Much debate has gone on at YPP on the Babette Joseph’s v. Larry Farnese race for State Representative. Farnese has painted himself as a progressive like Babette, and basically stated that the only difference between the two of them is that he will be more effective. And, while it is hard to quantify how exactly someone will be effective, his website has a series of somewhat progressive ideas on it.

Yet, at the end of last week, I received an email stating that Farnese was endorsed in the primary by the Pennsylvanians for Effective Government, or PEG. And, when I compared the PEG endorsement, their history, and the Farnese platform, I have come to the conclusion that Farnese, platitudes and all, is selling someone a false bill of goods. Below I explain why.

First, PEG is a “pro-business” group that wants to lower corporate taxes in the State, lessen business regulations, and opposes things such as a minimum wage increase. As you would expect, in a general election they overwhelmingly support Republicans, including Mike Fisher for Governor, and current Attorney General Tom Corbett. Progressives, they are not.

Now, lets compare what PEG wants out of State Representatives with the Farnese platform.

First- Farnese says he is pro-labor, and supports increasing the minmum wage. Hmm. I would like to ask him what he thinks PEG has to say about that, considering they are a pretty ardent anti-labor group, who generally opposed raising the minimum wage.

Second, Farnese wants “cleaner water and air.” Great! Me too! But, how exactly does he intend to get that? I would imagine it would not be with actual regulations of business? Would Farnese support increasing the budget of the PA Department of Environmental Protection, and help it up its enforcement of environmental laws? I wonder what PEG thinks about that.

Third, Farnese says he is for “good government.” I wonder if he, and his friends at PEG, would be for banning lobbyist payments from people like… PEG? Or, how would he feel about public funding of elections, to keep big money groups like… PEG from having far too much influence on Pennsylvania democracy.

When you are a young person, who recently was actually a Republican, proving your progressive bonafides is not an easy thing to do. In my mind, at least, Farnese showed his hand loud and clear: A progressive, he is not.