Confessions of a participation trophy liberal – and what it tells you about Pa. politics | Opinion

By Patrick Beaty

Here’s anything I uncovered as a result of a lot of yrs of experience in condition government and as an advocate for redistricting reform. When a govt worker phone calls you a participation trophy liberal, a loser and a cheater, all in 1 sophomoric rant, you know you should be on to some thing.

Correct, the comment was not directed at me personally, but the concept was very clear ample.

A spokesperson for the Pennsylvania Household Republican caucus was responding to a push conference at which a wide variety of govt reform groups referred to as for alterations in legislative procedures to let for consideration of charges with bi-partisan support.

Asked to remark on the proposal, Household GOP spokesperson Jason Gottesman chose instead to interact in name-calling of the kind that has turn out to be all too familiar on social media. He explained to a reporter that the reform advocates had been “participation trophy liberals” who “don’t like the point that they have lost the match, so they are seeking to cheat by transforming the policies.”

There’s a ton to unpack there, but let us start out with this. When did it grow to be ok for a governing administration employee to give a statement like that as the official reaction of the Property bulk caucus? It feels like an invisible line has been crossed before we even realized it was there.

The Pa. Constitution belongs to all of us. Not one political get together | Patrick Beaty

The Pennsylvania legislature has a very long sad heritage as a entire body resistant to alter. To put it mildly. In actuality, that is how legislative leaders constantly seemed to cope with earlier reform attempts – mildly – with lukewarm assurances that have been in no way recognized.

Don’t forget previous Speaker Mike Turzai’s professed help for the gift ban? Or recent Speaker Bryan Cutler’s assurance (when he was the greater part chief) that the Regulations Committee which he chaired was open to taking into consideration extra rule changes? Almost nothing happened, of study course, and at some point the legislative session came to an conclude without any sizeable reforms. Disappointing to be absolutely sure, but at the very least reformers weren’t vilified as losers. At minimum not as the formal government response.

Even setting aside the appalling tone of disrespect for nonpartisan teams like the Committee of Seventy, League of Females Voters of PA, March on Harrisburg, Fair Districts PA, and other individuals who participated in the push occasion, the quoted assertion reveals quite a good deal about what is erroneous with politics and governing administration these days. And, although not intended, the assertion actually served to reinforce the most important position becoming created by the reformers.

After on a time, the social gathering in electric power would sometimes arrive at throughout the aisle and collaborate with customers of the minority celebration on issues that were well known with voters of both of those persuasions.