Pennsylvania Secession (Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Lancaster: real estate, home, school)

[sunsetcliff]

I support local control. That could mean seceding.

Do you really want Brussels telling you how to live? I don't.

[sunsetcliff]

YouTube - I prayed



YouTube - FreedomForYouAndMe's Channel

[CHIP72]

As far as I'm concerned, if you loped off everything that is west of a line that runs from where I-70 enters the state from MD to where I-81 exits the state to NY, that would be fine by me. Maybe western Pennsylvania (or more accurately western Pennsylvania + most of the rural part of central Pennsylvania) could join West Virginia or something.

Time living in PA:
Birth - late summer 1991: Lehigh Valley
Late summer 1991 - spring 1995: rural central Pennsylvania
Spring 1995 - late summer 1997: Lehigh Valley
Late summer 1997 - end of 1999: rural western Pennsylvania
End of 1999 - late spring 2000: Lehigh Valley
Late spring 2000 - late winter 2008: Harrisburg area

[pman]

Originally Posted by bethany12

Too bad that rural PA can't break away from the rest of the state. Life would be so much better (and cheaper) if we could kick out the urbanites and the liberals. Southwestern PA almost left PA once over whiskey taxes...and I don't blame them.
It would make perfect sense for PA to break up. The state has distinct regions now.

this is the flip side of the comments from Philadelphia liberals about seceding from Pennsylvania. I think both sides are misguided. People from rural areasa think we all support high taxes and bad politicians. sometimes I fail to understand how things here have gotten the way they have, how the fumo's of the world keep getting elected (still, it's worth noting that the judge who was getting kickbacks to send kids to juvie wasn't from Philadelphia). It also doesn't mean we support Rendell's massive tax hike. In fact, I think the diversity of Pennsylvania's regions is it's greatest strength. From a big east cost city, to unpopulated mountain regions, to old small towns, the Poconos, Pittsburgh, and lakefront Erie. It helps prevent us from becoming NJ, an overtaxed, overdeveloped armpit. Diversity of regions also helps us deal with changing economic winds. Lastly, since Philadelphia is less dominant than NYC, the rest of the state does matter. I'd probably warn against electing another Philadelphian for governor but we'll see who the candidates are. There is one thing that afects us all, Penn's high business taxes, excessive bureaucracy, and the hated PLCB. It probably affecs you more than us since we have Delaware.

[HeadedWest]

Originally Posted by pman

I'd probably warn against electing another Philadelphian for governor.

That's good advice every PA gubernatorial election.

[Duderino]

Originally Posted by bethany12

I find it interesting that the rural people are all for it and the city people hate the idea.

The sad part is, as other people have noted, many rural Pennsylvanians are unaware of how much -- based on per capita economic gross output -- the large metropolitan areas (Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Lehigh Valley) prop the rest of the state up. Regardless of the inane motivations to "succeed," it would in fact work against people in the poorer, less populated parts of the state.

[Ohiogirl81]

Originally Posted by bethany12

Too bad that rural PA can't break away from the rest of the state. Life would be so much better (and cheaper) if we could kick out the urbanites and the liberals.

You mean there aren't any liberals in the less populated areas of the state? That'd be news to my relatives in Somerset and Bedford counties ... I guess they're so busy being bleeding-heart liberals they don't have time to move to the big city.

Originally Posted by pman

sometimes I fail to understand how things here have gotten the way they have, how the fumo's of the world keep getting elected (still, it's worth noting that the judge who was getting kickbacks to send kids to juvie wasn't from Philadelphia).

The culture of entitlement does permeate the entire state, from judges and governors to township supervisors and into the bureaucracy and the leadership of both parties, does it not? It's quite astonishing, and not in a good way.

[pman]

Originally Posted by HeadedWest

That's good advice every PA gubernatorial election.

LOL. Rendell's first term wasn't all bad. his main streets program has really helped a lot of smaller places and the slots legislation hasn't destroyed Penn. He increased funding for PAT and SEPTA 9which I'm sure our rural folks on here hate, but they really are needed in urban areas). Still, he taxes and spends too much. Some of the suburban Philly legislators aren't bad, I never minded Gerlach. Lastly, Lynn Swann deserved to lose. he was slick, but there was no substance. I often wondered how he differered from Rendell.

[ki0eh]

Now that we have Senator Al Franken, should Pennsylvania have Governor Tina Fey? She plays one (well, a certain one...) so well on TV.

[jmurphpitt]

[URL="http://1828.mshaffer.com/d/word/commonwealth"]commonwealth[/URL]


COMMONWEALTH, n. 1. An established form of government, or civil polity; or more generally, a state; a body politic, consisting of a certain portion of men united by compact or tacit agreement, under one form of government and system of laws. This term is applied to the government of Great Britain, which is of a mixed character, and to other governments which are considered as free or popular, but rarely or improperly, to an absolute government. A commonwealth is properly a free state; a popular or representative government; a republic; as the commonwealth of Massachusetts. The word signifies strictly, the common good or happiness; and hence, the form of government supposed best to secure the public good.
2. The whole body of people in a state the public.
3. The territory of a state; as, all the land within the limits of the commonwealth.