City may limit campaign donations. Great. Peduto lurches ahead again

Ring the bell for change. Come and get it.

A bell to start the new year on Grant Street. View Video

This is good news. It is the lead story in the Post-Gazette.

City may limit campaign donations City may limit campaign donations
State Supreme Court ruling clears the way

The State Supreme Court was NOT a road-block. Bill Peduto was.

Now, with the state court's recent decision, Bill Peduto does NOT have an excuse for ongoing delays to the discussion about this topic.

I'm able to beat up a bit on Bill Peduto because he didn't do what I felt he should have done in the past. He fumbled. An important conversation was started -- but -- he didn't have the follow-through to give it full consideration as it deserved. I'll get this rant out of my system and then we can move along.

First off, Philly should NOT be the tail that wags the dog. What Philly does is up to them. They can prove a negative, or fight a specific negative with the courts. But, that is just one element as to what could be done.

Awareness, education, politics, and discussion on our elections are critical. I want to settle differences without going to the courts. Judges never provide the best solutions. And, most of all, I want to settle differences without the need of going to the streets. Aggression and violence are not desired.

Our democracy is frail.

When people ignore serious problems and refuse to meet, act, discuss, and work on those serious problems -- and use a court case at the other end of the state as an excuse, then I'm disappointed.

Now, the log jam is broken.

Will another 'threat' or 'bump in the road' send this Peduto initiative back into the bunker for another two years?

The video is a blast from the past. The speaker is S.B., head of the League of Women Voters. She is speaking at a public hearing that I called after Bill Peduto introduced the first campaign finance reform bill, a few years ago.

League of Women Voters - you got to start somewhere. Agree with Mark. View Video

Will the next campaign cycle wait while these matters get sorted? New rules are on the horizon -- and that means that the old rules are still in play. So, will there be a gold rush for candidates and campaigns now -- because of the lack of restrictions?

Pittsburgh politicians take $10,000 checks.

Pittsburgh is corrupt.

Pittsburgh is famous for back-room deals.

The political landscape in Pittsburgh needs a lot of help. Doing nothing, as the case lingered, harms our public life and cripples the hope for open, honest public service for the region's citizens.

Now let me take a few deep breaths and I'll get to the history of what was done, what could be done, and where Pittsburgh needs to go in the weeks ahead.

Bill Peduto -- run like the wind. You can streak if you wish. But, thankfully, you don't need to. The P-G is putting this story, this time, above the fold and on the front page as the lead story.