| OPINION/EDITORIAL | FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
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State Rep. Eddie Day Pashinski |
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June 15, 2011
Editor:
As the budget deadline ticks steadily to the June 30 deadline, millions of Pennsylvanians wait apprehensively on its final passage.
The process began on March 8 of this year. It was presented by Gov. Corbett to the members of the House and Senate. Gov. Corbett states that in order to fix the recession, the solution must be ALL EMBRACING. I believe most Pennsylvanians agree that they are willing to pay their fair share and equally feel the pain. The governor’s words provided some assurance that we will overcome our financial shortcomings by coming together and working harmoniously to improve our condition and once again provide hope for a brighter future for ourselves, our children and grandchildren.
The governor then began to outline what needed to be done to balance our budget. He began by saying our public schools do important work and as a part of that work; all school employees (administrators, teachers, and support staff) must set the example by taking a pay freeze. He also requested all employees in the State System of Higher Education do the same. Governor Corbett then directed his pay freeze, benefit reduction and pension modification plan to the state employees. He requested the same kinds of sacrifice from the state’s union employees. By this time many of us believed he would then tell us that he expected the big corporations to freeze their increases as well, especially since most big corporations have been sporting excellent profits. That’s correct, most large corporations have held a strong profit margin during the worse recession our country faced since the crash of 1929.
So, while the working class was tightening their belts and trying to find other means to maintain their fiscal stability, the big corporations were making record profits. That’s commendable; the people of Pennsylvania truly applaud their success and are sincerely happy for them. However, the governor said ALL EMBRACING. ALL means ALL Pennsylvanians, ALL Americans, the great American tradition of sharing the pain and sharing the gain!
But, the governor did not ask the Health Industry, Pharmaceuticals, Utilities, Oil Companies, or other Financial Institutions etc. to freeze or roll back their prices to pre financial collapse in 2008. There was no mention of asking our Pennsylvania companies, our American companies to set the example as well and feel the pain. On the contrary, the governor said these corporations deserve a break because they will create the jobs. When he referred to Marcellus Shale, Gov. Corbett said “these resources, by the way, belong to the people who own the mineral rights. Those people are getting their fair share by working out their own leases with the companies that do the drilling. That's how it should be. That’s the American way!” Gov. Corbett then said, “What Pennsylvanians will gain is the jobs, the spinoffs, and if we didn’t scare off these new industries with new taxes, the follow-up that comes along.”
He is referring to the Utica shale that is below the Marcellus Shale. Therefore, one can conclude that we will get ourselves out of the financial hole and bring us into prosperity by making most of the working class feel the pain by freezing or lowering wages, reducing or eliminating basic benefits, eliminate or severely reducing pensions and reducing our overall quality of life while the big corporations continue to garner record profits! To me that is not the American way I was brought up to know, love and respect! As Americans we were taught to work hard, learn a skill, get an education, follow the law, respect your fellow man, and come together as one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Not for some.
One of the greatest examples of our American tradition is when we came together as one nation during World War II. Millions of Americans went to war in Europe, Africa, and the South Pacific. Millions of Americans worked in our factories to produce the weapons and supplies needed to fight oppression. All Americans sacrificed, rationing food, gas, buying war bonds and conducting our lives with the sole purpose of protecting our beloved country and our beloved democracy. The same kind of unity was rekindled during 9/11, a day none of us will ever forget. When we come together as Americans, there is nothing that we cannot accomplish. We proved it during WW II and during 9/11 and that is the attitude that we must have now to achieve financial stability and create a positive future for our children and grandchildren. ALL EMBRACING means just that, ALL OF US, the big corps, the little guy, and every size in between.
On May 30, we honored the hundreds of thousands of American men and women that paid the ultimate sacrifice to provide all of us with the wonderful freedoms our democracy provides. We must never forget, it is those lost lives and those that protect us now that provide a safe and free market place to facilitate the existence and continued success of those big corporations. ALL EMBRACING means ALL. Let’s come together. Call your state senator and our governor and ask them to restore the massive cuts to our children’s education, to our human service development fund, to help our elderly. Ask them to utilize the sources of money that are available and direly needed. Time is growing short. Email, call, or visit your senator today and tell him or her to tax the Marcellus Shale industry, which equals $200 + million; close the Delaware loophole, which equals $400 to $600 million; and use the nearly $600 million in newly collected revenue. These dollars will help reduce the local pain and restore the programs that are important to you. Call today, we are ALL in this together – “ALL EMBRACING.”
Sincerely,
Eddie Day Pashinski
State Representative
121st Legislative District