Philly Politician Wants Drone Rules
With the Cabinet nominations of Chuck Hagel for Secretary of Defense and John Brennan for the CIA director has come a heightened talk of drone warfare and the fear that governments could soon be using the technology here, on us. But state Rep. Angel Cruz (D-Philadelphia) isn’t taking any chances. He’s reintroducing legislation that would put harsh restrictions...
Continue ReadingPhilly Passes Resolution Calling for Reproductive Healthcare Funding
Last night, Philadelphia became the third U.S. city to pass a resolution calling for federal and state funding of reproductive healthcare services, including abortion. From the resolution: “Resolution calling upon President Obama, the US Congress, Governor Corbett, and the Pennsylvania General Assembly to maintain existing public funding for comprehensive reproductive...
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Noted Local Survivalist Arrested in New Jersey on Weapons Charges
Noted local survivalist, gun enthusiast and subject of a 2009 PW cover story by Steven Wells, 39-year-old Fernando Antonio Salguero was arrested in Somerdale, N.J., yesterday on charges of possession of destructive devices, possession of “certain weapons” and transportation of weapons, according to the Somerdale police department. From PW’s profile...
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PA Republicans Ripped for Hosting Virginia Governor at Lincoln Dinner
Virginia governor Bob McDonnell was in Pennsylvania on Friday to speak with the local Republican Party for their Lincoln Dinner and plenty of opposition party members had reason to question why that was the case. For one, McDonnell had instituted something in his home state in 2010 called “Confederate History Month,” meant to “understand the sacrifices...
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VP Biden Talks Gun Violence at Girard College
Commissioner Ramsey, Vice President Biden, Mayor Nutter (photo by Tara Murtha) Vice President Joe Biden was in town yesterday to meet with state and local leaders on the topic of gun violence. The working roundtable, hosted by Girard College, was private, but press was allowed statements at the end. “There is a sense of urgency in the United States of America,”...
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BACKGROUNDER: Rep. Allyson Schwartz’s Likely Run for Governor
A recent Democratic Governors’ Association poll found that U.S. Rep. Allyson Schwartz could be in striking distance to take the governor’s mansion in 2014. And that’s got some Harrisburg politicos ready to support her potential candidacy, should it come to fruition. According to PoliticsPA, the DGA found Schwartz leading Gov. Tom Corbett—who’s...
Continue ReadingPhillyNow Calendar: This week in civic events, Feb. 11-15
You may have noticed in recent weeks that we’ve revamped and expanded PW’s weekly event calendar. Traditionally, our event-preview coverage has spotlighted entertainment and cultural happenings, but now we’re taking it another step farther: Every Monday, PhillyNow will clue you in to a upcoming political, community and civic-related events going...
Continue ReadingVP Biden Coming to Philly to Talk Guns
When you feel a shift in the force on Monday—one that may make you inexplicably slide some white Chiclets over your teeth and start dropping f-bombs—it will be because Vice President Joe Biden is in town. From the release: “On Monday, February 11, 2013, the Vice President will travel to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to hold a roundtable discussion with...
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Rep. Sims on Liquor Privatization: “This is the System We’re Stuck With”
During his Tuesday budget address, Gov. Tom Corbett reiterated his proposal to privatize Pennsylvania’s liquor monopoly and funnel the cash infusion thus produced straight to the school system. “I can think of no better use for the proceeds created by getting us out of a business we should never have been in than to put those dollars toward the essential...
Continue ReadingWhy You Should Worry About Corbett’s Medicaid Rejection
After months of dodging questions with regard to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act’s Medicaid expansion — which would add about 500,000 Pennsylvanians onto the state Medicaid health care program for the poor — Gov. Corbett finally announced his decision in his 2013-2014 budget address yesterday. The answer: a big, fat no. “Washington needs...
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