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COMMONWEALTH 

A Journal of Political Science 

2003 

Volume 12 ISSN 0890-2410 



COMMONWEALTH: A Journal of Political Science 

EDITOR: Gerard J. Fitzpatrick, Ursinus College 

ASSOCIATE EDITORS: Thomas J. Baldino, Wilkes University 
Donald G. Tannenbaum, Gettysburg College 

.MANAGING EDITOR: Harold Cox, Wilkes University 

EDITORIAL REVIEW BOARD 

Aryeh Botwinick 
Temple University 

M. Margaret Conway 
University of Florida 

Roger H. Davidson 
Univprsity of Maryland 

Jean B. Elshtain 
University of Chicago 

Richard F. Fenno 
University of Rochester 

Marianne Githens 
Goucher College 

Susan W. Hammond 
American University 

-Samuel Krislov 
University of MiImesota 

G. Calvin Mackenzie 
Colby College 

Michael J. Malbin 
State University of NY, Albany 

Harvey C. Mansfield, Jr. 
Harvard University 

Kenneth F. Mott 
Gettysburg College 

Craig N. Murphy 
Wellesley College 

Steven A. Peterson 
Pennsylvania State University 

Mark P. Petracca 
University of California, Irvine 

H. Mark Roelofs 
New York University 

Bruce M. Russett 
Yale University 

J. David Singer 
University of Michigan 



Contents 

Volume 12 2003 
ISBN 0890-2410 

Idealism, Realism, and the Categorical Imperative in Kant's Perpetual Peace 

Gordon P. Henderson 1 

The Five-Year Effect of NAFTA on Pennsylvania: An Analysis of Export 
Data 

Paul G. Kengor and R. C. Phinney 27 

State Influence in the Presidential Selection Process: Assessing 
Pennsylvania's Non-Participation in the Frontloading Trend 

James E. Vike 51 

Disappearing Democrats: Rethinking Partisanship Within Pennsylvania's 
Electorate 

Berwood Yost 77 

SPECIAL FEATURE 

Looking Back on the Legislative Modernization Movement in Pennsyl­
vania: Remarks of Herbert Fineman, Former Speaker of the Pennsyl­
vania House of Representatives 

Introduction and Commentary by Michael Cassidy 87 



About the Authors 

Michael Cassidy has over 25 years of service with the PA House of Rep­
resentatives, two of them as a Representative from Blair County in 1977-
78. He received n B.A. in Political Science from Pennsylvania SLaLe Uni­
versity and is currently enrolled in the graduate program in American 
Studies at Penn State-Harrisburg. His research interests include the de­
velopment of American legislatures and Pennsylvania politics. He has 
moderated the "Pennsylvania Politics Roundtable" at the Pennsylvania 
Political Science Association annual meetings since 1997. 

Gordon P. Henderson, Ph.D., is an associate professor of government 
and politics at Widener University. He received his doctoral degree from 
Purdue University. His teaching and research focus on the theory and 
practice of constitutional democracy. 

Paul G. Kengor, Ph.D., is an associate professor of political science at 
Grove City College. He received his master's degree in international 
affairs from thp School of International Service at American University 
and his doctorate in public and international affairs from the University 
of Pittsburgh's Graduate School of Public and International Affairs. His 
research interests include the presidency and foreign policy. His forth­
coming book, God and Ronald Reagan, will be published in 2004 by 
HarperCollins. 

R. C. Phinney is a policy analyst at the Shenango Institute for Public 
Policy, a think-tank focused on local and state policy issues located in 
western Pennsylvania. His articles on the North American Free Trade 
Act (NAFTA) have appeared in several Pennsylvania publications, in­
cluding the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and the Harrisburg Patriot-News. 

James E. Vike, Ph.D., is an assistant professor of government and poli­
tics and director of the Master of Public Administration program at Wid­
ener University. He received his doctoral degree from the Maxwell School 
of Ci~zenship and Public Affairs at Syracuse University. His research 
interests include thp prpsinpnry and bureaucratic politics_ 

Berwood Yost is the Director of the Center for Opinion Research of the 
Floyd Institute for Public Policy at Franklin and Marshall ('01 1 PE/'- He 
received his Master's Degree in Political Science from Temple University 
and is currently a Ph.D. candidate there. His recent research has focused 
on crime victimization and victim services, smoking and health, and 
public attitudes toward politics and political campaigns. 



Acknowledgments 

COMMONWEALTH is published annually under the authorization 
of the Pennsylvania Political Science Association (PPSA) and sent to all 
members - individual, departmental, and institutional. 

For subscription rates for all categories of membership, see separate 
announcements elsewhere in this issue. Changes of address should be 
sent to: Dr. W. Wesley McDonald, Department of Political Science, 
Elizabethtown College, Elizabethtown, PA 17022. E-mail: 
<mcdonaldw@etown.edu> Postmaster: send notification of undelivered 
journals to this address. Second class postage paid at Harrisburg, PA 
;:mn ;:It ;:Inditionrll mailing offices. Copyright ?OO? by the Pennsylvania 
Political Science Association: ISSN 0890-2410. 

COMMONWEALTH will print free of charge camera-ready official 
announcements of up to one page of the American Political Science 
Association, as well as Northeastern Political Science Association and its 
constituent members, and other organizations whose Journals provide 
corresponding privileges to PPSA. Contact the Managing Editor. 

Advertising, reprint information, and rates are also available from 
the Treasurer of the PPSA, Dr. Thomas Brogan, Department of Political 
Science, Albright College, P. O. Box 15234, Reading, FA 19612-5234 



The Pennsylvania Political Science Association 

OFFICERS 

President 
Joseph Melusky (acting president) 
St. Francis University 

First Vice President 
Joseph Melusky 
St. Francis University 

Second Vice President 
Thomas J. Baldino 
Wilkes University 

Treasurer 
Thomas Brogran 
Albright College 

Secretary 
W. Wesley McDonald 
Elizabethtown College 

EXECUTIVE COUNCIL 

2003-2006 
Francis Moran 
New Jersey City University 

Mary Jane Kuffner Hirt 
Indiana University of Pennsylvania 

2002-2005 
Bridget Jeffrey 
Edinboro University 

Stanley Berard 
Lock Haven University 

2001-2004 
Michael Cassidy 
Pennsylvania House of 
Representatives 

Jean Wahl Harris 
University of Scranton 

EX OFFICIO MEMBERS 

Past President 
Craig M. Wheeland 
Villanova University 

Commonwealth Managing Editor 
Harold Cox 
Wilkes University 

Commonwealth Editor 
Gerard J. Fitzpatrick 
Ursinus College 

Commonwealth Associate Editors 
Thomas J. Baldino 
Wilkes University 

Donald G. Tannenbaum 
Gettysburg College 



In the COMMONWEALTH 
Gerard J. Fitzpatrick, Editor 

It seems fitting that four of the five articles in this volume of the Penn­
sylvania Political Science Association's professional journal concern poli­
tics in Pennsylvania. Moreover, these Pennsylvania focused pieces speak 
to a variety of political science subfields, including political economy, presi­
dential elections, voting behavior, and state government. Providing some 
topical balance while further extending the fields of interest addressed in 
this issue of COMMONWEALTH, the one non-Pennsylvania essay involves 
international relations and political theory. In short, ours may be a small 
journal but it consistently covers much academic territory. 

In our lead article, Dr. Gordon P. Henderson underscores the connec­
tions between political philosophy and international politics by explor­
ing the thought of Immanuel Kant with regard to the place of morality in 
foreign affairs. He not only illuminates the theoretical tension between 
the moral and the political on the world stage, but he also brings these 
abstract ideas to bear on the contemporary debate between "realists" 
and "idealists" in foreign affairs. Kant's teachings, Dr. Henderson con­
cludes, support a cautious optimism with regard to the prospects for 
peace among nations. 

Among the most contentious topics in recent years has been the North 
American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). Dr. Paul G. Kengor and R. 
C. Phinney examine the impact of NAFTA on Pennsylvania. They find 
that despite the claim of critics that the treaty would harm the state's 
economy by causing an exodus of manufacturing jobs to foreign nations, 
NAFTA has in fact helped Pennsylvania by significantly increasing its 
overseas exports. While their findings do not resolve the debate over job 
losses or other controversial aspects of NAFTA, they indicate that there 
is more to the free trade debate than meets the eve . 

.I 

One of the most significant df'velopments in prf'sidential elec­
toral politics has been the recent trend toward "frontloading," the pro­
cess whereby states schedule their presidential primaries increasingly 
early in hope of having more influence in determining the party nomi­
nees. Through a comparison of Pennsylvania and Ohio in the presiden­
tial nominating process, Dr. James E. Vike explains why our state has 
eschewed the frontloading trend, even though scheduling presidential 
primaries earlier would likely increase candidate competitiveness, cam­
paign activity, voter choice, and voter turnout. 



Berwood Yost explains why Republicans control most statewide of­
fices in Pennsylvarua, as well as both houses of the state legislature, even 
though Democrats have a decided edge in voter registration. Using a 
random survey of Pennsylvania voters to probe the difference between 
party orientation and party registration, he finds that more Democrats in 
Pennsylvania identify with the Republican Party than vice versa, indi­
cating that party identification is a better predictor of voting behavior 
than is party registration. He also identifies some intriguing geographic 
patterns in the distribution of these "misaligned voters." 

This issue of COMMONWEALTH closes with a special feature: the 
address of former Pennsylvania House Speaker Herbert Fineman to the 
2003 meeting of the Pennsylvania Political Science Association, with com­
mentary by Michael Cassidy. Few people know our state legislature as 
well as Mr. Cassidy does, for he has worked there for a quarter of a cen­
tury as a member, staff assistant, and scholar. In his commentary, he 
traces the crucial role Speaker Fineman played in bringing about institu­
tional reform in Pennsylvania, and he places reform developments in the 
state within the context of the larger legislative modernization movement. 

As always, this issue of COMMONWEALTH would not have been 
possible without quality submissions and quality reviews. I therefore ex­
tend my deepest thanks to the authors and anonymous referees with whom 
I have worked during the past year. By contributing their time and talent, 
they have helped to make ours an ever better professional journal. Un­
fortunately, we continue to receive only a small number of manuscripts, 
most of which are rejected. If issues of COMMONWEALTH as strong as 
this one are to be produced in a timely manner, readers must submit their 
work for consideration and urge their colleagues to do so too. 


