http://www.philly.com/philly/columnists/john_baer RSS Feed for DN Col John Baer en-us Thu, 17 May 2012 15:59:25 GMT http://www.philly.com/philly/columnists/john_baer/20120516_Gambling_on_pensions.html Once in awhile something gets dropped into the state legislative hopper more interesting than the usual bridge-naming and nonsense. Take Rep. Paul Clymer’s bill to address the public pension crisis by charging casino-goers a $2 cover charge. http://www.philly.com/philly/columnists/john_baer/20120514_Handy_guide_to_protest_Pennsylvania_budget.html WITH STATE budget stuff starting to cook, seems like a good time to offer a handy, helpful protesters’ guide: How to get the most out of slogans and chants. Why? http://www.philly.com/philly/columnists/john_baer/20120509_What_happened_to_the_politics_of_hope_.html IT’S PRETTY CLEAR that President Obama’s re-election effort, a/k/a the endless campaign, is intent on burying Mitt Romney even before Republicans officially offer him up as their nominee. A $25 million, nine-state (including Pennsylvania) TV-ad blitz, after a weekend of campaign kickoff rallies in Ohio and Virginia, suggests an all-out effort to define the race in ways that seek to end it early. http://www.philly.com/philly/columnists/john_baer/20120507_Baer__Another_no-tax_state_budget_on_the_horizon.html IF IT’S EARLY May, it must be time to get cracking on a new state budget. This means fits and starts and bipartisan bloviating as no-tax Republicans go up against active-government Democrats. http://www.philly.com/philly/columnists/john_baer/20120502_Air_apparent__Plane_truth_about_presidential_travel.html LET’S BE plain about the president’s plane, which is yet again the subject of a political spat. Should we care? Instinctively, you want to say, no, it’s silly. But hold on. It is, after all, our plane. http://www.philly.com/philly/columnists/john_baer/149419795.html GREAT NEWS, KIDS, your Legislature’s back this week after a nice long break for Easter and the primary, and, boy, it sounds as if lawmakers are really ready to work. High on the list: fiscal responsibility, private-sector job creation and cuts in business taxes. http://www.philly.com/philly/columnists/john_baer/20120426_Kane_seen_as_woman_for_job.html PATRICK MURPHY found himself in the wrong race at the wrong time. The former Bucks County congressman ran a political campaign for a job that voters apparently believe is better suited to a nonpolitician. http://www.philly.com/philly/columnists/john_baer/20120423_Boring_primary_bad_for_democracy.html TUESDAY’S PRIMARY, which promised to be a stand-your-ground gig for Rick Santorum, is now an election without any pop. Once Rick disengaged, the body politic sagged, shrugged and surrendered. http://www.philly.com/philly/columnists/john_baer/20120418_St__Louis_Blues__Cohen_tough_to_beat.html IT’S NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE to oust an incumbent Philly state lawmaker. About the only time one leaves is to collect a fat, taxpayer-paid pension, go to prison or, as in the case of Rep. Tony Payton, (unbelievably) fail to get the minimum 300 signatures needed to run. http://www.philly.com/philly/columnists/john_baer/20120416_John_Baer__Attorney_general_and_the_path_to_the_governor_s_mansion.html PENNSYLVANIA Democrats face an interesting choice in the April 24 primary election for an office no Pennsylvania Democrat ever won.