I'd like to start out by saying that the Pennsylvania Progressive 2010 Summit was a rousing success no matter what metric you use to measure it. There were wonderful speakers, great workshops, wonderful booths, and two wonderful candidate events. The first night had a gubernatorial debate which I diaried here. The second night had a Senate Forum featuring Representative Joe Sestak and incumbent Senator Arlen Specter. Although there have been a couple of diaries on the "Kanye Moment", there was an entire forum to cover. I'll give you a full rundown below.
The moderator for the forum was Dr. Chuck Williams. He is a member of the board of Keystone Progress, a professor of education, and a former co-host of the Grimaldi and Williams Show in Philadelphia. The format of the forum was for each candidate to be limited to three minute answers to the questions and each candidate being asked the same questions. (ED: This format was altered later in the evening. I will note where this happens.)
The forum began with a rousing show of support for Representative Sestak as he entered the room and took his place on the stage with Dr. Williams. He sat down next to him and proceeded to begin the forum. I'll separate each of his answers below and attempt to paraphrase as faithfully as I can.
Opening:
He began with a discussion of his military record and life in public service. He then noted that he believes that America is hurting and there is a lack of trust in governmental institutions. He firmly believes that principle matters over politics and that is why he is running.
Top Priorities for Working Families:
His number one focus is on quality job creation. He plans to focus on small businesses as they are the ones that create the most jobs. He would like to see a 15% tax credit for each person hired by a small business if he is elected to the Senate.
His second focus will be on health care. He described himself as pragmatic on this issue. He also noted that health care is not just a problem for those who are unemployed as there are many people working who are uninsured. He also believes that the health care bill must get through the Congress.
His third focus will be on education. In his experience he has seen that education is vital in the military and it is also vital in civilian life. He also noted that making investments in our people will pay tremendous dividends.
Support Federal Funding for Science-Based Age Appropriate Sex Education in Public Schools, Including Contraception?:
Yes. (ED: That was actually the entire answer followed by a couple sentences of small talk.)
Spending Freeze:
He begins by stating that another jobs bill is needed. The last stimulus package provided a lot of necessary money for the state budget that helped to close the last budget shortfall. He also mentioned the tax incentives for small businesses that he currently supports.
He also said that a spending freeze was the wrong approach. The more important way to go about bringing down the deficit is to go back to pay as you go. He believes that selective choices are better than across the board cuts. He would also like to see changes and reallocations in military funding as that can lead to a better and more effective military. He would also like to see tax loopholes closed for corporations that send jobs overseas.
Promotion of Manufacturing and Bringing Jobs Home:
He noted that he has already taken steps in the House by backing small business incentives. He would also like to increase loan and loan programs to small manufacturers. He also pointed out that the fall in our manufacturing base has hit Pennsylvania harder than the rest of the country with manufacturing being down 70% in Pennsylvania.
He would also like to reinvigorate the New Market Venture Capital program. He has already sponsored and passed a bill in the House that increases funding for manufacturing venture capital. At present that bill is sitting in the Senate. In the end, the focus must be on Main Street and not Wall Street.
Position on Same Sex Marriage?:
He stumbled on his wording a little, but said that gay couples should have the same rights as straight people. He pledges to fight any legislation that would stop same sex marriage in the Senate. He also believes that DOMA and Don't Ask, Don't Tell should be repealed.
Employee Free Choice Act with Card Check?:
He said he would vote for it in the Senate and has already voted for it in the House where he was a co-sponsor of the legislation. He also believes that the NLRB needs to be reformed, noting that in 32% of cases workers who want to form a union are fired and in 42% of cases a first contract is never signed. However, if organized labor decides on a different compromise on the Employee Free Choice Act, he's open to backing that.
Plans to Improve the Trade Deficit:
He believes that ILO (International Labour Organization)) approval is necessary before approving a trade deal. The main problem according to Representative Sestak is that present trade deals lack teeth and enforcement. In addition, future trade deals must also have strong enforcement protocols. He also wants to press the currency issue with China. On the domestic front, he would like to increase training for disrupted workers and insure that this training is appropriate for higher quality jobs. Like many other things, education is key to solving the problem.
Plan to Defeat Toomey:
(ED: Pat Toomey is the presumptive Republican nominee for the Senate in Pennsylvania.)
The key is to offer a clear alternative to Toomey. Current polls show that 66% of Pennsylvanians don't want to see Specter reelected. The election in Massachusetts didn't show that voters are tired of Democrats but are tired of politicians. While he was spending time working President Clinton and serving overseas, Toomey was working with President Bush and Wall Street.
He also pointed out that Toomey heads up a pro-corporate lobbying group and plans to tell the truth about both Toomey and Specter. Both of them supported the Bush tax cuts and both support the establishment. The missing element in politics today is a desire to change and to take advantage of the opportunity to lead.
Power of the EPA to Regulate Greenhouse Gases?:
It is important for the EPA to retain this power. He has already worked on this issue in the House. He also supports the "fracking" bill to get rid of the Halliburton Amendment that permits non-disclosure of chemicals used to extract natural gas. He believes that extraction in the Marcellus Shale is vital to economic development, but such development must be responsible.
Support for Comprehensive Immigration Reform?:
He supports comprehensive immigration reform in the mold of what Senator Kennedy had proposed. He noted that Senator Kennedy was one of the greatest leaders in the history of the Senate. Although it is important to secure our borders and use technology to do so, he notes that it is impossible to deport twelve million illegal immigrants. Given that, he would offer a path to citizenship that moves them to the back of the line after conducting a background check and then let them out of the shadows.
Changes to the Filibuster?:
He believes that it is the Senate that needs reform and not America. He believes that it is important to retain protections for the minority in the Senate as that is vital to our representative democracy. He believes that the Senate should not be changed to fifty-one votes at all times. Instead, change must be thoughtful. He believes that reconciliation is needed for the healthcare bill but protections must be retained for the minority.
Closing:
(ED: At this point, Senator Arlen Specter entered the room and began to walk up onto the stage. There was a brief discussion between the chair of the summit and the Senator at which point the Senator began pointing at his watch. Representative Sestak walked over and shook the Senator's hand and the two spoke for a moment. The chairman eventually convinced the Senator to leave and then the Representative began his closing again. For more information on the subject, I would recommend visiting The Pennsylvania Progressive where John Morgan collected lots of information on the subject.)
It's important to restore trust to the Senate and to public service in general. Right now the characteristic that is most needed is being willing to stand on principle. He will be willing to lose his job in order to stand up for what is right. He believes that the President doesn't need "yes men" but needs people who will help him and will help America.
(ED: Representative Sestak then left the stage and Senator Specter came back out and took the stage to begin his portion of the forum. Also at this point, a bearded man in the audience stood up with his back to the stage for the entire forum. No idea what he was protesting, and given I've never found that kind of protest to be terribly effective, I didn't bother going over to find out.)
Opening:
He believes that healthcare reform is needed now, suggesting that the House pass the Senate bill immediately and then fix it through reconciliation. It is imperative to move ahead now. He mentioned that he supported a robust public option and then began to go through his political history, discussing his switch from Democrat to Republican and back again, noting that he tried to moderate the Republican Party and his "record of independence." He also noted that he is pro-choice, voted "no" on warrantless wiretapping, and supported the extension of unemployment insurance.
Top Priorities for Working Families:
It's vital to move forward on healthcare reform. He also agrees with President Obama on moving forward with jobs. One way to create jobs would be to move forward with the modernization and expansion of the Port of Philadelphia to be competitive with New York City and Baltimore. He is also working on expanding a medical center in Pittsburgh to make vaccines.
He also believes that it is important to fight China on trade. In addition, he wants to improve rail service throughout Pennsylvania and to move on to high speed rail. He has also fought for dairy farmers and supported the stimulus package, after which vote he was glad to join the Democrats.
Support Federal Funding for Science-Based Age Appropriate Sex Education in Public Schools, Including Contraception?:
He supports it, believing that education ought to be comprehensive. He believes that abstinence only education doesn't work and he fought the Bush administration on this as well as on stem cell research. He also mentioned that he fought for increased NIH funding and for a woman's right to choose.
Spending Freeze:
He would like to examine the fine print of the spending freeze before making a commitment one way or the other. He also mentioned that he is apprehensive about the cost of the War in Afghanistan and that he opposed the decision to send an additional thirty thousand troops. He believes we should move ahead with dealing with Afghan tribal leaders instead of sending more troops. In his opinion, an unlimited military should not be funded by cutting health and education.
Promotion of Manufacturing and Bringing Jobs Home:
He believes it is vital to stop China from sending subsidized goods into the United States. He has argued on this topic in front of the International Trade Court on numerous occasions. For example, in 2005, he appeared in front of the ITC on the subject of steel pipes and tubes while suffering from cancer. He noted that he is feeling much better now and plans to continue fighting cases in front of the ITC.
Position on Same Sex Marriage?:
He believes that the status of same sex marriage should be the same as straight marriage. In addition, he believes that President Obama is right and that Don't Ask, Don't Tell should be ended. In the end, his belief is that marriage is a matter of personal choice.
Employee Free Choice Act with Card Check?:
He believes that the secret ballot should be maintained in labor union elections. His opinion is that the secret ballot is a part of the tradition of American government and should not be discarded. Instead, labor laws need to be reformed and strengthened. He feels that it is important to find compromise and that it is impossible to get sixty votes in the Senate with Card Check in the bill. He believes that arbitration needs to be changed to protect labor unions. He then went through his history of work with and endorsements by labor unions and noted that he was a strong supporter of the stimulus package.
Plans to Improve the Trade Deficit:
He feels that it is vital to get tougher with our trade partners. He believes that China is breaking the rules and noted that he opposed allowing China to enter the WTO in the first place. At present he is drafting legislation to rescind our trade obligations to China. He believes that reciprocity is key to productive world trade, noting that China's markets are closed to American goods while they flood our markets, accusing China of committing "international banditry."
Plan to Defeat Toomey:
He plans to defeat Toomey by taking the battle to him. He notes that the race is fluid and continues to change and that vigor and toughness will be needed to beat Toomey. He pointed out that he stood up and defended health care reform in town hall meetings and is proud of Obama for standing up to the Republicans in Congress. He also pointed out that Toomey is a tough, well-funded campaigner and will get considerable support from outside groups as the former president of The Club for Growth. However, he has already beaten Toomey once before and publicizing his record, a record more conservative than Rick Santorum's, is the way to defeat him, pointing out that Toomey wants to imprison abortion providers and put Social Security into the stock market.
Support for Comprehensive Immigration Reform?:
He will support it and he has already. It would be impossible to deport twelve million people. He believes that his voting record speaks for itself on the subject.
Power of the EPA to Regulate Greenhouse Gases?:
He absolutely supports this and has a strong record on the issue. He believes that regulations should be enacted carefully, but they must be enacted.
Changes to the Filibuster?:
He noted the historical nature of the rule in the Senate and pointed out that the World's Greatest Deliberative Body has not lived up to its name in recent years. He also noted that the filibuster helped to save the independence of the judiciary in the early 1800's and that the filibuster has its place when used properly.
He believes that it is currently being used irresponsibly but that real change must come from the voters. The American people must recognize who is causing the gridlock we are seeing today: people like Senator DeMint and Representative Wilson. Rather than abandoning the filibuster, the American people must save our democracy by rejecting candidates like DeMint and Wilson.
(ED: At this point, the format of the forum changed giving Senator Specter time for more questions that were not asked of Representative Sestak. I still disagree with this and think it was a mistake to give Senator Specter more time.)
(UPDATE: The format was not altered as I initially thought. The agreement was that both candidates would get the same amount of time allotted to them. Because Senator Specter did not use as much time answering the initial questions, he was given the opportunity to answer additional questions. Thank you Spedwybabs for clearing this up. Sorry for the inaccuracy.)
Support for a Constitutional Amendment to Limit Corporate Political Spending?:
Not only supports one, but is currently preparing one.
Should the United States Hold People Without Charges or Trial?:
No, and he led the fight to restore habeas corpus rights in the Senate.
Medical Marijuana?:
He has always supported it.
Voter Verified Paper Ballots?:
He wants to review the issue before he makes a decision on it.
Reducing our Dependence on Foreign Oil:
He believes that we must use the coal resources that exist in our country and in Pennsylvania specifically. He also believes we must develop new clean sources of energy, pointing out that the stimulus package contains eighty million dollars for clean energy. He also believes that OPEC is in violation of our anti-trust laws.
Closing:
He is grateful for the support of President Obama, Vice-President Biden, and Governor Rendell in his bid for reelection. But he also points out that elections are won by individuals making decisions at the grassroots level. He noted that he has received significant labor support in the past and hopes to have it again in this election. He ended by noting that he is running because he has a lot of ideas and believes his seniority can help Pennsylvania.
So that's the full Senate forum. In case you're wondering why this was a forum and not a debate, A Little More To The Left pointed out that it was Senator Specter who didn't want to be on stage at the same time as Representative Sestak. Although the "Kanye Moment" was probably the most exciting part of the evening, I hope that these answers will help everyone reading this to make up their minds. I also want to apologize for how long it took to put up this diary. I've been working twelve hour days and it's taken some doing to get the spare time to finish it off.