Today's one-liner: “In a republican nation whose citizens are to be led by reason and persuasion and not by force, the art of reasoning becomes of first importance.” T Jefferson
Back in 2010, I was a member of Northampton County's Democratic Committee. I was tied with several others who voted for themselves and ended up the winner in a casting of the lots. This drove the party apparatchiks nuts because I was highly critical of them and I openly supported Republican Congressman Charlie Dent. They even convened a special meeting in an effort to get rid of me. My recollection is that their attempt to remove me failed in a tie vote. And I continued to support Charlie Dent. I still do and consider him the best elected official the Lehigh Valley ever produced in my lifetime. He's a centrist who leans a little to the right. I am a centrist who leans a little to the left. I was very sorry to see him leave public office at a time when people like him are precisely what we need. But I understand why he left. The Trump cult is hard to take, especially when they claim to belong to your party. But Dent continues to impress me. According to Axios, Dent has voted for Kamala Harris.
"[Harris] and I will not agree on every issue, but in her, we have a capable leader who will always put the interests of our country before her own, unlike her opponent who will always put his personal interests ahead of those of the United States," he told Axios. "We have the opportunity – and solemn responsibility – to finally turn the page on the dark politics Trump has ushered in and elect a decent, honorable leader for President," he added.
Isn't it time to reject the fearmongering and hate?
Congressman Charlie Dent (PA-15) is in Puerto Rico to see how recovery efforts are going in the wake of Hurricane Maria. “I appreciate this opportunity to see firsthand how the recovery efforts are progressing on the island,” said Dent. “We owe it to our fellow citizens, many of whom have families in the 15th District, to make certain that their needs for food, shelter, clean water and power are being met,” Dent concluded.
Dent has been at the forefront of efforts to make sure that educational funding to meet the needs of Pennsylvania school districts dealing with the influx of large numbers of displaced K-12 students from Puerto Rico.
His visit coincides with a report that the death count has grown. In addition to the 64 deaths directly caused by the hurricane, there have been over 1,000 deaths as a result of the lack of power. Over 86,000 customers still have no power six months after the storm.
Back in August, Charlie Dent participated in a panel discussion of the food and beverage industry following a tour of Hanover Township's amazing Freshpet facility. He was very much a Republican. He favored a corporate tax cut from 35% to about 20% as well as "clearing out some of the regulatory underbrush" that can make life difficult for an expanding business.
At that time, I asked Dent him about NorCo GOP Chair Gloria "General" Lee Snover, who participated in an anti-Dent rally and basically attacked his personal integrity.
At that time, Dent told me that there's a new litmus test for Republicans in office. You are wither loyal to Authoritarian Donald Trump or you're not. If you support him, you can take whatever position you want. But if you oppose him for his disgusting style, his fear-mongering and thinly disguised racism, you're no good.
Dent has now said the same thing to ABC's "This Week." "Before Donald Trump became president, the litmus test for Republicans was— it was really about the ideological purity and conformity. Now the litmus test has changed. The issue is loyalty to the man.”
Thanks to General Lee and political opportunists like Justin "Absent" Simmons, the Pa. 15th Congressional District will go blue in 2018 when John Morganelli, another centrist, enters the race.
On Sunday, US Congressman Charlie Dent (R - Pa.15) hosted what was supposed to be a "formal announcement" concerning his intentions next year at the swanky Renaissance Hotel in downtown Allentown. But that story leaked out on Thursday. Dent revealed his intentions to a few of his Congressional colleagues, and they spilled the beans. "They're wonderful friends, but they have big mouths," Dent joked.
"I just wanted to say thank you to everybody in this room," said Dent, who apologized for interrupting one of the biggest sports weekends of the year. .
Instead of a sad announcement, the atmosphere was festive as many of Dent's long-time supporters began to trickle in. So did most of his current and former staffers in an homage to their boss. This included Evil Genius Shawn Millan, Charlie's long-time campaign maven. His very name strikes fear in the hearts of Democrats. And Republicans. Shawn reluctantly gave up an afternoon of burning ants with his magnifying glass. While waiting for Charlie, Shawn and I instead began prank-calling Fed Ed.
Some wanted to watch the Eagles while waiting for Charlie. I warned this would only jinx the Birds. I can listen to them on the radio. I can watch them in person But they lose every game I watch on TV.
The TV stayed off.
The Eagles won.
Looking more relaxed and cheerful than has in a long time, Charlie eventually arrived with his wife, Pam, as well as his son and daughter. He almost forgot to mention his mother-in-law, but recovered nicely.
He was among friends and needed no introduction. But he's a Republican, and that's how they are. State Senator Pat Browne had the honor.
"I've been so proud of him," said Browne. "I gotta' tell you. Over the last term - several terms - what he's done to stand up for governance and good public service - being a man who stood up nationally for those principles - is something we all should be proud of."
Browne is hopeful that whomever follows Charlie will also follow in his footsteps.
Charlie said that when he leaves office, he will continue to be a voice for what he calls the "sensible center." He is currently considering his options, but told his supporters not to cry for him.
"There's no crying in baseball ... or in politics," he joked.
He made no reference to the specific attacks lobbed by Congressional candidate Justin Simmons or NorCo GOP Chair Lee Snover. Both have attacked Dent for refusing to blindly follow President Donald Trump. But Dent did speak in general terms.
"The country's in a pretty tough spot right now It's in a very difficult spot. I think there's a trend locally, which I won't get into, we are where we are. But I do believe that this country is a center right country, it's a center right country, and I do think we need to give a stronger voice to the center at the moment. The sensible center is being left behind in too many cases. I tend to bring that voice outside of Congress as well as inside.
"The most basic fundamental tasks of governing in Washington - and I think Pat will tell you in Harrisburg - are becoming far too difficult. It shouldn't be this difficult. This is something we're going to have to correct, sooner or later. It will correct.
"Also, this country is going through a very difficult political realignment right now. The political ground is shifting underneath all of our feet. Nobody is quite sure how this will sort itself out. It will take a couple of [election] cycles.
"We go through these political realignments every so often. They affect both parties, and I think both parties are in a pretty tough spot. ...
"Perhaps the most troubling thing I see in this country right now is this growing trend towards nativism, isolationism, protectionism and at times, nihilism. These are not attributes of a great nation. I do believe they will be corrected at some point, but we'll deal with it.
"By the way, those attributes - not good attributes - affect both political parties. It's not specific to one party.
"That's the bad news. The good news is, as Churchill said, Americans will always do the right thing, but not 'till they exhaust every other possible alternative."
Earlier this week, State Rep. Justin Simmons wrote his own political obituary. Pretending that he was always on the Trump train, he's decided to jump on himself and try to railroad Lehigh Valley Congressman Charlie Dent, perhaps the most popular elected official in the state. He also happens to be one of the few grown ups left.
A man who lived in his mommy's basement and has spent his entire career feeding at the public trough claims it is time to "completely drain the swamp."
Justin himself is the swamp.
“Justin says one thing in private, then turns around and says the exact opposite to the potential voters he’s trying to mislead. This is a politician at his absolute worst,” Dent said in a statement released by his campaign.
“In several statements, Justin has attacked me and my service to the people of our community, even adopting catchphrases from President Trump in a pathetic attempt to pander to supporters of the President," said Dent. He's referring to several of Simmons' Facebook snarks. "Outside the public’s view, Justin says and does very different things,” Dent continued.
Dent explains that during last year's primary, Simmons texted Dent to solicit campaign contributions from Dent, asked Dent to connect Justin with potential campaign donors, and appealed to Dent to endorse his candidacy for State Representative.
Dent proceeds to prove it, too. He provided copies of those text messages,which now appear here.
In one exchange in mid-August 2016 – when then candidate Trump’s poll numbers sagged - Justin even questioned Dent about the potential for replacing Trump on the ballot, hoping Trump would be removed at that time. "Do you think there is any chance the party can replace Trump on top of ticket?" he asked Dent on August 16.
“While there is nothing new about political opportunism, it is still shocking when someone tries to blatantly deceive the people he supposedly wants to represent,” observed Dent.
Just a few months ago, Simmons had his eye on another major office - Lieutenant Governor. That until the lack of support ended that possibility. That fizzled when he realized he had no support, except for maybe his wife, and I'm not even sure about her.
Simmons is clearly a political opportunist with no loyalty to anyone. If he turns on Dent, he'll turn on the Trump train.
It all depends which way the wind is blowing.
Simmons explained to PoliticsPa that he only asked Dent about removing Trump from the ballot after news broke that Trump had been bragging about grabbing women "by the pu--y." But as PoliticsPa also notes, Simmons spoke with Dent about removing Trump in August, two months before Trump's "pu--y" remarks were disclosed.
LV Congressman Charlie Dent was listed as one of Justin Simmons' top contributors in his always contentious races for the state house.But that was then. Simmons is now planning to take on Dent. If he's serious, he's just signed a death warrant for his political future.
"I for one can no longer stand by as Congressman Dent continues to be a representative to K Street in Washington D.C.," says Simmons on his Facebook page. "I want to be a representative for all the citizens in the 15th congressional district."
Simmons is hoping to surf his way into Congress on a wave of resentment from Trump backers and the tea party.
What he fails to realize is that there are sharks in 'dem 'dar waters.
One of the biggest and nastiest of these great whites is none other than Charlie Dent.
Nice guy. Hardest campaigner I've ever seen, and one who goes for the jugular.
I once asked him why he runs such tough campaigns, and the usually loquacious Congressman answered me pretty completely in one sentence. "There are only two ways to run - hard or unopposed."
Let's look at some of his victims.
Charles "Don't call me" Charlie Dertinger. - Never heard of him? He was a Northampton County Councilman who made the mistake of taking on Dent. When that race was over, so was Dertinger's political career. Ron Angle easily defeated him. Twice.
Sam Bennett. - Dent raised questions about Bennett's excessive salary at Properties of Merit, putting her on the defensive. Every mistake she made, and she made plenty, was highlighted. When she tried to run for Mayor, she was already defined as a nut and there was nothing she could do to shed that image.
John Callahan.- John was a fairly popular Mayor in Bethlehem, but Dent portrayed him as a spendthrift. Dent portrayed a Callahan push for a 1% hike in sales tax as a sleazy move. Callahan was so badly damaged after that race that he was unable to win an Exec race against a political unknown from Bangor.
The only reason Rick Daugherty was never destroyed like the others is that Rick waved the white flag early. He never ran a serious race.
Simmons has run against weak candidates, but the elections have always been far closer than they should be. Now he is reportedly challenging one of the few grown-ups left in Congress.
Charlie probably could be beaten in a GOP primary with the right candidate. That candidate would have to be from the western part of the district.
Although it seems like an eternity, Republicans were Republicans until last year, when Authoritarian Donald Trump preyed on the nation's fears and prejudices to divide us like we've never been divided before and win an election. Nowhere is that division more apparent than in the party of Abraham Lincoln our one and only Poet President. It is he who declared, "A house divided against itself cannot stand," during his debates with Stephen Douglas in 1858. Our house is divided against itself, and the chief demolition expert is Donald Trump.
Last week, I stopped at a fundraiser being hosted by US Senator Pat Toomey for Republican John Brown. A gaggle of protesters were across the street from the swanky Blue Grille. I thought it would be Tuesdays with Toomey, a group of Democrats who are after Toomey to hold a town hall. Instead, it was Republicans.
Tom Campione, Chair of the LV Tea Party explains.
We, the Lehigh Valley Tea Party were there to remind Toomey that we expect him to support the agenda that we voted for, Repeal ObamaCare, Cosponsor National Reciprocity, Tax Reform, etc. Toomey waited until 1 hour before the polls closed on election day, to express support for Trump. Then he wonders why no one is countering the daily demonstrations that his friends on the Left are running in front of his office. He wonders, "where is my conservative base?" Well, we wonder, "where is our conservative Senator?"
What bothers him more than anything is that Toomey, a very conservative Senator who actually drafted the Repeal legislation for Obamacare, took his time before deciding to endorse Trump.
Congressman Charlie Dent, who dared to oppose Trump's election and his poorly conceived health insurance bill, is in far worse shape than Toomey. He's persona non grata to the Northampton County GOP, and was even snubbed at their Lincoln Day breakfast.
Except for his nationalism, Trump reverses his own policies about as frequently as the wind changes.This has nothing to do with ideology or issues.
It's instead about loyalty.
If you are loyal to Trump, you could open up an abortion clinic and you'd be fine. But if you oppose Trump on anything, it makes no difference how conservative you are.
Which brings me to Dent, one of the few grown-ups in Congress.
I saw him last week when the Grocery Manufacturing Association stopped at Freshpet for a tour and a discussion of the food and beverage industry.
Dent laid out a blue print of what he'd like to see to improve the business climate.
Dent said that the 35% American corporate tax rate, one of the highest in the world, should be dropped to around 20%. He said Congress in its tax reform will be trying to bring that rate down while "clearing out some of the regulatory underbrush" that makes it difficult for Billy Cyr's FreshPets to expand.
"It takes forever and a day to build new capacity," said Dent, noting the problem exists with bridge repairs, too.Though Pennsylvania's bridges are among the worst in the nation, any repairs require lengthy ten-step environmental reviews.
"Time is money," he observed..
Finally, Dent stressed a need for high-tech jobs. "If we don't have people with the skill sets here, the jobs might go to where the skill sets are,and that might not be America," he warned.
Dent stated that tax reform and infrastructure are closely related. We have to pay for infrastructure somehow," said Dent, adding that there's "no better way to do it than tax reform."
Though they are on different sides of the aisle, Matt Cartwright joined Charlie Dent yesterday to support two measures - No Sanctuary for Criminals Act (HR 3003) and Kate’s Law (HR 3004) - that tighten the grip against criminal behavior by people from foreign countries who are here illegally. Both measures passed the House, but their future in the Senate is far less certain. .
“No American family should have to face the horror and devastation that was faced by the Steinle family when their daughter, Kate, was killed by a repeat-offender felon who had been previously deported,” said Dent. “Likewise, American families should not be put at risk because their city or town has told local law enforcement officials not to cooperate with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) or other federal agencies. Both H.R. 3003 and H.R. 3004 promote sensible actions to address such public safety concerns. Measures such as these will seek to prevent tragedies like Kate’s murder and ensure that violent individuals are not free to roam the streets of our communities.”
The No Sanctuary for Criminals Act (H.R. 3003) enhances public safety by clarifying the detainer authority of ICE and providing legal protections for jurisdictions that properly comply with such detainers. Additionally, the bill would withhold certain federal grants from jurisdictions that refuse to allow their law enforcement personnel to communicate with ICE.
H.R. 3003 also contains provisions that would require the detention of unlawful immigrants who are convicted of serious crimes. These provisions are referred to as Sarah and Grant’s Law, in memory of Sarah Root and Grant Ronnebeck. Both were killed by individuals unlawfully in the country. Tonight, H.R. 3003 passed by a vote of 228 – 195.
Kate’s Law (H.R. 3004) is named in memory of Kate Steinle. In 2015, Kate was viciously murdered in San Francisco by an unlawful immigrant who had previously been convicted of multiple felonies and deported five times. H.R. 3004 substantially increases the criminal penalties for deported individuals who re-enter the country and who have been convicted of previous crimes, ranging from misdemeanors to felonies. H.R. 3004 passed the House by a vote of 257 – 1.
“I am disappointed the House passed this bill that I believe will increase health insurance costs particularly for low-to-moderate income Americans, increase the number of uninsured by as much as 24 million people, and undermine important protections for those living with pre-existing conditions. It is my hope that cooler heads will prevail in the Senate and that they will produce a better bill that is focused on improving the health care for all Americans rather than the haphazardly constructed and hastily considered House bill. Health care reform should be about the improving care for the American people. Too much time and energy has been spent on meeting arbitrary deadlines and artificial timelines, all to improve the budget baseline for tax reform. We must and can do better.”
I think it's safe to say that Congressman Charlie Dent will have a primary opponent should he choose to seek re-election next year. But I know a Democrat is waiting in the wings. It's Bill Leiner, a former Lehigh County Commissioner and Coplay Mayor, who is back on Coplay Borough Council again.
A psychiatric nurse, Leiner suddenly left the area and resigned his Lehigh County Commissioner seat in 2010. A year later, he was back. Here's what he's telling people.
1. The website and social media sites are expected to be up during the next two to three weeks.
2. We have a strategist joining us from Washington DC.
3. We have an adviser on board from DC to assist with planning.
4. Responses to recent emails explaining our issues yielded positive responses.
5. I talked to numerous voters during this past week explaining my thoughts and platform. I received very positive responses.
Our next step includes you as we work to build our campaign infrastructure. We are seeking people to join our team in a variety of capacities.If you want to join us please email or call me.
He should talk to John Callahan about the idiocy of using a "strategist" from inside the beltway. Ask him how that worked out. He should talk to Callahan and Sam Bennett both about the insanity of taking on Charlie Dent. He is the most formidable campaigner I've ever seen and has the Rasputin of political consultants with Shawn Millan by his side. The only hope Leiner has is that Dent decides to take on Bob Casey. And even with Dent running for something else
As a psychiatric nurse, Bill should commit himself.
Among the 400 people at Congressman Charlie Dent's Hanover Tp Community Center town hall on Friday was none other than Jim Gregory. Right behind Gregory is another famous local celebrity, Morning Call columnist Bill White. For some reason, the mere sight of me brought smiles to their faces. I checked, and my zipper was up. I would have stopped to chat, but I was working. It's not easy to be an award-winning bottom-feeding blogger.
Congressman Charlie Dent will hold a town hall on Friday.
WHEN: Friday, March 31st – 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM (Note: Doors open at 930 AM) WHERE: Hanover Township Community Center, 3660 Jacksonville Rd, Bethlehem, PA 18017
I'm told that he can be very charming when he wants to be. But most of you know by now that our so-called President, Donald Trump, has no integrity. He thought nothing of spreading reckless lies about President Obama, claiming to have been illegally wiretapped without a shred of evidence. From there he attempted to justify his falsehoods in a Time interview with this: "I can’t be doing so badly, because I’m president, and you’re not." After his attempt to repeal and replace Obamacare fell flat on its face, largely because it seemed too rushed and would actually hurt the very people who elected him, Trump pretended to hold no grudges against House Speaker Paul Ryan. But then he tweeted his minions to "Watch @JudgeJeanine on @FoxNews tonight at 9:00 P.M," where she called on Ryan to resign. His fingerprints are all over this, yet his White House acolytes think you're stupid enough to believe this is sheer coincidence. He also now claims he wants to reach out to Democrats, even though he completely ignored them in his rush to replace Obamacare with something worse. .
It should come as no surprise that a man with no principles would attack Congressman Charlie Dent for following his conscience. Trump supposedly claimed at one point last week that Dent was "destroying the Republican party," and would get the blame when his tax code overhaul fails.
I find it amusing that Trump has suddenly become a team player, now that he finds himself at the head of that team, and wants everyone to do what he wants, right or wrong. This is the fatal flaw of partisan politics.Ron Beitler explains:
"I'm an Eagles fan of the bleed green variety. We pride ourselves in rooting for the team thick or thin. Perfectly appropriate attitude for a sports team. But not for politics. The 'click bait anti left' is far too willing to blindly ignore Trump's many many severe flaws. And Trump masterfully gives them fodder to ignore the problems with his 'fake news' fantasy. I contend that Trump populism actually hurts movement conservatism. Conservatives should be winning hearts and minds with our ideas. Not by engaging in the very same kind of identity politics that the alt left does."
Charlie Dent told me the first time I sat down with him in 2007 that he considers himself a centrist who leans right. And that's what he's been. While he certainly supports his team, he believes it should be a broad-based team.He's a nuanced thinker for whom details matter. Trump is the opposite. "Forget about the little shit," the so-called deal maker with absolutely no grasp of policy told House members.
Having lost, he's driven off in his kiddie car and is blaming everyone except himself. He will no doubt recruit a challenger to Charlie Dent, and Dent will win again. A liar might fool the people briefly. But Trump has already worn out his welcome.
U.S. Representative Charlie Dent will vote No on the American Health Care Act today and explains why:
“The American health care system is in need of reform. The Affordable Care Act, which I voted against seven years ago, has failed to live up to the promises of the previous Administration. Too many Americans have seen their health care costs rise, insurers are fleeing the marketplace, and businesses are struggling under the increased costs and regulations. In Pennsylvania the average 2017 premium increase for all individual market plans was 32%, and 68% of counties have only one or two insurers offering plans on the exchange. Clearly something must be done.
"Over the past few weeks, I have diligently reviewed the American Health Care Act and recently proposed Amendments. I have spoken with constituents, leaders in the health care patient and provider community, Republican and Democrat Governors, Senators, the President and many others. After careful deliberation, I cannot support the bill and will oppose it. I believe this bill, in its current form, will lead to the loss of coverage and make insurance unaffordable for too many Americans, particularly for low-to-moderate income and older individuals. We have an important opportunity to enact reforms that will result in real health care transformation--bringing down costs and improving health outcomes. This legislation misses the mark.
"I hope that the House can step back from this vote and arbitrary deadline to focus on getting health care reform done right to ensure that American families have access to affordable health care.”
US Congressman Charlie Dent and embattled Allentown Mayor Edwin "Fed Ed" Pawlowski were secretly wed last night in a ceremony at the Islamic Community Center in Whitehall.
"It feels good to be out of the closet at long last,"said Dent as he and Fed Ed cut the wedding cake. Then he kissed me.
"I just want a few moments of happiness before I go away," explained Fed Ed. "I hope you check out our registry."
After a weekend in New Hope, both will be returning to their jobs.
The wedding was attended by a few close friends and about 40 FBI agents. Pope Francis officiated. "They look so good together," he remarked as he sampled hummus and baba ganoush at the Islamic Center.
Bethlehem's Northwest Block Watch, which meets monthly at the Church of the Manger on Greenview Street, will host Congressman Charlie Dent on October 24 at 7 pm. Gus Loupos, who usually acts as facilitator of this group, tells me that there will be no debate. Dent will be there to discuss community safety.
Dent is now known as the I-78 Congressman, although his roots are in Allentown. His district was gerrymandered by the state legislature in 2010 to stretch along I-78 from Easton to Dauphin County.
The public is welcome at this community forum.
I already picked out my seat. I'll be in the Manger.
In the wake of Brexit, LV Congressman Charlie Dent is calling on President Obama to negotiate a separate trade agreement with the UK. Here is the text of his statement:
“The Brexit referendum, for better or for worse, is behind us. This was a decision for the British people to make and they chose to leave. We must respect that decision whether we agree with it or not. Now Congress has a responsibility and interest to work with the United Kingdom, particularly when it comes to strengthening economic ties between our two great nations.
"This is why I am introducing a resolution urging the Obama Administration to direct the United States Trade Representative (USTR) to immediately commence discussions for a U.S.-UK bilateral trade agreement.
"Brexit will likely cause short term disruptions. A bilateral trade agreement, the North Atlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (NATIP), will mitigate potentially adverse economic consequences as a result of Brexit. Beginning discussions for this agreement will help stabilize the current financial turmoil.
"The United States and the United Kingdom have long shared a special relationship. We have strong cultural and economic ties and a commitment to shared strategic interests. The UK is the largest private sector investor in the United States as well as one of the largest markets for U.S. goods, and one of the largest suppliers. By forming a stronger economic alliance with the UK our strategic interests would be strengthened and enhanced.
"Discussions for a bilateral trade agreement between the U.S. and the U.K. do not weaken a commitment to the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP). It is abundantly clear that negotiations for TTIP are moving at a slow pace. NATIP could ignite action or movement on TTIP. These two trade agreements would be complimentary to one another. "Finally, assuring a great ally in this extraordinary moment is an immediate imperative. The United States and the United Kingdom must continue to work together. The Administration must begin discussions to show that the UK is never ‘in the back of the queue’ when it comes to American interests.”
(From Charlie Dent, Washington, D.C) This week, Rep. Charlie Dent joined his colleagues in the House of Representatives in decrying the systematic extermination of Christians and other ethnic and religious minorities by ISIS. The unanimous vote of 393 to 0 demonstrated a strong national consensus that the atrocities committed against Christians, Yezidis, Turkmen, Sabea-Mandeans, Kaka'e, and Kurds that continue to be carried out by ISIS should be recognized as “war crimes,” “crimes against humanity,” and “genocide.”
“The grotesque and barbaric actions that the terrorists of ISIS continue to engage in across the Middle East undoubtedly constitute acts of deliberate and horrific genocide. These fanatical zealots are carrying out a systematic persecution and destruction of civilizations that have thrived in this region for hundreds and thousands of years. I urge the State Department to recognize the immediacy of this threat and lead the international community in a concerted effort to prevent the extinction of some of the world’s oldest Christian communities,” stated Rep. Dent following the vote.
Through this bipartisan action, the House of Representatives added its united voice to a growing international coalition that has recognized that the horrific atrocities of ISIS constitute genocide and must be stopped. The European Parliament, the International Association of Genocide Scholars, the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom, Pope Francis, and many others stand in solidarity in condemning the ISIS genocide in the strongest possible terms.
The Resolution passed by the House also commends the efforts of our allies in the region who have gone above and beyond in aiding the innocent men, women, and children fleeing the violence of ISIS. Jordan, Lebanon, Turkey, and the Kurdistan Regional Government in Iraq have all distinguished themselves by sheltering and protecting these refugees until they can safely return to their homes.
It's called the "People Before Party" Act, and obviously is aimed at the growing partisanship among Democrats and Republicans. Charlie Dent is nominally a Republican and Jim Matheson is nominally a Democrat, but I'd call them members of the grown-up party in Congress. They have introduced a measure to eliminate straight-party voting nationwide. A person can still vote for all Democrats or all Republicans, but will have to vote individually. Dent, a centrist who co-chairs the Tuesday Group, released this statement:
“One of the greatest frustrations my constituents share with me is the excessive partisan bickering in our political system. There is no easy fix to this problem, but one solution could be to strengthen participation in our voting system by doing away with single-ticket voting.
“Pennsylvania is one of only a small number of states that still gives primacy to the power of political parties over the voters’ right to make candidate by candidate decisions. This manner of voting discourages voters from making an honest evaluation of each candidate on his or her individual merits and encourages an all-or-nothing decision based purely on party affiliation.
"For this reason, I have joined with my Democrat colleague Representative Henry Cuellar (TX-28) to introduce the People Before Party Act, that would end straight-ticket voting in federal elections. Individuals who wish to vote a straight party line may certainly continue to do so, but they should not be offered a short-cut or a one-touch workaround from the need to consider their vote for each individual candidate and for each office. This bill will empower voters to elect thoughtful leaders and reduce the power of the parties.”
According to Dent, the nine states that currently allow straight-ticket voting are Alabama, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Texas, and Utah. Michigan did away with the practice earlier this year, West Virginia and Rhode Island abolished it last year, and North Carolina ended straight-ticket voting in 2014. The Hill reports that there are actually 15 states that still permit straight party voting.
