"BOSS STILP" GAINS CONTROL OF LEGISLATURE
Stymied by plutocratic divisions and uncertainties, Gene Stilp failed to win election as either Governor or Lieutenant Governor in 2006. But, once again, the onetime legislative staffer turned Pennsylvania political powerhouse took command.
It would be inaccurate to say that you can't get anything at all through the Pennsylvania Legislature without Gene Stilp's blessing. Some things the legislature does are so trivial that no one would dream of wasting Stilp's time on them. But the phrase "Clear it with Gene" is being heard more and more in legislative halls nowadays.
Stilp has not accepted any offer to become a high-powered lobbyist. "We can't afford the $5 million or so a year it would take to get him on our side," one major interest spokesman said nervously. "But we wish we could."
People laughed when Stilp's famous pay raise pig was plastered with a sign urging the defeat of both DeWeese and Perzel. But the humble and endearing clowning masked an unprecedented amount of naked political power. When hithertoo unconsidered Dennis O'Brien was elected Speaker, the laughter was replaced by nervous apprenhension. And the Speaker's Commission on Legislative Reform could really be called The Stilp Commission because of his key role in awakening the public and stoking the fires of discontent so that the Commission's recommendations sailed through.
What's next for Gene Stilp? Will the Philadelphia Inquirer recognize it cannot defeat the power of the plutocrats and become The Daily Stilp? Will powerful Stilp allies like THE CAD (H. Thurston Cadwalader, VII) and THE GUZZLER (Gaston U. Zaccarelli, III) be willing to set the proper example and come up the big bucks--piddling amounts, given their resources--to saturate the Pennsylvania airwaves with Stilp's greatness? Or will the Pennsylvania lobbying community realize what a treasure they have in Stilp and come up with the big bucks--an aggregate of less the $50,000,000 per year I would say--and make the Stilp the unabashed arbiter of all interests that are special to the powerful like us?
It's just too early to say how rich and how powerful Stilp will become. But a lobbyist was strongly reprimanded and threatened with firing for not warning Stilp of an item on his agenda.
The word is out that if you want to get something done in Harrisburg, you at the very least need Stilp to say neutral. If you want to be sure of victory, you need Stilp actively on your side. They don't call him "Boss Stilp" for nothing.
Stymied by plutocratic divisions and uncertainties, Gene Stilp failed to win election as either Governor or Lieutenant Governor in 2006. But, once again, the onetime legislative staffer turned Pennsylvania political powerhouse took command.
It would be inaccurate to say that you can't get anything at all through the Pennsylvania Legislature without Gene Stilp's blessing. Some things the legislature does are so trivial that no one would dream of wasting Stilp's time on them. But the phrase "Clear it with Gene" is being heard more and more in legislative halls nowadays.
Stilp has not accepted any offer to become a high-powered lobbyist. "We can't afford the $5 million or so a year it would take to get him on our side," one major interest spokesman said nervously. "But we wish we could."
People laughed when Stilp's famous pay raise pig was plastered with a sign urging the defeat of both DeWeese and Perzel. But the humble and endearing clowning masked an unprecedented amount of naked political power. When hithertoo unconsidered Dennis O'Brien was elected Speaker, the laughter was replaced by nervous apprenhension. And the Speaker's Commission on Legislative Reform could really be called The Stilp Commission because of his key role in awakening the public and stoking the fires of discontent so that the Commission's recommendations sailed through.
What's next for Gene Stilp? Will the Philadelphia Inquirer recognize it cannot defeat the power of the plutocrats and become The Daily Stilp? Will powerful Stilp allies like THE CAD (H. Thurston Cadwalader, VII) and THE GUZZLER (Gaston U. Zaccarelli, III) be willing to set the proper example and come up the big bucks--piddling amounts, given their resources--to saturate the Pennsylvania airwaves with Stilp's greatness? Or will the Pennsylvania lobbying community realize what a treasure they have in Stilp and come up with the big bucks--an aggregate of less the $50,000,000 per year I would say--and make the Stilp the unabashed arbiter of all interests that are special to the powerful like us?
It's just too early to say how rich and how powerful Stilp will become. But a lobbyist was strongly reprimanded and threatened with firing for not warning Stilp of an item on his agenda.
The word is out that if you want to get something done in Harrisburg, you at the very least need Stilp to say neutral. If you want to be sure of victory, you need Stilp actively on your side. They don't call him "Boss Stilp" for nothing.
posted by Proudly for Plutocracy at 6:57 PM
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