News & Brews October 25, 2024
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Trump ‘making plans’ to attend Penn State game?
As Election Day approaches and both Trump and Harris are working multiple angles and avenues to try to win every last Pennsylvania voter they can, the former president is reportedly “making plans” to attend the Penn State v. Ohio State game at Beaver Stadium next Saturday. “If Trump’s schedule is finalized and he attends the … game,” PennLive reports, “it would mark an appearance in a swing state three days before Election Day.” The RealClear Polling average has Trump leading in Pa. by a slim 0.6%.
More on Dems’ dwindling voter registration edge
The shrinking gap between registered Democrats and registered Republicans in Pa. continues to draw attention. NBC news has a piece noting, “While there are still more registered Democrats than registered Republicans, in March 2021, there were 630,000 more registered Democrats than Republicans in Pennsylvania. In October 2024, this discrepancy was cut in half, now standing at around 300,000.” But what’s going on behind these changes? Well, “Already registered voters changing their party has been the most consequential factor narrowing the Democratic registration edge. Over 160,000 people who were registered Democrats in 2021 are now registered Republicans. Conversely, only 58,000 Republicans shifted their registration to Democratic during the same time period.”
‘School choice is the civil rights issue of our time’
Joshua Robertson, pastor of the Rock Church in Harrisburg and founder/CEO of Black Pastors United for Education, writes in the pages of the Wall Street Journal that his nonpartisan organization invited candidates of both parties to town halls at his church to discuss education. Neither Democrat VP nominee Tim Walz nor Democrat U.S. Sen. Bob Casey accepted. But both Republican VP nominee J.D. Vance and Republican Senate nominee Dave McCormick did. Robertson writes, “What good are forgivable loans for black entrepreneurs if today’s black 10-year-olds don’t get a quality education? What good is equal justice in the legal system if black teenagers get inequitable education that leaves them with fewer paths after they graduate?”
Philly council member proposes legislation for Sixers’ arena
The controversial proposal to build a new Sixers’ arena in Center City Philadelphia got some more fuel yesterday, as Councilmember Mark Squilla introduced 13 pieces of legislation that would pave the way for the arena. The Inquirer reports, “As the clerk read out the titles of the bills, scores of anti-arena demonstrators who had packed Council chambers disrupted proceedings by chanting, ‘No arena,’ and by hanging a banner from the gallery reading, ‘Say no to billionaires. Say yes to Philly.’” Many of the protestors “were advocates for Chinatown who say the project will displace and disrupt businesses and residents in the historic neighborhood, which borders the proposed arena site.”
‘A Time for Choosing’ turns 60
This Sunday will mark the 60th anniversary of Ronald Reagan’s famous “A Time for Choosing” speech. Listening to Reagan talk about the problems of government overreach and the dangers of conceding to America’s enemies almost makes you think he’s giving the speech today. Indeed, Reagan’s words on the necessity of preserving freedom for the next generation continue to ring true. This weekend, take a few moments to watch Reagan’s classic speech, and remember that today continues to be a time for choosing. Click here for the video, or read the transcript here.