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Activism See other Activism Articles Title: Anti-pay raise group offers 81 candidates HARRISBURG - Devon Cade is a bodyguard from University City. David Boyer of East Falls is a former Navy combat medic now studying psychology at Temple. James Babb, a Montgomery County Libertarian, describes himself as an "entrepreneur and musician." His ponytail spills halfway down his back. They have one thing in common: They are still so miffed at last summer's legislative pay raise that they decided they could do a better job. For a number of them, it's their first foray into politics. In all, 81 candidates kicked off campaigns for the House and Senate yesterday under the banner of Operation Clean Sweep, the grassroots group formed last summer during the pay-raise debacle. "Pennsylvania is tired of villains. We need heroes. These people are truly my heroes," said Russ Diamond, the group's founder, motioning to the candidates jamming the steps of the Capitol Rotunda yesterday. "You are looking at the founding fathers and founding mothers of a new Pennsylvania." Since the July pay raise vote, Operation Clean Sweep has been recruiting candidates from across the state to meet the single goal it was formed with - unseating all incumbents. The slate announced yesterday is a mix of Democrats, Republicans, and a few minor-party candidates who have taken the group's pledge to require voter approval for future pay raises and to support a 10-day "cooling-off period" for legislation so bills are not rammed through the two houses. Diamond said there was a backlog of more than 70 other potential candidates waiting to be screened by the group. "This is just the first wave." For many, like Cade, this will be the first stab at office. "I want to bring back accountability, respect and integrity to that office," said Cade, 21, who is running as a Democrat to unseat Rep. James R. Roebuck Jr. (D., Phila.). Cade chided Roebuck, the ranking Democrat on the House Education Committee, for not doing more to improve city schools. "It's totally outrageous that our legislator is invisible in our district," he said. Roebuck could not be reached for comment. Others candidates, such as former Darby Mayor Paula M. Brown, are old hands at politics. "What they did on July 7 by voting themselves a pay raise, they should be charged with impersonating a public servant," said Brown, who is running in the Democratic primary against Rep. Robert C. Donatucci, who represents parts of Philadelphia and Delaware County. Donatucci said it appeared that Brown was preparing a one-issue campaign. "If that is going to be her sole platform, then go ahead," said Donatucci, who voted for the pay raise and took it for four months. "There are so many more important issues than the pay raise." Of the candidates, 26 come from the state's southwestern corner, where the pay raise has generated the most outrage. Fifteen come from the Philadelphia region, where polls have shown voters are less upset. Fifty-five are running against an incumbent in the May primary or seeking their party's nomination in an open seat. So far, 23 House and Senate members have decided not to seek another term, marking the highest retirement rate since 1994. And others are expected. G. Terry Madonna, an analyst and pollster at Franklin and Marshall College, called Operation Clean Sweep's recruitment effort a success even if all the candidates don't make the ballot. "This is the first time there has been anything like this" in Pennsylvania, he said. "They've changed the nature of the debate." Even incumbents will be campaigning about changing how Harrisburg operates, he said. "Everyone is a reformer this year." Although it has formed a political action committee, Operation Clean Sweep doesn't have the money to help candidates financially, Diamond said. Instead, it is offering advice and know-how about the inner workings of running a campaign. Announcing is the easy part. In two weeks, the candidates have to begin the process of collecting enough signatures to get on the primary ballot. And that's only the first hurdle. They then face off against incumbents who not only have name recognition and the ability to raise campaign cash, but also all the other protections that come with incumbency. But many of the incumbents have something else: a record of voting for the pay raise, which was repealed in November after four months of voter backlash. Even those who voted against raises, such as Rep. Scott Petri (R., Bucks), are not immune from a challenge. "He's never condemned anybody who took the pay raise," said Bill O'Neill, a retired engineer from Bucks County, who is facing Petri for the GOP nomination. O'Neill, wearing a red-white-and-blue leather jacket, had tried to bring two brooms into yesterday's Capitol event. Capitol police, who considered the props sticks, turned them away, although they did allow O'Neill to carry a small whisk broom. "I'm serious as a heart attack about getting rid of these people," he said. Petri said yesterday that he believes he was on the right side of the pay-raise issue from the beginning and hopes that it doesn't play a major role in the campaign. "But," he added, "what makes our country great is that anyone can run for office at any time, for any reason."
Poster Comment: LOL, straight from the Badeye school of political debate.
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#2. To: Dakmar (#0)
LOL, straight from the Badeye school of political debate. Bot logic 101: Whenever someone shows strong convitions towards a wrong action or ideal, accuse them of being a "one issue idiot." Note: Works on multiple issues at the same time.
They don't even have to be wrong - the strategy is to fling dirt at them and see what sticks. Hurl an insult and invariably half the bobblehead idiots will instictively nod in agreement.
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