And Now, An Open Letter To Eddie Rendell
Dearest Eddie,
You know we love ya, don’t you? Or maybe the better word would be “loved.” After all, all that A Prayer For The City stuff, the whole re-invention of Center City, and so much of all that stuff that we write about every day… it’s all because of you. And we know that. And we also know that this whole ill-advised casino thing has been a twinkle in your eye since forever, and when it finally happens, it may very well unravel a lot of the good you did when you were here. We have a theory about that.
Eddie, you’ve got a classic case of Big Man Fever. You love to eat. You love the ladies. And whatever you do, it’s gotta be big, whether it’s civic ambition or, uh, whatever it was you were doing here. Thing about Big Man Fever is, though, that it secretly masks a hidden pain, a desire to blow it all because you think you don’t deserve it, a self-hating tick that wants to negate every good thing you’ve ever done.
This, we think, is what propelled you to be such a total and complete fucking pig and take over $1M in gaming industry contributions between 2001 and 2008. I mean, that’s Big Man Fever if ever we saw it. You knew it was gonna come out. You knew it had the potential to change the way people thought about you forever. And you knew you had to do it, because that’s just part of who you are. And now you’re in the shit.
We don’t know if we’ll ever be able to forgive you, Eddie. We barely even know who you are anymore. But we do know this: You don’t need to hate yourself in this way. There’s plenty of people in politics who will always be there to do it for you. But right now, you don’t need any hate at all. What you need, old buddy, is help. And we sincerely hope you get it.
Yours,
Philadelphia
June 25th, 2009 at 11:19 am
As pathetic as this is, Rendell’s been dead to me for years now. It’s sad because for a period he genuinely was a force for good in the city.
June 25th, 2009 at 11:37 am
Yeah, it’s official. Rendell is a pig feeding at the casino lobbyist trough.
Anybody really surprised?
June 25th, 2009 at 12:32 pm
Devil’s advocate says: Wo, man. The Guv’s been on the record for two decades about wanting gambling in Pa. As mayor of a major city, DNC chair and Guv of a huge Blue State, you’re now saying he sucks because he took money from special interest lobbyists? Snort. How else did anyone think those companies got their licenses to print money? By having the best essay on the topic in their RFP applications?
Sure he’s a pig — but he’s a damned politician, and a very good one. And anyway he’s our pig. Most states would kill for the kind of pork that Big Man Eddie can roll with.
The guy has his flaws, but he’s a force of nature — compare him with any Pa. governor of the last century, and then recall that he’s got huge national status and he’s got Philly’s back, big time, and always will. All that without even going into the entertainment factor.
I mean, please.
June 25th, 2009 at 12:58 pm
re: As mayor of a major city, DNC chair and Guv of a huge Blue State, you’re now saying he [Rendell] sucks because he took money from special interest lobbyists? Snort.
Yeah, pretty much.
June 25th, 2009 at 1:22 pm
It’s pretty warm today. How’s the weather on your planet?
I kid. And honestly, I can’t help but agree that it’s slime-ball tactics. But it’s the way it is. Maybe I’ve become too cynical, but I just don’t know why everyone seems so surprised.
I know, I know — if I’m not part of the solution…
June 26th, 2009 at 10:31 am
At the end of the day, he won’t be remembered as saving Center City, which would’ve happened no matter who was in charge. Rendell’s legacy will be turning our state into a casino whore, forever tying our government’s revenue to the bilking of the hopeless by out-of-state millionaires. Thanks Eddie!
June 26th, 2009 at 10:53 am
Some people may be too jaded and apathetic to care about how much money the Governor has received from the casino industry. But the Common Cause report (http://www.commoncause.org/atf/cf/%7Bfb3c17e2-cdd1-4df6-92be-bd4429893665%7D/CCPA_PAYOUT-PA-GAMING-INDUSTRY-REPORT.PDF)details numerous state officials who were on the take from the industry.
Would it shock you out of your complacency to note one particular legislator who made the news: Old Forge, PA, Rep. Jim Wansacz. Back in February or March, Wansacz circulated legislation to deny Philadelphia millions of dollars in economic development dollars unless we built casinos (with a non-denial by the Governor that he wouldn’t stop such legislation). The Inquirer then reported that Ed Snider, Foxwoods investor, made a cash donation to Snider’s Comcast PAC, which made a donation to Wansacz’s campaign. Wansacz, who is distantly removed from Philadelphia’s struggle, decides then that he needs to get vocal in what’s happening by threatening monies flowing here (http://www.philly.com/philly/news/local/43085157.html). Would you still yawn if it were noted that a number of Supreme Court Justices took money from the casino industry including current license holders?
And though the issue of slots parlors may not rile up some readers, the proposal to massively expand gambling – from table games to video poker machines at neighborhood bars – ought to raise eyebrows about who exactly is influencing those decisions and what they’re doing to influence it – because it’s certainly not due to public debate and studies.
The gambling industry is far from fun and games. And part of the reason that it’s been so successful at breeding complacency and done deal tactics is partly because their key influence strategy – under the table cash – is given a civic pass instead of targeted for elimination.
Common Cause is urging legislators to come clean about any and all gambling donations. With the elimination of a ban on gambling contributions, PA is a free for all state with consequences for all of its citizens.