The evening at the Lebanon County Republican Committee Dinner on October 26 went well although lightly attended with what appeared to be less than 100 people. 

The main speaker was Pennsylvania Supreme Court Justice Tom Saylor, who is running for retention on November 6 - and who has to be the worst speaker I think I have ever heard.  Perhaps it was the Big Pink Pig Bus, which was parked across the street that unnerved him, but the bottom line is that he said nothing to encourage voters to keep him on the bench. 

Saylor spent his speech talking about: 

• Our system of government and how it has three separate branches
• The role of the judiciary (to interpret the constitution and protect the bill of rights)
• What a retention vote is all about
• How a retention vote is cast - but that it is not a vote, just a "yes" or "no". (What else is a vote?)
• That the framers of the constitution wanted to protect the supreme court justices from politics and coercion
• That retention is not really an election but a review of 10 years of work
• "Judicial Independence" means that the justices need to be free from threats and intimidation's, and that they need to act as referees and be willing to make tough calls even when the public doesn't like it. (Does that mean that it is okay to take a pay raise even though the constitution may say 'no'?)
• That we should vote for him because he is from southeastern PA (?) and will probably be Chief Justice soon!      (I thought the court was supposed to interpret the Constitution and not be bias towards one region over another; guess I was wrong...)

Needless to say, Saylor will not get my vote for retention.

The other funny thing about this dinner was that it was like The Mauree Gingrich Show. Gingrich introduced everyone and was on stage pretty much the whole time. Neither State Senator Mike Folmer nor State Representative RoseMarie Swanger were included in anything, until the end when Lebanon County GOP Chairman Joe McDonald stood up and announced all presence of all elected officials.  It was pretty clear to this rank-and-file voter that the Lebanon County Republican Committee is still disconnected from the grassroots voters in this district and will continue to suffer political black eyes until they start acting like real Republicans. 

The one interesting and, in my mind, impressive highlight was the presence of Mike Krancer, candidate for the Pennsylvania Supreme Court.  He went around the room and visited with everyone at the dinner.  Gingrich acted as if she were obligated to introduce him but before she could just dismiss him, he hopped up onto the stage and gave a very brief overview of his beliefs (his time was limited because Gingrich hovered over him like a vulture, obviously not interested in having him talk at all).

Krancer began by asking the audience to participate by saying "Amen" if they agreed with him (nothing could have shocked this crowd more, but whatever enthusiasm was lacking on the part of the political hacks was more than made up for by the reformers who were present at the dinner):

"I'm a Reagan Conservative.  Do I hear an 'Amen'?  I'm pro-life.  Do I hear an 'Amen'?  I'm pro-gun.  Do I hear an 'Amen'?  I'm pro-economic growth.  Do I hear an 'Amen'?  I'm pro-10 Commandments in the courthouse.  Do I hear an 'Amen'?  I'm pro-state constitution and pro-federal constitution.  Do I hear an 'Amen'?

"And this is what I am not for.  I am not for justices legislating from the bench.  That is what Mike, RoseMarie and Mauree were elected to do - legislate. Justices are to interpret the constitution and make sure that the laws are being followed."

Krancer then referenced the pay raise as being something he would not have ruled in favor of nor taken as it was not constitutional. He also stated that he has not taken the pay increase (at this point Gingrich was just about yanking the mike away from him).  He then asked for our support and proudly declared who was supporting him - and then even more proudly declared that the trial lawyers weren't supporting him and that he wouldn't take their money as they didn't stand for what he believes in! 

I must say that I think this is the first time I have heard a judicial candidate say in no uncertain terms what it is that he believes - and it was very refreshing. 

I have just found a judge I can vote for in Mike Krancer!

####