Welcome to Common Sense Weekly! This is the Commonwealth Foundation's weekly news roundup of policy issues being debated in Harrisburg and across Pennsylvania.
Is Josh Shapiro Capable of Leadership?
Josh Shapiro’s star is on the rise. Since his election as governor of Pennsylvania in 2022, the 51-year-old Democrat has frequently been touted as presidential timber. After Joe Biden’s public implosion on Thursday night, some in the media are floating Mr. Shapiro as a possible replacement at the top of the Democratic ticket. Those making that case highlight what is meant to be his most politically attractive quality: He’s a moderate.
Not so fast, says Charles Mitchell, president of the free-market Commonwealth Foundation. “Americans should know: Josh Shapiro’s moderate image is a myth—so far,” Mr. Mitchell says.
Mr. Mitchell cites a litany of issues such as energy and corporate tax cuts, on which Mr. Shapiro’s actions have fallen short of his rhetoric. But the most glaring is his inaction on school choice. On Sunday night, the deadline for a state budget passed without a deal. Just like last year, this means that a proposed voucher program is caught in the crossfire between a friendly Republican Senate and a hostile Democratic House. Mr. Shapiro says he favors school choice, but he is unwilling to lead.
Governor Josh Shapiro “Ain’t Got Sh*T Done”
Governor Josh Shapiro has made “Get Sh*t Done,” profanity and all, the official slogan of his administration, but when it comes to legislative accomplishments, his governing abilities have yet to live up to that motto. A Commonwealth Foundation analysis found Shapiro’s first year-and-a-half in office was the least productive of any Pennsylvania gubernatorial term in at least 50 years, while also leaving him ranked last in the nation among states with divided government.
Shapiro came to office with a strong mandate and pledged to work together with Republicans in the state Capitol. However, in attempting to broker a bipartisan deal during the 2023 state budget negotiations, Shapiro proved unable to muster support from his own party in the legislature. This led to a protracted budget impasse, making Shapiro the last governor in the nation to sign a completed 2023-2024 state budget.
New Survey Shows Overwhelming Support for Bipartisanship in Pa. Budget Process
As Gov. Josh Shapiro failed to enact the 2024–25 Pennsylvania budget by the June 30th deadline, voters overwhelmingly support increased bipartisanship in the budget process, according to a new Commonwealth Foundation “Common Ground in the Commonwealth” statewide survey of Pennsylvania voters.
“Amid another state budget impasse, Pennsylvanians are looking to their elected officials to reach a bipartisan budget agreement, and they expect Governor Shapiro to step up as a leader in finding common ground with the legislature to get the job done,” said Commonwealth Foundation Senior Vice President Erik Telford.
According to the June survey, 74 percent of voters—including more than 70 percent of Democrats, Republicans, and independents—believe Shapiro “should play a more active role brokering a bi-partisan deal to keep the state budget on track.”
Democrats’ school-choice lies laid bare in Pennsylvania — with black voucher support above 90%
Surrounded by dozens of teachers-union officials on the steps of the Pennsylvania state Capitol this month, Democratic state Sen. Lindsey Williams excoriated a proposed K-12 education-voucher program.
She called it a conspiracy by racist, religious fundamentalists bent on destroying public education by driving “straight, white, able-bodied kids into private religious schools.”
The next day, a group of black religious leaders gathered in the state Capitol to tell Gov. Josh Shapiro to support the voucher program, called the Pennsylvania Award for Student Success.
Jay-Z, MLK, and the Progressive Opposition to Genuine Reform
It’s not often you can mention Jay-Z and Martin Luther King, Jr. in the same breath.
Yet, the Brooklyn-born hip-hop mogul and the Nobel-winning civil rights leader share some common ground: While fighting for what’s right, both faced opposition from their so-called “allies.”
Jay-Z made national headlines when he and his philanthropic group, Roc Nation, organized a grassroots campaign to promote Lifeline Scholarships, also known as the Pennsylvania Award for Student Success (PASS) Scholarship program. The proposed program would award scholarships to students attending Pennsylvania’s lowest-performing schools, providing them the financial support they need to escape their failing neighborhood schools.
Governor Shapiro needs to take real action, instead of just talk. Check out our new research on Shapiro's record here.
