Column: Election 2012, it comes down to this
In the race for the White House, look past the rhetoric and dig deeper
By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times
You’ve probably heard so much about Tuesday’s presidential election that you must feel a little bit like that four-year-old girl in Colorado who became a media sensation for crying and saying she was tired of hearing about “Bronco Bamma” and Mitt Romney.
I join you in that — and wish...
My view on the local Congressional races
Americans don’t like Congress, but keep sending the same people to D.C.
By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times
In these highly partisan times, it seems likely that many voters will be voting one party, one ticket, putting ideology over competency.
Ironically, most polling shows that we Americans hold our Congress in very low esteem, yet seem to continually send representatives to Washington, D.C....
Column: My take on the area legislative races
Is competency more important that ideology? I think so.
By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times
We had some internal discussions about doing our first endorsements as a publication this year, something I decided was probably not the right thing to do in 2010 or 2011. And while we were split — at the end we still decided that the negatives outweighed the positives.
It is a position we will revisit in...
Why doesn’t your town like business?
Hostile attitude toward business growth must change to fix tax problem
By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times
You’ll excuse my sense of de ja vu.
Back in my youth as a young reporter, the hot catch phrase for the overbuilt and tax-revenue challenged northern New Jersey suburbs was “ratables.”
Ratables are a very special kind of real estate: they use little in the way of local or school district...
Will HB 1077 impact statehouse races?
Will abortion politics motivate voters to vote for Democrats?
By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times
I hate the subject of abortion. With a deep, dark abiding passion.
But it’s possible I may have underestimated its impact on the 2012 elections when it comes to local state house races.
I spent the better part of my Saturday morning last week on the courthouse steps in West Chester listening to a rally...
State house seats could be in play
GOP leaders privately worried about turnout, impact of Romney’s stumbles
By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times
While the national races get the big attention, political insiders in the state tend to keep close tabs on races here in Chester County these days. As the population and demographics in the county have shifted in the last decade, the once-solidly Republican county is much more of a bell...
Op/Ed: Meals on Wheels saves for taxpayers
Program allows seniors to continue living in their homes, rather than needing full-time care
By Jeani Purcell, Special to The Times
Jean who is a 78 year- old widow lost the use of her right hand after she suffered a stroke. After 45 days in the hospital she returned to her home of 48 years, discovering that she could no longer prepare meals safely. She turned to her local Meals on Wheels (MOW)...
Locals say political conventions still have value
With Election 2012 kicking into high gear, RNC, DNC spark interest
By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times
Some pundits will tell you that the day of political party conventions meaning much of anything has passed — they’re little more than pre-packaged “pep rallies” for the respective parties and candidates. But if you ask two Chester County residents — both freshly back from their party’s...
The damage of narrow self-interest
These days, it’s everyone for themselves and we all suffer
By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times
We’re all in this together, right? I’ll pause while you stop laughing.
The 1970s were supposed to be the “Me Decade,” but it seems that what really happened was the emergence of the “Me Generation.” As that generation took power in the halls of government and corporate governance,...
Dumping on municipalities seems like a bad idea
Chester County’s decision to impose $5.20 per person charge is weak policy and terrible politics
By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times
There are a lot of angry elected officials right now in Chester County, a lot of soon-to-be angry residents, and, as seems to be the usual case these days, a lot of passing the buck.
At the time of year when one normally smells fresh barbecue, suntan lotion and ...
