Letter to the editor

WHAT DOES change look like? You thought the euphoric wave of hope would spread and wash over a nation by virtue of sheer will. You thought that casting your one vote for President Obama sealed the deal. You thought that Grover Norquist would acquiesce. You thought that the Koch brothers, Adelson, Friess and the Romney-likes were going to cede the least bit of their privilege to the common laborer, the soccer mom or the working poor for the good of a nation.

This is what change looks like: Forty-some millionaires and billionaires fund the flood of negative ads across the airwaves. Romney approves flat-out lies - in three waves of welfare attack ads, despite independent fact-checkers and Mr. Conservative, Joe Scarborough ("Morning Joe"), discrediting his claims. No shame - the ads continue!

This is what change looks like: The Supreme Court rules to allow unlimited anonymous contributions to PACs. The learned justices reason that money is speech - but with no consideration of the size of the megaphone or the location of the soapbox that financial privilege favors.

This is what change looks like: A Republican Congress unabashedly states, then carries out, unprecedented obstruction. Republicans bring the government to the brink of default, resulting in the downgrade of the U.S. credit rating, increasing borrowing costs and exacerbating the debt.

This is what change looks like: A state in which I was raised - one for which I served in the military to defend, one I represented as a member of the Peace Corps - enacted voter-suppression legislation not to benefit freedom or to further justice but rather, as indicated by Pennsylvania House Leader Mike Turzai (R-Allegheny) to win an election: "Voter ID, which is going to allow Gov. Romney to win the state of Pennsylvania - done!"

This is what change looks like - unless "We, the People," Democrats and Republicans, stand now with our president, speak with one voice and one vote to end this tyranny of suppression, derision and deception that moneyed interests have fostered in the Republican establishment.

Tony Tomcho

Corry, Pa.

Need a paging system?

NASA can send pics back from Mars and you can't get the page number for a column correct in the index. It happens quite often.

Joel Nyzio

Lafayette Hill

The road to ruin in Pa.

Gov. Corbett has often been blamed, unfairly, for decimating funding for basic education when in fact state expenditures for it on his watch have increased. The governor is a victim of the expiration of federal stimulus money, hence the unfair charge that he is responsible for cuts.

A critical area in which the governor bears enormous responsibility for draconian spending reductions, however, is in funding for road and bridge maintenance. Informed Pennsylvanians know that the condition of our crumbling transportation infrastructure is about to get worse as money available for this crucial function of government is drying up.

The governor's own blue-ribbon transportation commission formulated a sound plan to increase transportation revenue funding through the least painful and most appropriate method: allowing fee increases for registration and driver's licenses and a hike in the gasoline tax commensurate with the rate of inflation.

Apparently, the governor did not like the plan, so he has ignored it, citing the poor economy as the reason that fees must not be increased at this time. I wonder how that argument will be received as the effect of neglecting infrastructure becomes more pronounced through a rise in the number of structurally deficient bridges, the inability to construct new roadways, closings of roads and bridges, the exacerbation of more traffic congestion and perhaps the collapse of a bridge with vehicles on it as we witnessed five years ago on Interstate 35 in Minnesota. Is it worth it for Pennsylvania to risk the pain, misery and grief inflicted on innocent motorists and passengers by increasing the chances of such a preventable horror occurring here? Do we not also consider the potential cost of lawsuits for government negligence if such an incident should occur?

I wonder if the governor told those he appointed to the transportation commission that he is open to a solution so long as it will cost no Pennsylvanian a dime. Such a solution, of course, does not exist. There is no free lunch.

The General Assembly is not expected to take up approval of the commission's plan until next year at the earliest, and the plan is unlikely even then to meet with success if the governor is not behind it. Is there not a sufficient number of principled and sensible Republican leaders in the Commonwealth who can reason with him, emphasizing the cost of ignoring basic needs?

Oren M. Spiegler

Upper Saint Clair, Pa.

Crowd control - not

Here we go again, another major event on the Parkway. Clogged streets and illegally parked cars. The event title should read: Made in America, Screwed in Fairmount.

Jim Hart

Philadelphia

Shed a tear for Harry

Stripped of his royal title, his inheritance and his commission in the Blues and Royals, Harry - formerly known as Prince - is said to be living under a bridge in Berwick-upon-Tweed, Northumberland. I suggest a "Live Aid for Harry" concert at Wembley Stadium. Where are ya, Bob Geldof?

Jim Acton

Collegeville, Pa.