Why Are Democrats Down in Pennsylvania?

Newsweek ^ | October 18, 2010 | Ben Adler

[Second Amendment First]

If there's one state that is supposed to represent Democratic ascendancy in recent years, it is Pennsylvania. As one of the Big Three swing states that have determined recent close presidential elections, it was more Democratic than Ohio or Florida, having swung for Al Gore and John Kerry and favored Barack Obama by 10 points. In 2006 Pennsylvania's polarizing, socially conservative senator, Rick Santorum, was tossed out of office by a wide margin. In 2008 Democratic registration in Pennsylvania shot up thanks to excitement over the hotly contested presidential primary between Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton, leaving Pennsylvania with 1 million more registered Democrats than Republicans.

But even in a state with such a strong trend toward blue, the unpopularity of President Obama's agenda is hurting Democrats' midterm election prospects. "Pennsylvanians are disillusioned with Obama," says Beverly Cigler, a political scientist at Pennsylvania State University. "Cap-and-trade scared them, and they are convinced that health care is not a good idea and that the stimulus didn’t work."

[Second Amendment First]

As a native of PA, I'm ashamed of how blue it has become. It's such a beautiful commonwealth, tarnished by Filthydelphia politics and the union thugs of Pittsburgh. Alas, I'm from the central part of the state, where only the obamabots of State College tarnish it. Such great fishing, too.

I hope the filth gets washed out this election.

[cripplecreek]

This Michigander feels your pain.

[Second Amendment First]

What makes the Democrats' predicament in Pennsylvania especially interesting is the possibility that they will actually hold a Senate seat in neighboring West Virginia. Pennsylvania, in Democratic consultant James Carville's formulation, is "Philadelphia and Pittsburgh with Alabama in between." The in-between part—sometimes called "Pennsyltucky"—is a lot like West Virginia: white, rural, blue-collar, and poor. The iron and coal mining and heavy industries have given these regions an economically populist tilt with historical ties to the Democrats, but also a suspicious attitude toward environmental legislation that, coupled with the electorate's social conservatism, has led them to vote heavily Republican. In a tough year for Democrats, it is remarkable that a Democrat could win over such voters, as Gov. Joe Manchin appears to be doing in West Virginia. But, in Pennsylvania, where the cities are heavily Democratic, you would expect Democrats to be doing better, not worse, than Manchin.

The party's hopes of winning over Pennsyltuckians depend on economic appeals. The late congressman Jack Murtha was much beloved in his central Pennsylvania district for his ability to bring home the federal bacon. These voters are not opposed to government economic intervention in principle. But they grow skeptical when the economy is weak and interventions seem not to have worked, says Terry Madonna, who runs the Franklin & Marshall University poll on Pennsylvania politics.

[Tribune7]

ping

[Second Amendment First]

If we don’t take back this beautiful country from the rot of urban liberalism, I fear for the future of my grandchildren. The mother of two of them fled her homeland in the middle of the night for freedom here; where they would go now for such a thing is nonexistant.

[okie01]

"Pennsylvanians are disillusioned with Obama," says Beverly Cigler, a political scientist at Pennsylvania State University. "Cap-and-trade scared them, and they are convinced that health care is not a good idea and that the stimulus didn’t work."

And, pray tell, how are they wrong, Ms. Cigler?

Would you care to mount a contrary argument?

I thought not...

[WestSylvanian]

When Obama talked about small town yahoos clinging to their guns and religion and being suspicious of people not like themselves, he was referring to small towns in western Pennsylvania where he’d just been campaigning unsuccessfully. He wasn’t doing well against Hillary Clinton. People around here haven’t forgotten the arrogant, superior phoney who mocked them. I’ve seen guys in Jeeps and other all wheel drive-type vehicles driving around here with the bumper sticker, “I cling to my guns and religion and I’m proud of it.” “NoBama” is another popular bumper sticker. He’s finished here and so is his miserable left-wing party.

[cripplecreek]

We can’t run far enough so I’ll stand my ground right here in Michigan.

[Fee]

The elites in the GOP and DNC don’t get it. It is jobs and economic policies that kill it. GOP left it to Wall Street and globalists to set US economic policies and we end up with white collar crime and offshoring of US manufacturing jobs. The Dems take over in 2006 and they offer higher taxes. illegal immigration and job killing cap and trade. Again it is about jobs. If the GOP figure this out in 2010 I hope they don’t jeopardize their new found power by offering more Wall Street schemes and job killing globalist policies. This is also what the Tea Party movement is about. Jobs for and by Americans, not illegals and overseas workers.

[Second Amendment First]

Amen!

[Recovering_Democrat]

Why are the Democrats down? Because they SUCK.

[Dan Nunn]

There are several reasons:

1. Enthusiasm factor. Democrats nationwide had a “youth vote” that cared only about the historic-ness of 2008. These voters are gone.

2. A governor’s race featuring two Western PA residents. Philly, and its large swaths of Democrats, don’t care.

3. An unlikeable candidate with a very poorly run general campaign by Joe Sestak.

4. High voter disapproval of Rendell.

5. Voters are disillusioned with their “blue dogs” that voted lock-step with Pelosi. This includes my congresswoman in PA-3, Kathy Dahlkemper (who trails by 14 in some polls).

6. The influx of Democrat registrations recently was at least somewhat related to Operation Chaos.

[Frantzie]

It is also the public that does not get it. ALL of TV is controlled by the elites plus has Saudi money including Fox. Keep watching TV and paying those cable/sat TV bills and you will be a serf. This election will matter little because they still control TV.

Americans gladly accept serfdom for the TV clicker.

[Second Amendment First]

Thankfully Rendell is seen for the sleazeball that he is. Can’t believe he ever got traction there. Also, the whole debacle of Specter, dem turned repub turned dem. I’m so ashamed I ever voted to send him to the Senate to begin with.

[Dan Nunn]

Don’t be ashamed. He was probably the best of two poor candidates.

Only be ashamed if you voted for him in the primary :)

[Gondring]

A bit old, but it illustrates this a bit. Still, many Dems will vote Republican (anthracite region) and many Republicans are now voting Dem (Philly suburbs)...

[Gondring]

Fast Eddie G.Rendell will be back, sitting pretty in Hillary Clinton’s cabinet in a few years.

[Gondring]

[...]globalists to set US economic policies and we end up with white collar crime and offshoring of US manufacturing jobs[...]

Can't blame the world market for that invisible hand slapping us for expecting to get something for nothing.

Where we don't import labor, jobs are offshored. If we don't offshore jobs, then entire companies would offshore. If we don't allow companies to offshore, then foreign companies will outcompete.

I think of the union protesters I passed today. They were complaining because they were unwilling to work for market wages and a contract was awarded to those who were.

[Intolerant in NJ]

Dan Oronato, Penna’s answer to Frank Perdue, the chicken man......

[Fee]

Argument is partially valid. If overseas nations on their own develop a competent workforce and tech base to do the work of American industries they deserve consideration per cost and etc. However most overseas capacity were developed by corporate Americas willingness to train them and then build factories and research capabilities for them. Why would American corporations do that? Cheap labor!!!! Problem is tech sharing means our military will lose their decisive edge and our way of life is gone, while the few on top will reap the profits. China is a different animal. In the future if China gains dominance in one area of technology she will not share it to protect her profit, market dominance and more important employment of her people which is a major component for national security via social stability. Our corporations do not care about social stability in the US from all the dislocation of US workers. After all they simply dump it all on the US taxpayers. Since Americans are incapable of rioting for their jobs like they do in China and Europe, corporate America will continue to ram it up the American workers aXX. This time it will be different because this severe recession has finally got the sleeping Americans’ attention. The enemy of our way of life is alot more then a jihadist or PLA it is also the MBA graduates of Yale, Harvard and Princeton.