Newspaper: Reform begins on Election Day

The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review has concluded that the only way to reform Harrisburg is the clean house in the Pennsylvania Legislature. Voters can accomplish that task on Nov. 4.

Pennsylvania voters, angry over the middle-of-the-night legislative pay raise in 2005, replaced 55 incumbents in 2006. So far this year, 27 incumbents have retired or lost their re-election bids in the primary, but real change can occur on Nov. 4 when 104 incumbents face opposition on the ballot.

Pennsylvania voters can put the fear of God into the Harrisburg political elite by throwing out scores of incumbents.

From the Tribune-Review editorial:

Why do Pennsylvania's leading lawmakers treat their constituents with such disdain? More to the point, how much more mistreatment are the people prepared to take?

In the twilight of yet another legislative session, for which so many spent so much to accomplish so little, bills to expand state transparency and promote better governance fade ever so deliberately into the haze that is Harrisburg.

For this inaction some Senate leaders blame an obstinate House. House Republicans slam the Democrat leadership. And the House leadership argues that it was the Senate that canned a lame-duck session -- which has been an excuse for all manner of mischief.

Funny how all the gibber-jabber about good government -- even for a fully warranted constitutional convention -- arises in the 11th hour when there was abundant opportunity for reforms this year, beginning with the state's overblown $28.2 billion budget.

Reform begins by pitching them on Nov. 4.

Read the full editorial, "Reforming Harrisburg: Throw 'em out" at the newspaper's Web site.