Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

Follow Us:
Top Stories

Democracy depends on educated votes, part 3

woman holds i voted sticker
Getty Images

David Nevins is co-publisher of The Fulcrum and co-founder and board chairman of the Bridge Alliance Education Fund

Democracy depends on educated voters. Yet too often people don’t vote because they don’t know where candidates stand on various issues and are confused about how to find out. The widespread political cynicism, disinformation, and spin that citizens are bombarded with contributes to the lack of information available to voters so they can make reasoned decisions.


To combat this problem a non-partisan group called guides.vote has created voter guides to provide a concise and credible way to compare where candidates stand on critical issues and to make clear why voting matters.

Previously, we focused on the Virginia legislature and the Kentucky governor’s race. Today we focus on the Pennsylvania Supreme Court race between Republican Carolyn Carluccio and Democrat Daniel McCaffery.

A seat on the Pennsylvania Supreme Court is up for election on November 7, 2023. The Pennsylvania Supreme Court has seven justices. Four are currently Democrats, and two are Republicans, with one open seat. This election won’t change the Democratic majority. But a Republican victory would strengthen their minority and make possible a Republican majority when the next seat is up for election. The Court’s last election was closely decided, won by less than 25,000 votes out of nearly 2.8 million cast.

The Pennsylvania Supreme Court decides questions of state law that often have a significant impact. In recent years, the Court:

To help you decide this election, we’ve assembled background information about the candidates’ education and previous work experience, along with public statements and publicized endorsements, to indicate how they might rule on key issues in the future.

CAROLYN CARLUCCIO

judgecarluccio.com

Carolyn Carluccio graduated from Dickinson College and earned a J.D. degree from Widener University School of Law. She has been a judge on the Montgomery County Court of Common Pleas since 2010 and the President Judge since 2022. She served as Assistant United States Attorney from 1989 to 1997 and was the Montgomery County Chief Public Defender from 2002 to 2006. As a volunteer, she has taught sixth graders civic education for the past ten years.

· On LGBTQ rights, “was thrilled to be” officiating a same-sex marriage.

Carluccio’s endorsements include the Republican Party of Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry, Pennsylvania Pro-Life Federation, Pro-Life Coalition of Pennsylvania, and the County Detectives Association of Pennsylvania.

DANIEL MCCAFFERY

judgemccaffery.com

Daniel McCaffery graduated from Temple University and earned a JD degree from Temple University School of Law. He has been a judge of the Superior Court of Pennsylvania since 2020 and a judge of the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas from 2014 to 2019, and was an Assistant District Attorney from 1991 to 1996. He was in private practice from 1997 to 2013. He served in the U.S. Army and Army Reserve and was honorably discharged. As a volunteer for the Democratic Party, he participated in more than 50 political campaigns.

· On his judicial philosophy, “The law is the vehicle that drives society toward a more level playing field.” A Justice’s “real role is to define the relationships between government and citizens.”

McCaffery’s endorsements include the Pennsylvania Democratic Party, Planned Parenthood, the Pennsylvania State Building & Construction Trades Council, Pennsylvania Conference of Teamsters, and the Pennsylvania Professional Firefighters Association.


Read More

Family at dinner table
A family eating chicken nuggets and watermelon at a table in a home
Photo by Tyson on Unsplash

Skepticism Isn't Cynicism. The Diet Wars Show the Difference.

This year, Americans got two opposite sets of instructions for the same dinner plate. Many of us responded the way we now respond to almost everything: we picked a team.

In January, the Department of Health and Human Services released new federal dietary guidelines built around red meat and full-fat dairy. Less than three months later, the American Heart Association issued guidance pointing close to the opposite way: build meals around plants and plant protein, choose unsaturated fats over saturated ones, and cut back on red meat and full-fat dairy.

Keep ReadingShow less
People voting

Election Day in America

Getty Images

The Future of Our Democracy Is Being Built Close to Home. Will America Pay Attention?

Today, voters in Lexington, Kentucky will decide whether ordinary residents should have a permanent role in reviewing the rules of their local government. If approved, an assembly made up of residents selected by lottery would review the city charter at least every eight years, giving everyday people a recurring opportunity to examine how Lexington is governed.

It's a significant proposal, and one that could put our Kentucky city at the forefront of democracy reform in the United States.

Keep ReadingShow less
I Voted stickers and American flag
person holding white and red box

Too Tired to Vote? The Hidden Question Hanging Over the 2026 Midterms

The 2026 midterm elections are finally here, and campaigns are still consumed with a familiar question: Who will voters support? While this may seem obvious, another question may matter just as much: Will they vote at all?

Americans are hardly indifferent about the economy. A July Pew Research Center survey found that economic issues were, by a wide margin, what registered voters most wanted congressional candidates to discuss. Twenty-nine percent spontaneously identified an economic issue, with affordability and the cost of living leading the list.

Keep ReadingShow less