Category: Politics

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My father and the rally for Wisconsin workers

  By Family Stories, Pennsylvania, Politics, US

There is a rally for Wisconsin’s workers this week in Philly. Please join labor and other organizations including Penn ACTION to stand up for labor on Thursday 2/24/11 @ 11:30 PM at Thomas Paine Plaza in front of the Municipal Services Building across from Philadelphia City Hall. I won’t be there because my father died on Sunday and i’m with my family in upstate New York. But I’ve been thinking about how much my father benefited from public services that are now under attack and how much he was able to contribute to the public good because of those benefits. My father was able to go to college and law school because of the GI Bill. That education made it possible for him to provide for his family and also to dedicate himself to working with community organizations that built a regional hospital and a synagogue / community center. He… Continue reading

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It's not about D or R, it's about democracy

  By Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania’s democracy needs the help of political activists like you today. Most people don’t pay much attention to the rules under which our legislatures operate. But you have seen what undemocratic procedures like the filibuster can do to our democracy. That’s why I writing to urge you to contact your State Representative to tell him or her to vote down the rules proposed by the House Republican leadership last week The new rules are deeply disturbing, not just for Democrats with a big D but for those of us who are democrats with a small d. They would further centralize power in the already too centralized PA House of Representatives and undermine the ability of rank and file Representatives of both parties to influence legislation. And when the power of our representatives is limited, so is the power of the people of this commonwealth. Under the proposed rule change, the… Continue reading

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Paying respects to Congresswoman Giffords

  By Arizona Shootings

Penn ACTION held candlreight vigils in two parts of Pennsylvania to pay our respets to Congresswoman Giffords and those who lost their lives in Arizona. Members of Northeast Pennsylvania Citizens in Action held a candlelight vigil Today, Tuesday, January 11th at 5:00pm at Courthouse Square, Scranton to honor and remember the victims of the tragic shooting that took place in Tucson, AZ on Saturday, January 8, 2011.  The vigil took place on the corner of North Washington Avenue and Spruce Street Scranton to honor and remember the victims of the tragic shooting that took place in Tucson, AZ on Saturday, January 8, 2011. I think its important that residents in Northeastern Pennsylvania have an opportunity to come together and pray for all of those affected by this terrible tragedy,” said Ed Farrell, Citizens In Action member.  “Whether it happened 25 or 2,500 miles away, it still hits home and reminds us that… Continue reading

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Donna Reed Miller without tears

  By A political memoir, NW Philly, People, Philadelphia, Politics

Councilwoman Donna Reed Miller announced her retirement last week. I though this would be a good time to repost a slightly revised version of this piece, which I originally posted May 22, 2007. I’ve been meaning to write a long piece about Donna Reed Miller’s role in the eighth district for a awhile. It is a fascinating story with all kinds of complications that provides an interesting view from which to explore race and class issues in our city. This is not it. But it is a brief sketch for those who want to know more about the Eighth district. I can sum Councilwoman Miller up with a story. I once met with her to discuss public financing of political campaigns. This was before Councilwomen Tasco and Verna with the encouragement of state representative Dwight Evans, decided to hold hearings on the subject. She was interested enough, but our conversation… Continue reading

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HCAN PA / Penn ACTION statement on the shootings in Arizona

  By Arizona Shootings, Penn ACTION

The shootings yesterday in Arizona are a personal tragedy for Congresswoman Giffords and her staff, for Judge Roll, for the other six people killed and for the many people injured. We pray today for them. The shootings are also a tragedy for our political process. Democratic government is the means by which we resolve our disputes, and come to some agreement about the common good, without a resort to violence. Any time violence disrupts our democracy, we all lose. It seems that the man who fired the bullets suffers from a serious mental illness. He and any accomplices are responsible for their actions. But these shootings, like many acts of property violence against Congressional offices over the last two years, have taken place in the context of a long right wing campaign against health care reform that has been characterized by ideological extremism, an intolerance for progressive views; a willing… Continue reading

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Taking the terrorist threat seriouslyor how the Pennsylvania Department of Homeland Security protects us

  By Humor, Pennsylvania

I wrote this piece in September. when newspaper reports revealed that the Pennsylvania Department of Homeland Security had spent a large sum of money to hire some “experts” to provide it, and the state’s police departments with intelligence about terrorist threats. I sent it to the Inquirer op-ed editor. He was out of town and by the time he returned the moment had passed  to publish it. I forgot about it in the run up to the election. But I’ve been told it’s funny, so here it is. The report of the contents of PA Actionable Intelligence Brief #137 is true. The liberal media is once again fomenting outrage at the government by attention to the $103,000 contract that the Pennsylvania Department of Homeland Security signed with the Institute of Terrorism Research and Response to provide timely intelligence about possible terrorist threats. But in all the hubbub that the liberal… Continue reading

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Dear Mr. President, Find Some Concrete

  By US

Dear Mr. President, We’ve met briefly, at a fundraiser in Philadelphia and at a health care event I organized. But, as the year ends, I think it’s time we had a real chat. I’m one of those “sanctimonious folks” who made health care reform possible I’m one of those progressives disappointed by the deal you cut with the Republicans a few weeks ago on taxes. And, I’m not happy that called me and your other critics “sanctimonious” folks who want to “feel good about how pure we are” rather than get things done. You will go down in history getting the credit you took for “passing legislation… where we finally get health care for all Americans.” But you had some help from people like me. I ran the Health Care For American (HCAN) campaign in Pennsylvania which mobilized 15,000 people over the course of two years in support of what… Continue reading

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Lies, damn lies, and statistics

  By Philadelphia, Social Justice, Taxation

“There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies, and statistics” attributed to Benjamin Disraeli by Mark Twain Having made the transition myself, I know well that moving from academia to advocacy often requires some compromise with the standard of the academy. Academic rectitude requires one to point out the possible weaknesses in one’s views, to qualify statements about which one is uncertain and to be cautious before drawing start conclusion. There is little room for uncertainty, for qualification, and for caution in advocacy. But becoming an advocate shouldn’t mean that one gives up standards of intellectual honesty entirely. An advocate, especially one who trades on his standing as an academic, shouldn’t put forward conclusions when he has no good reason to do so. That, however, is what Robert Inman did in his op-ed piece in the Inquirer opposing the BPT proposal put forward by Bill Green and Maria Quinones-Sanchez. Inman… Continue reading

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What did you do during the class war, Mommy and Daddy?

  By Politics, Progressive Politics, Public Policy, Published op-eds, Social Justice, Taxation, US

Published in the Daily News, September 23, 2010 THOUGH I lead a progressive grass-roots organization, I’m a little embarrassed by the question that serves as a title for this essay. For 25 years, I taught political philosophy, most recently at Temple University. The key to my teaching was to encourage students see both sides of every issue. I was always proud when my students didn’t know where I stood politically. Teaching both sides of the issues rubs off. So, even now, I’m politically just a little left of center. I supported the Obama health-care plan rather than single-payer not out of political expedience but conviction. I believe that a hybrid public-private plan is most likely to give us the most effective health-insurance system. So, I’m uncomfortable saying we are in the midst of a class war right now in America. But it’s time for all of us on the left,… Continue reading

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We elected a President; Now we have to build a movement

  By Politics

Dear Friends, Over the next month, Penn Action will be sponsoring a series of events around the state, some in conjunction with other groups, that aim to build a strong progressive movement to get voters who share our ideals out to the polls in November and then to keep the pressure on our elected officials to support progressive legislation over the next two years and beyond. Three meetings are now scheduled. In Erie, this Wednesday, on August 25, join a Penn ACTION meet-up at 7:00 pm at Panera Bread in the Plaza off Peach Street, 1935 Keystone Drive in Erie. In Northeast PA, on September 14 at 7:00 PM at the Holiday Inn Express Meeting Room at the Scranton WB Airport, join a Penn Action sponsored event that will focus on building our power on a variety of issues and, especially the drilling in the Marcellus Shale. In Philadelphia On September 25… Continue reading