Pattye Benson

Community Matters

State Rep Paul Drucker Exits Harrisburg . . . Thank you for your service!

What was the voter’s message in November? Does this signal an acceptance, or rejection, of either party? Does this message play similarly in Pennsylvania . . . and in the local 157th district?

With “the economy, the economy, the economy,” being chanted by people across the country, many were engaged in the political system during this voting season . . . some for the first time. We have now elected and re-elected many different types of people across our country. The impact of our choices is already being felt. Democracy needs the relentless participation of its citizens to be most effective. With the electorate’s intense anger reverberating across the country, the anti-Washington, anti-establishment sentiment rejected many incumbents in November, including State Representative Paul Drucker.

It does seem like our political problems should have clear solutions but often times do not. Consider how hard it must be for someone to get their name on a primary ballot, win that primary, and then win a general election. People holding any political offices are effective achievers who have support of family and friends but also have convinced a large group of strangers to believe in them. Paul Drucker was that person in 2008 and in November, voters of the 157th district chose differently. Were the election results reflective of Drucker’s job performance in Harrisburg? No, I think the vote spoke more to the intensity of the anti-Washington sentiment. A personal defeat for Drucker when the votes were counted, his loss was not a statement to his personal accomplishments in Harrisburg.

Although I am a proponent of looking forward, I believe that there is merit to reflecting on one’s past. Much can be learned from life’s experiences and this week, Alan Thomas for the Mainline Suburban Life interviewed Drucker. The article, ‘Drucker reflects on work done and work not finished in House term’ is an exit interview . . . an ‘introspective’ of sorts. (Click here for full article).

Much like his re-election campaign platform, Drucker points to his list of most important concerns in the 157th district as jobs, education and transportation and sees the issues as inter-connected. Drucker strongly supports fixing the state’s infrastructure and getting people to work. He views the Paoli Transportation Center plan as a project to spur economic growth and as a means to create new jobs in the community. With a new Republican Governor-elect Corbett at the helm in Harrisburg, Drucker voiced concern for the Paoli rail yard project. With sign-off on the project required by Corbett, the future of this transportation center remains in peril.

When Thomas asked Drucker what changed during his two years in the House, his reply was, “Well, it’s changed me, I made a lot of new friends, new contacts. I certainly have a good perspective on state government. I haven’t decided what I’m going to do. I’m going to stay active and involved in what’s important to me. I’m still recharging my batteries. It’s a 24-7 job. I have never worked so hard in my life.”

For the long hours and reduced pay that many candidates receive when elected, we need to stop and thank those that have served. I thank Paul Drucker for serving as State Representative of the 157th district. And I thank him for his commitment to important issues and for caring about the residents of our community.

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  1. I support the Paoli Transportation Center 100%. Thank you for getting the ball rolling & I hope that the project continues forward movement. I’ve lived here for 59 years and hope to see it complete in my lifetime.

    I know u always looked out for the resident’s best interests in Harrisburg. Guess we will have to see if your replacement will follow suit.

    I hope u enjoy the time off & know that you did a good job for us!

  2. Another corrupt scumbag politician sent out to pasture. It can’t happen soon enough for the rest of his ilk. Politicians are the root of what’s wrong in this country and we’re too fat and lazy to do anything about it.

  3. This blog has officially become too negative a place. For all of Pattye’s efforts to encourage discussion and debate, we have one trick ponies like John P who take every post to remind us he hates Warren Kampf. We have people who take a nice post with a farewell feeling to it and call departing politicians scumbags.

    We are in for a change of policy in Harrisburg. Politics rule, not fairness, not logic, not strategic spending. The US is out of money – we are out of money – PA is out of money…. so what message do you think anyone hears?

    The only time your opinions truly count is when you punch the ballot. And so few people do that that we cannot possibly believe there is this commitment to justice or fairness.

    Perhaps 2011 can offer this forum a chance to offer new ideas rather than just attack old ones or hypothesize about failures. The new session has not even begun and we are off and bashing. It’s all too trivial to listen to.

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