Category Archives: safety net

Tom Corbett: Still the Worst

Posted on May 15, 2013 by

A month and a half ago, I wrote a profile of Pennsylvania governor Tom Corbett for Vice. The guy has done a great deal of damage to our state and voters seem to have noticed. The only thing that’s changed since … Continue reading →

Posted in healthcare reform, economic justice, safety net, austerity, Pennsylvania | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

We Are All Vicious Reactionaries (In the eyes of politicians)

Posted on March 5, 2013 by

Dylan Matthews, at Wonkblog, lays out a new poli sci working paper from David Broockman and Christopher Skovron, who find that legislators consistently believe their constituents are more conservative than they actually are. This includes Republicans and Democrats, liberals and … Continue reading →

Posted in national politics, Philadelphia, safety net | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Income Inequality is Very Real and We Aren’t Doing Nearly Enough About It

Posted on February 4, 2013 by

The New York Times today has an excellent overview of the debate over income inequality. The three charts that end the article are  very sobering.

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The left wing of the possible

Posted on January 3, 2013 by

In early December, I interviewed Bhaskar Sunkara, the founding editor of Jacobin magazine, about the Marxist magazine which he founded in 2010 at the age of 21.  (I meant to post this last month, but what with [insert holiday excuses … Continue reading →

Posted in economic justice, history, national politics, safety net | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Coming Soon To This Space: Crazy Long Articles

Posted on December 4, 2012 by

Next week I’ve got a big piece coming out for Next American City, featuring struggling south Jersey cities, Rahm Emanuel’s brother, and what’s next for healthcare reform. And Philly of course. Get excited. Here’s what they have to say about … Continue reading →

Posted in economic justice, healthcare reform, Philadelphia, public health, safety net | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Winter is Coming for Philly’s Most Vulnerable

Posted on November 22, 2012 by

I highly, highly recommend Daniel Denvir’s recent City Paper piece on the human costs of Act 80, the safety net-slashing law that Governor Tom Corbett signed over the summer. It is being challenged in court by Community Legal Services of … Continue reading →

Posted in economic justice, Philadelphia, safety net | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

America the Segregated

Posted on November 2, 2012 by

Cross posted from Keystone Politics.  If you read one long form web article this week make it ProPublica’s authoritative piece, by Nikole Hannah-Jones, onsegregation in America and the unfulfilled promise of the Fair Housing Act. The article is packed with revealing facts … Continue reading →

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PA Bill Punishing Poor Women For Having Kids: Part of A National Trend

Posted on October 29, 2012 by

Cross-posted from Keystone Politics, where I’ll be guest-blogging while Jon is getting married.  A quick follow up on the bill championed, an then quickly dropped, last week by five PA state reps. The bill would have punished low-income women who receive Temporary Assistance for Needy … Continue reading →

Posted in economic justice, Philadelphia, safety net, sexual health | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

State Reps to Poor Women: Prove You Were Raped or Lose TANF Assistance (UPDATE)

Posted on October 25, 2012 by

Cross-posted from Keystone Politics, where I’ll be guest-blogging while Jon is getting married.  From Think Progress, new depths of barbarism from our state legislators (House Bill 2718). A Pennsylvania House bill seeks to limit the amount of TANF assistance that low-income women receive based on … Continue reading →

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Re-building America’s Welfare State

Posted on October 25, 2012 by

Cross-posted from Keystone Politics, where I’ll be guest-blogging while Jon is getting married.  Presidential elections focus our attention on the current parameters of political conversation, which doesn’t suit the left particularly well. How much does Obama differ from Romney on abortion … Continue reading →

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