Mark Crowley/tidbits

==LTE on Voters' Choice Act in PG==
:Mark Crowley" in April 2009
Lately many newspaper articles are advocating legislative reform in
Harrisburg (smaller legislature, term limits, campaign finance, etc.).
Every time this happens, it's a prime opportunity for a LTE advocating the
Voters' Choice Act (VCA). Last Sunday (4/19/2009) the Pittsburgh
Post-Gazette had an article summarizing the "top ten" reform ideas for
Harrisburg: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/09109/963663-454.stm .
Unbelievably, the VCA was nowhere in this list.
To get a LTE printed in this case just follow this simple formula: (1) cite
their reporter's article upfront (they like to know people read their
stuff), (2) add something they didn't know (the VCA, flaws in some of the
reform ideas, etc.), (3) keep it under 200 words, and (4) email it quickly
(within 2-3 days).
It seems like the author struggled to come up with ten items for his "top
ten" angle. He and his editors probably didn't even know about the VCA. I
suspect as much because I got two calls from the PG. The first on Wednesday
was to verify my intent to print. The second on Friday was to ask me if I
was a candidate for anything, am I a third party member, what third party,
am I a party official, etc. They we're not being intrusive. They wanted to
put some credentials beneath my name that would give even more weight to the
LTE. In the print version it was positioned as the top-of-page LTE with the
biggest title.
I urge everyone to consider a LTE when your local paper writes anything
about reform in Harrisburg. Like fish in the ocean probably don't notice
the water, reporters probably don't notice the two incumbent parties. Help
make everyone notice with a LTE.
Mark
----
== For real reform, voters need more ballot choices ==
:http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/09116/965394-110.stm
:Sunday, April 26, 2009
Most "top 10" reform proposals ("Ten of the Most Talked-About Improvements
in Harrisburg," April 19, 2009) have merit but share a common drawback. While they
might weaken incumbency for individual officeholders, they strengthen
incumbency for political machines.
With a smaller Legislature incumbent machines will concentrate their
overwhelming resources on fewer offices. They become more impenetrable. With
term limits incumbent machines will engineer political careers. Imagine this
super-entrenched career path: legislator's chief of staff, bureaucratic
appointment, elected House member, elected Senate member and lobbyist in
retirement. Machine tentacles will root everywhere.
Many reforms alone aren't sufficient because they still restrict voter
choice. That's why this list needs Senate Bill 252, the "Voters' Choice
Act."
The VCA, already introduced in the state Senate, would open the process to
third-party and independent candidates for statewide offices. By reducing
ballot access signature requirements it provides these candidates -- and
voters -- access to expanded ballot choice. If nothing else, that means a
challenge to up-ticket machine incumbency and indirect support for more
down-ticket choices too.
Ask your state senator to support S.B. 252 and your state representative to
support similar legislation in the House. With additional voter choice, we
might need fewer reforms.
Mark Crowley, Plum