Posted on 01/08/2006 7:27:28 PM PST by Born Conservative
Is the governor of Pennsylvania subject to random drug testing? I’m beginning to worry about Ed Rendell. I think he’s on something. How else do you explain his recent end-of-the-year news conference where he proclaimed a successful year for his administration?
I’m not sure Rendell is living on the same planet as 12 million other Pennsylvanians. Ed Rendell appears to be the governor of the state of dementia.
Rendell has completed three full years as governor. During his tenure, state spending has grown to an astronomical $24.3 billion a year. And what are we getting for our money? The state’s economy is bleeding (the Washington, D.C.-based Cato Institute gave Rendell and "F" last year for his economic policies). Pennsylvania taxpayers, especially the elderly, are losing their homes because they can’t afford burdensome property taxes. Rendell has made property tax relief his primary goal in each of his first three years as governor and has failed to deliver on his promise three years in a row.
Pennsylvania roads are full of potholes or choked with traffic. Thousands of young people are leaving the state for better opportunities elsewhere, while tons of garbage from surrounding states flows into Pennsylvania. Corruption, greed and incompetence seem to be the three words most frequently associated with Pennsylvania government.
Rendell promised a "new Pennsylvania" when he took office in 2003. Many of us fell for Rendell’s lies. Let’s take a quick review of the Rendell years.
Pennsylvania was the No. 2 importer of out-of-state trash when Rendell took office. Today, Pennsylvania is the nation’s No. 1 importer of trash. Rendell has turned Pennsylvania into the nation’s dumping ground.
Pennsylvania continues to have the worst roads in the country, according to an annual surveys of truckers. The state’s bridges are crumbling. Transportation officials say the state needs to spend $500 million in each of the next 20 years to repair deteriorating bridges. And let’s not forget that Rendell siphoned $530 million in federal highway funds to keep SEPTA buses and trains running in Philadelphia (and keep those Democratic-voting transit workers happy.)
Rendell campaigned on a platform to overhaul education in Pennsylvania. He’s had three education secretaries in three years. It’s hard to develop a plan to improve schools when your Education Department is a revolving door.
Rendell signed a $1 billion increase in the state income tax in his first year. He pushed through casino gambling in his second year even though two-thirds of the state’s residents oppose gambling. Rendell sold the slots bill as a way to fund public education. The companion legislation to fund the schools, Act 72, was rejected by four-fifths of the state’s 501 school districts. Even if the school districts had approved Act 72, it’s obvious that gambling revenues would not bring in enough to fund our public schools.
So why will Pennsylvania soon be home to 61,000 slot machines? One might ask Rendell to explain why he has collected millions in campaign contributions from the gambling industry.What is the gambling industry getting for its money? Who has the governor’s ear? Pennsylvania taxpayers or casino owners?
Rendell didn’t do too much damage in his third year as governor. The only tax increase he could get approved was the $52 emergency services tax that almost all communities now take from the paychecks of workers.
Let’s not forget Rendell’s biggest achievement of 2005. He signed into law the infamous 16 percent to 54 percent pay raise for legislators, judges and other state politicians, including the governor. Rendell had an opportunity to side with the state’s beleaguered taxpayers and veto the pay hike. He signed it and praised the pay raise. It wasn’t until Pennsylvanians started booing Rendell at county fairs that he realized he had stepped in it.
Rendell did find time in December to veto legislation that would have saved Pennsylvania businesses and workers $1.1 billion over the next five years. Why did Rendell oppose the tax cuts? He said the legislation would reduce the amount of money the state had to spend. Duh. That’s the idea of a tax cut. Less money for government to waste.
Rendell has also failed to curb "for-profit" insurance giants from raising rates by 20 percent to 30 percent every year. Two bills before the state legislature are stuck in committee because the insurance lobby doesn’t want them passed. Rendell and his insurance secretary, who is supposed to be looking out for Pennsylvania taxpayers, have been silent on this issue for three years.
Rendell promised to increase Pennsylvania’s minimum wage, which has been at $5.15 since 1996. Three years into his term, he has failed to deliver on the promise. He even announced that he would never sign the pay raise unless it included an increase in the minimum wage. He signed the pay raise anyway.
Need I remind you that Rendell has pardoned more criminals in his first three years as governor than any other Pennsylvania governor has done over the same time frame?
If you still feel the need to reelect Rendell, look at it this way: A vote for Rendell is a vote for higher taxes, underfunded schools, skyrocketing health insurance, more out-of-state garbage, crumbling roads and bridges, state-supported gambling and more pardons for criminals.
And here’s a final reason Rendell (who moonlights for Comcast as a commentator after Eagles’ football games) doesn’t deserve reelection. He promised the Eagles would return to the Super Bowl in 2006 and win it all. So much for Rendell keeping his promises.
Fast Eddie ping.
They beat Louisiana? That's ridiculous. It's not even funny. Chunks of Louisiana are swamp, for crying out loud. I don't see how you could make roads any worse than ours except by bombing them or something.
Blistering.
You apparently have never driven in Pennsylvania. You may have swamps, but we have freeze-thaw cycles and use salt on the roads with every snowstorm. Potholes wherever you drive.
You know what would be really cool? If Pennsylvanians stayed mad at him until 2008. The Republican presidential candidate could then ride Rendell's anti-coattails to an electoral victory in Pennsylvania. Let's see any Dem presidential candidate get elected in '08 without Pennsylvania.
But I'll take your word for it. : )
I drive a stretch of Interstate 80 everyday to get to work. It's not unusual to see 10-15 18-wheeler Joisey/New York garbage trucks in a 10 mile stretch on their way to the landfill near Williamsport.
I find this difficult to believe. After all, Algore told us that even after 9.11, Fast Eddie Rendell was "America's Mayor." Are you saying that Fast Eddie is doing the same thing to the Keystone State that he did to the City o' Brotherly Love? I'm shocked, shocked, I tell you.
Fast Eddie has supporters take a look at this post.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1494223/posts
Lynn Swann BUMP!
If Pennsylvanians re-elect thug Rendell then they get what they deserve...garbage in and no garbage out. Too bad...it's a beautiful state between the 2 P's cities.
I say go Lynn Swann.
I don't know man. Have you ever driven pa roads? They suck with a passion...
I've never driven PA roads. But I've been driving New Orleans roads my whole life.
PennDot is probably the most corrupt part of the government in this state, next to the Turnpike Commission.
Team88 bump
Lynn Swann BUMP!
He will get my vote if the lame republicans run him.
Jack
This is good.
You may have sink holes caused by gas that could swallow a car, but in Pennsylvania we have pot holes that could swallow a tractor trailer.
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