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Pennsylvanians say no to repeal!

  By Health Care, Penn ACTION

Yesterday the Republican leadership in the House made good on their campaign promise to roll back the progress made by the Affordable Care Act.  This is be frustrating for those of us who worked so hard for health care reform last year, but keep in mind three things. First, this was a political show that is likely to have no long term negative consequence.  Repeal legislation will not pass the Senate or be signed by President Obama. Second, the repeal effort gave us an opportunity to talk more and, after Arizona, more calmly, about the new protections and rights that the ACA created. The more people hear about the bill, the more they like it. Polls are clearly trending in our favor.  People know that was a vote against affordable health insurance for Americans with pre-existing conditions – including children.   It was a vote against making sure that greedy… 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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Good news on filibuster reform: thank Senator Casey

  By Filibuster, Penn ACTION

I have really good news on filibuster reform. First, Senator Casey has announced his support for the filibuster reform package introduced by Senators Udall, Harkin, and Merkley. Second, it looks like serious reform is on the way. Majority Leader Harry Reid has taken advantage of the rules to draw out the first “legislative day” for a few weeks to build support. But we are hearing growing optimism on the part of reform minded Democrats. Thank Senator Casey and each other! We’re very grateful for Senator Casey’s support. And I want to thank all of you who signed our petition to Senator Casey. After meeting, along with Common Cause, SEIU, CWA, and the Steelworkers, with his legislative director, we thought Senator Casey was leaning in our direction. But it was just hours after I forwarded the list of signers of the petition to the Senator’s office that I received word that… 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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Why we must reform the filibuster now!

  By Filibuster, Penn ACTION

In the last few years, two features of our political system have done more to stand in the way of progressive public policy than any other. The first is the role of corporate money in our politics. The second is the filibuster—which requires supporters of legislation to find not a majority of 51 but a super majority of 60 to pass legislation in the Senate. Given the Citizens United decision by the Supreme Court, fixing the first problem is difficult. It is made much more difficult by the second problem But on Wednesday, January 5, Senate Democrats may step forward and try to reform the filibuster. If they do, vote on filibuster reform will be the most important vote the Senate takes in the next two years. That’s why it is critical for you to sign a petition, today, to tell Senator Casey to suppor efforts to reform the filibuster.… 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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There is no tax deduction for contributing to Penn ACTION

  By About Penn Action, Penn ACTION

Dear Friends, I’m afraid that Penn ACTION can’t offer you a tax deduction for a year-end contribution to our organization. But we need you to make one by clicking here. That’s because we’re asking you for 501(c)4 contributions, the kind of money that will enable us to work together to do the hardest hitting, most aggressive political action in 2011, the kind of work that was so instrumental to passing the Affordable Care Act this year. We’re going to use that money to mobilize you and the other 25,000 people on our list and add another 25,000 people to it by the end of 2011. Just as we did in the last two years on health care reform, together we’re going to going to demand action on issue after issue issues that concern working people and the middle class. And we are going to keep shouting out loud when powerful… Continue reading

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Three quick reasons the mandate is constitutional

  By Health Care

I could give a very long analysis of why the mandate to purchase health insurance under the Affordable Care Act is constitutional. But, I don’ t think there is mucn need to do so. Our judiciary has become so politicized that there is no telling what the Supreme Court would do and good reason to fear that the Republican majoritiy will do the wrong thing just because of the partisan makeup of the court. But from the point of view of constitutional law, no long analysis is reallyi needed. There are three good reasons that the mandate is constitutional aand each them is fairliy obvious. 1. The commerce clause has been broadly interpreted to allow Congress to regulate almost any industry and to subsidize the purcharse of any good. The mandate is a critical part of a new regulatory and subsidiy scheme. We can’t sensibly impose insurance company regulations that force companies to… Continue reading

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Take action today to block tax cuts for the rich!–and some notes on where we stand on the tax issue

  By Federal Taxes, Penn ACTION, Take political action

The Senate is scheduled to vote today on the tax cut plan President Obama negotiated with Senate Republicans. Click here  to send an email to Senators Casey and Specter to urge them to vote no and encourage President Obama to stand united with Democrats in the House and Senate to seek a better deal. Urge them to seek a deal that continues extended unemployment benefits, that stimulates the economy, that cuts taxes for working people and the middle class and that stands against unnecessary, wasteful tax cuts for the rich. Click here  to send that message now. An interesting week This has been one of the more interesting weeks since I began at Penn ACTION in June. Our actions and emails about President Obama’s tax compromise have created more controversy among the people on our email list than anything else we have done. So this is a good opportunity for me… Continue reading