Always has been a leftist, socialist state. Pittsburgh is the birthplace of unions. The attitude of the people here is simply AMAZING to people like me. Trust me, I deal with them everyday in every aspect of my life. There is NO ESCAPE from their leftist rants.
The Local Watering Holes are the worst. You can't discuss matters with them because they really are too >ignorant< of the facts and unable to understand even simple economics.
The other day I was bellied up to my Local Watering Hole with the Usual Crowd of unemployed and unemployable. They were beating on me, telling me how much better thing s will be after the ratz take the midterms. No more soup lines, good paying jobs for everyone, universal healthcare, raise taxes on The Rich....they really believe people are dying in the streets!
Several were whining about there being no jobs. Of course that's totally bogus. Employment in PA is way up, even Gocv Ed is squaking about that and taking credit.
In any case I mentioned that the company across from where I work was hiring. Pay starts at more than minimum wage ($7.50/hr IIRC) with some bennies - not health AFAIK. . Maybe perks would be a better term. Lots of opportunity for advancement
You get good hours, some late night and weekend but no overnights like I work. It's also indoors in a brand new office setting, and right on the busline and very convenient.
The job? It's a call center for a pizza chain with stores along the east coast. When I told them what the job was NOT ONE would consider taking it even though they can't pay their bills! It was beneath them to take pizza orders.
In the meantime a friend who works with me wanted some extra cash and applied to the company online. They called him back and hired him within ten minutes of his application. He loves it! In fact he's thinking about quiting work at the radio station and moving across the street full time.
As far as Rendell and Casey...They're probably gonna both get in. Swann was attractive in some ways, personally I like him but he does have that Jubilier stink about him. And Santorum was never on my list of politicos that I like. True his voting record hasn't been bad but he's turned his back lots of times on the conservative base that elected him. He went over the edge chumming up with Spector and just like Swann Rick has Elsie Hilman roots. That is something I never liked. Too much RINO for my taste.
Most likely I'll vote for him as well as Swann but I really have to hold my nose on Ricky! Rick hasn't even run a good campaign...kinda like when Fisher ran for governor against Ed...the campaign is really lame.
But I swear this is THE LAST time Rick gets my vote. I say that every election but then it gets close and I give up and do it anyway.
And everytime I do I can hear The RINO's snickering. Eventually either the Pubbies get purged of RINO's or the conservatives will just spilt, ESPECIALLY in PA.
prisoner6
I think the mostly red bits of Upstate NY and PA's red bits ought to secede to form their own state.
As a resident of Central PA I can tell you that, much like the entire country, the vast midsection of this state vote overwhelmingly Republican only to be trounced by two coounties - Philadelphia and Allegheny.
I'll also be voting for Ricky, but for those who think he's the Ultra-Conservative, well, his conservative rating over the last two years is only 32%. Don't rely on the commercials. Check his voting record. He voted for every bit of pork that came down the aisle. He IS a cultural conservative, but as for fiscal conservatism....
That simply isn't true P6. Both elsie and teresa (when she was still a nominal rep.) worked against Rick on his first senate campaign.
If you're waiting for another Ron Reagan to vote for you're going to have a long wait. RR is dead.
I get frustrated w/ the dims in this area also, but what can you do but fight on. Don't quit.
Pennsylvania:
1. Aging.
2. Little economic dynamism. Still a rustbelt state.
3. Strong public sector unions.
Tough-sell for Republican politics.