On Tuesday, Vote Democratic

I hear the refrain far too many times- I don't vote for the party, I vote for the person. I hear it from people that voted for Barack Obama, but voted for Charlie Dent. I hear it from people who voted for Tom Wolf, but voted for Julie Harhart. I hear it for people who voted for Cory Booker, but voted for Chris Christie. They self-describe as Democrats. They also self-describe as voting for individuals, and not the party. They do so as though Charlie Dent doesn't vote with the Republicans 85% of the time in Congress (he does). They do so as though Julie Harhart doesn't vote for the Republican budget against Governor Wolf (she does). They do so as though Christie hasn't vetoed bills to fund public education, protect the public from gun violence, or protect the environment- all things that Booker does after they vote for him (Christie did all of those things). None of these allegedly moderate Republicans is really different from the crazies that forced Speaker Boehner out of office, on substance, but their presentation seems to convince people who disagree with them that they are okay.

I say this because there are elections in one week, and a lot of people ask me why they matter? What is the difference between a Democrat and a Republican on the Superior Court? What is the difference between a Democratic County Controller and a Republican one? What is the difference between a Democratic Township Supervisor and a Republican one? Why should you vote Democrat, and not Republican, in this election. That is a great question, one that I answer like this:

• A Republican Supreme Court will clear the way for the current gerrymandered Congressional districts again in the 2021 map. They did so in 2011. For that reason, a state with a majority Democrats has a 13-5 Republican tilt in their Congressional delegation in Washington, and there are no more than one or two districts that can even be competitive.
• A Republican County Council will consider selling Gracedale Nursing Home in Northampton County, while a Democratic Council will not. The two competitive seats both have this stark divide. John Cusick voted to sell the home before, and Matt Dietz has said he would do so now. Both Democratic nominees oppose selling the home.
• A Democratic Judge on the Commonwealth Court struck down the Republican Voter ID Law that our State House's current Speaker said would help Mitt Romney win Pennsylvania. A Republican Judge will not do so.
• The Republican candidate for Northampton County Controller voted for a massive tax increase last year, while the Democratic incumbent did not support the tax increase.
• The Democratic candidate for Bethlehem Township Supervisor supports saving the Green Pond, while the Republican candidate does not.

I could do this for every race, but the point is clear as day- there are actual substance differences. Democrats are not inherently better people than Republicans, but elections aren't about electing the nicer guy, they are about electing the person who best represents your views. Northampton County has not gone Republican for President since I was a child, and yet has more Republicans elected at the county level right now than Democrats. They do a very nice job of obscuring their positions, and getting voters to vote based on nonsense. There is a real, live, tangible difference between the two parties on the substance issues up and down the ballot, and that difference matters. I hope you're on the same side as me, and you vote Democratic up and down the ballot.