Article: GREENLEAF'S FORMER AIDE SHUNS CAREERIST POLITICS

Hatboro, PA-
Ryan Shafik, who once worked as an aide to Pennsylvania State Senator Stewart Greenleaf, is now running for Maryland's General Assembly.

But here's what Shafik said to the Towson Jeffersonian newspaper only a few days ago: "[Term limits] are vital to ensure a citizen-led assembly rather than the crop of career politicians we seem to have. It's supposed to be public service, not self service." According to the reporter, in Shafik's view, "the careerist mentality dictates that politicians vote to stay in office rather than vote to serve the taxpayers."

Shafik also stated that "I saw how the system works, whether it's Pennsylvania or Maryland. It's inside baseball that constituents don't see. It's not pretty. It's the way that money is spent. That's what's flawed. It's done without the basis of need, without serious evaluation. They keep forgetting it's not their money."

Other Republicans, like gubernatorial candidate Lynn Swann, feel that Pennsylvania needs new faces in office. On page seven of his new book A New Direction: My Plan for a Better Pennsylvania, Swann says, "We've tried career politicians. Our government and our citizens need fresh ideas and fresh faces."

Jeff Albert says, "We couldn't agree with you more."