I find it interesting that fairly important people in Philadelphia politics find it worthwhile to engage in discussion over at Young Philly Politics. I’ve been looking at one thread that’s gotten pretty heated, that focuses on a Daily News report that “outsider” candidate Tom Knox was approached by some top figures in the Democratic Party back in 1999. A Knox spokesperson and a city councilman are just two of the folks in the back-and-forth. It’s kind of funny - a lot of blog communities complain when elected officials just do “drive-by” posts and don’t engage in the comments. So I guess it’s progress when some officials get into a flame war. I can’t help but be a little discouraged.
There’s a recurring theme in the YPP discussion about Knox buying support thanks to the campaign finance loopholes. But I think it also says something about the way the voters feel right now that decades of political service are not seen as an asset. I really hope that one way or the other this serves as a wake up call to the Philadelphia Democratic Party. But we shall see.