One Pennsylvania (Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Erie: how much, public schools, university)

[briantroutman]

Pennsylvania isn’t facing any more of a division, in my estimation, than most states. In how many states is there not an enormous ideological and cultural gulf between rural areas and the state’s largest cities? Look at Chicago vs. Illinois, K.C. or St. Louis vs. Missouri, NOVA vs. the rest of Virginia, and so on. I remember seeing a blowhard congressional candidate from eastern Washington barking at a campaign rally: “Don’t let those a______s from Seattle run away with your tax money!” Simply replace “Seattle” with “Philadelphia” and you have stump speech straight out Hazleton or Altoona.

The situation is particularly disheartening to me because I was born and raised in “the other Pennsylvania” and have great affection for countless places, institutions, and people across the entire state, not to mention the incredible natural beauty of our forested mountains and secluded river valleys. And for what it’s worth, I’ve grown up to be someone more ambitious, progressive, and open-minded than would be expected of a small city in central Pennsylvania—as have many of my childhood friends. Perhaps that’s why none of us live there anymore. Even though I go back to visit family often, it’s clear that people with my beliefs are unwelcome there, so I don’t stay long.

The silver lining, morbid as it may be to rejoice such a thing, is that “the other Pennsylvania” is also “the dying Pennsylvania”. It’s not a perfect correlation, but generally speaking, the rural counties are losing population and the urban counties are growing. In places like Wilkes-Barre and Johnstown, the embittered members of the old guard are passing away over time, and their dispirited offspring are leaving the state or having fewer children. And their declines are being offset by in-migration of a diverse group of people from other states and other countries, most of whom are less reactionary and less nativist than the people they’re replacing. So I think ultimately, demographic changes make a more progressive Pennsylvania inevitable. Unfortunately, we in the present day have to live through the last flailing death throes of a moribund class that now realize that they’re up against the ropes.

Originally Posted by SteelCityRising

You can see this in the social media commentary of any city-related article posted by local news outlets. For every one person lauding a progressive initiative there are 10 others name-calling and hootin' and hollerin' with improper English like a bunch of buffoons.

I hear you—and yes, I think there is a sharper division between the ideologies of urban vs. suburban Pittsburgh in comparison with Philadelphia. But on the other hand, please don’t confuse the cesspool of incoherent rants and abject trolling you see on social media with any kind of an accurate gauge of public opinion. The Pittsburgh C-D forum is a particularly heinous dumpster fire of antisocial exurbanites and disgruntled ex-residents with nothing better to do than bash the city. I love Pittsburgh dearly and am always interested in reading about new developments in the Steel City, but I’ve basically stopped wasting my time on that board.

[cpomp]

Originally Posted by briantroutman

The situation is particularly disheartening to me because I was born and raised in “the other Pennsylvania” and have great affection for countless places, institutions, and people across the entire state, not to mention the incredible natural beauty of our forested mountains and secluded river valleys. And for what it’s worth, I’ve grown up to be someone more ambitious, progressive, and open-minded than would be expected of a small city in central Pennsylvania—as have many of my childhood friends. Perhaps that’s why none of us live there anymore. Even though I go back to visit family often, it’s clear that people with my beliefs are unwelcome there, so I don’t stay long.

The silver lining, morbid as it may be to rejoice such a thing, is that “the other Pennsylvania” is also “the dying Pennsylvania”. It’s not a perfect correlation, but generally speaking, the rural counties are losing population and the urban counties are growing. In places like Wilkes-Barre and Johnstown, the embittered members of the old guard are passing away over time, and their dispirited offspring are leaving the state or having fewer children. And their declines are being offset by in-migration of a diverse group of people from other states and other countries, most of whom are less reactionary and less nativist than the people they’re replacing. So I think ultimately, demographic changes make a more progressive Pennsylvania inevitable. Unfortunately, we in the present day have to live through the last flailing death throes of a moribund class that now realize that they’re up against the ropes.

I hear you—and yes, I think there is a sharper division between the ideologies of urban vs. suburban Pittsburgh in comparison with Philadelphia. But on the other hand, please don’t confuse the cesspool of incoherent rants and abject trolling you see on social media with any kind of an accurate gauge of public opinion. The Pittsburgh C-D forum is a particularly heinous dumpster fire of antisocial exurbanites and disgruntled ex-residents with nothing better to do than bash the city. I love Pittsburgh dearly and am always interested in reading about new developments in the Steel City, but I’ve basically stopped wasting my time on that board.

I don't think anyone would deny the natural beauty of PA, it is a wonderful state from a natural standpoint.

And I agree a lot with the second bold part. That same migration of newer (usually younger) people is one of the big reasons Philadelphia has been booming.
Younger people, fresher ideas, positive outlook, usually more liberal are replacing the old Negadelphian farts who still think its 1970. Of course not all older Philadelphians are negative, but that general stigma comes from past generations, similar to a statewide problem that is slowly dying.

And I agree that its inevitable PA will become more progressive as time goes on due to the resurgence of our big cities and the shift in population.

And finally as you mentioned, PA does get a bad reputation for that whole Pennsyltucky thing, every state has a similar situation of big urban cities vs small rural communities, New York and Illinois are probably the other biggest examples. And I have had the wonderful pleasure of traveling to the deep south on occasion for work, let me tell ya... rural PA is a breeze compared to rural South Carolina or rural Georgia.

[Kamms]

Originally Posted by kyb01

The irony wrt guys like Barletta is that he's an Italian-American whose family were immigrants to this country from sh@thole towns in Italy without papers( the negative description of those people is WOP( without papers)) more than likely.

But now he wants to limit people who want to come without papers.

Interesting.

What's the background on Barletta's family members entering the U.S. illegally and, obviously, staying here?

[mslhu]

If you want to know how the rest of the state feels about its most important city, look no further than the revolting actions that took place in the Capitol building yesterday.

[cpomp]

Originally Posted by mslhu

If you want to know how the rest of the state feels about its most important city, look no further than the revolting actions that took place in the Capitol building yesterday.

Are you talking about that cross eyed twit Stephanie Borowicz? Guess what parts of the state she represents?... Not Philadelphia....

The best line of her response to the criticisms...

Thanking jesus and the lord several times in front of hundreds of people, yet you don't flaunt it??
Religion should be on her own time, not on the accord of others or publicly announced. Embarrassment.

[briantroutman]

Originally Posted by cpomp

“Let me be clear. I am a Christian. I spend my Sunday mornings in church worshiping and being thankful for all that I have," Harris said. “But in no way does that mean I would flaunt my religion at those who worship differently than I do."

Thanking jesus and the lord several times in front of hundreds of people, yet you don't flaunt it??
Religion should be on her own time, not on the accord of others or publicly announced. Embarrassment.

I think you’re getting mixed up. The quote you referenced was from Jordan Harris, a Democrat from Philadelphia who was genuinely criticizing Borowicz with those words. It wasn’t Borowicz trying to respond to her critics.

But regardless, yes, I thought of this incident when I saw the “One Pennsylvania” thread. Borowicz and her ilk severely undermine any efforts to bridge the gap between rural and urban PA.

[mslhu]

Originally Posted by cpomp

Are you talking about that cross eyed twit Stephanie Borowicz? Guess what parts of the state she represents?... Not Philadelphia....

The best line of her response to the criticisms...

“Let me be clear. I am a Christian. I spend my Sunday mornings in church worshiping and being thankful for all that I have," Harris said. “But in no way does that mean I would flaunt my religion at those who worship differently than I do."

Thanking jesus and the lord several times in front of hundreds of people, yet you don't flaunt it??
Religion should be on her own time, not on the accord of others or publicly announced. Embarrassment.

I think you're quoting someone who was critical of Borowicz.

[cpomp]

O yes, my bad...

[kyb01]

Originally Posted by Kamms

Interesting.

What's the background on Barletta's family members entering the U.S. illegally and, obviously, staying here?

Legal entry rules have changed over time going back to 1790. The bulk of immigrants from Italy came here between 1880-1924 probably legally until various acts of exclusions were put into law.

[kyb01]

Originally Posted by mslhu

If you want to know how the rest of the state feels about its most important city, look no further than the revolting actions that took place in the Capitol building yesterday.

Tbh, I don't follow much of what goes on there. What happened?