Last night, the vice presidential candidates for the Democratic and Republican parties squared off in a debate where Scranton was mentioned as an example of the failed economic policies of President Obama.
Mike Pence, the Republican vice presidential nominee rebuffed Tim Kaine’s remarks about the economy being strong by stating “People in Scranton know different…” Now, if anyone has been keeping tabs with my other blog, Savescranton.com, they will know that I have been claiming this for some time now. The city is littered with poverty, blighted homes and bordered up businesses. Growth is near non-existent and to compound the matter the city is drowning in sky high taxation – Hence the reason I spearheaded a tax boycott in the city. How did this forgotten city become so important to the national election?
Pennsylvania is a Swing State
Statistics often have an issue by giving people the impression that it is a reliable indicator of the future. Many times using statistics to predict the future is like driving while looking at the rear-view mirror. The reason for this is that statistics only tell you what has happened, not what will happen. People largely took it for granted that Pennsylvania may swing Republican this election because it was so heavily voted for Obama last election. This is where places like Scranton are telling about how Pennsylvania may surprise people this election.
Scranton is in Really Bad Shape
Scranton has been completely excluded from the supposed economic resurgence that has occurred throughout the country. The city has 1/3rd of its population in poverty. One city councilmen informed me that he wouldn’t be surprised if the number was actually 2/3rds. The city it filled with people who live on a fixed income or claim disability. The only “good jobs” are those involving the government. Yes, in Scranton government employees can make $100,000.
To make matters worse, they are stories of police officers making that amount and then retiring early at 35 by claiming disability – Scranton has the highest rate of retired officers and firemen claiming disability in the state. They then go on to work in the prison. This allows them to receive two – not one – government checks!
The city is rampant with government nepotism, malfeasance and corruption. It is reminiscent of those old Eastern Bloc countries that experimented with socialism, failed and decided to just consolidate into a totalitarian regime. And the Scranton government is indeed totalitarian. The citizens of Scranton are literally afraid of the local government. Dissenters face harassment, threats and in some cases worse! The people of Scranton are well aware of all this, and may actually view Donald Trump as a change in the trend of expansive government – Scranton has exclusively voted Democrat for years. Sadly, there is nothing in Trump’s actually policies that demonstrates a genuine reduction in government. Nevertheless, Trump does talk about job creation and corruption. This sort of rhetoric is the kind that would appeal to Scranton and other cities in Pennsylvania that are facing deep economic depression and corrupt local governments.
Gary St. Fleur
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