Category: My Work

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Corbett says “Keep them Down.” We say, “canvass and phone bank!”

  By Penn ACTION, Penn Action and Election 2010

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KwpXTg6Ryjw&feature=share Watch this shocking video of Republican Tom Corbett – our Attorney General, the state’s chief law enforcement officer – telling a crowd to “Keep (the Philadelphia vote) down” next Tuesday, Election Day. We’re not going to speculate about why candidates like Corbett are calling for Philadelphia voters to stay home or why the Tea Party in St. Paul and Houston engaging in voter suppression efforts? (as reported in the New York Times: http://nyti.ms/9srr7M) All we are going to say is that when all the voters stand up to be counted, our politicians hear that we want an economy that provides jobs for everyone; a health care system that doesn’t allow insurance companies to deny us care; and a sustainable economy that allows us to live in harmony with the environment. That’s what Philadelphians want, and deserve. And the only way we are going to get it is to show… Continue reading

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The pundits say the energy is on the other side. They are wrong! Join us!

  By Penn Action and Election 2010

The pundits are just wrong. We’ve got a  lot of energy on our side.here to take part in phone banking from your own home. The Penn ACTION leader of this effort, Hannah Miller will get back to you with instructions.here to RSVP to Hannah Miller to phone bank from home. Penn ACTION is knocking on doors in Patrick Murphy’s Congressional district and calling infrequent voters in Philadelphia, Erie, and Northeast PA. And progressives among infrequent voters are telling us they intend to vote—at rates that exceed 75 or 80%. The energy to keep moving forward rather than backward is there. And the fear of a tea party takeover of our government is palpable. I know. I’ve been knocking on doors myself. I’ve seen that our side is ready to rock on Tuesday. But there are thousands of voters we still haven’t reached. Can you help us talk to them? RSVP With… Continue reading

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Penn ACTION GOTV efforts in Southeast PA

  By Penn ACTION, Penn Action and Election 2010

This has been a difficult year to find resources for independent get out the vote (GOTV) campaigns. But with your help, Penn ACTION has brought in almost $130,000 to do work in Southeastern Pennsylvania, focused on Patrick Murphy’s district. (All of this work is carried out independently of Congressman Murphy’s campaign.) We have a full scale canvass operation knocking on doors in on the Bucks County portion of Congressman Murphy’s district as well as a paid phone bank, all targeting infrequent voters. (The photo on the left shows our canvass director, Crystal Martzall giving last minute instructions to our canvassers as they prepare to hit the streets.)  Each day between 20 and 30 canvassers hit the streets in three van, under the direction three field manages. Many of our canvassers are new to politics, but they are all committed to the reelection of Congressman Murphy. They are talking to voters about the critical… Continue reading

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Join our phone banks: This 800 number could make a difference on November 2:

  By Penn Action and Election 2010

 You know this is a critical election for all the issues you care about-health care reform, jobs, social security, and protecting our water supply. And I’m sure that most of you are already working to turn out the vote on November 2 and want to be as effective as possible in doing so.  So I’m really excited to tell you that Penn ACTION can has secured access to the ACTIVATE phone bank system we used during the health care campaign for GOTV (get out the vote) calls.  The calls you made in the healthcare campaign made the difference in passing visionary reform legislation, and you can make the same impact again. The more people we call; the more progressives we turn out and the better the results will bes on November 2.  You can phone bank at our Philadelphia location or at home – or even phone banking parties from… Continue reading

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Canvass Jobs Available in support of Congressman Patrick Murphy!!

  By Penn Action and Election 2010

Penn ACTION has secured over $50,000 to do a paid canvass of infrequent voters in lower Bucks County in support of Congressman Patrick Murphy who has been a champion of health care reform, the repeal of don’t ask, don’t tell, and other progressive causes. We are looking for people to join our canvass. Jobs start at $10 an hour. If you or someone you know are interested, contact Crystal at 570.650.1158 or crystal.martzall@pennaction.org. Or drop by our canvass office at Penn Valley Shopping Center 8612 New Falls Road Levittown PA 19054 And please circulate widely this to your friends and family. Continue reading

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Vote NOW to help Congressman Patrick Murphy!

  By Penn Action and Election 2010

 Today, if you click here  you have a great opportunity to help one strong supporter of health care reform and other progressive causes, Congressman Patrick Murphy (D-PA 8), get a major boost to his campaign from Penn ACTION’s parent organization, US ACTION. US Action is running a contest, asking its members to vote to determine which of three progressive members of Congress should get major additional help to their campaign. It will come in the form of an addition to the huge ground campaign Penn ACTION is about to lauch in this district (more about that soon) plus paid advertising. Click here to vote and please choose Pennsylvania’s Patrick Murphy to receive additional campaign support from US Action. In the last three weeks, more people from Pennsylvania have taken part in US Action nationwide efforts than in any other state. Pennsylvania prorgressives are counting on you to click here  and do… Continue reading

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Quack Attack: Penn ACTION & Labor call out Corbett’s plan to raise taxes on working people

  By Penn Action and Election 2010

Penn ACTION joined labor union activists launched a “Quack Attac” to in Williamport to protest Tom Corbett’s proposal to increase the pay roll taxes on workers for purposes of repaying a $3 billion debt owed to the federal government for unemployment compensation. Corbett, who earlier this year took a no-tax pledge, has consistently denied the payment made by workers into the unemployment fund is a tax.  But Marc Stier, leader of Penn ACTION said “If it looks like a duck, walks like a duck and quacks like a duck –it’s a duck!” “Tom Corbett cannot mask a payroll tax hike imposed on working people simply by calling it another name. He can’t have his duck and eat it too,” Stier said. Patrick Gleason is a spokesperson for Americans for Tax Reform, the group that authored the no-tax pledge Corbett signed. agreed with Stier. Speaking about the Corbett’s proposal, Gleason said,… Continue reading

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Build progressive power in PA; become a dues paying member of Penn ACTION

  By About Penn Action, Penn ACTION

During the HCAN campaign, I received an email from one of our activists who said, “Thanks for all the great work you are doing and for helping me find a way for me to be politically effective. But I wish you didn’t keep asking for money.” I laughed when I read this because, at that point, I had never asked anyone for money to support HCAN. But now I am going to ask you for money, not for a particular project, but to sustain Penn ACTION with $25 or more by becoming a member of the organization. n recent weeks I’ve heard from many of you—in emails, on conference calls, and in response to an on-line survey—about what you want Penn ACTION to be. The answer has many parts, but it really comes down to this: You know that we are up against powerful interests that are determined to block… Continue reading

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Building a New Commonwealth: The Penn ACTION Agenda

  By About Penn Action

Penn ACTION will work on a variety of issue campaigns and civic engagement campaigns and, at some point in the future, is likely to endorse political candidates as well. But Penn Action isn’t just about moving a series of independent issue issues. If we want to build a strong progressive movement in Pennsylvania;  if we want people to be willing stay active and engaged politically and to help us build political power, we have to work toward a set of  goals and ideals that transcend a list of issues that concern us at one particular time. We One way to formulate the ideals and aspirations that unite progressives, and to do so in a way that resonates with our history in Pennsylvania, is thisL our goal is create a new and better commonwealth here in Pennsylvania and in the United States as a whole. A commonwealth is a particular kind… Continue reading

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You’ve done it again: Penn ACTION supporters leads the way

  By About Penn Action, Penn ACTION

As you know, Pennsylvania had one of the strongest Health Care For America Campaigns over the last two years, with more of you taking part in more and more varied actions—both online and offline—than in other states. And now you have done it again, twice, in the last weeks Penn ACTION supporters lead the way in the PEPSI Challenge. We win $1000. In the last few weeks, we have asked you to vote in the Pepsi challenge, in the hope that our national organization, US Action, would come in first or second in the competition and win $250,000. Well, unfortunately, US Action came in third just a little out of the running. We will try again, probably, in November. But Penn ACTION, which is the newest US Action affiliate, had more people vote in the Pepsi challenge than any other affiliate. As a result, and thanks to your efforts, Penn… Continue reading