Penn Dems Host Scanlon to Discuss Key Political Issues

The purpose of the group’s promoting speakers like Scanlon, according to Penn Dems Vice President and first-year college student Tejas Bhatia, told The Daily Pennsylvanian, is to help people better understand the changes coming from Washington.

“I think the mission was successful because she really touched on a lot of things that students care about from issues like immigration to funding cuts,” Bhatia said. “There are things that are important, and students need to be aware of them, and we’re glad this is a space where students can learn.”

Scanlon started by summarizing the events of the previous week in Pennsylvania and Congress. She then discussed the Republican-led SAVE Act, which would require voters to provide proof of citizenship at the time of registration. 

Scanlon also discussed the recent state Senate election in Pennsylvania, where Democrats captured a traditionally Republican seat in an area that U.S. President Donald Trump, a 1968 Wharton alumnus, won by 15 points last autumn.

“There’s a very narrow margin in the state Senate that Republicans control,” Scanlon said. “But we got one vote closer last night, so getting that little ray of sunshine had people pretty excited.”

When asked about changes to education spending, Scanlon highlighted the negative impact these cuts would have on Philadelphia’s already underfunded schools. She emphasized how crucial Title I funding is for public schools, pointing out that Philadelphia would lose about 5,000 teachers if reduced.

In response to these threats to education, Scanlon urged students and community members to speak out. 

“We’re trying to help people understand it’s not about faceless bureaucrats in D.C.,” she said. “We’re seeing when people do speak up forcefully and contact their representatives, we’re getting some pushback and some retreat from these positions.”

For example, as part of a Penn Dems effort to encourage relationships between club members and the local government, the club set up a phone bank following Scanlon’s speech. During this time, members called representatives of the local government to urge them against cuts to education funding.

Scanlon discussed immigration as she concluded her comments, emphasizing her work to protect the large Venezuelan community in her district.

“The rest of the world has figured out that we need immigrants,” Scanlon said. “I’d like to see comprehensive immigration reforms because I believe we can have safe borders and humane policy.”

In an effort to clarify any misunderstandings and concerns about political changes, the Penn Democrats informed the DP that they want to keep inviting elected officials to speak at their meetings.

“I think a lot of people don’t have a lot of hope in the government right now,” Bhatia said. “So the opportunity to ask candid, open-ended questions to elected officials lets you get out all your fears and anxieties about political and social issues.”

Scanlon made her most recent visit to Penn in October 2024, when she attended a tabling event organized by the Penn Democrats. There, she urged young people on campus to support former Vice President Kamala Harris.