Building The Bench-- Meet Malcolm Kenyatta

Last month Malcolm Kenyatta won an open seat in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives against Republican Milton Street with 95.29% of the vote-- 21,382 to 1,050. This district includes parts of North Philadelphia, Feltonville, Francisville, Glenwood, Hunting Park, Kensington, Northern Liberties and West Poplar and, demographically, is 61.8% black, 25.5% white and 13.4% Hispanic. The win is being hailed as historic because Kenyatta, a third-generation activist just became the first openly LGBT candidate of color elected to the state legislature. He had a brush with fame in 2016 because of an ad Hillary Clinton's campaign made out of a passionate introductory speech he have when introducing her at her first Philly campaign rally of the 2016 election:



The video up top, though, was made by an old college friend of Kenyatta's, Tim Harris, who had, according to Emily Buder at The Atlantic "followed the activist’s trajectory since graduation. When he heard that Kenyatta was planning to run for the Pennsylvania state legislature, Harris knew he had to be there with a camera. His short documentary, Going Forward, depicts Kenyatta’s experience of Election Day, from his 5 a.m. wake-up call to his historic victory as the results are announced late that evening. Along the way, Kenyatta drives around his neighborhood to talk to voters and addresses tough questions about the realities of what he will face in office.

Harris told The Atlantic that he intended to capture “what Election Day is like for a lower-level candidate campaigning in a district that’s desperate for a solution.” Kenyatta has long been an outspoken critic of policies that negatively affect his community. The film makes evident his personal investment in the issues his potential constituents face. “Malcolm actually knows the people in his district,” Harris said. “We could have made a feature out of him saying ‘Hi’ and hugging people.”

While filming, Harris and his team took a fly-on-the-wall approach. “We interviewed Malcolm during the quieter, more introspective moments,” he said.

At one point during the day, Kenyatta catches wind of an adversary who is attempting to discourage people from voting for him due to Kenyatta’s sexuality. Harris said he was pleasantly surprised by the candidate’s reaction. “He didn’t hesitate in wanting to speak with that person, and when he did speak with them, he did it in such a respectful way,” Harris said. “His ability to laugh it off was incredibly admirable.”

“Malcolm basically rejected all forms of negativity while he was campaigning,” Harris added. “Everything was about what he wants to do to improve his community.”

The person whose political judgment I trust most in the legislature, state Senator Daylin Leach, is very enthusiastic. "Malcolm," he told me earlier today, "arrived on the scene with tons of talent-- he’s an inspirational speaker, and has a passion for public service. I could certainly see Malcolm becoming a progressive leader in Harrisburg. I’m looking forward to working with him and all the new Democrats joining us at the capitol in 2019." Before the anti-red wave hit Pennsylvania's super-gerrymandered state Assembly last month, there were 78 Democrats in the 203-member state House. Today, Rep. Kenyatta is one of 90 Democrats there. And the state Senate had 16 Democrats out if 50 and now has 21.

Russian Immigrants Deny Their Love For Trump Has Anything To Do With Putin

Because I grew up in south Brooklyn, I've watched with special dismay as the old neighborhoods around here I lived-- hard core, deep Blue neighborhoods-- have continued supporting Trump. Although Brooklyn went for Clinton 595,086 (79.25%) to 133,653 (17.8%), the neighborhoods I grew up in and near where i grew up in-- which are filled with Russian Jewish immigrants now-- went for Trump:

• Ocean Parkway South- Trump- 71.15%
• West Brighton- Trump- 68.77%
• Homecrest- Trump- 66.56%
• Midwood- Trump- 60.62%
• Brighton Beach- Trump- 59.35%
• Lindenwood-Howard Beach- Trump- 58.99%
• Madison- Trump- 56.35%
• Sheepshead Bay- Trump- 50.53%

Sickening. And this isn't the only part of the country that made this kind of flip. There are also significant concentrations of relatively recent Russian immigrants in other Democratic areas where there were neighborhoods that bizarrely went for Trump: Bergen County, New Jersey, as well as West Hollwood, Miami, Chicago, Alaska, Dallas, Houston, Philly, Baltimore and the Silicon Valley area. Yesterday, Philadelphia Inquirer reporter Oliver Bilger, on loan from Berlin's Der Tagesspiegel, took a stab at explaining the phenomenon, since it is also uncomfortably noticeable in Northeast Philly, home to a large number of Russian immigrants.

Along Bustleton Avenue, caviar and pelmeni (meat-filled dumplings) are sold in the supermarkets. Signs in Cyrillic letters advertise shoe stores, pharmacies, and hairdressers... “Everything will be OK” is the common refrain among saleswomen in local stores when asked about Trump. “He can change the country for the benefit of the people.”

The word Russian for this community is not entirely correct. Many immigrants and their families came from Russia, but even more from Ukraine, or Georgia, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Belarus, and other former Soviet republics. Some began arriving in the 1970s, when Moscow lifted the Iron Curtain a little bit and allowed Jews to emigrate. What connects the immigrants from all the former Soviet republics is their common history and language.

Many of them voted for Trump and continue to support him despite his low approval ratings and the turmoil of his first six months in office. As for the allegations of collusion, many Russian Americans dismiss them as part of a conspiracy, disruptive actions by Democrats and the media.

“Trump was presumed guilty and now they are trying to find proof,” says Diane Glikman, 45, host of a Russian-language program on the internet. She represents a view among many along Bustleton that Trump could succeed politically if only given a chance.

I lived in Moscow for a few years and I also know the views of many immigrants from the former Soviet Union in Germany, my home country. There, conservative views predominate among the immigrants, especially among older citizens. More than a few praise Putin as a strong leader and a counterweight to the West, a person who represents their conservative views.

None of the people I spoke to in Philadelphia praised Putin. Gary Vulakh, 57, who came from Ukraine almost 40 years ago and runs a small jewelry repair shop, calls the Russian leader a “terrorist.” Others said the ongoing Russia hacking investigation makes Putin seem stronger than he is. “He is not so powerful,” says Malvina Yakobi, 57, the editorial director of the Russian-English newspaper Philadelphia News. Few believe the Kremlin could meddle in a U.S. election. “Could they do anything like that?” Vulakh wonders. “Everything is done by the Democrats to impeach Trump.”

The Russians in Philadelphia may not fully support Trump’s friendliness toward Putin, but they still back the U.S. president overall, roughly for four reasons.

First, they wish for good relations between the United States and Russia, which they believe will promote peaceful cohabitation and bring more stability to the world.

Second, many separate Trump’s admiration for Putin from his promises on domestic issues. Russian Americans, Yakobi explains, are “the biggest American patriots.” Having escaped the repressive Soviet Union, U.S. values such as freedom and justice are of the utmost importance. So, naturally, they want their new country to succeed.

Third, they like having a successful businessman in the White House instead of just another politician. They want to see a break from politics as usual and an establishment-- what Yakobi calls the “corrupted” administration of President Barack Obama-- that they see as ignoring the needs of too many in the country.

Fourth, though many themselves were newcomers to the United States, they like a president who promises to stop uncontrolled and illegal immigration. “We waited five or six years to get citizenship,” says Glikman. They earned their blue passports by learning the language and working hard, even in jobs that were far below their education level. They believe, as Glikman says, that Trump “is not against immigrants when they work hard.”

Though the community often leans Republican at election time-- Democrats are seen as too “socialist,” like the government many Russian Americans fled-- it is not monolithic in its support for the current president. In some cases, a vote for Trump was more a vote against Hillary Clinton. As Yakobi, who came to the United States from Georgia, says, last November’s election did not leave “a great choice.” And even though the president may be a role model for achieving the American dream, not all are on board. “Even within families, there are very different opinions,” Glikman notes. “The Russian community is split up … like the rest of the country.”

Did An Anti-Union Billionaire Hijack The Inquirer's Endorsement Process On Behalf Of Anthony Williams?

Technically, the election for mayor of Philadelphia isn't until November 3. In a more practical sense, the city's Democratic voters will select the next mayor on May 19-- 2 weeks from tomorrow-- in the 6-way primary. You may be aware that Blue America has already endorsed the progressive in the race, Jim Kenney. Yesterday, the Philadelphia Inquirer inexplicably endorsed the Establishment hack that the machine and the anti-public education forces are backing, Anthony Williams. They acknowledge that the race is between Kenney and Williams and, in their headline, declared their backing for Williams is "narrow." The editors seemed to be holding their collective noses when they wrote "Because the unions backing Kenney already wield too much influence, The Inquirer's choice for the Democratic nomination is Anthony Williams." Does that even count as a "lukewarm" endorsement?

Kenney's 23 years on City Council and Williams' 26 in the state legislature make them the most experienced politicians in the field. Williams followed his well-known father and eponym, Hardy Williams, into the state House and Senate, where he is best known as an advocate of school choice [ie, anti-union charter schools], having bucked his party to facilitate charter schools and public assistance for private schools.

Before resigning from Council to run for mayor, as city law requires, Kenney showed independence, too. He successfully challenged the mayor and police commissioner to decriminalize marijuana possession, heading off thousands of needless arrests annually; almost lost his seat for opposing the abused and costly city retirement perk known as DROP; and parted with his relatively conservative South Philadelphia base and beginnings to support same-sex partner benefits.

A few hours later Dave Davies, one of the most senior and respected political journalists in Philly and a senior reporter at WHYY-FM since 2010, started blowing some whistles on how the actually endorsement came down. "After its candidate interviews, the editorial board reached a consensus to endorse Kenney," he wrote... but then the  publisher and editor overrode the Editorial Board decision and instead picked Williams, probably at the insistence of the paper's billionaire owner-- and Williams campaign donor-- Gerry Lenfest. Inquirer sources dispute that Lenfest forced the decision.

Nina Ahmad, the president of the of the Philadelphia chapter of the NOW said in a statement, "we were very disappointed to see that [the] Inquirer Editorial Board once again bent to the will of their billionaire owner and his support for Tony Williams."

Sources familiar with the process have confirmed to me that after its candidate interviews, the editorial board reached a consensus to endorse Kenney... [T]he editorial's criticisms of Kenney and his union ties can also be quoted in negative ads by Williams or his supporters.... [T]he only crew with the resources to wage a significant attack campaign against Kenney is American Cities, the super PAC heavily funded by three wealthy pro-school choice donors from the suburbs.

Hours later Philadelphia Magazine issued a real endorsement, this one for Kenney who, they wrote, "has shown enough in this campaign to make us believe that of the candidates before us, he’s the best choice... On a personal level, the most appealing thing about Jim Kenney has always been how human he is... And that may ultimately be what we’re putting our faith in. One of the great things about human beings is their ability to change, to grow, to rise to the occasion when that’s what’s truly required. Jim Kenney is proof-- we think-- that a man doesn’t have to be at 57 what he was at 35... All elections are about hope, and this one more than most. So as we endorse Jim Kenney in the Democratic primary."

For starters, there’s the basic matter of being able to run the city effectively on a day-to-day basis-- which is largely about attracting talented people to your administration. Even in his Original Recipe incarnation, Kenney was known for having a strong Council staff-- smart, competent grown-ups who were good at doing their jobs. That’s continued during this campaign, in which Kenney has surrounded himself with bright folks and run the sharpest operation by far. It gives us hope that a Mayor Kenney would bring into City Hall an energetic and talented mix of people-- ideally, a blend of policy wonks, business types and seasoned political pros-- who are open to new ideas and can make the city run smoothly and efficiently.

Kenney also shows the most promise when it comes to leadership-- the ability to get people excited and unite them behind a common cause. His current campaign is an intriguing coalition of rowhouse Philadelphians, young progressives and a cadre of African-Americans, and our fingers are crossed that Kenney can get Philadelphia as a whole to rally behind him. (In contrast, leadership is where Tony Williams has most disappointed us. For the last two years, he’s been the presumptive front runner, having amassed party support and the financial backing of three jillionaires from the suburbs. In short, he could have made himself inevitable; instead, his inability to excite people has kept him from closing the deal.)

One final factor that tips us toward Jim Kenney is timing. Successful political leadership is often about the right person showing up in the right place at the right moment. Ed Rendell finally got elected mayor just when Philadelphia needed an Ed Rendell-- someone equal parts fixer and cheerleader-- to be mayor. Similarly, Jim Kenney feels right for this moment-- a man who can continue Philadelphia’s transformation from old to new because he himself has transformed from old to new.

...All elections are about hope, and this one more than most. So as we endorse Jim Kenney in the Democratic primary, we simultaneously challenge him: Bury the old Jim Kenney once and for all, and give us the New Jim Kenney that a New Philadelphia so desperately needs.

Please consider chipping in to stop the charter school take over of Philadelphia schools which is, after all, what Anthony Williams' donors are writing their big checks to accomplish. This morning, Jim told us that "As mayor of Philadelphia I'll work hard fighting for Philadelphians and their families, to ensure pre-K for every child, end stop-and-frisk, and create community schools in every neighborhood, but to accomplish all this and more, I know I can't do it alone. That's why I'm so proud to have the support of a broad coalition of people, unions, and groups from every neighborhood across Philadelphia. To continue building a stronger city, we'll need to work together." Jim Kenney's Blue America contribution page can be found here.

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

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