburgh in the 1980s and Tom Ridge in the 1990s pushed similar ideas. 

What is new, however, is that past governors never promised, as Corbett has, to pursue their reform agendas while scrupulously avoiding taxincreases. In fact, governors have done exactly the opposite during the last four recessions dating back to the 1970s. They have sought their policy goals by expanding the functions of state government and raising state taxes to meet budget deficits.

Milton Shapp illustrates the pattern. He won the governorship in 1970 not by eschewing tax hikes, but by embracing them. During his successful campaign he energetically called for the first permanent income tax in state history. Similarly, both Dick Thornburgh in 1983 and Bob Casey in 1991 supported income tax hikes during recessionary years.

Corbett, in marked contrast, has rejected any kind of tax hike, calling instead for major downsizing of state government along with wide-ranging privatization of governmental functions. He is attempting to tackle the largest change agenda in a century. In the process, he aims to fundamentally restructure the role and function of state government.

Can he do it?

Certainly there are some reasons to expect him to succeed. As noted earlier, most governors accomplish most of their agendas. Some, such as Ed Rendell, end up relatively unpopular, while others, like Tom Ridge and Bob Casey, leave office well liked. But liked or disliked, governors usually get the job done. 

A second reason to expect Corbett to succeed is the nature of the legislature serving with him. Since the infamous pay hike fiasco of 2005, almost half of the state House and one third of the state Senate has been replaced by new members, many of them committed to reform. Few, if any, past governors have been blessed with a legislature more likely to oppose new taxes, support privatization initiatives, and seek structural reforms in state government—all key Corbett goals. Moreover, Corbett will be aided by a new, vigorous GOP leadership dramatically more likely to support fundamental structural change. 

Nevertheless, there are two huge unknowns, both largely beyond Corbett’s influence, which may thwart him. One is the economy—how fast it will recover and how much it will grow. If the recession should unexpectedly deepen or the recovery slow materially, Corbett may have to deal with an even larger deficit, adding considerable pressure to increase taxes.

The second unknown is the amount of financial aid forthcoming from the federal government. Presently, the outlook for substantial assistance from Washington is not auspicious. Fewer federal dollars may generate strong pressures to raise state taxes.

Finally, perhaps the greatest unknown is Corbett himself. He is inmany ways a blank slate. A career prosecutor, he has never served in the legislature or Congress. Nor has he made policy as a member of the executive branch he now heads. His ideology is largely unknown. How he will react to unfolding challenges is impossible to forecast.

He may, as other governors have done, react pragmatically to the myriad challenges he faces, seeking solutions that work politically rather than ideas that resonate ideologically. On the other hand, he may evolve into the committed ideologue he has sometimes evoked, using his tenure in office to push a transformative agenda and bring fundamental change to state government.

Meanwhile, the clock is ticking. Tom Corbett is going to work on what may be the greatest set of challenges faced by any Pennsylvania governor in a century. One thing, however, is certain. Either Pennsylvania is about to experience dramatic change in a short period—or Tom Corbett is.

Politically Uncorrected™ is published twice monthly, and previous columns can be viewed at http://politics.fandm.edu.

Generous unemployment benefits have put Pennsylvania in a bind

Guest Column By Kevin Shivers

Lawmakers in Harrisburg are properly occupied with the challenge of replenishing the state’s exhausted unemployment compensation fund. The National Federation of Independent Business, which represents nearly 14,000 small businesses in Pennsylvania, agrees that this must be an urgent priority.We believe as well, however, that a solution preferred by some, which starts with higher taxes on businesses, would drive unemployment higher and extend the recession.

It is important to remember that like many states, Pennsylvania drained money from the unemployment fund to pay for generous benefit increases when the economy was booming. NFIB warned against such irresponsibility, but the spenders in Harrisburg paid little attention. Now the chickens have come home, and the same people who cheered the spending binge then, and who helped to drag down Pennsylvania’s economic competitiveness, are now urging Gov. Corbett to break his promise and siphon more money from businesses and wage earners.

The problem is not that Pennsylvania taxes too little. Indeed, we rank 10th in the country for unemployment taxes per employee. The average this year is more than $400 per worker. Raising the taxable wage base to $12,000, as some state lawmakers propose, would raise employer payroll taxes by more than $100 per worker and result in roughly 13,000 lost jobs. A proposal by President Obama to raise the taxable wage base to $15,000 would be even more costly.

Whether the taxable wage base is increased to $12,000 or $15,000, it is difficult to imagine a more powerful disincentive to hiring new workers than a massive tax penalty for hiring new workers. The real problem is that Pennsylvania has among the most generous unemployment benefits in the country.

Last year it paid out more than any other state except for California, despite that its population is one-third the size and its unemployment rate was lower. In fact, it is common for some individuals to collect more in benefits than they earned on the job. Another flaw in the system is that we don’t require beneficiaries to prove that they’re looking for new work as a condition of eligibility.

For starters, Congress should repeal a 2009 federal mandate that requires states to expand benefits in order to accept federal unemployment solvency funds. Second, Congress should extend the grace-period to allow states, ultimately employers, to repay the federal unemployment trust fund without interest and penalties.

To fix Pennsylvania’s state unemployment trust fund, small-business owners recommend a three-pronged strategy to reduce the cost of hiring and employment; require unemployed workers to seek and accept work; and implement initiatives and provide services that are most effective in assisting unemployed workers in returning to work.

Pennsylvania owes the federal government $3 billion, which is a deep hole from which to dig out. But starting with higher taxes is not the solution. In fact, our members are certain that they would make the hole deeper.

Kevin Shivers is director of the Pennsylvania office of the National Federation of Independent Business, the largest small-business advocacy group in the country.

Let's get rid of unneeded mandates

Editorial By Jeanette Krebs of The Patriot-News

Cut expenses. Scale back. Pull in the belt. Consolidate services.

Local government officials are hearing those phrases a lot these days and not just from residents fearing big tax hikes in tough times. State and federal officials, who know they won’t give our towns, cities and schools as much financial love this year, also are saying it. It is a good time, local officials are told, to adjust priorities and think about what communities can do without.

Here are a couple of things off the top of my head: Jury commissioners and some constable services.
Most counties in this day and age don’t have much use for a jury commissioner and have said publicly that they don’t want one (i.e., Cumberland County). Other staff and computers are handling the job.

Why then, you might ask, would a county waste your hard-earned money to keep jury commissioners on the payroll? The answer is simple: They can’t be fired.

It is a mandate, a requirement of the state that counties have to keep this position intact — barring only a few exceptions.

There’s more. Consider our constables. Under state law, counties are required to pay constables to be present at polling places each Election Day.

This is despite the fact that in some cases — a precinct in Susquehanna Twp. for one — people vote someplace right beside a police station.

If the rare voting booth melee actually ensued, couldn’t the police handle it? Taxpayers are right to ask: Why can’t we save money and keep the constables at home?

The reason? Another mandate.

So I guess the state’s thinking is that although a requirement might be outdated and unnecessary, it doesn’t mean that you and I shouldn’t still pay for it.

Just last week, the County Commissioners Association of Pennsylvania released its top priorities for 2011, among them investing in farmland, methods for fixing bridges and improving emergency services. But the No. 1 goal of the group is mandate relief.

It isn’t just counties facing this problem. School districts deal with numerous mandates ranging from what must be taught and tested to how building construction is bid and when teachers can be furloughed.

During a year when Gov. Tom Corbett is talking about slashing $1 billion from public schools, they want some help.

For example, the Pennsylvania School Boards Association says the state must take a hard look at the prevailing wage laws. It is one of the most costly mandates on school construction.

Prevailing wage is determined by the hourly wage, benefits and overtime paid in the largest community in each county. It is then used to pay workers, laborers, and mechanics on construction jobs related to some government entities. PSBA is suggesting it be suspended for two years so that the recent federal stimulus money can be used to its maximum. This is something worth exploring.

The worst part for local governments is that even when they get less money from the state and federal government — which is certain this year — they don’t get a break on all the requirements — they are unfunded mandates.

Here’s another ironic example. Tax money is down because of the economy meaning counties have less revenue yet they are not allowed to collect real estate taxes through a county office they must use local tax collectors. Making the switch would save even the smallest counties $100,000.

Certainly there are mandates and statutory provisions that are important and need to be in place. But on other fronts, our local officials need to have greater flexibility in order to save money where they can. Lawmakers need to take a hard look at these mandates and provide relief where it makes sense.
Will it happen this year?

Brinda Carroll Penyak, deputy director of the county commissioners group, says lawmakers seem to be listening as county commissioners tell them of the grim realities they face. She said she is “pretty encouraged” that there could be changes this year.

With luck, she’s right.

When county officials look at their budgets at this time next year, let’s hope line items for jury commissioners, constables at polling places and some tax collectors, among other unneeded expenses, will have been removed.

The Rendell --- And Now Corbett--- Bailout: Build Ships With No Buyers

Freindly Fire Note:

On February 17, Governor Tom Corbett authorized the $42 million shipyard bailout.   Two ships will now be constructed --- even though there are no buyers, nor any in the foreseeable future --- and hundreds of union jobs will now be subsidized.  So much for the pledge of responsible government and fiscal restraint, especially in light of the $5 billion budget deficit.

The wildly successful model that Gov. Christie has given his colleagues --- popularity will rise if you stick to your campaign promises --- is, incomprehensibly, falling on deaf ears. It is bad enough Corbett is being labeled "Governor MIA" for scarce appearances during his first five weeks in office.  But when his first sign of life  is choosing a bailout associated with politically-connected powerbrokers over the taxpayers who just elected him, the idea that Pennsylvania is on the right track becomes a hard sell.

As of now, the status quo still rules the day...

Column originally published January 6, 2011:

Corbett Can Drop Anchor On Governor’s Taxpayer Boondoggle

In the movie Dave, Kevin Kline plays a presidential lookalike who finds himself running the country after the real President falls into a coma.  Convening a Cabinet meeting, this political novice uses common sense to expose the ludicrous mentality of the entrenched Business As Usual crowd.

Kline asks the Commerce Secretary about an ad campaign his Department has implemented to boost consumer confidence in the American auto industry.  “It’s designed to bolster individual confidence in a previous domestic automotive purchase,” the Secretary proudly explained.

Speechless at first, Kline fires back, “We're spending millions for somebody to feel good about a car they already bought? I don't want to tell an eight-year-old kid he's gotta sleep in the street because we want people to feel better about their car. Do you want to tell him that?”  The shocked Secretary (finally) sees the light, and the program is eliminated.

Incredibly, that mentality isn’t limited to fictional Hollywood scripts, but is a large part of the way our governmental leaders operate. Look at what Pennsylvania’s Ed Rendell is trying to pull off before he walks out of the Governor’s Mansion a few weeks from now.

Shortly before leaving office, Rendell authorized $42 million in taxpayer money to be sent to the Philadelphia Regional Port Authority (PRPA) to help bail out the sinking Aker Shipyard in Philadelphia.

The funding, we are told, would prevent Aker from going under, since it would be building two new tanker ships.

Of course, there’s one small problem.

There are no buyers for the ships.  And the prospect of that changing course anytime soon is virtually nonexistent.

Thousands of ships worldwide are lying at anchor because of the global recession, idled indefinitely because the demand for shipping is dismally low.  It’s gotten so bad that some ship owners are even scrapping their vessels to eliminate harbor costs, receiving pennies on the dollar. But the remaining glut of vessels is still huge, depressing prices for the foreseeable future.

So, let’s be “Dave” for a second and get this straight.

Rendell wants to spend money --- our money, since there’s no such thing as “state” money --- to build ships…that no one is going to buy, ostensibly so some 1,000 workers can keep receiving a subsidized paycheck. And since there aren’t any buyers, the ships obviously wouldn’t be built-to-order, further devaluing them and making their eventual purchase all the more difficult.

Rendell may not care, but I certainly wouldn’t want to tell a mother that her child died in a bridge collapse that resulted from a lack of maintenance --- because $42 million was spent on ghost ships instead of bridge repairs.

But what type of Rendell move would it be if he didn’t take care of his political pals and big-time fundraisers?

The Chairman of the PRPA is none other than John Estey, former Rendell Chief of Staff and a longtime partner at Ballard Spahr, the Guv’s old firm which has received the lion’s share of millions in no-bid legal contracts from the state.  And guess who the outside counsel of PRPA was?  Ballard Spahr.

This is the same John Estey who is also Chairman of the Delaware River Port Authority (DRPA), which is intricately linked to the PRPA, sending millions their way over the years.

The DRPA couldn’t dole out legal contracts fast enough to Ballard when it served as its outside counsel --- over $3.2 million since Rendell was elected in 2002, up from $480 the year prior. And when Chairman Estey voted to approve those legal bills, he was, in fact, approving funds that went directly to Ballard --- his own firm.

Ballard and its associated entities, by the way, have contributed $1.5 million to Rendell.

The Philadelphia Port Authority is nothing if not politically-connected, too: two Board members alone have donated over $350,000 to the Governor’s campaigns.

It must be nice (and lucrative) to represent both Authorities when all that “Other People’s Money,” to quote the legendary Vince Fumo, is flying around, but that’s another story.

But to make the story even more interesting, enter Manny Stamatakis, Chairman of the nonprofit Philadelphia Shipyard Development Corporation.  That is the entity which will receive the $42 million so it can buy Aker assets and lease them back to the company as part of the bailout.  Some might call that a shell game.

“If they don't build these next two ships, this yard is shutting down," Stamatakis was reported as saying.  Well then, let’s not mess around, Manny.  Let’s make it $420 million and employ 10,000 workers.  Or even $4.2 billion so that Aker can build 200 ships.  No one will buy them, either, but so what?  We’re keeping people employed and the political-elite will be happy.

Ironically, the entity that should be in the best position to throw money Aker’s way would be the DRPA with all the economic development money it controlled.  But it was under Manny’s watch as DRPA Chairman that much of the $500 million in such funds were blown --- pretty much on everything not related to bridges or ports.

And now Stamatakis is Chairman of the Shipyard Development Corporation.  Go figure.

Hope is not lost though.  Attorney General Tom Corbett must still approve the contract.

Sources have told Freindly Fire that the lobbying on Corbett to let this contract sail through before his January 18 gubernatorial inauguration by has been extremely intense.  Given the Rendell Administration’s track record with these types of contracts, that should be red flag enough to put the brakes on this deal until all questions are thoroughly answered.  And clearly, questions abound.

The Rendell legacy has been one of abject failure for all Pennsylvanians not linked at the hip to the Governor, and the attempted Aker bailout is a perfect illustration of how he achieved that dubious status.

Like two ships passing in the night, Corbett and Rendell could not be any more different in their direction. Here’s hoping Corbett drops anchor on Rendell’s last hurrah and charts a course for safer harbors.

Chris Freind is an independent columnist, television commentator, and investigative reporter who operates his own news bureau, www.FreindlyFireZone.com
Readers of his column, “Freindly Fire,” hail from six continents, thirty countries and all fifty states. His work has been referenced in numerous publications including The Wall Street Journal, National Review Online, foreign newspapers, and in Dick Morris' recent bestseller "Catastrophe."
Freind, whose column appears nationally in Newsmax, also serves as a guest commentator on Philadelphia-area talk radio shows, and makes numerous other television and radio appearances, most notably on FOX.  He can be reached at CF@FreindlyFireZone.com

'Judy Schwank raised our property taxes 52%'

If you watched "Journalists Roundtable" on the Pennsylvania Cable Network Thursday night, I predicted Republican Larry Medaglia would hammer Democrat Judy Schwank on her record of raising taxes while she served as a Berks County commissioner.

And guess what shows up in mailboxes all over Berks County on Friday? A mailing on behalf of Medaglia with big bold letters stating: "Judy Schwank Raised Our Property Taxes 52%"

Schwank voted for an 18% property tax hike in 2001 and followed it up with a 34% property tax hike in 2004.

The flier reminds voters: "She Raised Our Taxes Before. She'll Do It Again."

The special election to fill the unexpired term in the 11th State Senate District is scheduled for Tuesday, March 15.

"Journalists Roundtable" will be shown again Sunday at 5 p.m. and 11 p.m. and Monday at 10 a.m. on the Pennsylvania Cable Network. Check the PCN website for the cable channel in your area.

For more about the Medaglia campaign, visit his websiste at www.larrymedagliaforsenate.com

Ryan Costello is new Chester County commissioner

Chester County Recorder of Deeds Ryan Costello got a promotion Thursday.

Costello is the newest member of the Chester County Board of Commissioners, picked from 7 finalists who were interviewed for the post by the county's judges.

Costello, a Republican, will fill the unexpired term of Carol Aichele, who recently joined Gov. Tom Corbett's cabinet.

"I am honored to have earned the confidence and unanimous support of the board of judges to serve as interim Commissioner," Costello told The Mercury shortly after the announcement was made Thursday evening.

Aichele's term runs until the end of the year. Costello is a candidate for a full four-year term on the three-member commissioners' board.

The other two commissioners, Republican Terence Farrell and Democrat Kathi Cozzone, have also announced plans to seek re-election.

Each political party will nominate two candidates in the May primary and the top three vote-getters in the November general election will win seats on the Board of Commissioners.

Republicans have always held the majority on the commissioners' board and a Farrell-Costello team would have the advantage going into November.

Read more about Costello's appointment in a story by reporter Evan Brandt at the link below:

Costello tapped as new Chesco commissioner - pottsmerc.com

GOP has solid chance to win O'Pake Senate seat

Republican Larry Medaglia Jr. has launched a website in support of his campaign for Pennsylvania's 11th state Senate District, which covers most of Berks County.

The special election to fill the unexpired term of the late Sen. Mike O'Pake is scheduled for Tuesday, March 15.

Medaglia's campaign theme is: "The People's Choice for State Senate."

The current Berks County Register of Wills and former Berks Republican Party chairman, Medaglia is pushing four major issues: 1) Property Tax Elimination 2) Economic Growth and Job Creation 3) Reforming State Government and 4) Improving Basic Education

"This campaign is about the future of our community - a future where government leaders must be willing to make difficult choices and truly serve the community by lowering the tax burden and focusing resources on creating economic opportunities for everyone," Medaglia states on the website.

Medaglia's opponent is former Berks County Commissioner Judy Schwank, who voted to raise property taxes by 34% before leaving office four years ago.

Although Democrats enjoy a voter-registration advantage because the City of Reading is part of the 11th Senatorial District, Medaglia has a good chance of winning the election because he has waged successful countywide campaigns and the Democratic Party is split in its support of Schwank.

Many party loyalists wanted state Rep. Dante Santoni Jr., an 18-year veteran of Harrisburg, to be the candidate. Santoni's 126th House District is part of the 11th Senate District and Santoni is used to running campaigns and winning.

Schwank hasn't run for political office in more than eight years.

A party insider tells me Santoni and his supporters are very bitter at the way the party leaders picked a candidate and support for Schwank among active party workers is weak.

Visit Medaglia's website here.

Schwank Vs. Medaglia in special election for PA Senate seat

What I know about Larry Medaglia Jr., the Republican candidate in the special election for the 11th state Senate seat in Berks County: The Berks County Register of Wills office is more efficient thanks to reforms Medaglia has instituted, saving taxpayers money.

What I know about Judy Schwank, the Democratic candidate: When she was chairwoman of the Berks County Commissioners four years ago, she was the deciding vote for a 34% property tax hike for Berks County homeowners and businesses.

The race is basically a fiscal conservative vs. a tax-and-spend liberal.

The election to fill the unexpired term of the late Sen. Mike O'Pake will be held Tuesday, March 15.

Schwank Vs. Medaglia in special election - Boyertown Area Times - Berks-Mont News

Rendell’s Legacy: High Taxes, Low Ratings And Clenched Teeth

It was a December night, late 90’s.  My entire family was in downtown Philadelphia taking in the Christmas attractions.  One of our traditions was marveling at the magnificently decorated, larger-than-life tree in the City Hall courtyard.  But when we arrived, the gates were locked.

Viewing the tree wasn’t going to happen.

Disappointed, we started walking away when none other than the Mayor himself came bounding out of City Hall right next to us, clearly in a hurry.  But he saw us, turned around, and shot the bull for several minutes.  Upon hearing our plight, he immediately summoned a police officer from his detail and instructed him to take us up to his office, which “has the best view of the tree,” for as long as we wanted.

That tree never looked so beautiful.

And through it all, that Mayor never asked us our names or where we lived.  Whether or not we were voting constituents had absolutely no bearing on him.  He instinctively did what he thought was right, in much the same way he operated while an Assistant District Attorney, and later, the City’s DA.  He was one of the good guys.

And after his two relatively successful terms as Mayor, hopes that he would lead Pennsylvania in the right direction were not unfounded.

But after eight disastrous years as Pennsylvania’s Governor, Ed Rendell being viewed as a “good guy” is as likely as the Eagles’ winning this year’s Super Bowl: nonexistent.

*****

Up to this point, his legacy was known for three things: the introduction of gambling, which did not live up to the promise of tax-relief; huge tax hikes, coupled with a 40 per cent increase in state spending; and a perception of widespread pay-to-play within his Administration. Of lesser note but still sore subjects were his signing an unconstitutional legislative pay raise and not getting a single budget passed on time --- budgets that were full of smoke and mirrors, such as imaginary revenue from the failed I-80 tolling plan.

But now, the image of Rendell that is etched in people’s minds is the Governor blowing his top during one of his final interviews. 

With teeth clenched in a menacing growl, he karate-chops the air and literally screams at 60 Minutes interviewer Lesley Stahl that … “You guys don't get that. You're simpletons. You're idiots if you don't get that."   He was defending his position that gaming was good for Pennsylvania, under the rationale that if gamblers are going to lose their paychecks anyway, it’s better for state coffers if they lose them in Pennsylvania.

Truth be told, Rendell’s anger wasn’t really directed at Stahl.  An intelligent man, the Governor is all too aware that, under his watch, the state earned points in all the wrong categories: some of the highest taxes in the country; the nation’s most hostile legal system, causing doctors and companies to flee; a failing educational product; the country’s worst roads, and a decimated manufacturing base.

Pennsylvania’s biggest export is its children, and that, more than anything, has extinguished the hope for a better tomorrow under Rendell.

But if there is ever to be a turnaround, the time is now. Republican Attorney General Tom Corbett will be the state’s new Governor, a leader who has promised to run Pennsylvania in the mold of New Jersey’s Chris Christie.  And he definitely has the horses to accomplish his agenda: the Senate is solidly Republican, and the State House saw a thirteen seat swing to give the GOP a double-digit majority.

Many analysts postulated that Dan Onorato was defeated in the Governor’s race, and the Democrats lost control of the State House, because of the national Republican tidal wave, with Rendell playing little role in that result.

Nothing could be further from the truth.

In the off-year elections of 1994 and 2010, newly elected Democratic Presidents pushed unpopular policies: Clinton with national health care and gays in the military, and Obama with universal healthcare, cap-and-trade and the stimulus. In both cases, Republicans took advantage of the momentum and captured the U.S. House of Representatives and numerous Governorships, including the gubernatorial victories of Tom Ridge and Tom Corbett in Pennsylvania. 

The State House was a different story. In 1994, the outgoing Governor, Bob Casey, Sr., was a popular conservative Democrat, and his influence helped the Dems maintain their slim majority. But Rendell was an albatross around the neck of Onorato, his protégé, and Democratic incumbents statewide.  Given that Corbett made Rendell’s legacy the focal point of his campaign, the Governor bears the most responsibility for his Party’s shellacking.

It’s legacy time for the Governor, and his approval ratings are downright dismal: twenties throughout much of the state and only thirties in his home base of Southeastern Pennsylvania. Poll numbers don’t lie, so when the vast majority of people say that Rendell’s eight years at the helm were a disaster, the realization of failure sets in, and backlashes occur --- hence the uncontrolled outburst on 60 Minutes.

Perhaps the most surprising aspect of Rendell’s unpopularity is that it occurred despite the media’s cozy relationship with the Governor.  That free pass culminated when Brian Tierney, (former) publisher of the Philadelphia Inquirer and Daily News --- the state’s largest papers --- sought a taxpayer bailout from Rendell himself, who was primed and ready to comply.  Thankfully, this was eventually nixed.

But if you read the glowing editorial in the Inky this past Sunday, you’d have thought Rendell walked on water. Consider these beauties:

“…he is leaving office as one of the most effective and capable governors that Pennsylvania has ever had.”

Nothing like telling 70 percent of Pennsylvanians they are dead wrong. And who says the media is elitist?

“…Rendell has led the state to impressive gains in public education.”

How?  By throwing an endless supply of taxpayer money into the black hole we call Philadelphia’s deathtrap schools?  If more funding was the solution, we’d have the best and brightest students.  Instead, we have unacceptable dropout rates, functional illiterates, low SAT scores and unaccountable teachers’ unions. But God forbid we try the only solution proven to work --- school choice.  The unions wouldn’t like that, and far be it for the Governor to offend a big contributor.

Speaking of which, from the bailout of Boscov’s to the millions bestowed upon Ballard Spahr, the Governor’s former law firm, Rendell has, first and foremost, taken care of his political pals and big-dollar contributors.  That, of course, was completely lost on the Inquirer’s editorial board as it opined, “Rendell's push for tax breaks resulted in the construction of Comcast's new corporate headquarters in Center City...”

Tax breaks?  Come on!  Those were blatant cash giveaways of OPM --- Other People’s Money! The Comcast-Rendell High Speed Money Connection was nothing more than corporate welfare to a multi-billion giant whose employees, political action committee, and executives (and spouses) --- including Rendell confidant, former Ballard boss and Chairman of the Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce David Cohen --- just so happened to throw almost $750,000 Rendell’s way. 

 “…The gaming part of Rendell's legacy has yet to play out. The new casino industry is providing jobs, as well as revenue for significant property-tax relief.”

Property-tax relief? Where?  Uranus?

Introducing addictive gambling as the centerpiece of an Administration and thinking it will lead to an economic revival is naïve, at best. But to rabidly defend it despite its obvious failures is deserving of our pity.

“…Overall, this governor was a friend of citizens whose voices don't often get heard in the halls of power. Pennsylvania has benefited as a result.”

Wait.  When did politically-connected law firms, unions and big-time fundraisers stop having their voices heard?

Here’s the sad reality.  If Rendell kept his word by not vetoing the Fair Share Act (limiting liability in lawsuits), if he hadn’t taxed people and businesses to the brink, if he had acted with a even a shred of responsibility when it came to budget spending, if he demanded accountability in our schools instead of being beholden to union interests, and if he instituted transparency and reform in state government, then Pennsylvania wouldn’t be near the bottom in job creation, economic opportunity --- and hope.

That this is lost on the insulated media is not surprising. But it’s certainly not lost on the only ones who matter --- the people. Tom Corbett and his Party would do well to always remember that.

To paraphrase a popular saying, a legacy is a terrible thing to waste.

Chris Freind is an independent columnist, television commentator, and investigative reporter who operates his own news bureau, www.FreindlyFireZone.com
Readers of his column, “Freindly Fire,” hail from six continents, thirty countries and all fifty states. His work has been referenced in numerous publications including The Wall Street Journal, National Review Online, foreign newsApapers, and in Dick Morris' recent bestseller "Catastrophe."
Freind, whose column appears nationally in Newsmax, also serves as a guest commentator on Philadelphia-area talk radio shows, and makes numerous other television and radio appearances, most notably on FOX.  He can be reached at CF@FreindlyFireZone.com

Millennials join battle vs. abortion

 

Guest Column By Maria Vitale

Twenty-three-year-old Pennsylvanian Abigail Kiehl has never known a time when abortion wasn’t legal. Yet, when she’s not planning parties, making jewelry, or writing, she’s working within her church to educate members of her congregation about what she views as the civil rights struggle of her generation: Ending abortion.

“I used to think that I was too young to be involved with pro-life,” Abigail says. “But I have seen how abortion affects every age, race, and gender. Therefore I have given it my face and voice.”

Abigail has been motivated to lend her talents to a local pregnancy resource center and become involved in grassroots pro-life advocacy. She’s seen first-hand the heartache and tears which, she says, “shroud abortion.”

“I cannot bring back life that is gone, but I can be a voice of truth,” Abigail points out.

Andrew Bair, also 23 and also from Pennsylvania, is into the TV shows “Glee” and “The Office,” and spends a fair amount of time posting political news on Twitter. But he is also passionately pro-life. And he and Abigail have plenty of company. “As a generation we are keenly aware of human rights causes and are more willing to lend our support,” Andrew says. “Look no further than the ubiquitous ‘Save Darfur’ T-shirts worn by young people or the large number of fundraisers for Haiti sponsored by student groups. The 50 million unborn children that have lost their lives since Roe v. Wade are no exception. Many young people are speaking out for the right to life of all people.”

Research indicates a majority of the Millennials — those young people born between the late ’70s and the ’90s — are strongly pro-life.

A Knights of Columbus/Marist poll conducted last year found that 58 percent of people age 18 to 29 believe abortion is morally wrong. Students for Life of America chapters on college campuses have skyrocketed from 181 in 2006 to the current total of more than 570.

It’s also been estimated that at least half of the thousands of people who participate each year in the March for Life in Washington, D.C., are under the age of 30.

Why are these students, who grew up in an era when abortions are more common than liposuctions, pro-life? The answer may be more personal than political. With one in five pregnancies ending in abortion, these young people realize there are brothers, sisters, and cousins who are not here today solely because of Roe.

As Andrew notes, “Tragically we have never met many of our peers, classmates, and friends because they were aborted. Our generation is saying enough is enough.”

To a large extent, the pro-life story of the Millennial Generation is being told in pictures — ultrasound pictures which depict the development of the child in the womb. It’s hard to look at an ultrasound post on a social networking site and not recognize that you’re seeing an actual baby.

“Young people do not buy the pro-abortion myth that an unborn child is just a blob of tissue,” Andrew says. “When friends on Facebook post the ultrasound pictures of their little babies in the womb, it could not be clearer that the only difference between an unborn child and a born child is geography.”

Many of these young people have also heard the tearful testimony of women who have had abortions who experience profound regret, in addition to physical and emotional complications such as sterility, depression, and flashbacks. It has become clear that abortion not only ends an innocent life, but it can scar a woman for life.

For pro-life members of the Millennial Generation, ending abortion is not just a distant dream. They view it as a critical step in restoring a culture of life in their communities.

As Abigail Kiehl says, “There is an urgency for this generation to take a stand for life. We cannot let the fire for life die down.”

Maria Vitale is education director of the Pennsylvania Pro-Life Federation in Harrisburg.

U.S. National Debt Tops $14 Trillion

You may not have noticed it during the busy holiday rush, but the U.S. national debt has topped $14 trillion under Barack Obama.

It now stands at $14,001,550,000 - and rising by the second. Broken down by population, every man, woman and child in the United States owes $45,000.

The interest alone on the national debt has now topped $3.5 trillion.

Barack Obama and Congressional Democrats have increased the national debt by more than $3 trillion in just two years.

The debt was $10.6 trillion when Obama took office in January 2009.

And for the Kool-Aid drinkers out there who can't accept the fact that Obama has plunged the nation into uncharted debt territory, consider that it took George W. Bush eight full years to increase the debt by $4.9 trillion.

Left unchecked, Obama is on pace to push the debt to $16.5 trillion in 2012 (his last year in office) or $6 trillion more than the day he was sworn in.

If you can stomach it, follow the real-time debt at http://www.usdebtclock.org/

If you're waiting for Superman at school ... think again

 

Guest Column By Jake Miller 

I have a revelation to make: I'm no Superman.

I'm not faster than a speeding bullet; I cannot outpower a locomotive; and I am unable to leap tall buildings in a single bound. I cannot use X-ray vision, am not invulnerable, and I lack super-hearing and freezing breath. I am neither a bird, nor a plane. I'm a teacher.
 
But I am prone to the negativity of kryptonite. You can read it in the newspapers, see it on television or watch it on the big screen.

Every time this small group of vociferous people - from former Washington, D.C. Education Chancellor Michelle Rhee to the local blogosphere - publishes their next anti-teacher diatribe, I, like Superman, feel pained, nauseated and immobilized to perform my job.


And I have found this kryptonite is not just hurting me, but the future of America.
 
First, let's come to terms - we are on the cusp of an educational revolution. Fifteenth place in reading and 20th place in mathematics is by no means a comfortable place in our world. Something needs to be done, so most of the public turns its attention to teachers.

Studies have shown - from dissertations to Davis Guggenheim's recent film "Waiting for Superman" - the most effective way to better educate a child is to have great teachers.

More than new gadgets, laptops on every desk, class sizes, socio-economic status and curriculum, the best education begins with a huge heart in the center of the classroom.

But being the pulse for 25-160 students is a difficult and trying task.

Each of the students on my roster becomes a variable that pulls at the strings of my heart. I have had students with cognitive and reasoning disabilities, and others who spoke limited English. I also welcomed a few who are dyslexic, while others have autism, ADHD, ADD and had reading and math disabilities. But these are only the documented issues.

Off the record, students come from broken homes; others are bullied in school, while others see no importance in education. Some live alone; others have parents who place a greater priority in their drug use than in raising their children. Other students dabble in those vices themselves; while many more sleep so little on the average school night that they're just as incapacitated.

I see my students only 42 minutes a day for 180 days, but some of my students will spend more time playing the X-Box video game "Call of Duty: Black Ops" during their holiday break than they will in my classes for the year. Why?

Because students feel like they're in school held against their will.

We are teaching students for jobs that we don't even know exist, and yet we're doing it in an old-fashioned, factory-output method. In our nation's early educational history, students enjoyed education because it was a privilege to be educated.

Today, it is an obligation that some students equate with a prison sentence. And from this abyss some Superman is supposed to save the day.

That obligation can be much more valuable if it were a more community-supported one. Here are things you can do to build a community-supported school:

Go to school board meetings. You would be surprised how small the turnout is at a place where the American citizen can have the most impact.

Volunteer at your school. Every school can use an extra set of eyes, ears and hearts.

From tutoring to reading to students, PTOs, to walking the halls or being involved in extracurriculars, there's a place for you if you have the time, and not just in elementary school.

Become a mentor for a student. Some school districts have mentor programs, other nonprofits (such as Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Capital Area) fill that void. There are so many students who could use someone to look up to.

Share a word of thanks to someone who changed your life - and then model their guidance.
Empower students, don't coddle them. It feels like many of us - from parents to teachers to others - are more comfortable allowing students to be spectators in their own lives rather than motivated and aspiring stars.
Work with school district curriculum managers to build skills you hope to see at the university and workplace levels, instead of rote memorization.

Support great teachers, because sometimes they lose a little faith in their abilities, even if they're not akin to Superman's.

Just because we're expected to be made of steel doesn't mean we are.
While we teachers cannot outpower locomotives or leap from buildings, we can teach children.
We just need your help, not your kryptonite.

Jake Miller is a teacher at Cumberland Valley High School.