On November 24th, Rep. Payton and I recorded our second edition of The Legislator and The Agitator. You can download the episode in four individual tracks here.
01-The House Democrats Bonus Scandal
(14:57)
Introduction to the November 24th, 2007 show.
Discussion of the House Democrats recent firing of major staffers around large bonuses given to legislative staff.
We'll move into the issue of Reform and Rep. Payton's freshman class of Harrisburg Legislators.
02-Costing out - will the state ever pay for schools?
(16:07)
Good Schools Pennsylvania convinced the state to do a costing out study on what it would actually cost to pay for students around the state so we can do a better job of realistically discussing how much money we need to pay for schools. It started a big conversation on YoungPhillyPolitics.com.
Tony and Brady discuss the great amount of political maneuvering around this information as well as the lack of the real initiative to find the cash. Will it happen? Can it?
Also, Brady tells about the time that he fought back against a really big bully.
It makes sense in context.
Click "Read More" for the next two tracks!
03-Governor visits House Judiciary to rein in guns
(15:08)
Rep. Tony Payton Jr. was as the House Judiciary Committee meeting when Governor Rendell came to make a plea for cities to have some control over guns inside their city limits. It was the first time a sitting Governor had spoken before a House Committee in 22 years.
We discuss political strategy going forward.
Whether or not Tony has ever held and AK-47.
Why the NRA is a big bogeyman.
And what it means to be a hypocrite on gun control in Pennsylvania.
04-PHILADELPHIA: Stop and Frisk
(13:19)
Rep. Payton explains why he's come to support Mayor Elect Nutter's Stop and Frisk policy while Brady tries to keep pushing the civil rights angle. It's an issue that's got to come up... I mean, the New York Times covered Philadelphia for Heaven's Sake.
Rep. Payton describes the way that he envisions Stop and Frisk working in Philadelphia.
And closing thoughts at the end of the show.
Brady & Tony
I listened & noted a few misconceptions you hold about reform & what others in the Commonwealth remain fired up about. I'd love to provide the upstate perspective sometime - and why it is important to Philadelphia as well. Once we understand each other on that, perhaps we can have a cultural exchange or two on other matters.
You thought you knew. Now you do.
Tip of the Spear