Letters: An opportunity to upgrade voting; Stop unchecked power in state legislature

An opportunity to upgrade voting

Let us look beyond state Sen. Corman’s backward-looking election review committee and instead use it as an opportunity to improve the process in the years ahead.

Most of us would agree that more time to vote by mail and allowing counting of the mail ballots before the polls close would help. But focusing on voting by mail misses a greater opportunity — voting via the internet. If I can vote online for Penn State trustees, why can’t we do the same for our elected representatives?

And since Republicans are fond of voter ID, why not issue such cards with unique codes on them that would enable a voter to vote at any machine in the state? Because of the unique code, the machine would provide the right ballot and once the person voted, the card could not be used again in that election.

Of course, all of this would cost money but as Corman said in announcing the initiative: “Nothing is more important than our right to vote as well as ensuring Pennsylvanians’ confidence in our elections.” I’m willing to pay for confidence.

Stop unchecked power in state legislature

There’s a game, “how a bill becomes a law.” It’s straightforward with fair rules.

Not true in Pennsylvania; the game’s fixed.

The rules are manipulated to favor the party in power. Bills are heard only if the committee chair, speaker or majority leader allow it. Actually, one committee chair can outweigh all others.

Jan. 5 starts the new session. Agenda item No. 1 , the vote on the rules. With no time for review, no public input, legislators must vote and essentially silence themselves. From day one their ability to represent us stops.

It’s unchecked power and dangerous to democracy.

Bills promoting fair districts were supported by 23 counties, 350 municipalities, 100,000-plus petitioners, 500-plus letters to the editor and desired by over 2/3 of the people.

Yet, four years, nowhere!

Who favors lead poisoning in their water? Eighteen Pennsylvania cities are worse than Flint.

Yet, five years, nowhere!

Our full-time legislature is the largest, among the most expensive and least productive. We’re paying more, getting less, with indifference our needs.

Collaboration is discouraged. Discussions are in separate rooms. There is no aisle for bipartisanship. Ninety three percent of bills go nowhere. In a fairness measure, Pennsylvania scored 0%.

Good bills deserve a vote!

Reform the rules; no games!

For bills with strong bipartisan support: Guarantee committee votes; guarantee floor votes once passed committee; bills passed by one chamber get a vote in the other.

Contact your legislator; support fair rules in January.

Why would legislators willingly strip themselves of their ability to represent us?

Searching for common ground

When FDR tried to pack the Supreme Court, the Democrats had firm control of the Congress. Still their role of watchdog of the executive branch was championed with overwhelming contempt for his plan to put six additional justices on the Supreme Court. The initiative was blocked. Deadlock and dysfunction in politics can result in the breakdown of our democracy. By abandoning the oversight role and pledging undying loyalty to an ideology or individual, the Congress can abdicate its role of watchdog and devolve into a lapdog. Congress also is empowered to make laws, yet that effort is often circumvented. In Pennsylvania our state legislative leadership has rules that deny rank and file members from voting on bills simply because the heads of committees won’t allow bills to come to the floor for a vote. In Washington, our senate majority leader McConnell has denied the senators from voting on legislative bills passed by the House time and time again. Is this the democracy we want? Will this continue? What can we do?

At the very minimum, make a difference. Find common ground with those you disagree with. Political opponents are not enemies. We must recognize the difference between rivals and enemies. Let’s change our default settings from polarization and paralysis to aggressively and actively finding common ground — there is far more with which we all agree than issues that divide us.