'Ant-Man' and 'Minions' battle in Harrisburg's 'Jurassic World'

AS A FOLLOWER of politics and pop culture, I can't help but notice some similarities between the current politics of Harrisburg and the current crop of hit movies. Think summer blockbuster films aligning with summer budget-busting pols.

Let's start with Democratic Gov. Wolf, who ran pitch-perfect primary and general campaigns to make history as the first candidate to unseat an incumbent Pennsylvania governor.

He no doubt hoped that when he got to the Capitol he'd have "Pitch Perfect 2" (a sequel about an a cappella group's struggles to succeed, starring Anna Kendrick).

Trouble is, his tune isn't playing well with the Republican-controlled Legislature.

He'd likely say they're just tone-deaf.

But his ideas for more taxes and spending to fight a deficit while increasing funding for public schools have been greeted in ways one might expect to see in "Jurassic World" (starring Chris Pratt).

That's the redone tale of prehistoric assaults by genetically altered dinosaurs.

Which, come to think of it, is probably how Wolf views some Republican leaders: Senate President Joe "Giganotosaurus" Scarnati; House Appropriations Committee chief Bill "Allosaurus" Adolph, R-Delaware County.

I mean, Wolf and team came to the Capitol with visions of change to provide a better future for the state.

Sort of like "Tomorrowland," in which a young woman (Britt Robertson) filled with scientific curiosity and a former boy-genius (George Clooney) embark on a mission to a puzzling futuristic place.

One could argue that Wolf's chief of staff, Katie McGinty (college chemistry major, environmentalist), and "genius" Wolf (Dartmouth, University of London, Massachusetts Institute of Technology) are currently stuck on a similar mission.

But their efforts are being turned "Inside Out" (Disney Pixar film in which emotions are played out by animated characters).

And prominent emotions acted out in the movie are likely the same emotions roiling in the governor's office: anger, sadness and disgust.

After all, Team Wolf's proposals to tax gas extraction to restore school funds scaled back in recent years and raise the income tax and sales tax to reduce dreaded property taxes have been universally rejected by Republican lawmakers dutifully following GOP leaders.

I imagine these followers are seen by some in the governor's office as "Minions."

They are the yellow, single-cell organisms that slavishly served evil masters since the beginning of time, and the stars of an animated film focused on their search for a new odious overlord to obey.

But as the state budget impasse drags on, the politics of GOP plans for no new taxes, liquor reform and pension reform could well gain in statewide popularity, making the governor's power seem smaller than his office.

Ah, but perhaps Wolf becomes like "Ant-Man" (starring Paul Rudd), reduced in size but not in strength, a superhero who ultimately prevails.

Unless, that is, focused and determined House Speaker Mike Turzai, champion of selling off state stores, grows in his role of GOP headliner. He could become "Magic Mike XXL" (a male-stripper sequel flick featuring Channing Tatum) and go big enough to strip away Wolf's opposition to privatizing booze.

It's just that the way things look right now - no progress, no hint of compromise - the whole budget process seems like a "Trainwreck" (Amy Schumer, Bill Hader).

But there might be a hint of solution here. In the film, Schumer's character is told, as a child, when her parents are splitting, that "monogamy isn't realistic."

She lives that way as an adult until meeting Hader's character.

So maybe differing pols married to ideologies and special interests realize that's not realistic either. Maybe they meet each other, agree on stuff and then live happily ever after.

What? Too much like the movies?

Blog: ph.ly/BaerGrowls

Columns: ph.ly/JohnBaer