By Lisa Esler
I would like to respond to Delaware County Republican Party Chairman Andy Reilly’s assessment of why pension reform has not been dealt with in Harrisburg.
While we would expect all legislators to use integrity and common sense when making legislative decisions, Pennsylvania residents did give the Republicans the opportunity to right many wrongs over the past three and a half years by giving them majorities in all three branches. Perhaps the problem is not a Democrat/Republican problem but a taxpayer/special interest problem.
Despite high hopes from constituents, it looks like they left behind a litany of unfinished business as they exited the state Capitol for their summer break, and a much-wished-for list from the voters who had faith in their representatives.
When former Gov. Ed Rendell was in office the excuse for not getting “real pension reform” done was that Republicans did not have a majority so that was all they could do, kicking the can down the road. Then the Republicans took the majority.
In the past three and a half years the pension crisis has gone from $28 billion to $48 billion. Hmm. Perhaps we should have tackled the issue three and a half years ago. It would have been a lot less painful – common sense.
Andy, unless I missed something in civics, the minority cannot block legislation.
A few no-action items include: Liquor privatization, furlough of teachers for economic reasons, paycheck protection, elimination of prevailing wage and of course, the biggest daddy in the room, pension reform just to name a few.
Unfortunately, Harrisburg legislators could not or would not prioritize and address these issues before they left the Capitol.
But then again, politicians are best known for doing little to benefit their constituents, snookering them into believing they have their best interest at heart and getting reelected long enough to collect a pension – integrity.
Until all voters start looking at their representatives’ voting records, their political contributors and stop saying “he’s a nice guy” when asked about their opinion about them, we will never change Harrisburg.
I am so sick of finger pointing. The House points at the Senate. The Senate points at the House. They both point at the governor. The governor points back. And now we point at the Democrats. There is plenty of blame to go around but what we really need in Harrisburg are grown-ups!
Is that what you meant to say?
Pension Reform Failure Belongs To GOP
“A few no-action items include: Liquor privatization, furlough of teachers for economic reasons, paycheck protection, elimination of prevailing wage and of course, the biggest daddy in the room, pension reform just to name a few.”
HI Lisa.
Good post. Let’s go for term limits, salary caps and the same kind of pensions the rest of us have to live with.
Charlie, I’ll raise you one. How about no pensions since it is not even Constitutional and we make them all part time since they get very little accomplished anyway. Chances are if we do those 2 things, term limits won’t be necessary.
No Pensions, no health care and max their salaries at $4,000
Charlie, I’ll raise you one. How about not pensions since they are not even Constitutional and make legislators part time since they get very little accomplished anyway. I don’t think we will have to worry about term limits if we do those 2 things.
Lisa, please, please, please run for state office. Pennsylvania needs you,
Outstanding letter Lisa! Thanks. But under the no-action items, let’s not forget the inaction of the legislature on Common Core. This transformational educational initiative swooped (under the radar) into PA’s public schools with its huge unfunded mandates without even going before the PA legislature. Most of its huge costs will be borne by PA taxpayers. Although math and English Common Core implementation began fully in 2013, most individuals (and I might add legislators) have no clue what it’s all about and/or understand its deleterious fiscal and educational impacts on Pennsylvanians. SOME brave legislators are speaking out, but these are few and far between; the silence is deafening from the vast majority. Most are behaving like ostriches with their heads in the ground and probably will remain there until parents realize what is happening to their children’s’ education and start screaming bloody murder. Perhaps THEN our legislators will at least assume a pretense of concern. WHERE IS THEIR OUTRAGE? Why should such a transformational, pricey, and I might add DESTRUCTIVE initiative be allowed to be foisted on PA taxpayers without legislative consent? And why would the PA Senate and PA House allow it? Why are so few questioning and objecting to the fact that the manner in which it was imposed on our state is obviously unconstitutional? And P.S…. Governor Corbett, whose campaign is heavily funded by organizations who have been provided with huge grants from Bill Gates and others who stand to profit from Common Core’s implementation, is… SURPRISE!… in favor of Common Core.
Very good point about Common Core. If the GOP won’t listen to its voters even on that, what good are they exactly?
Okay Joanne, if we can persuade both you and Lisa to run for office we’ll scare the hell out of the entrenched porkers even if we don’t win. but let’s think positive and go for the win.