Is it just me, or does it seem like Rendell’s political stature has shrunk rapidly over the past year? Of the legislative wish list he announced at his last State of the State (coming on the heels of his “mandate”-sized re-election victory), he’s signed very little, if anything, into law. It seems he can’t even get all of his fellow blue ducks in the legislature lined up in support of his proposals. Now he’s resorted to cheap political theater in an effort to raise taxes yet again. I swear this guy knows of no other solution to this state’s challenges than to take more and more income from Pennsylvanians. Republicans in the General Assembly (even those in the purple “Rendellican” districts in the southeast) along with some Dems who hail from conservative districts have finally found some backbone and are telling the governor where he can stick the bill for his “proposals”. If the governor is truly concerned about the uninsured, perhaps letting individuals and businesses KEEP MORE OF WHAT THEY EARN, rather than scoop more capital up from the private sector in some half-assed redistribution effort, might be a good start. Most of the folks that I know who happen to be uninsured either work for a small business who can’t afford to offer coverage to their employees or are independent contractors. Offer tax credits to businesses and individuals to purchase private coverage. We don’t need to raise “Tax A”, then combine it with “Tax B”, then add that to the “magic” gaming money and hope it’s enough to keep whatever bureaucratic nightmare that Rendell and his ilk devise afloat. Simply give Joe Taxpayer the tools to do the job himself. I know, I know – it’s so easy that it just drives you nuts. Yes, I’m aware many on the left covet the role of benevolent hero. It’s funny, though – most times the only thing we need to be saved from are the egos of politicians.