News & Brews December 2, 2021
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PA Society: Who’s going and (the long list of) who’s not
It’s that time of year—when PA politicos trek to New York for “networking, gossiping and seeing a politico-filled conga line move from party to party across Manhattan.” Only, this year’s conga line will be far shorter than usual as PA Society makes its return following last year’s COVID cancellation. PennLive gives a run-down of the parties that are happening, those that aren’t, and the rather long list of politicos who are skipping this year’s gathering altogether.
PLCB annual report shows record sales
Alcohol sales in 2020-21 reached $2.67 billion, or almost $239 million more than the previous fiscal year, according to the latest annual report from the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board. The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review summarizes some highlights from the report and reveals some of the state’s most popular sellers.
Op-Ed: School choice is the fix for PA’s broken education system
As claims of education underfunding persist, the reality is that “Pennsylvania ranks seventh in the nation in education funding, spending an average of more than $19,000 per student per year – 28% higher than the national average of $15,000.” So note the Cato Institute’s Colleen Hroncich and the Commonwealth Foundation’s Stefanie Mason in an op-ed in RealClear Education. Focusing on the education funding lawsuit making its way through our courts, Hroncich and Mason write, “The solution to inequalities in Pennsylvania’s education system is not, as the plaintiffs suggest, to prop up the residentially assigned school system with yet more funding. Rather, the solution is to give all children access to the schools of their choice.”
U.S. Senate field is (sort of) shaping up
Following last week’s story from City & State PA on who’s running for U.S. Senate, PennLive does its own foray into the candidate field. For your comedic take of the day, here’s how one Democrat party operative explains the Dems’ path to victory: “When people ask themselves in November of 2022 are you better off than you were two years ago, the answer is likely, with most Pennsylvanians, ‘Yes. Yes, I am better off. I’m better because of COVID. I’m better off because of the American Rescue Plan. I’m better off because of the infrastructure bill.” Ummmm.
Op-Ed: Inflation excuses miss the point
Sen. Scott Martin (Lancaster County) has a new op-ed in the Pottstown Mercury noting that the Left’s excuses for rising prices fall flat. “The last thing any of us needs is more economic policies built on delusions of grandeur,” Martin writes, adding, “Higher wages mean nothing when the value of the dollar continues to diminish. We must find a way to encourage economic growth and opportunity that doesn’t rely on massive, unsustainable government spending.” Read his piece here.