Category Archives: Miscellany

The key to electing an effective Controller – defined as someone who will root out overpayments to service providers and ensure the best possible return on public spending - is to pick the person the city’s power structure doesn’t like. That’s Brett … More after the jump →

Rich Wilkins has some nice things to say about the Democrats he doesn’t favor in tomorrow’s primary, and I’ll say something nice about two of the Republicans. I was excited to hear Lehigh GOP Executive candidate Dean Browning say he … More after the jump →

Jed Lewison reads the new CNN poll, which shows Obama’s approval ratings are up despite Republican efforts to make these supposed “scandals” stick. I’ll ask a few voters to explain what they think Obama is alleged to have done wrong in … More after the jump →

Great ideas from Kirsten Gillibrand and Elizabeth Warren for allowing people to refinance their student loan debt. Student loan borrowers should get the same crazy low rates that banks get when they borrow from the federal government: The Center for … More after the jump →

(photo credit: Bernie O’Hare) Out-going Bethlehem Mayor John Callahan is exactly right about this: Callahan said the city has a “culture of bold innovative leadership has served the city well” and Reynolds is the best choice to “keep Bethlehem boldly … More after the jump →

This piece over at Feministing is a good introduction to an emerging issue I’d like to get more PA progressives interested in. We usually hear about human trafficking in the context of sex workers, but trafficking of domestic workers is also a … More after the jump →

(Guest post from John Blankstein of Market Street Strategies, and general consultant to Willie Reynolds’ campaign for Bethlehem Mayor) Willie Reynolds has attended 97% of Bethlehem City Council meetings since he was elected.  His opponent knows that, and he also … More after the jump →

Quick rant: This race is not over, and if you’re a Peduto supporter in Pittsburgh it is not time to relax yet. For this ridiculously good poll result to translate into the ridiculously big Peduto vote spread you want, you … More after the jump →

Holy crap! Bill Hansell is resigning immediately, and Tom Muller – the Democrats’ candidate for 2013 County Exec race – is taking over as acting Executive. Incumbency should be helpful to Muller in the general election: Hansell has recently been … More after the jump →

I think the strongest point in favor of streetcars in this article from Jeff Turrentine is that, even though they’re not the fastest form of rapid transit, they are a useful real estate development tool: As is now customary in … More after the jump →