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Michael Tilley

Oct. 16, 2023 6:00 am

In his letter from the Birmingham Jail, Martin Luther King, Jr. lamented the white moderate who agreed with the concerns of Black justice advocates but criticized their methods, tone, or timing.

The lesson that white progressive leaders in Iowa City need to take from Kings letter is that their role is to bend the white moderate along the arc of justice, supporting those on the margins of our community. Ive seen Laura Bergus embody just that kind of voice. In the wake of the protests following George Floyds murder, Bergus became increasingly active in her efforts to hear voices of Black and other people of color, and used her insight to powerfully re-express those concerns and issues to white Iowa City while working to empower BIPOC voices.

Whether its been supporting the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) and the need for their work in the face of complaints about the TRCs methods, tone, and timing; or advocating for reallocating police funds to social services in order to address the root causes of crime even when that position among progressives in white Iowa City had lost its luster; Bergus routinely and consistently is doing what all white progressives should be doing.

Bergus is intelligent, inspiring, courageous, and principled, and she is a fearless advocate for justice. The Iowa City Council needs someone who can powerfully call us to do justice to those at the margins of our community. Vote Bergus in the District A primary and in the November election.

Michael Tilley

Iowa City

Opinion content represents the viewpoint of the author or The Gazette editorial board. You can join the conversation by submitting a letter to the editor or guest column or by suggesting a topic for an editorial to editorial@thegazette.com

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Bergus: A model white progressive for Black justice in Iowa City - The Gazette

The U.S. Capitol Police on Thursday briefed several progressive House members about security measures in place following an increase in violent threats against them in the days after Saturdays surprise attack on Israel, according to a new report.

Politico reported that Democratic Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (N.Y.), Ilhan Omar (Minn.), Ayanna Pressley (Mass.), Rashida Tlaib (Mich.), Summer Lee (Pa.) and Barbara Lee (Calif.) were among those to receive the briefings, citing three sources familiar with the matter.

A Capitol Police spokesperson told the outlet the department provided several briefings to lawmakers regarding enhanced protections in place.

The lawmakers have become targets over expressing positions critical of Israel as the country has continued bombarding Gaza in retribution for Hamas attack over the weekend.

Rep. Pramila Jayapal (Wash.), who heads the Congressional Progressive Caucus, asked her fellow members during a closed-door meeting to defend their fellow Democratic lawmakers, according to Politico.

Meanwhile, the war in Israel continues to rage with more than 2,800 people confirmed dead on both sides.

The Israeli military on Friday ordered the evacuation of northern Gaza, which includes the densely populated Gaza City, within 24 hours ahead of what some presume will be a ground offensive.

The U.N. has warned the order would be impossible without devastating humanitarian consequences.

Ocasio-Cortez called the directive unacceptable in a post on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter.

Humanity is at stake, she said. Nearly half are children. We must halt this.

U.S. Capitol Police are beefing up security measures throughout the Capitol complex after Hamas called for Friday to be a global day of rage.

In a statement shared with HuffPost, the department said while there are not specific threats toward the Congress at this time, we are not taking any chances.

Some of what we are doing will be visible, but for safety reasons we cannot provide the public details about all of the resources that we are putting into protecting the Congress, a spokesperson said. Our dedicated teams are working around the clock to coordinate with our law enforcement and intelligence partners across the country to keep everyone safe.

Read the full Politico report here.

Originally posted here:
Capitol Police Brief Progressives On Security Measures Amid Rise ... - Yahoo News

This is WESA Politics, a weekly newsletter by Chris Potter providing analysis about Pittsburgh and state politics.Sign up here to get it every Thursday afternoon.

It was Sara Innamorato and Matt Dugan and Bethany Hallam who appear to have finally buried the previous generation of Democratic leadership in Allegheny County Tuesday night. But it may have been County Treasurer John Weinstein who wrote the old guards epitaph.

There were too many white men running in this race, said Weinstein, seeking to explain how the staunchly progressive Innamorato defeated him and four others in the Democratic primary for county executive.

Those words were widely perceived as a slight to Innamorato, implying as they did that Weinstein and fellow white guys Michael Lamb and Dave Fawcett had been beaten by each other or by some sort of affirmative-action program rather than by her campaigns themes, resources, and ground game. It sounded like the latest in a long line of rationalizations to minimize progressive gains.

But too many white men running has been a criticism of the status quo for years. Weinsteins statement was most notable perhaps because with the last vestiges of their hold on local government swept away the white men themselves seemed to realize it was a problem.

I don't think I would have included that comment in a concession speech, but he's not wrong, said consultant Abigail Gardner. I've been picturing the Spider-Man meme of two or three Spider-Men pointing at each other.

Gardner hasnt had to write a lot of concession speeches lately: She managed Summer Lees successful 2022 bid to become the first Black woman to represent Pennsylvania in Congress, and she been active in progressive politics for years (though she had no formal role in this years campaigns). The reason more established politicians are struggling today, she said, has less to do with them crossing each other than with a failure to connect with anyone else.

Gardner recalled that when she returned to the region in 2015, There were a lot of people who were demoralized by the state of politics locally. There were some strong liberal voices, such as state Rep. Dan Frankel, but newcomers who wanted to change the status quo would be told the powers-that-be just had it on lock and there was no room for anyone else, she said.

But the election of Donald Trump motivated a lot of disenchanted locals to try to make a difference, joining grassroots groups across the county. And the 2018 special election win of Congressman Conor Lamb though far from an ideal candidate from a progressive viewpoint was proof that they could. That race was a crusade that old Democrats and new could join, but when it came to challenging other Democrats, up-and-coming progressives knew how to organize themselves.

The earliest wins, in 2017, elected Anita Prizio to county council and Mik Pappas as a magistrate district judge. Those little-noted campaigns tested themes that would become central to the progressive promise: environmental concerns, criminal justice reforms, housing.

And momentum built from there, with a demographically diverse and ideologically cohesive movement of progressives: Lee and Innamorato came on the scene with successful state House bids in 2018, with Emily Kinkead and Jessica Benham joining them later. Ed Gainey became Mayor, and Lee moved on to Congress. Tuesday night proved conclusively that there is no office outside the movements reach. (Notably, the regions top watchdog posts arent entirely within their grasp: City Controller Rachael Heisler and county Controller Corey OConnor ran on good-government agendas, but they arent explicitly tied to the movement that delivered Innamoratos win.)

On election night, I asked Innamorato how progressives had remade the political landscape so quickly. Youth played a role, she said: Voters age 25-34 make up the countys largest cohort of Democrats they are about 20 percent of the electorate and Their political consciousness is much more seasoned than mine was at their age.

More broadly, she said The name of the game with our campaigns has always been expanding the electorate to reach voters the existing power structure hasnt spoken to. That work involves going out, knocking doors, making phone calls, asking people what their priorities are for their families and their communities, and really connecting that with the polices and the message of our campaign."

Sounds simple, right? Find out who the voters are, listen to what they want, and figure out how to connect it to your candidacy.

But its become clear that, as Gardner puts it, The Democrat machine was really rusted out. At the outset of the county executive race, Weinsteins bid was fueled by unions and others willing to write big checks. But the SEIU service workers union and other advocacy groups in the progressives corner have been much more willing to put their mouths where their money is, supporting door-knocking and other outreach efforts.

In the county executive race, a functioning machine might not have been able to prevent Innamoratos win, but it would have responded to it more coherently. Even before the race began, there would have been an obvious political heir to departing County Executive Rich Fitzgerald or barring that, some ability to clear the field for a contender to rally behind.

As it was, Fitzgerald himself endorsed Lamb at a low-key event just three weeks before the election, though it was clear long before then that Lamb was his only choice. Weinstein didnt have a successor in mind for his old treasurer post at all. And politics abhors a vacuum.

Of course, there are still elections this fall to get through. Steve Zappala may be resuscitated by a successful write-in effort on the Republican ballot, giving him a second chance against progressive Democratic nominee Matt Dugan. Innamorato will face Republican Joe Rockey, and that race will play out like the last two weeks of the Democratic contest did. Youll hear a lot about her lack of executive-branch experience, and about her previous ties to the Democratic Socialists of America, which backed her and Lee in 2018 but whose influence has waned since.

But Tuesday night made official what should have been clear long before: This is a progressive Democratic county now. And you have to realize that if you want to run in a primary or else youre gonna be run into the ground.

Continued here:
Why Pittsburgh & Allegheny County progressives keep winning elections - 90.5 WESA

Progressive candidates in Pittsburgh won two key races on Tuesday. Reform candidate and chief public defender Matt Dugan ousted a longtime tough-on-crime incumbent to win the primary for district attorney in Pennsylvanias Allegheny County. State Rep. Sara Innamorato won the Democratic primary for Allegheny County executive. Both will advance to general elections in November. Dugan is currently running unopposed, and Innamorato will face Republican candidate Joseph Rockey.

The wins add to a recent body of progressive success in a crucial swing state where Republicans have made inroads in recent years. Since 2018, progressives have surged in Pennsylvania races from Congress to state legislature and local government, picking up key seats in Pittsburgh and Philadelphia along the way.

Conventional politics in swing states have typically shunned progressives in favor of moderate candidates. Tuesdays results are evidence that candidates who prioritize issues facing working people can help build the Democratic base in purple states rather than shrink it, Rep. Summer Lee, a progressive Democrat who went from the Pennsylvania state House to the U.S. House last year, said during remarks at Innamoratos election party on Tuesday night.

Back in the day when they doubted us, and they said, These crazy women cant win those state House seats, we told them back then that the power of the people was greater than the people in power, Lee said. What we showed them tonight, what weve shown them in every single election cycle since weve started is that the power of the people is always greater than the people in power.

In 2018, Innamorato was first elected to the state House along with Lee, who also represented parts of Pittsburgh. They both beat longtime incumbents in Democratic primaries. Philadelphia elected its first Working Families Party council member, Kendra Brooks, in 2019. Philadelphia organizers won election to the state House 2020. And Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey beat a Democratic incumbent and won election in 2021.

In 2022, Lee was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives after defeating a moderate Democrat and an onslaught of outside spending by conservative Democrats and Republicans. Sen. John Fettermans 2022 election over Republican candidate Mehmet Oz built on those progressive wins.

On Tuesday in Philadelphias mayoral race, though, the left candidate lost to Cherelle Parker, a former city council majority leader who had support from a cadre of Democratic officials and local unions, as well as Philadelphias Black clergy. Former city council member Helen Gym came in third place with 21 percent of the vote to Parkers 33 percent. Gyms campaign had been buoyed by endorsements from national progressives, and the last poll in the race showed her with a slight lead. A preliminary breakdown of votes by the Philadelphia Inquirer showed that Parker won in precincts that were majority Black and precincts with incomes below $75,000, while Gym had more support in wealthier and majority white communities. Parker will face Republican candidate and city council member at large David Oh in November.

As candidates focusing on issues of economic inequality, corporate profits, and social infrastructure have surged, theyve faced opposition from both Democrats and Republicans. Republican donors have worked with Democrats to fight insurgent progressive candidates in federal and local races across the country. A Republican megadonor poured out $1.1 million in the final days of the Philadelphia mayoral race to oppose Gym and influence city council races. He is also the sole donor to a new federal PAC launched to target challengers in Democratic primaries.

Preliminary takeaways from Philadelphias mayoral race have compared its dynamics to New York Citys election of Mayor Eric Adams in 2021. Parker campaigned on combating gun violence by ramping up the citys controversial stop-and-frisk policy, which contributed to overpolicing in many Black neighborhoods impacted by crime. Criticisms of the policy fueled a movement for reforms that elected District Attorney Larry Krasner in 2017 and again in 2021. Philadelphians have also endorsed candidates who support more aggressive criminal justice reforms, like city council members Brooks and Jamie Gauthier.

Right-wing media also attacked Dugan for his similarity to Krasner, who campaigned on addressing the citys unequal justice system and holding police accountable for misconduct. Krasner was reelected overwhelmingly in 2021, beating a police-backed opponent who pushed a return to aggressive policing and indiscriminate prosecution. In Allegheny County, Dugan ran a campaign focused on reforming the criminal justice system, diverting low-level offenses, ending cash bail, focusing on violent crime, and enhancing services for victims. Observers have criticized Dugan for his support from the Justice & Public Safety PAC, which is supported by George Soros.

Innamorato ran a campaign similarly focused on housing, environmental equality, investing in mental health treatment and diversion programs, ending solitary confinement, and enforcing corporate taxes. The office of Allegheny County executive is one of the most powerful in the western part of the state and controls a $3 billion annual budget.

Tonight, voters in Allegheny County showed once again that they are hungry for leaders with big ideas who will fight hard for working people, Working Families Party Mid-Atlantic Elections Director Shoshanna Israel said in a statement on Tuesday night. They rejected tough-on-crime fearmongering from a decrepit political establishment and embraced reformers who will invest in and support our communities.

Pennsylvania politics have shifted dramatically in the years since the state voted for former President Donald Trump in 2016. Trumps win energized Pennsylvania Republicans for the first time in decades. That momentum slowed after President Joe Biden flipped the state blue again in 2020, and Republicans have run increasingly extreme candidates as the party seeks to rebuild power. As an antidote, progressive candidates have sought to build coalitions and energize voters who might be new to politics or had grown disenchanted with machine politics.

This is a victory not just for Sara Innamorato and Matt Dugan, Israel continued, but for the people-powered movement that knocked on tens of thousands of doors to elect them. Its a victory for those who want an Allegheny County that works for everyone, not just the powerful and politically connected.

The rest is here:
How Progressives Won and Lost in Purple Pennsylvania - The Intercept

Progressive Democrats and climate hawks are firing warning shots at party leaders and President Joe Biden not to compromise with Republicans on permitting reform as a way to raise the debt ceiling.

In a series of letters, floor speeches and ad campaigns, many on the partys left wing says they will not accept a debt limit deal that includes any undermining of bedrock environmental laws.

If Republicans insist on selling out working Americans or trying to flood America with fossil fuels, then the President must use his constitutional authority to protect America and end this hostage taking, Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), tweeted Thursday.

The push has echoes from just a few months ago, when left-leaning lawmakers said they were prepared to shut down the government or delay funding for defense programs rather than vote on a proposal to overhaul the nations energy project permitting laws. Ultimately, they won out, as the permitting effort fizzled.

The stakes this time, however, are far higher. Democrats are not threatening a mere lapse in federal government spending but a default on the nations borrowing authority an event economists say would be cataclysmic.

In debt limit talks between the White House and House Republicans, its not clear what negotiators are eyeing in terms of changes to the permitting process. The White House has confirmed the administration has put it on the table for discussions to avert a default as early as June 1.

Weve been clear we support permitting reform, with Senior Advisor John Podesta outlining our priorities last week, Michael Kikukawa, assistant press secretary, told E&E News in a statement earlier this week.

We have seen bipartisan support for permitting reform and certainly hope there is bipartisan progress. But were not going to detail what negotiators are discussing.

Podesta, a White House climate adviser, is touting an 11-point set of principles the administration would endorse in any permitting package, which includes accelerating grid updates, overhauling outdated mining laws and siting hydrogen and carbon dioxide infrastructure.

Democrats would probably be satisfied with those contours, as they would deal with transmission deployment and benefit clean energy projects rather than oil and gas endeavors.

But Republicans have been pushing for changes to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) to speed up permitting for fossil fuel projects a proposition Democrats largely reject.

And the Republican lawmaker negotiating the terms of a debt ceiling agreement on behalf of House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) is Rep. Garret Graves (R-La.), the author of the BUILDER Act, the House GOPs opening bid on permitting reform that would streamline environmental reviews with two-year deadlines and limit time for legal challenges to approved permits.

The BUILDER Act was contained in H.R. 1, the Lower Energy Costs Act, which was in turn included in House Republican-passed debt limit bill, H.R. 2811, the Limit, Save, Grow Act.

Under the guise of permitting reform, these extreme, ideological attacks on NEPA would eliminate requirements to consider climate change and pollution impacts, cut public input opportunities, and limit judicial review, more than 60 House Democrats wrote in a letter addressed to Biden and New York Democrats Chuck Schumer, the Senate majority leader, and Hakeem Jeffries, the House minority leader.

The letter, according to a Democratic aide, will be formally transmitted to the three-party leaders in the coming days with the signatures from six committee ranking members.

Among them will be House Natural Resources ranking member Ral Grijalva (D-Ariz.), who is spearheading the opposition now as he did last year, when Biden and Schumer were rallying their members to support a permitting proposal championed by Sen. Joe Manchin in exchange for the West Virginia Democrats vote on the Inflation Reduction Act.

Manchins bill could also be considered in debt limit negotiations, as it would boost transmission deployment as well as oil and gas projects.

It would, similar to the BUILDER Act, set a two-year shot clock on agencies to complete environmental reviews and require legal challenges to be filed within 150 days of a permits issuance.

The Democrats, in their letter, call for four principles to be retained in any debt ceiling discussion that includes permitting:

The Democrats further wrote: We remain deeply concerned that sacrificing any of these four principles will result in serious and detrimental harm to millions of Americans especially those living in low-income communities, Indigenous communities, and communities of color overburdened already by decades of irresponsible industry development.

House Democrats are girding for battle as the League of Conservation Voters and Climate Power prepare to spend an additional $350,000 on a seven-figure ad campaign in states and districts where congressional Republicans are enjoying clean energy manufacturing booms as a result of the Inflation Reduction Act despite voting to repeal the laws clean energy tax credits through the Limit, Save, Grow Act.

In the Senate, some Democrats are channeling their anxiety over a permitting deal that cedes too much to the fossil fuel industry by mobilizing around an effort to compel Biden to invoke the 14th Amendment to raise the debt ceiling.

We also cannot allow these budget negotiations to undermine the historic clean energy and environmental justice investments made by Congress and your administration by allowing fossil fuel companies to unleash a flood of dirty energy projects that will worsen the climate crisis and disproportionately impact frontline communities, 11 senators wrote to Biden on Thursday. We must continue the transition from fossil fuels to clean and renewable energy.

The letter was led by Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Chair Bernie Sanders, a Vermont independent who caucuses with Democrats, and signed by senators including Budget Chair Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) and another avowed climate hawk, Ed Markey (D-Mass.), who took to the Senate floor on Thursday to air his concerns about where talks might be headed.

Markey, in an interview as a part of POLITICOs energy summit later in the day, accused Republicans of trying to extract a new set of permitting regulations that make it possible for the oil and gas industry to just detonate a carbon bomb over the United States while simultaneously not dealing with the transmission permitting issue.

I suspect thats going on, he said. Im not in the room, but I dont think you have to be a political savant to surmise that this will be the topic of Republican demands.

In a statement overnight, the White House said the president had received a briefing on the talks while traveling abroad. Biden is due back in Washington this weekend.

The President directed his team to continue pressing forward for a bipartisan agreement and made clear the need to protect essential programs for hardworking Americans and the economic progress of the past two years as negotiations head into advanced stages, the statement said.

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Progressives gird for battle as permitting talks escalate - E&E News