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Reflections on Democratic ‘leadership’

As 2009 draws to a close, it’s important to step back and examine some examples of where Democratic “leaders” have failed our country and state in the recent weeks.

In Pittsburgh, Mayor Luke Ravenstahl, who ran on a platform that included “Enhancing Our Children’s Educational Opportunities,” is now spending the Christmas season attacking Pittsburgh’s student population with a tuition tax that will, in some cases, raise the cost of seeking a higher education in Pittsburgh by potentially hundreds of dollars. The tax, which will levy a 1 percent fee on college tuition collected within the Steel City, sends a clear signal that Mayor Ravenstahl and Pittsburgh Democrats care more about increasing the size and scope of the government than doing everything they can to attract the top minds in the world to Pittsburgh’s numerous colleges and universities. Holding the futures of college students hostage during Finals Week is not only cruel, it’s indicative of Mayor Ravenstahl’s inability to properly govern his city in a fiscally responsible matter.

Of course, it’s not like he can look up to anybody in the state House for guidance. Just last week, Democrats in the state House could not even summon enough members to the floor to allow debate on table games in Pennsylvania’s casinos. Of course, recent reports also stated that some Democrats were so enthralled by the process that they were seen “playing cards” on their laptops after the debate finally started. Perhaps the House Democrats decided that getting an early start on last weekend’s Pennsylvania Society activities were more important than one of the most controversial issues facing our Commonwealth?

On the other side of the coin, Congressional Democrats have spent the last six months sprinting in place while attempting to pass a massively cumbersome government-run health care plan. While Senator Harry Reid is conducting a virtual fire sale in order to reach a filibuster-proof rumors are swirling that Speaker Nancy Pelosi is willing to lose up to 30 House seats in order to see this cornerstone of her extreme liberal agenda passed. At a time when our nation is facing one of the worst economic crises in our nation’s history, it’s sad to know that our Congressional leaders are more concerned with putting political points on the board than actually taking a thoughtful, step-by-step approach to addressing such a critical issue within our nation.

While Democratic leadership (or lack thereof) is hurting constituents across the Commonwealth, I am counting the days until voters get the chance to send Republican leaders to the rescue.

December 17, 2009 at 12:01 pm

--Michael Barley

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