Fetterman Who?

Mayor John Fetterman via PopTech via Flickr

There's a Bernie Sanders town hall on MSNBC now. It's taking place in PA. The host just asked Sanders why he hasn't given any support to Braddock Mayor John Fetterman for Senate as Fetterman has been one of the few elected Democratic officials who has endorsed Sanders and they seem like such a natural fit.

Bernie basically disclaimed knowledge of Mayor John ("I honestly don't know John and I've heard just a little bit about him...").*

Nice one, Bernie! Way to get that whole revolution thing going.


* Updated to include his actual quote.

Hear the PA Democratic Candidates for United States Senate at Forum on Sunday

More at Facebook event page here

Western PA Mayors Fall Short on Support for Same-Sex Marriage

The Post-Gazette has an article about the group Mayors for the Freedom to Marry. In it, they note that of the nine PA mayors who have signed a statement of support for same-sex marriage, only two are from the western two-thirds of the state. If you've been paying attention, you already know that Lil Mayor Luke is not one of them:

Joanna Doven, a spokeswoman for Pittsburgh Mayor Luke Ravenstahl, said he does not support gay marriage and would not sign the Mayors for the Freedom to Marry statement. She noted Mr. Ravenstahl does support civil unions and legislation that gives benefits to same-sex couples.

Mr. Fetterman noted that many things that were once taboo in a variety of religious traditions -- including divorce -- are now permitted.

"Thus, I shouldn't have to point out the irony of dissolving a 'traditional' marriage -- a major 'sin' and affront to the religious beliefs of many -- while concurrently denying gays institutional access on those same theological grounds," he said in an email.

Mr. Fetterman said civil unions don't go far enough, calling them "the 'colored' drinking fountains of today."

"Pittsburgh will never fully realize its rightful place as one of this nation's premier cities until the leadership supports same-sex marriage," he said.

City Councilman Bill Peduto, a likely challenger to Mr. Ravenstahl in next year's election, said he would support Mayors for the Freedom to Marry.

"Fairness and equality are the basis of this country," he said. "Supporting same-sex marriage is something I've supported throughout my career."

Earth Day

As we celebrate Earth Day today, it's good to remember our own canaries in the coal mine: The victims of the Donora Smog of 1948.

From Wikipedia:

The Donora Smog of 1948 was an historic air inversion pall of smog that killed 20 and sickened 7,000 people in Donora, Pennsylvania, United States, a mill town on the Monongahela River 24 miles southeast of Pittsburgh.

The smog first rolled into Donora on October 27, 1948. By the following day it was causing coughing and other signs of respiratory distress for many residents of the community in the Monongahela River valley. Many of the illnesses and deaths were initially attributed to asthma. The smog continued until it rained on October 31, by which time 20 residents of Donora had died and approximately a third to one half of the town's population of 14,000 residents had been sickened. Sixty years later, the incident was described by The New York Times as "one of the worst air pollution disasters in the nation's history." Even ten years after the incident, mortality rates in Donora were significantly higher than those in other communities nearby.

Sulfur dioxide emissions from U.S. Steel's Donora Zinc Works and its American Steel & Wire plant were frequent occurrences in Donora. What made the 1948 event more severe was a temperature inversion, in which a mass of warm, stagnant air was trapped in the valley, the pollutants in the air mixing with fog to form a thick, yellowish, acrid smog that hung over Donora for five days. The sulfuric acid, nitrogen dioxide, fluorine and other poisonous gases that usually dispersed into the atmosphere were caught in the inversion and accumulated until the rain ended the weather pattern.

Researchers analyzing the event have focused likely blame on pollutants from the zinc plant, whose emissions had killed almost all vegetation within a half-mile radius of the plant. Dr. Devra L. Davis, director of the Center for Environmental Oncology at the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute, has pointed to autopsy results showing fluorine levels in victims in the lethal range, as much as 20 times higher than normal. Fluorine gas generated in the zinc smelting process became trapped by the stagnant air and was the primary cause of the deaths.

[snip]

Preliminary results of a study performed by Dr. Clarence A. Mills of the University of Cincinnati and released in December 1948 showed that thousands more Donora residents could have been killed if the smog had lasted any longer than it had, in addition to the 20 humans and nearly 800 animals killed during the incident.

[snip]

The Donora Smog marked one of the incidents where Americans recognized that exposure to large amounts of pollution in a short period of time can result in injuries and fatalities. The event is often credited for helping to trigger the clean-air movement in the United States, whose crowning achievement was the Clean Air Act of 1970, which required the United States Environmental Protection Agency to develop and enforce regulations to protect the general public from exposure to hazardous airborne contaminants.

[Emphasis added]

It's fitting that another old steel town is in the news today as the Post-Gazette reports that, "Braddock Mayor John Fetterman, who is part of the ad campaign and is scheduled to testify at a hearing on the cap and trade issue in Washington, D.C., today before the House Energy and Commerce Committee."

Fetterman has been appearing in print and TV ads by the the Environmental Defense Action Fund (EDAF). The theme of these ads is "Carbon Caps=Hard Hats" and "is aimed at promoting a cap on carbon emissions by linking such controls to the creation of new jobs in blue-collar industries, like steel."

The TV spots are running from April 12 through May 8 in Indiana, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia, Missouri, New Hampshire, Virginia and the District of Columbia.

You can view the Fetterman ad here if you haven't viewed it already (I've seen it running on the Sunday morning political shows) :


I also am compelled to add how nice it is that under the Obama Administration the Environmental Protection Agency is actually back to working on protecting the environment.
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EVENTS!

April 16, 2009

Susan Banahasky for Magistrate Benefit
Host: Banahasky for District Magistrate
Date: Thursday, April 16, 2009
Time: 5:30pm - 7:30pm
Location: Coca Cafe
Street: 3811 Butler Street
City/Town: Pittsburgh, PA 15201

Description:
Lawrenceville, Polish Hill & Bloomfield for Banahasky. Please join us in support of Susan Banahasky Candidate for District Magistrate. Suggested Contribution: $25, $50, $100. Please join us for drinks and appetizers @ Coca Café. Please RSVP to Aaron Sukenik at aaron@susanformagistrate.com or (412) 452-8823. Checks Made Payable to: Friends for Susan Banahasky. This is Susan's only fundraising event. If you can't make it, please contribute @ http://susanformagistrate.com/donate


April 17th, 2009

Carmen Robinson Appearance
Date: Friday, April 17, 2009
Time: 5:00pm - 8:00pm
Location: Sisters Beauty Supply
Street: 100 5th Ave
City/Town: Downtown Pittsburgh, PA

Description:
Carmen Robinson for Mayor. Public Appearance. http://carmenformayor.com/


April 19, 2009

McGough4Judge "30 Day Rally to Win" with Lenora Nemetz & Billy Price
Host: Hugh McGough
Date: Sunday, April 19, 2009
Time: 3:00pm - 5:00pm
Location: Pgh Center for the Arts (Shadyside)
Street: 5th & Shady Aves
City/Town: Pittsburgh, PA

Description:
The McGough for Judge Committee Invites You To A "30 Day Rally to Win" @ Pittsburgh Center for the Arts in Shadyside. Special Musical Appearances by Lenora Nemetz & Billy Price. RSVP: Campaign@mcgough4judge.com or 412-441-7677. In this last month, we need to hit the streets, get on the phones and help Hugh spread his message of integrity, ability, experience and excellence to the voters of Allegheny County. But before we put on our running shoes, we want to gather together, celebrate and show our support for Hugh. There will be refreshments, incredible music, and of course, the best candidate for Judge of the Court of Common Pleas, Hugh Fitzpatrick McGough. http://www.mcgough4judge.com/


April 20, 2009

Steel-City Stonewall Democrats Mayoral Debate Party
Host: Steel-City Stonewall Democrats
Date: Monday, April 20, 2009
Time: 6:30pm - 8:00pm
Location: There Video Lounge
Street: 931 Liberty Ave.
City/Town: Pittsburgh, PA

Description:
The April 15th KDKA Mayoral Debate has been canceled. So, we will be moving the Debate Party to the 20th of April when the local ABC affiliate WTAE has scheduled a debate to be aired between 7 PM & 8 PM. All 3 candidates (City Councilman Patrick Dowd, Mayor Ravenstahl, & Carmen Robinson) will be participating in the debate. Free food & pizza. RSVP: lance@steel-city.org or 412-728-5262.


April 21, 2009

P2 Happy Hour: Endorsement Excitement!
Host: P2pac
Date: Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Time: 6:00pm - 8:00pm
Location: 900 Cafe & Lounge
Street: 900 Western Avenue
City/Town: Pittsburgh, PA

Description:
Please join P2pac as it unveils its first group of endorsed candidates ever! The evening at 900 Cafe & Lounge will include P2tini's, good conversation, and the annoucement of who the P2pac has chosen to endorse for the May 19th primary election. Come and bring your friends for some politics and cocktails on the Northside. A $10 contribution is suggested; all funds raised at this event will go directly to support endorsed candidates. 900 Cafe & Lounge is a non-smoking establishment. It is accessible by the following buses: 16A, 16D, and 500. Phone: 412-586-7794


April 27, 2009

A Taste of Thailand: Fundraiser for Patrick Dowd
A delicious way to bring leadership now to Pittsburgh
Host: Patrick Dowd for Mayor of Pittsburgh
Date: Monday, April 27, 2009
Time: 6:30pm - 8:30pm
Location: Silk Elephant
Street: 1710 Murray Ave
City/Town: Pittsburgh, PA

Description:
Join us as we support Patrick Dowd and enjoy Thai Music & Dancing, Thai Cooking Demonstration and Thai Food (Tapas, Noodles and Salad Stations). Tickets: Adults $35, Students $20, Children (3-14 years old) $10. Please reserve tickets at:
https://co.clickandpledge.com/sp/d1/default.aspx?wid=25673 Instructions:
Enter your total ticket amount in Step 1 in the "Other" Box. In Step 3, complete contact information and enter "SILK" as event code. Please contact Anne McCafferty at 412-760-5337 with any questions.


May 2, 2009

An Evening with Braddock Mayor John Fetterman and Patrick Dowd
Host: John Fetterman, Chris Schultz, and the rest of the Host Committee
Date: Saturday, May 2, 2009
Time: 8:00pm - 10:00pm
Location: Braddock’s Elks Lodge 883
Street: 420 Library Street
City/Town: Braddock, PA

Description:
John Fetterman, Mayor of Braddock, invites you to a party to benefit the Patrick Dowd for Pittsburgh campaign. Join the current mayor of Braddock and future mayor of Pittsburgh for a fun night of music by Zombo, food and more. Suggested donation is $20 per person. Checks are payable to Citizens for Patrick Dowd. You can also donate online at http://dowdformayor.com/ Please include code “fetterman” on the check or on-line donation event code field. Host Committee: Regina Anderson, Randy Francisco, Robert Hampshire, Jodi Hirsh, Kevin Gannon, Dutch MacDonald, Betsy Magley, Christian Manders, Nathan Martin, Lindsay Patross, Eve Picker, Kathy Risko, Chris Schultz, Justin Strong, Hon. Chelsa Wagner, Abby Wilson. Email: eve@nowall.com


Other Candidates who can use your $ & shoe leather:

Georgia Blotzer, Pittsburgh City Council District 2
http://www.georgiaforcouncil.com/

Natalia Rudiak, Pittsburgh City Council District 4
http://nataliarudiak.com/
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