From the Blogs

Voter ID – zombie legislation that refuses to die

by Nia Meeks

For a party whose central tenet is supposed to revolve around individual rights and responsibilities, Republican strategists and policymakers seem to enjoy repression and restriction of said rights to stake out wins as of late.

Swing voters should feel cheated right about now. On the national and state level, they spoke loudly last fall, voting Republican in hopes of change, for jobs to be created, so things could get moving.

Instead, they got loud proclamations…

March 30, 2011 at 5:05 pm | Comments (4)

Is Senator Toomey keeping campaign promises?

Nearly every newly minted U.S. senator promises some variation of “I’m going to hit the ground running.” It sounds good to their supporters flush with victory. More often than not, new senators spend a few months if not a full year getting their bearings, often being tapped to preside over the Senate in order to get a grasp of the often Byzantine rules of the chamber. Indeed, few freshmen senators get much national media exposure…

March 29, 2011 at 5:18 pm | Comments (5)

Opinion

From the Blogs

Corbett emerges … Local impact fees not far behind.

by PA2012.com Press Team

Saying he was “surprised” at the reaction of Penn State to his calls for 50 percent in state spending cuts, Gov. Tom Corbett’s interview and editorial board meeting at Philadelphia’s 6ABC did nothing if not further frame his mindset for the viewing audience. Still adamant about not using the “T” word, Corbett continued to trot out his new consideration for “local impact fees (aka “taxes”)” when it comes to shale natural gas drilling in the…

March 25, 2011 at 11:13 pm | Comments (1)

Those Fracking Taxes, No Fees, No Taxes …

Gov. Tom Corbett full story

March 24, 2011 at 7:32 am | Comments (1)

Nuclear yes, but not without academic fireguards

In the Keystone State, nuclear has moved ahead steadily, despite the 1970s threat that was the Three Mile Island fiasco. Without reported loss of life or irreparable damage to its neighboring community, costly houses and a mall with pricey (though discounted) wares sprouted and now stand in its shadow.
Three Mile Island has gone from iconic to nearly innocuous.

March 21, 2011 at 1:24 pm | Comments (4)

From the Blogs

Election 2011: The Next Great City?

by PA2012.com Press Team

With the 2011 Philadelphia City Council primary on May 17, the Next Great City coalition gathered at-large City Council candidates and the public for the launch of the Next Great City 2, a new agenda aimed at City Council candidates.

The Next Great City coalition is comprised of over 100 civic groups, labor unions, businesses, social service groups and nonprofits to advocate policies that will enhance the environment and strengthen neighborhoods.…

March 18, 2011 at 12:59 pm | Comments (3)

State corrections budget points to need for sentencing reform

by Chris McGann

Gov. Tom Corbett’s proposed budget includes a slight increase for the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections. Under the governor’s budget, the state would spend $1.967 billion on the prison system, compared to $1.955 billion for fiscal year 2010. The state general fund, however, would also have to cover the loss of almost $174 million in federal stabilization funds.

According to a summary in the proposed budget, Pennsylvania pays $30,248 per year to lock up an inmate.…

March 18, 2011 at 10:28 am | Comments (5)

From the Blogs

Is it only four months since November?

by Michael Livingston

Four months later, and the November elections seem a long time ago, indeed. Anyone heard from Nancy Pelosi or Christine O’Donnell lately? And what kind of money could you have gotten that New Jersey and Wisconsin would lead an assault on public unions?

The biggest surprise in PA is that there’s been no surprise. Tom Corbett as a candidate was earnest, a little boring, and talked about cutting spending and keeping down taxes. Tom Corbett…

March 15, 2011 at 10:46 am | Comments (3)

Government belongs in spirits business … or does it?

by Dick Miller

Bible thumpers, where are you when we need you?

This could be the new rallying cry of about 4,000 PA liquor store clerks who are members of United Food and Commercial Workers LU 1776.  These people could lose their family-sustaining jobs if the Republican-controlled legislature and Republican Governor Tom Corbett have their way.

Privatizing liquor stores will not reduce the cost of government and, in fact, after making a one-time killing on the sale of…

March 11, 2011 at 6:16 pm | Comments (3)

From the Blogs

Words “economic development” most abused, overused, misused

by Dick Miller

“Economic development.”

These may be the most abused, overused and misused words in the English language, at least in the U.S.

There was a time (back in the mid-Seventies) when they were spoken at a whisper level.   Didn’t want to tick off execs at the large factories.  To them, those words meant you were bringing in another company to compete for job skills, maybe even force wages up.

These words took new meaning in the…

March 11, 2011 at 6:07 pm | Comments (1)