We're all in this together

This is the first in a series of efforts to articulate in broad terms what it means to be a progressive or liberal in Pennsylvanian and Philadelphia today. Democrats and Republicans have many differences on particular public policies. Underlying those differences, however, is a deeper difference about how we look at politics and what we think it is for. I want try to explain the key difference between us. Let’s start with slogans. We Democrats believe “We’re all in this together.” The Republicans believe “Everyone for themselves.” Our motto is “We get by with a little help from our friends.” The Republican motto is “I’m all right, Jack” We Democrats are the party of community, of people standing together. The Republicans are the party of individuals standing alone. That is not to say that we are opposed to individuals taking care of themselves or following their own path in life.… Continue reading

What we progressives want

Some time ago I started a series on the future of progressive politics in Pennsylvania. In the first post in the series I pointed out that we increasingly face a Republican majority in the General Assembly that is controlled by the radical right wing. In parts two and three of this series, I lambasted Governor Rendell and progressives like myself for, among other things, trying to govern from a non-existent center instead of defending a liberal / progressive vision of a good political community. What I haven’t done yet is try to suggest how we liberals and progressives should define and defend that vision of a good political community. I have been working on it. And today and in the next few days, I am going to lay out three themes that, I think, can define the provide a thematic sythesis of the goals progressives in Pennsylvania and in Philadelphia.… Continue reading