Castor & Brown: The Anti-Public Education Slate?

Great story in today's Inquirer about how top Repub fatcats in Montco are turning their backs on Bruce Castor and giving instead to the Shapiro-What'sHerName ticket. Looks like Bob Asher is again dealing the self-righteous Castor a nice, public smackdown. Couldn't happen to a nicer guy.

Meanwhile, a more interesting story may be buried in the final paragraphs of the Inquirer article:

Since declaring her candidacy in the fall, [Jenny Brown] has received more than $90,000 from charter-school magnate Vahan Gureghian.

That and subsequent contributions totalling $33,333 from three founding executives of the Susquehanna International Group in Bala Cynwyd account for the largest checks cut to any candidate in the race.

Their combined gifts make up 75 percent of all the money the Castor-Brown campaign has raised since October

So fully three-quarters of all the funding for the Repub County Commissioner candidates is coming from sources that are committed to killing public education in Pennsylvania? The same sources that have backed the Corbett administration as it tried to place school districts across the state in a stranglehold? The same sources that have pushed for a voucher system that could further cripple cash-starved PA schools? And, in the case of Gureghian, a guy who has engaged in secret non-public negotiations to take over all elementary education in Pottstown?

Somehow, I think that this issue might resonate with voters a lot more than whether or not the candidates back Obama's Israel policy.

The few, the proud...the Primary voters

We're a hardy bunch, us handful of voters who show up in off-year primaries. Doesn't matter whether it's wet, or unseasonably cold or even if there aren't any contested races - like addicted gamblers who spy a vacant slot machine, if you put up a voting booth we will invariably jump into it. We need that fix twice a year no matter what.

So tomorrow, the 10 percent or so of us who do this without question will make our trudge to the polls, push the buttons and return home to await our next fix in November, when our votes will actually have some impact. Unlike tomorrow's vote, especially for Democrats in Montgomery County, where the closest we come to a contest is the cross-filed judges. (Hint to Dems: read your sample ballot and vote Haaz & Austin.)

But just for the hell of it, I will be committing one small protest gesture tomorrow. One of my two votes for County Commissioner will be a write-in, inspired by the no-class way that our party's standard-bearer of just four years ago was kicked to the curb by MCDC leadership.

I'll push the button for Josh Shapiro tomorrow. And then I'll write in the name of Joe Hoeffel. And I'll say a silent thanks for the way that Joe has conducted himself in the face of unrelenting opposition from Republicans, the Times Herald and the people who call the shots in his own party.

Joe, there are still plenty of people in Montco who appreciate all that you've done throughout your career. Your name should be on the ballot, and the party should be ashamed of itself for allowing this to happen.

If this is the last time I get to vote for Joe, I will do it proudly. The man has served us well.

Sticking it to Tom Corbett

Earlier this month, Morning Call columnist Bill White asked readers to send him ideas for a Tom Corbett bumper sticker. I'm happy to report that the readers did not let him down.

White had one hell of a job picking from the the dozens of great entries he received. That's probably because Corbett has produced such a huge pile of dumb in his first few months as PA Governor - from his full frontal attack on public education, to his refusal to lay a pinkie on his buddies in the "natural resources" (aka "let's see how many ways we can destroy the environment") biz, Corbett has been exactly as advertised in last year's election: a friend to the rich and powerful, an enemy to the middle class and poor. Like Tea Party icons everywhere, he's a government official who is working as hard as he can to destroy government.

So without further ado, enjoy these entries from Bill White's readers:

• Corbett is out of his frackin' mind.

• Corbett: Hey, at least I don't drink as much as Rendell.

• PA: The Commonwealth where the common wealth goes to the Gas Companies.

• Heat your home Corbett style — light your tap water on fire!

• Corbett: Leave no clean water behind, just children!

• Corbett, taking PA up a toxic creek!

• Pa: Where welfare is for the wealthy, and everyone else gets fracked.

• Corbett: Destroying education, health care and the environment for the good of all!

• You've got a fracking friend in Pennsylvania.

• Corbett: Making Pennsylvania more depressing than Billy Joel could have imagined.

• Gas drillin' is thrillin' when you're frackin' for free

• Gov. Corbett: Frakturing Public Education.

• Let them eat shale!

• Corbett: The best governor money can buy.

And in the end, White chose two winning entries. For the record, I like some of the nonwinners above a lot more than the two that White picked - but hey, it's his column and he gets to have the final say. Here are the two winners:

• Corbett: Hooked on Frack

• Corbett: Every child left behind