Watching Bob Casey

Recently I had the opportunity to watch Bob Casey work a crowd. I missed the speeches and so can only report on the "meet and greet" segment of the event. This was my first "in person" observation of our would-be senator. As has been widely reported, Casey has a low-key personality. Certainly he could be livelier but far be it from me to criticize someone for being, perhaps, a little dull and methodical (pot, meet kettle). In small groups or talking with one person at a time, these understated qualities might be an advantage for him. His quiet demeanor allows the other person the chance to shine, or at least not be overshadowed. Casey focuses on whoever he is talking to and lets them talk as long as they want; he leans in towards them, listens intently, and seems comfortable with both the suited and the K-Mart clothed. My impression is that his staff does not always share his patience, but he does not seem to be easily deterred. He is thorough, making sure that everyone who was lined up to talk with him had a chance to talk (excluding those who, like me, merely lurked). In fact I was struck most with what I interpreted as an underlying resolute determination. You may not see a fiery display but he is a man with a mission.

The other candidates and other luminaries in attendance should be noted.
Sandy Miller, Bucks County Commissioner
Patrick Murphy (candidate for the 8th congressional district), as always surrounded by a crowd. Given the number of people around Casey, Murphy's crowd was a little smaller, but he seemed to be as attentive and pleasant as always.
Chris Serpico (10th state senate) -- every time I see Serpico he is talking with people in what appears to be a friendly, congenial, adn purposeful manner.
Larry Glick (143rd state house) -- people I think well of have emailed me that this is a race and candidate to be watched. My apologies for not looking into it more closely.
Mike Diamond (31st state house) -- He is challenging Dave Steil.
Chris King (142nd state house) -- I hear that he is giving Matt Wright a serious challenge.

There were likely other candidates and officials there and my apologies for not recognizing them.

New PA-08 Poll

A new poll for the 8th congressional district is out:

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee released a poll today that shows Democratic challenger Patrick Murphy within striking distance of Mike Fitzpatrick in a head to head match-up. Fitzpatrick and Murphy are in a tight race in Pennsylvania ’s 8th District which includes Bucks County and parts of Montgomery County and Philadelphia .

later

The poll was conducted during the first week of September by Grove Insight and shows a 43-38 initial head to head match-up between Fitzpatrick and Murphy. The poll also showed Bush approval rating at only 35% with 62% of respondents indicating that the country is headed in the wrong direction.

Sen. Tomlinson's Double Standard

Republican State Senator Robert “Tommy” Tomlinson (6th district) has sent out one of the stranger press releases I’ve seen recently, criticizing his Democratic opponent, Paul Lang, for having a fundraiser in Newtown, just outside the district boundary.

Thinking that, having been so incensed at Lang for going a few miles outside the district, Sen. Tomlinson would practice what he preaches, I looked around a bit. I see that Malady & Wooten is hosting a fundraiser for him in Harrisburg on Sept. 27th. I note that there was another fundraiser for him in Harrisburg this past December. There may very well be others. This is just what I found doing a quick search.

I also took a look at his campaign finance reports (use search form here). In his 30 day post-primary report (cycle 3), I see that he took in $11,300 in PAC money from organizations based in places like Plymouth Meeting, Richmond, VA, Philadelphia, Ft. Washington, Washington, DC, Columbus, OH, and Harrisburg. In fact, I only saw two PACs, one in Bensalem and one in Langhorne, that are in the 6th state senate district. They totaled $600 of the $11,300. I also looked at his individual donations and noted several from outside the district, including a nice couple in New York who gave him $5,000.

In the 2006 cycle 2 (2nd Friday Pre-Primary) I see $8,550 in PAC donations and none of the addresses look like they are in the 6th district.

So, it looks like Sen. Tomlinson is not averse to raising money himself outside his district; he just doesn’t like it when the people running against him do.

PA-08 Debate (Murphy / Fitzpatrick) on Sept. 18

Rep. Mike Fitzpatrick, the Republican incumbent in Pennsylvania's 8th congressional district debated Democratic challenger Patrick Murphy on 9/18/06 at King’s Caterers in Bristol, PA.

I took notes as carefully as I could but apologize for any errors or misconceptions. Feel free to let me know if I got something wrong.

The debate moderator had to repeatedly ask the audience to quiet down, stop waving signs, applauding, cheering, and so on. It was a very rowdy audience, and at times it was difficult to hear the candidates over the sniping and swearing coming from those in attendance.

This debate focused on health care and many of the questions seemed to overlap or repeat. I tended not to note where the candidates repeated their stance in answers or told stories about individuals. There just wasn’t time to get all the details right so I let those go. The debate was taped so it may show up on PCN at some point.

My notes on the debate are followed by some websites that provide information on the basic concepts being discussed in case people are unfamiliar with them. After that is some commentary and observations.

The Inquirer ("Social issues divide candidates" by Christine Schiavo) and the Bucks County Courier Times ("Differing views" by Elizabeth Fisher) published stories on the debate.

Opening Statements: I was getting settled and missed these. Sorry

Q1: Do you agree with Medicare cuts that will start January 1:

MF: He is working to see that cuts don’t occur. He wrote to the chairman of the committee and Speaker of the House. They were able to hold ’06 to ’05 rates.

PM: His first job in the Army was as a hospital attorney for Keller Army Community Hospital. He points out that the health industry gave Fitzpatrick $65,000. He proposes buying prescription drugs in bulk like the Veterans Administration does, and closing the “donut hole.”

Q2: What should caregivers of aging parents that are not low income and cant’ get assistance do?

PM: People are living longer and that is good, as our loved ones are with us longer. 25% of medical bills go to administration (paperwork), we need to protect social security. Fitzpatrick is for privatization of social security

MF: long term care insurance is expensive and we need to rein in the cost; more Medicaid waivers; reverse mortgages; tax credit for adult children to care for adult children.

Q3: Why not allow Medicare to bargain to lower costs for prescription drugs?

MF: He has written letters to the president on this, mentions Medicare pt. D and says he is for importation or re-importation of prescription drugs from other countries

PM: $40.1 million could be saved in Pennsylvania if we could buy drugs in bulk. “I won’t write letters.” We need to fix Medicare pt. D. [Someone near the stage shouts something at Murphy who asks if Fitzpatrick needs his campaign manager to come up and hold his hand. Moderator intervenes]

Q4: Should lobbyists work for the government and should government officials go work for lobbyists?

PM: No. Returns to theme of buying things in bulk. Says that is what he does for events. Mentions that “Big Pharma” (the pharmaceutical industry) is spending money for Fitzpatrick ads on television

MF: He wasn’t in congress when the Medicare Modernization Act was passed. He thinks is it a bad practice for those with an interest in the outcome to write legislation. He wrote an ethics reform act to lengthen the period of time before members of congress can become lobbyists. He says that will encourage congressmen to go back home when they are out of office and not stay in Washington. He says that is what he will do, go home to Levittown.

Q5: The AARP is supporting a Senate bill to permit importation of prescription drugs. Would you?

MF: He meets with the AARP regularly. He is in favor of importation if the FDA Commissioner certifies the drugs are safe.

PM: Yes.

Q6: What is the federal government’s responsibility for seeing that all citizens have health insurance?

PM: when George Bush came into office 40 million Americans were uninsured. Now 46 million are uninsured, 8 million of those are children. Mentions CHIP and thinks a state / federal / local partnership would be good. Children should go to a pediatrician not the ER for health care. We need to fix our fiscal house first.

MF: This is a priority. We need to reform the Medicaid system. We should require people who have a lot of equity in their house to spend it down before going on public money.

Q7: What revisions would you work to enact in Medicare Part D?

MF: Sometimes the best plans are not from DC. He mentions the Bucks County Health Improvement Program.

PM: Negotiate to buy drugs in bulk, close the donut hole. On day 1 a congressmen should know who he is fighting for, who his constituents are.

Q8: What can be done to make health care more affordable?

PM: We need to solve the health care crisis in America. We need to bring doctors, the insurance companies and patients together. The federal government needs to be lean and mean. We should pay down the national debt.

MF: We need liability reform, federal and state health clinics. PM is not for malpractice reform. Ties PM to trail lawyers.

Q9: The trend is for the government to take less responsibility for individuals. People’s taxes are cut they you take care of yourself. Is this good?

MF: This is a good thing. Jobs are being created. There has been 36 months of consistent job growth.

PM: He believes in personal responsibility. When people pay money into social security they are making a bond with the government to get that money back. Privatizing social security is breaking that bond.

Q10: A request for Murphy to clarify, should we cut taxes and increase personal responsibility?

PM: “I don’t believe in cutting taxes for the wealthy, especially during a time of war.”

Q11: Most recently both candidates oppose privatizing social security.

PM: It is wrong for both Democrats and Republicans to go into the social security fund. Mentions (for the 2nd time) that Fitzpatrick has stated in newspapers three times in 2005 that he was for privatizing social security.

MF: This is a serious concern. He is against raising the retirement age, raising payroll tax (didn’t catch the rest of this thought).

Q12: Should we extend the social security payroll tax to all income?

MF: From an actuarial point of view this would help but it needs to be studied.

PM: Stop raiding the trust fund.

Q13: The problems we have now are the problems we had 50 years ago. How will you change this:

PM: Change who you send to Washington

MF: “It helps in the nation’s capitol to have a little experience.” Points to his years as a county commissioner. He says country commissioners have more experience in dealing with people’s day to day problems that state representatives and state senators, which is where most congressmen get their start. He specifically mentions human and social services problems.

Q14: PM to MF – Why did you change your views on private accounts instead of social security:

MF: He is against raising benefits, the payroll tax, etc. He considered the president’s idea. We should have discussion on these things.

Q15: MF to PM: Frankford Torresdale Hospital has stopped delivering babies. There are no pediatric neurosurgeons in Bucks County. Are you in favor of liability reform?

PM: We need tort reform. There are some frivolous lawsuits. He proposes a “3 strikes and you’re out” rule. Three frivolous lawsuits and you can’t file any other suits. He does not support caps.

Q16: stem cell research

PM: Positively absolutely for embryonic, adult and umbilical stem cell research.

MF: He is for stem cell research that shows promise, adult, and umbilical stem cell research and germ cell research. He says the most promising stem cell research is adult. He suggests people visit www.stemcellresearch.com. [I tried this site and did not find any data there.]

Q17: To clarify, what about government funded stem cell research / can private companies fund stem cell research?

PM: When JFK said we should reach the moon he didn’t say let private industry go to the moon. Same for stem cell research. Should use government funding.

MF: He says it is okay for embryonic stem cell research in the private sector and other countries but save government funding for the most promising research.

Q18: Do you support a plan suggested by Congressman Stark (D-CA) to let people switch plans in Medicare pt. D at times other than the open enrollment window?

MF: He is not familiar with Congressman Stark’s legislation. He says he had introduced legislation to reform Medicare pt. D. He says people must stay in a plan for a year until open enrollment to allow companies to plan but companies shouldn’t change the drugs covered by plan mid-stream.

PM: We need to reform legislation. We should negotiate to buy in bulk and close the donut hole.

Q19: Why can’t US citizens purchase foreign drugs?

PM: We need to make sure drugs are safe.

MF: He is not opposed as long as the FDA commissioner approves.

Q20: Isn’t it silly to export drugs and then bring them back to the US?

MF: Many imported drugs are manufactured in India, etc., and we need to certify that imported rugs were manufactured in America.

PM: We need to make prescription drugs more affordable. Why are US drugs more expensive in America than overseas?

Q21: In 2008, will universal health care be a presidential issue? Will corporations be pushing for universal health care to reduced corporate health care costs?

PM: Can say what the presidential race will involved. We need universal health care. Says he has a record of being fiscally responsible.

MF: He points out that Murphy is for universal health care. Mentions Canadian system, says wealthy Canadians come here for health care because there are waiting lists in Canada. He says the US has the best health care system because of the free market system. There is more than enough money being spent on health care but we need to reallocate how we spend it.

Q22: Would you support a bill that would allow seniors and the disabled to write off all their medical expenses on their taxes?

MF: Likes the idea

PM: Likes the idea, too.

Q23: What should we do with increased government revenues?

PM: Pay down the debt. Mentions tax cuts to the wealthy in time of war.

MF: Going to reduce the deficit.

Q24: What can we do about doctors leaving Pennsylvania?

MF: We need caps on non-economic damages. We need to support physicians and more competition among health insurance companies.

PM: He uses the phrase “roll up our sleeves” but I didn’t catch his answer.

Q25: abortion

PM: He is pro-choice. Abortion should be safe, legal, and rare. Women and their doctors should decide. [Follow up: how to make them rare?] Contraceptives should be covered by health insurance, make adoption easier, sex education in schools, be proactive not reactive.

MF: He is pro-life.

Q26: health savings accounts

MF: yes, but carry amounts over from year to year.

PM: Not the solution, just like privatizing social security is not the solution. We need to tackle health care costs and pay down the debt.

Q27: how to make health care accessible to small businesses and their employees?

PM: Solve the fiscal discipline problem. One possible solution is what Massachusetts did, make it like car insurance.

MF: This would go a long long way towards solving the health care problem. The House sent legislation to the Senate but it went nowhere from there. There is no one single bullet. He takes a swipe at Murphy by asking people to look at who has solutions and who talks about change.

Q28: What about the moral issue of stem cell research?

MF: “My faith teaches me that it is wrong to destroy human life." Points out that he and Murphy were both embryos once.

PM: His sister-in-law and her husband went to a fertility clinic and by using frozen embryos were able to have children. The unused embryos were discarded as medical waste. American scientists are going other countries to do embryonic stem cell research. He would support the use of ethical research and restricted means.

Q29: improving Amtrak and local mass transit

PM: for mass transit. Agencies need to know their funding 5-10 years in advance to allow for planning. He supports Illinois Senator Obama’s “health care for hybrids” program.

MF: He mentions that Bush zeroed out funding for Amtrak. He asked to join the Amtrak caucus and discovered there wasn’t one. So he formed on with Mike Castle of Delaware. After 9/11 people got around by rail while the planes were grounded. He has introduced legislation to make rail transit more affordable.

Closing comments:

PM: Mentions his service in Iraq in 2003, Medicare pt D, embryonic stem cell research. Ties MF to Bush, says we need a change in direction.

MF: Says PM wants to make Nancy Pelosi Speaker of the House. Makes three variations on the statement that he is from the area. Says he is an independent member of congress and opposes the administration on energy, the environment and the budget.

Background:

Terms – “donut hole” – from wedmd

Medicare Pt. D from seniorlaw and the Foundation for Health in Aging here and here

Wardrobe notes: MF black suit, moss green shirt, green tie; PM blue jacket, light blue shirt, red tie

Commentary: The most interesting statement I heard during the debate was Fitzpatrick’s answer to question 13 when he said county commissioners were more involved with people’s day to day problems than state representatives or state senators. The hard working state reps I have known were very involved in the problems their constituents brought to them. Bucks County state reps and state senators may disagree with Congressman Fitzpatrick on this. Some residents of the county might as well.

Personal observations: I’d only seen Fitzpatrick in person once before, when he was campaigning two years ago. On that occasion he was surrounded by admirers, reaching out to shake hands with people, looking very charismatic. I didn’t see any of that at the debate but it might have been the angle I was looking at him from as he spoke or bad lighting or something. He was very low-key and I didn’t really see any real sparks or passion in anything he said. Murphy was feistier than I had seen him before. I did think his remark about Fitzpatrick’s campaign manager at question 3 was a little out of line but I wasn’t close enough to hear what the campaign manager said to him.

Santorum Meets the Press

Y'all thought I was joking, didn't you, when my blog post on the Casey / Santorum debate ended with the remark that I wouldn't sit with my back to Santorum unless I were wearing kevlar?

You've probably already seen the reports Santorum's encounter with Patriot-News reporter / blogger Brett Lieberman ("Tightening races boost state GOP's confidence," 9/17):

Santorum, who alluded to his rocky relations with the press as he hopped from room to room to meet with regional caucuses earlier in the morning, later refused to talk when a Patriot-News reporter approached with a question about Iran. He complained about what he called biased coverage.

"I have to raise tens of millions of dollars because of the junk you feed the people of Pennsylvania," he said. He then used an expletive to describe the coverage and slammed down a newspaper.

(It was also reported in John Micek's "Resurrection of pay hike issue haunts GOP," in the Morning Call, as well as discussed in Tom Ferrick's blog.)

Michelangelo, Poetry, and Santorum

I've gone out to a some political events over the past few days but haven't had the time to write them up yet; tonight was parent's night at school and that took precedence. Expect posts later this week on observation of Casey and on the Fitzpatrick / Murphy debate.

For this evening, I leave you with this:

Did you know Michelangelo wrote poetry? I didn’t either until I recently chanced upon “The Complete Poems of Michelangelo,” translated by John Frederick Nims. These are not light happy poems; they have sharp edges. One in particular (#75, p. 59) struck me. It’s sort of a Renaissance precursor of Carly Simon’s “He’s So Vain.” It reminds me of Sen. Rick Santorum, though you may think it fits some other candidate or official better. Here it is:

Too much! The way he flaunts himself around,
knocking folks dead, he’s such a handsome sight.
[missing line]
showing off, gallivanting on the town.
Too much! The way he makes the sun dim down
by batting his brighter eyes, till noon seems night.
And then his song, his laugh! The pure delight
dumbfounds. O he’s a prince! Get out the crown!

Meeting Paul Lang

I wrote some time ago about criteria I used for evaluating candidates, especially those I can see in person. In a later posting I used the criteria to evaluate a specific candidate, Patrick Murphy (running for the 8th Congressional district). It’s a time consuming process, finding opportunities to go out and observe a candidate, how they speak, what they say, how they relate to people, especially since so few campaigns will actually post information on when and where they will be.

Over the past several months I’ve had a chance to see another candidate enough times to do a thorough observation. Paul Lang is the Democratic candidate for the 6th state senate district, running against incumbent Republican Robert “Tommy” Tomlinson. I’ve been to 6 public events that Paul has attended and at 5 of those he spoke, even if briefly (link to posts where he spoke at length here and here). At some of these we exchanged a few words but did not have extensive conversations. This was my choice as he usually asked open-ended questions to which I could have given lengthy answers but didn’t. As a rule, if I interact with people as Jane I avoid talking with them in my civilian identity. He answered questions for an email interview and we’ve had a consistent email correspondence for several months.

The Utility Test

Regardless of how useful I think I may be to a candidate or official, when I meet them for the first time I take a very low profile and keep credentials to a minimum. Why? Because no matter how useful I may be at any given time, there will come a day when I am obsolete or replaced. I want to know how this person treats those who they think are of no particular interest.

Paul did very well here. He is uniformly pleasant and welcoming. He’s also very hospitable, making sure people have a place to sit, can find what they need, and so on. It’s important to say that up front because one of the things I like best about Paul is that he doesn’t fawn on people. It is sometimes a fine line but he manages it well. He gives the impression of being very grounded with a solid core of values. His parents have been at a few of the events I attended and they have the same sense about them. In this case it seems the apple didn’t fall far from the tree. Paul is polite to everyone equally. Meet him more than once and he’s likely to remember your name, even if you aren’t a big donor or influential in the community. He doesn’t hold himself back and participate only in the “important” things. He pitches in where help is needed, talks to whoever is near and will walk across the room to greet someone he recognizes or someone who just appears lost. If you spend a little time watching him you quickly pick up on his organizational and planning abilities. He scans a room and can zero in on people he hasn’t talked to and where the forks are and what might be needed at the next two steps of the event. Plus, he can keep all these details neatly arranged in his head and retrieve the information as needed. If you are at an event that Paul has had anything to do with you will want for nothing and he will be sure to wander over, say hello, and ask how you are.

It is common in politics for candidates and campaigns to expect those interacting with them to keep track of when and where they met and what their common business is. If I am emailing someone at a campaign regarding a topic that we emailed about more than a day ago I give them the background on it because they will have undoubtedly forgotten. Political campaigns move at light speed and they just can’t remember. Paul is unique in that he will mention or send me a link regarding something we emailed about weeks ago, with clarity, and all details correct. Trust me, this is impressive.

The Staff and Supporters Test

People who has a high level of expectation for themselves is likely to hire staff with similar behaviors. You seldom see an ethical, efficient, and engaged politician with a sloppy staff. If you do, chances are they are patronage hires and the official is beholden to a powerbroker or party boss somewhere. While all candidates have to constantly troll for money, most will have a core of loyal supporters. See if these are local people or special interests. Talk to others who attend an event. What kind of people are they? The character of candidates is sometimes also reflected in the character of their supporters.

Paul is running a low-key campaign and I’ve had few interactions with his campaign manager and none with other staff. The people who attend his events or events that he attends are diverse, in age, education, life experience, and so on, but they share an attachment to the party and to Paul. He is, without a doubt, a hometown boy, and many of his prospective constituents are very possessive and protective of him. This is a good sign. They know him. They like him. They look out for him. They tell me how wonderful they think he is. By and large the people at Paul’s events are proud of their district and proud of Paul. They are nice people, the liveliest and sometimes the most boisterous of the audiences at political events I’ve attended. They are also the most down to earth. While the conversations I’ve had with people at events where Paul or his prospective constituents predominated may not have been the most polite they were almost always pithy and practical.

The Motivation Test

One key skill that can be a big help to an elected official is the ability to persuade people to do things they may not want to do, to involve people in a cause, or in their community, to get people who don’t like each other to talk. Paul is one of those people you want to do well for. Remember in school there was one teacher whose homework you always had done even if you blew off all the other classes? Paul is like that. He works hard himself and holds himself to high standards. He’s one of those people that you always want to be on your best behavior around. Getting out enough to write this blog post has taken a lot of time and effort, not to mention some money, but it has been a priority for some months now, because Paul is someone that I think is worth it. Paul often sends me information on events or mentions candidates, never with an explicit request to attend or look into the person or the race, but just a note that I might find it interesting. He’s very knowledgeable about regional politics and often passes along tidbits that have nothing to do with his race but are still useful. One thing I have consistently heard about Paul is that he has a talent for building goodwill and loyalty and bringing together people who otherwise disagree and by example, nudging people to take the high road. This is a rare quality indeed.

Paul’s diverse life experience lets him speak with authenticity to a wide audience. As a veteran he can speak to veterans. As the son of an established family he can speak to those who have lived in the district for generations. To those who have faced adversity he can relate his own experiences with physical rehabilitation after a serious accident in the Coast Guard and his potential exposure to anthrax in Washington, D.C. He worked his way through law school and picked up an MBA as well. When he talks about dedication and hard work and encourages people to, at least temporarily, pool their efforts for a good cause, he has some knowledge of what he is asking. As has been pointed out, he is a novice to elected political office, though not to political activity generally. In some ways that allows people to get a better view of him as a person. He doesn’t have that spray on social polish that seasoned pols have.

The Rope Test

My mother's basic judge of character is to ask this: If you were dangling over a cliff and hanging on to a rope, would you want this person to be holding the other end of the rope? It's a good question. Having watched Paul and seen his ability to plan ahead and his attention to detail, I am fairly certain that Paul would have foreseen that someone might be dangling over that cliff or a cliff in general. Any rope he handed down would have knotted handholds on it, perhaps a loop at the bottom to hang on to. There would be food and water waiting when you got back up, if not tucked away on a nearby ledge, and he would have arranged for you to have a ride home. This is all in addition to hauling you up and organizing a team to help with logistics.

Summation

It is important to look at policy positions, campaign finance reports, press releases, votes, and the like, but it is also important to look at the person. If you find someone you can trust, you can skip a campaign finance report now and then and feel comfortable that if he or she didn’t vote the way you like on an issue, there is probably a good reason for it, even if you never know what that reason is.

I have no doubt of Paul’s moral compass. I have tried to think of examples to support this conclusion but it is hard to pinpoint exactly what behaviors or words formed this opinion. There are no individual actions; it is pervasive in everything he does. He is far and away the most connected person as far as regional matters I have run into and he has been very willing to share what he knows. If you mentioned a state house or senate race anywhere in the region I’m sure he could tell who was running and why. When I have questions about regional politics Paul is my first stop for questions; he often has the answer or at least an opinion. He is informed on the issues and when I have heard him speak on those issues most important to his district he has marshaled his facts and explained his views and arguments well. His deep and abiding love of the 6th district is clear in his choice of issues to champion and the way he talks about the families, the children, and the older widowed veterans who live there. I think the 6th district would be well represented by Paul.

PA in the WSJ

Once again I'm listing the PA related articles that caught my eye in this week's Wall Street Journal. No particular reason for doing this, it's just the sort of thing I do, and it helps pass the time until the state legislature goes back into session and the weekly legislative updates can start up again.

PA Politics

“Party Lines Blur in Surveillance Debate,” by Sarah Leuck features Sen. Arlen Specter, Chair of the Judiciary Committee. (9/11)

Former Pennsylvania congressman Pat Toomey, now with the Club for Growth, is quoted in “Republicans’ Strategy May Backfire,” by Jeanne Cummings (9/14)

PA Business

Mention of new Sunoco director. (9/12)

It isn’t specifically a business but it is in a special section on the business of sports. There is a mention of a program at the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Business being one of a handful of business schools that have put together business management sessions for NFL players. “When the Cheering Stops,” by Fara Warner (9/16)

Other PA

“Near Shanksville, Pa., Local ‘Ambassadors” Tend to Flight 93 Site,” by Jeffrey Zaslow (9/11)

“Restrictions Curb Use of Powerful Acne Drug,” by Jennifer Corbett Dooren discusses the difficulty some patients have in getting and filling Accutane prescriptions, due to the side effects the medication can have when taken by pregnant women. It is associated with birth defects in babies. The article quotes a Philadelphia dermatologist. (9/12)

Swarthmore is accepting more students who attended public high schools than it did five years ago; the University of Pennsylvania’s ratio remains about the same. This information appears in “Opting out of Public School,” by Nancy Keates (9/15).

National Journal House Race Ranking Update

The National Journal has updated its House race ranking list. Here are the relevant PA listings in the top 50.

PA-04 makes it's debut at #50, with incumbent Republican Melissa Hart facing Democratic challenger Jason Altmire.

PA-10 stays at #21. Democrat Chris Carney is challenging incumbent Republican Don Sherwood.

PA-08 dropped from #14 to #19, because the national Republican party has been putting more of its resources into PA-06 and PA-07 instead of supporting incumbent Republican Mike Fitzpatrick's battle with Democrat Patrick Murphy. I question this logic but the folks at NJ know oodles more than I do about these things.

PA-07 moved up from #16 to #13. Incumbent Republican Curt Weldon is facing Democrat Joe Sestak.

PA-06, where Democrat Lois Murphy is going for a rematch against incumbent Republican Jim Gerlach, dropped from #3 to #4

New State House Commercials

Mike Paston, Democratic candidate for the 152nd PA legislative district, has put his new commercial on the web (view here).

Not to be outdone, Rick Taylor, Democratic candidate for the 151st PA legislative district, has a new commercial out, available on youtube here. I've seen Taylor a few times in person and I don't think the camera effectively captures his folksy charm.

Both commercials concern health care. Must be a popular issue in that part of the region.

May PA Senate Journals

Not much happened in May. The Pennsylvania State Senate met for 3 days and one of those, May 2nd, was devoted primarily to memories of and testimonials to the life of Sen. Robert Thompson. The prayer on that day, by the pastor of Sen. Thompson’s church was beautifully written.

If you look at the May 2nd journal, there is an interesting story about Sen. Thompson and a governor (there was more than one governor during Thompson’s term and the name of the governor isn’t given) on page 7 of the pdf, page 1587 of the printed volume. On page 9 (1589 of the printed volume), Sen. Tomlinson explains why he is wearing a tie with horses’ backsides on it (not necessarily the reason you might think).

The Pay Raise That Wouldn't Die

In this morning's Inquirer ("Pa. court splits its decision on raises," by Mario Cattabiani and Amy Worden), we read:

In a decision that is renewing public anger, the state Supreme Court yesterday ruled that the legislature violated the state constitution by allowing lawmakers to take midterm pay raises last year.

But the court stopped short of requiring House and Senate members who accepted the extra money to reimburse the state, ruling that they "acted in good faith" that the law was constitutional.

Separately, the court reinstated the raises for 1,000 members of the state judiciary - including its own - that ended when the legislature repealed the pay hikes amid an outpouring of public outrage in November.

Read the entire article here (http://www.philly.com/mld/philly/15522081.htm). Previous Inquirer coverage on the topic, as well as a list of state legislators and how they voted, can be found at go.philly.com/payraise

Santorum Said What??!!!

Just watching a Women for Santorum meeting/rally on PCN. Christine Olson, of the PA Republican State Committee, was introducing Sen. Rick Santorum, who was speaking from Washington on the phone. She said she had known him since he was a brash young Congressman, then she added that he was good looking. Now, she said he was a brash older Senator. As he came on the phone she said "he's going to hit me for saying he's older." He said "I'll hit you for dropping the 'good looking'."

Ummm, I thought we had all decided that it was no longer amusing for male politicans to joke about hitting women.

Santorum went on the speak warmly of his women and his women supporters. I think it would have been better to word this as the association or organization of women who support him. His use of the personal possessive here just sounds wrong to me. There is no male candidate or elected official, regardless of how strongly I support him, that I would want to refer to me as one of his women or one of his women supporters.

I'm changing the channel now.

Allyson Schwartz Update

Rep. Allyson Schwartz, Democratic congressional representative for the 13th district (parts of Montgomery County and Philadelphia), has updated her campaign website. It is still lacking an issues page but does currently have a news page, an updated biography, etc. A speech she recently made on the house floor regarding the Iraq war is now available on You Tube (here).

State House Race News

Michael Paston, Democratic candidate for the 152nd state house, is now airing commercials. Bryan Lentz, Democratic candidate for the 161st state house, is too (available here).

Congressional Campaign Updates

Patrick Murphy, Democratic candidate for the 8th congressional district, has updated his plan to bring the troops home from Iraq. (press release here via politicspa.com). The full plan is available on Murphy's website (www.murphy06.com) here.

Two congressional candidates have new campaign television ads. Joe Sestak, Democratic candidate in the 7th congressional district has an ad available here. Patrick Murphy's new ad is on his website here.

Bob Casey at the Democratic State Committee (via PCN)

Today I taped the Democratic State Committee on PCN and watched it this evening. I’m not sure when the event actually happened but it was sometime in the past week, between the Casey / Santorum debate and this past weekend. The most notable portion of the 90 minute program was the speech by Bob Casey, Jr. He was wearing a gray suit, light gray tie, and standing in front of an off-white background. You would think that all that monochrome would just swallow Casey up but it had the opposite effect; the bland canvas really let him stand out.

He was the most animated I have ever seen him, gestures, smiles, even a little melody in his voice. He started off discussing the debate and said Santorum’s support of Rumsfeld and Bush were the equivalent of the president congratulating Michael Brown after Hurricane Katrina. (“You’re doing a great job, Brownie” being compared to Santorum saying Bush was doing a great job.)

My favorite line in his speech was “We cannot tire. We cannot falter. We cannot stop.” He said we have to work night and day to change course and reverse some of the effects of Republican policies. As one example he mentioned that 8.3 million children with no health insurance is an abomination. In his view the Republican priority is to give tax cuts to the very wealthy, instead of supporting homeland security or fiscal responsibility.

One of his parting lines is that he will focus on the people who live on Main Street not the people who peddle influence on K Street, a direct swipe as Sen. Santorum.

These may be oft repeated chestnuts but they were all new to me. Other features of the program were lengthy remarks by Lt. Gov. Knoll and remarks by party officials to the effect that state committee members should support endorsed candidates or find something else to do. The rest of the program involved memorials to the late Pittsburgh mayor and someone else whose name I did not catch (apologies to the family) and party business.

An Interview with Mike Paston (152nd State House District)

Michael Paston is the Democratic candidate for the 152nd Pennsylvania state house seat, which includes Hatboro and Bryn Athyn, Upper and Lower Moreland townships, parts of Upper Dublin and Horsham townships, all of Montgomery County, and the Philmont Heights section of Northeast Philadelphia. While this is not exactly an open seat, there is no incumbent. Thomas Murt defeated the current representative, Sue Cornell, in the Republican primary. Mike Paston and Tom Murt will face off on the November ballot.

Paston's website provides a biographical background:

Mike was born and raised in Upper Dublin, and graduated from Upper Dublin High School. Mike attended Penn State University and Temple University School of Law, earning degrees in Accounting and Law. Mike was a state and local tax consultant for Price Waterhouse, and later practiced law in Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey with emphasis on business litigation, taxation, municipal court and family law. Mike is currently the owner of a respected printing company, Jaguar Press (Formerly Minuteman Press of Fort Washington). Mike is also a member of the Eastern Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce, and serves on the Board of Directors for the Fort Washington Business Alliance. Mike is currently the Vice-President and serves as the finance committee chairman of the Upper Dublin Board of School Directors.

I’ve heard Paston speak twice. He is a good speaker and presents himself well. He's also a snappy dresser and has a somewhat formal demeanor. He is willing to take time to talk with people and shows a familiarity with his district and the issues, as you can see from his answers to the following interview questions:

You have changed parties a number of times (Democrat in New Jersey, GOP in PA, then back to Democrat). Does that represent philosophic shifts on your part, or by the parties, or a pragmatic response to the political atmosphere of where you were living at the time?

I have always been a democrat philosophically. When I moved back to Montgomery County I made the wrong assumption that it was still GOP dominated like it was back when I was growing up. I had lived in Burlington County, NJ which remains GOP controlled and was very frustrated. Thinking I did not want to fight more uphill battles I became a Republican when I first registered. And at the time the local Republicans were very welcoming. Very quickly I realized I was out of place in the Republican party and switched back. Although I ran for School Board as a Republican I was never involved in the Republican party like I have been in the Democratic party. For all but 5 of my 42 years I have been a Democrat and I will be a Democrat forever.

The most recent party shift was in Feb. of 2006 after the local Republican organization’s early endorsement of incumbent Rep. Sue Cornell. Why the sudden shift and how were you able to get the Democratic endorsement in such short order?

I had planned to quietly switch back this summer in anticipation of my school board reelection in 2007. I did not want it to be very public because my switch was going to change School Board control from 5-4 Republican to 5-4 Democrat. Most people do not care, but the party insiders would have taken notice. I went to the Republican endorsement of Cornell. I spoke to the committee people and told them they were making a mistake. I warned them that this seat was vulnerable and sticking with Cornell was not going to help them keep the seat. My appearance at that meeting was in the newspaper. Soon after I received a call from an Upper Dublin Democrat who was not impressed with the only announced Democratic candidate at the time and asked if I would consider switching parties and running. I consulted some people in the Democratic party and jumped into the race. After that another candidate entered the race and all three of us worked hard for the endorsement. I ran a campaign to get the votes needed for the endorsement. The Democratic committee is a group of hard working dedicated people who want their towns, county, state and country to be a better place. The majority of committee persons were convinced I was a good philosophical fit as their candidate and had the best chance to win in November. One candidate stayed in the primary and I won with 65% of the vote.

You are on the Upper Dublin School Board and served on the school board in Mount Laurel, NJ. Why the interest in school boards?

Education is very important to me. I feel very strongly that a quality education is the best way to make sure our children are productive members of society and this country stays great. I first ran in Mount Laurel, NJ because I had three young children and the direction of the Board was troubling. Soon after I moved back to Upper Dublin I recognized that I could be a valuable member of the School Board and I ran. I am now Vice President and have been chair of finance since first taking office.

Why did you decide to stop practicing law?

I practiced law in Philadelphia and New Jersey for 12 years. In 2000 the opportunity to take over the family printing business became available and the idea interested me. After discussing it with my wife I closed my law practice and switched careers. I enjoyed practicing law and had some very interesting cases. The printing business is different and presents different challenges, and I enjoy the work. My father built a successful business that is part of the community and I have just tried to not mess that up.

You are currently working in a family owned business. What would you like to see the state do to encourage small businesses?

The State needs to examine the tax structure and health care. I try to provide health care to my employees but it is very difficult.

Would you be a full-time legislator or continue to work in your current position also?

I will be a full-time legislator with an eye on the business. I have ten wonderful employees at Jaguar Press. My manager will continue to run the business and hold everything together. I expect that when we are in session I will check in once a week to make sure everything is under control and see what I need to do to help. Many of our employees have been with Jaguar for over 20 years, and only one less then five, and they take great pride in their work, so I have no concerns that the business will be successful even when I am in Harrisburg.

You’ve been involved in politics for several years, running for office in NJ as early as 1998 and had a floor pass to the National Democratic Convention in 1996. How did you become interested in politics and do you have ambitions for higher office?

I do not have ambitions for higher office. I am only running for this seat because I was not happy with the job the current State Representative was doing. I first became interested in politics during high school. At the time the Upper Dublin Board of School Directors had voted to close the high school and turn the middle school (Three Tuns) into the high school. It was very controversial and eventually two candidates ran and won as write-in's on the ballot. It was an amazing exercise in democracy. The previous decision was overturned and Three Tuns was sold. Now that decision haunts the district three decades later. In my senior year in high school I spent a week in Washington D.C. as part of the Presidential Classroom program. It was a wonderful eye opening experience.

You’ve criticized Rep. Cornell’s newsletters and press releases. What you would you to keep in touch with your constituents?

First I would have an office staff that responds to constituents needs. Even if the problem is not a state problem we will work to get the person to the right person so they can be helped. I am in the printing business and thus and very aware of how important printed communication, usually mailings, is to keep people informed. I will regularly communicate with the residents of the district, not just in the months before an election. I also plan to occasionally walk and knock on doors just as I have been doing during the campaign. I will pick a street and see what people are thinking about. One gentleman in Huntingdon Valley said when I came to his door that I am only knocking because it is election time and I want his vote. He said he has never seen a politician any other time. I promised him that I will knock on his door the day after the election so we can talk about his concerns without the "vote for me" message. In addition I would like to have quarterly meetings with groups of community members to discuss pending legislation and get feedback.

When should the religious affiliations or business interests of an elected official be considered a conflict of interest?

When they interfere with the elected officials ability to represent the people in their district. We are all shaped by our religion, education, profession, family, environment, etc. They should be part of a persons make-up not dictate their votes.

How important is reliable reasonably priced public transit to your district? Are you in favor of dedicated funding for SEPTA and regional rail?

I am in favor of dedicated funding for SEPTA and regional rail. Reasonably priced public transportation is very important. But just as important is easy to use and access public transportation. More parking spaces at train stations and more convenient train schedules will increase riders and decrease traffic and pollution as much as lower prices.

How would you balance the need for regional planning efforts against solely local decisions?

We need to plan regionally to the end result to be effective. My job as a State Representative is to bring different groups and local elected officials to the table to make decisions that help everyone in the region and then secure the finances they will need to implement the plan.

What would you like to see happen to the old Fox Chase to Newton railroad line?

I need to do some research before providing an answer to the question.

How would you describe Bryn Athyn to someone visiting from another region or country?

Bryn Athyn is a very proud self sufficient community in the heart of the Philadelphia suburbs.

What would you like to see happen to the Willow Grove Naval Air Station?

If the WGNAS is going to close we should seize the opportunity for a planned community. Rarely does such a large piece of land become available all at one time. Professional planners need to work with local officials to make sure the development of the property is good for the community. However I do not think the fight to keep the WGNAS is over.

What would you like to see happen with the retail areas (strip malls) in the district or are you happy with them as they are? I am thinking of areas like the 611 and 263 intersection and the scattered shopping areas along those highways to the north.

Local governments have some ability through zoning to improve the look of the area. I would encourage a joint effort to work towards vibrant retail districts that are safe and aesthetically pleasing while encouraging a mix of large national retail chains and local businesses.

What question didn’t I ask that you would like to answer?

What is the biggest issue facing Pennsylvania and the 152nd district and how can it be addressed? The answer is the same it has been for 30 years-property taxes. I will be announcing a property tax plan that will allow senior citizens to not be taxed out of their homes and will not cost other taxpayers any additional money. Stay tuned!

My thanks to Mike Paston for participating in this series of interviews with candidates from the suburban Philadelphia area.

PA in WSJ

These are the PA related items I saw in the Wall Street Journal this week.

PA Businesses

UGI Corp of Valley Forge. CFO retiring. UGI is a holding company with three subsidiaries which distribute and market propane, natural gas, and generate electricity for the eastern USA (9/05/06)

“Will Hershey meet its forecast,” by Joseph H. Hallinan (9/07/06)

Other PA

“Unsettled immigration debate looms large,” by June Kronholz (9/06/06). Discusses illegal immigrant ordinance in Riverside, NJ that is based on a similar ordinance in Hazelton, PA.

“Why fans and alums pay through the nose to see Notre Dame,” by Ilan Brat (9/07/06). Mentions a Dallas, PA resident who rents a house in South Bend, Indiana on weekends to take his family to see Notre Dame football games. The price of house rentals and hotels has skyrocketed the weekend of the Notre Dame / Penn State game.

A Personal Opinion

I've read in a variety of places this week about a call for Rumsfeld's resignation being attached to a defense spending bill. I don't like this kind of political stunt. I don't like it when Republicans do it. I don't like it when anybody else does it. Stop it, eveybody, just stop it.

While I'm expressing my views, let me add a smack to the RNC. They've added me to an email list. No idea why, someone didn't do their homework, that's for sure. Most of what is sent around is trash talk. About half of the messages start out with the phrase "not for attribution." Seems kind of slimy to me.

Okay, venting accomplished. We now return to our regularly scheduled channel.

National Journal House Race Ranking Update

The National Journal has updated its House Race Rankings.

Of the four Pennsylvania congressional races in the top listing,

PA-06 stays at #3. "Lois Murphy has run one of the strongest campaigns of any Democratic challenger so far." (She is running against incumbent Republican Jim Gerlach.

PA-08 moves up from #15 to #14. Democrat Patrick Murphy is challenging incumbent Republican Mike Fitzpatrick. “Most of the Dems' Iraq war vet candidates have lost or underachieved, but Murphy's the real deal.”

PA-07 stays at #16. Democract Joe Sestak is challenging incumbent Republican Curt Weldon.

PA-10 moves up from #25 to #21. Democrat Chris Carney is challenging incumbent Republican Don Sherwood. "polls suggest Carney is within striking distance."

Blog Round Up

Daddy Democrat had an interesting exchange with Rep. Tom Gannon, who is hoping to defeat Democratic challenger Bryan Lentz. Gannon might want to try some different tactics.

The Penn Dems, the University of Pennsylvania Young Democrats organization, invited Patrick Murphy to their first meeting of the year. In a post on mydd a Penn Dem writes:

One of the great things that Patrick does - which most politicians show a strange inability to do - is to not stick to the same stump speech and to make it more personal.

I have been impressed with this as well.

New Polls

There are new congressional race polls out. Recordings instead of personal interviews were used so there is some controvery over the results. However, the polls do show Democrat Chris Carney ahead of incumbent Republican Don Sherwood and Democrat Lois Murphy ahead of incumbent Republican Jim Gerlach. (Read article from the Morning call, "Poll shows Sherwood, Gerlach trailing challengers in their races"
by Josh Drobnyk here.)

In the 8th district incumbent Republican Mike Fitzpatrick is ahead of Democrat Patrick Murphy 53-45, with a 3.1 margin of error. This puts them roughly where they were a month or so ago in a previous poll. The full report is available here. In much of the county the race is a tie. One other interesting note, while 51% of the district is Republican, Fitzpatrick has only a 41% "strong support" base and Bush has an approval rating of 36%.

3 State Senate Candidates Issue Keystone Contract

As mentioned yesterday, 3 Democratic Bucks County state senate candidates, Paul Lang (6th district), Chris Serpico (10th district), and Jeff Albert (12th district) announced their proposed state government reforms. I don't agree with all of them, but I'm glad they are thinking about such things. (press release via politicspa)

THE KEYSTONE CONTRACT

1. ADOPT TERM LIMITS
· 3-term limit for Senators; 6-year limit for leaders and committee chairs

2. LOBBY REFORM
· Require quarterly disclosure of the value of all resources that principals commit to their lobbying related activities (including support staff and efforts to influence the public to lobby); and disclosure of all gifts, meals and travel provided to public officials by a lobbyist or principal.
· Bar receipt of gifts of any kind, and reimbursement of personal expenses, such as books and legal fees.

3. WAM REFORM
· End use of the Commerce Department as means of funding legislative WAMs (Walking Around Money)
· Publish list of WAMs in a searchable database by Legislator and recipient

4. STOP ACCRUED BENEFITS
· End all accrued benefits (benefits based on length of time served)
· Prohibit any increase in any form of compensation beyond inflation

5. END “COMMITTEES AS FIEFDOMS”
· Permit one-third of members to bring up a bill or amendment in order to prevent unlimited control of agendas by Committee Chairs

6. OPEN RECORDS REFORM
· Post all voting records within 24 hours
· Publish all Legislative Journals within 20 days of session
· Provide timely access to essential documents prepared for pending decisions
· Ensure that access to documents is not denied through excessive retrieval processing, copying fees, and time delays

7. NO PROMOTION OF PERSONAL BUSINESS
· Bar the use of official position in the State Senate to promote personal business interests
· Restrict the Legislator and the Legislator’s family and business partners from doing business with any state or local agency and with any state regulated business.

8. STOP LAME DUCK SESSIONS
· No Lame Duck Sessions where you can raise taxes and approve spending

9. RE-DISTRICTING REFORM
· Create an independent redistricting commission

10. INCREASE FISCAL ACCOUNTABILITY
· Publish budget notes online for every bill and amendment, after the last budget note has been issued, with at least three legislative days of notice before voting
· Provide an online database searchable by sponsor, co-sponsor, Legislator and the aggregate for spending
· Adopt campaign finance limits similar to existing federal law

Two Reports on Higher Education in PA

Two notes or reports on higher education caught my eye recently. In today's Inquirer ("Pa is a failure at keeping college affordable for all," by Martha Raffaele), an article mentions a report by the nonprofit National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education which put Pennsylvania among 43 states that fail to make college affordable. In reply:

A state Education Department spokesman said the findings were misleading, however, because the report combines the cost of attending Pennsylvania's 14 state-owned universities with the higher cost of four other "state-related" universities that receive state funding, but are not state-owned.

In other areas the state did well:

Pennsylvania's grades in "Measuring Up 2006: The National Report Card on Higher Education":

Preparedness for college: B
Enrollment: B
Affordability: F
Degree completion: A
Benefits to the state: A-minus

At the end of August, IssuesPA posted a brief report entitled: Measuring State and Local Government Spending: Pennsylvania’s Priorities: How Do We Compare with Other States?

It notes that Pennsylvania spends 15% less on higher education than the national average. Oddly enough, it spends 1.6% more on elementary and secondary education than the national average.

Interesting stuff.

Lang and Other State Senate Candidates Set Priorities

This past week Paul Lang, Democratic candidate for the 6th state senate district, sent out an announcement on what would be his legislative priorities. In part, the press release said:

Paul Lang supports developing small business initiatives and raising
the minimum wage to $7.15 by 2007 for all workers. In March, he called for a "Fair Share Health Care" law for Pennsylvania and announced his support for Rep. Jake Wheatley's disclosure bill requiring the state welfare department to report annually on the number of people on Medicaid who are employees of businesses with 20 or more workers.

Additionally, Lang is a strong supporter of expanding the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) to ensure that all eligible children can be enrolled under a presumptive eligibility initiative. The expansion would help to ensure that all eligible children would have health insurance. The same plan is supported by Gov. Ed Rendell.

Tomorrow Lang, Jeff Albert (Democratic candidate for the 12th state senate district), and Chris Serpico (Democratic candidate for the 10th state senate district) will hold a joint press conference to highlight a 10 point program for legislative reform, including Lobbyist Disclosure Reforms, Open Records Law modifications, and Structural Changes to the manner in which Senate sessions are conducted.

7th Philly City Council District

I am late posting on this; my apologies. The 7th Philadelphia City Council seat has been vacant since Councilman Rick Mariano vacated the seat. the 7th district is 50% Latino and 75% minority. There are three people under consideration for the Democratic spot on the ballot to fill his seat. Maria Quinones Sanchez, Daniel Savage of the 23rd ward or John Sabatina (father of the state representative of the same name) of the 56th Ward. Sabatina doesn't currently live in the ward but says he would move if chosen. the candidate will be chosen by the 12 ward leaders in the district.

City politics is a mystery to me. In the counties candidate selection even at the lowest level is usually made by more than 12 people. In the 13th congressional district, which is split between Philadelphia and Montgomery Co., the difference in the number of people who decide who is endorsed or on the ballot of special elections is astronomical.

Hearing on HR 175

Last week I caught part of a hearing on PCN regarding HR 175 which pertains to violent video games. The PA House Children and Youth Committee held the hearing. It went on for a couple of hours but I only saw the first hour or so. It was the first time I’ve actually watched that much of a committee hearing. Very interesting. The three witnesses I saw were a child psychologist who discussed some of the dangers, a representative of the gaming industry who talked about the average age of gamers (20s and 30s) and what parents can do to keep children safe, and a representative of the Pennsylvania FOP, who expressed anger at games that awarded points for shooting police officers.

Rep. Jerry Birmelin chaired the meeting. Rep. Josh Shapiro is on the committee and appears to be sporting a new haircut. Rep. Wheatley fessed up to being a gamer and provided his views on things. Rep. Millard said he had never seen a video game and asked if there would be any way of getting some. Birmelin asked if Millard wanted the committee to buy one for him. There was some joking discussion of whether the budget would allow. Birmelin offers to lend Millard his grandchildren’s PlayStation.

I had to leave at that point and missed the rest of the discussion.

PA in WSJ

Going through last week's Wall Street Journal I found the following Pennsylvania references.

PA Politics

“Republican Advantage on Issue of National Security Erodes,” by Jackie Calmes (9/01/06)

Excerpt:

A laboratory for how that fight plays out is suburban Philadelphia. Ten-term Republican Rep. Curt Weldon, a senior member of the House Armed Services Committee, is running his toughest reelection campaign yet, with full-throated support for the Iraq war. “We either fight them there,” Mr. Weldon said, “or we fight them here in the supermarkets and streets here.” He still insisters there are weapons of mass destruction in Iraq.”

Stuart Rothenberg, a veteran nonpartisan handicapper of congressional races, recently rated Mr. Weldon’s a tossup. The Democratic challenger is Joe Sestak, a former vice admiral who served in Afghanistan. Two weeks ago, Democratic leaders tapped him to deliver the party’s weekly response to Mr. Brush’s weekly radio address. Mr. Sestak charged that the administration, by its attention to Iraq, had ignored Iran “as it developed a nuclear capability,” as well as North Korea, “now launching missiles.” Recalling his own stint in Afghanistan, he said that country now “is in danger of once again falling prey to terrorists.” And the alleged terrorist plot in London, Mr. Sestak added, “forces us to ask: Are we doing everything possible to make America safe?”

Later, in a list of key races, the 7th (Weldon / Sestak) and 8th (Fitzpatrick / Patrick Murphy) are included: In historically Republican-friendly districts, a reaction against war and social conservatism could displace incumbents such as Curt Weldon and Mike Fitzpatrick.

“Why Senate Will Be Tougher For Democrats to Take Back,” by Jackie Calmes (9/01/06)

This year’s most vulnerable Republicans are Pennsylvania’s Rick Santorum, Ohio’s Mike DeWine, Missouri’s Jim Talent, Montana’s Conrad Burns, and Rhode Isalnd’s Lincoln Chafee, who first faces a tough party primary challenge Sept. 12.

PA Businesses

“Desperate for a Cure,” by Geeta Anand (adapted from her book The Cure). Mentions Neose Technologies, Inc., headquartered in Horsham. Real tearjerker, keep tissues handy if you read the article or the book.

“Wall Street Plays the Markets,” by Aaron Lucchetti (8/30/06). Mentions the Philadelphia Stock Eschange.

Other PA

“New Gene Therapy Appears to Shrink Tumors in Two Cases,” by Mark Schoops (9/01/06)

Still, over the past few years, research teams in Europe and the U.S. have reported success using gene therapy to treat a variety of inherited immune disorders. And this spring, a team at the Children’s Hospital of Pennsylvania and Stanford University came tantalizingly close to alleviating hemophilia: they were able to prompt the body of one patient to produce enough blood-clotting factor on its own so that for 10 weeks he had no bleeding episodes of any need to have infusions of clotting medicine.

“Making the Grade,” by Chris Whittle (8/29/06). Whittle is the founder and CEO of Edison Schools, which manages 20 public schools in Philadelphia. His editorial discusses the increased test scores in Philadelphia and New York.

“Doctor-Owned Speciality Hospitals Get a New Lease on Life,” by David Armstrong (9/29/06). Mentions that doctor-owned hospitals are being developed in Pennsylvania but no specifics are given.

An Interview with Bryan Lentz (161st state house district)

Bryan Lentz is the Democratic candidate for the 161st state house district, running against incumbent Republican Tom Gannon. The 161st district is in Delaware County and contains Brookhaven, Rutledge and Swarthmore boroughs and parts of a number of townships (see map and description from the Committee of Seventy’s site here).

Born and raised in southeast Pennsylvania, he is a graduate of Wissahickon High School. Lentz earned his Associates degree from the Valley Forge Military Academy and won a full army scholarship to Georgetown University, where he played varsity football and earned his B.A. in philosophy in 1986. His law degree is from Temple University. After six years as a prosecutor with the Philadelphia District Attorney's office, Lentz is now in private practice.

A third generation Army veteran, Lentz served with distinction in the Iraq War and with peacekeeping missions in the Sinai Peninsula and Bosnia, where he oversaw millions of dollars in infrastructure development, including the first-ever Russian, Romanian, Muslim and Serbian joint bridge and road projects.

Recently he took the time to answer some interview questions. I have a few favorite quotes that I want to pull out and highlight. You will note that his answers are concise and straightforward, qualities you don’t always find in political candidates. When asked why he volunteered to go Iraq he said “The unit I had been in Bosnia with was activated to go, and they needed a company commander.” No long rationales or patriotic displays, no musing over lost income or dangerous duty, just “they needed a company commander” and so he went. The other quote I liked was on ethical guidelines for legislators. He said, in part, that he would pay for his own car and expenses. That’s a concrete promise. Constituents can easily check on the car allowance. I also liked his answer on the difference between being a prosecutor and being in private practice.

Read over the entire interview. He doesn’t use a lot of words but he does have a lot to say.

Your family seems very close and some of them worked the polls for you. You’ve also spoken about your parents teaching you that service matters. Did your interest in politics spring from family also?

Yes. I have a large extended family that is very close. We always ate dinner together at home and at least once a week at my grandparents. Politics were always discussed at the table. My mother’s father was a passionate FDR Democrat and a big Hubert Humphrey fan. His brother, Tom Minehart was the chairman of the State Democratic Party when JFK was nominated in 1960.

When you were a district attorney you were very tough, so much so that some judges declined to agree with the sentences you asked for. Is there anything you regret about your service there? (Source: Racher, Dave, “’Torn-up’ thief catches a break,” Philadelphia Daily News 4/17/96; Racher, Dave, “Judge jails family robbers,” Philadelphia Daily News 11/20/97)

I regret those occasions when a victim did not get justice.

You switched from being an assistant district attorney to private practice, defending people that you used to prosecute. What that a difficult change?

Very difficult at first. Until you lose the mantle of “The Commonwealth” you never realize how much a part of your credibility as an advocate comes from who you represent. On the other hand I think part of growing as a lawyer comes from appreciating our justice system as a whole. When developing nations are graded on their progress in human rights one of the most important indicators is the establishment of a vibrant justice system that includes a legal profession with defense lawyers. The best judges in our system are lawyers who worked both sides of the court room.

In private practice you work with your brother, who is a Republican. Do political differences cause problems there? Is it good training for bipartisan efforts in the House?

I think big families encourage bipartisan skills. I was the middle child of five so I have experience settling partisan disputes. My brother is a great guy who is mainly focused on work and his family.

What led to your decision to leave law, take a pay cut, and volunteer with civil affairs in the Iraq?

The unit I had been in Bosnia with was activated to go, and they needed a company commander. I was trained as a paratrooper, ranger and infantry officer and I had experience doing Civil Affairs in Bosnia. I knew I could make a difference in the unit’s training preparing soldiers for what they would face in carrying out our mission in Iraq.

In Iraq you were concerned about no-bid contracts, waste and fraud. Do you see similar problems state-side?

Absolutely. No-bid contracts are the result of government being too cozy with lobbyists and big industry. We should spend the public’s money in the most effective, efficient and fairest way possible.

You’ve had remarkable fundraising success. What do you attribute that to?

First and foremost generous friends and family but also an intense interest in electing new people to public office. People interested in change are willing to reach into their wallets to help make it happen. (by the way my website is www.votelentz.com for those who want to contribute; ha ha)

What is your relationship with the Delaware County Democratic Party? It has at times seemed contentious. (Source: Bender, William, “Weldon getting fund-raising race, too, from Lentz,” Delco Times 2/01/06)

The local party is supporting me. I think all Democrats have done a good job this year of putting aside their factional differences and focusing on winning in November. I believe I helped by agreeing to support Joe Sestak and run for the State House.

The 161st district includes 3 boroughs and parts of 8 townships. It is shaped like a jagged lightening bolt. How difficult will it be to represent such a hodge podge of local governments and constituents scattered over so many localities?

It will take hard work. I have knocked on over 11,000 doors to date. That kind of direct voter contact has to be part of governing and not just campaigning.

Tom Gannon voted for the pay raise, took unvouchered expenses and was excused on the repeal vote. When running against Curt Weldon you criticized his ethical lapses. Given that state legislators have access to per diems and vehicle allowances with little oversight and no lobbying disclosure rules, what can you tell your future constituents about your plans to be ethical? (Source: Lentz, Bryan, "It's time to clean house, Huffington Post 2/06/06)

I am going to follow the rules before they become rules. I am going to be an open book and I will pay for my own car and expenses. My only special interest will be the interest of my constituents and I will not be wined and dined by anyone other than my wife.

On your web site you talk about the importance of alternative energy sources. How do you see those fitting into the state’s economy? What geographic areas and specific technologies do you see as priorities?

I think we need to lead the rest of the nation into the future. Advances in energy technology will create jobs and attract innovative people and industries to our State. Clean coal and ethanol, if done right, can help economically strapped regions of our state and improve our environment while at the same time reducing our dangerous dependence on foreign oil. We need to expand on the Governor’s program to dedicate a portion of the State’s fleet of vehicles to run on alternative fuels so that industry has a dependable customer and thus an incentive to develop these alternatives. We also need to expand our capacity for wind as an energy source.

Your district includes a wide spectrum of higher education institutions, from Swarthmore to Delaware County Community College. What concerns do you have about higher education in the state and how would you represent the interests of these differing schools?

We need to get back to the business of helping the middle class attend college and make sure that government helps these institutions thrive. Higher education institutions are stable employers and contribute to our local economy and must be a priority for local leaders.

What is one question I didn’t ask that you would like to answer?

My favorite movie is “On the Waterfront” with Marlon Brando. A lone working man stands up against a corrupt machine and wins.

Thanks to Bryan Lentz for his willingness to participate in the interview process.

Sherwood Fundraiser on 9/11?

Gort has posted a note calling attention to the Sept. 11th fundraiser that incumbent Republican Rep. Don Sherwood (PA-10) is holding. Sherwood has serious competition this election from veteran / professor / Pentagon advisor Chris Carney. If Sherwood didn't realize this would be a bad pr move, didn't someone in his campaign mention it to him?

As Gort says:

When every other politician in America is going to be in Washington, New York or a field in western Pennsylvania this guy {Sherwood] is going to be raising money.

Missing Monday

JESSICA LAUREN BORGER
Case Type: Endangered Runaway from SLATINGTON, PA
DOB: Feb 20, 1990 (current age: 16)
Sex/Race: Female / White
Missing Date: May 18, 2006
Height/Weight: 5'4" / 120 lbs
Hair/Eye Color: Brown / Brown
Circumstances: Jessica was last seen on May 18, 2006. She may still be in the local area. Jessica's nickname is Tess

More information on Missing Monday here.

Notes on the Casey / Santorum Debate

I taped "Meet the Press" and watched the Bob Casey / Rick Santorum debate this afternoon. A complete transcript is available here and video available here (via Howard at PhillyFuture), so I'll just mention the things that really struck me.

Most shocking statement: Santorum said of "Islamic fascists:" "They don't care about life like we do." Say WHAT!!??? Has anybody else out there seen "Hearts and Minds?" Remember the same statement being made about the Viet Cong? This little gem gets trotted out every now and then to dehumanize the enemy. I think the leaders of terrorist movements and cells value life very highly, especially their own. That's why they get other people to go out in public with explosives strapped to their bodies.

Cheapest shot: Santorum telling Casey, Jr. how upset Casey, Sr. would be if he heard Casey, Jr. was supporting the use of Plan B emergency contraception. Telling your political opponent his own father would be disappointed in his political stance is just low, completely unsupportable, the sign of someone lacking in values.

Best question: In discussing Plan B, Santorum was opposed to making it available over the counter. Casey was in favor. Russert asked Casey if he believed life begins at conception. Casey said yes but Plan B is contraception not abortion. Sorry, but you are either pregnant or you aren't and if you are Plan B is going to end the pregnancy. Santorum made the snotty comment mention above about Casey's father. Then Russert asked Santorum why he supported abortion exceptions in the case of rape or incest, wasn't that taking a life? Santorum said yes it was taking a life but he was working to find common ground. Sounds like he wants it both ways. [Update: my response to Casey's views are corrected, science-wise in the comments by someone whose knowledge in this area is far greater than mine.]

Oddest repeating theme: Santorum's insistence that Iran was at the heart of the Iraqi war and sectarian violence, causing most of the region's problems.

Vaguest answer: Casey on how to maintain the integrity of social security. It's a problem not a crisis and the solution is economic growth, repealing the tax cut for the wealthy and reinstating the estate tax.

Best argument: Santorum and Casey arguing with each other over minimum wage votes. During this exchange Santorum said that yes he had voted against the minimum wage 13 times but for it 10 times. You could get whiplash following that voting record.

Best "gotcha:" In the question on residency Santorum said he spent maybe a month a year in the house he owns in Pennsylvania. After Russert showed the ad Santorum's campaign aired when he ran against Doug Walgren, pointing out that Walgren didn't live in the district, Santorum said that was completely different. Walgren didn't own a house in the district and was only in the district 28 days a year. Well that's certainly different from being in the district for a month a year. Santorum also said he visited each county in the state once a year. In the years he has been in office if he has visited my county he hasn't advertised it before the fact or hasn't done so in a public venue that I could attend.

Best statistic: Russert pointing out that Sanoturm voted with Pres. Bush 95% of the time in 2005, 100% of the time in 2004, 99% of the time in 2003, and so on.

Wardrobe notes: Casey wore a navy suit and a light blue tie. Santorum wore a black suit and a red tie.

Overall impressions: Santorum came off as on message, strange as those messages were, and, on a personal level, mean. Casey came off as on message, even if the message was vague or dull. They both came off as consummate politicians, polished, programmed, passionless. Keeping in mind that I intend to vote for Casey, you would still probably have to pay me a lot of money to spend any significant amount of time in the company of either of them. But I wouldn't sit with my back to Santorum unless I were wearing kevlar.

Watching debates carefully enough to blog about them has increased my respect for political journalists who have to pay even closer attention. My hat is off to the press corps.

Patrick Murphy Opens New Campaign Office

Patrick Murphy, his campaign and supporters hosted an open house today in their new office. It is considerably larger than the old office, which had a sometimes startling step down at the front door. Even with the additional space it was full to overflowing today. It was surprising how many people turned out on a rainy Saturday, especially during a three day holiday weekend. Stalwart souls barbecued out front and the crowds parted every time a tray of food was brought in. This was not an easy task considering that even the hallways were packed. Murphy’s wife, parents, brother, and assorted other relatives were there but not even a large Irish Catholic family could account for all the people. One of his former students from West Point was there, as were others with a military connection to him. It was mentioned that many of those who served with him in Iraq are supporting his campaign.

John Toth, chairman of the Middletown Twp Democratic Party started off the festivities. Tony Melio, state representative from the 141st district, made a few remarks and then introduced Murphy. As usual he made a point of introducing the other candidates in attendance. In this case it was John Galloway (140th state house district), Paul Lang (6th state senate district), and Chris Serpico (10th state senate district).

One of the highlights of the event was a preview of the new television commercial for the campaign. It will start airing soon. The commercial is polished and well-produced. It is positive in nature, highlighting Murphy’s accomplishments and credentials. The visuals are effective and appealing.

I’ve said this before but it bears repeating, the people who attend Murphy’s events are nice people. All are welcome. There were babes in arms and elder statesmen. The quirks of those at both ends of the age spectrum and all in between are accepted with good humor. In any group that is too large for the available space there are likely to be some collisions, of emotion if not bodies, but none were evident when I was there. No toes were stepped on, metaphorically or physically. I had several short conversations with people and listened in on others. At a lot of political events you get resume recitals or pretentious ego buffing, but I’ve never heard any of that at Murphy events. The campaign also posts upcoming events on their website, so if you get a chance, go out and see what all the fuss is about.

Nancy Pelosi / Patrick Murphy Press Conference

This past week PCN broadcast the press conference held by House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi and Patrick Murphy, Democratic candidate for the 8th congressional district, a little over a week ago to discuss stem cell research. These comments are from my notes and not a complete description of all that was said. My apologies if I missed anything. At the end there are references to newspaper articles on the press conference and some further information on a few items that were mentioned.

On the front lawn of her house Carol Mann spoke about her son David, also in attendance, who has been in a wheelchair since a diving accident. He graduated from Princeton and is currently working on a doctorate in economics at the University of Pennsylvania, and mentors younger patients at McGee Rehabilitation Hospital.

Melissa Pitts has 6 year old twin sons. One had a spinal cord injury at birth and is also in a wheelchair. It doesn’t seem to have slowed him down as you could see the twins racing around in the background and occasionally someone had to step out of the way of the chair as it whipped by, the brother either right in front or right behind it.

Patrick Murphy talked about the importance of embryonic stem cell research and pointed out that incumbent Rep. Mike Fitzpatrick had voted against it twice. Murphy said the embryos used are 2-3 days old and are currently discarded as medical waste. He cites Johns Hopkins research that showed significant improvement in adult animals with spinal cord injuries, regenerating neuron circuits with embryonic stem cells. (See footnote and link below for more information on this study.)

Both Murphy and Pelosi are Catholics and mentioned a moral responsibility to heal the sick.

Pelosi said these decisions shouldn’t be political but about basic biomedical research. She also said that not one person in American isn’t one phone call away from needing stem cell research. A grammatically tortured sentence, but an effective one nonetheless. As evidence of her strong beliefs she said that if there is a Democratic majority in the next Congress, with a veto proof vote, she will bring up stem cell research in the first 100 hours. Everyone take note, this is a specific promise and one easily tracked if there is a majority.

Melissa Pitts spoke about her son and said it wasn’t just about wheelchairs but also sensation, bladder and bowel control.

Reporters were invited to ask questions.

The first was on the sensitivity to the religious aspects of embryonic stem cell research. Murphy again mentioned his Catholicism and that his wife was also Catholic and had been active in the College Republicans in her student years. She switched parties saying she had not left the party but the party had left her. He also said that there wasn’t an outcry about the current disposal of embryos by fertility clinics. He cited the Christian imperative to heal the sick. (He incorrectly placed this in the Beattitudes. See note below). Pelosi said that work in politics is an extension of faith. She put the Biblical imperative to heal the sick in Matthew 25:44-46 (she didn’t have the exact reference but put it in the context of those verses. This also is incorrect; she note below.)

I didn’t catch the second question. Pelosi mentioned that Republicans are catering to a small minority. Courage is to do the right thing and do the wishes of the people.

The third question was on Murphy’s stance on embryonic stem cell research versus stem cell research generally. Murphy said embryonic stem cell research was the most promising and could be ethically done. He said Mike Fitzpatrick and Pres. Bush stand against scientific research. Pelosi said we all support adult stem cell research but embryonic stem cell research is the most promising.

Carol Mann spoke again and said she had talked with Fitzpatrick. He is in favor of adult stem cell research but not embryonic stem cell research. Research in diabetes and neurology needs embryonic stem cells. She mentioned that America is losing the top research scientists in these areas as they go to other countries to do their research. As one example she cited Wise Young of Rutgers who studies spinal cord. He has taken a sabbatical to supervise a project on embryonic stem cell research in China. (see note below)

Further information:

Local newspapers published articles on the press conference. Read the following for more details:

“Top Democrat visits Bucks to stump for Patrick Murphy: Nancy
Pelosi says he should be elected to further issues such as stem-cell
Research,” by Brian Callaway The Morning Call August 26, 2006

http://news.pajamasmedia.com/science/2006/08/26/10478275_Top_Democrat_vis.shtml

"This science can be the answer to our prayers' - House Minority
Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., held a press conference with 8th
District candidate Patrick Murphy to show support for embryonic stem cell
Research,” by Brian Scheid THE INTELLIGENCER August 26, 2006

http://www.phillyburbs.com/pb-dyn/news/111-08262006-703113.html

Johns Hopkins research

Science Daily
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/06/060626125813.htm

The researchers created what amounts to a cookbook recipe to restore lost nerve function, Kerr explains. The approach could one day repair damage from such diseases as ALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease), multiple sclerosis or transverse myelitis or from traumatic spinal cord injury, the researchers say. “With small adjustments keyed to differences in nervous system targets,” Kerr says, “the approach may also apply to patients with Parkinson's or Huntington’s disease.”

In a report on the study, to be released online June 26 in the Annals of Neurology, the Hopkins team says 11 of the 15 treated rats gained significant, though partial, recovery from paralysis after losing motor neurons to an aggressive infection with Sindbis virus -- one that, in rodents, specifically targets motor neurons and kills them. The animals recovered enough muscle strength to bear weight and step with the previously paralyzed hind leg.

Wise Young’s study in China

Technology Review 4/18/06

http://www.techreview.com/read_article.aspx?id=16708&ch=biotech

A growing number of patients are heading to China for experimental therapies, such as cell transplants to treat spinal cord injuries and other diseases. But scientists in the field harshly criticize the trend, saying these therapies are costly, unproven, and potentially unsafe (see "The Problematical Dr. Huang Hongyun," January 2005).
Now Wise Young, an internationally recognized expert in spinal cord injury, aims to address some of the problems associated with humans tests involving experimental therapies. He is spearheading a new project to conduct rigorous clinical trials in China and has set up a network of Chinese hospitals to test new treatments for spinal cord injury.

Biblical imperative to heal the sick

Murphy put this in the Beattitudes, Pelosi alluded to Matthew 25:44-46, neither mentions healing the sick. It is hard to get quotes right if you don’t have them right in front of you. Using a small concordance I found Matthew 10:8 and Mark 3:15, but these verses, in their entirety, have a few problems for the modern audience. Someone higher up in the Democratic Party needs to sit down and find an appropriate verse and send out a memo on it.