The REal Bob Casey

Pennsylvania Treasurer Robert P. Casey Jr. has not mastered the art of pandering. Or answering embarrassing questions about his inaction with something more reassuring than variations of "I don't know."

Mr. Casey is a genuinely likeable person with what appears to be a solid and unblemished track record of public service. He also is the likely Democrat candidate who will try to unseat U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum, R-Penn Hills, on Election Day. Casey's office sent a seemingly harmless news release last week titled "Casey sides with taxpayers in pay raise lawsuit."

Given the overwhelming revulsion Pennsylvanians have for the General Assembly's unconscionable and ultimately unsuccessful attempt to give massive pay raises to its members and others in state government -- without debate or public input -- how could Casey go wrong by siding with the people in a lawsuit filed by a citizen activist?

[The article continues:]

"Here's how. The news release inadvertently raised questions about Casey that apparently he had not anticipated.

We spoke by telephone on Wednesday. His "well-documented public opposition to the legislative pay raise" consists of that news release and one in October (three months after the pay-jacking was signed into law by Gov. Ed Rendell) and a newspaper story in which Casey said he opposed the raise. He could not name another instance. Even when prompted.

Casey did not speak about the pay-jacking with Mr. Rendell, the ringleaders in the Legislature or state Supreme Court Chief Justice Ralph Cappy, who helped cook up the scheme.

Casey, who has a law degree, did not file a lawsuit regarding the pay-jacking. Why?

"I am not sure what you could do," he said. "I did not look into it." The issue is not even mentioned on the Casey campaign Web site or the state Treasury's, other than the news releases.

This is his "well-document public opposition"?"

[And the columnist didn't even get into the fact that, as state Treasurer, it was Casey who paid the legislators that illegally raised their salaries, and he could have put a stop to the raise by refusing to cut the checks and thus send the issue to court; Casey wouldn't have even had to sue, they would have sued him.]

People in PA need to remember that when Bob Casey Sr. was governor, the state went from a surplus in the coffers to a deficit seemingly overnight and not much explanation was ever given.

Bob Sr. was 'likable' as well, but couldn't manage money very well. Like most democrats.

Casey Jr will be a clone of the Democratic Catholic Senatorial group headed by Ted Kennedy, Joe Biden, John Kerry, Mikulski, Murray, Durbin, Salasarr, Dodd, Menendez, et al.,

Casey Jr will increase taxes and spend money on every liberal project.

Just watch Casey Jr. become a good friend of Kate Michleman!

...Democratic Catholic Senatorial group headed by Ted Kennedy, Joe Biden, John Kerry, Mikulski, Murray, Durbin, Salasarr, Dodd, Menendez, et al.,

How those people can call themselves Catholic and NOT immediately burst into flames is amazing to me.

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