Bucks
Ed Howard, Walter Farley, Charles Meredith Election Analysis
Dear Friends,
Good morning. Ed Howard used to be central and upper Bucks County’s state senator. A maverick Republican, the senate leadership despised him because of his independent nature. Jim Greenwood succeeded Howard in the senate before graduating to the congress. Greenwood was independent as well.
Howard is a young 80 year older. Tall and youthful looking in spite of a shock of white hair, Howard runs a weekly class at Delaware Valley College in Doylestown. Six weeks ago, he invited me to speak to his class about the politics of central and upper Bucks as I remembered it as a young County Commissioner 40 years ago.
We had so much fun that he asked me for a return engagement for my spin on the November election. I suggested that he should include my fellow commissioner Walter Farley. Howard agreed and December 7th found us exchanging ideas with his class.
Farley is a lifelong Democrat. My family’s been Republican since Abraham Lincoln’s days. The Chairman of the Bucks County Republican Committee says that I’ve never been a good Republican. That’s because he knows that I often split my ballot. You’re not supposed to split your vote if you’re a good Republican. Worse, Mighty Betsy and I even changed our party registration to help Governor Ed Rendell in the Democratic primary four years ago. Farley is similarly inclined. His party leadership often seethed because he voted with me on county problems.
Howard’s class is filled with
active, mostly retired people. All of them had voted on November 7. Their
questions and statements were thoughtful. “What is the reliability of
electronic machines,” one asked? “Why is there so much mud raking,” another
queried? “What’s the chance of a third party emerging,” asked another? “Would
Farley opened the discussion with six points. “First,” he began, “The Democratic Party didn’t win the election…the Republican Party lost. Second, voters proved that they have the power to control by voting intelligently.”
He then launched into four opinions, three with which I agree. “America needs to follow Colin Powell’s recommendation in Iraq,” Farley continued. “We need to have overwhelming forces to secure the peace…or get out. Don’t repeat our experience in Vietnam. True.
“I believe in states rights,” Farley said. “States should decide whether abortion and gay marriage should be legal, not the federal government.” I don’t agree with him on that point. Farley is a Pro Choice fellow as I am. Both of us believe that the federal government should stay out of the debate. But he would let the states decide whereas I argue that all governments, federal and state, should stay out of our personal lives.
Farley wants the federal government to return to fiscal responsibility. Bravo! The federal government is too large and filled with red ink. Here, Walter Farley resembles an old fashioned moderate Republican, doesn’t he?
Last, he told the class that he opposes “Earmarks,” the system we call pork barreling. Farley used an excellent example. In order to secure troop funds in Iraq, congress attached an addition to spend millions in Alaska to build a huge bridge, serving a handful of families on an island…the so-called bridge to nowhere.
“Who will the Democrats run for president,” a student asked?
“Hillary,” Farley responded instantly.
I disagreed suggesting that while Mrs. Clinton might be the smartest candidate, she’s a lightening rod. The Democrats would be wise to run a healer, someone that can work with both parties…someone like Pennsylvania’s Governor Ed Rendell.
I told the class that I favor term limits…force the federal and state legislature to get the work done within a 12-year period rather than accomplishing little except for feathering lengthy careers. Farley disagreed.
He favors a change in the Bucks County government. Farley would abandon the three county commissioner system and adopt a strong executive and legislative council instead. I don’t think he’s right.
We both agreed that it’s mighty important to vote. We reminded the class about the Chester County state representative race where one candidate apparently won by 23 votes out of 23,000 votes cast.
Ed Howard’s class was great fun. We observed that the worth of the session is equated to what he paid for our services…zero.
Merry Christmas, faithful readers,
Charles Meredith