They will deny it. Vehemently. But, dear readers, stand up and take a bow! You helped turn back a Trojan Horse. And in the process you put a large dent in the political future of such incumbents as Ed Rendell, Mike Veon, Vince Fumo and Bill DeWeese.
The House Republicans dealt with a floor revolt today and pulled the rug out from under Rendell and the House Democrats on the property tax relief bill.
“Not deep enough!”, claimed the Republicans! Never mind the barrage of calls and emails they received from the mid-state area.
But that’s okay, they need to preserve something for themselves in this two week period prior to the Primary Election, so expect a lot of posturing from both parties, anger from the Donkeys, and righteous indignation about the middle class not getting their fair share from the Elephants.
But make no mistake about it, YOU made the difference. That’s political power at its most raw and basic level.
Now you have demonstrated your power. You need to remember that in thirteen days. And give yourselves one small pat on the back for your accomplishment today.
Byproducts
With the delay in the House, the Democratic Primary Campaign is effectively derailed. All they have to campaign on is promises, and their anger at betrayal by the Republicans, which will stand them in no good stead in the Democratic Primary.
The Republicans have much to answer for, as the terrible actions taken in both houses over the past few years (since the Rendell administration came into office!) occurred on their watch because leadership bought in to the get rich quick Ponzi scheme Fast Eddie and the Dems rolled out for them with the gambling bill. The gambling industry in Pennsylvania even when in full swing in a few years will not produce half the money promised out to so many different outstretched hands. One reason is that they have cut the pie so many times they’ve lost track of how much they promised out, and have promised money two and three times over! By the time all this “officially” comes to light, Rendell and his bi-partisan cronies will be long gone!
The money from gambling simply will not be there. The House Republicans are right on this one, and you forced them to take a stand! In a way, however, they did the Dems a favor. Had the bill passed, and been signed by the Governor, the Dems would have been forced to explain all the shortcomings of the Trojan Horse they crafted.
Connecting the Dots
Dot # 1: Three years ago Fast Eddie Rendell ran for Governor on the promise to finally bring tax relief to the property owners of Pennsylvania by introducing slot machines at the race tracks and maybe on Riverboats in Erie, Pittsburg, Harrisburg, Wilkes Barre-Scranton, and of course, in Philadelphia. Instead, we got our first dose of unconstitutional stealth legislation when a 1 page bill regulating background checks in the horseracing industry by State Police was ‘billjacked’ and turned into a 140 + page monstrosity that created a gambling industry in Pennsylvania. This was Act 71, passed in the dead of night during a July rush to pass a budget in 2004. This bill was not given a public airing before a second passage.
Dot # 2: To add legitimacy to the gambling bill, a companion bill, the Homestead Act, a bill that took promised taxes and fees from the operation of the slots parlors (authorized under Act 71) and applied them to the educational funding of our public schools. 80% of the state’s 502 public school districts rejected the deal. This was Act 72, a dismal failure.
Dot # 3: The Midnight Pay Raise. Passed in the dead of night during a July budget crunch session. Another bill not given a public airing as is called for in the State Constitution. [Sound familiar?]
Dot # 4: The Property Tax Relief Bill, which was put on hold by the House Republicans. It was NOT defeated, but it was defeated in the form the Dems wanted, and thought they had a deal for passage. It will likely be resurrected again sometime after the primary as Rendell will absolutely have to have it before the November Elections. The bill as offered tonight in the House would have offered the average homeowner in the mid-state area about $2-300 per year in property tax relief. On average, that would be somewhere around 8-20% of the yearly tax bill. That’s relief? And for that these bozos are willing to put the citizens of this state at risk to the various social, crime, and other problems by creating a gambling industry in the state?
Connect all those dots with the word greed. The Rendell administration has turned the state government into a circus. The Capitol building constantly spews forth legislation motivated by lobbyists money, that is designed to make them rich, and you get the bill. A circus. Visit the Capitol building, its got everything but the peanut shells on the floor. There goes Perzel and DeWeese with their trapeze act, swinging from the rotunda dome.
And people wonder why we call it Harrass-burg!
A sign of hope
Tonight, a fresh new ad sponsoring the WGAL Channel 8 News (the widest coverage of news in the mid-state area, with a bunch of reporters who have been digging into the wretched excesses of the General Assembly). The ad was a campaign ad for
Mrs. Wheaton has a great web presence and has been politically active in township politics for several years. She has a good platform, and a good style, and that Operation Clean Sweep connection going for her. Vote for Heidi Wheaton for State Senator for the 36th Senatorial District in the Republican primary.
More good news
Another campaign ad on local TV tonight was a blatant attack ad against Mike Folmer, who is apparently challenging David J. “Chip” Brightbill, that friend of Louis DeNaples who keeps appointing business associates/personal friends of DeNaples to the Gambling Control Board. [DeNaples wants to open a casino at the former Mt. Airy Lodge site in the Poconos.] Two of them to date, to the tune of $145,000 per year. After one year (and $145,000) one of them resigned. And the taxpayers got zilch for their $145,000. But rest assured, DeNaples is clean, as his felony conviction was older than 15 years as the gambling law (Act 71) says. The new appointee will be perfectly fine according to Mr. DeNaples, and our guy “The Chipper”.
Now, “The Chipper” can’t seem to find anything in his record on which to run, so he launches a 60 second attack ad in prime time.
“The Chipper” is the State Senator who takes a car, and a mileage allowance even though he lives only 26 miles (attested to by Citizen-Patriot Hero Gene Stilp who actually walked the 26 miles) from the Capitol building and the rules say you must live more than 35 miles from the Capitol to get either. But “The Chipper” is one of the privileged leaders in the General Assembly.
Things are just starting to warm up, folks! Stay tuned.
And, please, pass this blog link along to your friends, and tell them to catch up on their reading before they go and vote!
THE CENTRIST
“Kick the hubris out of Harrisburg!”
-- THE CENTRIST
"It is the duty of every citizen according to his best capacities to give validity to his convictions in political affairs."
"It is the duty of every citizen according to his best capacities to give validity to his convictions in political affairs."
-- Albert Einstein
Remember in May! Before you vote, GettysBLOG!
Copyright © 2006: “THE CENTRIST”. All Rights Reserved.
Remember in May! Before you vote, GettysBLOG!
Copyright © 2006: “THE CENTRIST”. All Rights Reserved.
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