Rendell, Swann take different stances on PA Helmet laws (re QB crash)

[LynneSin]

http://www.philly.com/mld/philly/14803751.htm

Quarterback's crash revives helmet debate

The Steelers champion had affirmed his right to go helmetless. Rivals Rendell and Swann take opposing stances.
By Larry King and Angela Couloumbis
Inquirer Staff Writers

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger has spoken firmly about his freedom to ride a motorcycle without wearing a helmet.

Yesterday, the Super Bowl champion lay confined to a Pittsburgh hospital bed, having been seriously injured doing just that.

In an accident sure to revive the debate over whether Pennsylvanians should be allowed to ride helmetless, Roethlisberger suffered a broken jaw and other injuries. He was riding a black 2005 Suzuki Hayabusa - described as the world's fastest bike for legal street riding - when a Chrysler New Yorker traveling in the opposite direction took a left turn into an intersection on the edge of downtown Pittsburgh at 11:15 a.m., police said.

Roethlisberger, 24, was thrown off his motorcycle, flying headfirst into the car's windshield "with a pretty good force," a veteran city police officer told the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.

<<<<snip>>>>>

The late-morning crash came nearly three years after state legislators repealed Pennsylvania's helmet law - and just two weeks before the scheduled release of a legislative report on the effects of that repeal.

It could also put Gov. Rendell on a collision course with Republican challenger - and former Steeler - Lynn Swann. Rendell signed the helmet law repeal, and stood by it yesterday. Swann opposes the repeal.

<<<<snip>>>>>

Gubernatorial candidate Swann, himself a Super Bowl winner with the Steelers, is opposed to the helmet law repeal, but focused yesterday on Roethlisberger's health.

I hope Swann considers this before he tries using this accident as a campaign issue - this isses was passed by the PA House & Senate, both of which are controlled by Republicans. Personally, I think anyone getting on a motorcycle without a helmet is pretty crazy, especially when riding on one of the fastest street legal bikes out there. But it's a personal choice - and the risk that a rider takes when he/she goes without a helmet.

[Zynx]

1. Sometimes people need to be protected from their own stupidity.

For example, in Madison if you try to sled down Bascom Hill on lunch trays during the winter, you will be charged with attempted suicide. We have regulations like that because people can be very very stupid if left completely to their own devices. This is why we prohibit the ownership of certain chemicals and large animals.

[TheCowsCameHome]

2. The guy wears a helmet to play a ball game, but not ride a motorcycle

You really can't fix stupid, I guess.

[LynneSin]

3. You could be proved to be the worlds safest motorcyclist....

...but that doesn't mean the idiot behind the wheel of the car coming towards you is also the best driver.

I can appreciate why cyclists want to go without a helmet but if I were a motorcyclist the main reason I would wear a helmet is because of the collective stupidity of all people on the road that could be putting my life at risk.

I wish the best for Ben!

[Stinky The Clown]

4. This is a debate that we don't need to have right now

I'm probably going to get flamed for this view, but this is not a debate that we need right now. Don't take that as a position on the issue. It isn't. It is a political strategy statement.

As pointed out, the law was passed by a Republican controlled state legislature. And it is a law that is pretty widely supported by Democrats.

But it is also a law that has, for many years in many states, been seen as the handiwork of the 'Mommy Party' and put forth by 'sissies'. Opposition to this and similar laws that tend to be seen as protecting people from themselves is usually along the 'hell no!' lines while support is often of the 'well, it probably ought to be, maybe, sorta, a law ..... I guess' kind.

Yes, I know the implications of such laws are far broader than just protecting the stupid from their stupidity. But that's simply not how they go down.

In this political season, we don't need to have this sort of a debate injected into the mix. It is a perennial loser for its sponsors and advocates. The race in Pennsylvania is about far more important issues. Were it not for this recent motorcycle accident involving a football star, it would be on NO ONE's radar. And that's where it needs to stay.

Rendell's on the right side of the issue. Swann is on the winning side of it.

[LynneSin]

5. When you're 15pts behind in the polls - everything is fair game

And Lynn Swann was the Pittsburgh football hero from 20 years ago and needs to connect himself with the Pittsburgh football hero of today. No matter which side you support on this issue, your post is absolutely correct - this should not be on the radar in November.

However, when republicans are hurting they will result to desperate measures. Perhaps the Philly newspaper was pointing this out in hopes of nullify this before Swann makes a campaign on it

[Stinky The Clown]

6. I think I read somewhere here on DU that the Philly paper was just

bought by some right wing media guy or right wing media conglomerate.

[LynneSin]

7. It was bought by a right wing media guy...

From News Meat:

Contributor Candidate or PAC Amount Date
Tierney, Brian
Philadelphia, PA 19102
Tierney Communications/Chairman
REPUBLICAN FEDERAL COMMITTEE OF PENNSYLVANIA (R) $2,000
primary 11/01/05
Tierney, Brian
Philadelphia, PA 19102
Tierney Communications/Attorney WELDON, W CURTIS (R)
House (PA 07)
WELDON VICTORY COMMITTEE $500
primary 06/15/05
Tierney, Brian
Philadelphia, PA 19102
Tierney Communications/Chairman
REPUBLICAN FEDERAL COMMITTEE OF PENNSYLVANIA (R) $1,000
primary 12/14/04
Tierney, Brian P.
Wayne, PA 19087
Advanta Corporation/Vice Chairman BROWN, MELISSA M (R)
House (PA 13)
FRIENDS OF MELISSA BROWN $2,000
general 09/30/04
TIERNEY, BRIAN
BRYN MAWR, PA 19010
SWIFT BOAT VETS AND POW'S FOR TRUTH $1,000
primary 08/20/04
Tierney, Brian
Philadelphia, PA 19103
Tierney Communications/Attorney WELDON, W CURTIS (R)
House (PA 07)
WELDON VICTORY COMMITTEE $1,000
primary 04/13/04
TIERNEY, BRIAN P ESQ
PHILADELPHIA, PA 19102
THE TIERNEY GROUP SANTORUM, RICHARD J (R)
Senate - PA
SANTORUM 2006 $1,000
primary 09/12/03
TIERNEY, BRIAN P MR.
PHILADELPHIA, PA 19102
TIERNEY AND PARTNER/PARTNER BUSH, GEORGE W (R)
President
BUSH-CHENEY '04 (PRIMARY) INC $2,000
primary 06/30/03
Tierney, Brian P Mr.
Philadelphia, PA 19102
Tierney Communications/Chairman HART, MELISSA A. (R)
House (PA 04)
PEOPLE WITH HART INC $2,000
primary 04/22/03
Tierney, Brian
Philadelphia, PA 19102
Tierney Communications/Chairman
REPUBLICAN FEDERAL COMMITTEE OF PENNSYLVANIA (R) $1,000
primary 12/09/02
TIERNEY, BRIAN P
PHILADELPHIA, PA 19102
TIERRNEY COMMUNICATIONS TERRELL, SUZANNE HAIK (R)
Senate - LA
TERRELL FOR SENATE $1,000 12/03/02
TIERNEY, BRIAN P
PHILADELPHIA, PA 19102
TIERRNEY COMMUNICATIONS TERRELL, SUZANNE HAIK (R)
Senate - LA
TERRELL FOR SENATE $1,000
general 12/03/02
TIERNEY, BRIAN P ESQ
PHILADELPHIA, PA 19102
THE TIERNEY GROUP SANTORUM, RICHARD J (R)
Senate - PA
SANTORUM 2006 $1,000
primary 10/29/02
TIERNEY, BRIAN P ESQ
PHILADELPHIA, PA 19102
THE TIERNEY GROUP SANTORUM, RICHARD J (R)
Senate - PA
SANTORUM 2006 $1,000
general 10/29/02
Tierney, Brian
Wayne, PA 19087
Tierney Communications/Attorney WELDON, W CURTIS (R)
House (PA 07)
WELDON VICTORY COMMITTEE $1,000
general 09/24/02
Tierney, Brian P Esq.
Philadelphia, PA 19102
Tierney Communications/President
AMERICANS FOR A REPUBLICAN MAJORITY POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $1,000
primary 07/19/02
TIERNEY, BRIAN
BRYN MAWR, PA 19010
THE TIERNEY GROUP SPECTER, ARLEN (R)
Senate - PA
CITIZENS FOR ARLEN SPECTER $1,000
general 06/21/02
TIERNEY, BRIAN
BRYN MAWR, PA 19010
THE TIERNEY GROUP SPECTER, ARLEN (R)
Senate - PA
CITIZENS FOR ARLEN SPECTER $1,000
primary 06/21/02
Tierney, Brian P Mr.
Philadelphia, PA 19102
The Tierney Group/President
AMERICA'S FOUNDATION $1,000
primary 03/14/02
TIERNEY, BRIAN
PHILADELPHIA, PA 19102
TIERNEY COMMUNICATIONS COLEMAN, NORM (R)
Senate - MN
NORM COLEMAN FOR U S SENATE $1,000
primary 03/12/02
Tierney, Brian
Philadelphia, PA 19102
Tierney Communications/President/CE
PROFESSIONALS IN ADVERTISING POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $500
primary 10/04/01
TIERNEY, BRIAN P
PHILADELPHIA, PA 19102
THE TIERNEY GROUP
RNC REPUBLICAN NATIONAL STATE ELECTIONS COMMITTEE $2,200
primary 02/08/01
TIERNEY, BRIAN
WAYNE, PA 19087
THE TIERNEY GROUP
REPUBLICAN FEDERAL COMMITTEE OF PENNSYLVANIA (R) $1,000
primary 12/18/00
TIERNEY, BRIAN
PHILADELPHIA, PA 19102
THE TIERNEY GROUP
RNC REPUBLICAN NATIONAL STATE ELECTIONS COMMITTEE $500
primary 09/08/00
TIERNEY, BRIAN P
PHILADELPHIA, PA 19102
THE TIERNEY GROUP SANTORUM, RICHARD J (R)
Senate - PA
SANTORUM VICTORY COMMITTEE $1,000
primary 07/26/00