Lt. Gov. Cawley: 'I Guess There Are Some Moderate And Conservative Democrats. I Haven't Seen Them Lately'
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – Chris Stigall talked with Lieutenant Governor Jim Cawley on Talk Radio 1210 WPHT about tensions between Governor Tom Corbett and Republicans in the state Senate.
Lt. Gov. Cawley On 1210 WPHT
Regarding a lawsuit that some Senate Republicans are considering filing against the Governor over line item vetoes in the state budget, Cawley said the legislators are just representing the views of voters.
"These are folks that are chosen by their constituency. They're not somebody to be ordered about and told what to do. They are somebody who is reflecting what it is the people who sent them to Harrisburg want them to do…I think it's a reflection of what their constituency wants," he stated.
The Lieutenant Governor believes that most Republicans understand the choices Corbett has made and are supportive.
"The Governor was very clear in saying that, in times in which we have challenges, like we have challenges right now with this budget, that there's got to be shared sacrifice, and I think what he did through very surgically identifying line items that really, in times in which we don't have the money, I'm not sure that we need to be funding those line items. The Governor brought a very clear focus to them and said that there has to be a shared sacrifice. I think the vast majority of the Republican members of the Senate understand that and are prepared to participate," Cawley explained.
Cawley also criticized Democrats for never reaching across the aisle and working with Republicans.
"Why is it we have to pass all of this common sense legislation without a single Democratic vote and seemingly, everybody just accepts that, that we don't need any Democratic votes? It doesn't make any sense to me whatsoever. There [is] a various spectrum of Republicans, just as I suspect, although I haven't seen very much evidence of it, but there, I guess, needs to be a spectrum of Democrats as well. It seems to that they're all to the left. I guess there are some moderate and conservative Democrats. I haven't seen them lately," he said.
