16 Responses

1. Uncited, activist pseudo-science aside, the fact remains that union jobs depend on the industries that employ their labor. These industries, in turn, rely on good public policy to encourage their growth. Dave Reed gets this, and his “claim to fame” is how unassumingly he gets the job done. And this attitude is what will launch him into the throws of high-level leadership.

2. “how critical Marcellus development has been to working families across the state.”

   Well, it’s been medically “critical” to the families near the wells in new cancer clusters and being poisoned by the excess neurotoxins.

3. Reed is respected on both sides of the aisle because he considers policy based on its merits rather than engaging in the political gamesmanship that is so rampant in the capitol building. And for those reasons, he’s best-positioned to be the next majority leader of the House. Therefore, he does indeed appear to be a rising star. And he absolutely works to promote the growth of industries that drive Pennsylvania’s economy. Those industries, in turn, provide opportunities for our state’s unionized labor force. For example, Dennis Martire, the mid-Atlantic regional manager for the Laborers’ International Union (LIUNA) has publicly touted how critical Marcellus development has been to working families across the state.

4. Bob-
   Don’t worry. I wasn’t getting excited about him. 🙂

5. Bob, i can remember when you were a Corbett Republican.

6. Before getting too excited about Dave Reed, please take a look at his record. Dave Reed is a Corbett Republican.

7. Hugh-
   Well I read his list:
   “Reed’s 13 poverty barriers are: lack of family support, unaffordable child care, poor economic conditions, no health care, a criminal record, lack of financial literacy, inadequate education, homelessness, mental health problems, hunger, substance abuse, lack of transportation and the real problem associated with the so-called “benefit cliff.”

   But, the Republicans fight pretty much everything on the list:
   They fight funding public transportation, they fight food stamp programs that help children, they fight universal health care, they fight day care funding, they fight low income housing, they support arresting young men for small amounts of pot, etc.

   The Republicans never want to put any real money behind these problems, and underfund/undermine programs. They are too focused on privatizing everything in sight, and exploiting our natural resources (and avoiding taxing oil/gas for the privilege).

   So, what’s he done but identified the problems that everyone interested in solving them has already done, and beyond a list, I didn’t seen any proposed solutions.

   As long as politicians are interested in helping the rich get richer and avoid taxing them to help the overall community, the problems aren’t going away.

   How about raising the minimum wage?

8. Diano – take a minute and learn before you blab off:

   http://triblive.com/opinion/featuredcommentary/6216505-74/poverty-works-campaign#axzz34GSUXHxg

9. Larry-
   You have no idea of the benefits unions provide to help workers.

   I agree that some unions are run poorly, but the concept of organized labor and collective bargaining is a sound principle.

   One need only look at the conditions miners and factory workers faced before unions (and the exploitative conditions we see in other countries). to realize the importance of unions.

   BTW, the GOP loves to get union endorsements (but then screws union workers).

10. It depends on what you consider to be the “brightest rising star”.

    Reed will probably move from PA House Majority Policy Committee Chairman to Majority Leader when the new session begins in six months (Turzai will probably move from Majority Leader to Speaker of the House when Smith retires). After that, he may run for Congress, but it is hard for any state representative to be successful running for Governor or US Senate.

    Kane will probably be re-elected Attorney General in 2016. After that, she is blocked from running for Congress by Cartwright, blocked from running for US Senate until at least 2022 by Casey (she won’t run against Toomey in 2016, she will run for re-election), and she may be blocked from running for Governor until at least 2022 if Wolf beats Corbett.

    Shapiro will probably be re-elected in 2015 and remain Montgomery County Chairman Commissioner. Shapiro may run for US Senate against Toomey in 2016, but he would have to begin from nothing raising money against an incumbent Senator who can raise money. Other than that, Shapiro is blocked from running for Congress because he’s in the middle of Boyle’s district, blocked from the other US Senate seat by Casey, and would be blocked from running for Governor if Wolf beats Corbett.

    Costello will probably be elected to Congress. After that, maybe he runs for something else.

11. As opposed to the Dems, who scuttle bills that all of their constituents want because the Dems are beholden to union thugs. At least the Republicans’ special interests produce things and generally drive our economy. Unions are just institutionalized laziness.

12. Larry-
    Ah. That explains it. That’s what Republicans care about. Raising money from all the wrong special interests. Walmart PAC, Coal PAC, Energy corps, etc.

13. Shapiro comes up in your liberal circles, I’m sure. Reed is best known in Republican circles for his prodigious fundraising.

14. Larry-
    I was making the point that poll result seems odd. Kane and Shapiro come up far more often in headlines and discussions. Costello’s in the race against Trivedi in the 6th, which is garnering some attention.

    What’s Reed’s claim-to-fame (besides this poll)?

15. What does that say about the value of your opinions, David?

16. Ironically, Reed is the only one I never heard of.