Thursday, July 3, 2014

Harrisburg

Many of the things going on in Harrisburg these days defy analysis, but that's really nothing new.

The budget is front and center.

It was passed by the house and senate Monday night.  It's not a great budget.  There's no tax on gas drillers, something the majority of Pennsylvanians seem to favor.  The state is still in the liquor business, something the majority of Pennsylvanians oppose.  Casino money, which was supposed to go toward property tax relief, is now plugging holes in the general fund-- a broken promise.

When the budget got to the governor's desk, he decided not to sign it and went home.  The governor, locked in a reelection battle, wanted pension fund contribution reform.  It's not there.  His own party refused to give it to him.

Yes, abandoned by his own party.  I learned a long time ago to never bet against an incumbent, but there are some exceptions.  Everyone knew Jimmy Carter didn't stand a chance against Ronald Reagan in 1980.  Bush the 41st looked out of touch, and his loss to Bill Clinton came as no surprise in 1992.  Rick Santorum's brand of politics was overwhelmed by Bob Casey in that senate race of 2006.  Jimmy Connors, Arlen Specter and Paul Kanjorski all stayed at the party too long.  Jackie Musto Carroll did nothing as second in command in the district attorneys office while THOUSANDS of kids were going before Mark Ciavarella without legal representation.  Don Sherwood made some bad decisions in his personal life.  Frank Harrison was enjoying a Latin American trip when thousands of his constituents were boiling their drinking water.  Tom McGroarty couldn't get along with people, and mayors need to do that.  I can write a book on the foibles of local state representatives.

You might have to add Tom Corbett's name to the endangered species list.  A new poll shows him losing ground to Tom Wolf, at a time when he should be gaining momentum.

Even Corbett supporters would probably admit this isn't their man's finest hour.  He didn't look in command during remarks delivered Sunday night.  He released a statement Monday night, and didn't go in front of the cameras, as his Democratic counterparts did.  Corbett doesn't appear to "owning" this moment.  It took the governor's public relations/press staff until Tuesday afternoon to explain what a refusal to sign the budget meant.  Included was a reassurance state government would continue to function, which should have come at 12:01 AM 7/1, not 14 hours later.  Either they were surprised by their boss's action or they need to be schooled on their jobs.  It's a crisis. Get in front of it.

And, there is Attorney General Kathleen Kane...  The Pennsylvania District Attorneys Association slammed Kane for her apparently politically motivated examination of the way her predecessor handled the Jerry Sandusky investigation.  During the campaign, Kane strongly suggested that Tom Corbett slowed the investigation into the former Penn State assistant football coach for political gain.  She was wrong, and a report proved that.  Full disclosure:  the Pennsylvania District Attorneys Association is controlled by Republicans, including Kane's opponent for the job in the last campaign.  Still, it has to make you stop and think.  Even the local newspaper, where Kane enjoys most favored nation status, published a column last weekend, suggesting she needs to "find her footing right now."