Healthcare not Warfare vs. TeaParty

by Randy Shannon

The Peace Links weekly vigil at the County Courthouse to Bring the Troops Home Now and for Healthcare not Warfare has stood at 1:00 pm every Saturday for six years. The need to convert war spending to social spending for jobs and healthcare is more critical than ever. The need to support the unemployed and the hungry, to protect our workers on the job, to provide healthcare to all is now critical to more people than ever.

The tea party is calling for another hate and lies rally at 1:00 pm on Saturday April 24th on the steps of the Beaver County Courthouse. Its their right to be there, even though their message borders hate speech and is filled with lies and distortions.

The wealthy elite has funded the tea party movement and used their media pawns to build it. An outstanding example of a tea party moneybags is Don Blankenship, the President of Massey Coal, a mining company that kills workers as a cost of doing business. Those who fund this so-called movement use it  to oppose workers’ safety, to oppose state and local government services, to support war, and to incite race hatred. The tea party followers include John Birch Society and Ku Klux Klan members. This movement is as much a threat to civil society as Massey Coal is a threat to miners who work in their criminally neglected mines.

Peace Links and Progressive Democrats will stand our vigil across the street at 1:00 pm at the Courthouse. Our theme will be “Everyone In. Nobody Out.” If you supported change in 2008, you can defend the small gains we have made and help to create an environment where future gains are possible by joining us this  Saturday.

by Randy Shannon

The Pennsylvania 4th Congressional District Chapter of PDA unamimously endorsed Joe Hoeffel for Governor. In a letter mailed to its members, Chapter Chairwoman Tina Shannon asked that members and friends work together for a Hoeffel victory.

Hoeffel is the only candidate in either party that is not owned by the wealthy elites in Pennsylvania. A Hoeffel victory will break the corrupt stranglehold of corporate money in Pennsylvania politics and set the state on a path of growth, justice, and equality for working people.

Hoeffel is the only progressive candidate running for any statewide office this year. He campaigned for President Obama in 2008. He deserves the undivided support of Pennsylvanians who want to continue to work for real change.

The PDA endorsement letter is on the following page.

Continue reading Progressive Democrats endorse Joe Hoeffel for Governor in Democratic primary →