Hot Issues in the 2010 Midterm Elections

Currently both houses are majority Democrat, the same party as the current administration. Once again politicians, both Republican and Democrat, are using the current issues as a persuasive tool to turn the tides in the election. What are the salient issues this election? Which issues are particularly politically charged? Why are these such significant issues?In our effort to help you be informed before this election we have provided brief summaries of major issues being discussed and debated on the national and local forefront:

NATIONALLY

The Economy

The economy, the recession, and Obama’s stimulus package have dominated conversations during the midterm elections. The recession contributed to millions of Americans losing their jobs, homes, etc. As a response we saw the introduction of Obama’s stimulus package, which was created to help alleviate some of these losses. According to the Congressional Budget, the stimulus package prevented the situation from worsening, but unemployment remained at 9.6%, and the economy only saw growth at 1.6%. Many candidates running for office are primarily focused on recovering from this recession. Voters will have to pay particular attention to how politicians propose to recover from this recession. Depending on who you choose, their policies may greatly effect how we emerge from our struggling economy.

Healthcare

This past year, the Obama healthcare plan was signed into law. The health care plan is comprised of The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act, and contains many provisions including:

· Insurance companies cannot drop

people from coverage when they fall ill

· Young adults can stay on their parents’ health care plan until the age of 26

· Insurance companies cannot deny coverage to someone under the age of 19 because of a pre-existing condition

· A tax credit for small companies to help provide coverage

· A rebate for medicare drug plan beneficiaries, and a temporary reinsurance program for companies to provide coverage for those aged 55-64.

While the idea of Universal Health Care is appealing on the surface, the issue itself is very tenuous in the political arena due to implications of increased government spending and taxation.

Government Spending

The increasing federal deficit has also come to the forefront of election issues. Because of programs such as the economic stimulus package and the health care plan, government spending has come under fire from both parties. Candidates all differ on whether or not to cut government spending, what programs to cut, and whether to consider any government spending unnecessary. This issue has become so tense that a political movement emerged, the Tea Party movement, which targets the large amount of government spending as a result of federal programs such as the stimulus package and health care plan. The next wave of legislators will most certainly effect the direction and level of government spending in the coming years. It will be imperative that voters know where their legislators stand on this issue. Their decisions will effect how tax dollars are spent.

LOCALLY

Marcellus Shale

The Marcellus Shale has become a heated debate in Pennsylvania. The Marcellus Shale is a new source of natural gas that the government and gas companies wish to tap into, which is reported to be extremely large. In order to access these resources, the method of extraction would have to be deep drilling. The drilling of the Marcellus Shale has proved to be extremely contentious, due to both environmental concerns and fiscal concerns such as whether or not to tax the shale and where the tax money should be put towards. What kind of legislations would you like to see surrounding the Marcellus shale? Knowing the answer to this question, along with understanding the issues regarding the Marcellus Shale, will help you in making your decision on November 2^nd.

Throughout this election period, candidates have taken positions on multitudes of issues as well as forming plans of action. What issue matters to YOU? Which issues most impact YOU? And how you would like your government representative to address these issues? United Way of Southeast Delaware County hopes you not only embrace being a voter, but also being an informed voter. Researching the positions, the candidates and the important issues at hand will aid you in your decision! But while you are thinking about how legislators will impact you, we encourage you to think about how it will affect your community as well. Our nation, our states and our local communities are diverse. We encourage you to LIVE UNITED, and consider how decisions will affect you as well as your neighbors.

Who are the 2010 Midterm Election Candidates?

This November 2^nd, residents of southeast Delaware County should not only know what the positions they are voting for are, but who the people are that are running for them. One method of deciding how to vote is to look at the candidate’s party affiliation:what are the main positions of that party? What are the most prominent issues within that party? How does that party hope to achieve these goals? Still, no matter if the candidate is Democratic, Republican, Green, or Independent, what voters should primarily focus on is that candidate in particular’s goals and objectives for running for a particular position.

First of all, here are the basic issues that the three main parties Republican, Democratic, and Green Party support:

Please note: not all members of each party agree with these positions

Republican Party

Republicans tend to be associated with the more conservative side of politics. The overarching concept of the Republican Party is to limit the power of the federal government and have the federal government defer to the states. Republicans associate themselves more so with state’s rights and prefer minimal federal government involvement in the economy, as well as social and health matters. Republicans emphasize free markets and the individual as the primary factors in economic success. Republicans are primarily fiscally conservative and prefer personal economic responsibility rather than government- supported welfare. Republicans also prefer an individual or employer-based system of health-care as opposed to federal government created programs. Socially, Republicans also are predominately conservative and usually are against policies such as affirmative action for women or minorities and same sex unions. Another aspect of the Republican Party is a primarily strict interpretation of the Constitution, or reading the Constitution as close to the authors’ original intent as possible. Finally, Republicans tend to insist on a stronger national defense in the form of military action as opposed to ideological approaches like consensus-building. Although these ideas are characteristic to many Republicans, there are also divisions within the party such as neoconservatives, libertarians, etc. In order to find out more about the Republican Party, you must research their party and party’s history, and you can begin by going to their website.

Democratic Party

Democrats tend to be associated with a more liberal approach to government. The Democratic Party, for the most part, supports a larger, more active Federal government with limits to the state’s rights. Democrats tend to prefer a more mixed economy as well as more government involvement with social matters as well as the health-care system, and recently have had an environmental component to its politics. Democrats tend to believe that the economy should be mix of a free-market economy with some intervention by the federal government and thus tend to favor policies such as welfare programs that tax in order to create social programs for those who are less fortunate. Many Democrats alsobelieve the government should have a role in the health-care system, so as to ensure that all people have access to affordable health-care. Along with these healthcare programs, Democrats are more in favor of social programs in general, such as affirmative action and federally-created social programs such as Americorps or Temporary Assistance to Needy Families. Democrats also posit that the Constitution can be “loosely interpreted”, and that some of the Constitution’s meaning evolves with time. Also, as of late, Democrats have focused a lot on environmental issues such as global warming and conservation. Finally, Democrats tend to oppose too much military action and instead propose more diplomacy in matters of foreign relations. However, like the Republican Party, there are many divisions in the Democratic Party as well such as liberal democrats, progressive democrats, and civil libertarians. To learn more about the Democratic Party and its ideals, you must research them as well, and you can start by going to their website.

Green Party

The Green Party, although smaller than the Democratic and Republican Party, has gained a lot of support in the national political arena. The Green Party emphasizes environmentalism, non-hierarchical participatory democracy, social justice, and respect for diversity with a focus on nonviolence. The Green Party does not accept corporate support in any form and condemns the use of corporate funds and influence in the government. The Green Party functions around certain Key Values which are: grassroots democracy, social justice and equal opportunity, ecological wisdom, nonviolence, decentralization, community-based economics, gender equality, respect for diversity, personal and global responsibility, and sustainability. To learn more about the Green Party, you can go to their website.

Keep in mind there are many more parties than these three and to really consider which party candidates are affiliated.

Now, here are the Candidates that are running in the State of Pennsylvania and in southeast Delaware County. We have listed them by party and provided their website, so make sure to do your research before voting day!

Governor/Lieutenant Governor

Dan Onerato/Scott Conklin (Democrat)

Tom Corbett/Jim Cawley (Republican)

Brian Nevins (Socialist Workers/Write-In)

Don Dehaven (Write-In)

Senator

Joe Sestak (Democrat)

Pat Toomey (Republican)

Osborne Hart (Socialist Workers/Write-In)

House of Representatives: Congressional District 1

Bob Brady (Democrat)

House of Representatives: Congressional District 7

Bryan Lentz (Democrat)

Pat Meehan (Republican)

Jim Schneller (Independent)

State House of Representatives: House District 159

Thaddeus Kirkland (Democrat)

William Rocky Brown (Republican)

State House of Representatives: House District 160

Nick Digregory (Democrat)

Stephen Barrar (Republican)

David Cleary (Independent)

State House of Representatives: House District 161

Walter Waite (Democrat)

Joe Hackett (Republican)

State House of Representatives: House District 162

Scott Macneil (Democrat)

Nick Miccarelli (Republican)

State House of Representatives: House District 163

Shannon Meehan (Democrat)

Nicholas Micozzie (Republican)

Rodney Lacey (Independent)

State House of Representatives: House District 164

Margo Davidson (Democrat)

Maureen Carey (Republican

State House of Representatives: House District 165

Brian Bradley (Democrat)

William Adolph, Jr. (Republican)

State House of Representatives: House District 166

Greg Vitali (Democrat)

John Williamson (Republican)

State House of Representatives: House District 168

Gail Conner (Democrat)

Thomas Killion (Republican)

State House of Representatives: District 185

Robert Donatucci (Democrat)

Michael Bruno (Republican

State House of Representatives: District 191

Ronald G. Waters (Democrat)

Here are some more resources to aid you with your decision on November 2^nd!

General Website on the PA election

http://www.uselections.com/pa/pa.htm

PA Republican Party Website

http://www.pagop.org/

PA Democratic Party Website

http://www.padems.com/

Delaware County Smart Voter Resource Website

http://www.smartvoter.org/pa/dl/

2010 Midterm Election: What are the Offices? What do they do?

This midterm election, many positions are up for election. But what exactly do these government positions do? What is their role? United Way of Southeast Delaware County simplifies what you need to know about each position:

Governor

The United States Governor is the chief ceremonial and political head of each state. Governors also retain sovereign police authority and do not have to report to federal authority except for laws contained in the enumerated clause in the Constitution. The governor is the head of each state’s executive branch and has a large amount of holding over government budgeting, a large role in legislation, and can appoint many officials such as the Governor’s cabinet as well as the Secretary of Education. The Governor also has the power to pardon or commute a criminal sentence as well. Governors also have the power to veto a state bill as well as issue a line-item veto, which is vetoing certain portions of a proposed bill. In Pennsylvania, governors may serve up to 8 years (2 four-year terms) until they are ineligible for reelection. This year, Governor Ed Rendel met his term limit and thus two new candidates are running for his position:Democrat DaOnerato and Republican Tom Corbett.

Lieutenant Governor

The Lieutenant governor is second in command after the governor. The lieutenant governor is responsible for stepping in for the governor, whether they are temporarily incapacitated or absent from the state. The lieutenant governor is also the presiding officer over the upper house of the state government. In many states, including Pennsylvania, the lieutenant governor runs on the same ticket as the governor. This year Democrat Scott Conklin will be running with Dan Onerato and Republican Jim Cawley will be running with Tom Corbett.

Senator

In the United States there are 100 senators (2 senators per state). The Senate is the upper house of the US legislature and its purpose is to pass laws. Bills can be introduced in the Senate, with the exception of tax bills which must be introduced in the House. The Senate then meets to discuss and debate these bills before finally voting. In order to make a bill into a law, the bill must pass through the Senate with 2/3 of the vote, as well as pass through the House. The Senate also approves certain presidential appointments, including the Supreme Court Justices. In Pennsylvania, the senators are Bob Casey (Democrat) and Arlen Specter (Democrat). Arlen Specter’s seat is up for re-election however he lost in the primary to a Joe Sestak. The Senatorial Race will thus be primarily between Democrat Joe Sestak and Republican Pat Toomey.

Federal House Representative

The United States has two legislative bodies; one of which is the Senate and the other is the House of Representatives. This year, many representatives are up for election. The number of representatives per state varies according to population, with Pennsylvania at 19 congressional representatives. The role of the House of Representatives is to essentially pass law; all bills must be voted on by both the Senate and the House. Some roles that are restricted to just the House are that all bills pertaining to spending must originate in the House, and the House has the power to impeach officials. Also, the House chooses the President in cases when the Electoral College is deadlocked. The House is an extremely powerful determinant in what laws get passed, and it largely depends on which party is in power. So take a close look at your Congressional District and who is running in that district, because these individuals will be representing you when they pass or reject certain bills.

State House Representative

In the Untied States, each state has their own House of Representatives. The Pennsylvania House of Representatives has 203 members, each of which represent different areasof Pennsylvania in matters of state law and policy. Find out which district you are in, in order to learn more about who will be running for election in your area! In order to ensure that the issues you find important in your district are being represented in state policy, you need to see what representative candidate best reflects your interests!

The 2010 Midterm Election!

November 2, 2010: You and many other Pennsylvania residents will have the opportunity to vote in an extremely important election. Pennsylvanians will have to choose a new senator, new governor, lieutenant governor, congressional representatives, and state representatives. All of these elected officials will represent the state of Pennsylvania in the federal government, as well as specific areas within Pennsylvania in the state government. In order to make an informed vote, you must do your research! Know what the function of each elected position is! Know who the candidates are! Know the issues! Know where and how to vote!

For the next week, United Way of Southeast Delaware County will highlight important aspects of this year’s election to ensure that residents of southeast Delaware County can make informed decisions come November 2, 2010. Every election matters. Every election is an opportunity for you to exercise your power to choose the candidate that best represents the issues, attitudes and ideals you consider important. So cast your vote, because the person who takes office will make decisions that will directly influence Health, Education, and Income-- the building blocks of a healthy community.

First of all, have you noticed this year’s campaign ads? No matter what party there seems to be a plethora of negative ads this election year.

· Have these ads swayed your opinion at all?

· Where do you get your election information; do you get it from television ads such as these?

· So far do you feel as if you can make an informed vote, or do you find yourself lost among all of the negativity surrounding election time?

Please comment with your answers! United Way wants to hear from you how you feel about this year’s election!

It Gets Better!

In September of this year, columnist Dan Savage set up a web site where users can record and post their own video surrounding the theme “It Gets Better” which is directed towards gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transsexual children and teens who are the victims of bullying. The video campaign is a response to the recent string of suicides of GLBT teens and means to offer support to all of those children and teens who are experiencing depression and anxiety due to bullying.

Here is an example of one of these videos, put together by the Trevor Project:

The Trevor Project is a nonprofit that provides a crisis and suicide-prevention hotline for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transsexual individuals who may call anonymously in all times of emergency. The Trevor Project provides support for these individuals as well as resources and guidance for parents and teachers to provide a more inclusive environment for GLBT individuals.

United Way encourages individuals to Live United by ensuring that all individuals feel safe and included in whatever climate. Please use resources such as the Trevor Project or It Gets Better to not only provide support for yourself or others, but to gain knowledge on how you can help put an end to bullying and help make all individuals feel safe and happy in their environments.

Recent Legislative Movements to Stop Bullying

Not only have the recent suicides of teens as a result of bullying led to bullying becoming a national issue, but several statistics composed by various organizations, including the federal government, pinpoint that legislative action needs to be taken:

· A U.S. Department of Education study has concluded that bullying and harassment affects nearly one in every three American school children in grades six through ten, and another confirms that harassment in schools is experienced by a majority of students;

· Nearly nine-tenths (86.2%) of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) students report being verbally harassed because of their sexual orientation, and two-thirds (66.5%) were harassed because of their gender identity. Additionally, over a third of LGBT students reported being physically harassed based on their sexual orientation or gender identity;

· Evidence shows that bullying can result in long-term social, academic, psychological, and physical consequences, including decreased interest in school, increased absences, and decreased concentration levels for students.

A coalition of organizations, including the Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Education Network, formed the Safe Schools Improvement Act, a suggested amendment to the Safe and Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act (part of No Child Left Behind) that would require schools and school districts receiving federal funds to adopt codes of conduct, and measures to enforce these codes that would specifically prohibit bullying and harassment, including on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. The Act would also require that states report data on bullying and harassment to the Department of Education. Source: Human Rights Campaign

On May 5, 2009 the Safe Schools Improvement Act was introduced into the House of Representatives and currently holds 119 bipartisan sponsors. The Act is currently sitting in the House Committee for Education and Labor, waiting to be brought to the floor of Congress as a major issue. The Act was also introduced into the Senate by Senator Bob Casey of Pennsylvania, but only holds 12 cosponsors.

If the Safe Schools Improvement Act is successfully added to education policy, it would reflect a positive move in preventing bullying, more enforcement of bullying, a more in-depth approach as well as follow-through to the effects of bullying, and more accurate information and data on bullying. Because of the effect bullying has on children and young teens, United Way stresses the importance of any legislative measure that means to improve the educational environment and climate, as well as any legislative measure that could help ease and improve the mental health of people.

To learn more about these legislative actions, and how you can help advocate for these issues, you may refer to the Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Education Network’s Action Kit.

You may also directly address your representative to cosponsor this by dialing the U.S. Capitol Switchboard at 202-224-3121. Ask to be connected to your Representative's office. If she or he hasn't signed onto the act, urge the Representative to cosponsor. They can contact Representative Linda Sanchez's office if they wish to cosponsor.

Building Bullying Awareness in DelCo

The focus of most of the recent anti-bullying campaigns has been centered on anti-gay bullying. Yet bullying has come to take on a broad range of forms. There are five distinct types including: physical bullying, hazing, verbal, emotional and, more recently, cyber bullying. Many teens and children face bullying on a routine basis, whether at school or even in their own homes. The immediate effects of bullying are painful, but what some may not realize, is the effects of bullying can extend into ones adult life.

Organizations, schools, and governments in Delaware County are taking a stand against bullying. Widener University’s LGBT Association held a gay youth forum to help youth identify signs of bullying, how to curb these issues, and where to go for help. Additionally, the office of Delaware County’s district attorney, Michael Green, plans to hold a Safe Schools Summit. This summit will feature segments covering the effects of bullying in schools as well as teen mental health awareness.

The efforts of Widener University and District Attorney Michael Green reflect Delaware County’s commitment to stop teen bullying. Helping the next generation grow up safely, both physically and emotionally, is a county-wide priority. The efforts currently going on in our community show us that we too can be advocates for teenage mental health.

You can start being an advocate for a bully-free community. Click on the links below to find out more about bullying, its effects and what you can do:

• I Hate Bullies
• Utterly Global
• Life After Adult Bullying
• Anti-Defamation League
• KidsHealth

Stop the Bullying by Living United!

Recently, throughout the country a recurring issue has once again founditself in the limelight: bullying. It is something that occurs frequently, especially in schools, and can have an extremely negative effect on one's emotional health. According to a study done by Dr. Louise Arsenault of Kings College, new evidence links depresion and anxiety to those children that have been a victim of bullying. Unfortunately, depression and anxiety can lead to detrimental behaviors such as drug use, or worse, it can lead to suicide.

There has recently been a surge of suicides of children who were victims of bullying because of their sexual orientation. These tragedies have led to a nationwide campaign to stop bullying, as well as the "It Gets Better" campaign, which consists of celebrities and other individuals making videos with positive messages for the victims of these instances of bullying.

One of United Way's core focus areas is Health, which includes the emotional well-being of an individual. United Way of Southeast Delaware County has been asking individuals to 'Join the Movement' and 'Live United'. Part of 'Living United' means putting an end to bullying, and letting those who fall victim to bullying know that it DOES get better. Many nonprofits, including some of United Way's partner agencies, have programs that can offer people the emotional support they need. So if bullying is affecting you or you see it affecting someone, please do not be afraid to seek help from your United Way and other organizations.

Below are links to agencies whose purpose is to help Delaware County residents maintain their emotional-health and well-being.

Center for Resolutions: http://www.center4resolutions.org

Family Support Line: http://www.familysupportline.org

Women Against Rape: 24hr Hotline (610) 566-4342

Domestic Abuse Project: http://www.dapdc.org

Crozer Wellness CEnter: http://www.crozer.org

United Way Campaign: Put the Excitement into Giving!

10.1.10 kicked off our campaign which means this is a time when United Way asks businesses, organizations, and individuals to channel their caring power into the Community Impact Fund. Donations enable United Way to support local nonprofits in southeast Delaware County. Over 5000 people gave to United Way's Campaign and this year it looks like they're really having a ball doing it!

Local businesses are pumped to join the movement! Citizens across Delaware County are showing their support in creative ways this year. Wells Fargo is just one example of how enthusiastic giving can manifest. For their kick-off, an entire floor dressed as the colors of the United Way rainbow. Additionally, as a way to garner more excitement, they engaged in various games and even had a dancing contest. Giving back has never been so much fun! We hope everyone finds their own inspiration to give while having fun doing it, just like Wells Fargo. Feel free to dance around, dress up, jump in, and join us! Join the movement!

A Special Thank You and Message from United Way of Southeast Delaware County

Thank you to all who participated in the 10.1.10 Challenge! And a special shoutout to the winners: James McAndrews, Rob Romeo, Leslie Weinberg, Adriene Irving, and Jill Schott!

The "10.1.10 Challenge" kicked off United Way of Southeast Delaware County's annual campaign. Thanks to your support our campaign is able to serve many communities in the southeast Delware County region. The "10.1.10 Challenge" helped us to highlight and celebrate these areas. We thank you for celebrating the diversity of this community with us and ask you to consider, once again, giving to United Way's Community Impact Fund so that we may continue advancing the common good for all members of our diverse community.

We held the "10.1.10 Challenge" to get you excited about the beginning of our campaign, but also to encourage you to connect with United Way. Through Facebook, Twitter, our website (http://www.uwdelco.org/), and our blog, you get to read about what's going on in the community and lend your voice to the cause. So don't just visit our social media sites once; check them ALL out as many times as you want. We are your source for campaign updates and highlights, local news, volunteer opportunities, and more! So stay connected and be inspired to Live United.

10.1.10: Will YOU Join the Movement?

Over the past week, you have probably been wondering what this mysterious "10.1.10" stood for. 10.1.10 is not just a date, but rather the start of a movement.

10.1.10 is the beginning of our campaign where we kick-off the United Way's season of genersotiy. We present the members of the southeast Delaware County community wit the opportunity to help address local issues by giving to United Way's Community Impact Fund. In turn, United Way ensures that these donations are forwarded to organizations that are improving the daily lives of people in southeast Delaware County.

Our campaign is not just about donations. It is also about the community coming together to help one another address local issues and spread awareness about how they affect members of our community. This has to be a community-wide effort and not just the work of nonprofits and charitable organizations. Businesses, government, and individuals can all join United Way in its efforts to improve southeast Delaware County.

10.1.10 is HERE!! Live United and Watch our Campaign Kick-Off Video Today!

We're SO EXCITED to share our Virtual Campaign Kick-Off with you!

Please go to our website http://www.uwdelco.org/ for more information on United Way of Southeast Delaware County's Virtual Campaign Kick-Off and JOIN THE MOVEMENT!