Corbett pummeled in new poll

[onehandle]

Source: Philadelphia Inquirer

Pennsylvania voters disapprove of Gov. Corbett’s job performance 47 percent to 38 percent, the fourth straight month with a negative rating, according to the independent Quinnipiac University poll.

Three potential Democratic opponents each leads the Republican incumbent by 9 percentage points or more, the poll finds. Former U.S. Rep. Joe Sestak, who was the party’s 2010 Senate nominee, leads Corbett 48 percent to 34 percent in a hypothetical match-up. Current U.S. Rep. Allyson Schwartz is in front 47percent to 34 percent. And State Treasurer Rob McCord is up 44 percent to 35 percent.

Schwartz has declared her candidacy for the Democratic nomination. McCord is considering running for governor, and Sestak raised $460,000 in the first quarter of the year and has said he is “exploring” public service but has not been specific about whether he is thinking of the governorship or some other office, such as another run for the Senate down the road.

Women are opposed to Corbett’s reelection by a margin of 2 to 1, 54 percent to 27 percent. Men are more favorable to a second term, with men opposed by 46 percent to 39 percent.

Read more: http://www.philly.com/philly/blogs/big_tent/Corbett-pummeled-in-new-poll.html

[PCIntern]

1. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASEPLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE

[Mnemosyne]

2. What PC said! x 100000000 nt

[livetohike]

9. Agreed 1 million times over!

Make it so.

[SkyDaddy7]

25. Go ahead & count me in for...

7,000,000 & what you said!

[hrmjustin]

26. +1,000,000

[Joe Bacon]

3. Knocking out Corbett isn't enough!

You got to take back the legislature from the Republicans, too!

[watoos]

4. Good luck with that

When is the next census? Democrats don't even run anymore in my district. Worst thing that happened in 2010 wasn't Republicans winning the House, it was the gerrymandering they did.

[Orrex]

7. That's for damn sure

It seems to be true almost nationwide, too. Dems reliably lose control of their state legislatures just in time to miss out on redistricting, evey ten years like clockwork.

I'll be delighted to see Corbett go. If there were any way to accelerate the process, I would totally be there for it.

[livetohike]

10. Same here. Our registration is outnumbered 3 to 1 by the Republicans

No one bothered to run on the Democratic ticket in the elections since I've lived here (since 2007).

[Divernan]

6. PA Senate:27Rs,23Ds; House 109 Rs, 91Ds,3 vacancies.

Pennsylvania has 67 counties, but only 50 Senators, and the largest state legislature relative to population in the country.
http://ballotpedia.org/wiki/index.php/Pennsylvania_General_Assembly

Given the gerry-mandering of districts, it will be quite a battle for the Democrats to retake either chamber of the state legislature. However if Corbett survives any primary challenge to run again, his presence on the ticket will have a negative effect - with independents voting Democratic, and the GOP vote suppressed - they'll avoid the polls in disgust.

The dislike of Corbett and the horror/anger/disgust with his budget slashes to health care & education, and gutting of environmental protection, plus his attempts to privatize state services is really getting explosive - witness his plunging approval numbers. I've been pleasantly surprised at the level of anger & dislike expressed toward him by many people I know who have always been apolitical.

Corbett continues to offend. Just this past week, he slashed the public health service, closing offices in nearly half of the state's counties. Pennsylvania already had the lowest number of public health workers, per capita, in the country. As one distinguished public health figure noted - Pennsylvania is worse than the poorest southern states. Plus, this week, Corbett manipulated the state's Dept. of Conservation & Natural Resources, to settle a lawsuit against energy giant, Consol, for only $23 million of the $51 million suit for damages to a state park from their coal mining, (mining operations undercut a dam, causing it to crack, have to be torn down and the recreational lake behind it drained) and as part of the deal, gave Consol a lease to frack in a state park - something heretofore banned. He is truly far and away the worst governor ever in Pennsylvania, and the environmental destruction from unregulated fracking will be permanent.

[Orrex]

8. "Corbett continues to offend."

That's about as perfect a summation of his tenure as you'll find anywhere!

[Martak Sarno]

15. Six Democratic Pennsylvania Governors in 111 years

Divernan,
You are quite correct in everything you've stated about Tommy "Space Cadet" Corbett (some of the younger may not understand that reference!).

One of the most disturbing things about the average Pennsylvanian, other than being nearly 100 percent uninformed politically, is the blame they heap on the Democrats for supposedly raising taxes. I can't tell you how many times I've read and heard comments made that "If you want higher taxes, vote Democratic" when the Republicans have had total control of both houses since Palin first rode in on her pet Dino. With the preponderance of Republican Governors in Pennsylvania especially since the 60s and Republican control of both houses most of that time, it's no wonder that the Right and in particular business interests have been able to get whatever they want passed.

Most of this ignorance is from the northern and central part of the state where the uninformed think by voting Republican they will become somehow wealthier by paying less taxes yet not realizing they are losing services vital to their lives. But this misconception is spreading to the Pittsburgh and Philly regions of late thanks to media tactics using Right Wing owned Radio Talk Shows, most TV Stations bias and Conservative owned newspapers in those areas, especially those of the Scaifes (and they are trying to buy more).

The Republicans have constantly chosen that perfidious theme to pander to the unthinking, and it works. And when many point to the bills signed by Rendell rather than being vetoed, they don't understand the veto would be overridden nearly 100% of the time by the Right Wing controlled houses. (Even though Rendell left a lot to be desired as a Democrat!)

When you tell them the Republicans have initiated and passed nearly ALL of the tax increases, made nearly all of the cuts to education, public health and have rewritten nearly all the laws to favor business over the common citizen since the 60s, they either have no response or don't believe it.

Pennsylvania has had SIX Democratic governors since 1899 and Bob Casey might as well have been a Republican as is evidenced by his current record as a Senator. The Democrats have been governors for 32 of 111 years and only three since 1960. And control of the bloated legislature has been a Republican given most of that time. So who really writes and passes the tax increases? Who is it who cuts the programs people care about? Who is it who gives business whatever business (particularly out of state business) wants irrespective of the wishes, concerns and financial abilities of the people?

It's imperative that a true Democrat be elected as governor, but maybe more important that at least one of the houses wrest control from the Republicans if Pennsylvanians want any kind of financial, educational or just plain common sense relief and legislative reform.

[Demit]

16. The current senator Bob Casey was never governor. That was his dad.

I think he would very much like to run for governor one day, but in the meantime we can be grateful he knocked Rick Santorum out of the Senate.

[Martak Sarno]

17. Oops!

Demit,
You're right. My mistake, although the apple doesn't fall far from the tree.

And yes, it was great that San(c)torm was defeated. But as for Junior becoming governor...hopefully there would be a better choice on the Democratic side.

It still may take a generation of true Democrats to correct the damage Corbett has done and will do in his remaining time to this state.

[dballance]

18. It's So Nice to See People Act Like Adults and Not Get Defensive

So often people get defensive when someone points out their mistakes on this site. I just wanted to thank you for being a mature adult and saying "Oops" and not being snarky to Demit.

Welcome to DU!

[uppityperson]

22. ++++++++++

[Martak Sarno]

29. Thanks

I've read this site for years and finally decided to try to contribute.

Chances are since this post is no longer on the main page, it probably won't be seen.

Mist(eak)s happen...otherwise we'd all be politicians...and wealthy...but certainly not any smarter.

[NewJeffCT]

21. Welcome to DU

thanks for the post.

[hrmjustin]

24. Welcome to DU my friend!

[Divernan]

27. I too watched Tom Corbett, Space Cadet! back in the early 50's

with his buddies, Astro & Roger as they streaked through space on their "rocket ship", the Polaris. I actually showed a segment of one (thank you, YouTube) at my 50th high school reunion. The live special effects they did are just a hoot to watch all these decades later, but were very exciting back in the day. That was when TV "stars" also did the commercials on their shows - also fun to watch now - Kraft Caramels and Kellogg's Raisin Bran. Did you send away for a Space Cadet membership kit? Little could I have imagined back in 1952 that in 1967 I'd be a guest in the VIP section at Cape Kennedy to watch the Saturn V launch. Glory days back then when national efforts and corporate profits focused on space travel, and not endless war profiteering.

Welcome to DU - check out the Pennsylvania threads under "Places - US".

And just for fun, check out this:
http://archive.org/details/tomCorbettSpaceCadet-RunawayRocket1954

[Martak Sarno]

30. Classic TV

Yep! Was a "Cadet." Even had a Captain Midnight Decoder Ring and loved Sid "Ikky Mudd" Melton and COmmando Cody and too many others. Do you remember "Tobor" the robot? I got suspicious when I spelled it backward.

The effects on those old shows were quaint. And even today, if you look closely enough at the politicians, you can see the strings attached to make them work, too!

By the way, if you're interested, there's a great site to buy old videos of the 50s:
[link:http://www.vintagetvandmore.com/|

I just got the entire Science Fiction Theater Series and am looking forward to a few remembering hours of TV.

Might even have an Ovaltine!

[NewJeffCT]

14. If Democrats win the Governorship

What sort of margins to Republicans have in the PA state legislature? Could a potential lawsuit undo the gerrymandering, or were Republics careful enough to avoid one?

[Divernan]

20. I spelled all that out in Post 6, above re margins in legislature.

The redrawing of legislative districts following the census was challenged, then redrawn, and is now before the state supreme court.

Interestingly, the Pennsylvania Constitution does not prohibit mid-decade Congressional redistricting, should the Dems be able to get control of both state chambers.

http://atlasproject.net/daily-blog/redistricting-battles-to-watch-in-2013/
PENNSYLVANIA

The state legislative district proposal for the 2012 elections was rejected in January by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court. The old lines were kept in place for the November elections, and new maps were drawn up and approved in April 2012. However, a second round of court cases were brought against the new maps. The state Supreme Court heard over a dozen arguments against the second map in September, 2012. A final ruling is still pending.

http://atlasproject.net/daily-blog/redistricting-battles-to-watch-in-2013-update/
PENNSYLVANIA

The state legislative district proposal for the 2012 elections was rejected in January of last year by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court. The old lines were kept in place for the November elections, and new maps were drawn up and approved in April 2012. However, a second round of court cases was brought against the new maps. The state Supreme Court heard over a dozen arguments against the second map in September. In an interview with local Harrisburg news on March 20th, Justice Ron Castille, said to expect a decision on the case soon.

[bigdarryl]

5. And the democrats put up the WORST!! candidate to run against him

As they say you got to pick somebody to beat somebody. I would love to see Sestak run for PA. Governor

[BumRushDaShow]

13. Sestak refuses to come to Philadelphia

to campaign and any Dem who runs MUST have Philadelphia support as this city can produce from 400,00 - 600,000 votes for a Democratic candidate in a statewide race.

Part of Schwartz's district is in Philadelphia and she has been very active here. In addition, she served in the state Senate for 14 years and was a director of one of the big Planned Parenthood centers here for over 10 years. She would need to expand out to the rest of the state but if Clinton gets involved, then just like Kathleen Kane winning AG due to him, Schwartz would have a chance as well... and especially now with the GOP war on women and Pennsyltucky's disgust at the Sandusky mess and Corbett's role.

[BumRushDaShow]

11. Schwartz needs to run unopposed and Sestak needs to take his House seat back

so that Dems can move towards getting the 17 - 18 needed to take the U.S. House back.

Cor-butt keeps trying to contract out state services to his corporate buddies (first the state stores, then the lottery, and last I heard now he is talking about the state prisons).

Time to take our state back!!!!

[perdita9]

12. Even my Republican neighbor regrets voting for Corbett

And he watches Sean Hannity every night.

Corbett is REALLY unpopular in PA

[RobinA]

23. I Don't Understand

why he's so unpopular, to tell you the truth. I know why *I* and other liberals don't like him, but how has he different from the Governor he promised to be? People who voted for him got EXACTLY what they voted for, so what's their problem?

[BumRushDaShow]

28. I think it was because of a couple things

>He got in because of the low 2010 turnout and a Democratic candidate who no one on the eastern side of the state knew (and the guy barely campaigned here at all - and this is where the bulk of Democratic votes are).

>Even though he lived in the Pittsburgh area and made a career there, he's originally from Philly (with the accent to prove it) and the east-west thing sometimes comes up

>He was AG when the Sandusky mess took place and alot of the folks in Central PA (notably Centre County where Penn State is) were disgusted that he refused to investigate and doubled-down on the lame excuses as to why. The revelations about what happened there only came out after he had been elected.

>Ironically, PA was never a teabagger-rethug type state, so when he has tried to do teabagger/ALEC things, this has pissed off the moderate rethugs, who represent the majority of the rethugs here (they are Dick Thornburgh & Tom Ridge rethugs). Case in point - Look at Toomey, who got in with teabagger votes and a low turnout in an off-year election, and then he suddenly became "moderate" (e.g., the latest Background Check legislation). lol

>He continues to skirt the State Legislature to award illegal contracts to his buddies

>Believe it or not, as much as the media keeps blaming the "liberals" for opposition to the State Store system, there are alot of conservatives (Dem and rethug) here who don't want no drinking, no dancin', and no card-playing (this was one of the states with "dry" reps back during Prohibition), so the obsession with "privatizing" the state stores is running up against some rethugs in the rethug state legislature (in addition to the Democrats who are looking out for state employees during what has become a wholesale assault on state civil servants in almost every sector).

[eppur_se_muova]

19. Corbett has been a disaster -- and not a slow-motion disaster, either.

He just couldn't fuck things up fast enough once he got in office.

[Dawson Leery]

31. Protecting child rapist is never good for one's political prospects.

[freshwest]

32. After all they did to keep people from voting last year, I hope the same voters show up again!