INDIVISIBLE Lambertville NJ / New Hope PA

Category: Pennsylvania

  • GOTV PA – Lock in the Keystone State, May Edition

    Yard signs compete with new blooms for lawn space; our mailboxes are chock-a-block with candidates’ mailers; and pitches for fundraisers and donations crowd our in-boxes. The primary season is in full swing. And, with all of the excitement comes a different kind of swinging, as candidates rail against one another in full-throated, democratic competition.
    While many of us feel uncomfortable with this type of conflict, wishing for everyone to “play nice”, our expectations may be unrealistic. Elections have always been a contact sport, and today’s no-holds-barred ethos makes them all the more extreme. This writer and other ILNHers have spoken to campaign staff in an effort to tone down the negative rhetoric, basically to no avail. (I was told, “That’s politics” by one.)
    It may be wise for us to learn to accept the sausage-making aspects of the process and to, perhaps, view it as a means to “toughen up” our candidates to survive in the final combat with conservatives, known for their vicious and under-handed methods.
    On a more positive note, we wish to acknowledge our ILNH Community for your spirit, hard work, and generosity in support of our local progressives and the Get Out The Vote (GOTV) initiative. You answered our clarion…
    CALL TO ACTION: Wherever you live, now’s the time to organize your neighbors and community. One great way is to go on out and knock on doors. Another is to invite your friends and neighbors over for a fundraiser, be it a coffee klatch or a cocktail party. We need to get together and WIN!
    Enjoy the Spring, with an afternoon of Canvassing –Check out the Turn PA Blue Canvassing Guide.
    Host a Fundraiser – Our candidates need to raise a lot of dough just to compete against the GOP money machine. Turn PA Blue is looking for volunteers willing to host fundraisers for candidates in and outside their districts. It’s fun and easy and we will provide you with all the information you need to host a successful event. If you’re interested in learning more, please sign up HERE. For more information about how to host a candidate fundraiser, please check out the Turn PA Blue Fundraising Guide.
    For more on elections, events, and ways to get involved, please read on…
    Elections. Ride the Blue Wave into the May 15th elections! Here’s what is coming up in our area:
    178th District – Upper Makefield – Special Election and Primary on May 15th.
    ILNH member Helen Tai’s campaign is intelligent, ethical, and professional. A proud Democrat, Helen is dedicated to fully funding our schools and has received a Gun Sense Candidate designation, as well as an endorsement from the “Win Back Your State” PAC. Helen’s integrity has met a rabid and insidious response from her conservative opponent, Wendi Thomas. From the get-go, Thomas’s campaign has attempted to obfuscate its Republican support and blur its positions, while demonizing Helen. But, Wendi cannot hide from her own record as a member of the Council Rock school board, where she endorsed budgets cutting teachers and special education staff, while guaranteeing 3-year raises for already well-compensated administrators. Remember, Helen is running both to fill a temporarily vacant post and in the May primary for our November election. It’s confusing, true, but you need to vote for her twice. NOTE: Independents and Republicans can also vote for Helen in the Special Election. Worth repeating from our February newsletter, the one-seat Special Election poses a major opportunity to break into our State Legislature’s male-dominated, Republican stronghold. In fact, it has been 34 years since our district elected a Democrat! As her button says, “Give ‘Em Helen!”
    Check out: www.HelenTai.com
    10th District, PA State Senate. Lower Makefield’s Steve Santarsiero is running to fill the “number one pick-up opportunity in the State Senate for Pennsylvania Democrats,” according to his website, “…making it the most important State Legislature race in the State”. Until January, Steve served as Chief Deputy Attorney General of Pennsylvania for Environmental Protection. He has a 100% rating by Planned Parenthood PA Advocates, a strong commitment to education, and a proven commitment to public service through his many years in our local government.
    Events & Demonstrations*:
    Women’s Leadership Forum, Democratic National Committee – May 17th and 18th. Washington, DC.
    For more information, additional resources, and ways to get involved*:
    Bucks County Blue: Great source for info on all races and candidates in Bucks, including upcoming events and voter registration.
    Warwick First: Site for this fledgling group in an entrenched red community. Can we flip it? Ride the Blue Wave!
    Buckingham Voices: “Concerned citizens, empowered and in motion.” Smart, active team committed to educating and empowering folks in our area. buckinghamvoices@gmail.com
    Newtown Democrats: Newly energized by their victories in November, this organization is working to widen its reach.
    Solebury Democrats: Lively, up-to-date site, with excellent content.
    Indivisible: Provides a wealth of information and ready-made materials, ranging from Elections 101, Voting Rights, and Voting Suppression, Voter Registration, Endorsement Guides, and more.
    SwingLeft: Nationwide organization dedicated to flipping Congressional districts like ours.
    Flippable: Mounting a Blue Wave Tsunami across the states.
    With the Trump administration desperate enough to recently risk a global trade war over a single PA district’s special election, we know that they will resort to extreme propaganda and dirty tricks to keep their grip on us. We call upon you to Join the Resistance and Turn PA Blue!
    *Resources and calendar of events will be updated monthly.

  • GOTV PA – Lock in the Keystone State

    While Pennsylvania is top of the national news with our battle against extreme gerrymandering by our state’s Republican legislature, our local elections are making headlines too: Read this piece from the New York Times!
    Here’s more on what’s happening in our area:
    • Elections. The Blue Wave sweeping PA rolls in a host of great candidates for us to support.
    • 178th District Special Election on May 15th. This one-seat special election now poses a major opportunity for a Democratic candidate to break into our state legislature’s male-dominated, Republican stronghold. In fact, it has been 34 years since our district elected a Democrat,
      and we have never elected a woman! That’s why ILNH member Helen Tai, an 18-year district resident and the elected Chair of the Solebury Township Supervisors, is running to represent New Hope, Northampton, Solebury, Wrightstown, and Upper Makefield. Helen is a strong advocate for common sense gun legislation! NOTE: Independents and Republicans can also vote for Helen in the Special Election. As her button says, “Give ‘Em Helen!”
    • 10th District, PA State Senate. Lower Makefield’s Steve Santarsiero is running to fill the seat suddenly vacated by retiring Chuck McIlhinney. Until January, Steve served as Chief Deputy Attorney General of Pennsylvania for Environmental Protection. He has a 100% rating by Planned Parenthood PA Advocates, a strong commitment to education and gun violence prevention, and a proven commitment to public service through his many years in our local government.
    • 8th Congressional District. Brian Fitzpatrick must be having fits as he watches the energized Democrats ready to take him on in November. This is a real opportunity for all of us to see just what Democracy looks like.
    Prepare yourself for this pivotal May 15th primary and check out:
    Steve Bacher– Plain spoken and good humored, longtime local environmentalist and progressive activist, Steve co-founded the Bucks chapter of 350.org, advocates for renewable energy, and Bucks Action Group, battling fracking and pipeline construction.
    Rachel Reddick – Bucks County native, who departed from her conservative, home schooled upbringing to join the Democratic Party, Rachel is an attorney, Navy veteran, and former advocate for victims of domestic abuse through A Woman’s Place.
    Scott Wallace – With an estimable liberal heritage going back to FDR’s Administration, the self-described “patriotic millionaire” has dedicated his life to progressive causes that span the globe. A native of Bucks, the insanity of our current political situation prompted him to take on the challenge of running for Congress, returning home with his wife, Christy, a former career diplomat.
    For more information, additional resources, and ways to get involved*:
    Bucks County Blue: Great source for info on all races and candidates in Bucks County, including upcoming events and voter registration. (Deadline April 15!!!)
    Fair Districts PA: In Pennsylvania, the main obstacle to voter equality is our extreme gerrymandering (distorting the boundaries of districts, often in peculiar ways, to weaken your opponent’s base). Fair Districts promotes legislation to place an independent citizens’ commission in charge of redistricting. NOTE: On Jan. 22, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court threw out the state Republicans’ districting map, opening up the possibility of fairer elections and generating national coverage.
    Warwick First: Site for this fledgling group in an entrenched red community. Can we flip it? Ride the Blue Wave!
    Buckingham Voices: facebook.com/buckinghamvoices “Concerned citizens, empowered and in motion.” Active team committed to educating and empowering folks in our area. buckinghamvoices@gmail.com
    Newtown Democrats: Newly energized by their victories in November, this organization is working to widen its reach.
    Solebury Democrats: Lively, up-to-date site, with excellent content.
    Indivisible: Provides a wealth of information and ready-made materials, ranging from Elections 101 to voting rights and voter suppression,voter registration, endorsement guides, and more.
    SwingLeft: Nationwide organization dedicated to flipping congressional districts like ours.
    Flippable: Mounting a Blue Wave tsunami across the states.
    Join us and Turn Pennsylvania Blue!
    *Resources and calendar of events will be updated monthly.
  • Hot Topic In Our Own Back Yard: FERC Approves PennEast Pipeline

    Hot Topic In Our Own Back Yard: FERC Approves PennEast Pipeline

    On Friday, Jan. 19, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission gave its approval to the PennEast pipeline. It’s a big setback, but the pipeline can’t be built without approval from the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection. New Jersey already rejected an application from the PennEast Pipeline Company once. If enough of us keep raising our voices, we can show the Department of Environmental Protection that we don’t want a huge pipeline destroying protected open space and some of our cleanest waterways.
    What are you gonna do?
    “The fight’s quixotic,” my friends asserted. “It’s foolish to think you can make a difference.”
    “But if this pipeline gets built our neighbors will lose their land and our town could be flooded!!” I persisted.
    “All the same, Michael, you can’t stop a pipeline!”
    “I think it’s a cause worth fighting for, don’t you?”
    Thus ran the debate when I joined the fight to stop the PennEast pipeline. It was the first time I’d gotten involved in a political cause.
    My involvement started with a conversation, where I learned that the pipeline’s planned route goes right by Lambertville City’s reservoir, which has a dam rated high risk and is surrounded by granite, which will require blasting for the pipeline. The prospect of our city being flooded got my attention. I discovered that our neighbors in Hunterdon and Mercer counties could have their land taken away and would be living in the pipeline’s blast zone. I joined Homeowners Against Land Takeaway (HALT) and its Board of Trustees, questioned officials and candidates running for office, and do my best to keep the community informed.
    As I got involved in the fight, I came to understand some ugly things. The bad news is:
    Lesson 1: Five companies are investing in PennEast—New Jersey Resources, South Jersey Industries, Southern Company Gas, Spectra Energy Partners, and UGI Energy Services. They provide natural gas to customers and all proclaim the purpose of the pipeline is to provide low-cost gas to New Jersey residents. However, the natural gas market is flat. Their challenge is: How can we create a growth story for Wall Street to keep growing our stock prices? The answer? Build a pipeline! Why? Because the federal government, through the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), guarantees a 14 percent profit to companies that build pipelines. When was the last time you were guaranteed a 14 percent profit?
    The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filings of all five companies investing in PennEast state that New Jersey has enough natural gas to satisfy market needs through existing pipelines. The state Division of Rate Counsel, the agency that monitors natural gas supply and demand, concludes the same. That federally guaranteed 14 percent profit and its expected impact on stock prices is the sole reason for the PennEast pipeline. And the consequences for the little guy in cold cash? That 14 percent big corporate profit will come out of the pockets of ratepayers—you and me. So much for the myth of low-cost gas for New Jersey residents!
    Lesson 2: In grade school we’re taught that we’re a nation ruled by laws, not men. This, however, is only a half-truth. Under federal law, FERC guarantees a 14 percent profit, conditionally approves incomplete environmental applications, and enables eminent domain, allowing the seizure of citizens’ land. FERC enforces the law, as it interprets it. In the case of PennEast, FERC’s interpretation includes approving an environmental application so incomplete that it has been rejected by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the state Department of Environmental Protection (NJ DEP). Nevertheless, the NJ DEP can use the federal Clean Water Act to stop pipelines. But here comes the hitch: NJ DEP can only stop a pipeline with the governor’s approval. Enforcement, in practice, is the governor’s decision.
    And the good news? New Jersey has a new governor, Phil Murphy. Murphy stated on videotape in Lambertville last year that the PennEast pipeline makes no sense economically or environmentally, and should be stopped. Suddenly the “quixotic” fight looks winnable!
    Who’s writing and enforcing our laws? Any law that enables a federal agency that (at best case) is influenced by the industry it regulates, or (at worst case) is controlled by that very industry is suspect. Yet this worst-case scenario is exactly what we have in FERC. The Clean Water Act is meant to protect our water and yet one governor can ignore it, and the next can chose to enforce it or not—it’s up to the governor.
    We must enforce existing laws that protect us and our children, and fight to pass new laws that benefit future generations. This is what we should stand for with renewed vigilance. The level of vigilance for any of us—the effort we put into educating ourselves, becoming involved in our communities, and voting—is a matter of temperament.
    Maya Van Rossum, the Delaware Riverkeeper, and her organization, the Delaware Riverkeeper Network, have vigilantly worked to protect the Delaware River for many years, fighting the negative impacts of state and federal policies on the health of the Delaware River and its surrounding communities.
    Maya has recently proposed a Green Amendment to the New Jersey constitution (see her inspiring site forthegenerations.org). Now, more than ever, with one of our major political parties denying climate change, we need to join her and other like-minded citizens to ensure our right to a clean environment, clean air, and clean water. If we don’t write and pass the laws we want, the fossil fuel and chemical companies will write the laws they want—laws that guarantee 14 percent profits and allow corporations to seize or pollute our lands.
    In times like these, when the White House talks about “alternate facts” and the influence of dark money permeates our lives, it’s easy to feel discouraged, depressed, and alone. I, for one, have discovered that it helps a great deal to focus on a cause and join forces with others, like HALT and the Delaware Riverkeeper Network, that are fighting to protect our rights and improve our lives.
    “What are you gonna do?” can be a resigned expression we use to evoke a sense of powerlessness, or a question we ask ourselves to determine how we can help to make our community a better place. Which will it be for you?
    Even if you’re not an active fighter, you can—and should— be an active voter. Important primaries are coming up in New Jersey in June, and elections will be held in November. If you aren’t inclined to get out and fight, get out and vote. If you are inclined to fight, there is plenty of work to do and organizations for every candidate—Indivisible, the Delaware Riverkeeper Network, and other groups support causes and candidates.
    The fossil fuel industry can fund candidates, but it cannot win if we vote its candidates out. Voting is the one thing all citizens can do. By voting for candidates that share our values, the next time an unneeded pipeline, or some other threat to the environment, comes our way we’ll have strong laws to prevent catastrophe and elected officials who’ll enforce those laws strictly in order to protect our land, our future and us.