Time For Robert Brady (D-PA) To Go? Judge Jimmie Moore Sure Thinks So

Politically, Robert Brady's got it made. His Philadelphia House seat is about as generically Democratic as any you'll find in Pennsylvania. PA-1 went 88-12 for Obama in 2008, and even last year, in the midst of the Teabagger Tidal Wave, Brady was reelected without opposition. He wasn't opposed in 2006 either, and in 2008, when he sorta was, his GOP opponent took 9% of the vote. Chairman of the Philadelphia Democratic Party since 1986, Brady is one of the last of the old-line political bosses. He's white in a district where only a third of the population is. He's a reliable vote for the Democratic House leadership and rarely causes any stir. He's the 110th most progressive Member of the House-- in a district that could easily support someone in the Top 10-- and his lifetime ProgressivePunch score is 81.67, kind of a moderate, not really a liberal and not a conservative. His specialty is backroom deals.

This cycle, shockingly, he's drawn an opponent-- in the Democratic primary. He didn't even have a Democratic primary when it was an open seat and he first ran. Democrats are afraid of pissing him off. Judge Jimmie Moore isn't. This week he sent an open letter to Brady in regard to the outrageous gerrymandering of Pennsylvania by the GOP-- with the backing of party boss Brady.

Evidence of an increasingly disenchanted electorate is abundant, as evidenced by Congress’ all-time low approval rating of 9%. One obvious explanation for this phenomenon is Americans’ frustration over politicians putting their own interests above those of their constituents. Your recent intervention to ensure passage of the Republican-dominated Pennsylvania redistricting plan is precisely the sort of self-serving backroom maneuver that is destroying confidence in our political process.

Pennsylvania recently adopted new congressional districts that reflect the loss of one congressional seat as a consequence of the 2010 census. Given Republican control of Pennsylvania’s General Assembly, Senate, and governorship, it is not surprising that the Republicans came out ahead in this process; rather, the surprise lies in the magnitude of the Republican Party’s victory. The Republican Party’s effort here in Pennsylvania has been called by state political observer G. Terry Madonna of Franklin & Marshall College “the worst gerrymander in modern Pennsylvania history."

Despite the new map’s overwhelming favorability to the GOP, it seemed that Republicans in the General Assembly would not have enough votes to pass the redistricting plan-- that was, until you stepped up and started rounding votes in support of the GOP plan. It has been widely reported that Republican leaders in the General Assembly turned to you to secure the necessary votes for passage. Some speculate that you agreed to do this in exchange for a favorable re-drawing of your own congressional district. While the Democratic party as a whole was the big loser in the redistricting process, you were among the biggest winners.

For your part, you have acknowledged that you secured Democratic votes for the plan, despite it being so brazenly skewed in favor of the GOP. As you have personally recognized, “Republicans were in charge of this.” Having no control over the redistricting process Democrats had no role here other than to not help the Republicans pass their first-choice map. But you were only too happy to bail out the Republicans by throwing your own party and constituents under the bus, all to protect yourself, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer.

Watching you sell out your party for your own benefit, I felt as I imagine Eagles fans would feel if Michael Vick, in his Eagles uniform, was caught in the back of a bar sharing game plans with Eli Manning. The people who rely on you expect you to be in the game not for your own self-interest but rather for the interest of the Democratic Party and the constituents that back you. Your actions are those of a free agent who changes teams according to what serves you best.

The Democrats of this city, state and country deserve better and more. Accordingly, I challenge you to four (4) debates throughout the First Congressional District: Temple University, in North Philadelphia, Widener University in Chester, Swarthmore College in Swarthmore and the Constitution Center in Center City, to debate your decision to spearhead the new redistricting plan as well as the challenges which face the First Congressional District.

The First CD has a 17% unemployment rate, and Moore is basing his campaign on the fact that it's the "second hungriest district in America." Chester is the heart of the district and doesn't even have one supermarket. It does, however, have a prison and a casino. Fresh fruits and vegetables aren't readily available there. I've never talked to a candidate for Congress as concerned about something that basic as Moore. More on Moore.


SUNDAY CLASSICS NOTE: OUR TOUR OF SCHUBERT'S
TROUT QUINTET DEPARTS AT 10AM PT/1PM PT

Sorry, I thought this would be an easy one : five movements, one-two-three-four-five and out, and that's still the basic plan. But once again I got caught up in, you know, stuff, and I thought I might as well take the time to get it sort of right. -- Ken

#