People vote against their own interests - PA election Rendell/Swann

Today I had a conversation with a woman who is voting for Lynn Swann...at least until she talked to me.

I asked her why and she said..."it is a vote against Ed Rendell"...okay...so I ask her why she doesn't like Eddy and she stares at me blankly and says..."he is corrupt"....and I ask...how??? and there she has no answer

I then ask her why vote for Swann???

No good reasons...in fact has no idea where he stands on issues.

This woman works for social services. She works specifically with autistic kids. Now...Pennsylvania is one of three states in the entire country that provide what is called "wraparound" services for autistic and mentally disabled children...as part of the medicaid system. Whether you are rich or poor...your disabled child qualifies.

Well...our republican controlled house and senate here in PA ...hates this...they want to end wraparound. They want it to go away and shit on those kid's heads. Cuz in PA the GOP legislature would rather build stadiums for sports teams, vote themselves pay raises ....rather than help kids.
When they couldn't defund it entirely, they wanted parents to pony up very high premiums every month in order to keep up services....and a lot of parents would not be able to afford to do that....but that didn't pass because of Democratic efforts and people calling into their senators and reps...

So I told her..."remember the recent efforts to defund wraparound?"

"yes" she replies....

I said..."well that is a GOP initiative...and if you vote for Swann...he will surely pass it and you will be out of a job"

She stared at me with her mouth open and said..."no...I can't believe it"...and I said...

"the GOP has controlled both houses of the PA house for the past 12 years and the only thing to keep them in check would be keeping our Democratic governor...if you don't care about those kids...then vote for that stupid ball player...and vote yourself out of a job"

I also told her that Brightbill and Jubbybuddy (Greedy pay raise GOPers) are Swann's mentors...and how did she feel about that? also big stares..

I also mentioned all the money and the projects that Rendell has funded in our area....as well and I told her that she shouldn't let the Tribune Review or Fox news be her only news source...

Geez, the Phillies, Pirates, Eagles, and Steelers are all in new stadiums, and someone else wants one?

It is surprising how many people think politics is all about the personalities. The woman you spoke to obviously doesn't understand that these people are making important decisions that affect her livelihood.

he is whining and whining that the Pittsburgh Penguins need a arena...(although I think he is now selling them ...which was his big threat if we wouldn't build him a new arena....)...

Yep a new arena for the Pens...to be built with the gambling money that was supposed to relieve the property tax problem that former Gov Ridge left us with when he slashed state funding of public schools and redirected the money to corporations...

I wonder if a lot of people would really miss them.

You might find this article from the Onion entertaining:
PNC Park Threatens To Leave Pittsburgh Unless Better Team Is Built

hahahahaha

I fear that PA is going to wind up in the red column in 2006 and 2008. The Rethugs have been targeting this state for some time. In 2004, right-wing propaganda was being channeled through the Pittsburgh Catholic Diocese's weekly newspaper, The Pittsburgh Catholic, and I wrote to the publication and to the Bishop to complain. Now that there has been a "See" change in the diocese with a new Bishop to be named later this year, perhaps that source of propaganda will abate. However, other sources of such propaganda abound. The majority of the populace is gun-owning, and the gun industry's message is that Democrats want to take firearms away from the public. Another ominous sign for the upcoming elections is that most of the counties have chosen to go with touch-screen electronic voting systems. Given the apathy of the registered voters who make up our base and the political middle ground, I would have to say that we may in trouble in this state.

meanwhile most democrats I know...the liberal ones...all are gun owners and hunt...although they are typically too busy with work to actually get out in the woods anymore.

i am a roman catholic...but i have stopped going to church over this courtship with the GOP.

I've got relatives like her. Coal-crackers, collecting Black Lung and S.S.---hate Democrats. Go figure.

but yet they hate them.....

my family was union...then the second generation thought they were too rich to vote democratic...now they are just being taken advantage of...it is pathetic when my immigrant grandparents voted regularly and were more aware of politics than their US born grand children and great grand children...

comes from the federal government through Medicaid. The Republicans in Washington cut Medicaid funding.

They also screwed people with disabilities on Medicaid with the wonderful Medicare prescription drug plan. Medicaid recipients had to convert to the new Medicare plan and many found their meds were no longer covered or they had to pay more. Let's see, which party wrote that piece of pork legislation to boost the profits of the pharmaceutical industry? Uh oh, Republicans once again.

if not a phd....but apparently she doesn't read much....or listen to the news...

with the poor, the elderly, or the disabled don't see what is going on.