Category: Politics

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Not a Scandal

  By Philadelphia, Political Organizing, Progressive Politics

A number of Philadelphia progressives, and some editorial writers and columnists, are hot and bothered because the Democratic Party has asked judges up for a retention vote in the November election to make a substantial contribution in order to be included on the official party ballot. I am one progressive who is utterly unmoved by this supposed scandal. The criticisms of the party, and its chair, Congressman Bob Brady, are based on three false assumptions. The first is that judicial elections should be non-political in nature. Anyone who has followed the decisions of the courts of the United States, including the Supreme Court, in the last century, and especially in the 2000 Presidential election, can see through the myth that the judicial process is somehow non-political. Democrats and Republicans tend to interpret the laws differently and in ways that reflect their different ideals.  Much the same is true in the… Continue reading

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Picking the Right Target for Occupy Philly

  By Occupy Philly, Political Organizing, Progressive Politics

The Occupy Philly meeting last night was one of the best examples of direct democracy in action I’ve ever seen. We had some serious talk about where and when to being Occupy Philly. People listened to each other and changed their minds as the discussion proceeded. We made a decision. And we did it in less time than expected. Decisions to come There is a lot more to be decided and understood. We are just at the beginning of figuring out in detail what this movement is going to be and how it will impact the future of our country. But most of those decisions can come later. We all know what this movement is broadly about—the increasingly unequal distribution of power, wealth, and income in the United States. It’s a movement that aims to reverse the decline in American Democracy which we have all witnessed in the last 30… Continue reading

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My first vote for Council at Large will go to Sherrie Cohen

  By Philadelphia

Dear Friends, I’m writing to urge you to vote for Sherry Cohen for City Council at Large in Tuesday’s primary. There are a number of good candidates for Council at Large, including the incumbents. But Sherrie could bring something special to the office—a real commitment to building support throughout the city for progressive causes. Sherrie’s done that already, especially as a leader of the Coalition for Essential Services. With the resources of a Council, Sherrie could be even more effective in this role. Why is this so important? Continue reading

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It’s about security for working people and the middle class

  By Social Justice, US

  Our 2011 Program: It’s about security for working people and the middle class or Why and how we must expose and fight back against the dirty little secret of right wing economic policy As a multi-issue organization, Penn ACTION will be taking on a lot. But while we will be engaged in many different struggles—health care, women’s health, unemployment insurance, fair taxes, education, and starting this week, the fight to preserve Social Security—there is a core commitment and a unified strategy that lies behind all our work. The core commitment is to provide security for working people and the middle class. Market Economies and Insecurity We know that a market economy can be a great generator of income and wealth. But from the beginning, capitalism has also been a generator of uncertainty and insecurity. Capitalism initially generated great wealth not just by creating opportunities for entrepreneurs but by generating insecurity, specifically… Continue reading

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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