SWANN RIDICULES RENDELL'S REFORM AGENDA

Just days after mopping the floor with Rendell’s quid pro quo agenda, Lynn Swann has positively put Rendell on the defensive. According to this Pittsburgh Post-Gazette article, the Swann campaign is keeping the pressure on Rendell. That pressure is starting to show up in the Rendell campaign’s not responding directly to the core issue:

“This is another reckless charge from Lynn Swann, the latest in a pattern of false and misleading charges he and his running mate have made,” said Dan Fee, Mr. Rendell’s campaign press secretary. “The fact is, as even Lynn Swann admits, Governor Rendell was not on the plane with any gaming lobbyist and the use of the plane is disclosed, which is how Swann even knew who was on it.”

Mr. Fee is attempting a little political slight-of-hand here because he knows that Rendell is married to the status quo. As I said here, Rendell comes across as disingenuous when he’s talking about specific reforms. Rendell isn’t serious about reforming the system. He’s worked hard to create the current system, starting in 197 as Philadelphia’s District Attorney, as Philadelphia’s mayor from 1991-1999 and now as Pennsylvania’s governor since 2002.

Rendell ran a Chicago-style political machine in Philadelphia, then brought that machine to Harrisburg. It’s noteworthy to notice that he didn’t start proposing reforms until Swann buried him on the issue.

I’d bet the proverbial ranch that Rendell’s ‘reform fever’ subsides a minute after winning re-election. What happened Wednesday night was that Lynn Swann exposed Rendell as a status quo politician. Now that Swann found a winning issue, expect him to exploit that issue from now until Election Day. Expect Pennsylvanians to positively respond to that message. Expect Pennsylvanians to elect Lynn Swann this November.

PELOSINOMICS

That’s the title for this IBD article, an article that takes a number of swipes at Pelosi’s rhetoric about the Bush economy. Make sure you read it all. Here’s my favorite section:

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi has been all over the place talking about what Democrats will do after they win Nov. 7. But it’s hard to take her seriously when she promises to “jump-start our economy and reform our economic policy…to address the needs of working families.”
Huh?
“Jump-start the economy”? That’s what President Bush did in 2003, when he pushed through bold, broad tax cuts to end a slump that began in 2000 under a Democratic administration. Since the cuts took effect, the economy has added $1.26 trillion in real output, $14.4 trillion in net wealth and 5.8 million new jobs, while productivity has grown 10% and business investment 24%. Since 2000, total consumer spending has risen $1 trillion, nearly $8,000 per household, after adjusting for inflation. The Dow Jones industrial average is hitting new highs.
Then there’s the budget deficit, which the Congressional Budget Office reckons will come in around $250 billion. By our calculations, that’s about 1.9% of total output. In early 2004, when Bush vowed to halve the shortfall, it stood at 3.6% of GDP.

Ms. Pelosi has made disparaging statements on everything Bush part of her daily babblings, whether it’s on Iraq, the other fronts on the GWOT or the economy. Her incessant whining is annoying and dishonest at best. She’s ignoring the facts listed above. She’s praying that dishonest talk will persuade more voters than do the facts.

Hoping that the American people are ignorant is a routine practice with Democrats. As you’ve noticed, it isn’t a productive strategy.