it’s you again!
Never underestimate the subintelligence of the voting public when it comes to picking their state lawmakers.
Less than three years after Pennsylvania’s legislators thrust themselves into the negative limelight with their middle-of-the-night illegal pay raise, many of these same public "servants" from the Northeast are getting a free ride in the April 22 primary AND the Nov. 4 general election, thanks to an apparently cowardly public.
Can it be that the incumbents are the only voters in those districts that are interested in a part-time job that pays $70,000 a year and includes a free car, free car insurance, free health insurance, extra money for each workday in Harrisburg, and other goodies? Is the political climate so tilted toward incumbents, and the power of incumbency that great?
Last Thursday was the filing deadline for candidates to run in the primary, and there was some good news, but not much.
Rep. John Perzel, who as House speaker in 2005 was one of the masterminds of the illegal pay raise, has primary opposition this year, and two worthy opponents are waiting in the wings in the Democratic primary. That is healthy. It’s what primary elections are supposed to be about. When a politician of questionable ethics like Perzel faces opposition in the primary, voters should rejoice.
Unfortunately, aside from a vigorous challenge to freshman Democratic Rep. Tony Payton in a lower Northeast district, there’s not much else in the drama department in the primary.
Democracy is government of the people, by the people and for the people. The key word there is people, not person.
Remember, voters, when you allow the politicians to run unchallenged, you’re inviting them to walk all over you. ••
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