Letters: Spotlight keeps eye on state politicians; Immediate action important in an emergency

Editor’s note: The Centre Daily Times welcomes letters endorsing candidates in the May 18 primary election and will accept letters that are received by May 10. Letters are subject to editing, must be based on facts and should avoid attacks on other candidates.

Spotlight keeps eye on state politicians

One of the beneficiaries of the decline of newspapers has been elected officials at all levels. The scrutiny print journalists provided in the past was akin to oversight on our legislators. We don’t learn as much about bad conduct in Harrisburg because we have fewer journalists covering government.

So I was pleased to see that this newspaper has added the services of Spotlight PA, which provides a news service that focuses on state issues. You may recall a Spotlight story about our own Sen. Corman and his unannounced cushy job placement for the wife of a fellow senator. Of course, once a Spotlight reporter figured out what was going on and filed a story, readers of this newspaper and other newspapers also learned of the questionable action.

Understandably, the CDT doesn’t publish every story Spotlight provides, but individual subscribers do receive everything via a daily news digest that contains links to the longer stories. I urge you to subscribe by going to spotlightpa.org. The nonprofit foundation that sponsors spotlight also accepts donations.

I am both a subscriber and a donor and I hope everyone reading this letter will join me so they can be better informed.

Immediate action important in an emergency

We will be heading to the polls again on May 18. At that time, we will be asked to vote yes or no to three amendments to our Pennsylvania Constitution. Two of those amendment changes are of great concern to me. They seek to strip the governor of his power to manage emergency declarations, and give that control to the state assembly.

When we have an emergency, immediate action is important. Think of a time when the legislature ever acted quickly. When a hurricane, flood or any disaster happens, you can’t wait for a bunch of politicians to argue for several weeks before you can get results. You need one person, a governor, who can cut through the red tape, and get things done.

Vote NO to Constitution Amendment Articles III and IV.

Legislation will secure election integrity

Republican and Democrat voters agree that billionaires should not be able to buy elections. In the 2020 election, over a billion dollars in untraceable political donations, or dark money, went to candidates of both parties. The 2020 labyrinth of opaque political nonprofits and secretly owned shell companies will allow wealthy donors to continue anonymously pouring millions of dollars into politicians’ campaign coffers. These dark money donations not only allow billionaire elites to buy elections, but also spawn political corruption in Washington. Senate Bill 1, or the For the People Act, will put a stop to the flow of dark money to our politicians.

The For the People Act will protect the integrity of our elections by cutting off the flow of dark money to politicians from both parties. Once passed, it will require that political organizations disclose large donors and a create matching system for small donations. This matching system will ensure that everyday Americans’ voices will be heard, leveling the playing field against the billionaires. The For the Peoples Act is supported by 67% of Americans, with 56% of Republicans and 77% of Democrats backing it. Therefore, Pennsylvanians should call Senators Pat Toomey and Bob Casey and urge them to vote “yes” on the For The People Act. This bill represents a unique opportunity for Pennsylvania’s Republican and Democratic senators to pass bipartisan legislation and secure the integrity of our elections for generations to come.