The Republican Party is broken. Party leaders are now hostages to the most extreme elements of the far right. This is no longer just a political problem, but we are seeing the real-life consequences of this extremism, most recently manifested as the horrific attack on Paul Pelosi, the spouse of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
Here in Pennsylvania, we’re seeing Republicans work to advance extreme partisan agendas, while ignoring the real, everyday issues that people across the Commonwealth actually care about. Democrats, on the other hand, have a simple philosophy: let’s work together to find common ground, solve the problems that actually need solving, and be a voice for our constituents, not Q-Anon or MAGA extremists.
When Republican political candidates prioritize attacking LGBTQ+ youth, inserting themselves into personal medical decisions that should be made by women and their doctors, and attacking our safe and secure election processes, over lowering prescription drug prices, addressing inflation, and protecting our environment, they do not deserve to be elected or reelected. Governing is not about scoring political points, it is about improving people’s lives. That is what Democratic candidates hear every day as they have conversations with voters across Pennsylvania and that is what they will seek to do every day in office.
Pennsylvania is facing generation-defining challenges over the next few years. We need to provide incentives to build on the economic growth the Commonwealth has seen under Governor Tom Wolf’s leadership. This should be an “all of the above” strategy, seeking to attract everything from the technology jobs that will make us competitive with California to the manufacturing jobs that will bring work back from China to the green energy jobs that will reduce our dependence on foreign oil. We have the talent and resources to make Pennsylvania one of the strongest economies in the nation and we need to lay the groundwork to make that a reality.
We’re not going to build a strong economy without a world class education system. Right now we have billions in surplus funds being held hostage in Harrisburg by Republican lawmakers who would rather pass Florida-esque “Don’t say gay” laws than help prepare our children for life-long success. Let’s put that money to work to build a bright future for children across the Commonwealth.
In our nation’s Capital, President Biden and Democrats in Congress have demonstrated what happens when we focus on governing. In less than two years they have passed historic legislation to address the real issues facing our nation. The Inflation Reduction Act is already helping to support middle class families, increase wages, and finally allow Medicare to negotiate drug prices. It has also helped sustain the steady drop in the unemployment rate, which stands at a 50 year low. The CHIPS Act is making America the leader for semiconductor research, development, and production, creating high-paying jobs and reducing our dependence on foreign manufacturing. And Social Security is in a strong enough position to give seniors the increase they need to live comfortably.
These are things that should garner universal support – and at one point, they may have been. That is no longer the case. We can no longer afford to support the “moderate” Republican and hope they will be willing to work across the aisle. In this election, a vote to send a Republican to Harrisburg or Washington DC is a vote to support the dangerous extremists who have taken over control of the Republican Party.
Democrats are asking for your vote because they want to represent you, your family, and our communities. We want to focus on finding common ground, not creating division. We’re done with the political games and broken promises. On November 8th let’s send a message that Pennsylvania rejects dangerous extremism – vote for Democrats up and down the ballot.
Vote Straight Democratic November 8th!
Charlotte Valyo, Chair
Chester County Democratic Committee
