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PA GOP News Brief – Monday, January 30, 2012
Posted on: January 30th, 2012

PA GOP News Brief
Keeping you current and connected.

Monday, January 30, 2012

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  • RT @CPA4PA Just accepted the @PAGOP endorsement for Auditor General! #CPA4PA #pa20in12
  • RT @PAGOP After a great 2012 Winter Mtg, we’re excited about moving forward with a strong slate of conservative #PAGOP candidates! #pa20in12

The Rundown

All four of Governor Corbett’s picks for state and federal offices have received the endorsement of the commonwealth’s Republican committee. One of those candidates is Chester County entrepreneur Steve Welch for U.S. Senate.

During a forum of U.S. Senate candidates this weekend, Corbett could be found outside in the hallway, the top of his head barely visible from behind an armchair facing the wall in the corner.

“Shoring up support,” said members of his staff.

And the governor continued to do it right up until the committee’s vote to endorse, telling members there’s more at stake than this year’s primary election.

“Should you choose not to endorse, or to become inconsistent with endorsements, candidates will begin to bypass the input and expertise of our membership–of you,” said Corbett.

For weeks there was speculation as to whether or not committees with a will to buck Corbett’s endorsement would vote not to favor any one of the GOP candidates for U.S. Senate.

A bill to greatly reduce the scope of a state redevelopment program that has helped pay for stadium projects in Northeast Pennsylvania will be introduced soon by a House Republican leader.

Majority Leader Mike Turzai, R-28, Pittsburgh, is circulating a memo outlining an overhaul of the Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program. Turzai’s proposal calls for cutting back RACP’s borrowing capacity, changing its emphasis to larger highway, water and sewer projects that have an economic impact, weeding out a “wish list” of authorized projects and removing the power of lame duck governors to approve projects.

RACP is a major conduit to finance community development projects in Northeast Pennsylvania, most recently the $20 million grant that Gov. Tom Corbett approved to help finance the planned makeover of PNC Field in Moosic.

The program drew controversy in 2010 when lawmakers approved $600 million in new borrowing for the program and former Gov. Ed Rendell gave the green light for two RACP projects bearing the names of veteran Pennsylvania federal lawmakers, former U.S. Sen. Arlen Specter and the late U.S. Rep. Jack Murtha.

The grant to PNC Field was avidly sought by public officials in Northeast Pennsylvania, but it was criticized by Turzai, then a leader of the House minority GOP caucus.

It’s official now. Barack Obama’s ratings are “historically polarized,” according to a new Gallup survey.

Jeffrey Jones of the Gallup organization writes, “The historically high gap between partisans’ job approval ratings of Barack Obama continued during Obama’s third year in office, with an average of 80 percent of Democrats and 12 percent of Republicans approving of the job he was doing… The 68-point gap between partisans’ approval ratings of Obama last year is nine points higher than that for any other president’s third year.” Obama, by the way, holds the record for the most polarized first and second years in office, too. Which means Obama has set a record for polarization every year he’s been in office.

So now is as good a time as any to remind people one of the core claims made by Barack Obama during his presidential campaign wasn’t simply that he would heal the planet; he would also heal the nation’s political breach. He would elevate the national debate. Reason would prevail over emotion. He would do away with what he called the “50 plus one” style of governing. Obama would “turn the page” on the “old politics” of division and anger. He would end a politics that “breeds division and conflict and cynicism.” He would help us to “rediscover our bonds to each other and … get out of this constant petty bickering that’s come to characterize our politics.” He would “cast off the worn-out ideas and politics of the past.”

Last Week’s Recap:

Friday, January 27, 2012

Thursday, January 26, 2012

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Monday, January 23, 2012

 

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