Corbett's first execution: Public Education

This week, Tom Corbett is going to show Pennsylvanians that he's the tough, no-nonsense Governor that they voted for by sending his first victim to the death chamber.

Surprisingly, it won't be a child murderer or a cop killer that Corbett signs the death warrant for. Instead, it will be Pennsylvania's public schools.

Harrisburg politicos and pundits around the state are abuzz over what Corbett's budget address this week will reveal. But for anyone who's been paying attention - not many, apparently - this much is already known: schools will be the prime target, and they will be hit severely.

In fact, Corbett's budget director has already written to at least one local school district and informed them that the new budget will contain "catastrophic cuts" in funding for education.

Catastrophic. This is the word that Corbett's own aide is using. One can only imagine what that is going to look like.