by Jay A. McCalla

Peggy Lee was a slightly breathless pop singer in the ‘50s and ‘60s who plaintively asked the melodic question: “Is that all there is?”

In the same sense that, on St. Patrick’s Day “we are all Irish,” in the aftermath of the passage of Mayor Kenney’s soda tax, we are all Peggy Lee.

This Mother of All Political Wars provoked months of tempestuous public dialogue, dominated relations between the executive and legislative branch, produced public political threats (“you f- with my boy and I’ll f- with you”), and saw millions shoveled to consultants and TV stations.

In sum, all this “shake and bake” is likely to produce fewer than 5,000 Pre-K slots by the year 2020 in a city with 250,000 students. Even those few slots can’t be considered permanent because soda consumption is at a 30-year low and rapidly falling. It will fund fewer and fewer slots each year, making another tax increase inevitable.

But I’m here to tell you this very un-Philly slugfest revealed enormous and important things worth praying over.

Back in a January column in this paper, I declared John Dougherty, the head of Building and Construction Trades Council, was the new leader of Philadelphia City Council and the soda debate was a reminder.

Despite the actual Council president (Darrell Clarke) calling the soda tax “ridiculous” – an opinion that would normally matter quite a bit – Johnny Doc cobbled together a stunning majority that eventually included Clarke.

In case Clarke didn't get the message, Johnny Doc rubbed it in.

“This mayor is going to be a little different than most,” he said. “He's consistently going to have nine friends on Council. And I don't think Darrell is comfortable with that.”

All cards are now on the table. In the Kenney/Dougherty Administration, there's no need for Darrell Clarke. Kenney and his allies on Council; will look to Doc: an unelected, unaccountable private citizen who occasionally catches the attention of the FBI.

A troubling clue as to the stability of our finances was revealed in the amateurish “bait and switch” pulled by Kenney on the proceeds of the soda tax.

In March, he designated $26 million of the soda revenue to fortify our $5.7 billion pension fund shortfall. As pitifully flaccid as that gesture was, it couldn't be maintained because of a suddenly emerged hole in our finances. Does the $26 million fill the hole?

We don't know. Kenney ain't talking.

So, council has embarked on its annual 90-day, paid vacation, leaving Kenney behind on the second floor of City Hall. (It's the first time in 25 years he doesn't have summers off.)

He's got time to contemplate the handling of our real challenges: the 27 percent poverty rate, crumbled schools and the stupendous shortfall of our pension fund. Of course, he won't be the first mayor to ignore these items, so we'll have to cross our fingers.

In the meantime, we take comfort in our quiet hearts and happy homes, thanking our God that we aren't politicians.

Jay A. McCalla is a former Deputy Managing Director under mayors Rendell and Street. Follow him on Twitter @jayamccalla1.