philadelphia politics: Philadelphia Metropolis

He's Baaack!

Now comes Rick Santorum's 15 minutes in the limelight. His showing in Iowa this week guarantees that.  With little money and no organization to speak of, the former U.S. Senator from Pennsylvania placed second in the Iowa caucuses, just eight... (Comments)

The Custodial Mayor

Michael Nutter will be sworn into a second term as mayor of Philadelphia this week. In this Cover Story, senior editor Tom Ferrick offers an appraisal of Nutter's first term and looks forward to the next four years. In Part Two, we examine the broad forces at work that will define Philadelphia during Nutter's second term. (Comments)

Scandal at Traffic Court

What a shock.  It seems there is politics involved in Traffic Court. If you are politically connected you get treated one way; if you are not shut up and pay your fine. Did money change hands as part of the... (Comments)

The Battle of Point Breeze: Part II

There is a touch of espionage when it comes to people in Point Breeze talking about their neighborhood. Everyone uses code words. Property developers and their supporters aren't building to make money, they're "revitalizing a community." Opposition to development is guised as a fear of "rising property values", instead of a fear of racial change. (Comments)

Answer No 3: Philadelphia's Vietnam

Within the next year, the mayor and the School Reform Commission will hire someone to replace Arlene Ackerman.  All I can say to that new superintendent is: Welcome to the Big Muddy. Declaring victory and withdrawing is not an option... (Comments)