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Dems Jockey for Liberal Votes at Philly Forum

Dems Guv Philly forumThere were few differences and little policy substance on display as five gubernatorial hopefuls preached to the choir at a union-organized forum Saturday.

Instead the discussion gave the Democratic candidates an opportunity to connect with a favorable crowd. State Treasurer Rob McCord and former Department of Environmental Protection Secretary Katie McGinty stood above the rest.

McCord riled up the crowd right at the end to thunderous applause, when he shouted, “Let’s go get him, let’s defeat and evict tom corbett. Let’s take it to him. We’re gonna win this thing.”

The event marked the first time that top tier candidates interacted on stage in the Democratic primary for Governor.

McGinty’s Philadelphia roots – apparent from her accent – resonated with the crowd, as when she said she would support expanding Medicaid.

“When you step up to be Governor there’s some issues that are really hard, some questions that are really tough,” she said.

“But when Uncle Sam knocks on the door and says 600,000 of your very good, decent citizens could have the dignity of healthcare. And we’re gonna pay you $40 billion to give them that health care. And when we do that it’s gonna create 40,000 jobs in your Commonwealth, there’s one answer, it’s right quick, it’s: ‘yes, thank you very much!’”

It was a friendly event and at no point did any of the candidates attack or criticize his or her primary opponents.

Former DEP Sec. John Hanger repeatedly struck a chord with the audience, which was comprised of labor and community groups who sponsored the event: 1199C/AFSCME, 32BJ SEIU, AFSCME DC 47, Action United, Fight for Philly, PA Working Families, PASNAP, PCAPS, POWER and SEIU Healthcare PA.

He emphasized the unjust racial consequences of the drug war.

“All of these issues are connected,” he said and went on to call for the legalization of marijuana, an end to the over-incarceration of African Americans and providing more lenient criminal record policies that would help nonviolent offenders find employment later in life.

Congresswoman Allyson Schwartz and former Revenue Secretary Tom Wolf delivered more wonkish presentations. Each earned applause from the crowd.

“We cannot walk away from this moment,” Schwartz said when asked about health care. “We have to do everything we can to get health care to Pennsylvanians.”

“I have to admit, I love learning. I went as far as you can go, I have a PhD from MIT. I have never been in a crowd where MIT gets an applause but thank you, that’s great,” Wolf said in the education portion of the debate. “All of our children are going to get a good education, that means we have to start with fair and adequate funding across the board.”

Corbett was invited, but declined to attend the event. It was a good choice, as organizers openly called for his defeat. But the Democrats on stage hit the Governor early and often for that choice.

“I am not pleased that there is an absence of our governor, but it’s not a surprise,” Schwartz said. “He has been absent in the values that we share and the priorities that we’re committed to.”

Corbett wasn’t the only person heckled during the event. Midway through, protesters carried a banner saying “ban fracking” onto the stage. Audience members repeatedly chanted against Marcellus shale drilling.

Allentown Mayor Ed Pawlowski was invited but unable to attend. Two declared candidates were not invited: Lebanon County Commissioner Jo Ellen Litz and Cumberland County pastor Max Myers.

Myers’ campaign blasted the decision in a statement, writing:

“The exclusion of candidate Max Myers from this forum is seen as an affront to those that he has been advocating for in his campaign: those in poverty and those being negatively impacted by natural gas extraction.”

The forum addressed four issues: education, retirement, jobs and health care. Full video of the event is here.

The format was free-flowing. First, a member of the audience would provide a testimonial from their experience with the issue living in Philadelphia. Next, the moderator, a reverend from the area, would summarize the official position of the sponsors and ask candidates whether they agreed and what they would do as governor.

Education

The first issue discussed was education, and the moderator asked whether candidates agreed that the state needs a fair funding formula and an increase in state funding levels of education. Unsurprisingly, every candidate agreed with each platform.

McCord got an enormous round of applause when he noted the importance of including unions in the discussion on education, increasing funding for community colleges and universal early education. Hanger also gave a strong answer on controlling charter schools.

“There’s nothing wrong with public education. The problem is the Republicans trying to privatize public education. I will stop the privatization cold,” Hanger said. “I will close down charter schools that are not doing their job, and that’s about every single cyber school.”

Schwartz said she supported abolishing the School Reform Commission (SRC) in Philadelphia.

Retirement Security

Next up was a discussion about retirement security, which focused heavily on pensions. Again every candidate agreed on the importance of providing retirement security whether it was through public or private plans.

Schwartz defended the historic importance of comfortable retirement.

“While we worked, we were able to secure our retirement as well. That’s a legacy we talk about and it’s one we have to fight for,” Schwartz said.  “We have to respect people who are working today and we have to respect those who are ready to retire.”

McCord gave another strong answer in this category.

“If pension is a top tier issue for you, I’m your guy. No one’s spent more time working on pensions, both on public education and public employees. I’m a proud defender of the defined benefit plan,” he to applause.

“You should be applauding yourselves, what makes the union movement so great is that you care about the working family.”

Jobs

Good jobs were next on the docket, and the moderator’s demands were more comprehensive. Candidates were asked whether they would support an increase in the minimum wage to $10.10 per hour, an end to payday lending and investment in the workforce.

McGinty boasted about her record of encouraging renewable energy development.

“Some people want to fill your head full of false choices, if you care about the environment you have to give up good jobs. That’s a false choice,” she said.

Schwartz talked about the labor movement and her efforts to achieve equal pay for women.

Wealth was spread to the workers and there were fair wages, thanks to the unions,” she declared.

Health Care

All five candidates pilloried Corbett over his decision not to accept a full expansion of Medicaid through the Affordable Care Act.

The Governor has proposed instead to use Medicaid funding to obtain health coverage for the poor via private insurers.

Schwartz said her record on health care distinguishes her, most particularly regarding the creation of the CHIP program.

Two of her opponents, McGinty and Wolf, embraced the ACA in their remarks – particularly noteworthy given the bad press the law has earned in recent weeks.

“What this Governor is trying to do is nothing less than destroy the President’s health care initiative,” Wolf said. “As Governor, I will expand Medicaid. I will make the President’s ACA – Obamacare – work here in Pennsylvania. It is right for our people, it is right for our economy, and I will do that.”

“Has there been an issue or two with the rollout of Obamacare? Well, maybe an issue or two. But the question is, is Tom Corbett part of the solution or part of the problem? He’s part of the problem!” McGinty declared.

“Can we get in front of it, and make sure that this health opportunity works for Pennsylvania? You bet!”

 

64 Responses

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  2. John Hanger was right on point with his policies. Don’t usually talk politics but he has me talking. Too many problems in Pa. right now I think John Hanger ‘ s plans can work. Has my vote.

  3. To those who made remarks elsewhere in this post, I’m sorry your candidate isn’t the one everyone is chatting about. John Hanger got up there and spoke fact after fact, while the other candidates put on an act and tried to cover up their weaknesses.

    Anyone who actually watched the forum saw and heard John Hanger standing out in a class far above the rest.

  4. @Cindy;
    Go to North Korea. Healthcare is a right, food is a right, housing is a right, healthcare is a right, a job is a right, and the ability to have no objections to the utopia is also a right. Just ask all of those killed by that utopia because they spoke out. You see, in North Korea, “The People” have “rights” to public safety and even to be free from “obstructionism”, just like how Comrade Obama would like for it to be here.

  5. So sorry all the candidates were not invited.

    Hanger separated himself from the herd. Health Care is a human right. Universal coverage can only be obtained by Single Payer. Good thing that the Affordable Care Act allows states to develop their own health care system in 2017. And Hanger will be there to sign it onto law. This is a man willing to lead and does not skirt any issue, unlike the rest of the herd.

  6. Joe, please read http://www.HealthCare4AllPA.org and find out that medical providers, like doctors and hospitals, remain private enterprises. You get to choose your doctor, etc. Insurance companies are replaced by a public insurer! That’s about it. You’ve been listening to Tea Baggers apparently. Check out the Resources tab, then click on Frequently Asked Questions. Beyond this, I can’t offer you any solace, except that facts and evidence should trump ideology. True believers–from any side of the spectrum–shed more heat than light!

  7. I love it how (as Vladimir Lenin would say) these useful idiots are just goo-gog-gah-gah over their little “single payer” health, wet dream. Let me educate you useful idiot Bolsheviks on the differences between “Universal” and “Single payer”. Universal healthcare is nothing more than a hybridization of private sector function and public sector oversight. There will be govt. subsidized portions of the healthcare sector, such as clinics and hospitals, while private companies can engage in medical research in medicine and technology as freely as they please. Single payer is like communism; the govt. controls every aspect of the healthcare system. Doctors are essentially govt. operatives (and I mean that in a prejudicial manner) and there is no private sector involvement in the research, design, and development of medical technology. Only three nations have actual single payer health care; Cuba, COMMUNIST China, and North Korea. John Hanger is Bill De Blasio, Pol Pot, and Karl Marx. A disgusting human being, and another disgusting figure head for the radical left wing, Marxist Socialist movement that is assassinating this great federal republic.

  8. I mean I don’t doubt your Hanger support, and I’m sure he did a swell job, however did you organically come to politicspa and comment without being prompted to do so?

  9. Hanger nailed it in terms of policy by saying what everyone else wouldn’t. He had no fluff to his speech and was as clear as he could be with 3 minutes on what his plans were. Also, everyone as a Dem realizes Medicaid expansion is a good idea. It’s obvious. Hanger made the extra step and actually mentioned single-payer (crowd loved it, but notice no candidates clapped).

    Mccord can certainly get a rise from the crowd and it helped him. He touched on policy and came out looking great. The other three were lacking to say the least.

    Anyone who is complaining about the Hanger support in these comments should watch the video. Let’s face it: Hanger killed it in terms of actual policy.

  10. I’ve seen John Hanger speak he’s no Jack Kennedy. However, I like John Hanger (odds are I won’t vote for him, but I like him) but wow this is overkill. However this is the most I’ve ever read or thought about John Hanger. So the posi-trolls did their job.

  11. Hanger was the ONLY candidate to correctly frame failing for-proft charters and cyber charters as subsets of the corporate PRIVATIZATION agenda–which costs PA $700 billion for failing charter schools. Hanger also was the ONLY one for a universal single payer plan for PA–although Wolf told some of us at a previous event he favored it—so, he should have publicly verified it! Finally, ONLY Hanger cited the fact that marijuana prohibition costs our state $350 million (or was it billion) and incarcerates 5x more people of color than suburban whites. I watched the You Tube forum 2x now and think the news writer needs to revisit it. Hanger was, by far, the strongest, most progressive speaker and the one who actually had something to say. McCord was good, but his rah, rah, rah is a bit much. The 2 women were an embarrassment–playing to the audience (ineffectively for the most part) and saying next to nothing. Schwartz actually got heckled once or twice I am told by people who were there. I heard it on You Tube but friends in the audience clarified this for me. Hanger won, hands down. McCord was 2nd.

  12. John Hanger is clearly the candidate that has clear vision and an actual plan for moving Pennsylvania forward!

  13. methinks that the Hanger response here is a bit too overwhelming to be anything but orchestrated. The word overkill comes to mind

  14. Before I went the forum, I thought this John Hanger guy was Jenna Bush’s father-in-law or something. But now — wow, just WOW. His voice sounded like the angelic choir and his ideas are revelations from on high.

    Hanger is clearly the second coming of FDR, JFK, Bill Clinton, MLK, and Gandhi all rolled into one.

    This forum was the kind of GAME CHANGE that they write about in books. Allyson Schwartz must be eyeing her old Congressional seat and no doubt McCord is looking for a graceful way out of what is clearly becoming a one-man race.

    Hanger-Dean 2016!

  15. This is the most comprehensive review of the Democratic candidates I have read and far superior to the Philadelphia Inquirer’s superficial report.

    Even the comments are more thoughtful and useful than rantings at Inquirer.

    Good to see that Rob McCord can light up a crowd. Given that Tom Corbett’s numbers are down, it is likely we will have a Democratic Governor and, at least, Rob McCord can count and will have to consider how to pay for all these Democratic policies. Democrats cannot be trusted with money and Rob McCord is the most fiscally trustworthy of an fiscally untrustworthy crowd.

  16. 5 candidates showed up for the Philadelphia Candidates for Governor Forum:

    Firstly, I commend all of the candidates for trying to make a positive impact on Pennsylvania. They are doing what we all cannot. That said, here is my review:

    =====================

    – Wolf: boo’d on Fracking stance and had a tough time convincing the audience to trust him

    – McGuinty: Gave us a dramatic song and dance, sounding like she was telling a story to a circle of squatting 2nd graders, complete with waving hands and inappropriate laughter responding to serious issues. He read from a card.

    – Schwartz: She read from a card the majority of the time, giving us the same line of BS we’ve heard before in political campaigns… you know, the stories about a “real” person who suffered a difficult challenge, only to point out that it was all Corbett’s fault. She spoke without saying anything except campaign slogans based on what the polls say will get her more votes. Read almost straight from the card, and clearly did not research or understand the issues we all care so much about. She gets a big NO from me.

    – McCord: his ONLY area of expertise is the treasury, and I think Pennsylvania would be fortunate to keep him as our treasurer, but not as governor… He started out powerful, but went WAY over the top with a whole lot of yelling in attempt to get the crowd to forget that he has financial experience, but little else. He was able to repeat his name over and over successfully, but when asked about healthcare and sick people without coverage, he replied with the same story about jobs and finances again, avoiding the question, which really makes me nervous that he either doesn’t know what to do about it or has another agenda, or both. He also spent a lot of time complementing the unions, hoping for a rowdy crowd response, to which he responded by yelling louder and louder. There were moments where I wondered if he was preparing for a WWF match instead of a gubernatorial campaign. I was waiting for him to rip his suit jacket off in shreds and hold up his gold belt in victory! But it didn’t fool me. He only knows finances, and governors have much more to resolve than just the budget.

    – Hanger: “Healthcare is a human right and it must be universally available!” “We must say yes to the Medicaid expansion, but very frankly, that’s not enough. Healthcare must be made available to all of us through a single-payer system.” The crowd cheered for John Hanger here.

    The largest crowd ROAR of the evening was for John Hanger. On every single issue, John Hanger came to the podium on fire the entire time, never once reading from a card. He explained detailed plans packed with facts.

    ! The crowed shook the arena when they heard Hanger’s Marijuana Reform plan, his strategy to unclog the prisons and put a halt to unfair discriminatory arrests of African Americans that get are arrested 5 TIMES AS OFTEN AS WHITES WITH MARIJUANA (and the usage is equal!) John Hanger was the only one to even address this critical issue.

    The crowd cheered for John Hanger again with the evening’s only clear explanation of health care reform with a Universal, Single-Payer System to ensure that the uninsured become insured.

    John also promised to work with Unions, but he’s not just talking – he also FASTED with them. He presented a passionate determination about saving public schools from a blatant attack from Corbett, and he told us exactly where he’s getting that money: returning the $1Billion in public education cuts to public schools.

    Overall:

    John Hanger gets my vote, and there is no other choice. That’s why I volunteered to help raise awareness about John’s campaign. I feel that strongly about it. Watch the candidates speak and see for yourself: http://www.mediamobilizing.org/govforum

  17. I gotta say. That John Hangar was great. Like the best ever.

    He delivered an Eagles-Steelers Super Bowl.

    Afterwards I tasted him — chocolate! AND PEANUT BUTTER!

    He generated so much enthusiasm that, well, someone on the street almost recognized him (OK, they thought he was Dwight Evans, but, take what you can get).

  18. The speaker asked the candidates NOT to spend their 3 minutes per question Thanking everyone, yet that’s exactly what 4 of the 5 candidates did – they praised the unions, they praised the citizens asking questions, they praised everyone they could to keep from answering the questions, to which they had no formulated answers. Not John Hanger though; this guy is TOUGH as NAILS and more knowledgable than anyone on that panel!

    I was blown away by John Hanger’s conviction and experience. Hanger is clearly the best choice for my parents who live next to a drilling well, our children who attend central-PA schools, our personal freedoms, my friends who want to marry within their own gender, and people I’ve met who need Medical Marijuana NOW for their children with life-threatening seizures, and for so many other things. Watch the video for yourself and see who you’re planning to nominate in May in the Dem Primary: http://www.mediamobilizing.org/govforum

  19. John Hanger is going to get a huge bounce in the polls. Schwartz is the front runner? Probably not for much longer. I doubt that she will win the primary in May. People are really starting to look at the other candidates. My support goes to John Hanger.

  20. John Hanger has proven his ability to connect with people as individuals during his bus tour and many visits to voters. At the Philly Forum, he garnered wide appeal and applause. He showed that he can build support to win the election. I liked how he talked about how he has joined with workers to organize, and his passion for freedom and dignity in all issues discussed at the forum.

  21. John Hanger rely stood out from the rest! He was the most articulated candidate and outlined his plans. The other candidates seemed to give standard boxes answers, although McCord is a good public speaker his answers seemed boxed. The worst proformance was delivered by congresswoman Schwartz and Tom wolf.

  22. We are awake John Hanger!!! We are AWAKE!
    I would like to thank you for being the only gubernatorial candidate to support Marijuana Reform. You are a true inspiration to those of us who are sick and have a disease marijuana can either greatly reduce the symptoms of such as my very rare disease of porphyria or even go a step further that it contains the necessary oil to cure cancer. With John Hanger’s 3 step reform plan listed on his web site Pennsylvanians will no longer be forced to suffer like we currently do under the thumb of Tom Corbett.
    John is passionate about Schools, Jobs,
    Environment and Liberty. I will be proud to give John Hanger my vote! A Governor for ALL Pennsylvanians!!! JOHN HANGER FOR GOVERNOR 2014!!!!

  23. Pennsylvania wants John Hanger as governor !!!!!! Finally someone worth voting for !!!!!

  24. I said on this site a bunch of times. Hanger has the best polices. It seems like the consensus is that he won the debate. I met him once when he came to my county. From that single meeting, I was really impressed. The criticism he received was that he was a wonk. He knew policy but didn’t have anything else too him. I guess this debate settled that. I clearly expect Hanger to get a huge bounce in the polls.

  25. i was definitely skeptical about the candidates going into the forum, but left feeling both impressed and heartened by john hanger. he was the only candidate who actually brought up specific issues that working families face. he stepped outside the questions, demonstrated how all the issues were connected, and then presented a plan to tackle each and every one. he mentioned the need to increase the minimum wage, to stop the privatization of the public schools, legalize marijuana to positively reform our racist criminal [in]justice system, and support and encourage union organizing and growth. wow! his policies will have a profoundly positive effect on philadelphians and the state as a whole. while mccord has the charisma and charm, his politics fall way flat in comparison to hanger’s, and we must remember its their actions not their words that we must judge. so far, hanger has my full support and vote.

    and thanks mindy for that great video of hanger interviewing a local south philly resident. if you missed it, here it is again…http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PFWMQBLz5j8&app=desktop

  26. I was at the forum and was tremendously impressed by John Hanger and Rob McCord. In a contest among Democrats with similar views on policy issues, I look for eloquence, passion and charisma in a potential candidate and Hanger and McCord were outstanding in showing those attributes. It was a much livelier event than I expected and it left me looking forward to following this primary campaign and especially seeing more of John Hanger and Rob McCord. The potential they showed on Saturday was inspiring.

  27. The reviews of Schwartz are not much of a surprise.

    As I’ve pointed out, her campaign is mostly one of existing name recognition, and her staff of cheerleaders trying to convince everyone else to step aside (before the voters realize what a weak candidate she is).

    No surprise that McCord did well. He’s very knowledgeable and a bit of a showman.

    I’m glad to hear that Hanger and McGinty are doing well. They have good ideas that are core to the Democratic party value and helping the state.

    I’m disappointed to see announced candidates excluded from a debate. What was the criteria? If it was a limit as to how many candidates they could host in that forum, then the absence of Corbett and Pawlowski should have opened two slots.

  28. Union crowds psyched up at the promise of more and more taxpayer dollars going directly into their salaries and lavish pensions. No surprises there. Did anyone discuss how they would actually PAY for these bribes?

  29. Clearly John Hanger was the most knowledgable and passionate about Education. He gets what’s really happening and isn’t afraid to call it like he sees it. Hanger has the heart, soul, and mind that our state leadership has been missing. Hanger has a clear plan to turn things around. The other candidates are still mostly spouting empty rhetoric.

  30. John Hanger was the real winner last night. McCord was a great public speaker–no doubt–but he seemed to ride on Hanger’s ideals. Hanger was the only person who really had a PLAN, instead of just talking about ousting Corbett. he’s the only person to talk about legalizing marijuana and mass incarceration. everyone said they wanted to get rid of the SRC but Hanger really set himself apart with actual points of what he will do as governor. he’ll be tough on charters and privatization in general, and he really supports workers rights and creating strong unions.

    the biggest complaint I’ve heard about Hanger is his viability and electability. he sure seemed electable last night what with the whole crowd cheering for him! we are the ones who decide who is in office so lets pick the person who speaks for us and believes in us, not the person with the most money. WE make someone electable by voting for them.

    Check out this video Hanger made with a member of the Point Breeze community! http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=PFWMQBLz5j8

  31. I wouldn’t give any a low grade; they all had good points, but some were livelier and deeper than others. Schwartz was being pretty careful on the issues and McCord maybe a bit worked up by the vociferous audience. I agree with Jan that Hanger distinguished himself by his “mix of substance and passion” –qualities the incumbent conspicuously lacks.

    Hanger was clear and forceful on some cutting edge issues: marijuana reform, single-payer health care, and the state guaranteeing private company employees’ pensions. He pointed out well that expanding Medicaid, alternative energy, and education are ways to expand jobs (If jobs were all about giving money away to industry, our state wouldn’t rank so low in job creation). And he came right out with the truth: the real reason the privatizers attack public ed is to attack unions. How sad that the privatization lobby should hold children hostage to their ideology.

    In my view, personal qualities are part of the candidate mix: voters need to examine not only the issues but also which candidate has the inner strength and public manner to confront the Corbett legacy and his remaining allies in January, 2015.

    As the moderator said, “this is definitely one of the most important elections that we will ever face.”

    See more reflections on my blog at http://politicswestchesterview.wordpress.com/. Also to note: John Hanger, Jo Ellen Litz and Max Myers (the two candidates who weren’t invited to Temple) met in a forum in West Chester on Oct. 30; see http://www.dailylocal.com/government-and-politics/20131031/gubernatorial-hopefuls-talk-issues-at-wcu/.

  32. John Hanger was great!
    He is the only candidate I can get behind.
    JOHN HANGER – May 2014!!!

  33. Hanger clearly struck plenty of cords tonight – bringing together the interests of many in the room and clearly highlighting some of the structural problems that has been exacerbated in PA under Corbett’s term: prison expansion, charter school privatization, the stall on medicaid expansion, and more. Importantly he identified our issues of healthcare, education, dignified employment, etc as human rights, and our fight as one for social justice. I thought it was hilarious that McCord tried to take on a lot of the messaging from Hanger after all the cheers into his own responses afterwards. Hah talk about shifting the narrative!

  34. I was there. Schwartz was BAD! was really expecting more from the “Front runner”

    gotta wonder if she’s going to fire anyone this week because of the bad performance…

  35. My take,

    Schwartz failed to really energize the crowd. Was she really reading off of scripted answers? Pretty lame. I think she thought this would be a cakewalk, instead got upstaged on specifics by all others sans Wolf. Made her supporters happy, and that’s about all.
    Grade: C

    Hanger drew tremendous audience response with comments regarding closing charter schools and marijuana laws. Spunky and shoing true progressive colors. Held his own and more. Made a major step toward being a viable contender.
    Grade: A

    McGinty: Animated to the point of being a marionette. Put your hands in your pocket girl! Nothing really earthshattering with her responses. I fail to see voters drooling over her with this presentation. Just put your damn hands down!
    Grade: B

    McCord: Did well with this labor crowd. Ballsy move stepping out from behind the podium . Fiery, ready to make this a long battle. A little too Howard Dean for me, but did very well.
    Grade A

    Wolf: Who? Lacked charisma and depth. Full time consideration of another endeavor might be in order.
    Grade: F

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