Pennsylvania Going Republican--Latest Polls Show Hope

I never thought I'd live to see the day where Arlen "Magic Bullet Theory" Specter would be unseated. Here in Pennsylvania, he's become almost as entrenched in his seat as Ted Kennedy was. By now, the actual seat itself is probably growing into Specter's gluteus maximus. From all accounts, though, it looks like Specter's days are numbered as are the rest of the Dems in this state (I will NOT use the word 'commonwealth').

In a poll conducted by The Philadelphia Daily News, Pat Toomey, a former U.S. Representative from the Allentown area, has opened up a 14-point lead over Specter in the fight for the Senate seat coming up for grabs. Could Pennsylvania be the next Massachusetts? I pray so.

Among likely voters, Toomey leads Snarlin' Arlen 45-31 percent with 20 percent undecided. I will tell you folks that in Pennsylvania, that's saying something.

"I can't deny it's all very encouraging," Toomey said. "But I'm also very aware of the fact that the election is nine months away. A lot can happen. So I'm going to run like I'm 20 points behind."

Pat Toomey lost to Specter in 2004, but it was a narrow victory for Specter, who defected to the Dems last year.

U.S. Rep. Joe Sestak (D), of Delaware County, is leaving his job to challenge Specter in the primary. In the poll, Sestak doesn't fare as well against Toomey as Specter does.

Among likely voters, Toomey leads 41-19 percent with 37 percent undecided. Registered voters favor Toomey over Sestak 28-16 percent with 51 percent undecided. In short, a Toomey-Sestak matchup would be a massacre.

Also in Pennsylvania, the reign of "Fast Eddie" Rendell is coming to an end (THANK GOD!) after Rendell served the maximum two terms as governor. In this race, the most likely candidates are going to be former AG Tom Corbett for the Republicans and Allegheny County Executive Dan Onarato for the Democrats. Trust me when I say that the people of Pennsylvania DO NOT want Onarato as governor. When one looks at how Allegheny County has been run in recent years and how the assessment of property has been bungled, it proves that Onarato is not the man to be running the state.

How this all plays out is going to be interesting to watch. I'm sure ACORN is going to be VERY active in Pennsylvania. There are a lot of dead people that need to register to vote.

Governor Ed Rendell's (D-PA) Tax Scheme

Those of us in Pennsylvania are about to get royally screwed once again by Mr. Ed. Citing increases in the state welfare rolls, he has proposed $500 million in spending cuts. To offset the spending increase, he wants to raise the state income tax from 3.07 percent to 3.57 percent. That's about $250 m

ore annually for someone making $50,000 a year.

Janis McDonald, an administrator for UPMC, blames "the way they spend money" in state government.

"I would like to see a copy of that state budget," said McDonald, 62, a registered Democrat from Herminie. "I'll betcha I could make the necessary cuts -- God knows I've already had to do it at home.

"The people on the dole can't pay. God knows the wealthy won't pay; they'll wiggle their way out of it. Most don't pay income tax, per se," she said. "(Rendell) just goes around with that smirk on his face. I say, you better just keep your hands out of my pocket."

Rendell contends that four of 10 people in Pennsylvania don't pay income tax because they're senior citizens or have lower incomes. That leaves us honest, hard-working schmucks in the other 60 percent.

During his tenure, the state budget increased 37 percent, more than twice the rate of inflation. From the 2002-2003 budget to the 2008-2009 budget in effect, the budget increased $7.6 billion to $28.3 billion. And he wants everyone else to sacrifice. He so reminds me of a union thug!

In many ways, Pennsylvania has become a microcosm of California. Higher taxes, corruption, and small sections of the state dictating what the rest of us get. People in the Pittsburgh and Philadelphia areas, where population is heaviest, would rather die than vote Republican. Our last Republican governor was Mark Schweiker, who took over for Tom Ridge when Ridge left to be Homeland Security Secretary. Even that wasn't true conservatism.

Pennsylvania has always been my home. It saddens me to see the wrecking ball of government coming for it.

Fair Tax, anyone?