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We elected a President; Now we have to build a movement

  By Politics

Dear Friends, Over the next month, Penn Action will be sponsoring a series of events around the state, some in conjunction with other groups, that aim to build a strong progressive movement to get voters who share our ideals out to the polls in November and then to keep the pressure on our elected officials to support progressive legislation over the next two years and beyond. Three meetings are now scheduled. In Erie, this Wednesday, on August 25, join a Penn ACTION meet-up at 7:00 pm at Panera Bread in the Plaza off Peach Street, 1935 Keystone Drive in Erie. In Northeast PA, on September 14 at 7:00 PM at the Holiday Inn Express Meeting Room at the Scranton WB Airport, join a Penn Action sponsored event that will focus on building our power on a variety of issues and, especially the drilling in the Marcellus Shale. In Philadelphia On September 25… Continue reading

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We Made Them Listen To Us

  By Environment, Health Care, Marcellus Shale

This is my speech, more or less, at the Gas Stock concert and rally on Saturday. This not exactly what I said. I spoke extemporaneously and didn’t record it. But this is the gist of it. Good Afternoon. I’m Marc Stier, the Executive Director of Penn Action, grassroots political organization in Pennsylvania. I’m really thrilled to be here. This is an incredible event, organized by an incredible team of people led by my friend and colleague, Roxanne Pauline who recently joined us as the NEPA Penn Action organizer. I have to be honest, I don’t know enough about the Marcellus Shale drilling and its impact on people here in Northeastern PA and the rest of the state. I’ve spent the last two years totally focused on the movement for health care reform, which I led in Pennsylvania. But after talking with many of you, it’s pretty clear that I need… Continue reading

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Twitter Weekly Updates for 2010-08-22

  By Twitter feed

Gas stock was great. Roxanne Pauline and friends are the best organizers in the state # Conference call on the future of progressive politics in PA! Today! Join us at 7:00 pm. Call in number: 213 289 5450 Access code 472065 # Powered by Twitter Tools Continue reading

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The Next Step in Building Progressive Power in Pennsylvania

  By Penn ACTION, Politics, Take political action

We won a big victory. But the struggle is not over, either for health care or for the larger progressive agenda. I’m writing to ask you to sign up so that together we can build a force in Pennsylvania to keep America moving forward.For over twenty months, we worked together to do something that will make us proud for the rest of our lives. Continue reading

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Is it time to take direct action to block the effects of Citizen’s United?

  By Campaign Finance Reform, Politics

It’s just a trickle now, but the corporate money that was unshackled by Citizen’s United is beginning to flow just where we feared it would. And now, before it turns into a torrent, we should try to stop it. The ideal way to do so is with legislation. But the filibuster enabled a minority of Republicans to block more limited campaign finance legislation last week, so that might take a while. In the meantime, perhaps it is time to embrace direct action, boycotts of corporations that support right wing candidates, especially those that depend on a huge base of consumers for their profits. Continue reading

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A small victory: Blues will support AdultBasic for six more months

  By Health Care, Penn ACTION

We had a small victory for AdultBasic today. But there is still more to be done to insure that the program continues until it is no longer necessary. The Adult Basic Program Health Care For America Now joined five events around the state led by the Pennsylvania Health Access Network in support of Adult Basic, Pennsylvania’s health insurance program for 47,000 people who cannot afford health insurance but whose incomes are not low enough to qualify for Medicaid. AdultBasic is inadequate insurance, but it provides a lifeline for many people. And over 350,000 are on a waiting list for the program. AdultBasic has been funded in large part by community reinvestment funds contributed by Pennsylvania’s Blues—mostly from the two largest Independence Blue Cross and Highmark. The Blues agreed to make these contributions in the first year of the Rendell administration, when it was apparent that they were amassing surpluses in… Continue reading

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A Small Victory: AdultBasic Extended for Six Months

  By Health Care, Penn ACTION

We had a small victory for AdultBasic today. But there is still more to be done to insure that the program continues until it is no longer necessary. The Adult Basic Program Health Care For America Now joined five events around the state led by the Pennsylvania Health Access Network in support of Adult Basic, Pennsylvania’s health insurance program for 47,000 people who cannot afford health insurance but whose incomes are not low enough to qualify for Medicaid. AdultBasic is inadequate insurance, but it provides a lifeline for many people. And over 350,000 are on a waiting list for the program. AdultBasic has been funded in large part by community reinvestment funds contributed by Pennsylvania’s Blues—mostly from the two largest Independence Blue Cross and Highmark. The Blues agreed to make these contributions in the first year of the Rendell administration, when it was apparent that they were amassing surpluses in… Continue reading

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The Origins of our Politico-Economic Crisis

  By Economic Development, Politics, Public Policy

This is a summer of liberal / progressive discontent. As one talks to activists and leaders of progressive organizations and campaigns around the country, and read the blogs and commentary, one can't help but notice a sense of disappointment and worry and, from time to time, even despair. Some of this worry is about the election. This is not going to be a great Democratic year, although I think that the Republican crack-up—the willingness of Republican party leaders to embrace a partly racist radical right wing tea party—is going to help a great deal. And it is not going to be 1994 all over again if only because we don't have all that many Southern seats to lose this time. I think the bigger source of progressive disquiet is our worries about the economy and trajectory for progressive politics over the next few years. Right now, we progressives are radically… Continue reading

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Pa. GOP leaders should lobby Congress for extra stimulus dollars

  By Federal Budget, Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania Budget, Philadelphia, Taxation

Published in the Harrisburg Post-Gazette, July 1, 2010 Though Gov. Rendell and legislative leaders have reached an agreement, we still face a potential budget catastrophe. Only Republicans — gubernatorial nominee Tom Corbett, Lt. Gov. Joseph Scarnati, Senate Majority Leader Dominic Pileggi and House Minority Leader Sam Smith — can prevent it.   Continue reading