Capitol Ideas calls it a "long-standing Senate practice." I have another name - unethical. I'm referring to "ghost voting," an unhealthy tradition in which some lawmakers will vote for others who are far too important to be in chambers, doing what they're paid to do. It's been criticized, here and elsewhere, as unethical, fraught with the potential for abuse.Just a few years ago, ghost voting was the norm in both houses of the Pennsylvania legislature. Tim Potts, who then headed reform organization DemocracyRisingPa, derided a system that permitted lawmakers to do their job from the local country club. "They're on golf courses, they're in restaurants, they're playing poker in the basements of lobbyists offices. It's a fraud on the people they represent, and it's a fraud on all the taxpayers in Pennsylvania who are paying for them."
In 2006, this practice was finally eliminated in the state house, but thrives in the senate, where Lisa Boscola was trying to beat an incoming thunderstorm and was on her way out of the land of midnight payraises. She had directed a senate Democratic leader to cast her vote with the Republicans on some budget vote, but he must have forgotten about it or something.
That's when Tropical Storm Lisa hit the senate floor, angrily confronting Democratic leaders who had refused to allow her to ghost vote with the Republicans, damn it! She apparently made a passionate appeal over her right to abuse the system and vote in absentia just like numerous other Senators who were AWOL, too. But any legislator unable to vote for herself, especially on a budget stalemate, is unworthy of her office. The public has a right to expect a state senator who casts her own votes. Instead of screaming about senate leaders trying to pull a fast one on her, the entire senate should be condemned for pulling a fast one on the public.
God Bless Lisa. She is the best state elected official from the Lehigh Valley. she has worked tirelessly for seniors and the working people of this state.
ReplyDeleteWe are lucky to have Lisa in the State Senate. I wish she was also the County Executive.
Here here Bernie - There is something reassureing that Lisa B will always be Lisa B - It gives me a sense that things are going to be alright in the end because she will never change
ReplyDeleteAbout time someone called out Boscola! She is a horrible state senator and bad person in general. She is mean spirited and vindictive. She should not even be allowed to call herself a member of the Democratic party. She sides with the Republican more than the Dems, and she no longer represents the interests of her constituents.
ReplyDeleteShe's a potty mouth (supposed) former drunk with a bad work ethic and worse manners. She's perfect for the PA legislature.
ReplyDeleteOk Bernie, saw what you and others said here. Question: What, if anything, did the newspapers say?
ReplyDeleteIs Tim Potts, Potts Hot Dog owner?
ReplyDeleteLisa, Henry, Nancy, Harry, "can smell them in the basement,"
ReplyDeletewhat happens to elected officials?
Thanks for telling us about this.
FORMER ?
ReplyDeleteI'm more interested in the ugly truth about the ANONYMOUS COMMENTER who posted "the ugly truth about Bernie..." But, of course, that clown is anonymous.
ReplyDeleteThat multiplies HIS bozo quality tenfold at least.
May Bernie reveal the identity of the clown!!!
"May Bernie reveal the identity of the clown!!!"
ReplyDeleteIt's Villa, of course. He thinks he's embarrassing me, but is only making a fool out of himself, as usual.
His personal shots here are also OT.
so boscola's "championing" over the 2009-2010 budget was done in absentia? bloody fantastic. first she abandons her communities by voting for the worst budget in state history and then it turns out that she didn't even vote for it because she was too lazy to show up for work.
ReplyDeletelet's find a viable D to challenge her in the primary and if that doesn't work, let's get a moderate R to challenge her in the general election. This D will never support her again.
I can deal with disagreements over principles but cannot tolerate grandstanding and laziness.
Boscola really should go. From Kieklak to PPL to the budget to "reform" to P2P, she has been a lousy state senator. Last time I checked, the voteres elected her - not Kieklak - as state senator, but she is very dependent on him. But to be honest, she'd be hard to beat.
ReplyDeleteLehigh Valley Nobody, the ultimate clown
ReplyDeleteSomebody needs to relax and have a sandwich.
ReplyDeleteThat would be you, Lehigh Valley Bozo
Wow Bernie, you have taken on an interesting Pol. The papers love her. It's sad that you have beaten them to the punch with this one..They must be sleeping again at the switch. My guess is , however, they love her as much as you love Dent and therefore they won't touch her. She needs to switch parties after the budget vote anyway but is too smart for that. She realizes if she ran as a Republican she would get throttled at the polls. It ain't happening though..
ReplyDeleteLisa Boscola does a good job at constituent service, but is one of my least favorite elected officials, representing pretty much everything that is wrong w/ politics. Instead of demanding the right to ghost vote, she should be on the senate floor and demanding an end to the practice.
ReplyDeleteBy the way, I did not beat the MSM to the punch on this one. Micek noted it last month. But for his blog, I would never have known about it.
Also, I've linked to a blog maintained by a state senator who notes that sevceral senators were allowed to ghost vote that day. This is wrong. It gives too much power to leaders, who are the idiots who won't sit down and come up with a budget.
"Lisa Boscola does a good job at constituent service"
ReplyDeleteNAY! Kurt Derr does a good job at constituent service. He is a professional and knows it is his job to serve the public, even if his boss is a wacko. I know Lehigh County Commissioners aren't the same without him.
Ohare is a sexist. He praises Dent and Stoffa but attacks Lisa.
ReplyDeleteHe hates women and is only interested in men.
Having to read some of the nonsense on this blog is aggravated assault.
ReplyDeleteLet's see, Lisa Boscola's chief of staff referred to Sam Bennett in vulgar, sexual terms. He did the same thing to two female bloggers on this blog. And she not only kept him, but gave him a raise. So who's the sexist?
ReplyDeleteThis post is about ghost voting, and Boscola's insistence that others cast her votes so she can drive home. It is a fraud on the public, just like her opposition to removing the rate caps, something that she supported until she saw which way the political wind is blowing. I've had enough of her antics.
That sounds like a threat to Sen. Boscola.
ReplyDeleteIt's called democracy. People have the right to say they've had enough baloney from elected officials when that's what they are being fed.
ReplyDeleteare there any credible challengers? her last one was not credible.
ReplyDeleteGhost voting exists in Texas too, in the State House. Most there think that it's a courtesy and nothing to be concerned about. yucky
ReplyDeleteAgre with anon 1:46. It definitly comes across as a threat. i hope Lisa has someone look into this, Ohare has a history of irrational behavior.
ReplyDeleteMari Vega, It exists in Texas and is complained about there, too. Texas is not exactly what I would call a great model of government.
ReplyDeleteGod Bless you Lisa, remember Ohare hates women just like Angle.
ReplyDeleteThen I should fit right in bc her COS, Bernie Kieklak, is a well-established woman hater.
ReplyDeleteLisa, keep on keeping on. She is great, independent and the fact the blogmeister is not a fan deserves an even larger landslide victory in 2010. Go Lisa Go. Tim Potts is a like a reformed alcoholic having done the dirty work for Bill DeWeese he now has "religion" of course it simply reactive....
ReplyDeleteSteve Samuelson should run against her . He has standards and doesn`t milk the public cow like Lisa does .
ReplyDeleteSamuelson is a paper tiger and Lisa would crush him. another bench warmer who gets a check.
ReplyDelete