Nasty Little Man

Swann ducks, Scranton dodges, the people lose

The more things change, the more they stay the same. After the pay raise debacle, you would think that PA politicians would understand that they must answer to the people. Yet, after Lynn Swann decided not to take part in Wednesday's scheduled GOP gubernatorial debate in Harrisburg, Bill Scranton withdrew, too. That only left Jim Panyard, so the co-sponsors of the debate cancelled the event.

"Bill's an aristocrat," Panyard said. "He certainly doesn't want to debate the son of a factory worker."

Swann is only willing to debate Scranton after February 11, when the state GOP endorses a candidate.

"The reason voters do not have more choices at the polls is because, in many cases, a few decide who gets on the ballot," said Paula Harris, CEO of Andrew Young National Center for Social Change, one of the debate's co-sponsors. "Deals are made behind closed doors to keep people off the ballots that want to run for public office."

I would love to laugh at the Repugnantcans on this, but, alas, Bob Casey dodged a debate tonight with Chuck Pennacchio and Alan Sandals in the Dems' Senate race. The only difference in the two situations is that Swann actually has competition. Nevertheless, Casey missed an opportunity to actually tell us what he thinks.

posted by Kinder Gentler Little Man @ 12:01 AM