Onorato's Folly: Populist shale pap

Even worse than Democrat gubernatorial wannabe Dan Onorato's desire to tax Marcellus shale natural gas extraction is his desire to abuse the issuance of state permits to determine who gets to play the Marcellus game.

The Morning Call of Allentown reports that Mr. Onorato, Allegheny County's chief executive, said last week that as governor, he'd force Marcellus companies to hire Pennsylvanians.

How? "We have to give the permit to drill," he threatened.

That's government picking economic winners and losers written abysmally large. And Dan, Dan the Tax Man suggested he'd also use strong-arm tactics on related hotels, restaurants and other businesses. Maybe Onorato would like to choose the date for the court case to defend such lunacy.

Harrisburg's proper role is ensuring environmentally responsible Marcellus development -- period. It shouldn't deprive Pennsylvanians of that industry's economic boons by depriving Pennsylvania of one of its few competitive edges over other Marcellus states -- its lack of an extraction tax.

Onorato not only wants to kill Pennsylvania's Marcellus goose by plundering its golden eggs but to have the ultimate say on whose geese nest here. At least his GOP rival, Attorney General Tom Corbett, realizes that more Marcellus benefits for government coffers mean fewer Marcellus benefits for Pennsylvania's economy and workers.