"Politics, it seems to me...has been concerned with right or left instead of right or wrong."
- Richard Armour

On Tuesday's Primary Day, the Dems came out in record numbers to vote for the Right Side of Politics. They cast their votes for their presidential favorites and for their congressional and state representatives. As the Representative for House District 156, I want to thank each and every one of you 8,635 people who voted for me. I will not let you down!

I also want to thank all of my friends and supporters who carried petitions to secure my place on the ballot, who put up yard signs, who stood at the polls on my behalf, and who have made donations to my campaign in order for my message to be heard by the people for whom I work - YOU!
Thank you one and all!

Because of you, we will succeed in continuing to make a significant difference in politics. Remember, it's not about Right or Left, it's about making the Right decision at the Right time for the Right reasons. It's about the Right Leadership...Leadership you can Trust in Harrisburg.

Posted by Barbara McIlvaine Smith at 12:17 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Tuesday, April 15, 2008

The Pennsylvania Coalition of Charter Schools (PCCS) applauds state representatives Barbara McIlvaine Smith and Duane Milne for supporting charter school families in spite of special interest group pressure. Recently, the House Education Committee, of which these representatives are members, voted down legislation that would have paved the way for school districts to shutter charter public schools ... schools many districts see as unwelcome competition. Read more...

Timothy Daniels
Executive Director of the
Pennsylvania Coalition of Charter Schools

Posted by Campaign Webmaster at 11:32 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I recently participated as a panelist in a bipartisan forum on redistricting sponsored by the Chester County League of Women Voters and the American Association of University Women, West Chester/Chester County Branch. Other panelists included Representative Carole Rubley (R-Chester/Montgomery), Representative Curt Schroder (R-Chester), Martin Indars, representing State Senator Andy Dinniman (D-Chester/Montgomery), Susan Fields (LWVCC), and Charlotte Glauser (LWVPA).

Every ten years after the Federal Census is taken, the district lines for the General Assembly, as well as the U.S. Congressional districts, are redrawn according to population changes. Currently, the process for redistricting involves bringing together one member in leadership from each party and both chambers, plus one who is appointed as a non-elected, nonpartisan chair. Then they put their heads together and carve up the map of PA according to their party’s wishes to protect incumbents or to get rid of members who fell out of favor with leadership. [What is that shape? Mouseover for answer.]

Why should you care? Because your ability to choose your representative is being negated by that small group of insiders. And if nothing is done about the process by June 23, 2008, we’ll have to wait another 10 years before we have another opportunity. The League, AAUW, and Common Cause PA, among others, are campaigning hard to change that process. We need the electorate to join that effort to ensure that the process is transparent and that your voices are heard.

Please visit http://www.palwv.org/issues/2008Redistricting.html to learn more.

Posted by Barbara McIlvaine Smith at 7:57 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)