Candidate for
State Senator; Pennsylvania State Senate; District 10; Democratic Party

My political philosophy incorporates the ideals of American democracy. I believe a representative should both lead and represent the people and to do so effectively, should meet with his electorate often. I have already established a Town Hall schedule should I get elected: every other Wednesday from 7:00 to 9:00 PM whenever I am not in Harrisburg. I will rotate the location around all cities in my district so all citizens have a chance to dialog with me. I will post the schedule clearly on my website for all to see.

Sadly I believe that money has become a negative influence on the purity of the American ideal of democracy. I feel career politicians are too worried about where their next campaign contribution comes from instead of focusing on what is right for the general good of the people being represented. Since I am 59 years old, I have no interest in a long endless career in politics. I want to simply do what is right for my people. I will not be influenced by the lure of large campaign contributions. I also have been disgusted with the recent gift-giving scandals in Harrisburg. I am not running for this office to get gifts or junkets or favors. I will support legislation to ban such gifts. I hope to go to Harrisburg only to serve the people, not to feather my own nest with gifts or junkets.
There are some particular areas of political concern that to me are critical at this time. I will list them briefly. Over the course of my campaign, I will be discussing these issues in more depth, but from my comments below, you can see that they reveal an underlying core value system that resonates with the concepts of freedom, opportunity and political equality for all.
Education is key to democracy. Having an educated electorate is critical to electing good leaders. Pennsylvania has been cutting too much funding and personnel from its education system. This trend must be reversed if we are to be able to provide the opportunity of upward mobility to all our citizens. Employment is also a critical aspect in maintaining a functioning democracy. We need both good public sector and private sector middle-class jobs to support a thriving economy and an interested and engaged electorate. We have been losing too many jobs in Pennsylvania; this trend must also be reversed. And we must preserve and protect our natural environment so the opportunity for renewable industry and a healthy populace continues into the far foreseeable future.
We also must lead with compassion and empathy, not simply for a concern for profit. In a time of recession, we must raise the minimum wage so that our economy can be stimulated and also so that the dignity of work is matched by a non-poverty wage for almost a million people in Pennsylvania. We must do more to ensure our citizens have adequate health care by expanding Medicaid immediately. This also would generate thousands of jobs and bring us millions in federal funds. And we must finally end discrimination in the workplace and with respect to marriage equality by passing legislation that inclusively welcomes the LGBT community into full and rightful citizenship. It is 2014; it is about time. We also must do our utmost to fight the regressive and reactionary forces which would deny freedom and equality to women, especially in the area of making reproductive health decisions. So I will champion women's rights for freedom and equality quite vigorously.
I hope the reader understands that I am a man of integrity and honesty and am sincerely desirous of doing what is right for the people of Pennsylvania. I am not in this race for power or ego or money or gifts, but simply to represent the people so that together we can bring Pennsylvania to a better place for all its citizens.