Opinion

OUR OPINION

June 27, 2008

Stronger county GOP would aid political scene

REVIVING LUZERNE County’s tired and slightly tattered Republican Party could prove as tricky as teaching an elephant to tap dance.

There will be painful missteps. A few people might even feel as though they’ve been trampled.

In the end, however, creating a vigorous GOP here – one that’s capable of consistently fielding strong candidates for county offices and being a force in local politics – would benefit democracy (with a small “d”) and possibly even perk up the level of representation from big-“D” Democrats.

Terry Casey, a Dallas resident, recently was elected as the county’s Republican chairman. (His predecessor held the post for nearly a decade.)

Casey, 50, outlined an ambitious strategy for putting pep back in the party that currently holds no county row office positions, save for the minority commissioner’s chair. Among his top goals: Open a party headquarters on Wilkes-Barre’s Public Square, staffed by a full-time executive director.

He and other party leaders want to expand the GOP’s grassroots support and recruit candidates to run on the ticket. “People must recognize that they can’t effect the change they want simply by writing checks,” Casey said.

Although it seemed inadvertent, Casey stepped on some toes earlier this week while commenting about “bad stuff going on in the county” – an apparent reference to unlawful no-bid contracts and elected leaders’ questionable fiscal decisions. Casey pinned partial blame for the mess on his own party “because we haven’t provided any quality opposition to run against the Democrats for years.”

That statement riled Republican Party member Mary Dysleski, who had ably served as county recorder of deeds from 2000 to 2007. She demanded an apology.

Obviously, Casey has an unwieldy task ahead of him.

But if bruised egos can be soothed and old wounds healed, the county’s GOP can reassert itself on the local landscape. That means more voices chiming in on major issues and more choices on Election Day.

Ultimately, a vibrant Republican Party might, or might not, be good for what ails county government. But it definitely would be good for the political process.

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