Latest news with #EditorialBoard
The Guardian
6 days ago
- General
- The Guardian
Philadelphia paper warns Fetterman to take Senate job seriously – ‘or step away'
The Philadelphia Inquirer's editorial board has issued a sharp rebuke of Pennsylvania senator John Fetterman in a new opinion piece, urging him to take his job 'seriously' and writing that 'it's time for Fetterman to serve Pennsylvanians, or step away.' In a strongly worded piece published on Sunday, the editorial board of the Philadelphia Inquirer, which endorsed Fetterman during his 2022 Senate campaign, said the first-term Democrat 'has missed more votes than nearly every other senator in the past two years' and 'regularly skips committee hearings, cancels meetings, avoids the daily caucus lunches with colleagues, and rarely goes on the Senate floor'. The editorial board also wrote that six former Fetterman staffers told an Inquirer reporter that Fetterman was frequently absent or spent hours alone in his office, avoiding colleagues and meetings. 'Being an elected official comes with public scrutiny,' the board wrote. 'If Fetterman can't handle the attention or perform his job, then in the best interest of the country and the nearly 13 million residents of Pennsylvania he represents, he should step aside.' 'Being an elected representative is a privilege, not an entitlement,' it added. 'Being a US senator is a serious job that requires full-time engagement.' Fetterman responded to the piece and allegations on Monday during a Fox News debate with Republican senator David McCormick. 'For me, it's very clear, it's just part of like this weird – this weird smear,' Fetterman said. 'The more kinds of, left kind of media continues to have these kinds of an attack, and it's just part of a smear and that's just not … it's just not accurate.' He continued: 'I've always been there, and for me, if I miss some of those votes, I've made 90% of them, and we all know those votes that I've missed were on Monday. Those are travel days and I have three young kids and … those are throwaway procedural votes that … they were never determined if they were important. That's a choice that I made.' Fetterman also reportedly claimed senators Bernie Sanders and Patty Murray had missed more votes than he has. 'Why aren't the left media yelling and demanding them and claiming they're not doing their job?' Fetterman said. In response, a spokesperson for Murray told Politico that most of her missed votes occurred during a vote-a-rama when her husband was hospitalized. A spokesperson for Sanders did not immediately respond to request for comment from Politico, but the outlet pointed out that according to data from a government transparency site, Sanders has missed 836 of 6,226 rollcall votes since 1991, or about 13.4%. Murray has missed 290 of 11,106 rollcall votes since 1993, or roughly 2.6%. By comparison, Politico reported that Fetterman has missed 174 of 961 rollcall votes, approximately 18.1%, in his first term, according to The editorial on Sunday comes as last month, New York magazine published an article on Fetterman which quoted several former and current Fetterman staffers who expressed concerns about the Senator's mental and physical health, and his behavior. In response, Fetterman dismissed the piece, calling it 'a one-source story, with a couple anonymous sources' and labeling it a 'hit piece from a very left publication'.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
NJ Democratic governor candidates want to fight Trump and tackle affordability
New Jersey voters in both parties have begun to vote to select their nominees for governor in the June 10 primary election. This spring, the USA TODAY Network New Jersey Editorial Board convened conversations with nearly all of the major candidates. We talked broadly about their campaigns, their agendas if nominated and elected and about the impact of the administration of President Donald Trump. Here are thoughts and impressions about candidates in the Democratic field, presented alphabetically: Mayor Ras Baraka of Newark, 54, has spent a decade leading the Garden State's largest city and has been credited for taking innovative approaches to solving Newark's financial challenges while also working to fuel the city's ongoing renaissance. In framing his candidacy with the USA TODAY Network New Jersey Editorial Board, Baraka, just days after he was detained by federal Homeland Security agents outside Delaney Hall detention center, positioned himself as a leader who could bring new relevancy to his party. Baraka said he would re-center the New Jersey Democratic Party as the champion of working people — something he said his party had squandered in its more recent embrace of elites. 'We forgot how to fight,' Baraka said of his party. Baraka talked at length about his capacity to challenge the Trump administration, particularly on immigration. (The trespassing charge he was held on has since been dropped.) He also said he would continue to champion diversity, equity and inclusion policies if he clinches his party's nomination and the governorship. Baraka also believes his candidacy is informed by his experience as a mayor. He talked at length about the state's need to get its fiscal house in better order by seeking to raise revenues by increasing income taxes on the state's wealthy. Baraka also talked about the need to reconsider school funding formulas and said he would seek to consolidate small school districts. The 47-year-old mayor of Jersey City, who has held that office since 2013, declared his candidacy for governor in 2023. From the start, Fulop has framed his run as a maverick effort. He has eschewed support from establishment Democrats, including county organizations and has said he has been buoyed by the elimination of the county line ballot design, which had traditionally favored candidates favored by the Democratic machine. In turn, he has been supporting his own slates of candidates seeking seats in the New Jersey Assembly this fall. In conversations with the USA TODAY Network Editorial Board this spring, Fulop made the case that his experience as a mayor will suit him well as the Garden State's chief executive. Fulop was direct about his focus on fixing NJ Transit's funding and infrastructure woes. He was also unequivocal about his willingness to take on the Trump administration. 'I'm looking forward to fixing NJ Transit once and for all and being bold on that,' Fulop said. 'I think that's there's a lot of things we can do in a Trump era to send a message to the country that New Jersey has a different set of priorities.' Fulop, who says he has more than 15,000 volunteers supporting his campaign across New Jersey, seems eager to continue to reshape the New Jersey Democratic Party. That said, he also pledged continuity and said he would invite New Jersey Attorney General Matthew Platkin to continue his service in a Fulop administration. Rep. Josh Gottheimer, the Tenafly Democrat who has served in Congress since 2016, has made a name for himself as a moderate who works across the aisle to pursue progress on various legislative priorities. He also presents a moderate choice for Democratic voters — with a vision for a term as governor that focuses on lowering taxes. Gottheimer, who has co-chaired the bipartisan Problem Solvers' Caucus, has been a champion of restoring the SALT deduction. He has also sounded the alarm about the growing affordability crisis in New Jersey and points to an ambitious plan to reduce taxes as the centerpiece of his gubernatorial campaign platform. Gottheimer has said New Jersey voters he has spoken with on the campaign trail — often in diners, as he has noted — are anxious and concerned about costs. Rising utility costs and potential economic disruption caused by Trump policy are just the latest drivers of that anxiety, he said. 'How do we get taxes down? How do we get costs down? How do we get life more affordable?' Gottheimer asked in framing his agenda in a recent conversation with the USA TODAY Network Editorial Board. Gottheimer says his tax plan deals with structural benefits and New Jersey's pension obligations. It would work to fuel economic growth in New Jersey, he said. Gottheimer is focused on growing New Jersey's business sector and adding jobs. Lower taxes, he said, will work to stem ongoing out-migration as New Jersey residents flee the Garden State. Gottheimer is also committed to creating a position in the gubernatorial administration that focuses on bringing federal dollars back to New Jersey. Gottheimer, 49, has also positioned himself as a defender of New Jersey values as the Trump agenda unfolds, noting that he continues to hear from voters that the president's new term is only adding to their broad anxieties about the nation's direction and its economy. Rep. Mikie Sherrill, the Democrat from Montclair who has represented the Morris County-centric 11th Congressional District since she was first elected to Congress in the blue wave of 2018, presents New Jersey Democratic voters with a centrist agenda focused on affordability and managing the state's affairs with minimal disruption from the Trump administration. Sherrill has strongly advocated for the restoration of the SALT deduction, and has been a champion for reproductive, women's and LGBTQ rights. She has framed her campaign for governor around her commitment to affordability, and to protecting New Jersey values in the face of an ambitious Trump administration agenda that could level drastic cuts to federal programs — like Medicaid — in the Garden State. In conversations with the USA TODAY Network New Jersey editorial board this spring, Sherrill talked at length about the urgent need to solve a vexing housing crisis that is fueled by soaring prices and rents. She also said she would work to stimulate repurposing of existing infrastructure — like vacant office buildings — for reuse as housing. And she pledged to break apart what she characterized as a complex and sometimes thorny regulatory environment that she said stymies housing development in New Jersey. Sherrill also spoke at some length about the Garden State's looming energy crisis — utility rates are set to increase next month — and did not rule out expanding the state's nuclear energy generation capacity. Sherrill, 52, also pledged to assemble like-minded Democratic governors who oppose parts of the Trump agenda and said she would work to build coalitions of resistance and would continue to push back on administrative actions through ongoing lawsuits. When asked what she was hearing from voters on the campaign trail, Sherrill focused specifically on the Trump agenda and affordability. 'I'm hearing largely two things,' Sherrill said. 'One is 'What's coming from Washington is like nothing I've ever seen. I'm very scared,' and two is. 'I'm not sure how much longer I'm going to be able to afford to live here.'' Sean Spiller, 49, a former mayor of Montclair who is president of the New Jersey Education Association, has framed his candidacy around delivering greater affordability to New Jersey by addressing housing costs, health care access, education access and energy affordability. Putting his focus on affordability into specific terms, Spiller has said he would pursue a reconfiguration of New Jersey's state income tax brackets with a focus on extracting more revenue from the Garden State's wealthiest residents. In addition, Spiller, the son of immigrants, told the USA TODAY New Jersey Editorial Board that he would actively resist aspects of the Trump agenda, including the push to deport undocumented migrants. 'People are fearful in many ways,' Spiller said, citing the uncertainties presented by the Trump agenda. 'People want to know, 'Hey, what are you going to do about it? How are you going to help?'' Spiller, a teacher, has the full backing of the powerful NJEA, which has pumped millions into his campaign. That support may have strings attached should Spiller run a successful campaign. He has advocated for 'pension justice' and has said he would reconfigure pension benefits for New Jersey's public-school educators. Steve Sweeney, the former Senate President who presided over the upper chamber in Trenton on the watches of former Gov. Chris Christie and Gov. Phil Murphy, is attempting to stage a comeback in his run for governor. Sweeney, who lost reelection in 2021 at the hands of former state Sen. Ed Durr, has framed his candidacy for governor around his considerable experience in Trenton. A former ironworker who served in the state Senate for 20 years with support from the powerful South Jersey Democratic Party machine, Sweeney, 65, makes the case that his years of experience helping to lead the Legislature sets him apart. 'I know where the lights in the bathroom are,' he quipped to the USA TODAY Network New Jersey editorial board. Among Sweeney's top priorities — beyond addressing affordability and defending New Jersey from aspects of the Trump agenda — would be an effort to reconsider the state budget process in Trenton, which he said needs to be considered from a multi-year perspective. Such an effort would help state departments plan more efficiently and, in turn, save taxpayers money, Sweeney argued. Further, Sweeney believes property taxes can be better stabilized if smaller New Jersey school districts were incentivized to merge. Sweeney, who said he supports due process for all, nonetheless said he would not support New Jersey's Immigrant Trust Directive, which has limited interactions between state and local law enforcement and federal entities like ICE, since 2018. This article originally appeared on NJ governor race: Democratic governor candidates want to fight Trump
Wall Street Journal
7 days ago
- Business
- Wall Street Journal
WSJ Opinion: The Legal Fight Over Trump's Tariffs
From the award-winning opinion pages of The Wall Street Journal, the Journal Editorial Report sees columnists and members of the Journal Editorial Board debate the major economic, political and cultural issues of the day. From the policy debates to the political fights, each week get critical perspective and the analysis you need on developments from Washington.
Miami Herald
27-05-2025
- Politics
- Miami Herald
Herald endorsement: Miami City Commission District 4 special election
A special election to fill the District 4 seat left vacant after the death of Miami Commissioner Manolo Reyes has become a heated battle for the control of the majority of votes on the City Commission. The race has sparked a flurry of accusations between the candidates. On June 3, voters will choose between Jose F. Regalado, a former assistant building director in the city with a family name well known in politics, and Ralph 'Rafael' Rosado, an urban planner and former city manager of North Bay Village who unsuccessfully ran against the late Reyes in 2017. The winner, who will serve until 2027, may become the swing vote on high-stakes proposals before the November elections — among them, whether to move city elections to even-numbered years and whether to impose lifetime term limits on commissioners and the mayor. Our choice is Regalado. He was Reyes' chief policy adviser from 2017 to 2019. He said he was asked to run by Reyes' widow. Continuity has value, and upholding Reyes' legacy should be a key consideration in this contest. Reyes, who died in April at 80, was a calm, principled voice for transparency, strong constituent service and ethical government. Regalado pledged to keep Reyes' city commission staff. In a city often rocked by political instability, consistency matters. Regalado comes from a well-known Cuban-American political family — his father, Tomás, is a former Miami mayor and the current county property appraiser. His sister, Raquel, is a Miami-Dade commissioner and his campaign manager. He's a lifelong resident of the district. He said he understands how to make city services work in District 4, a working-class area with a large elderly population. He named public safety and flood prevention as top issues; he was co-chair of the city's Sea Level Rise Committee. 'I originally started working in the city as a civil servant that understood politics, and now I'm running for for this seat hopefully to be an elected official that understands civil service,' he told the Editorial Board. Regalado, who resigned to run, emphasized neighborhood-focused solutions: improving Miami police coverage and handling flooding and storm drainage in neighborhoods like Flagami. He said flood calculations need to be updated in the city, and that he would push for 'legislation to update and ensure that the infrastructure that is built today can last for tomorrow.' This is Regalado's first race. He acknowledges he has room to grow; we agree he needs to catch up. His answers during the Board interview were sometimes vague — he wasn't sure if he would back an idea to expand the number of seats on the five-member commission. But we think he would bring knowledge of the city and, importantly, the right temperament to sometimes dysfunctional commission meetings. Rosado, a longtime resident of Miami and former city manager of North Bay Village, was the more polished of the two. He said code enforcement needs to be improved, a jab at his opponent, and that the building department 'is failing the residents.' Rosado has been linked to controversial Commissioner Joe Carollo, though Rosado downplayed that support in his interview. Carollo's PAC, Miami First, has been funding anti-Regalado mailers and ads. Rosado also dismissed a video posted by the Political Cortadito blog that showed Carollo seemingly directing a campaign video for Rosado at a park, saying Carollo 'stopped by' and was not directing the video. Rosado resigned as North Bay Village city manager in 2024. He blamed politics for his resignation, but the village commission discussed terminating his employment in April of 2024. Rosado resigned in August. Regalado no doubt benefits greatly from his last name. That will not be enough if he wins; he will need to increase his engagement on important issues, such as whether to expand the number of seats on the city commission. The race for District 4 isn't just about replacing a commissioner; it's about protecting the kind of leadership Reyes brought to the district. In the special election to fill the Miami City Commission District 4 seat, the Miami Herald Editorial Board endorses JOSE F. REGALADO.
Wall Street Journal
25-05-2025
- Business
- Wall Street Journal
WSJ Opinion: Elon Musk's Political Timeout
From the award-winning opinion pages of The Wall Street Journal, the Journal Editorial Report sees columnists and members of the Journal Editorial Board debate the major economic, political and cultural issues of the day. From the policy debates to the political fights, each week get critical perspective and the analysis you need on developments from Washington.
