Anatomy of a GOP Disaster: Losing Pennsylvania

National Review ^ | August 31, 2014 | John Fund

[Steelfish]

AUGUST 31, 2014 Anatomy of a GOP Disaster: Losing Pennsylvania Governor Corbett has lost support by raising taxes and giving ground to public-sector unions. By John Fund

All over the country Republican governors are either poised for easy reelection (such as Ohio’s John Kasich and Nevada’s Brian Sandoval) or running even or better against Democrats (Wisconsin’s Scott Walker and Florida’s Rick Scott). Then there is Governor Tom Corbett in Pennsylvania. The latest independent poll has him down a shocking 49 percent to 24 percent (with a quarter of voters undecided) against Democrat Tom Wolf.

How did Corbett become such an outlier? The answers show just how much trouble Republicans get into if they allow machine politics and public-sector unions to dictate their agenda.

[Laslo Fripp]

The ONLY thing worthwhile in PA is Amish food.

What about Harleys and Zippos?

And don't forget the chocolate lovers.

[prisoner6]

Zippos...Case knives too are OK. Harleys have jumped the shark. There’s a Glide in my garage now that would make a better boat anchor than bike. Kind of like Martin Guitars. I AM NOT fond of Martin guitars.

[jz638]

Tom Wolf is looking like he’ll end up being the best possible outcome of this disastrous governors race, and in a small way, a sign of hope for the future of the commonwealth. Corbett is and has been a shining example of what needs to change in the PA Republican party. if Corbett somehow wins, at this point nothing short of Wolf beating his wife at a press conference would make that likely, nothing will change for the better for the PA republican party.

Corbett has run a terrible campaign against Wolf, entirely negative and worse still to me, filled with petty fearmongering. If that is what the PA republican party thinks will win elections, I want no part of them. As gov, he had many opportunities to be a good executive while governor and seemingly every single time he had an opportunity to be a leader, he didn’t take it. He deserves to lose and lose big.

[billhilly]

Liberty Bell?

[USS Alaska]

When the pubbies took the gov's office, the senate and the house, we the sheeple, were promised, Voter ID, {passed late and stalled by a judge, and dropped by the gov}, change in how we allocate Electoral College votes {according to rep district instead of in total}, privatization of the State stores, and no increase in taxes...the gov is 0 for 4.

No taking on the unions, no real change, no balls, next we will get alinsky and the unions will rock and roll PA into bankruptcy.

Walker showed them how to win, but it takes guts and corbett "ain't got none".

[9YearLurker]

A bellwether for the national GOP and its corrupt “just get elected” agenda?

[PoloSec]

Always seemed strange to me that when a democrat raises taxes nobody seems to give a damn, it’s like no big deal, I guess it is because raising taxes is fully expected from a democrat.

How a republican can think he can raise taxes and get away with it is beyond comprehension, just plain stupid.

[randita]

PA ping

[aMorePerfectUnion]

But!!! It was his turn to be governor!!!!

It’s how PA works...

[P.O.E.]

PA Ping!

If you see posts of interest to Pennsylvanians, please ping me.

Thanks!

Thanks randita for the heads up

Earlier this year, he angered conservatives when he raised a wholesale tax on gasoline

And the explanations about how it "wasn't a tax" lost him credibility.

[Nowhere Man]

What's interesting is that I've been thinking about relocating to Pennsylvania and domiciling my start-up business venture there to take advantage of some tax provisions where PA is favorable compared to the state where I live now (New Jersey).

If that jerk Wolf is elected and he's serious about instituting a progressive income tax despite the constitutional requirement for a flat income tax rate, then I'll be taking my business elsewhere.

I moved just across the border to Ohio in a town near Wheeling so I'm in John Kasich territory. Still with PA being my home for all my life, except last month, that jagoff Wolfie scares me. Corbett is no prize but if I was still there, I would have to vote for him to keep out Wolfie. I don't know much about Ohio yet but maybe you can check that out.

[Impy]

It’s paramount that he’s not reelected in 2018, redistricting.

[NFHale]

He’s “unpopular” because the standard lib attack machine has been hounding him day after day and he does/did what EVERY GOP does in that situation:

Nothing. No fighting back, no stepping behind the microphone and camera and challenging them and their BS, nothing.

I guess they think it’s “noble” or something.

To me, it’s just cowardice.

[bjcoop]

Corbett’s mantra seems to be “hey, I tried.” After failing on liquor reform, preventing a rise in taxes (after what he did with the gas tax), and pension reform. That’s not good enough. He deserves to lose.

[Impy]

He may “deserve to lose”, but the people of PA don’t deserve a communist Governor.

[NFHale]

“...but the people of PA don’t deserve a communist Governor....”

My sentiments exactly. He works for us; we don’t work for him.

He should step aside GTFO of the way, and let someone like Gerlach go for it.

[Morpheus2009]

There’s nothing immoral about calling B.S. to some claims made by an enemy, especially if untrue.

Holding grudges is a separate matter.

[westsylvania]

0 for 5, he quit on the appeal to the abominable gay marriage ruling also.

“that boy got a lot of quit in him”