May 9, 2006 4 min read

The Herald-Standard Editorial Board at this point sees only one option if 50th District voters want real change in the state House of Representatives: Vote for Democrat challenger Robert F. “Bobby” Danko and thus send 30-year incumbent insider H. William DeWeese packing toward the $93,000-a-year pension he’s lined up for himself. As leader of House Democrats, a perpetual minority party during most of his reign, DeWeese has proven time and again that he’s all about retaining his own power and about what goes on in Harrisburg. His “yes” vote on the pay raise, his vigorous defense of the amount, and his complicity on the shady way the legislation was brokered and passed in the middle of the night illustrate DeWeese’s outmoded and paternalistic view of how government should work.

Only reluctantly did DeWeese finally vote to repeal the legislation, which proves that even when the handwriting was on the wall in big enough print for even Stevie Wonder to see, DeWeese’s arrogance blocked his view. DeWeese has been living in a comfort zone largely of his own crafting, controlling a huge, multi-million-dollar “leadership account” whereby he doles out our tax money in order to keep his caucus members in line.

DeWeese isn’t likely to change his stripes any time soon, so we don’t expect him, as the ultimate insider, to do anything but block meaningful and badly needed reforms. In January he brought up the need for campaign finance reform, and we’re still waiting for him to put that piece of legislation on the table. If he can’t, or won’t, follow through on an initiative of his own choosing, we don’t expect him to do much in the vein of open records or lobbyist disclosure.

In his effort to seek re-election to an umpteenth term, DeWeese is running the Harrisburg incumbent’s patented campaign strategy, big on appealing to senior citizens and veterans, as though those are the only two groups worthy of electoral attention. But in truth, the only thing he or any other elected official can do for any group is toss more of our collective tax dollars their way. And all voters, including those DeWeese is trying hardest to woo, should ask if his help is worth the $104,000-a-year salary (with automatic yearly cost-of-living adjustments), extensive perquisites and lucrative health and retirement package he’s made no qualms about voting himself.

Like Dimple Rock in the middle of the Youghiogheny River, DeWeese stands as a big obstruction to needed change in the way Harrisburg does business, which quite frankly treats the public like ignorant serfs. Instead of standing up to the Republican majority, DeWeese is far too prone to enter the smoke-filled room with his GOP leadership counterparts, hammer out a deal, shake hands and remain silent. That’s not the way your business should be done.

Danko, in contrast, strikes us as being honest and sincere, and reform-minded – and at least he was willing to show up and address the issues before the HSTV cameras. We give the popular Fayette County treasurer credit for running against DeWeese, even though Danko is the first to admit that he’s not a charismatic or flashy person like DeWeese. Danko is everyman, a regular guy who came up through the ranks and knows struggle, as he was once on public welfare. There’s been no silver spoon in his mouth, and especially not one purchased, loaded up and cleaned with your tax dollars.

Danko is also a PACleanSweep approved candidate, which gives the 74-year-old appealing status as a reform candidate. “I don’t think that we need arrogance in any form of government,” says Danko, who adds, “I’ll never be controlled by anyone in Harrisburg. I’m going to do what my heart tells me to do.”

While we’d like to hear more specifics from the low-key Danko on his stated goals of health care, jobs and property tax reform, we think he’s the type of person who would work and vote on behalf of everyone when it comes to programs and changes. Truthfully, he doesn’t need to be a state representative in order to obtain a pension or health care benefits for himself, so we doubt that he has self-enrichment as a motive.

While we’d like to see Danko be more vocal, we think he would evolve in that regard, as he would be assuming a more high-profile position.

On the Republican side, it baffles us that the two GOP candidates – Arena Football League player Greg Hopkins and freight company worker Richard Yeager – either wouldn’t or couldn’t find time to meet with us. It’s called free publicity, and it’s highly unusual for challengers to pass up such an opportunity. We can’t endorse either one of them, which is completely due to their own failure to show.