Opinion: Time for lawmakers to get an earful
By Tom DeSchriver
Listen up state lawmakers: Get to work.
The House of Representatives is a mess, to put it nicely.
Newly elected Speaker Mark Rozzi, D-Berks, is pretty much a leader in name only right now. Nothing has been accomplished.
The House has not set rules or named committee chairs; it also does not plan to return to work anytime soon.
Rozzi did not help to breach the partisan divide in the state Capitol when he told Republicans he would become an independent if he were elected Speaker and then backed down on that promise after his election.
He formed a working group of three Republicans and three Democrats to sort this mess out, but nothing came of that, so now he says that group, and himself, will be conducting a “listening tour” around the state to hear what constituents have to say.
Couple of thoughts on this one.
1. Get ready to hear some pretty blunt, and deserved, criticism from Pennsylvanians.
2. What are the other 196 state reps going to do while you seven spend taxpayer money to go around the state and get an earful? Side note: the state Senate also is not working. Citing inaction in the House, the Senate recessed until Feb. 27.
With annual salaries of more than $100,000 a year, we have almost 250 senators/representatives who are sitting on their hands this winter collecting a paycheck.
I think I speak for most Pennsylvanians when I say: I want some return on my money.
So here’s a few work suggestions that might make our lawmakers more aware of what happens on a day-to-day basis in our communities and force them back to work.
• Spend a day as a teacher’s aide in a kindergarten class. You’ll have to leave the canned political speak at home for phrases like, “Nice job, Jimmy” to “Oh no Jimmy, you can’t do that” to “Seriously, Jimmy you can’t pull Sally’s hair.” And that’s all in the first hour. Spending a day in the shoes of a teacher at that level will certainly come in handy when the legislature does discuss public education when it gets back to work. They will learn exactly how things get done - teaching the ABCs, manners, cooperation, compromise and when needed, the proper amount of authoritarianism.
• A full overnight shift - 12 hours - in the emergency room at a local hospital. Talk about community service. Your hurting feet at the end of the shift will be mild compared to what you see during your time in the ER.
• Do a few shifts as a cashier at a grocery or retail store. After you set aside the nasty comments some customers will make, figure out how much you made and how you are going to pay your electric, food and water bills. Then take a hard look at the minimum wage in Pennsylvania ($7.25 per hour).
• After a few days to recover from being in a kindergarten class, go to the opposite end of the spectrum and be a substitute teacher for a history class of seniors. Not one class, a full load for the day. Tell the eye-rolling students - half of them asleep and the other half wishing they were asleep - why you are not in Harrisburg working. Inform them of what government is supposed to do and what you are actually doing. For your sake, you better hope they are all asleep because if you get one sharp student you could be in for a long class.
Here’s the bottom line: We are paying you to work in Harrisburg, create legislation that helps the state’s residents and work together.
Right now, you are all starting the year off with failing grades, but thankfully for every resident in this state we can see the results - No hiding this report card or changing an F to a B.