Category: Bob Small

Media Dem Incumbents Face Challenge From Environmental Activists

Media Dem Incumbents Face Challenge From Environmental Activists

By Bob Small

It’s very rare that I find myself writing about one of my old “protest buddies,” and as one of them is now running for public office, I had to seize this opportunity.

In the Borough of Media, three of the incumbent Borough Council members are running again. 

I find it curious that the candidates are not listed in any of the following three web sites.

www.mediademocrats.com Media Democrats

https://www.delcodems.com Home – Delco

https://www.facebook.com › delcodems

However, the current Borough Council members are listed at this web site: 

Borough Council | Media Borough, PA,

The New Vision Democrats are running three candidates: Dell Jackson, Jen Malkoun, and Terry Rumsey. See their ten-point platform here:  

Dell Jackson is a Penn State graduate working in property maintenance.

“The candidates who are eligible for re-election have a combined 55 years of service on Borough Council,” he says.

Jen Malkoun is the Delaware County Director of Programs and Partnerships with Greener Partners.

A graduate of Goucher College, Jen recently joined the Blooming Glen Farm crew as assistant farm manager.

“When we lack diversity — whether in the natural world, or in the lived experiences of our community members — it is to our own disadvantage,” she said.

Terry Rumsey is the founder and president of Green Seeds.

Terry and his wife, Robin Lasersohn, have been proponents for “green space” activism in Media, and are founding members of Friends of Glen Providence Park and Keep Media Green.

“Today the slogan ‘Everybody’s Hometown’ feels superficial to me. I am tired of watching developers cut down trees in our urban forest to build McMansions for the wealthy,”Terry said. “I am tired of watching predatory real estate speculators ‘flip’ houses once lived in by working- and middle-class families to reap stunning profits.”

Back in the 1980’s, Terry and I worked against US intervention in Central America as part of Delco Pledge of Resistance.

Our activism included civil disobedience at the Upland Peace Camp.

Terry was also the co-owner of the late lamented Jumping Cow Coffeehouse at the Swarthmore train station, As poetry director of the coffeehouse, I scheduled anti-Apartheid activist and poet Dennis Brutus, among others. We worked together well then.

Media Dem Incumbents Face Challenge From Environmental Activists
Media Dem Incumbents Face Challenge From Environmental Activists

Neil Young Challenging Dem Bosses In Swarthmore, My My Hey Hey

Neil Young Challenging Dem Bosses In Swarthmore, My My Hey Hey

By Bob Small

For the first time in at least a decade, Swarthmore Democratic voters will have a choice when they vote for Borough Council in the May 16 primary election. Two incumbents, David Boonin and Jill Gaieski, are running for re-election. The third, Council President (and Delaware County Solicitor of Wills) Mary Walk, is not running for re-election. The Democratic Party-endorsed candidate is Steven Carp. However, there is also an independent Democrat with an easy-to-remember name, one Neil Young.

If you’ve attended recent Borough Council meetings, or read about them in The Swarthmorean, you are familiar with Young’s viewpoints.

“I would say a primary election which offers Swarthmore Democrats a choice of candidates is a sign of a healthy democracy,” said Young in an online interview. “Incumbents have to defend their record in office, and challenger candidates can offer an alternative . . . A long history of contested primaries, in my view, leads to a cozy complacency that has not served our borough well”

Young enjoyed his signature-gathering, during which he spent time “in the busiest points in town” meeting people and asking for their support. He hopes to use both legacy and online media and in-person meetings to get his message out.

He has worked for FMC Corp.,  and feels what he has learned there would be valuable assets for serving on the Borough Council. Young explains that he always tries “to seek the best outcome while avoiding personal conflict. I feel many of those skills have been missing from our council the last few years.”

“While Swarthmore has many fine qualities, it also faces significant challenges … it is clear to me there are many areas where the best interests of the entire community are not being represented,” Young said. “A lack of long-range planning, coupled with years of budget deficits and declining capital reserves, creates real doubt around whether the Swarthmore people know today will be financially viable, or affordable, tomorrow. It is my view that difficult conversations have been ignored, deferred, or delayed for many years” (my italics).

“Two thirds of the finance committee did not vote for the budget they worked on producing,” Young said.

Young ended by saying “worse that this though, and over many years, council meetings have been characterized by a lack of civility and decorum, with many meetings descending into unpleasant personal disputes.”

Neil Young Challenging Dem Bosses In Swarthmore, My My Hey Hey

Modern Classical Music at DCCC

Modern Classical Music at DCCC

By Bob Small

Modern Classical Music, like alternative political parties and alternative religions  can be seen as a subculture followed by those of us who don’t always trust the dominant traditional cultures.

Most people’s perception of classical music has been both Eurocentric and empire-centric, to say nothing of being male-centric. There should be room for music based on alternative visions of gender, race, and culture, and celebrating peace instead of wars and militarism.

For many, the enjoyment of new modern classical music lies in both the discovery phase and re-listening when possible. Hearing repeated live performances of new works is an extremely rare occurrence, whereas we can hear Bach, Mozart, Puccini, Beethoven and Verdi on an endless loop. Depending on how you get your music, there is usually a very limited choice of other composers presented. Though WRTI, our local classical FM station, tries to be diverse, it is rather limited in its diversity. For example, on March 8, which was International Women’s Day, the all-women-composers playlist included some composers only to be heard on that day, and some of their compositions were only partially played.

The new music performance groups I used to follow were Relache, when I lived in Philly, and Orchestra 2001, when it was at Swarthmore College.

Lately, I have discovered the new music program at Delaware County Community College (DCCC).

On the March 2 program of new music at DCCC, the duo Melomanie, consisting of harpsichord and flute, played works by Larry Nelson, Chuck Holdeman, Mark Hagerty and Joseph Bodin de Boismortier.

The first time I attended one of these programs at DCCC, I was one-third of the audience. Last Thursday night, I was one-tenth of the non-composer section of the audience. I had a challenging and enjoyable evening.

The next concert in the series is 5 p.m., Thursday, March 23,and features the Lang/Rainwater project. General admission is only $10.

Modern Classical Music at DCCC
Modern Classical Music at DCCC

IAP Re-Launching In Pennsylvania

IAP Re-Launching In Pennsylvania — The IAP (Independent American Party) is in the process of re-launching in Pennsylvania. They want to be seen as “the solution party”. Their solutions are many and these are some listed in this Utah born Party.

There goals include “To uphold and revere our constitution in the tradition of our Founding Fathers as this land’s only and supreme law” and “To return the control of government back to the people as intended.”

The IAM was founded in 1993, inspired by a speech given by Ezra Taft Benson.

On May 16 1998, a vote was taken for the formation of a national IAP.

Pennsylvanian Will Christensen was one of the original founders of the IAP. See the history section of the IAP website for a bio.

The IAP is anti-one world government and pro life. Their website lists many other positions, including where they stand on the Article 5 Convention, Covid 19 vaccination,  the Federal Reserve, the National Popular Vote Compact, and Red Flag Laws, etc.

Lonny Ray Williams, current National Chair, and descendant of Luzerne County Coal Miners sent a lengthy response to my questions

“The difference between the IAP and the Constitution Party is that we embrace the spiritual component of our nation and insist that it is an integral and important component of restoring and protecting the republic,” he said.

He uses Kathy Barnett as an example of a candidate he would support

“Our Plan is to rebuild America into a community of neighbors that love each other and are willing to help each other out through the difficult times in their lived (my ital) not one that relies on government as the arbitrator of kindness,” he said.

The Regional Coordinator of Pennsylvania is Scott Bartlett at Sbartlett@yahoo.com

Let me end with one of his statements “I would encourage everyone out there to stop voting for the lesser of two evils”.

IAP Re-Launching In Pennsylvania

The Fifth Largest Party

The Fifth Largest Party

By Bob Small

The Constitution Party is the fifth largest political party in the United States.

It began life as the US Taxpayer Party in 1992. Its chairman is James M. Clymer of Pennsylvania.

As of November, the Constitution Party had 20 members elected to municipal offices throughout the United States. Clymer was its vice-presidential candidate in 2012.

The Constitution Party refuses to take any federal funds for its presidential campaign.

Its mission statement includes this paragraph:

“The mission of the Constitution Party is to secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity through the election, at all levels of government, of Constitution Party candidates who will uphold the principles of the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution of the United States, the Bill of Rights. It is our goal to limit the federal government to its delegated, enumerated, Constitutional functions.”

In an email discussion, Troy Bowman, the Southeast Region Chair for Pennsylvania, stated that the party’s outreach efforts consist largely of mailing flyers, newspaper ads, social media posts, and phone calls.

Speaking of the Constitution Party as a party with a strong Christian backbone, Bowman went on to say, “it is not debatable that this country was founded on Christian principles which are deeply rooted in the Bible.” However, the party welcomes anyone “who believes what the original intent for the Constitution was.”

In Pennsylvania, the party has six elected members in municipal offices and hopes to have more after next November.

Lastly, he added, “what I have learned in the last 14 years is that the Republican Party can not and will not (emphasis mine) ever fix itself or rehabilitate itself.”

Change a word or two, and this could be the Greens talking about the Democrats.

Though I don’t share all the party’s values, I have not hesitated to vote for a Constitution Party candidate when a Green Party candidate was not available.

Hopefully, the Constitution Party will be on a plethora of municipal ballots this election year.

The Fifth Largest Party

Anti-War Rally Shows New Alliances On Both Sides

Anti-War Rally Shows New Alliances On Both Sides

By Bob Small

“I get what they are saying: ‘Hey, I want to stop nuclear war, but not with those people’.” — Jimmy Dore

The Feb. 19  “Rage Against the War Machine” demonstration in Washington, DC, was a unique blend of  viewpoints of different speakers, some of whose only shared belief is an anti-war stance. A few of the more well-known speakers were Tulsi Gabbard, Dennis Kucinich, Dr. Ron Paul, Dr. Jill Stein, Chris Hedges, and Roger Waters.

A complete speaker list can be found here and be aware of the subtexts of the speakers.

The Daily Beast covered one of the five total counter-protestors

The Militant, (the Socialist Workers Party), was pro Ukraine  and against the rally.  Militant editor John Studer went to Kyiv in 2014 and was pro Mauidan.

Amanda Moore of the Turtle Diaries seemed upset that she even had to cover this rally, let alone try to be objective.

The New American included a quote from Dennis Kucinich: “Our country used to lead the world in producing steel, cars and ships. Now we lead the world in making enemies.”

Rainer Shea refers to a time when “the US empire vanishes altogether” and to “a post-American world”.

Cara Castronuova is a co-founder of Citizens Against Political Persecution (CAPP) who lists the 10 demands of the rally. She ends her article with a quote from Philippians 4:13 (“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me”).

The Patriotic Socialist Front thought the rally was a “fantastic success”. 

Hopefully we’ll create peace in Ukraine as gracefully as we left Afghanistan. That was sarcasm.

The final words are from my friend and fellow Swarthmorean Carol Kennedy, who attended the rally.

“One thing I loved about it was that it brought together people who oppose unnecessary wars and the military-industrial complex despite their other political differences.”

Anti-War Rally Shows New Alliances On Both Sides

No Surprises In The 35th District

No Surprises In The 35th District

By Bob Small

The last of the Feb 7  special elections held no surprises, except for just how poorly the GOP had done in them. The 35th State House District required a special election after Austin Davis resigned to become the first African-American lieutenant governor of Pennsylvania.

Matthew Gergely earned a whopping 88.6 percent of the vote (3,237 votes) to Republican Donald Nevills , who earned only 11.4 percent% (424 votes). When he ran in the 2022 election, Nevills secured 33.8 percent of the vote.

Gergely served as McKeesport’s city administrator and finance director. He also served as a McKeesport Area School District official. His brother Marc previously served as the House Rep but resigned due to his connections to illegal gambling operations.

Matthew said he will fight for fair funding for the public schools. It should be noted that taxes for Mckeesport School District were raised repeatedly during his tenure as city administrator and finance director. 

Nevills served 14 years in the US Navy. He’s been a small businessman in Pittsburgh, running a tattoo parlor, which he says closed due to covid restrictions.

After that happened, Nevills and his wife Paula opened Cotton Candy City in Clairton.

Don has served in many municipal positions, most recently on the Board of Directors of the Clairton Municipal Authority.

His externsive campaign web site lists 10 platform issues, including constitutional rights, covid mandates, infrastucture problems, and worker shortages. I suggest that you try to review this web site before he takes it down.

And this YouTube  interview.

There are 14 towns in the 35th District, including Duquesne and McKeesport. All the former representatives have been Democrats, with two serving almost 50 years (1979-2017) — namely, Marc Gergeley and Thomas A. Michlovic.

The February 7th election was the last scheduled special election, until the next ones are scheduled under the new State House Speaker Democrat Joanna McClinton.

No Surprises In The 35th District
No Surprises In The 35th District

34th District Is Safe For Dems

34th District Is Safe For Dems

By Bob Small

When Democrat Abigail Salisbury won the special election for the 34th Pennsylvania State House District, previously held by Summer Lee (who is now in the U.S. Congress), she became the second openly bisexual candidate to be elected in Harrisburg. There are now six openly LGBTQ state representatives in Harrisburg, and they belong to the LGBTQ Equality Caucus.

Abigail Salisbury won 10,068 votes (87.7 % of the vote) to Robert Pagane’s 1,404 votes (12.3% of the total). This result had been expected. 

Born in Ohio, Abigail Salisbury attended Case Western Reserve University for her undergraduate degree and received her law degree from the University of Pittsburgh. She was endorsed by Clean Water Action, Planned Parenthood, and various labor unions.

Among other things, Salisbury initiated her own low-cost law practice for nonprofits and small businesses in Swissvale. One of her major priorities has been to reduce the time it takes for a new business to acquire its business license. (She says it takes 2.5 months.)

Robert Pagane graduated from the Allegheny County Police Academy in 1989. He has been affiliated with the Fraternal Order of Police and the International Police Work Dog Association.

Now retired, Pagane spent 30 years as a police officer, five of them in the city of Pittsburgh and 13 as a K-9 handler.

Three key messages of his campaign were to make the streets safe, to lessen the tax burden on the elderly, and to fight on behalf of his constituents to raise his district “from the ashes”. He believes that businesses will return when the streets are safe.

PA House District 34 is in Allegheny County and includes Braddock, 12 other towns, and sections of Pittsburgh.

Pennsylvania House of Representative

The two Democrats who served as state representatives prior to Summer Lee (Paul Costa and Ronald R. Cowell) served a total of almost 45 years, from 1975 to 2019.

34th District Is Safe For Dems
34th District Is Safe For Dems

Casey Fetterman Conundrum

Casey Fetterman Conundrum

By Bob Small

What is now seen as a “medical condition”? Is it no longer purely physical? Does it now include “clinical depression” and other purely mental conditions? Evidently so, and it’s been a long time coming. If a mental condition has the same incapacitating effect as a physical condition, then how should it not be considered just as serious? I was on leave from my job for about six months in 1997, due to triple bypass surgery. Would I have been granted the same kind of paid or non-paid leave if I had had some form of depression? 

Sen. John Fetterman did.

“John is doing exactly what he should do, which is seek help” said Minnesota Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn), who has been public about her battles with depression. She went on to say “Seeking help when you need it is a sign of strength”.

So let’s agree that anyone who needs mental-health care should feel free to seek it, without stigma or retribution.

However, should his or her job, especially if s/he is an elected official, be held open indefinitely? During the period when Pennsylvania’s senior senator, Bob Casey of the Pennsylvania Casey dynasty, was being treated for prostate cancer, the same questions arose.

According to the Pew Research Center, Pennsylvania is among the majority of states that permit the governor to name a US Senate replacement in the event of a resignation, death or expulsion. The last of Pennsylvania’s five appointed senators was Harris Wofford, who was named to replace John Heinz.

In Pennsylvania a special election is held “when someone in office can no longer serve”, according to PA.gov.

According to BipartisanPolicy.org  “no sitting member of Congress has ever been replaced for incapacitation”. However, if there were to be a resignation, Gov. Shapiro would choose the successor.

According to the Washington Post, “the hospitalization doesn’t necessarily say anything about his future status,” said Will Cronenwett, Chief of General Psychiatry at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine.

There has been some fear expressed in various quarters about the choice the governor might make were Fetterman to resign. The name of Gisele Fetterman has come up, for one.

In conclusion, unless there is a resignation,  we are engaging in meaningless speculation about what comes next for him and for the state.

Casey Fetterman Conundrum

32nd District Race Went As Expected

32nd District Race Went As Expected

By Bob Small

The Feb. 7 special election in the 32nd Pennsylvania House District went as was expected in the solidly Democratic district.

Democrat Joe McAndrew received 74.9% of the vote (9,515), while Republican Clay Walker received only 25.9% of the vote (3,185).

McAndrew is a former executive director of the Allegheny County Democratic Committee, and has served as chair of the Penn Hills Democratic Committee. A graduate of the University of Dayton, he was endorsed for this race by Clean Water Action and Planned Parenthood, among other organizations.

Walker, of Verona, works as a health-care customer representative. He is better known as the pastor of Monroeville’s Mustard Seed Church. He calls himself a conservative on criminal rights and gun rights. He is a University of Pittsburgh graduate and a US Army veteran, and this is his first run for office.

The 32nd District covers four areas of Allegheny County. Anthony M. Deluca was its longest serving representative (1983-2022). He died in office on Oct. 9

HB 2104 Limits Electric Rate Hikes