From an email just sent out by the Bicycle Coalition of Philadelphia:
City Council received an overwhelming response to the proposed bicycle legislation and they are listening and responding to our concerns. We have been assured that there will be no action on the two bills for [...]
The only reason that the two deaths caused by cyclists in recent days are notable is because deaths caused by cyclists are so rare.
Let's let that sink in for a second.
If you look at it with [...]
While on the subject of unions, the Temple Nurses union has been in tense negotiations with the hospital for months. At issue, among other things, is a contract demand that the union shut up about the bosses at the hospital.
The workers say the gag order sucks. [...]
The Inquirer recently printed a cheerleadery puff-piece about Marcellus Shale development in Southwest and Northwest, Pennsylvania. Too bad they didn't combine the story with about how the drillers managed to weasel out of a severance tax (and the Governor's very unconvincing rhetoric' [...]
Right behind Norma Fiorentino's house, they have been drilling for natural gas. Some of the gas is coming from under Norma's property, so she gets a little money for it (not all that much so far, though). She also got a present on New Year's Day. Her water well [...]
From Clean Water Action
As if I wasn't already excited enough about this Friday's 13th Annual Clean Water Action Party on Boathouse Row, we have something new on offer this year. Environmentally' [...]
On Wednesday, a Halliburton subcontractor hired by Cabot Oil & Gas spilled over 8000 gallons of an as yet undisclosed substance (known only as a "drilling gel") into a wetland and a creek in Dimock, Pennsylvania. Efforts by environmentalists to figure out just what's been dropped in the backyards of [...]
I woke up Monday morning to hear on WHYY that Governor Rendell had abandoned the idea of imposing a tax on the extraction of natural gas from our state's massive but deeply buried reserves of natural gas. If he'd given a better explanation for his decision, I might be able' [...]
Currently, Pennsylvania makes electricity suppliers buy some of their power from renewable sources. The amount is very small, but we have a chance to increase it. Wouldn't it be nice to diversify our supply of electricity a little before rate caps come off' [...]
As far as I can tell, the state Department of Environmental Protection isn't doing anything to protect the public from the misdeeds of the natural gas industry. In this stunning video, watch three families stories in Wyoming following the destruction of their property's water supply by drillers. At about 6' [...]
Environmental advocates, like myself, are giving public thank yous for area U.S. Congressional Representatives who went out of their way to stand up for the environment and for all of us by voting the first bill to do something about Global Warming out [...]
Below is a press release from my organization today on the passage of the Clean Water Restoration Act through committee. We've been working on this legislation for 7 years and it's exciting to see it finally move, if only through one committee. The best part is that Sen. Specter voted' [...]
A lot has been going on to make the Commonwealth and our city either more or less friendly to the planet and livable. Here's a few highlights:
1. There's a move afoot to create a plastic bag fee in the city. The dialog around the [...]
I think it was Donna Shalala who said, "50% of all YPP readers are thinking of running for office, and the other half lie about it." I know someone reading this right now is thinking about taking up the mantle of someone somewhere and running for [...]
Deep Shale Natural Gas Drilling is underway in our state. I went up to Dimock, PA, a town Northwest (sort of) of Wilkes-Barre, where dozens of wells have already been drilled and are operating. I interviewed this woman who has leased part of her land to drillers, believing that [...]
(Philadelphia) – More towns in Pennsylvania are protecting their streams and drinking water by requiring vegetated and tree-lined area along waterways. Clean Water Action released a report today that found more and more towns protecting buffers of natural vegetation in thirteen counties across the Commonwealth.
To see the full report, go [...]
For those of you who appreciate efforts by churches to practice what they preach a bit more, Broad Street Ministry (the congregation I participate in) is having an anti-death penalty event on Good Friday.
Here's the official description:
"EXECUTE ART, NOT PEOPLE" is a unique [...]
While the workers who will get jobs at the new convention center stand to benefit, even more workers would benefit if North Broad ever came back from the dead. You can absolutely guarantee that nothing will happen with North Broad if that Convention Center blocks everything.
Otherwise, the Convention Center is [...]
From this morning's Inqy, by Jeff Shields:
Robert Gamburg, one of three lawyers at 121 S. Broad St. who owe the city a total of $348,000 in business privilege taxes, didn't like that Nutter chose to shame him with a news conference outside his building.
Nutter called the conference for 2' [...]
Credit where credit is due: someone needed to yell at the Eagles for failure to pay their piece of taxes, and ACORN did it (from CLOUT):
THERE'S NOTHING like a good old-fashioned tailgate party during the offseason. In Wynnewood.
About 50 people passed around grilled hot dogs' [...]
Rendell gave his second-to-last budget address yesterday (that's right, right?) to a packed room in Harrisburg. I semi-listened to most of it at my desk here in Philadelphia on CBS3's website.
This is one of the most important pieces of news of our year. Philadelphia relies so much on income [...]
As some of you may know, I made the transition this year from working in the Poor People's Movement to working in the Green Movement. This was a long time coming for me. The truth is, I got politicized in 1990, watching Earth Day Specials on Cable TV back home [...]
The Metro's Reformer's Roundtable asked three questions this week, and I really liked the responses this network administrator Adam Lang gave. Here's my favorite, his answer to the first question:
What's the one thing you would have done differently in the city this year if you [...]
Times are tough and the economy is hurting. Areas of our state, such as the northern and central parts, have been suffering a longterm economic malaise. In recent years, technology and commodity prices have harmoniously met to create would could be a gigantic economic boon for our state: natural gas.
It [...]
Hey everyone,
remember when Ray challenged us to come up with a use for the old Budd Plant, where Philadelphia once built trains?
Ray's idea was that we oughtta build trains there.
Anyway, looks like the Salvation Army has found a bunch of money to turn it into [...]
So, I'm only sort of on the job at this point. I'm waiting for the vendor we use to call a bajillion people today to tell me that I didn't upload the 19,000 names and numbers and I put in their servers last night incorrectly. Until then, I might as [...]
Here's a combination of resources from the world of Public Radio that I recommend if you want to really dig into some of this huge financial mess that we are in.
First, listen to This American Life's episode #355, The Giant Pool of Money. This episode [...]
Remember when I said I was for the bailout? I'm still for the bailout that I said I was for. Not so sure that I'm for this bailout, though:
Treasury may capitalize banks by end of October. Buying into the banks makes no sense to [...]
She's hanging out in Philadelphia for the Debate. Are you kidding?
If tonight's presidential debate takes place, an Irish bar in Center City will be in the limelight, hosting Gov. Sarah Palin at a pre-debate party.
The Irish Pub, 2007 Walnut St., [...]
Jennifer wrote about hired police informers that join resistance groups a while back. I just thought I'd let everyone know that a new Philadelphia news and video effort is following the ongoing stories of police infiltrators. I really did think that that crap went out with the Hoover era, [...]
In the 1968 Presidential Election, the "problem of the cities" was a major topic. Of course, it was in part a code word for a racist agenda by some and an effort to quell massive civil unrest by the folks on our side. In the news, cities were breaking into [...]
The Philadelphia web-site has a very simple answer to the long-overdue 311 system, it's the Help Me page. It's no substitute for a full 311 system, but, in the meantime, the idea is pretty good. Assign city staffers that can [...]
One some level, it's always nice to have a far Right Winger in office. That way, he'll speak up from time to time and you'll know what that set is thinking. It's easy to forget. We don't go to dinner parties together very often and when we do it's uncomfortable [...]
The Inquirer has an unavoidably terse story about a budget deal that came out last night. This whole budget process has not, from my perspective, felt as tense as the last couple years, but maybe I'm further from it now than I have been in the past.
I can't [...]
This weekend, papers across the state came out decisively against the Republicans so-called plan to provide more healthcare to people without insurance. The GOP was forced to come up with something after the House of Representatives passed a bill that would create Access to Basic Care, should the Senate concur. [...]
From "Homeowners offered relief in Philadelphia program" in today's Philadelphia Inquirer:
In theory, the Residential Mortgage Foreclosure Diversion Pilot is supposed to work like this: Under court order, no house can be sent to a sheriff's sale without the [...]
The Senate Republicans came out with an alternative health insurance plan yesterday. The intent of their plan is to a) not be left totally behind and b) stir up needless debate for the precise purpose of making sure nothing happens.
I'm going to publish the Pennsylvania Health Access Network Response [...]
Jane Von Bergen has a really strong Inquirer piece this morning about health insurance competition in our state and how it plays out for some of the larger purchasers of insurance, What can happen if Blues compete. The part that will hit [...]
Dr. Valerie Arkoosh, a local physician, issued a statement yesterday alongside many other Doctors, Nan Feyler of the Nutter Administration and uninsured leaders, showing the support of progressive doctors in the National Physician's Alliance for major healthcare reform. [...]
Details are a little hard to piece together right now, but there's a protest happening tonight over an art show at the Art Institute. Art Students decided to put together a show featuring six artists on the theme of gun violence. [...]
I don't care if The New York Times is calling This American Life preciously hipster, maybe they are just jealous because Chicago Public Radio often accomplishes what The Grey Lady has failed to do most days: turn complex problems into a compelling narrative.
Today [...]
In the present economic downturn, many states have decreased their spending, particularly in the area of public health. That's why it's gratifying to see City Council, the Department of Public Welfare and the [...]
This morning, I was leaving the gym and getting myself together and thinking about how it is looking more and more likely that Obama will be the Democratic nominee. As I've said before, he's not my guy but if he gets it I'll volunteer some voter i.d. [...]
On May 5th, Governor Rendell's budget office released a new analysis of the plan to pay for Access to Basic Care [ABC], a comprehensive plan to provide health insurance to thousands of Pennsylvanians that have been going without it.
In short, the plan to pay for ABC is sound.
From [...]The economy is tumbling. The AP reported this morning that jobs have dropped for a year now.
The number of newly laid off workers filing claims for unemployment benefits soared last week.
The Labor Department reported Thursday that claims for unemployment benefits rose by 35,000 to 380,000. Private economists had [...]
Judge Darnell Jones anounced an innovative plan to stem foreclosures in Philadelphia Wednesday. Philadelphia homeowners will have a chance to modify the terms of sub-prime and predatory loans so that they can again afford the payments. It's a modification, not a re-finance, [...]
Shadow World is a project by David Kessler to document the lives of real people living under the El Train in Kensington, a neighborhood in North Philadelphia. He gives people a chance to give a first person account of their lives. [...]
From the Philadelphia Unemployment Project
An Open Letter
April 10, 2008
Dear Senator Clinton and Senator Obama:
Healthcare has been central to each of your campaigns. As you work here in advance of the April 22nd primary, we wanted to alert you that healthcare is the number one opportunity we [...]
I don't think very much of people who say the fight between Obama and Clinton undermines progressives generally in the upcoming general election. When you see that most average voters like both, that most are excited by the race and that people refer to a shared ticket as a "dream [...]
In case you aren't quite convinced to follow Dan's suggestion, above, to call Specter, here's a little back-up for him. This whole industry friendly foo-fah going on with the Hope Now Alliance is not cause [...]
A coalition of Democrats and Republicans who really support small businesses is forming to make certain that you can get health insurance at every phase of your life. They should soon send a bill to the Senate that will [...]
Two editorials today in both of our city's main dailies highlight the hope for Final passage of much needed coverage for the Uninsured.
Editorial: Covering the Uninsured, The Inquirer
Both papers say that the House should [...]
Pennsylvania has a health care crisis for patients as well as doctors. We have a chance right now to make a difference in this crisis if you call your State House member right now. I mean NOW.
Message: I support passage of SB 1137 with the Eachus Amendment. Vote 'Yes' on [...]
The Media Mobilizing Project got big time coverage today in The New York Times. Todd Wolfson and the MMP crew really are getting new media tools in the hands of new and hard-pressed communities.
I met Todd through my work at PUP, and [...]
(Philadelphia - 3/4/08) - Outside the City of Philadelphia's Neighborhood Health Center #10 Tuesday, Philadelphia leaders gathered to call on the Northeast House Delegation to support Cover All Pennsylvanians [CAP]. "As a person working without insurance, I'm at risk every day of losing my job because of an [...]
The Daily News today editorialized in favor of the demands PUP and the coalition of groups working here to prevent foreclosure made before City Council last week.The editorial board wrote:
Those people on the front [...]
A lot of folks on here talk a lot about crime, and I sense a real emotional connection with the issue, even if we tend to be pretty brainy on YPP. I thought some folks who read this might be ready or need to deal with the violence here in [...]
It's only 30 days. Still, banks and mortgage lenders are starting to recognize that if they don't cut borrowers a break, it's their own bottomlines that will get hit the hardest. Treasury Secretary Paulson spelled out a new program by the 6 largest mortgage lenders to give borrowers a [...]
I took the subway this morning from Fairmount, and tried to take a picture of the water that was pouring from the ceiling. This is so depressing. It doesn't just make it less pleasant to be there. One can't help but think that it's really damaging the structure as well. [...]
Yesterday, I attended A Congressional Conversation on Health Care Reform at St. Josephs University, featuring Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Sen. Robert Bennett (R-UT). They are the two lead sponsors of The Healthy Americans Act (S. 334), the first major, bi-partisan attempt in 13 years to reform the [...]
This morning, I took part in an action with SEIU against David Rubenstein. Kati Sipp has already put SEIU's official shout-out up here. The story has already broke here and in The New York Times. The Inqy isn't quite right. Police did show but [...]
On Monday we saw Governor Rendell stand with leaders in the Salvation Army and Democratic Legislators. While I'm always excited to find myself on the same side as the Democratic Appropriations Chairman, Sen. Vince Fumo, the real news Monday was that doctors are coming out in numbers [...]
Just wanted to offer a couple thoughts on simple things the YPP community could do to help more people find us (new readers, commenters, new writers, new candidates and new reporters looking for stories, too). The web has created some powerful new tools for helping people to find the site, [...]
So you've led an angry crowd of homeowners to the doorstep of a mortgage company demanding LOAN MODIFICATIONS NOW that freeze your loans at their teaser rates forever. He says, "No can do. I'm legally bound by investors in the secondary market."
Is that true? It might not [...]
The Pennsylvania AFL-CIO is pressing legislators to pass HB 2098, a bill submitted on December 6th and sitting before the House Insurance Committee (authored by its chair, Rep. DeLuca). We were all a little disappointed earlier this year when the legislative process failed to make good on Governor Rendell's [...]
Executive summary: not much there there. All my hopes and dreams are dashed.
President Bush has come out with a plan specific to low-income homeowners with sub-prime loans who live in the house they've bought with an Adjustable Rate Mortgage. There are two big problems with his plan [...]
This is sort of surreal. I semi-agree with Bush and Co.
So, right now, The Philadelphia Unemployment Project is trying to organize Countrywide Home Loan borrowers to demand loan modifications such that their introductory interest rate becomes a fixed-rate through the life of the loan. That it's a modification as [...]
HB 2005 came out of the House Insurance Committee this week. It's a bill that Rep. Deluca (D-Pittsburgh) wrote that finally gives us some control of the health insurance industry. Imagine: up to this point, car insurance was better regulated than health insurance. That's like telling a [...]
You could easily miss this note from "Heard in the Hall" in the Inquirer this morning, but it looks like Councilwoman Tasco is doing right by the long term interests of the city. More big box development near Roosevelt Boulevard is tempting, but we won't really be happy with [...]
I love the way THE INQUIRER is pounding the quote-unquote "Philadelphia" Parking Authority. City GOP benefits from Parking Authority. It needs it. The story starts off promisingly:
Though the Philadelphia Parking Authority has fallen short in its promised funding for city schools, it certainly has been a boon for the [...]
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 [...]
Penn. United for Affordable Healthcare has gone around the state talking to Uninsured people and posted their stories on YouTube. It helps drive home the many, many reasons people end up out of work and out of the insurance pool. These folks are from a lot of different walks [...]
Despite an upturn in the overall economy, the loss of health insurance coverage through employers has continued, said Sharon Ward, Director of the Pennsylvania Budget and Policy Center (PBPC), a non-partisan policy research project that analyzes state tax and budget matters. Health insurance, which for a long time came as [...]
I hope the YPP community can support this new-media effort by two of its longtime participants. We're expanding on the effort for young politicos to act as their own voice of progressive politics, just like this site!
Click to download the first episode of The Legislator and the [...]
Umm, we've got (had) a stock exchange? From The Greenlee Partners' Harrisburg On-Line:
The Philadelphia Stock Exchange reportedly is about to be acquired by NASDAQ Stock Market Inc. in a deal estimated between $600 or $700-million...
Apparently it's the oldest exchange in the country and primarily sells "options," which is a [...]
From PoliticsPA's Up & Down feature:
More evidence PA is headed for a deeper shade of blue: John Perzels off-year fundraising has slipped in 2007 hes raised $60,321.40 so far this year, an 83% drop-off from 2005. Meanwhile, Bill DeWeeses pull has increased 72% since 2005.
Rep. Dwight Evans has made me pretty skeptical this morning. He's a really smart guy. He understands our city. Yet, he says things that's going to make anyone seriously skeptical without backing them up. Take today's story on the Parking Authority in the Inquirer.
Reversing critical remarks he made just [...]
Public Television will run a discussion with Governor Rendell about his plan to Cover All Pennsylvanians this Friday night. Call it an Impromptu YPP party. Y'all can come out, see the Governor and hit the Khyber right after.
I've made some good plans in my life, but this one [...]
Just a heads up, everyone. The Administration did a bunch of simple, first person videos, about the experience of living without insurance. They went around the state talking in small groups about what it's like to live without insurance. The videos can [...]
While Philadelphia seems to have a lot of galleries to me, I've never bought any art here. Now, to be fair, that's because art is usually pretty darn expensive and the less expensive stuff can be a little tricky to find. But I am a big art fan and there [...]
Here's one of the four buses that came from Philadelphia to rally for health insurance for low-income workers, and reforms in everyone else's health insurance program. All in all, about 150 to 200 Philadelphians made there way up to [...]
The Inquirer reported this week that health insurance costs about the same as an economy car to cover the family each year.
Some standout quotes from the piece by Jane Von Bergen:
Health insurance premiums for the average family topped $12,000 in 2006 - more than the cost of an economy [...]
The Inquirer today has an editorial calling for help for struggling homeowners. It mentions a rescue fund that Rep. Dwight Evans and Rep. Pete Daley called for here in Philadelphia back on May 11th. I testified on behalf of PUP on the need for such a fund at [...]
Image from the PhillyIMC.org website.
Public Authorities continue to be one of the best means for taking control out of the hands of voters and putting it in the hands of bureaucrats two or three or four steps removed from anyone elected. I've written about the Taxi Drivers in [...]
We at the Philadelphia Unemployment Project are getting set to launch a strategy, with our allies, to keep a lot of the folks who took on ill-advised loans in their homes. You can argue about who's at fault here in the sub-prime mortgage debacle. You can contend that people should [...]
Today's Inquirer has a story on the new Water billing system the City has been struggling for years to put in place. From the story:
It is necessary to replace the system, city officials maintain, because they fear a breakdown. Bills to the city's 500,000 water customers are currently [...]
Look catty-wampus from the Whole Foods parking lot, the one just off Ben's Big Parkway, and you will see this sign.
[...]Yesterday, Penn-Live (the website of the Harrisburg Patriot-News, among others) posted a great new update on the Prescription for Pennsylvania. A central feature of the article is that Rendell insists he's going to find one way or another to make businesses that are not covering their employees pay for [...]
From Harrisburg Online:
Fading Fast... PA's attempts to move its presidential primary date from April to an earlier date making the Keystone State more meaningful appears to be fading. The State Senate adjourned last week without taking action on a House-passed measure moving the election to February 12th. If the [...]
Cross-posted from the PUP Blog
Where's the National Federation of Independent Businesses now? Pennsylvania has dropped half a point off it's unemployment rate since the minimum wage went up for the first time in [...]
Also posted on the PUP Blog
Republican lawmakers have come out with a series of proposals to counter the Governor's Plan. Some details were reported on in The Evening Bulletin.
The Republicans concern themselves particularly with what many acknowledge to be a medical "brain drain" of doctors graduating [...]
You know, it's one thing to talk on here about what the opportunities are in Philadelphia, but you know what kills me? The obvious opportunities that no one is doing anything about. The clearest example of this is good properties in neighborhoods that no one is doing anything with.
Case [...]
Two obstacles stand in the way of addressing two of the hottest topics in the state right now: our roads-transit dilemma and the Governor's comprehensive healthcare reform plan, The Prescription for Pennsylvania. Those obstacles: 1) finding the funds and 2) our annoying constitutional requirement to tax everyone exactly the [...]
Just a last minute reminder about PUP's Jazzy June Night fund raiser. The office is full of home cooked soul food for the "All you can eat soul food buffet" and we wanted to remind you once more about our fun evening of jazz and food, with few speeches. Come [...]
There's a great article over at PoliticsPA that I suggest everyon check out, The GOP's Perzel Problem. The basic point of the article is that Perzel has loused up the GOP but good in the State House and isn't doing anything to make it better. In fact, he's using [...]
After taking a look at some of the photos in this post, you're going to be sorry if you weren't with us in Harrisburg yesterday. Don't worry, though. There will be many more great events to to come. Both in Philadelphia and in Harrisburg. If you want to join PUP's [...]
OK, now that 2/3 of the readers of this site are unemployed ever since the various campaigns came to a close last week, you've all got a bunch of free time on your hands.
Do some more good! Get on the buses to Harrisburg on Wednesday morning and join the [...]
I always said that you go to college to learn that you barely know anything. I graduated about eight years ago, and I guess it's been long enough that I forgot that central lesson. I really thought that I knew a fair amount going into this election season, despite the [...]
