Funny, isn’t it, how the leaders of this overwhelmingly Democratic town — “Moscow on the Delaware,” our founding chairman Jeremy Nowak used to say — is rightfully so enraged by Trumpian acts of corruption… but strangely silent when it comes to the same or similar committed by those wearing their team colors? Ah, the blinding … The post The Fix: Has Our Corruption Gotten <i>Worse</i>? appeared first on The Philadelphia Citizen ..read more

The other day, a friend from out of town asked me what I thought of Mayor Cherelle Parker’s first year. I struggled to think of anecdotes beyond street cleaning, the Kensington community revival plan, a proposed stadium deal, and a lower homicide rate. Had I missed something, or was that really all to remember from … The post The New Urban Order: No One Really Knows What’s Going On appeared first on The Philadelphia Citizen ..read more

The departure of Senator Bob Casey Jr. from the U.S. Senate closes a pivotal chapter in Pennsylvania’s political history. For nearly two decades, Casey stood as a results-driven advocate for the Commonwealth, securing billions in federal funding for healthcare, transportation, and economic development. His ability to bridge Pennsylvania’s urban and rural divides left an undeniable … The post Guest Commentary: What Bob Casey’s Departure Means for Pennsylvania’s Future appeared first on The Philadelphia Citizen ..read more

Chicago’s late, legendary, first African-American mayor Harold Washington propelled his charisma and grassroots support to topple his city’s legendary machine and remake its government — a story brilliantly told in Punch 9 For Harold Washington, which The Citizen screened on the opening night of the Ideas We Should Steal Festival last month.   What can Philadelphia … The post <i>How to</i> Really <i>Run A City</i>: Topple the Machine, Make Fairer the City appeared first on The Philadelphia Citizen ..read more

A few weeks ago, Oklahoma school superintendent Ryan Walters distributed a promotional video of himself announcing the launch of the state’s “Office of Religious Liberty and Patriotism,” and praying for President-elect Donald Trump with instructions for school districts to play it for students. While at least seven districts refused to comply and Oklahoma’s Republican attorney … The post Listen: Ali Velshi on Threats to The Separation of Church and State appeared first on The Philadelphia Citizen ..read more

  Former Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed, former Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter, and Citizen Co-founder Larry Platt talk about what it really takes to get sh*t done in cities on The Citizen’s newest podcast, How to Really Run a City. New episodes, with a special guest joining, each month. To learn more, read Platt’s article on … The post HOW TO <EM>REALLY</EM> RUN A CITY PODCAST appeared first on The Philadelphia Citizen ..read more

For two years, Gov. Josh Shapiro has talked about the need for government to “move at the speed of business.” Though rhetoric is plentiful in Harrisburg, the governor has taken real action to address regulatory reform. Thus far, the Shapiro administration has inventoried all of Pennsylvania’s 2,400 plus permits, sped up processing times for occupational … The post Guest Commentary: Time for Shapiro to Ditch Corporate Welfare and Cut Red Tape appeared first on The Philadelphia Citizen ..read more

As Donald Trump begins calling for the prosecution of journalists and “political enemies,” appointing loyalists to key cabinet positions and making plans to strip government agencies of experts and policymakers, Ali Velshi recognizes the strongman playbook that other dictators have used. His guest, Filipina journalist and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Maria Ressa, is the author of … The post Listen: Ali Velshi on How to Hold the Line Against Dictatorship appeared first on The Philadelphia Citizen ..read more

At a time when they should be looking inward, local Dems are (predictably) gathering in a circular firing squad. Longtime party boss Bob Brady, some traditional pols, and progressives have engaged in post-mortem finger-pointing. Brady complained that the “elitist” Harris campaign didn’t engage him or his 3,000-strong army of committee people — and didn’t cough … The post Raging Against the Machine appeared first on The Philadelphia Citizen ..read more

Flora Cardoni, deputy director of PennEnvironment, understands the dread many young people face when it comes to the climate crisis. She’s concerned about increasingly frequent severe weather. She’s wondered whether or not she should have kids. “A lot of people are really worried about what climate change is going to mean for them in their … The post Does Trump 2.0 Mean Game Over for the Climate? appeared first on The Philadelphia Citizen ..read more