close

Swann song: Former Steeler should refine game plan

3 min read

We realize that it’s early in the game in former Pittsburgh Steeler Lynn Swann’s potential quest for the Pennsylvania governorship, so that might excuse the lack of specifics he proffered when speaking at a Fayette County Republican Party picnic Sunday. The charismatic Swann has an impressive athletic pedigree. He was part of legendary Steelers teams that won four Super Bowls and he earned a spot in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He would begin any race with a high level of favorable name recognition, at least in this part of the state.

But being a household name and wearing four Super Bowl rings won’t alone prepare him for the rough-and-tumble game any GOP challenger will face going against incumbent Democrat Gov. Ed Rendell, who’s the political equivalent of a heavyweight boxing champion.

Swann and his supporters no doubt realize this, and with his would-be campaign in the embryonic stage it might not make sense now for him to roll out a detailed plan as an alternative to Rendell’s regime, particularly at a kiss-the-babies type picnic.

But rather than mouthing the same tired platitudes about Pennsylvania needing to find ways to retain its young people and his embrace of a leadership style that would build bridges, Swann as a serious candidate might have come out swinging just a tad harder.

For example, when he told 500 Republican faithful that he desires a state government that would function “in a very transparent way so we can see clearly what needs to be done,” was he talking about reforming the state’s archaic Open Records Law, from which the legislature has exempted itself? Or does his plan not go that far?

Swann said he looks at the people as shareholders who deserve to know what’s happening with their company, in this case the Commonwealth. That’s fine – but how does he intend to improve the current system? If he wants to rid government of “backroom deals” – a virtual impossibility to anyone who knows how things really work – what kind of open forums does he suggest to conduct state business?

Under a Swann administration, would every meeting among the power brokers be televised in order to achieve openness? Using his own example, who would explain state contracts, to meet the desired goal of having people know the whys and hows of the document? While admirable in tone, lack of specifics makes these words seem a tad na?ve.

It also would be easier to view Swann as a serious alternative to Rendell if he were offering more of his thoughts on the thorny issues of the day, such as property tax relief, gambling, Medicaid and the state’s projected budget surplus.

Swann may address these things as his campaign swings into a higher gear, and we’re certainly glad to see that he at least found time to visit Fayette County. But even diehard Steelers’ fans should be looking beyond the black-and-gold uniform when they cast their votes for governor.

CUSTOMER LOGIN

If you have an account and are registered for online access, sign in with your email address and password below.

NEW CUSTOMERS/UNREGISTERED ACCOUNTS

Never been a subscriber and want to subscribe, click the Subscribe button below.

Starting at $4.79/week.

Subscribe Today