Politics
Brian Goldman | Coming out of the conservative closet
Today, I’ve decided to come out of the closet. I’m not coming out as a gay man, no. I’m referring to the other kind of closet — the conservative closet.Gaddafi era ends as dictator killed
After a long and tireless effort since the start of his overthrow in August, Colonel Muammar Gaddafi of Libya is dead.New state legislation may bar students from voting
A bill that would require voter photo identification in the 2012 election is being debated by the Pennsylvania State Legislature.Pennsylvania Republicans propose controversial changes to presidential voting system
If the proposal is adopted, Pennsylvania electoral votes will be given to candidates based on congressional districts rather than the state’s current “winner-take-all” approach.Emma Ellman-Golan | A less democratic distribution
The Republicans’ sinister motivations for electoral redistribution are blatantly obvious, but there are also a number of reasons why this proposed system would be devastating for Pennsylvania.
Penn professor presents Michele Bachmann with $10K challenge
On Monday night during the Tampa GOP debate, Michele Bachmann, a Minnesota Congresswoman, attacked Texas Governor Rick Perry for his use of an executive mandate for all 11- and 12-year-old girls in the state to receive the Human papillomavirus vaccine, Gardasil.Federal spending cuts to research feared by Penn administrators
Of the many aspects of government spending up for debate in the current 2012 fiscal year budget negotiations, the continued funding for grant-giving organizations such as the National Institute of Health and the National Science Foundation could be cut — a concerning prospect for Penn administrators.Obama plans $447B stimulus to create jobs
The future is uncertain for President Barack Obama’s newly proposed American Jobs Act, a half-trillion-dollar piece of legislation that aims to jumpstart the economy and lower the 9.1 percent unemployment rate.
Penn Tea Party disbands
Nearly a year after 2010 Graduate School of Education graduate Daniel Chinburg started Penn’s Tea Party branch, the movement died as quickly as it came.Philadelphians draw their own district maps
City Council members have until Sept. 9 to come up with a district map of Philadelphia. This year, five Philadelphia groups collaborated to create FixPhillyDistricts.com, a website where citizens can log on and redraw the district map for themselves.Student establishes first youth-led statewide LGBT organization
2011 College graduate and incoming Penn Design student Jason Goodman has established the first youth-run statewide LGBT organization in the country.Debt deals spare Pell Grant program
The Pell Grant program, which is on the chopping block as lawmakers look to make spending cuts to resolve the ongoing debt ceiling crisis, may remain intact.
Startup simplifies politics
With a mission to “make politics more simple,” two Penn graduate students are creating a startup that helps voters discover candidates who hold political views in line with their own.
Obama vulnerable in Pennsylvania for 2012
The Public Policy Polling firm has found that President Barack Obama's statewide approval rating is at 46 percent.Pennsylvania budget cuts hit public universities
Although Gov. Tom Corbett fulfilled his promise not to raise any taxes, he reduced funding for social services, including higher education.New York votes to legalize same-sex marriage
Gay marriage, which will be legal in six states and Washington, D.C., is illegal in Pa. and unlikely to become legal anytime soon.
Obama fundraises in Philadelphia
Obama held two Democratic National Committee fundraising events in Philadelphia, one at the Hyatt Hotel at the Bellevue and one at the home of 1981 Penn Law graduate and Comcast Corporation Executive Vice President David Cohen