Josh Shapiro Scores Behind-The-Scenes Budget Victory
And the young shall inherit the earth, or Harrisburg.
Pa. State Rep. Josh Shapiro played another major role in forging the budget deal between Governor Ed Rendell and Republicans in the House and Senate. The Abington – Upper Dublin lawmaker was once again the quiet match maker in what turned out to be a bitter battle between sour grape Republicans from the western counties and Rendell.
A significant victory for Rendellian Democrats was new gun control legislation that mey help curb the horrible homocide rate in Philadelphia. Shapiro and Republican Speaker Denny O’Brien were able to prod Western Republicans, most of them stone age legislators, to get behind the bill. Between Dwight Evans, Shapiro and O’Brien, the GOP Speaker running a Democratic House, the House part of the budget process was streamlined.
You’ve heard about Shapiro before: inuitive, friendly, and the capability to bring people together. Few in the legislature resent his talent. Most admire it, and Republicans are still smarting from his work with fellow rep Mike Gerber to elect sububan Democrats.
Rendell, a master politician, has found that the young Democrats like Shapiro are playing a stronger role in state government.
But then again, he shouldn’t be surprised.
Shapiro is only a few years younger than Rendell was when he was elected District Attorney of Philadelphia in 1977.
And you know where that led him.
