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The Republicans have been dead wrong about reopening

  By COVID-19, PA Budget and Policy Center, Public Policy, Published Op-Eds

Originally published by the PA Capital-Star on June 30, 2020. For months Republican leaders in Harrisburg have been demanding an early reopening of businesses in the state and have criticized the demand to wear face masks in public. And recently all Republicans and a few Democrats voted to overturn Governor Wolf’s emergency order.  Extremists like Representative Russ Diamond and Senator Doug Mastriano have been claiming, with no justification at all, that those orders conflict with our rights as Americans. The evidence is now in. The policies Republicans, along with a few Democrats, have supported were wrong. Governor Wolf’s actions have saved thousands of lives. It’s rare that we can do experiments in political and social science to test our ideas. And because we can’t do that—and because people rarely question policies that accord with their self-interest—we have debates that are more about ideology assertion than a rational discussion and weighing… Continue reading

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How Many Lives Have We Saved?

  By COVID-19, Pennsylvania

While Republican legislators have been insisting on an early reopening of businesses in Pennsylvania, we have seen one of the most dramatic declines in both COVID-19 cases and deaths of any state in the country. From a height of 1965 on April 19, the number of new cases dropped to 346 on June 21. And from a maximum of 554 deaths recorded on May 5, we had only three recorded on June 21. We have seen, and no doubt will continue to see, fluctuations in these numbers depending on vagaries in testing and reporting and how well Pennsylvanians adhere to guidelines meant to protect us as businesses reopen. But there is no doubt that the sacrifices we have made to limit the transmission of COVID-19 have had an impact. And the experience of states that have reopened businesses early and seen sharply rising numbers of people infected and deaths has… Continue reading

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Legal Brief by PA Budget and Policy Center and Keystone Research Center Supports Gov. Wolf in Stay-at-Home Order Court Case

  By Constitutional Law and Civil Liberties, COVID-19, PA Budget and Policy Center, PA Constitutional Law, Pennsylvania

Originally published by KRC-PBPC The Pennsylvania Budget and Policy Center and Keystone Research Center submitted an amicus curia brief in Wolf v. Scarnatti, the Supreme Court case deciding if the PA General Assembly can end Governor Wolf’s emergency orders by itself, without submitting it’s concurrent resolution doing so to the governor for his approval or veto. The PBPC-KRC brief presents important context regarding the benefits of the governor’s executive actions to date and the critical importance of maintaining them to battle the pandemic. Continue reading

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1968 and 2020

  By Democracy, Fascism, US

I was talking on a national call about this time and 1968. I was only 13 then and maybe don’t recall how crazy and unsettled and uncertain that time felt, what with the Tet Offensive (which made it clear that Vietnam was a lost cause), the assassinations and riots, the Democratic convention, and the election of Nixon (and probably more I don’t remember). But this time feels more uncertain and scarier. I’m not exactly sure why but I suppose it’s mostly Trump and the support he has from half this country. Police brutality, property destruction in cities, even COVID-19 wouldn’t feel utterly unmanageable if we had a president who was not both incompetent and a threat to our Constitution, democracy, and freedom. And while Nixon’s possible election was scary, he was never nearly as scary or as bad as Trump. The immorality of Vietnam weighed heavily on us, but it… Continue reading

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No “Buts”—Really Seeing White Supremacy in America

  By Racial Justice, US, White Supremacy and Structural Racism

Prefatory note: I start more writing projects than I can finish and usually have 20 or 30 half-finished pieces that I’m waiting to complete at the right moment. This seemed the right time to finish and post this one on racial justice. There is nothing new here at all. But it seems important for white people to be talking about these issues at this moment. My colleagues in the State Directors Racial Equity workgroup of the State Priorities Project State Directors helped me immensely with the hard thinking and personal reflection that led to this piece. Of them, I particularly want to thank James Jimenez of New Mexico, a great colleague and friend who contributed in many ways to this piece. I’ve been part of a group of directors of organizations that parallel mine who came together to better understand how racial equity should fit into our work. And those… Continue reading

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Racism in America and the Current Moment

  By White Supremacy and Structural Racism

Originally published by the PA Budget and Policy Center. By Marc Stier and Kadida Kenner The attention of the public and political leaders in our state and country has understandably been focused in the last few days on the civil disturbances in our cities and how to quell them. We write, however, to urge that we all return our attention as soon as possible to the profound issues facing our country, the issues elevated by the murder of George Floyd that have led tens of thousands of people—Black, brown ,and white—to engage in peaceful protests all over Pennsylvania, the United States, & Europe. Click here to read this full screen or print. Continue reading

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Blinders

  By Racial Justice

One of Stu Bykofsky’s charming friends said to me on Facebook last night, “Are you blind?”’ Since laugh icons come easily to his friend and reasoned arguments come hard, I’m not exactly sure what he thinks I was blind to. But I suppose he thinks I’m blind to the random looting and torching of police cars in Center City. I’m not. I don’t approve of crime of any kind. I don’t like seeing shops torn apart and businesses hurt, even if they are no doubt well insured. And I don’t think that random looting and attacks on police cars (or police officers) is a useful political tactic for those of us who care about putting an end to racist police violence. But, unlike the hysterical old bedwetter Bykofsky and his friends, I don’t think it is the end of the civilized world. And I understand the anger with continuing police… Continue reading

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Stopgap Budget Is Incomplete but Takes a Small Step Towards a Just Recovery

  By Budget, PA Budget and Policy Center, Pennsylvania Budget

Originally published by KRC-PBPC here. HARRISBURG – Pennsylvania Budget and Policy Center director Marc Stier issued the following statement in response to the Pennsylvania General Assembly’s passage of a stopgap budget for Fiscal Year 2020-2021 and legislation that appropriates part of Federal Cares Act funds.  “The Pennsylvania House and Senate, with the support of Governor Wolf, this week took an important step towards enacting a budget for Fiscal Year 2020-21, which starts on July 1, and also made some important decisions on how to distribute the federal CARES (Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security) Act funds. Everyone acknowledges that the budget remains incomplete. In saying that, we mean that not only is most of the budget funded for only five months but that critical needs remain to be met as well. The pandemic has shown everyone what many of us have long known—there are deep inequities in our society. Our goal is not just… Continue reading

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New Polling Supports Aggressive Action to Address Economic Inequities in the Recovery from COVID-19

  By Pennsylvania, Progressive Politics, Public Policy

Originally published by KRC-PBPC here. New polling shows support for aggressive government action to address economic inequities in the recovery from COVID-19. A new 10-state poll carried out by Global Strategy Group of “unheard middle” voters—those who are neither strong Democrats nor strong Republicans—revealed broad support for bold state government action both to relieve the economic distress created by COVID-19 pandemic and to address the inequities revealed by it. By a huge margin, middle of the road voters believe that large “the state government still needs to do more to protect the economy and hard-working families” (91%) than “the state government doesn’t need to spend more taxpayer dollars in response to the economic impacts of the pandemic” (9%). Public policies that focus on protecting working people and small businesses are enormously popular, including “requiring workplaces to provide paid sick days to their employees” (supported by 90%); “providing low-interest loans to… Continue reading

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We The People PA Backs Governor Wolf’s Censure of Premature Business Openings

  By We The People–PA

Originally published by KRC-PBPC here. Pennsylvanians know that it is up to all of us to work together to protect ourselves from COVID-19. Thus, the We The People campaign supports Governor Wolf’s insistence that all of Pennsylvania follow the best medical and scientific data in determining how fast businesses re-open and the stay-at-home order ends. There is no conflict between health and the economy: we need to protect our health in order to restore our economy in the long term. We deplore the efforts of politicians who have been encouraging businesses to reopen prematurely in violation of the governor’s orders and at great risk to the public at large without proper safety precautions for their employees and consumers, and without sufficient testing and contact tracing in place to protect everyone. Working people and their children—especially the Black and brown people who are overrepresented among frontline workers—should not be put at greater risk… Continue reading