Obama's Millennial Agenda

from the inbox:

FACT SHEET: President Obama’s Agenda for Creating Economic Opportunity for Millennials

A copy of the related report released by the President’s Council of Economic Advisors is available online HERE.

Last week, President Obama put forth his vision for continuing to build on the foundation we’ve laid for a strong, durable economy with secure middle class jobs. Thanks to the hard work and grit of the American people, we’re moving forward again and one generation in particular – Millennials – will shape our economy for decades to come.

Millennials came of age during the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression. In the face of these challenges, President Obama acted quickly to rebuild opportunity for all hardworking Americans, including Millennials. Together, we kept more teachers on the job to improve the quality of education for kids at our local schools. We cut subsidies to big banks so that we could make college more affordable by increasing Pell Grants. And we expanded health care coverage so that no one, including young people just getting their start, would go broke if they get sick. 

There are still challenges to meet, but no generation has been better equipped to overcome them than Millennials. They’re skilled with technology and more educated than any previous generation. Today’s White House report details some of the key characteristics of the Millennial Generation as well as the impact that the Administration’s policies have had on them.

To build on this progress, there is also a path forward. Acting with Congress and on his own where he can, President Obama will continue to invest in our teachers and schools, cut student loan debt, build on our technology boom, expand health coverage and homeownership, and train every hardworking American with the skills they need to find a good job that pays good wages.

                                     

Making Higher Education More Affordable for Millennials: While college is more important than ever before, it is also more expensive. President Obama has taken steps to make college more affordable and increase financial aid – while Republicans have called for rolling back these expansions of student aid and opposed efforts to allow students to refinance student loans.

·         Increasing federal financial support for higher education. Higher education can be a pathway to the middle class for many people, but we have to ensure that students are able to afford this investment.

o   Creating the American Opportunity Tax Credit worth up to $10,000 over four years of college.

o   Increasing Pell Grant scholarships by $1,000 a year, while reaching millions more students each year.

o   Eliminating wasteful bank subsidies and passing along those savings to help more Americans afford college.

·         Making student loan payments more affordable. President Obama created a new repayment plan allowing students to cap their student loan payments at 10 percent of their discretionary income. In June 2014, the President directed the Department of Education to make this plan available to every direct student loan borrower, benefiting nearly 5 million current and former students. The President has also supported Congressional efforts to allow student loan borrowers to refinance their loans, saving thousands in interest costs, which Republicans in Congress have blocked.

Supporting Innovation: Millennials are more connected to technology than previous generations, both in school and in work, and their innovations in this area have the potential to impact all workers through our economy for years to come. The President’s policies have supported innovation that helps students learn and entrepreneurs create new businesses.

·         Digital Literacy for the Tech Generation.  The President’s policies are creating new opportunity for a nation where life and livelihood will demand digital literacy.  The ConnectED Initiative is transforming education by connecting every school to high-speed broadband and wireless, with over $4 billion in public and private funding announced since 2013. 

·         Empowering Innovation:  The President has been actively working to make sure that patent trolls, who use vague and misleading threats of lawsuits to extort money from young companies, do not strangle American technological innovation.  He is driving an agenda that has reformed how and when the government issues patents to improve their quality, limited abuse of certain trade courts to hold up new innovations, and continues to call on Congress to pass comprehensive reform to curtail patent trolls.

·         Unlocking Consumer Choice: The President is also working to make sure that consumers have real flexibility when it comes to choosing technologies, and how they use them — like unlocking cell phones to use them with the mobile network that meets your needs.  The Administration called last year to restore and safeguard this common-sense freedom, and this August, signed that bill into law.

Creating Opportunity and Supporting Good-Paying Middle-Class Jobs: Upon taking office, President Obama immediately took action to put Americans back to work. But while the unemployment rate for workers ages 18 to 34 has come down 5.1 percentage points, there is still work to do. The unemployment rate remains elevated, and wage growth for young workers has not kept pace with the past. The President is committed to taking steps to support stronger growth today and a stronger economy going forward:

·         Supporting Equal Pay. The disparity in pay between women and men doesn’t just affect women’s financial well-being; it affects families and the nation’s overall economic health.  The first bill President Obama signed into law in 2009 was the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act. In 2014 he took executive actions to advance the cause of equal pay by requiring federal contractors to submit data on employee compensation, and to prohibit retaliation when an employee of a federal contractor reveals his or her pay.   These are all commonsense steps that move us down the road toward economic equality, even as Congress continues to debate the Paycheck Fairness Act, which the President strongly supports.  

·         Increasing the Minimum Wage:  President Obama has called on Congress to raise the national minimum wage from $7.25 to $10.10 per hour, which would provide 28 million workers with a raise, benefiting millions of lower- and middle-class families. But while Republicans in Congress have blocked this effort, progress is being made across the country: 13 states and D.C. have raised their minimum wage since the beginning of 2013 – benefitting over 7 million workers – and cities and businesses are also taking action on their own to raise wages. The President also signed an executive order to raise the minimum wage to $10.10 for workers on federal contracts.

·         Expanding Tax Relief for Working Families: President Obama has expanded the Earned Income Tax Credit and the Child Tax Credit, benefitting 16 million families a year – and has proposed permanently extending these expansions. The President has also proposed expanding the EITC for workers without dependent children, including the 3.3 million young workers ages 21-24 who are currently ineligible for the credit.

·         Supporting Immigrants and Creating an Immigration System that Works: Millennials are more likely to be foreign-born than the previous two generations.  The President has been fighting for a fair, effective and common sense immigration reform that lives up to our heritage as a nation of laws and a nation of immigrants.  As that effort continues, the Administration is implementing Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) which has benefitted some 600,000 young people who were brought to this country as children by their parents, and for whom the United States is home.  Though DACA is an exercise of enforcement authority that does not provide permanent status, it has enabled young people to work without fear of deportation, to get new jobs, open their first bank accounts, and obtain drivers licenses.   

·         Investing in Infrastructure, Research and Manufacturing to Support Middle-Class Jobs: The President has proposed targeted investments in areas such as infrastructure, research and manufacturing that will both help create jobs today and lay the groundwork for stronger long-run growth. By contrast, the House Republican-passed budget would require deep cuts to early education, research, job training, clean energy and other areas that support a stronger economy.

Connecting Students and Workers with the Skills They Need for College and Career: The Administration has worked to make sure that more Millennials get the training they need for today’s jobs, including by better linking secondary and post-secondary education with industry to determine skills needed and design curriculum.

·         Providing Every Child with a Complete and Competitive Education:  As they begin planning families of their own, the Administration is committed to building the high-quality education system Millennials and their children deserve by incentivizing investment and improvement. With Race to the Top, the Administration has brought significant change to our education system by encouraging states to raise standards and aligning policies that promote college and career readiness, improve teacher effectiveness, use data effectively in the classroom, and adopt new strategies to help struggling schools.

·         Redesigning High Schools: Earlier this year, the Administration awarded $100 million in grants this year to redesign high schools to more fully prepare youth with the knowledge, skills, and industry-relevant education needed to get on the pathway to a successful career.

·         Better Training Students through Community Colleges and Connecting Job-Seekers to Work: To support the 7.7 million community college students across the country who represent 45 percent of all undergraduates, the Administration has awarded nearly $2 billion of competitive grants since 2011 to community colleges to partner with employers to expand and improve their ability to help job seekers get the skills they need for in-demand jobs. The Administration is also taking steps to connect the long-term unemployed to jobs, including by working with employers to spread best practices for recruiting and hiring the long-term unemployed.

·         Expanding Access to Apprenticeships: The Administration has also been encouraging the expansion of apprenticeships as pathways to help young adults get into middle-class jobs. The Department of Labor will also soon be releasing an application for $100 million to create apprenticeship opportunities in high-growth fields and that award college credit.

·         Working to “Upskill” Youth Early in Their Careers: To support youth who are starting out in their careers, the Administration has kicked off a new public-private effort – working with employers, educators, tech innovators, unions, training providers, cities, states, and non-profits – to help turn low-wage and entry-level jobs across the country into stepping stones to the middle class.

Increasing Access to Affordable Health Care: In addition to the direct economic consequences of the Great Recession, millions of Millennials were at risk of poor health outcomes exacerbated by unaffordable or unattainable insurance. The Affordable Care Act expanded coverage, helping millions of Americans obtain quality insurance.  Yet House Republicans have voted on dozens of occasions to gut the law.

·         Expanding Coverage to Age 26. Before the President signed the Affordable Care Act into law, most health plans kicked young people off when they turned 19 or graduated from college, leaving many college graduates and others with no insurance. Now, most health plans that cover children must make coverage available up to age 26, making it easier and more affordable for young adults to get coverage.

·         Providing Preventive Care for Free. The Affordable Care Act requires most insurers to cover preventive care services without copays and deductibles. This means that, for the first time, important preventive services – including birth control – are available at no cost to millions of consumers who have private health insurance.

·         Providing Affordable Health Care Coverage. Young Americans often have the least access to employer sponsored health care plans, which previously left many without any reasonably priced insurance opportunities. The Health Insurance Marketplace lets consumers choose a private health insurance plan that fits their health needs and consumers can also qualify for financial assistance. In fact, most people who shop in the Marketplace pay an average of $69 per month for their coverage.

Supporting Access to Credit for First-Time Homebuyers and Affordable Rental Housing and Putting in Place New Protections for Consumers:  As the economy has recovered, the housing market has improved and more families are purchasing homes. But with Millennials becoming homeowners at lower rates than prior generations, the Administration is committed to taking steps to ensure more Americans have access to credit to buy a first home and the ability to find affordable rental housing.

·         Making It Easier For Americans to Obtain Affordable Mortgage Financing Payments through the Federal Housing Administration (FHA).  Today, the credit score that the typical borrower needs to get a government-guaranteed loan is significantly higher than in the past – and higher than we would expect given economic fundamentals. This leaves many responsible borrowers unable to find lenders willing to give them a mortgage at an affordable rate. In response, the Administration has launched a “Quality Assurance” framework to provide mortgage lenders with greater confidence to lend, while reducing FHA premiums for homeowners who obtain housing counseling. The Administration is also exploring additional reforms to drive progress and strengthen our housing market today.

  

·         Supporting Affordable Rental Housing. In June, the U.S. Department of the Treasury announced an initiative to help provide low-cost financing to state and local housing finance agencies that provide multifamily mortgage loans insured by FHA. This will reduce interest rates for affordable housing, savings that will be passed on to renters. The Administration continues to explore administrative and legislative reforms to promote access to affordable rental housing for middle class families and those aspiring to be.

·         Protecting the Financial Well-Being of Consumers through Wall Street Reform. Through Wall Street Reform, the Administration has created the strongest consumer protections in history while reducing American taxpayer exposure to future crises. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) has finalized rules and simplified disclosures to protect consumers from irresponsible mortgage lending, secured billions of dollars in relief for millions of consumers who were wronged, and launched a consumer response center to give people in need a place to turn. Efforts to undermine the CFPB by imposing structural or funding limitations – as supported by Republicans in Congress – would weaken important consumer protections and leave the economy more vulnerable to another devastating financial crisis.

PCN, PIAA Renew Contract

from the inbox:

The Pennsylvania Cable Network (PCN) will continue to provide exclusive coverage of all Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association (PIAA) championship events for an additional four years due to a recent contract extension.

“We look forward to continuing our work with PIAA to showcase the best in high school athletics in Pennsylvania. PIAA does an outstanding job of putting these events together every year, and PCN is pleased to be a part of it,” said PCN President Brian Lockman.
PIAA Executive Director, Dr. Robert A. Lombardi, stated “On behalf of the Board of Directors, our 1,440 member schools and the 14,000 registered sports officials, we are thrilled to continue our relationship with PCN and provide our championship events to all Pennsylvania residents.”

Exclusive fall championship coverage begins November 14, 2014, as PCN Sports presents “Super Sports Weekend,” featuring over 12 hours of live field hockey, soccer, and volleyball. All events will stream live online through the premium subscription service “PCN Select,” available at a special rate of $15.99 for the 3-day championship period. All events will also air on the network.

PCN has provided cable subscribers with exclusive access to all of the state’s championship games since 1998 and introduced live online streaming via ‘PCN Select’ in 2012. PCN has also showcased collegiate championships of the Pennsylvania State Athletics Conference sports championships since 2012.

To subscribe to PCN Select and view a full sports championship schedule, visit www.pcntv.com.

The "Nationalization" of Philadelphia Schools

When I am out at political events one frequent topic of conversation is how to repair the Philadelphia school system.  Personally I am wary of charter schools but I know people whose children attend charter schools in the city and love them.  I have concerns about magnet schools but also know people whose children attended such a school and love them.

The School Reform Commission's decision to cancel the contract with the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers.  This is a nuclear option.  A few things that have not been mentioned in the papers:

Public employee unions, including teachers' unions, often trade in salary increases for decreased health care costs.  Saying the teachers with basic coverage have not contributed to their health care does not take into account what is likely years of lowered pay raises.

There is an informal agreement between schools and teachers.  Because of the nature of the school year, teachers being and end jobs at set times.  Even if a teacher leaves the profession they usually do so after the school year ends.  This is part of the professionalism of teaching, knowing how difficult to find a qualified substitute and how disruptive it is to students for a teacher to leave abruptly, and how chaotic it can be to class grading and teacher recommendations.  Teachers stay until the end of the year.

Except, of course, when the school system decides to violate that mutual respect and professionalism.  The Philadelphia school system has just done that.  I would not blame any teacher who walked, just left at the end of the day and didn't come back.  Respect has to be mutual and for Philadelphia teachers, right now, the district is showing them none.

When I look at the teachers m children have had in our suburban district, I see some amazing teachers.  Many came to teaching as a second career and have years of real world experience in relevant areas.  Science teachers who worked in research labs; some have doctorates.  Social studies teachers who worked in corrections.  Veterans who were military police and now work in middle school, a population that needs boundaries and discipline.  I am always amazed at the number of teachers who were students in the same school system.  They have chosen to come back on the other side of the classroom.  There is a good mix of teachers who have been there for over a decade and relatively new teachers.  They seem to work well together and sometimes team up for joint projects.  They are responsive to student questions and comments.  I cannot say I've had warm personal feelings for each and every teacher my children have had, but I have never felt that had a bad teacher.

Why can't Philadelphia students have that?  I know that if the teachers in my school district woke up one morning and found that the school board suddenly and without notice canceled their work contract many of them would leave, and I would not blame them.  I also feel confident that the parents in the district would demand the school board reverse that decision.

The School Reform Commission says the saving will be used to hire other teachers or staff.  But since the SRC has clearly shown that any contract they make can be revoked, I don't think they will attract the best and brightest job applicants.  I also don't think they can expect people to abide unwritten rule that school employees, as a rule, don't leave during the school year.

No one I've run into at political events has a solution for the Philadelphia schools' issues.  I certainly don't.  But I do know that this latest development isn't going to help anything.  The school always seems to have the money to fulfill the contracts it makes with people like Arlene Ackerman.  It just never has the money for the people who actually work with the kids on a daily basis.

That's my two cents.

Notes from Sept 22 Gubernatorial Debate

September 22^nd, the Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry sponsored a debate between Republican Gov. Tom Corbett and his Democratic challenger Tom Wolf, in Hershey.  Dennis Owens moderated.

I taped the debate and the recording cut off during the last question so I missed the closing remarks.  

These are my notes from the debate.  It is not intended as a transcript.  Interested voters are encouraged to review campaign websites for each candidate.  I apologize in advance for any errors or misconceptions.

Format:  1 min open and 2 min close, 2 min answer and 1 min rebuttal

Since both candidates have the same first name they are identified by last initial:  C for Tom Corbett and W for Tom Wolf.

Opening Remarks

C: Good evening everyone.  Thanks to chamber.  Appreciate the opportunity to talk with Tom about the future of PA.  Thanks voters for opportunity to serve as Governor and Attorney General.  I believe in Pennsylvania.  Think about two troopers shot and all law enforcement searching for shooter.  Thanks to all.

W:  Thanks moderator and chamber for sponsoring.  I am an unconventional candidate.  Don’t look like usual candidate.  I’m running for a citizen democracy.  We can do a better job running the economy.

Questions

Q1:  Education.  Dems and Wolf insist Corbett slashed education.  He says he is spending more on education

W:  We have seen real cuts in education.  Look at what we see all around us.  20K educators lost their job, class sizes increase, property taxes going up.  Parents having to pay money, fees, for their children  to participate in sports and other activities.  Not doing our job to delivery good education.  Can’t throw money and expect a good outcome but have to invest.  Important public good for all of us.  Practical economic problem.

C:  I would agree.  We need to do better.  We need to present a better Pennsylvania to my successor than I was given.  Teachers’ unions putting out lie that I cut education.  How do you do it?  How do you reform it?  We have already begun that reform, better teaching evaluation, better education report on administrators.  We can tell how schools performing.  Better metrics.

Q2:  if more state money going to education why have more districts cut spending

C:  Federal stimulus should not have been put in their budgets.  Cost of pensions driven up property taxes.  Cost of health care.  Going to get much worse.  Go up even higher with Obamacare.  20,000 educators a false number.  Not all were teachers.  Ask how we will invest not how much can we spend.

W: Again the proof is in the pudding.  We have to do a good job providing a good education.  Have to make sure schools work properly.  We have to make sure this works.  I care as much about the education Philadelphia school children get as the education my daughters got at our public school.  We need accountability and a system that delivers on a good education.

Q3:  30 – 40% of budget, $27B spent on education in PA.  How much is enough?  What accountability can you offer?

W:  Great question.  We cannot throw money at any problem and get a good outcome.  Have to have accountability.  Right now we are not producing people we can employ.  Some places doing a wonderful job, some places not.  Need to prepare for jobs for 21^st century.  How much?  I don’t know.  Need a public education system that can deliver.  Can’t hide behind false statistics.  Embrace idea that it is something we need.  Educated workforce, educated citizenry.  $27B number need to figure out how to reduce property tax burden.  Can’t give a number.   At my company I ask employees.  I would ask educators.

C:  We are not that far apart.  We agree that we need to make it better.  We’ve already started process to make it better.  Ask what is fair, started Fair Funding Commission.  Is what is fair in Philadelphia what is fair in another part of the state.  We could spend a lot of money.  Part of the idea of the metrics is to ask if it is being well spent.  Using school profiles to determine where it is being used wisely.

Q4:  Taxes.  You took a no tax pledge but won’t take it this time. 

C:  Everybody knows my record.  Did not raise taxes.  We know where Mr. Wolf is going to go.  Everybody above $60K will be taxed more.  Sales tax increase – everyone pays that.  Energy tax, electricity tax, everyone pays that.  Said I would run on fiscal discipline, [missed part of his remarks].  I have kept that promise.  We made tough decisions.  We were almost $29B in spending in my first year, including stimulus.  Reduced number of people working for state government so it is the lowest in 50 years.  Governor is steward of your money, from people making millions to people working for 5, 10, 15K years. 

Q5:  Was taking tax pledge a mistake?

C:  No.  It helped keep me focused, helped others stay focused.   Transportation bill not a tax but removal of false cap.  Seeing revenue come up but gas is cheaper than it was months ago.  When children get on buses, people get on transit it is a public [missed this]  to make roads safer.

W:  For whatever reason things aren’t working.  When I took my company back I had to make ends meet, make my company successful.  Have to do that with state.  Used to be at top of charts now near bottom in terms of economic growth.  Not doing as well as we should.  Fan of the private sector, come out of the private sector.  I built a business.  We need a government partner to make sure private entities and market work better.

Q6:  What is your tax plan? 

W:  Reporter asked me the mathematics of how my plan would work.  We need a flat tax, used 5% example, not my plan.  Talking about a tax that is fair.  Understand what state needs to do is set the table for private sector growth.  Fairer tax system. Some people paying too much now.  Have highest corporate income tax.  That’s too high.  Some people will have to pay more.  Fair tax that doesn’t destroy economy.  Fairness is in the eye of the beholder.  I think I should pay more. 

C:  As Secretary of Revenue budget must have as much money coming in as going out.  Has to be a balanced budget.  Looking at his plans, increasing 50% of state’s share of education.  We believe hi s plan would increase by 6B (M?).  Give us your plans.  Have a conversation about incorporating in Delaware not here. 

Q7:  What is your plan?  Do we need a tax increase?

C:  With me people know they will have someone who will fight to keep our spending as low as they can.  With Wolf there will be some increase.  This isn’t the first time we’ve had to borrow money against future earnings.  Want to grow the economy.  Have to deal with pensions.  Will be 3.3B for pensions in 2017/2018 year.  My predecessor did not completely fund the pension.  We have to come up with 610B this year as we did last year.

W:  We have to make ends meet.  Two parts:  keep expense in line and make numbers grow.   Not routine to borrow 2.5 months in to new fiscal year.  If as a business owner I had a cash balance that looked like the state’s right now no bank would have given me a line of credit.  We have a pension problem.  Need to adequately fund pension system.  Governors past and present have not paid in to it.  Balance goes up every year we do not pay our debt. 

C:  I’m surprised.  We are actually talking about the same thing.  Cost of business continues to grow.  Revenues growing.  No one grows by taxing.  Where does he want to spend the money, how much does he want to spend.  We could attract more businesses if we lowered corporate tax.  Have to control spending first.

Q8:  Marcellus shale.  Refusal to have extraction tax, why?

C: We tax it differently.  Higher corporate tax, higher personal income tax.  Small businesses that supply the industry.  Employees that earn good salaries.  We did add a fee, an impact fee.  Rendell said if tax shale we’ll get 100M a year.  Impact fee first year brought in 200M dollars.  Shared with communities and a little bit to the state.  No other state has an impact fee on natural gas.  Trying to grow new industry here in PA.  High taxes don’t attract new business. 

W:  I too believe gas industry could be game changer for PA economy.  I understand how taxes impact business.  5% severance tax could make a difference in state economy. 

Q9:  minimum wage

C:  I support the federal level.  I don’t want to see people have to work for minimum wage.  That’s why I’m trying to change the education system.  Encourage people to go into trades, high percentage of current workers are over 50.  Created job website, showing 200,000 open jobs.  People may not be trained, that ‘s our job to train them.  Get people out of minimum wage job, get them training for a good family supporting wage job.

W:  How are thing’s working out for us.  Unemployment going up.  Minimum wage should be increased, to 10.10 / hour.  In my own business when I went back I raised our wage.

Q10:  Look at your campaign donation, biggest donor other than yourself is unions.

W:  My second largest donor is a private business donor.  In primary did not get endorsement of traditional Democrats.  Share profits with employees.  Not indebted to anyone.  Not pandering.

Q11:  Polls show Wolf with a big lead.

C:  Everybody makes mistakes.  Probably haven’t communicated enough but I’ve made tough decisions.

[And that’s where the recording ended]

Harry Shearer Brings Nixon to Philly

from the inbox:

To celebrate his new series 'Nixon's The One' - which launches October 21 on YouTube - Harry Shearer ('The Simpsons,' 'Spinal Tap,' 'Le Show') will be giving special live Nixon-themed performances in three US cities this fall: New York, Los Angeles, and Philadelphia (dates below). The events will incorporate video clips from the series; Shearer's behind-the-scenes stories; insights from the thousands of hours of Nixon tapes he and his co-writer, Nixon historian Stanley Kutler, listened to; and an audience Q&A with Shearer.

"I'm looking forward to getting my not-so-secret obsession with the great comic character of the 20th century into the full light of darkened nightclubs," Shearer says. "And, though I’ll take questions, I’ll glare at people who ask me to ‘Do Mr. Burns'. The glare, of course, is me complying."

For the series, Shearer and Kutler combed through thousands of hours of Nixon's legendary secret White House tapes, and re-enacted word for word the best moments as if filmed by a hidden camera. The New Yorker wrote, "It’s hard to think of a more apt way to revisit the tenure of a President whose rise and fall was bound, at every juncture, to recordings of one kind or another."

The Philadelphia event is Oct. 27th at World Cafe Live

Weekend Culture II: Fences at People's Light

The second cultural event of the weekend was August Wilson's play Fences at the People's Light & Theatre.  I've been to PLT performances before.  They are uniformly good.  This was the first time I'd seen one of Wilson's plays; I've been hearing about them for years.  The play is good.  The cast is terrific.  Michael Genet is the male lead.  He's appeared on Broadway and in film and television roles.  He's a fabulous actor.  One theme in the play is father / son tension. Genet's character is the husband and father of an African American family in the 1950's.  My favorite castmember, though, was Melanye Finister as Rose.  Maybe I just found her character more likable.

In the last scene, which takes place in 1965 a young Marine is wavering on whether he will re-enlist or not.  All I could think was that if he stayed in he was probably on the fast track for Viet Nam.

On the way to the theatre we saw a bad accident on the highway.  One of the cars was upside down and it looked like firefighters were using the jaws of life to get someone out of another vehicle.  Traffic was backed up quite a ways and must have been that way for some time.  People had gotten out of their cars and were talking to each other or sitting on top of their cars.  I looked for news reports about it but didn't see any.

During the play a woman in the audience fainted / passed out / had a seizure.  A theatre employee couldn't wake her but she was still breathing.  Emergency personnel came and took her out on a gurney.  I didn't see that in the news either.

All that aside, any performance at People's Light is going to be worth the money.  They have some interesting plays coming up this season.  Tickets would make a great holiday gift.

Weekend Culture I: Scalzi

This past weekend I went out to two local cultural events.  This is a brief report on the first.

Last Friday I went to the Rittenhouse Square Barnes & Noble to hear author John Scalzi talk.  His new book Lock In was released in August and he was on a book tour.  I've been a Scalzi fan for years, since a friend loaned me a copy of Old Man's War. (If you haven't read that book I highly recommend it).  Then he put a modern spin on a science fiction classic that I read in college, Little Fuzzy by H. Bean Piper.  Scalzi rewrote it as Little Fuzzy.  

This was my first real author talk.  I've heard people (mostly politicians) who have written books talk, but a book tour talk is a little different.  Scalzi read from a new book that he's working on.  The excerpt showed his flair for humor.  He asked that the audience not tape his reading and that all we say about the new book excerpt is that the scene he read is of a group of people sitting around a table and it was awesome.  Those are his words but I'd agree with them.

Scalzi's blog has some authorized videos from the book tour.

In the Q&A section someone asked him about the recent furor in the videogame community over threats to two women writers.  Scalzi gave a very thorough answer.  He has long been an advocate for women writers and for women in the sci fi community generally.  A few years ago he said he would not attend or speak at any conference that did not have a clearly stated harassment policy, complete with a reporting procedure.  Conferences that had been dragging their feet on this for some time suddenly came up with such policies.

I bought a copy of Link In the week it came out but haven't had a chance to read it yet.  Generally speaking, anything he writes is good.

SEPTA Strategic Plan

Our friends at SEPTA have created a page on their website solely to present their strategic business plan.  You can read more at:  http://www.septa.org/strategic-plan/

I looked at parts of it but not all, and found it as informative as most strategic plans.  That being said, let me say again, as I have many times before, that I am a loyal and happy SEPTA rider.  The trains are mostly on time.  The conductors are friendly and professional.  The other riders are nice people.

First Annual Campus Philly Cup

from the inbox:

First annual Campus Philly Cup to be awarded to the local school with best participation at Campus Philly CollegeFest on Saturday, September 27th Campus Philly rolls out the red carpet for college students on Saturday, September 27th, 2014, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. for CollegeFest 2014, presented by Army ROTC. This years event will feature some friendly competition for the first time, as colleges and universities compete for the Campus Philly Cup, to be awarded to the school with the best participation at the event. The all-day festival, with an expected attendance of more than 5,000 students, includes pop-up arts performances and vendor booths at the steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, plus free admission to museums along the Benjamin Franklin Parkway and in Historic Philadelphia. CollegeFest 2014 features: Local and national vendors who will have samples, special offers, games and giveaways. An Involvement Fair sponsored by Generocity.org, where students meet community groups making an impact in the region. A crew of local food vendors. Pop-up performances from cultural partners participating in Campus Phillys Open Arts program, on the Kimmel Center Stage. Free rides on the PHLASH bus, for college students to explore Center City Philadelphia, provided by the Independence Visitor Center. Free access to museums along the Benjamin Franklin Parkway and in Historic Philadelphia. CollegeFest, which was branded as College Day in previous years, is a keystone event for college students, introducing them to Philadelphia and initiating four years of off-campus exploration. For many participants, it is a first experience seeing Philadelphia beyond the borders of campus, says Rashid Zakat, now a Philadelphia-based artist and videographer. CollegeFest is produced by Campus Philly, a nonprofit organization that serves as college students off-campus student activities and career services office, in collaboration with exclusive partners AT&T, IKEA, Green Mountain Energy, the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts, SALT, and City of Philadelphia Parks and Recreation. The festival is free to attend. We meet thousands of students at our 31 college and university partner campuses during student activities fairs and orientation events in August and September, says Campus Phillys president, Deborah Diamond. CollegeFest is our chance to show students their other campus. One of the great things about going to school in Philadelphia is that the whole city can become your campus and CollegeFest offers students an introduction to the organizations that want to engage students all year long. CollegeFest draws students from 65 colleges and universities from all over the region, from as far away as New York, New Jersey, Maryland, Delaware, and Central Pennsylvania. In 2013, College Day drew 5,000 attendees including 4,500 students, generated 5,900 visits to downtown museums, and yielded $105,300 dollars in direct economic impact. For more details on this event please visit campusphilly.org/collegefest.

Moyer Road Bridge Closed

Following a routine inspection, PennDOT inspectors on Sept. 2nd ordered the closure of Moyer Road Bridge in Salford Township due to safety concerns.

This closure will take effect immediately, and traffic will be diverted from the bridge via a signed detour.  While the bridge is closed, Montgomery Countyand its engineers will determine if there is a short-term solution to the problem and will continue to aggressively pursue the necessary steps to reopenthe bridge as soon as possible.

For more information, please visit http://www.montcopa.org/roadsandbridges.

Ferko Playground Project

Please share! On Tuesday, September 9, join Tookany - Tacony Frankford Partnership, Philadelphia Water Department & Philadelphia Parks & Recreation for a Public Meeting on Ferko Playground's storm water management project! Community input will make this project a success.

Ferko Playground and East Cayuga Steet and Juniata Park has been selected for a Clean City, Green Waters stormwater management project.  The meeting is in Ferko Playground at 7:00 p.m.

For more info see www.phillywatersheds.org

SEPTA Shuttle Service on Manayunk / Norristown Line Two Weekends

-Due to track work along SEPTA’s Manayunk/Norristown Regional Rail Line, shuttle buses will operate in place of train service between Wissahickon Station and Elm Street Station for two consecutive weekends (September 6-7, 2014 and September 13-14, 2014).

Inbound:
Passengers traveling inbound to Center City will board shuttle buses approximately 35 minutes before regularly scheduled train times. After departing from Elm Street Station, buses will stop at Main Street, Norristown Transportation Center (NTC), Conshohocken and Spring Mill Stations before expressing to Wissahickon Station.

Shuttle buses will not serve Manayunk, Ivy Ridge or Miquon Stations. Inbound passengers traveling to these stations will need to transfer from shuttle buses to an outbound train at Wissahickon Station to complete their trips.

Trains will depart from Miquon Station eight minutes before regularly scheduled train times and will depart from from Ivy Ridge, Manayunk, Wissahickon Station, East Falls and Allegheny stations three minutes earlier.

Outbound:
Manayunk/Norristown Line trains will operate as far as Miquon Station. Trains will arrive at regularly
scheduled trip times up to Ivy Ridge Station before arriving at Miquon Station. Passengers traveling to stations beyond Miquon will board waiting shuttle buses at Wissahickon Station to complete their outbound trips. After departing from Wissahickon Station, buses will express to Spring Mill Station and will serve Conshohocken, NTC, Main Street and Elm Street Stations.

All passengers should plan to add approximately 35 minutes on their trips.

During shuttle bus substitution weekends, supplemental late night bus service will be provided for inbound and outbound passengers traveling between Manayunk and Elm Street stations.
Passengers can visit www.septa.org to view changes to their train lines and download the supplemental schedule.

The Play's the Thing

Philadelphia is a good theater town.  We have a lot of options, from Broadway quality and prices to local theater quality and prices. Here are a few of the better theater companies and some of their plays for this coming year.  Most have subscription packages that let you get tickets for groups of plays at a reduced cost.

Wilma Theater -- Among their offerings are Hamlet in March and April, followed by Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead.  The lead in Hamlet will be played by an African American woman, Zainab Jah.  In addition to established plays they are presenting two newer productions, The Body of an American, a contemporary war story, and Rapture, Blister, Burn, on the reunion of three women who were college friends.

People's Light -- They are offering three classics, three premieres, and two family plays, including their annual holiday panto.  Two of the premieres have local ties.  Row After Row is a dark comedy involving Battle of Gettysburg re-enactors.  Stella & Lou takes place in a South Philly bar.  One of the classics is August Wilson's Fences.  Another is The Cherry Orchard, which will star David Stratharin and Mary McDonnell.  (If you aren't acquainted with these two watch the movie Passion Fish; they were both in it.)  On a personal note, I've always enjoyed the People's Light performances and bought a four play package for this season.

Walnut Street Theater -- The oldest theater in American (opened in 1809) is showing 15 plays this season.  Five on the main stage, five on a smaller stage, and five family attractions.

There are a lot of other theaters in the area.  These are just the ones who send me flyers lately.

2014 Candidates' Comedy Night

The 24^th Annual Candidates' Comedy Night

August 14th

Finnegan's Wake

This annual political event which benefits a local charity, Variety Philadelphia.  The venue and all staffing and services are donated.  

I took notes as people performed and as it is impossible to write as fast as people talk I missed some things.  So this is by no means a complete transcript.  I caught as much as I could.  Information in parentheses indicates the candidate's party affiliation and office sought.  Other than the two gubernatorial candidates everyone was a congressional candidate and the number indicates the district they are in.  Information in brackets are my comments.  In places it notes something that I missed; in others it is a more direct comment.  For example, I don't follow any professional sports so sports jokes are completely beyond me.  If someone told a lot of sports jokes I just noted that in brackets.   I did not quite know how to record the performance by Mary Ellen Balchunis so that is one long bracketed comment.  

It is entirely possible that I misinterpreted something, or that by missing part of a presentation the balance of it is out of context.  If that happened I apologize for it, and also for any other errors or misconceptions.  This is my best effort at recording as much as I could.

Host:  Stu Bykofsky, columnist for the Philadelphia Daily News

Co-host:  JeniceArmstrong, also a columnist for the Philadelphia Daily News

Comedy Headliner:  Joe Conklin

Stu:  Introduces Jenice Armstrong, mentions that in the first 23 years the event has raised $475,000 for Variety Philadelphia.  He had hoped the event would break $500K this year but it’s a few thousand short

Jenice Armstrong:  There will be 14 candidates doing comedy routines [and goes over event business].

Stu:  [a lot of tasteless jokes, including jokes about child abuse and incest, truly unpleasant to listen to]

Jenice:  [some political jokes]

Megan Rath (R – 1, challenging Bob Brady).  I can’t believe I shaved my legs for this.  All the politicians in the room, no one has been indicted (yet), guess that Kathleen Kane connection is working.  Traffic judges not convicted.  Ok to fix traffic tickets again.  Can you help me out, Bob?  Schools might be funded by cigarette tax.  Will teachers call recess a smoking break?  Nutter is hoping the Pope will do a loaves and fishes thing again.  This is my first foray into politics.  Don’t have a platform yet.  But when carpenters get back into convention center I’ll have them build me one.  Democratic convention here?  It will make the Wing Bowl look classy.  Being pro-choice is like immigration, both penetrate a border we thought was secure.  In the Affordable Care Act there is a provision to save money if you take your own stitches out.  Call suture self.  I used to date a doctor, now I just want to be able to afford one.  My apartment is only 600 square feet.  [small apt jokes]

Mike Fitzpatrick (R-8 incumbent).  Thank Stu fro bringing so many members of Congress together.  IN Bucks County I visit 100 businesses in 100 days.  True story – a constituent was driving north on 95, pulled over by the police.  She doesn’t have a license or owner’s registration in the car.  Tells the officer she stole the car from a guy whom she killed and is storing him in the trunk.  Cut him up into little pieces.  The policemen calls his boss who came right over.  When he asked she had her license and the registration.  The boss says the officer said you stole the car.  She says I bet he told you I was speeding, too.  Story about kidney stone – called the Pelosi stone.  You have to pass it to see what’s in it.  Joke about Rep. Pelosi getting mad at Rep. Marino.  Joke about Pelosi and botox and facelift.  [In joke she tells Pelosi she looks hot and she smiles – he grimaces like someone who has had botox or a facelift]

Bob Brady (D-1 incumbent).  I haven’t missed one of these events.  Stu went to visit a mental institution.  Asked how they decide who belongs here and who doesn’t.    [He tells a joke about Stu failing the test and staying in the institution].  A married couple is in an accident.  The husband is burned and needs a skin graft.  He is so skinny that they take skin from his wife’s behind.  He thanks his wife.  She says she gets great joy from watching his mother kiss his cheeks.  I don’t do political humor, won’t make fun of others.  [He tells a joke about two business partners who make a deal that whichever one dies first will come back and tell the other one what the afterlife is like.  One dies, comes back and tells the other he has sex, eats, and sleeps all day.  Turns out he is now a bear in Yellowstone Park.]  [Gives Stu a gift care from Capital Grill – all the candidates pitched in for it.]  Stu says we are $3K short of making $500K, asks Tom Corbett, Tom Wolf, Pat Meehan, Mike Fitzpatrick for $500 each.  Asks Nicky and Ted [not sure who these people are] and Eddie from PECO for $500 each.  Asks Alan Butkovitz for $500.  They all agree.  Much applause.  Now over $500K

Stu:  Thanks all.  Bipartisan effort.

Armond James (R-2, challenging Chaka Fattah):  [Stu says he begged to be included and now he doesn’t show up.] 

Brendan Boyle (D-13, open seat).  Hello, Finnegan’s Wake!  Applause for Stu and Jenice.  First time here.  A little excited, a little nervous.  Already lasted longer than my other first time – giving a speech I mean.  Today I saw [sports team], police shooting with blanks[?], and now Governor Corbett – 3 things with no shot.  [joke about now that he has joked about Corbett he is praying that Corbett is never Attorney General again].  Charlie Kallas joke.  Eagles broke my heart.  Four championship games but no Super Bowl.  Goes to show how great McNabb was – just ask him he’ll tell you.  I went the political route.  All three Boyles went the public service route.  I’m in the state house.  My brother is in the state house.  My dad is a SEPTA janitor – at least one of us has an honest job.  Here because I won the primary.  The most expensive in the country.  Next day get a call from Bill Clinton asking me to hang out at Chickie & Pete’s.  Congress has an approval rating of 7%.  With hard work we can get it to 8%.

Pat Meehan (R-7 incumbent).  Thanks Stu and Jenice.  Always a fun night.  Nice to be away from Washington.  Fitzpatrick took one of my Pelosi jokes.  She is one of the people who makes it a tough environment.  She discovered social media – she’s on “can’t move my face book.”  Obama sent her to China because the first one who blinks loses.  Don’t worry about impeachment.  Why not?  Three words:  President Joe Biden.  Nutter back in the news.  Trip to France on taxpayers’ dime.  Staff taking in on the chin.  They thought he asked for three days and nights at the Paris Hilton.  What he wanted was three nights with Paris Hilton.  The DNC is here to see if the convention should be held in Philadelphia.  We have a good shot.  Philly can rig elections.  Philly GOP endorsed the concept – a campaign they might be able to win.  Monied donors, debauchery, Scotch, to Bob Brady that’s just another Tuesday night.  Bill Clinton is on board [lists the names of local gentleman’s clubs].  Chuckie Schumer is pushing Brooklyn.  We need our own narcissistic [missed this word] – good thing we have Ed Rendell.  Called my friend Chris Christie – have the DNC here just as you are exploring you own bid.  Christie non-plussed – we’ll close that bridge when we come to it.  Going to put three people on the spot – Stu, Brady & Fitpatrick.  I’m going to take the ice water challenge and nominate you to do the same and raise $100 for ALS. 

Stu:  I’ll do it right now.  Let’s get a pitcher of ice water.

Chaka Fattah (D-2 incumbent):  [doesn’t show up.  Jenice wonders if he’s out coaching his son]

Stu:  [Introducs Doug Zeiders, head of Variety]

Doug Zeiders:  Variety offers day and overnight camp for children with disabilities, all ages, all disabilities.  Parents say Variety camp is the only place, outside of him, that kids are loved and accepted.

Stu:  I’ve been on the board of Variety for over 20 years.  We aren’t paid.  We actually have to pay to be on the board.  Pay for parking, meals, etc for meetings. 

Joe Conklin [jokes about Chris Christie and extra crispy and the ice water challenge.]  Now that the DNC is gone we can be ourselves again.  Does impression of Mayor Nutter saying Fishtown was originally a lesbian penal colony.  Does Rendell impression of Rendell saying he likes thin blondes and got the phone numbers of three women in DNC group.  Pope coming to Philly.  The Archdiocese won’t confirm --  but will move him from parish to parish.  Sending buses of priests to Little League game.  Corbett promised money to the Philly schools but gave it to Chaka Fattah, Jr. to hold.  If anybody needs weed Jim Kenney is out on 3^rd St.  [many sports jokes].

Stu:  [Does 50/50 drawing.  Jenice wins, donates money back to Variety.  Auction of baseball signed by Mike Schmidt.  Auctions jersey signed by Donovan McNabb.  Gentleman from Emerald Capital wins both.  Stu thanks everyone who donated items or services.]

Kevin Strouse (D-8 challenging Mike Fitzpatrick):  Thanks for warming up the crowd.  Tradition to make the first joke about Stu, but also told not to make fun of the elderly.  I joined the Army and fought the Taliban, now ready for the real fight – Congress.  When joined and in basic training only one in my unit not from the South, didn’t know who Kenny Chesney was.  I had the most boring contraband.  The others had the most debauched porn.  I had a World War II history book.  Hard to separate the Taliban from the goats – they never forget their first love.  After the military I went to work for the NSA.  I can’t tell you how much fun I had.  Seriously, I can’t tell you.  [Dick Cheney joke]

Ryan Costello (R-6, open seat):  Stu took clean jokes.  Brendan said all the jokes I couldn’t say.  On vacation getting John Boehner on – tan.  Problem with political jokes is they often get elected.  [does Johnny Carson Karnack jokes]  What are Rocky and The Sting?  Two jokes that describe Kathleen Kane’s first year in office.  Ted Cruz?  Person Manan Trivedi most wants to see fundraise for me.  Ryan Costello and Ed Rendell?  The last two people to hit on my wife.  Schuylkill Expressway?  What is the only thing slower than Obamacare website. 

Tom Corbett (R-Governor):  I feel sorry for you having to listen to all this.  Politicians aren’t funny.  Tom Wolf and I did this last night in Pittsburgh.  Politicians are not funny.  Except Daylin Leach – fact finding trip to Colorado to investigate pot.    Sunday night thinking about jokes.  People want to know what you do as governor.  At the grocery store they ask what are you doing?  Shopping.  At restaurants, what are you doing?  Eating.  What do I do that’s different than what other people do?  1) I was born in Philadelphia.  I’m the first governor born in Philadelphia since the Revolutionary War – hasn’t gotten me one vote.  2) In was invited to the White House dinner for Angela Merkel.  The President was sitting behind me.  Tim Geithner was the host at my table.  Nancy Pelosi was there.  A woman asks me what I’m doing in Philadelphia to help re-elect Obama.  I say I’m the Republican governor.  She says really, what are you doing to help the President.  3) Bass Masters.  Fish that are caught are put back in.  People cheering for me are from New Jersey.  Tom Wolf and I have a lot in common.  Drive jeeps.  I’m tired of seeing the jeep.  In commercials Tom Wolf is driving a jeep – not looking where he is going.  Tom Wolf must be feeling the pressure.  He actually let the lieutenant governor out.

Mary Ellen Balchunis (D-7, challenging Pat Meehan).  [I honestly don’t know how to really describe this.  Balchunis did not do a comedy routine.  She and two other women did a song and dance routine, to the tune of “I Will Survive.”  The lyrics had something to do with pay equity and social media.  She and the other two women did their performance on the floor instead of the stage.  I wonder if she had decided this in advance because it took a lot of time to get the microphones set up.  Since they were on ground level it was difficult to see.  It was also painful to watch.  To be fair some people might have thought it was innovative and refreshing.  I’m simply not one of them.]

Manan Trivedi (D-6, open seat).  Want to thank Mary Ellen.  No matter what I do it can’t be worse than that.  It must be tough for Tom Corbett to come into Philadelphia, with protests, etc.  If it gets to be too much just shut your eyes.  Right now Wolf is ahead by 20, but he will do more commercials; people will meet him.  Corbett could lose by a lot more.  Tom Wolf drove his jeep.  I know it was his because the license plate is from Delaware.  I have a lot in common with Wolf.  He has a PhD; I’m a doctor.  We both have two daughters and grew up in a small town.  But if he grows a beard he’s everyone’s uncle and if I grow a beard I’m on the terrorist watch list.  I won’t make many ethnic jokes.  In case the gaming commission is here, I’m a 7-11 Indian not a casino Indian.  Let’s skip the debates and just have seven spelling bees.  The DNC people were just here.  Bob Brady wore his best track suit.

Stu does the ice water challenge and says that the first time he’s had ice without Jack Daniels.

Tom Wolf (D- Governor, challenging Tom Corbett).  I came from a small town in York County.  It is so small it only has one traffic light.  I was concerned that I would have trouble driving in Philadelphia but no one here knows how to drive either.  I am known as being a little wooden.  I’m sorry Bob Casey isn’t here.  Next to him I look exciting.  Fundraising is hard.  But it is harder to take $10 million out of the family rainy day fund.  Keeps me honest not beholden.  But if anyone comes up with a cure for baldness he can have anything he wants.  I thought Tom Corbett and I were running for the most powerful office in the state, but according to his commercials I learned the Secretary of Revenue is.  If elected I will be the first bearded governor in [missed this number] years.  People say politicians are jokers but tonight proves that is not true.

Dee Adcock (R-13, open seat).  I’m the guy everyone was looking for.  Megan Rath, she’s young, beautiful, and witty.  Comedy night is the perfect place for me.  When I told my wife I was running she said very funny.  I’ve not held any political positions.  After college I grew a small swimming pool store into a large distributorship.  I think about water too much.  My daughter’s name is Brooke; my wife is Sandy.  Let’s dive right in.  I ran in 2010.  People were looking for someone who was not a career politician.  Allyson Schwartz lost the primary for governor.  She put all she’s learned into her new job as a Wal-Mart greeter.  If elected I will donate my salary to charity.  I’m at a disadvantage in the city because of party registration.  I know my party backs me because I rode up in the elevator with all of them.  Just celebrated my 27^th anniversary.  I’ve been married longer than my opponent’s been alive.  When asked about seniors Brendan Boyle said “I hated them in high school because they shoved me in the lockers.”  When Obama says slice he means golf.  When Michelle says slice she means meat in school lunches.

With that the evening ended.  

Judicial Sale Announcement from Salus

from the inbox:

Montgomery County Treasurer Jason Salus, who also serves as the County’s Director of Tax Claim, today invited qualified bidders to participate in the upcoming Judicial Real Estate Tax Sale. 

“Properties offered “free and clear” at Judicial Sale often represent attractive investment
opportunities for prospective buyers,” said Salus. According to Salus, the term “free and clear” refers to the divestment of all liens from Judicial Sale properties that occurs at the time of sale.

“While the sale of these properties will accomplish our short-term goal of returning them to the tax rolls and generating much needed revenue for our County, local school districts and municipalities, it will also encourage economic growth in the long-term by stimulating
Montgomery County’s real estate market through redevelopment,” said Salus. 

The sale is scheduled for Thursday, August 28th at 10:00 AM in Courtroom A of the
Montgomery County Courthouse (2 E. Airy Street, Norristown PA). Prospective bidders must register prior to the sale.

A complete list of properties available in this Sale as well as the Sale guidelines and registration information can be found by visiting the Montgomery County Tax Claim Bureau website. Please note that this list is updated daily and may change up to the day of Sale. At press time, twenty properties were scheduled to be offered at Sale including Joshua Hill, a property stretching over ten acres in Whitemarsh Township. 

Furthermore, it is recommended to consult with an Attorney or Abstractor prior to bidding. All properties are sold “as is” without warranty or guarantee as to condition of title.

Horsham Democrats Annual Reception

The Horsham Democrats held their annual reception on August 12, 2014 at the Horsham Pub in Ambler.  Several local officials and candidates attended.  Former 8th District Congressman Patrick Murphy was a special guest.  Joe Hoeffel, who has held office as a Congressman (13th), Montgomery County Commissioner, and State Representative (153rd) and is now an author (of Iraq Lies) was also in attendance but did not make formal remarks.

These are my rough notes from the event.  Public remarks were longer and more detailed; this is in no way intended as a transcript.  It is just my notes from what people said.  My apologies in advance for any errors or misconceptions.  A few personal observations are given at the end of the post. 

MC:  Horsham Dems co-chair Pat Costello

Co-host:  Horsham Dems vice chair Ron Kolla

In addition to speakers the following were present:

Joe Hoeffel, D. Bruce Hanes (Montco Register of Wills), Ann Thornburg Weiss (Montco Clerk of Courts, JeanneSorg (Mayor of Ambler) and Rick Taylor (First Gentleman of Ambler and former State Representative), Greg Holt (Montco State Democratic Committee), Mark Levy (Montco Prothonotary), Madeleine Dean (State Representative for 153rd district), Dottie Miller (State House candidate in 53rd district), RuthDamsker (former Montco County Commissioner, candidate for State Senate in 12th district), [Mary Ellen Balchunis -- 7th district congressional candidate -- she was mentioned but I'm not sure she was there in person]

Brendan Boyle, candidate for Congress in the 13th district and current state representative in the 170th district, who had to leave early, spoke before the other formal remarks.  He referenced being the first Democrat in history to win in his district, and now people were saying a Republican couldn’t win the seat.  He said he looked forward to growing the party.

Pat Costello gave opening remarks, welcoming everyone.  He pointed out the labor leaders in the room and said labor is the backbone of Horsham.  He mentioned candidates in the room (see list above)

Josh Shapiro, chairman of the Montco Commissioners:  Recognizes Pat Costello.  Understands what it takes to build a party.  Bullish on Horsham Dems.  Believe in one another.  This is a tremendous group of people, who know how to mobilize.  Ruth Damsker will vote with Tom Wolf to put more money back into education.  Starts with boots on the ground.  Introduces Patrick Murphy, watches him on MSNBC, doing great things with veterans.  Murphy is raising awareness, and being a voice for the voiceless.

Patrick Murphy, former congressmen in the 8th district:  thanks.  When he signed up with MSNBC he can no longer endorse candidates but got special permission to be here tonight.  The only thing you have is your word.  Special mention of Hoeffel, who is the conscience of the party in this area.  A lot of great things going on in Horsham.  He was only elected to Congress because of the voters Montgomery County who were in the 8^th district.  He recognizes Wendy Rothstein (??), who is also a lawyer at Fox Rothschild, and mentions that Montgomery party chair Marcel Groen is also at Fox Rothschild.  References Joe Hoeffel’s book, Iraq Lies.  Less than 1% of Americans have served in Iraq.  Many have come home broken.  Leave no one behind.  Every day 22 veterans commit suicide, over 70% with a gun.  Heart broken over Robin Williams’s death; he did a lot for veterans.  Tells the story of getting a death threat the night the Affordable Care Act.  He slept on the floor of his congressional office and someone called him and said he was dead.   Mentions that while in Congress he did the PX90 workout with Paul Ryan.  Mentions ISIS conflict, and humanitarian drops by US.  Says Tom Corbett has been called the most ineffective governor in the country. 

Leslie Richards, Montco Commissioner:  Great to see so many old and new faces.  When Josh and I won we made history.  Not possible without work by Joe Hoeffel and Ruth Damsker.  Elect Ruth to the State Senate.  Let’s help Tom Corbett make history by being the first PA governor not to win a second term. 

Josh Shapiro:  Thanks Pat Costello and others.  

Personal observations:  This was a lively gathering.  Boyle, Hoeffel and Murphy were the popular kids; there was always a crowed around each of them.  The room was full and the event well-attended, especially on a rainy night.  The food looked good, too.  I had already eaten but did have some blueberries.  There were more influential women there than I am used to seeing, which was encouraging.

Update on the White Cheddar Boys

One of my favorite local bands, The White Cheddar Boys (sometimes also known as Huey and the Banjo), will be playing live at Kung Fu Necktie this Friday, August 8th.  The address is 1250 N. Front St. Philadelphia.  It's worth the time and money to go.  The band is good.