When you operate like a 1950s organization in the year 2016 this is what Pennsyltuckians get.

From my perspective the state legislature is a prime player in the fiscal and social discord in the state. Rather than identifying and concentrating on solutions for the real problems in the state, like the budget, unfunded pension plans, taxes, infrastructure, failing public schools, wasteful spending, etc., our elected legislators choose to engage in partisan politics, their own re-election, criticism of the opposing party, and purely emotional issues. That choice tends to generate infighting and obstructionism which results in nothing really getting done. In order to be effective and responsive to the needs of the citizens of PA, the legislators need to learn to collaborate, cooperate and compromise to pass meaningful legislation that will benefit the citizens. For the past two decades they have demonstrated that they are unable, or unwilling, to perform their constitutionally required duties . . . and it's getting worse.

I believe we (the voters) need to pressure our elected officials to do their jobs in a responsible manner. I also believe that term limits and a reduction in the number of legislators in both houses through reasonable redistricting drawn up by an independent commission needs to occur. This will definitely aid in reducing the extravagant cost of our state legislature and make it operate in a more efficient manner.

Of course, without the voting public holding our elected representatives responsible for their actions, or inaction in most cases, not much will change. I have written to both my state senator and representative with a link to the article I posted, with specific emphasis on Pennsylvania's ranking, and asked them for their reaction and what actions they feel are necessary to improve the state's performance. It will be interesting to hear their thoughts on the matter . . . if they answer at all.

Last edited by Rongone (12/07/2016 10:01 am)