Harrisburg And The BackScratchers

This story from the Lebanon Daily News reminded me of one of my favorite groups when I was in college.

One’s list of both political friends and enemies grows with each passing term in office. It’s important to know whose back one should scratch and who one should expect to reciprocate.

There was plenty of back-scratching, along with an exchange of funds, but Pennsylvania’s citizens never enjoyed any benefit from any of it.

A recent opinion piece by G. Terry Madonna and Michael Young wondered whether Pennsylvania was entering into a new era of corruption — a throwback to the bad old days of state politics some three decades ago or so.

With the new stimulus money there is sure to be an epidemic of corruption that no Merck vaccine will be able to prevent. The FBI is already looking for more agents. Currently the FBI is investigating 2,500 pending public corruption cases, an increase of more than 50 percent since 2003, Mueller said.

(What they do!)

(They smile in your face)
All the time they want to take your place
The back stabbers (back stabbers)

Do you think DeWeese sings that song when he thinks about Eachus???

Arlen Specter- Did You Really Say That??

In a stimulus shoot-out with radio talk show host Laura Ingraham, Arlen Specter seems to have very short memory. Here is the transcript from that discussion.

LAURA INGRAHAM, RADIO TALK SHOW HOST: Is it nice to be wined and dined at the White House? You are treated pretty well when you are a Republican bucking other Republicans.

SEN. ARLEN SPECTER, R-PENN.: Let's get off it, Laura. I'm not drinking any wine at the White House and I don't dine at the White House. If the president wants to talk to me, I talk to him and I make my own independent judgments. Don't give me the wine and dine bologna, young lady.

Hmmmm..interesting, very interesting. Senator Specter was trying to secure an increase in funding for the National Institutes of Health and their research. Even lobbyists were stunned by the coup Mr. Specter pulled off in the final version of the Porkulus Spendulous plan. He was only one of the three GOP Amigo votes in the Senate. For that vote he was able to secure a 34 percent increase in the health agency’s budget — to $39 billion from $29 billion. How that increase will brings jobs to Pennsylvania remains to be seen.

Here is what the New York Times is reporting on the Super Bowl party that led Laura Ingraham to make that accusation.

How Mr. Specter managed his coup is a story of tough bargaining that began in a legislative backroom and took an important turn at a presidential Super Bowl party.

Democrats began to press Mr. Specter, saying he would get the $10 billion increase only if he promised to vote for the eventual bill. Mr. Specter pushed back, saying he was concerned about the size of the bill and its mix of tax credits and spending.

“I really do not make deals,” he said. And while he had promised Mr. Durbin nothing, the Illinois senator had made him a promise. As Mr. Durbin recalled, at a Super Bowl party at the White House on Feb. 1, “I told him, ‘I’m keeping my word.’ ”

More hard bargaining was ahead. Mr. Specter’s support was in doubt until the very end. And once he voted for the bill, Mr. Durbin said that he made sure that the additional $10 billion for the N.I.H. was protected in conference negotiations with the House.

I would call that wining and dining, wouldn't you? Before you answer tell me the last time you were invited to the White House for a Super Bowl Party? Kanjo, eat your heart out. You gave up your vote for nothing.

BTW, here's what Arlen's personal research has concluded as far as important lifestyle changes that must occur. he swore off eating cake. He has eliminated sugar and white bread from his diet because he fears that they encourage cancer’s growth. (He briefly gave up martinis last year, but was relieved when a blood test showed no improvement.) I hope the National Institute of Health spends its money on better research.