This state's Republican lawmakers have for the most part been quiet about Gov. Tom Corbett's move to privatize the Pennsylvania Lottery.

Democrats have complained about the governor's secrecy regarding the proposal put forth by Britain-based Camelot Global Services, the same company that operates the national lottery in the United Kingdom.

They've been accused of playing politics, and to some degree that might be accurate.

But what's troubling is that GOP lawmakers — including those in Butler County — have been mostly quiet regarding the governor's effort, despite the lottery having an important financial impact on the commonwealth. Lottery profits help fund senior citizen programs, thus reducing General Fund spending.

Silence about the lottery-privatization issue dominated Republicans until late last month when Rep. Paul Clymer, R-Bucks, an anti-gambling legislator, came out publicly against Pennsylvania accepting Camelot Global's bid. Clymer cautioned that Camelot would usher in a gambling expansion that could hurt families and that the kind of gambling expansion Camelot would pursue requires lawmakers' approval — a point Corbett hadn't up to then publicly acknowledged.

Since then, a second Republican has made a good point.

Sen. Mike Brubaker, R-Lancaster, who chairs the Senate Finance Committee, issued a news release in which he said, “While I do support the privatization of governmental services when feasible, each decision to so so should only occur after an open and thoughtful process which is completely aired in public.”

That's commendably contrary to the tactic Corbett has pursued in trying to ram the Camelot deal into effect.

Republicans have an obligation to openly express their views and any concerns they might have about the lottery privatization to their constituents.

Constituents here and elsewhere should demand it.

After Congress passed the so-called fiscal cliff tax deal, many politicians, including President Barack Obama, congratulated themselves for getting a deal done. On Tuesday night, after the House passed the Senate measure, Obama said, “A central promise of my campaign for president was to change the tax code that was too skewed towards the wealthy at the expense of working-class Americans. Tonight we've done that.”While the deal did lock in tax rates for most Americans — and raised them for the wealthy — nobody in Washington was talking about what else was in the cliff deal.There was no mention from the White House or Congress that the deal will add $4 trillion to the national debt, compared to what would have happened if all Bush-era tax cuts had been allowed to expire.Also, nobody mentioned that the bill did not extend the Social Security payroll tax holiday, and will therefore cause most Americans to be paying an additional $1,000 a year in payroll taxes this year. That tax increase will effectively cancel out the tax break tied to locking in the lower tax rates for most taxpayers.Other new reports revealed corporate welfare included in the fiscal cliff deal. Those subsidies include special breaks benefiting NASCAR racetracks, railroads, Hollywood movie makers, mining companies and banks.As usual, lawmakers used a “must pass” piece of legislation to help their pet causes — or generous campaign contributors.

While it's appropriate and common practice to publicly recognize the accomplishments of elected officials when they decide to step down, it's less common for dedicated, longtime, appointed governmental workers to be given such recognition.To Forward Township officials' credit, that hasn't happened with the retirement of longtime township secretary Mary McElhinny. The township supervisors proclaimed Jan. 1, the effective date of McElhinny's retirement, as “Mary McElhinny Day in Forward Township.”It was a logical honor for McElhinny, who was regarded as the face of Forward Township, having been the person most people first encountered when making an inquiry or doing any business with the township.To some, including township supervisors Vice Chairman Mark Wilson, McElhinny was the municipality's “grandmother,” by virtue of the fact that McElhinny and her family are known by nearly all township residents.But it was McElhinny's dedication to her responsibilities that made her recognition well deserved. She provided the kind of service constituents expected and deserved when they sought the municipality's help or advice.The township was fortunate to have had a person of McElhinny's caliber and commitment on board for so long.