Something is Happening Here

Last Wednesday night I attended the progressive candidates’ forum sponsored by Philly for Change, Neighborhood Networks, and Philadelphia NOW, along with many other progressive organizations. Candidates for the special elections were invited to address the voters. Progressive candidates like Maria Quiñones Sanchez, the NOW-endorsed candidate for the 7th councilmanic district, were there. The ward leaders (Savage and Sabatina), one of whom will be anointed by Democratic City committee to the 7th councilmanic district seat, were not.

I was overwhelmed by the large turn-out. We just may be on the cusp of real change in Philadelphia politics. A new generation of progressive young people is raising questions about the way political decisions are made and challenging the Democratic Party to become more open and inclusive.

Those of us who have lived here a while can remember other movements for change which resulted in new political alignments and practices. In the 50’s, we had the Dilworth/Clark reform movement which cleaned up Phila politics. In the 70’s, we had a new generation of African-American political activists led by Bill Gray who demanded that the Democratic Party become more racially inclusive.

Now we have new groups such as Neighborhood Networks and Philly for Change which are questioning the closed nature of the ward system and demanding a more open process. A recent article in the Philadelphia Tribune described the frustration of young African-American political activists who consider themselves blocked by an older generation unwilling to make room for them.

The catalyst which just might turn all these stirrings into a real movement for change may have come with the decision of the local Democratic Party to cut the voters out of the process and anoint a trio of ward leaders to three City Council vacancies. This has struck a nerve. Both the Inquirer (“Heck, they give voters this much say in China”) and the DN (“Special election neither special, nor election; City council vacancies should be filled by the people, not the party”) have written editorials about this. Local blogs have been abuzz.

Underlying all of this seems to be recognition that Phila. can no longer afford mediocre leadership. We lived through Jim Tate, Frank Rizzo, and Wilson Goode. But the economy was booming back in the 60’s when Jim Tate was mayor, and Frank Rizzo’s budget-busting policies were to some extent offset by the Federal money that then Congressman Bill Green was sending us.

So in the past, we survived weak leadership and a culture of corruption which sure did not start with the Street administration. A consensus seems to be emerging that we can no longer afford the luxury of mediocre leadership and a party structure which blocks talented, innovative candidates.

Are we about to experience one of those political shifts of the magnitude of those initiated by Richardson Dilworth and by Bill Gray? Am I indulging in wishful thinking?

Or is something happening here and you don't know what it is, do you, Mr. Brady?

Karen Bojar
Phila NOW