Lost in Philadelphia
The stealth campaign of Lynn Swann pulled into Philadelphia today (Monday, 9-18) for a news conference.
You folks in the rest of the state may have seen a lot of the Republican candidate for governor. In the east, he's been the invisible man.
And why not? Better for Swann to spend his time elsewhere. This is Rendell country. It's daunting to go on the home turf of an opponent who left the Philadelphia media market four years ago with a 550,000-votes in his pocket.
That's not total votes. That's the Rendell margin over Mike Fisher.
Still, I wish Swann would give an encouraging sign that he gets it.
As a public figure, he is everything you could ask for -- sleek, handsome and articulate (up to a point -- that point being when he must answer in specifics. )
As a candidate, though, why does he seem so hapless?
Then again, maybe it isn't him. Maybe it's his campaign.
Case in point: The Swann TV ad up in some markets. The topic? Welfare reform.
Not, let me ask you, is welfare reform on the top of your agenda? Is that what keeps you up at nights with worry -- Oh, my gosh, I wonder how welfare reform is going! It is a Clinton era program and Swann's principal criticism is that the Rendell administration hasn't gone fast enough in implementing some of its provisions. Will that makes his numbers move? I doubt it.
Case in point 2: In this race, Swann is supposed to be the fiscal conservative and Rendell the big spender. So, what's he come to Philadelphia to do? To unveil an anti-crime program, a centerpiece of which is to have the state help pay for 5,000 additional police officers across the state.
(Swann is a week late on this. House Speaker John Perzel has trotted out a similar idea, though Perzel wants the state to pay for 10,000 officers.)
Swann mentioned something about paying for this program by "increasing (court) fees and fines" Apparently, he means hiking the fines and fees people who commit crimes must pay. When questioned about the cost, he replied: "I don't want to get locked into particulars."
On the other hand, I have no problem with particulars.
It costs between $60,000 and $80,000 to put a cop on the streets in Pennsylvania (including salary, fringe benefits and OT). Using the lower figure, it would cost $300 million to add 5,000 officers statewide. Even if the state picks up half the cost, it still will cost $150 million a year.
That's a lot of fines and fees.
You folks in the rest of the state may have seen a lot of the Republican candidate for governor. In the east, he's been the invisible man.
And why not? Better for Swann to spend his time elsewhere. This is Rendell country. It's daunting to go on the home turf of an opponent who left the Philadelphia media market four years ago with a 550,000-votes in his pocket.
That's not total votes. That's the Rendell margin over Mike Fisher.
Still, I wish Swann would give an encouraging sign that he gets it.
As a public figure, he is everything you could ask for -- sleek, handsome and articulate (up to a point -- that point being when he must answer in specifics. )
As a candidate, though, why does he seem so hapless?
Then again, maybe it isn't him. Maybe it's his campaign.
Case in point: The Swann TV ad up in some markets. The topic? Welfare reform.
Not, let me ask you, is welfare reform on the top of your agenda? Is that what keeps you up at nights with worry -- Oh, my gosh, I wonder how welfare reform is going! It is a Clinton era program and Swann's principal criticism is that the Rendell administration hasn't gone fast enough in implementing some of its provisions. Will that makes his numbers move? I doubt it.
Case in point 2: In this race, Swann is supposed to be the fiscal conservative and Rendell the big spender. So, what's he come to Philadelphia to do? To unveil an anti-crime program, a centerpiece of which is to have the state help pay for 5,000 additional police officers across the state.
(Swann is a week late on this. House Speaker John Perzel has trotted out a similar idea, though Perzel wants the state to pay for 10,000 officers.)
Swann mentioned something about paying for this program by "increasing (court) fees and fines" Apparently, he means hiking the fines and fees people who commit crimes must pay. When questioned about the cost, he replied: "I don't want to get locked into particulars."
On the other hand, I have no problem with particulars.
It costs between $60,000 and $80,000 to put a cop on the streets in Pennsylvania (including salary, fringe benefits and OT). Using the lower figure, it would cost $300 million to add 5,000 officers statewide. Even if the state picks up half the cost, it still will cost $150 million a year.
That's a lot of fines and fees.
posted by Tom Ferrick Jr. at 3:30 PM
4 Comments:
Philly is Rendell country. Its also Street country,..and Fattah country,..and Bob Brady country.
Oh,..that explains why nothing ever gets done in this part of the "country."
Tom,
Lynn Swann has traveled the southeast and has stood in the heart of Philadelphia ALL SUMMER LONG.
If you had bothered to show up at even ONE of those stops, as did almost ALL of your colleagues, you would have known that.
And if you hadn't already professed the invincibility of your man, Ed, you'd have known that the commercial you cited was our second, not the first.
The great thing about being a columnist is that you get to be selective with the facts and present however one sided a picture you like. It should be encouraged. But, you also have to get your facts right. Don't lecture people for not reciting facts when you yourself can't or choose not to.
Try calling my office sometime, it would go a long way toward helping you to begin doing just that -- if you wanted to.
Ajax,..you typically-deluded feces-for-grey-matter Socialist. I frequently read your highly-humorous blog, "Young Philly Politics."
Every contributor, from DanielUA on down constantly p**ses and moans about the culture of corruption in this city, by this city's controlling party - The Democrats.
So,...Ajax,..if the shoe fits, kick YOUR OWN SELF in the ass!
Swann is an empty face. Rendell is a successful lawyer and businessman. You pick.
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