Unintended consequences and Newton’s Third Law
By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times
While Democrats wept over special election results this week, U.S. Senate Republicans — in secret — put together their version of the health care reform, the Better Care Reconciliation Act, which apart from some minor details, appears to be a lot like the house health care plan, the American Health Care Act: it cuts benefits for the poor, could lead to big...
George announces run for 16th Congressional seat
Dr. John George
Dr. John George, a Lancaster County Democrat and an advocate for public education, announced his candidacy Wednesday for Pennsylvania’s 16th Congressional District.
George is currently the executive director of the Montgomery County Intermediate Unit. He previously served as the superintendent of the Warwick School District and the executive director of the Berks County Intermediate...
Time for Costello to show just a hint of courage
By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times
Sometime later this afternoon, U.S. Rep. Ryan Costello (R-6) will hold a town hall meeting.
That’s the good news.
The bad news is that he’s holding it in Historic Courtroom 1, limiting it to 100 people, it was announced Thursday and filled up within minutes — and no one can record the video. Some sort of modern-day Stasi will be at the door, demanding “papers,...
Costello, Meehan dodge bullet on health care bill failure
By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times
In the end — for at least two of Chester County’s members of Congress — the decision to withdraw the American Health Care Act, the Republican’s much touted replacement for the Affordable Care Act (known more commonly as Obamacare) may have ended up as the best of a lot of bad possible outcomes.
Both Ryan Costello (R-6) and Pat Meehan (R-7) said following...
Congress members can’t hide from the voters
By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times
The phone rang the other night during dinner, it was a phone “town hall” for U.S. Rep. Pat Meehan (R-7) — I happen to live in the 7th — but the timing was lousy and as a practicing journalist, I kind of feel like it is inappropriate as a journalist to participate in such events.
And to be honest — Meehan and his colleagues need to put on their big boy...
A brave new world for local Congress members
By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times
It is a brave (cough-cough) new world for some of our elected officials — specifically the three gentlemen who hold congressional seats in Chester County and find themselves coming home to districts this week they may not recognize.
Yes — we’ll grant everything is new for U.S. Rep. Lloyd Smucker, who is little more than a month in from joining the world’s...
A shiny new year: things are about to get interesting
Congressional, legislative officials face new political minefields in 2017
By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times
From Harrisburg to Washington, D.C., it is a bold, bright new year in politics.
From fresh starts to fresh panics, 2017 looks to be among the most interesting ever in the history of our little republic — and possibly not in a good way, but time will tell.
To kick off the year, we’ll...
Endorsements: Costello, Hartman & Meehan
Arguably, this is the most acrimonious campaign season in recent history, making it complicated to sort the fact from fiction and figure out who to support in this year’s local Congressional races.
We feel your pain. Our email boxes are constantly filled with breathless pronouncements with whatever counts for talking points in each of these races from both the campaigns, parties and third party...
With Li out, Parrish looks to fall race in 6th
Mike Parrish
The primary race for the Democratic nomination for the 6th Congressional District ended more than three weeks early, when Lindy Li was forced to drop out of her race against Mike Parrish over questions with her nominating petitions, late Friday night.
Parrish is now slated to take on freshman incumbent Republican Ryan Costello in November.
Chesco Dems back Sestak, Parrish, Balchunis and Hartman
The county’s Democratic Party made key endorsements in the U.S. Senate race as well in three local congressional races at its annual party convention, Wednesday night, backing Joe Sestak for Senate and Michael Parrish in the 6th District, Mary Ellen Balchunis in the 7th District and Christina Hartman in the 16th District.
Additionally, the committee endorsed Josh Shapiro for Attorney General...
