Joseph M. Hoeffel - Fighting for the Progressive Center in the Age of Trump

Joe Hoeffel is the genuine article. Hes run for and held public office, at the county and country levels. Hes won and lost elections. Hes dealt with the real voters with real problems. He knows what matters to people. His voice comes from forty years dealing with peoples real, kitchen-table politics. As someone who grew up and went to school near him, I know these challenges. People dont have time for all the polarization and demonization out there today. No one enjoys watching the rough-and-tumble of politics more than I do, but the time has come for political parties to get serious. Joe Hoeffels book shows that hes way ahead of them. If the Democrats are smart theyll read this book.

Chris Matthews, Anchor of MSNBCs Hardball

When I joined the Congress in 2001, Joe Hoeffel stood out as a thoughtful, insightful Democrat, with a rare gift for communicating smart, progressive policies, and the even rarer gift of knowing how to win in the toughest districts. His newest book, Fighting for the Progressive Center in the Age of Trump , finds him as politically astute as ever, making the case for a progressive center focused on improving the quality of life for all Americans. As Democrats move forward from the disaster of the 2016 election, Joe makes a timely case for policies and a message that can rise above our broken politics and get down to the business of governing.

Adam B. Schiff, U.S. Congressman from California

My good friend Joe Hoeffel has dedicated his life to public service and this book encapsulates his lessons for a Trump-era America. It is imperative that our country comes together to solve the challenges that we encounter in our daily lives. To truly make America even greater, Joe has put forward an agenda that is progressive and prioritizes jobs, health care, and a better quality of life for our hardworking families. We miss Joe on Capitol Hill, but this book makes clear that his leadership to Pennsylvania and America is far from finished.

Edward Markey, U.S. Senator from Massachusetts

Our country is divided more than ever. Yet, at the end of the day, most Americans want the same thingsa good job, affordable health care for their families, retirement security, and opportunities for their children. Joe Hoeffel understands we have more in common than we have differences. Fighting for the Progressive Center speaks to what Americans want from government, and offers prescriptions for the pressing issues of the dayhealth care, economic development, Social Security, education reform.

Tom Udall, U.S. Senator from New Mexico

Hoeffel puts into words what so many of us wished for last election daythe requirements for a progressive candidate we could vote for. This books outlines how government has a valuable role to play in our society without dominating society, how our compassion towards each other, expressed through single-payer health care and a social safety net, is the answer America needs, not simple appeals to ideology and party memes.

Peter Van Buren, Author, Ghosts of Tom Joad: A Story of the 99 Percent

Joe Hoeffels book speaks to Americas character when We the People are at our best: the individual pursuit of happiness properly aligned with the common good. Joe recognizes that we are in a fight for the very soul of Americawhere we are united despite our differences in facing our challengesand therefore his policy ideas are principled compromises without compromising ones principles. He eschews party or politics as ever being above the nation, recognizing that it is to the people leaders owe their first allegiance. It is the exact approach that our countrymen and women are demanding from todays leaders, and his book shows the way.

Joe Sestak, Rear Admiral, USN (Ret.) and former U.S. Congressman from Pennsylvania

At a time when progressive and other reasonable Americans are desperately searching for ways to regain the upper hand in the face of the insanity of Donald Trump, Joe Heoffel offers a smart, sensible, and insightful roadmap for us to seize the initiative and lead towards the future. Joes experience in various levels of government shines through brightly. Hes been there, hes done that, and he knows what it will take for us to do it again. You want to know how to appeal to a broader swath of voters? Read Joes book. Its a great, fun read. And I truly believe we will look back on Fighting for the Progressive Center in the Age of Trump as one of the seminal books of our troubled times.

Daylin Leach, Pennsylvania State Senator, President of Americans for Democratic Action

How to fix Americas broken politics? This savvy guide from a progressive centrist, featuring socially liberal and fiscally responsible policies, points the way. Its doable, people.

Carla Seaquist, HuffPost

Joseph M. Hoeffel

Copyright 2017 by Joseph M. Hoeffel

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, except for the inclusion of brief quotations in a review, without prior permission in writing from the publisher.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: Hoeffel, Joseph M., 1950 author.

Title: Fighting for the progressive center in the age of Trump / Joseph M. Hoeffel.

Description: Santa Barbara, California: Praeger, 2017. | Includes bibliographical references and index.

Identifiers: LCCN 2017018030 (print) | LCCN 2017030904 (ebook) | ISBN 9781440859557 (ebook) | ISBN 9781440859540 (alk.paper)

Subjects: LCSH: Hoeffel, Joseph M., 1950Political and social views. | United StatesPolitics and government21st century. | LegislatorsUnited StatesBiography. | Trump, Donald, 1946Adversaries. | Democratic Party (U.S.)Biography. | Progressivism (United States politics)

Classification: LCC E901.1.H64 (ebook) | LCC E901.1.H64 A3 2017 (print) | DDC 328.73/092 [B]dc23

LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2017018030

ISBN: 978-1-4408-5954-0
EISBN: 978-1-4408-5955-7

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This book is also available as an eBook.

Praeger
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This book is printed on acid-free paper

Manufactured in the United States of America

To Elsa, Mavis, Luisa, and Nellie

On a blustery day in March 1974, in my first campaign for public office, I knocked on the door of a house in Rockledge, Pennsylvania. I was running for state representative as a liberal, idealistic 23-year-old Democrat against an entrenched Republican incumbent in the suburbs of Philadelphia.

A kindly looking old lady came to the living room window, peered out at me around the drapes and shook her head negatively to indicate she didnt want to open the front door to talk. I smiled at her encouragingly, waved my campaign brochure in front of the window, and indicated with hand gestures that she should open the front door. After all, I was her friendly neighborhood politician, and I was there to help.

She responded by producing a butcher knife from behind her back, waving it menacingly in the window, then tapping the knife point on the glass and indicating that it was time for me to get off her front steps and back on the sidewalk.