Month: May 2020

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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