Marc Stier at Large

Originally published at Pennsylvania Policy Center on December 4, 2024. By Marc Stier, Executive Director, Pennsylvania Policy Center While our organization does not endorse candidates, we do have our favorite elected officials. Bob Casey has always been on that list—so we are sad to lose him as our senior senator. I want to say a few words about why the Senator has been a truly wonderful representative of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Senator Casey has been a progressive champion of so many issues on which Pennsylvania Policy Center and our allies have worked. Unlike many legislators, he truly understands the importance of working with advocacy groups. He gets that building up our profile and influence enables us to help him accomplish his legislative goals. That, plus his commitment to progressive public policy, is why he is the legislator on whom we’ve most relied, whether it was around a relatively small… Continue reading

Originally published at Pennsylvania Policy Center on November 15, 2024. by Marc Stier, Executive Director, Pennsylvania Policy Center Pennsylvania Policy Center doesn’t endorse candidates. But we can react to the results. And we, like you who follow us, are hurting today. We are frustrated and scared. While we need to take some time to deal with the emotional upheaval created by an election result that will no doubt undermine progress to our goals, it’s important that we understand where we are and what we can do to save our country and move it in a better direction. You may not yet be ready to think about that. But here are some initial thoughts for when you are. 1. Thank you from the bottom of my heart to all of you who worked so hard over the last weeks and months to stop this from happening. It was truly impressive and… Continue reading

Originally published at Pennsylvania Policy Center on November 13, 2024. We have one ray of really good election news. Even in the face of a red wave, Democrats remain in control of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, and Rep. Joanna McClinton remains speaker of the House. While, sadly, we didn’t pick up any seats, every Democratic incumbent won reelection. Here is why I think it happened. Under the leadership of Speaker McClinton and Majority Leader Matt Bradford, the PA House Democrats have had an incredible record of achievement in working for the people of Pennsylvania, even while holding only a one-seat majority. Most importantly, they took a huge step forward toward overcoming decades of inadequate and inequitable funding for education with the largest funding increase for our schools in history. They then passed legislation that cuts taxes for working people and seniors, taxes corporations that pay nothing, protects the safety… Continue reading

Originally published at Pennsylvania Policy Center on October 29, 2024. I’ve been warning about the dangers of Donald Trump’s fascism since he announced his first bid for president in June of 2015. Few people took that warning, or my escalating concern about the fascist features of Trump’s politics throughout his presidency, seriously. Even after January 6, people said my warnings were exaggerated or even hysterical. Now, calling Trump a fascist and talking about the threat of fascism is commonplace. But it still understates the danger. For fascism is no longer a threat. It’s here. Fascism is a major force in our politics. Fascism is a set of ideas that are entirely contrary to the foundations of the American Republic, which is why it is dangerous. It’s also a set of political practices that is already found in our country and threaten to destroy it. That Trump and Trumpism embrace fascist… Continue reading

Originally published at Pennsylvania Policy Center on October 29, 2024. Election watchers are always waiting for the “October Surprise” that could have a last-minute effect on the election. It could be that the hateful attack on Puerto Rico and Latinos that was the worst of many examples of bigotry in Trump’s Madison Square Garden rally will be the October Surprise of this election. As 8% of the Pennsylvania electorate is Latino and the majority of them are of Puerto Rican descent, this event may cost Trump Pennsylvania. A shift of only 5% of the Puerto Rican vote from Trump to Harris could add up to 30,000 votes which could be her margin of victory. But there is another October Surprise that has been gradually brewing and is likely to get some attention the weekend before the election: we are in the midst of an economic boom. Tomorrow, on October 30th,… Continue reading

Originally published at Pennsylvania Policy Center on October 23, 2024. Demonizing and stoking fear of immigrants is at the center of Donald Trump’s presidential campaign this year, as it was in 2016. Yet what Americans should really be afraid of is Trump’s opposition to immigration. For immigrants make a huge contribution to our economy and our well-being, as they have for our entire history. That doesn’t mean we shouldn’t focus our attention on creating a better, fairer immigration system. We should want immigrants to enter but in a controlled way. President Biden and Vice President Harris worked closely with Republicans in Congress to frame legislation to create a well-funded and regulated immigration process. But Donald Trump demanded that Republicans reject the plan because he cares more about dividing and distracting us by blaming and shaming immigrants instead of solving problems. The truth is that people who have come to this… Continue reading

Originally published at Pennsylvania Policy Center on October 23, 2024. This is the last week in which Pennsylvania’s 2023–24 General Assembly is likely to be in Harrisburg. And the pattern we have seen for the last two years is once again evident. The Democratic-controlled House passes legislation, with bipartisan support, that addresses serious problems in our commonwealth. And the Republican-controlled Senate once again sits on its hands and does nothing. This week, the House passed HB 2565, sponsored by Representative Steve Samuelson, a bill that provides tax credits for clean hydrogen energy production, which would spur economic development and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, while also providing tax credits for semi-conductor and biomedical manufacturing. Seventeen Republicans voted for it. It passed HB 2625, sponsored by Representative Ed Neilson, to fund public transit systems in Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, and thirty other smaller cities. Ten Republicans voted for it. It passed HB 2557, sponsored… Continue reading