Given our entrenched political and regional differences, Pennsylvania teamwork tends to conjure thoughts of sports rather than governance. Frustrated citizens, commentators, and advocates believe that Pennsylvania rarely embraces substantial reform or change. In their view, our state moves only in dire crisis, and even then only once the patches have blown and the cans […]
The Edward H. Arnold Institute for Policy Studies
Anti-Semitism Stains Our Character And Principles
Our virtuous civic observances serve to remind us of distinguished Americans who have faded into history. This past Memorial Day, speakers recalled Rabbi Roland B. Gittlesohn. The first Jewish chaplain in the Marine Corps, he was awarded three combat ribbons for his actions during the battle of Iwo Jima. This admirable circumstance was merely […]
State Policy And Funding Fertilizing Farming Future
Fall fair season and Farm Show week are prominent occasions when public attention is captivated by the bounty and prowess of Pennsylvania agriculture. These spikes in enthusiasm are great for sustaining the reputation of farming, but do not mean the role and perils of farming are understood and appreciated by all. There are few states […]
Alarms Over Gun Violence Obscure Deadly Tool From Child Abuse
With the plague of mass shootings afflicting America, the casualty toll adds up quickly and alarmingly. Child abuse claims victims one or two at a time, but is so pervasive that these sad numbers pile up too. While each sparks calls for adding effective preventative measures, emotionally fraught debates, rallies, and marches over gun violence […]
What, Pray Tell, Are We Thinking?
Following the Flint, Michigan scandal, there are rising demands for testing water in schools for the presence of lead, a serious health hazard for children particularly. Unrelated news reports suggest we may want to test the water everywhere for whatever toxin is making our nation senselessly hard-hearted in setting spending priorities. A two-year federal […]
Recognizing A Standout Public Servant
One of our family’s favorite children’s books across two generations is A Regular Flood Of Mishap,by Tom Birdseye. It is an entertaining and clever tale of compounding catastrophes, which are not enough to undo the love and forgiveness of her family. That book title came to mind the other day when the headline appeared […]
Trying To Find The Ever More Elusive Middle Ground
Sitting up in the Bob Uecker seats, looking at the political process from a distance, affords a reflective view of the daily games. Unfortunately, there is not much to cheer for lately. The only thing that seems to be melting away faster than glaciers and polar icecaps is the middle ground of American politics. […]
Good News: Voters Get Their Say On A Major Constitutional Revision
No matter how much is accomplished during any two-year legislative session, the menu of reforms and systemic changes sought by taxpayers, commentators, and interest groups never seems to diminish. There are multiple avenues for changing state government – through laws, regulations, executive actions, court decisions, and federal dictates. The kingmaker of change is an […]
A Positive Reaction From Reality Colliding With Misconception
This title may have a “Say What?” nature, but it squares with the impressions that follow. People of a certain age remember Art Linkletter achieving television immortality through a popular segment titled “Kids Say The Darnedest Things.” A modern variation is: “Surprising Things You Learn By Quizzing College Students.” They too give delightfully candid answers […]
Faulting Teachers Is Not Fixing Education
During the four decades I have been around state politics, arguments over the quality, cost, and access to education have dominated the agenda. Education funding and performance constitute the highest intensity controversy zone in Pennsylvania politics, apart from abortion. This is partly explained by each of us holding views and perceptions shaped by our experience […]