It's been a couple years since CSCC used a survey to identify top issues both at the national level and at the state/local level. Both lists at that time had HEALTH CARE and ENERGY close to the top. The idea was that the list would help to guide our efforts and define winning issues for progressive candidates. For the full list, see this page:
http://csccnow.com/about.html
Kudos to the Steering Committee for bringing us the Health Care panel last May and the Energy Forum this June. CSCC is playing a part in shaping the focus of the political conversation in the Valley--and using input from all of you to do it.
What are the issues that most need grassroots attention for 2010 and beyond?
My list would include:
Federal level:
Financial reform
Clean energy/Environment
Economy/Jobs
State/local:
Health care
State budget reform
Economic development and planning (including Energy development)
Other priorities: We probably need some kind of campaign reform, especially if the new court ruling plays out as expected. Large corporations are now free to spend at will to influence the outcome of elections. That does not bode well for grassroots democracy. (See Barb Sundin's Campaign Reform Wish List .)
We definitely have a corrupt political culture at the state level. That's clear to anyone who reads the headlines. But is that an issue that can unite a winning progressive coalition? I don't know.
What would be on your list?
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Posts
3 comments:
Regulating gas drilling should probably move onto the state list. Gas drilling is going to happen, but it's shaping up to be a devastating environmental and social disaster. At a minimum, PA needs to tax gas drilling the same way surrounding states do. And there needs to be real environment mitigation, especially for water supplies. I don't say environmental protection, because we now know that there's going to be real damage--it's just a matter of how much. The political problem is that the obvious problems are only obvious in rural areas--out of sight, out of mind for most people. Since natural gas hydrofracking seems to be a move of fossil fuel desperation, we should figure out how to put the money it generates into createing clean energy for the long term.
Instead of "state budget reform," how about state government/election reform? Clean up Harrisburg, have some kind of constitutional convention, cut staff budget for legislators, and tighten up the regulations that are supposed to keep employees from campaigning while they are being paid to work for the state.
Nobody can make "reform pension funding" a winning a platform, but that probably needs attention as well.
Federal:
Decouple campaigns from fund-raising needs.
Global warming.
Job and WAGE growth
State:
Marcellus shale
Making education funding more equitable.
Letting schools get more innovative
Post a Comment