Archive: October, 2010
Two years ago, The Inquirer endorsed Dale Glading for Congress, largely because Rep. Rob Andrews had broken his promise not to run for reelection if he lost a bid for U.S. Senate.
Back then, Glading came across as a moderate Republican, though we didn’t agree with him on all of the issues. He was the best GOP candidate to emerge in the heavily Democratic First Congressional District in years.
Flash forward to 2010, and Glading and Andrews now face each other for a second round, with Andrews seeking a 12th term. But this time, Glading — apparently having sipped too much of the tea-party brew — has shifted much further to the right.
That’s disappointing, and troubling. His talking points now appear to come straight from the GOP playbook of just say no.
This is an excerpt from the speech delivered by Queen Elizabeth II welcoming Pope Benedict XVI to Scotland during his recent visit to the United Kingdom:
“Religion has always been a crucial element in national identity and historical self-consciousness. This has made the relationship between the different faiths a fundamental factor in the necessary cooperation within and between nation states. It is, therefore, vital to encourage greater mutual and respectful understanding. We know from experience that through committed dialogue, old suspicions can be transcended and a great mutual trust established.”
I heard these words during a news announcement while driving to work the other day. I have no recollection of what the pope said. What struck me was this excerpt from the queen. I was mesmerized by her words: the plummy accent, the stately syntax, the careful but resonant content. Listening, I suddenly understood the idea of monarchy.
One of the more interesting political races this fall is heating up in South Jersey between freshman U.S. Rep. John Adler and his Republican opponent, Jon Runyan.
The two Johns, or Jons, couldn’t be more different. Adler is slightly built. Runyan is as big as a redwood.
Adler is a career politician, while Runyan had a Pro Bowl career in the National Football League.
You may not have noticed, probably because Democrats were typically too busy enfolding themselves into the fetal position, but something quite historic occurred Sept. 23.
On that date, it became illegal for health insurers to kick sick people off their coverage.
It became illegal for insurers to deny coverage to kids with preexisting health problems.
It was always somebody else, wasn’t it?
Somebody else …
… but not the Phillies.
Somebody else making the blockbuster trade. Somebody else raising a hand as the auctioneer went higher and higher.
Somebody else being bold and assertive. Somebody else landing the stud hoss.
Revelations regarding the questionable expenditure of millions of charitable dollars by the trustees at the Hershey School deserve a thorough investigation by the state.
But the public can only hope that Attorney General Tom Corbett is up to the task of overseeing such a politically-sensitive probe while also campaigning for governor. Corbett’s Texas two-step highlights a problem of having the state’s top law enforcement official try to carry out his day job while also running for higher political office.
Milton S. Hershey School is funded by a charity created by the candy-company founder to teach poor children. The charity sits on a pile of money that its board apparently doesn’t know what to do with.
The Inquirer reported that the board paid an inflated price of $12 million for a golf course, and then spent another $5 million building a clubhouse. The purchase price was two to three times Hershey’s own appraisal for the golf course.
What exactly does a school for poor kids need with a golf course anyway? Especially when Hershey already owns three other courses. Hershey officials said the purchase was approved to prevent the land next to the school from being developed.
It’s said that faith can move mountains. But for 33 Chilean miners, boring a hole in a hill was enough.
After being trapped more than 2,000 feet below surface for 69 days, the 33 miners were finally pulled to safety Wednesday, with none suffering more than minor injuries. A NASA-designed rescue capsule lifted each man from the depths into sunlight.
The miners’ return to the world above was the culmination of the “miracle” that people prayed for after the Chilean mine collapsed. The miracle got an assist from two Pennsylvania firms — Schramm Inc. and Center Rock Inc. — that supplied the drilling rig and drill bit that broke through stone to reach them.
The gold and copper mine’s collapse has launched investigations, as it should. The San Jose mine has had safety problems in the past. Chilean President Sebastian Pinera said the mine won’t be reopened. He also fired the top regulators of the mining industry.
