by Damon Boughamer
Public Radio Capitol News, serving Pennsylvania
Harrisburg, Penna. (PRCN, 8 February 2007) – Pennsylvania Democrats like Hillary Clinton, Republicans prefer Rudy Giuliani and a general election between the two would be close, according to an early presidential poll.
A Quinnipiac University survey of Keystone State Democrats has Hillary Clinton at 38 percent, followed by John Edwards, Al Gore and Barack Obama in a three-way tie at 11 percent. Joe Biden stands at 5 percent.
Giuliani has the edge among Pennsylvania’s GOP voters with 30 percent, besting John McCain’s 20 percent, Newt Gingrich’s 14 percent and Mitt Romney’s 4 percent.
Hillary Clinton trails head-to-head match-ups with Giuliani by 3 points and McCain by 1 – putting both hypothetical contests within the margin of error.
Pollster Clay Richards says Pennsylvanians are warm to both New Yorkers – Hillary, probably because she has been so well known for so long, and Giuliani, perhaps, because of the commonwealth’s connection to 9/11.
"Of course, one of the planes crashed in Pennsylvania, so while the attack was not in Pennsylvania, the impact was in Pennsylvania, and they all looked to Giuliani as being a hero in that situation. And with the problems the President has gotten into in Iraq, he’s not looked at as a hero anymore, so there has to be someone to inherit that mantle. And Giuliani clearly does," Richards says.
Of those who got support, only Gore has not launched a campaign.
Thursday, 8 February 2007
Wednesday, 31 January 2007
PA Senate committee clears smoking ban
by Damon Boughamer
Public Radio Capitol News, serving Pennsylvania
Harrisburg, Penna. (PRCN, 1 February 2007) - A statewide indoor smoking ban advanced through a state Senate committee as that panel's first act of the year. But proponents say they have much more work to do.
Bill Godshall heads Smokefree Pennsylvania, which has been asking the legislature for years to make smoking illegal in bars, restaurants, offices and other workplaces - no exceptions.
Godshall says he's pleased that a bill cleared the Senate Public Health and Welfare committee.
He says the tough part is still ahead: trying to make sure the proposal is not gutted during consideration by the full Senate.
"We are especially concerned about preserving the rights of the existing local ordinances. And what they'll try to do is get a bunch of exemptions in the state law. That would mean you could have smoking once again allowed in locations in Allegheny County and in Philadelphia
and in Scranton," Godshall says.
The Senate committee approved the ban on a 9-2 vote. Republican Mary Jo White of Venango County and Democrat Vince Hughes of Philadelphia were the dissenters.
Public Radio Capitol News, serving Pennsylvania
Harrisburg, Penna. (PRCN, 1 February 2007) - A statewide indoor smoking ban advanced through a state Senate committee as that panel's first act of the year. But proponents say they have much more work to do.
Bill Godshall heads Smokefree Pennsylvania, which has been asking the legislature for years to make smoking illegal in bars, restaurants, offices and other workplaces - no exceptions.
Godshall says he's pleased that a bill cleared the Senate Public Health and Welfare committee.
He says the tough part is still ahead: trying to make sure the proposal is not gutted during consideration by the full Senate.
"We are especially concerned about preserving the rights of the existing local ordinances. And what they'll try to do is get a bunch of exemptions in the state law. That would mean you could have smoking once again allowed in locations in Allegheny County and in Philadelphia
and in Scranton," Godshall says.
The Senate committee approved the ban on a 9-2 vote. Republican Mary Jo White of Venango County and Democrat Vince Hughes of Philadelphia were the dissenters.
Wednesday, 30 August 2006
FEATURE: Santorum 'holy war' speech dissected
by Damon Boughamer
Public Radio Capitol News, serving Pennsylvania
Harrisburg, Penna. (PRCN, 30 August 2006) – Republican U.S. Senator Rick Santorum – who trails in polls against Democrat Bob Casey Junior – delivered an unexpectedly provocative address Monday that focused on foreign policy.
Scholars are parsing the actual content of the speech.
Political pundits, meanwhile, are wondering about its intended effect.
The Pennsylvania Press Club invited both men to speak. Casey, last month, was rhetorically restrained.
"I think this is going to be an election about accountability for your record and it’s going to be an election about where we’re taking the people of America," he said in even tones.
Santorum used his time this week before the same audience quite differently.
"People are dying. We are at war. This is serious business," Santorum said.
For 20 minutes, Santorum spoke forcefully, describing the ongoing U.S .conflict as not with a place, such as Iraq, or a method, such as terror, but with Islamic fascists.
"We get bogged down on Sunni and Shi’ite, with secular governments and non-secular governments, and we say they’re all different. No, they’re not. They’re a common enemy," Santorum said.
Santorum also made a prediction about his campaign for re-election.
"Whether I like it or not, this election is going to turn on this issue," Santorum said. "Because this is the issue of our time."
Reaction from Casey spokesman Larry Smar was muted.
"Homeland security and foreign policy are very important issues, but there are a lot of issues," Smar said. "And the biggest issue in this campaign is changing the direction in Washington."
Political pundits saw the speech as vintage Santorum. Steve Peterson is the director of the School of Public Affairs at Penn State Harrisburg. "His provocative position with respect to Iran certainly is consistent with his views on foreign policy, and the fact that it was rendered in such a provocative way, I think, is consistent with his approach to political issues – to kind of take tough positions out there," Peterson said.
Melanie Blumberg at California University of Pennsylvania said Santorum will struggle to paint Casey as weak on defense because Casey has no national voting record – but said that may not be what Santorum is trying to do anyway.
"I think that he’s out there alone on this, trying to portray himself as being an expert and trying to portray himself as trying to protect America," Blumberg said. "It’s interesting, because he seems to be taking – he is taking – a harder stand on this than the Bush administration."
Chatter about domestic political implications may eclipse discussions about the actual policies Santorum is proposing.
But these ideas require critical analysis, according to Bahgat Gawdat, a Middle East specialist at Indiana University of Pennsylvania.
This is especially true because – if re-elected – Santorum will not be just another senator. He would likely be the second-ranking member of the majority party and has positioned himself to the right of the President on Iran.
Gawdat said efforts at securing long-term peace and stability could be hampered by casting the conflict as a holy war.
"We are in war in Iraq and we do not want another war, and it is better to open channels," Gawdat said. "As President Bush said, we should not outsource our foreign policy. For a long time, we’ve been dependent on Europe in any dialogue with Iran. And we learned that this is the wrong approach."
Santorum, for his part, said he is not worried about offending anyone, abroad or here, if that’s what’s necessary to defend Western ideals.
Public Radio Capitol News, serving Pennsylvania
Harrisburg, Penna. (PRCN, 30 August 2006) – Republican U.S. Senator Rick Santorum – who trails in polls against Democrat Bob Casey Junior – delivered an unexpectedly provocative address Monday that focused on foreign policy.
Scholars are parsing the actual content of the speech.
Political pundits, meanwhile, are wondering about its intended effect.
The Pennsylvania Press Club invited both men to speak. Casey, last month, was rhetorically restrained.
"I think this is going to be an election about accountability for your record and it’s going to be an election about where we’re taking the people of America," he said in even tones.
Santorum used his time this week before the same audience quite differently.
"People are dying. We are at war. This is serious business," Santorum said.
For 20 minutes, Santorum spoke forcefully, describing the ongoing U.S .conflict as not with a place, such as Iraq, or a method, such as terror, but with Islamic fascists.
"We get bogged down on Sunni and Shi’ite, with secular governments and non-secular governments, and we say they’re all different. No, they’re not. They’re a common enemy," Santorum said.
Santorum also made a prediction about his campaign for re-election.
"Whether I like it or not, this election is going to turn on this issue," Santorum said. "Because this is the issue of our time."
Reaction from Casey spokesman Larry Smar was muted.
"Homeland security and foreign policy are very important issues, but there are a lot of issues," Smar said. "And the biggest issue in this campaign is changing the direction in Washington."
Political pundits saw the speech as vintage Santorum. Steve Peterson is the director of the School of Public Affairs at Penn State Harrisburg. "His provocative position with respect to Iran certainly is consistent with his views on foreign policy, and the fact that it was rendered in such a provocative way, I think, is consistent with his approach to political issues – to kind of take tough positions out there," Peterson said.
Melanie Blumberg at California University of Pennsylvania said Santorum will struggle to paint Casey as weak on defense because Casey has no national voting record – but said that may not be what Santorum is trying to do anyway.
"I think that he’s out there alone on this, trying to portray himself as being an expert and trying to portray himself as trying to protect America," Blumberg said. "It’s interesting, because he seems to be taking – he is taking – a harder stand on this than the Bush administration."
Chatter about domestic political implications may eclipse discussions about the actual policies Santorum is proposing.
But these ideas require critical analysis, according to Bahgat Gawdat, a Middle East specialist at Indiana University of Pennsylvania.
This is especially true because – if re-elected – Santorum will not be just another senator. He would likely be the second-ranking member of the majority party and has positioned himself to the right of the President on Iran.
Gawdat said efforts at securing long-term peace and stability could be hampered by casting the conflict as a holy war.
"We are in war in Iraq and we do not want another war, and it is better to open channels," Gawdat said. "As President Bush said, we should not outsource our foreign policy. For a long time, we’ve been dependent on Europe in any dialogue with Iran. And we learned that this is the wrong approach."
Santorum, for his part, said he is not worried about offending anyone, abroad or here, if that’s what’s necessary to defend Western ideals.
Thursday, 29 June 2006
News of budget deal trumped by floods
by Damon Boughamer
Public Radio Capitol News, serving Pennsylvania
Harrisburg, Penna. (PRCN, 29 June 2006) – In a major development – negotiators reached a tentative budget deal at the state Capitol, where busy officials did begin the day by reacting to the flooding.
Governor Rendell activated the National Guard, declared disaster emergencies in 46 counties and said it will be a day or two before the determination is made on whether to seek federal aid.
"We try to be accurate. We try not to just throw everything in because we want to have credibility with FEMA. When we ask for a county, we want them to believe there’s a credible amount of damage. And FEMA independently reviews our estimates," Rendell said.
Lawmakers, facing a Friday night deadline, pressed forward on the budget, and by mid-afternoon, leaders announced a compromise. Overall spending jumps at least six percent.
Separately, later, the House voted to declare English the official language of the commonwealth, 122 to 70, after a motion to defer the debate failed by a 96-96 tie.
Away from the legislature, the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board approved licenses for so-called "suppliers," who will acquire slots machines and sell them to casinos.
A board member who had insisted on awarding licenses geographically dropped his demand, allowing the panel to head off regulatory intervention that could have delayed parlor openings by a year.
Public Radio Capitol News, serving Pennsylvania
Harrisburg, Penna. (PRCN, 29 June 2006) – In a major development – negotiators reached a tentative budget deal at the state Capitol, where busy officials did begin the day by reacting to the flooding.
Governor Rendell activated the National Guard, declared disaster emergencies in 46 counties and said it will be a day or two before the determination is made on whether to seek federal aid.
"We try to be accurate. We try not to just throw everything in because we want to have credibility with FEMA. When we ask for a county, we want them to believe there’s a credible amount of damage. And FEMA independently reviews our estimates," Rendell said.
Lawmakers, facing a Friday night deadline, pressed forward on the budget, and by mid-afternoon, leaders announced a compromise. Overall spending jumps at least six percent.
Separately, later, the House voted to declare English the official language of the commonwealth, 122 to 70, after a motion to defer the debate failed by a 96-96 tie.
Away from the legislature, the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board approved licenses for so-called "suppliers," who will acquire slots machines and sell them to casinos.
A board member who had insisted on awarding licenses geographically dropped his demand, allowing the panel to head off regulatory intervention that could have delayed parlor openings by a year.
Tuesday, 30 May 2006
Group: pensions flawed at state, local levels
by Damon Boughamer
Public Radio Capitol News, serving Pennsylvania
Harrisburg, Penna. (PRCN, 26 May 2006) – Potential pension shortfalls have been a concern at the state level for a while, but this past week brought reports of local problems, specifically in Pittsburgh and York.
One group thinks both problems – state and local – are serious.
The conservative Commonwealth Foundation is calling on policymakers to address fund gaps now, before they get bigger.
Pittsburgh’s shortfall alone is already $469 million, and the city’s pension fund, as it stands, could meet only 44-percent of its obligations.
The foundation’s Matt Brouillette says it’s hard to say whether local or state difficulties are more concerning.
“It’s a lot easier to quantify it at the state level and to see how large and enormous it is, but when you stack these things upon the locality, your school district, it is difficult to get your mind around how troubling these systems are,” Brouillette says.
Brouillette says government should accept the same reality that has set in across the private sector: that defined-benefit pensions are outmoded and must be replaced with defined-contribution plans.
Public Radio Capitol News, serving Pennsylvania
Harrisburg, Penna. (PRCN, 26 May 2006) – Potential pension shortfalls have been a concern at the state level for a while, but this past week brought reports of local problems, specifically in Pittsburgh and York.
One group thinks both problems – state and local – are serious.
The conservative Commonwealth Foundation is calling on policymakers to address fund gaps now, before they get bigger.
Pittsburgh’s shortfall alone is already $469 million, and the city’s pension fund, as it stands, could meet only 44-percent of its obligations.
The foundation’s Matt Brouillette says it’s hard to say whether local or state difficulties are more concerning.
“It’s a lot easier to quantify it at the state level and to see how large and enormous it is, but when you stack these things upon the locality, your school district, it is difficult to get your mind around how troubling these systems are,” Brouillette says.
Brouillette says government should accept the same reality that has set in across the private sector: that defined-benefit pensions are outmoded and must be replaced with defined-contribution plans.
Thursday, 27 April 2006
House Democrats roll out tax cut plan
by Damon Boughamer
Public Radio Capitol News, serving Pennsylvania
Harrisburg, Penna. (PRCN, 27 April 2006) – State House Democrats have set their corner of the stage for budget talks by rolling out a business tax cut plan.
House Democrats would slightly accelerate the phase-out of the capital stock and franchise tax; increase the research and development tax credit limit; and phase in greater emphasis on sales in reporting corporate income.
They would also lift the cap on net operating losses, often carried forward by high-tech startups, to $3 million. While Representative David Levdansky – the caucus’ numbers man – said that might mean the most for businesses, it was the smallest of the four cuts Democrats were pushing, confessed leaders Mike Veon and Bill DeWeese.
A reporter asked whether the caucus considered taking the cap to $4 million, $5 million or $6 million. Veon's one-word reply: "No." DeWeese followed up, saying that the subject of net operating losses "has been under discussion with the administration, and this is realistic."
The press conference came just a few days before the election break, giving lawmakers and Governor Rendell something to mull over before negotiations begin in earnest in late May.
Public Radio Capitol News, serving Pennsylvania
Harrisburg, Penna. (PRCN, 27 April 2006) – State House Democrats have set their corner of the stage for budget talks by rolling out a business tax cut plan.
House Democrats would slightly accelerate the phase-out of the capital stock and franchise tax; increase the research and development tax credit limit; and phase in greater emphasis on sales in reporting corporate income.
They would also lift the cap on net operating losses, often carried forward by high-tech startups, to $3 million. While Representative David Levdansky – the caucus’ numbers man – said that might mean the most for businesses, it was the smallest of the four cuts Democrats were pushing, confessed leaders Mike Veon and Bill DeWeese.
A reporter asked whether the caucus considered taking the cap to $4 million, $5 million or $6 million. Veon's one-word reply: "No." DeWeese followed up, saying that the subject of net operating losses "has been under discussion with the administration, and this is realistic."
The press conference came just a few days before the election break, giving lawmakers and Governor Rendell something to mull over before negotiations begin in earnest in late May.
Wednesday, 15 March 2006
Gettysburg, Philadelphia could see slots changes
by Damon Boughamer
Public Radio Capitol News, serving Pennsylvania
Harrisburg, Penna. (PRCN, 16 March 2006) -- The Gettysburg countryside and Philadelphia were singled out by the state House as it passed changes to the gaming law:
Gettysburg, because the House unanimously approved an amendment banning slots parlors from Adams County, where one has been proposed.
Philadelphia, because lawmakers singled out the city as corrupt – too corrupt to site casinos, anyway. Only Philadelphia would be stripped of local zoning authority.
This did not sit well with many Democrats, including House Minority Leader Bill DeWeese.
"I don’t think it will stand judicial overview," DeWeese said. "This was already hurled back at us once. The jurists said that the local entities, the local municipalities, would be involved in the zoning effort."
The bill faces an uncertain future when it is returned to the Senate, which revised the gaming law in several ways but not in these ways.
Public Radio Capitol News, serving Pennsylvania
Harrisburg, Penna. (PRCN, 16 March 2006) -- The Gettysburg countryside and Philadelphia were singled out by the state House as it passed changes to the gaming law:
Gettysburg, because the House unanimously approved an amendment banning slots parlors from Adams County, where one has been proposed.
Philadelphia, because lawmakers singled out the city as corrupt – too corrupt to site casinos, anyway. Only Philadelphia would be stripped of local zoning authority.
This did not sit well with many Democrats, including House Minority Leader Bill DeWeese.
"I don’t think it will stand judicial overview," DeWeese said. "This was already hurled back at us once. The jurists said that the local entities, the local municipalities, would be involved in the zoning effort."
The bill faces an uncertain future when it is returned to the Senate, which revised the gaming law in several ways but not in these ways.
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