{"id":8327,"date":"2018-11-07T00:33:00","date_gmt":"2018-11-07T05:33:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/marcstier.com\/blog2\/?p=8327"},"modified":"2020-06-02T10:51:11","modified_gmt":"2020-06-02T14:51:11","slug":"the-we-the-people-pa-policy-agenda-and-the-2018-midterm-election","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/marcstier.com\/blog2\/?p=8327","title":{"rendered":"The We The People \u2014 PA Policy Agenda and the 2018 Midterm Election"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Marc Stier of <\/em>We The People \u2014 Pennsylvania<\/em> made the following statement about last night\u2019s General Assembly election results:<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Changing the direction of a state as large as Pennsylvania is a large project that takes some time. But Pennsylvania took a huge step towards embracing a new politics that focuses common-sense policies that work for all of us, not just for the wealthy and well-connected.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When we launched We The People \u2014 Pennsylvania<\/em><\/a>, conversations with people of all kinds from every part of the state told us that Pennsylvanians were looking for a new direction in our politics \u2014 one that focuses on positive, common-sense policies that work for all of us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Last night, voters across the state found those kind of candidates \u2014 candidates who endorsed the six principles of the We The People \u2014 PA<\/em> policy agenda.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the General Election of 2018, five state Senate seats and eleven state House seats have flipped from Republicans who embrace the narrative of cutting taxes for corporations and the rich while also cutting back on critical investments in our communities. And 13 of these 16 new legislators have endorsed the We The People<\/em> policy agenda, which holds that higher wages and investments in education, infrastructure and clean air and water \u2014 not budget cuts and giveaways to corporations and the rich \u2014 will lift up the vast majority of Pennsylvanians. And the other three new legislators campaigned along similar lines, even if they did not endorse the entire agenda.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While changes in the membership of the General Assembly are important, they are not the only signs of a broad movement for a new kind of Pennsylvania politics. Over 120 candidates supported the We The People <\/em>agenda in the election. Forty-seven Representatives and 11 Senators who will serve in the new General Assembly, including the leaders of the Democratic Party in both the House and Senate, have endorsed the We The People<\/em> agenda.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the same time as this shift in the General Assembly was taking place, Governor Wolf won a decisive victory over the Scott Wagner, the most aggressive proponent of cutting taxes for the rich while slashing investments in PA communities. All the while, conservatives from Scott Wagner to Mike Turzai tried to downplay their harsh, anti-government rhetoric \u2014 rhetoric that accurately described how they have governed in recent years. Instead, they talked at times about the importance of ensuring that kids get a good education and how everyone must have quality, affordable health care. For conservative legislators like Rep. Turzai who will return to Harrisburg, we hope they embrace these important components of the We The People \u2014 PA<\/em> policy agenda that they campaigned on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We The People \u2014 PA <\/em>is looking forward to working with legislators of both parties and Governor Wolf to develop and support practical legislative proposals that embody our view that government investment and smart regulation of markets have critical roles to play in lifting wages, spurring economic growth, and creating broadly shared prosperity in our state.<\/p>\n\n\n\n