By Dick Miller
WE.CONNECT.DOTS: When Democratic State Committee meets this coming weekend at Lancaster next year’s governor campaign grabs center stage.
Current PA Gov. Tom Corbett, a Republican, has been referred to as the “most vulnerable” governor in America. GQ magazine calls Corbett “dead Governor walking.”
No one is in a better position to advance the state’s agenda regarding the 2014 election than Jim Burn who currently serves as chairman of the PA Democratic Party.
Corbett pledged to not raise taxes. He skipped the part where no tax hike would result in a great shortfall in education. Federal stimulus funds dried up. Corbett’s own party turned off the Washington spigot. He refused to fill the funding gap at the state level.
Neither party promotes themes that advance the state unless they are absolutely win-win or, at the least, the opponents do not raise effective criticism.
For example, Democrat candidate for governor in 2010, Dan Onorato failed to challenge Corbett. Corbett’s no tax assertion held up because no one ever raised the issue of consequences.
Both parties routinely insult voter intellect, but Republicans have been more successful at the polls. They have been winning the battle of the pollsters.
Democrats have a million plurality in voter registration but only have bragging rights to the three row offices. Democrats do not control the governor’s office or either side of the state legislature. In addition, Republicans have majorities on all three appellate courts and hold 13 of the 18 Congressional seats apportioned to the state.
Democrat candidates seeking to replace Corbett believe he or she only has to be more aggressive than the remainder of the primary opponents. Again, pollsters will call the shots.
Chairman Burn should not allow this to happen.
In 1974 state Democrats held a mini convention where state committee members and other leaders came together to develop a platform for Gov. Milton Shapp to seek a second term. Dennis (Harvey) Thiemann was state chair.
History is blurred. Did the convention adopt a plank that was contrary to Gov. Shapp? Did Gov. Shapp pay attention to the platform as he waltzed his way to a second term?
Chairman Burn can enlist some potent help in convening such a convention four decades later. Start with Joe Sestak.
Sestak recently announced he would not be a candidate for Governor next year, but pledged to support the nominee. He continues to eye a rematch with US Sen. Pat Toomey in 2016 and, thus, remains a stakeholder in the 2014 ballot results.
Burn can find convention roles for other prominent Democrats who are not running for governor. Is there any doubt that Auditor General Eugene DePasquale and Attorney General Kathleen Kane would add to the process? What about one or two city mayors?
Chairman Burn’s window of opportunity is brief. The platform convention needs to be held later this year or early next.
Burn will be completing his first four-year term as state chair following the 2014 primary. Typically the governor nominee will control the party heading into the fall election. The nominee will recommend who should fill the party chair in the new term.
Given the stature of several Dem governor candidates, the possibility exists that state committee may not endorse for the primary. At the least, state committee could hand the candidates some planks to move the state forward. Then let the candidates tell how they intend to fulfill the various goals.
Who knows, maybe even some legislative candidates might subscribe to the platform? The group cohesion — always lacking in Democrats according to Will Rodgers — would be astounding!
Chairman Burn recently moved state committee to encourage state government to stop the tax-dodging abuses of mega non-profits such as UPMC. He also put the Party behind “marriage equality.” That is a start.
In the big money/big media era of elections, parties will continue to lose importance.
BOTTOM LINE — Gov. Corbett’s shortcomings give Chairman Burn a rare chance to reverse the course of decreasing party prominence. (An advance draft of this column was submitted to State Democratic Committee executive director Elena Cross. Receipt was never acknowledged.)
