New Yorkers Speak with their “Friends” in Bucks County, Pennsylvania

By Nick DeMarco
OpEdNews.com

Pennsylvania will play a key role in deciding who becomes our next president. With 21 Electoral College votes up for grabs, New Yorkers are packing buses on weekends and giving up their spare time to speak one-on-one with fellow voters in the Keystone State. I joined them yesterday.


Like the freedom riders of the 1960’s, New Yorkers like myself are engaging in one of the most important and cherished traditions of American democracy, reaching out, without the media, government or pundits interfering, to speak to our fellow Americans about issues crucial to our common future. Unlike the 1960’s we were not met with hostile police, bats, dogs or lynch mobs. Instead, we arrived at the Warminster Shopping Plaza and were met with warm smiles from local Kerry supporters, Joe, Judy, Mike, Dave and many others. After having a warm cup of coffee at the local Eagle Diner, we were on our way.

I walked the streets of Bucks County with five very interesting fellow New Yorkers and we met the friendly faces of voters who reminded us, “You’ve got a friend in Pennsylvania!” There was one voter who insisted that all his friends are supporting Kerry, otherwise they would no longer be his friends. When we tried to give him some Kerry literature for those of his friends who were “undecided,” he reminded us, jokingly, “If they are undecided at this point, they are not my friends.”

Other Bucks County voters who are still undecided asked questions like, “ Bush is obviously not in control of the economy or ending the war, can Kerry do any better?” We responded, that under Bush, 5 million more people have lost their Health coverage making the total amount of Americans without Health coverage 45 million. Bush is the only president since Herbert Hoover to loose jobs while in office. The war in Iraq is being fought with 90% of American money and over 90% of casualties are American. Kerry will fight the war with a smart strategy designed to work with the international community rather than going it alone. On the economy, creating jobs will be priority number one under President Kerry along with ensuring all Americans have access to quality health care. Bush inherited a $3 Trillion surplus from the Democrats and now presides over a budget deficit of over $412 Billion

Another Bucks County voter observed, “I am not sure who I am voting for. I voted for Bush last time but how can we, The Untied States of America, have senior citizens waiting on line, in the cold, for flu shots because Bush is unable to manage that simple priority. Those lines remind me of the lines for food and medicine in the old Soviet Union, it is disgraceful. Maybe Kerry can do a better job.”

Jack Burns, the youngest of our cadre is a smart, witty 10 year-old with a bright smile, enthusiasm to elect John Kerry President and, of course, a game boy. His father John and a friend of the family, Ollie, a 16-year-old high school student from Brooklyn, joined him. The trio reached out to voters like a winning team. John began the day by finding a voter named “Burns” on the list with the idea he would see if they were actually cousins.

My team of three included Henry and Anna, both seniors at La Guardia High School for the Performing Arts in Manhattan. The movie and musical “Fame” is based on that school. Henry is a painter and Anna, a sculptor. They had joined the bus trip after being handed a flyer from local City Councilmember Bill DeBlasio of Brooklyn. Henry and Anna handled it like old pros. They were friendly, confident, enthusiastic and well informed. If Kerry wins Pennsylvania and the presidency, he can thank all of these young New Yorkers.

I lost track of how many doors I have knocked on since I began canvassing at age 15 for Ted Kennedy in 1980 at the urging of my brother Vincent and joined by our sister Brunella. Now I am 40 years old, have worked on dozens of political campaigns and find strength in seeing Jack, Ollie, Henry and Anna carrying on this great American tradition. I teach Social Studies in a Corona, Queens and am happy to see young people take the initiative and become active citizens in this democratic process, years before they can actually vote! They are indeed reminding us all of our duty to get involved.

I will be back in Pennsylvania next weekend and the weekend after that, joined by hundreds of fellow New Yorkers, talking to my friends in Pennsylvania, both new and old, to be sure John F. Kerry, the Senator from Massachusetts, becomes our next president.