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8/30 Ups & Downs

An F&M poll cast a long shadow over several PA politicos, plus some interesting news out of Harrisburg. See who made this week’s list!

Down ArrowTom Corbett. Every time we think his polling numbers have hit rock bottom, it seems they find a way to go lower. This week an F&M survey found him with 17% job approval and only 20% said he deserves a second term. On the official side, there were major headaches when the Guv had to force out his preliminary pick for Ed. Secretary. And his counsel stepped in it with a clunky legal analogy comparing same-sex couples to married 12-year-olds.

Down ArrowBarack Obama. He’s not in Corbett territory, but the President also saw a steep summer slide in his polling numbers. F&M showed job approval down by 10 points in Pa. since May for the man who won the state by 5 points in November. For the first time ever, his personal unfavorability in Pa. is at 50%.

Up ArrowHarrisburg. What’s this? Good financial news out of Pennsylvania’s Capital? Can it be? After years of utter acrimony over unsustainable debt caused by the city’s overpriced incinerator, it seems there is a light at the end of the tunnel. State-appointed receiver William Lynch submitted a finance plan that avoids a fire sale of city assets while offloading the cursed incinerator. It’s gotten tentative support from most parties involved.

Down ArrowKathleen Kane. The Attorney General has rocketed through her first 8 months in office. Her tenure has mostly been characterized by an emphasis on prosecuting child predators, some deft political moves, and overall a high standard of ethics. But recently Kane has faced some bad headlines over the fact that she gave her identical twin sister a promotion and a raise. (Her sister has worked for the office since Corbett was AG in 2008).

Up ArrowOrganized Labor. In other states, GOP governors and legislatures have aggressively gone after organized labor, seeking to shrink things like prevailing wages and the ability of public sector workers to organize. But not in PA. Here organized labor has successfully defused and diminished those sorts of efforts. They even killed a plan based on the popular idea of privatizing state-owned liquor stores. But most important of all, they got all of us a day off next week. Happy Labor Day!

Tweet of the week: Melissa Daniels of the PA Independent. She asked the question all of us want to know about Tom Wolf.

Facebook post of the week: State Rep. Mike Schlossberg (D-Lehigh). We’re not even sure what this is. Schlossberg is on the left, getting familiar with the sandwich. Allentown Councilman Peter Schweyer (and the favorite to win the new state House seat redistricted to Allentown) is on the right. Not pictured: Schlossberg’s other hand.

Schlossberg FB Schweyer

13 Responses

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  4. I really recommend Brad Bumstead’s new book. Tremendous read. Here is an excerpt: “…..By focusing on corruption at the local level, which the United States generally does and many other countries do not, the press helps people from becoming jaded, and that helps stop corruption from growing.” Why is the Insurance ad wars scandal making me so jaded?

  5. I want to make a very simple argument to thinking Pennsylvanians. One of the primary functions of our State Government is to regulate insurance, including health insurance. The Corbett administration is totally conflicted to perform this basic state function. Gromis-Baker is too married to UPMC. Acting Governor Brabender is rumored to be “assisting” Highmark with his creative genius (Where is Brian Nutt?) What’s next in this hypocritical morality play? Will Acting Governor Brabender be running ads to help the SEIU organize UPMC? http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/local/neighborhoods-city/pittsburghs-l
    abor-day-parade-leads-to-bus-changes-downtown-701730/ Whatever happened to those holiest of holies, the JOB CREATORS? Do the JOB CREATORS only count when PAGOP race baiters attack Obamacare? COS Gromis-Baker it is time for you to submit your resignation.

  6. As UPMC and Highmark wage their Insurance Ad Wars, Acting Governor John Brabender is rumored to be profiting producing the Highmark ads at the expense of Pennsylvania Job Creators. Why isn’t the Corbett Administration protecting the holiest of holies of their Republican donors, the Job CREATORs? The simple answer is that Gromis-Baker is conflicted and that the Corbett Administration’s primary purpose is to grow Loundon County’s John Brabender’s net worth. PA Chamber Gene Barr: Please ask for COS Gromis-Baker to resign effective immediately. WILL SOMEBODY STAND UP FOR OUR PA JOB CREATORS. http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/opinion/brian-oneill/upmc-highmark-in-need-of-intervention-699313/

  7. Stiles Calls Upon PA 12th Congressional District Voters To Reject The Failed Tea Party Policies Of Keith Rothfus And His Mentor Governor Tom Corbett!

    GOP PA 12th Congressional District Candidate and Agent Orange Leukemia sufferer Larry Stiles called upon district voters to fire their employee Keith Rothfus: “ Tea Party Governor Tom Corbett designed this District for Keith Rothfus. Extremist Keith Rothfus is Governor Corbett’s personal Congressman. The lack of interest in Jobs by both Governor Corbett and his protégé Rothfus is holding back Western Pennsylvania. We need jobs here in our region, not in Washington DC. It is time for the voters of this district to fire Tom Corbett’s Tea Party MINI-ME, Keith Rothfus. I promise to fight every day for Jobs in Western Pennsylvania.”

  8. A woman who has worked in the AGs office for almost five years received a promotion??? Oh the horror. Republicans are beyond hypocritical. You should all go to Texas and secede.

  9. Keegan, as I said on Twitter, I couldn’t resist. My other hand is searching for pickles to add to the tasty, tasty cheesesteak. Incidentally, the cheesesteak comes from the Brass Rail, an Allentown institution located on the çity’s South Side, and the picture was snapped at The Great Allentown Fair, which is running until Tuesday.

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