tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-88428419598300502112024-02-18T20:19:04.479-08:00Philadelphians for Ethical LeadershipPhiladelphia is one of the world's greatest cities. It was in our city that the Constitution was framed, leaders stepped up, and our great nation was born.
However, our city is in a state of emergency with a municipal government entrenched with patronage & malaise. The time to act is now - from the ground up. To expose issues in government and send a clear message to our elected leaders that it's time to act responsibly or be replaced.Philadelphians for Ethical Leadershiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14873207935497959008noreply@blogger.comBlogger91125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8842841959830050211.post-69845192483753968572016-07-15T07:45:00.000-07:002016-07-15T07:45:04.959-07:005 ways to address mass shootings (without the politics)Published in the Arizona Republic, July 13, 2016:<br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">http://www.azcentral.com/story/opinion/op-ed/2016/07/13/mass-shooting-solutions/86754248/</span><br />
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My Turn: Too often, lawmakers turn their attention to solutions that won't work. Here are a few that will.</h2>
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In December 2012, my op-ed was published offering effective responses that can be taken by lawmakers and leaders to address the Sandy Hook massacre, in conjunction with writing my elected officials to plead for common-sense solutions to violent crime.</div>
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Now, three-and-a-half years later, I find myself writing again in response to the incidents at San Bernardino and Orlando and thousands who are victimized senselessly on the streets of America’s cities every year.</div>
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<span style="font-weight: 700;">EDITORIAL: </span><a href="http://www.azcentral.com/story/opinion/editorial/2016/06/13/our-view-orlando-shooting-test-american-courage/85813418/" style="color: #1990e5; text-decoration: none;">Orlando will test our courage</a></div>
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As an expert in law enforcement and security, I am wrought with disappointment and disbelief at how quickly a massacre like the Orlando attack can be politicized by the media and lawmakers.</div>
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Why banning firearms won't work</h2>
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The argument predictably shifted from the search for answers in the attack to the tools used in the attack. Why? It’s politically a lot easier to blame the weapons used in the attack than to delve into the murky waters of the current psyche of our nation, why these incidents are on the rise, and what we can do to prevent future incidents.</div>
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An astute observation to make is: Despite all the talking heads, why has the majority of our nation’s law enforcement stayed off the issue of the weapon used, and on the issue of the assailants in question?</div>
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<span style="font-weight: 700;">ALLHANDS: </span><a href="http://www.azcentral.com/story/opinion/op-ed/joannaallhands/2016/06/23/assault-weapons-ban/86251856/" style="color: #1990e5; text-decoration: none;">The lunacy of an assault-weapons ban</a></div>
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One reason is because law-enforcement professionals know that an operable, maintained firearm could work for over 100 years, and there are approximately more than 300 million firearms owned in the United States. Regardless, our legislators hurried to draft a bill to regulate a few specific types of weapons, which would have little effect on the underlying issue of the few dangerous people seeking to use these weapons unlawfully.</div>
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Therefore, one should ask political leaders if there are more effective ways to address this vital issue to our security.</div>
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5 solutions that'll actually work</h2>
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I want to offer some ways our legislators can address mass violence and invest in effective strategies for security, law enforcement and mental-health treatment, including:</div>
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Refine legislation that actually improves the myriad existing, effective laws, which include a <span style="font-weight: 700;">requirement for background checks</span> for personal transfers (which could be as easy as the parties of a personal sale going to a gun store or police station to show identification when privately selling a firearm) and immediate legislation for <span style="font-weight: 700;">public-safety modifications to health-privacy laws</span> (HIPAA). The HIPAA revision should fund the creation of a state mental-health treatment database, to tie mandatory notifications from mental-health professionals to law enforcement when someone is undergoing treatment for potentially dangerous conditions (to include outpatient treatment when pharmacological intervention is required), who can cross-check files with firearms registration (and requests to buy new weapons). </div>
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Immediately<span style="font-weight: 700;"> increase funding for the enforcement of existing laws</span>, which includes recruitment and support for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and its task forces, to better target interstate smuggling and straw-purchasing of illegal firearms; and providing timely enforcement when a prohibited person is seeking a firearm. This can also accompany federal support for state firearms enforcement and heightened sentences for other crimes where a firearm was used or recovered, similar to "Face 5" in Georgia or "Project Exile" in Virginia. </div>
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<span style="font-weight: 700;">Legislate professional standards</span> for security and law-enforcement officers specializing in critical infrastructure protection, as America needs to accept the need for professionally trained and equipped staff on-site to intervene if an incident occurs. </div>
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<span style="font-weight: 700;">Require training</span> in the safe handling, retention and use of a firearm for any civilian owner, similar to qualifications that security officers must complete, as well as laws addressing the securing of firearms at home, to prevent theft or access by prohibited persons. </div>
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<span style="font-weight: 700;">Fund training</span> for workplaces and schools in recognizing and reporting abnormal behavior, and fund an early-intervention tip line coordinated with local law enforcement. </div>
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Although these solutions are less "popular" in addressing the threat of mass-violence, I hope that my elected officials can begin a meaningful, non-partisan discussion with an impact on violent crime. Offering popular legislation that does not pass is the equivalent of "kicking of the can down the road," but if we are to work together to address the causes versus the tools used, we may be able to save lives.</div>
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<em>A. Benjamin Mannes serves as governor on the executive board of InfraGard, the FBI-coordinated public-private partnership for critical infrastructure protection, and is a member of the Peirce College criminal justice studies advisory board. Email him at <a href="mailto:bmannes@philadelphiainfragard.org" style="color: #1990e5; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">bmannes@philadelphiainfragard.org</a>; Twitter, <a href="https://twitter.com/PublicSafetySME" style="color: #1990e5; text-decoration: none;">@PublicSafetySME</a>.</em></div>
Philadelphians for Ethical Leadershiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14873207935497959008noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8842841959830050211.post-81717419098603617762016-07-15T07:41:00.000-07:002016-07-15T07:41:44.247-07:00Another Voice: What the terrorism watch list is … and isn’tPublished by the Buffalo News on July 6, 2016:<br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">http://www.buffalonews.com/opinion/another-voice/another-voice-what-the-terrorism-watch-list-is-x2026-and-isnt-20160706</span><br />
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By A. Benjamin Mannes</div>
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As a former municipal and federal law enforcement officer and intelligence analyst, I’ve actually accessed the “terrorism watch list” that is currently garnering so much media attention of late. Like many Americans, I witnessed a contingent of the House Democratic caucus stage a sit-in to push through legislation restricting members of the watch list from getting a firearm. As someone who not only knows how terrorism watch lists work, as well as with firsthand experience relating to how changing gun laws can make law-abiding citizens into criminals, I felt the need to briefly explain the process.</div>
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First, the “terrorism watch list” is officially called the Terrorist Screening Database (TSDB), which the FBI consolidates from multiple agencies, and includes the TSA’s “no-fly list.”</div>
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The “no-fly list” is actually one specifying heightened “selectee” screening by the TSA, and normally nobody is actually restricted from flying after passing heightened screening. The TSDB list is estimated to contain over 2,484,442 records, consisting of 1,877,133 individual identities, with approximately 1,600 names submitted to it. About 600 names are removed and 4,800 records are modified by the intelligence community each day. Approximately one out of 20 of the people on the list are citizens or legal U.S. residents.</div>
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The Justice Department inspector general officially noted frequent errors on the list and slow response to complaints, finding 38 percent of a 105-record sample contained gross inaccuracies. Ten years ago, a review of the no-fly list reduced its size by half, from 71,872 records to 34,230 records.</div>
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One of the most obvious reasons for the inaccuracies is that names are submitted to the list in the process of investigations or intelligence gathering, often for subjects who have been unseen. Therefore, given common naming conventions in many cultures outside the United States, it’s possible that there are thousands of innocent people in the nation with the same name as a subject on the TSDB.</div>
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While there are multiple reasons for these inaccuracies, it is important to understand that the TSDB is a watch list, not a criminal record, and is used in security screenings and investigations that could lead to a trial. The vast majority of records in the TSDB use Muslim naming conventions, meaning that potentially thousands of innocent American Muslims will have their right to purchase a firearm to defend themselves stripped with little to no adjudication process, simply because someone on the TSDB had the same name and gender.</div>
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Therefore, I plead for our elected representatives to seek out more effective, common-sense legislation to address the issue of mass violence.</div>
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A. Benjamin Mannes is a governor on InfraGard, the FBI-coordinated public-private partnership for critical infrastructure protection.</div>
Philadelphians for Ethical Leadershiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14873207935497959008noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8842841959830050211.post-54783307203510610372016-07-15T07:37:00.000-07:002016-07-15T07:38:01.009-07:00What do bulletproof drive-thru windows say about your city?Published in the Philadelphia Metro Newspaper on August 11, 2013:<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">http://www.metro.us/local/what-do-bulletproof-drive-thru-windows-say-about-philadelphia/tmWmhk---1fbJuu03mPi/ </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>Philadelphians for Ethical Leadershiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14873207935497959008noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8842841959830050211.post-5750144624440567252016-07-15T07:33:00.000-07:002016-07-15T07:33:09.731-07:00Published on philly.com, (Philadelphia Daily News) on December 31, 2012:<br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">http://articles.philly.com/2012-12-31/news/36081170_1_gun-laws-law-enforcement-new-gun-legislation </span><br />
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Guns, common sense, 'low-hanging fruit'</h1>
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AS A FORMER law-enforcement officer, homeland security inspector and intelligence analyst for both federal and municipal jurisdictions (and a law-abiding registered voter), I have written to my elected officials to plead for their support in common-sense solutions to recent rising trends in violent crime, to include tragedies such as the mass-murder at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut.</div>
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As a citizen with a specific skill set in crime suppression, I believe in the inalienable right to self-defense, and am aware of the statistical disparities between crimes committed by legal, responsible gun owners and those who succumb to criminality or are afflicted with a mental-health disorder.</div>
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The undisputable facts are that an operable, maintained firearm will last well over 100 years, and there are currently more than 270 million firearms in private circulation throughout the United States. Therefore, I asked my political leaders, as educated men of public service: "How will newer, more-stringent gun laws prevent future attacks or violent crimes committed by those who have no intention to abide by even the current set of laws regulating firearms in our nation and states?"</div>
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I am keenly aware of the fact that in a city of 329 homicides (thus far) this year; a police officer may not always be here when I need one. Therefore, I believe in a responsible citizen's right to keep and bear arms, for self-defense, and believe (from experience) that the type of weapon possessed has little importance over the quality of the individual in possession of that weapon.</div>
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I urge my leaders to dismiss the popular, yet baseless concept that firearms themselves equate to violent crime. I believe that instead of spending their valuable time and our needed tax dollars on arguing new gun legislation, that time and money would be better invested in new strategies for security, law enforcement and mental-health treatment.</div>
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I offer my support and assistance in identifying the "low-hanging fruit" to protect our citizenry and enforce the law in an efficient, effective manner, to include:</div>
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* Professional recruitment, training, and equipment for school police (who, in places like Philadelphia and New York, are currently not certified/armed police officers, despite their name and funding, necessitating a redundant detail of city police at high-risk schools).</div>
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* Legislation for a HIPAA-compliant (or modifications to HIPAA) State Mental Health Treatment Database, to tie mandatory notifications from medical and mental-health professionals to law enforcement when someone is undergoing mental-health treatment (to include outpatient treatment when pharmacological intervention is required), who can cross-check files with firearms registration (and requests to buy new weapons).</div>
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* More law-enforcement officers specializing in critical infrastructure protection (like the Los Angeles General Services Police and D.C. Protective Services Division, for which Philadelphia currently has no equivalent).</div>
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* Zero-tolerance enforcement and heightened sentences for illegal weapons offenses or other crimes where a firearm was used or recovered, similar to "Face 5" in Georgia or "Project Exile" in Virginia.</div>
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* Increased funding, recruitment, and support for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and its task forces, so that more investigations and prosecutions can be conducted for interstate smuggling and straw-purchasing operations for illegal firearms.</div>
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* Legislation requiring safes or strongboxes for legal firearms owners when the weapon is not secured on their person.</div>
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* Legislation requiring training in the safe handling, retention and use of a firearm for any civilian owner.</div>
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* Training for workplaces and schools in recognizing and reporting abnormal behavior, and an early-intervention tipline.</div>
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I am making a desperate plea to my fellow citizens to force our political leaders at all levels to begin a meaningful and effective discussion that would have an immediate impact on violent crime in America. Let's see if they take me up on my offer - or opt for the politically popular "kicking of the can down the road."</div>
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A. Benjamin Mannes</div>
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Port Richmond</div>
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Philadelphians for Ethical Leadershiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14873207935497959008noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8842841959830050211.post-78838566298345372602013-07-15T14:19:00.001-07:002013-07-15T14:19:21.675-07:00Today, the CityPaper released a story citing a page that provided details that point to Council President Clarke's Daughter and her spouse being arrested for possession with intent to distribute a whopping 176 grams of cocaine. Furthermore, the Daughter's arrest just "disappeared" from the docket - strings that can only have been pulled through ranking members of the Seth Williams District Attorney's Office.<br />
<br />
If this is true, this isn't just unethical politics, it's actual corruption involving the Council leadership and District Attorney. We need checks and balances in local politics, because it is absolutely wrong for the Council President to be this close to a drug dealer and possibly covering up for one. <br />
<br />
This is not Detroit, DC, or Baltimore. <br />
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We deserve better.<br />
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I hope two things can come from this scandal coming to light:<br />
<ol>
<li>The FBI and US Attorney immediately investigate Clarke and Williams to see if there was illicit intervention into a criminal prosecution, and</li>
<li>That the good, law abiding voters of Philadelphia say <strong><em><span style="font-size: large;">ENOUGH</span></em></strong> and vote for Danny Alvarez for DA and Terry Tracy for Controller to bring in some watchdogs from OUTSIDE the political machine where SO MANY scandals have arose in recent history!</li>
</ol>
Click here to read the CityPaper story:<br />
<a href="http://www.citypaper.net/blogs/nakedcity/Clarke-DA-daughter-coke-arrest.html?&c">http://www.citypaper.net/blogs/nakedcity/Clarke-DA-daughter-coke-arrest.html?&c</a>=Philadelphians for Ethical Leadershiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14873207935497959008noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8842841959830050211.post-33731867460536859972012-11-06T06:55:00.002-08:002012-11-06T06:55:17.167-08:00<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">President Teddy Roosevelt said: <em>"A vote is like a rifle; its usefulness depends upon the character of the user." </em></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">This quote has extreme meaning today as our country is making a vital choice today.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span><strong><em><u>Today, we must prioritize.</u></em></strong><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We must vote based on what we need based on what we want.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While many Americans identify with the "cool guy", we cannot afford to put social issues before our economic, physical, and cyber security.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span>Vote your conscious and remember that this vote isn't just about you - but about the whole country's stability and place in the world.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> <strong> </strong></span><strong>I voted this morning and hope that you all can exercise your right and do so for the benefit of our nation today.<o:p></o:p></strong></span></div>
Philadelphians for Ethical Leadershiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14873207935497959008noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8842841959830050211.post-16364825545557075932012-10-17T08:23:00.005-07:002012-10-17T08:23:57.940-07:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<strong>JOIN US AND MAKE YOUR NEXT VOTE YOUR MOST INFORMED VOTE!!</strong></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6s4wAvqVTZ3Ei29i5OaBIHy603DnrsC3kxGA7bcH3CZXJWJl6eq4lqMHxj_yhTnkxZTpYTAjjWXTUbjTD_D29K0JUnT56j0yz3xW4pwXDccM-RWV5E3067O2CM3VJsr4evOJE7r6KvRXd/s1600/Debate+Flyer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" nea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6s4wAvqVTZ3Ei29i5OaBIHy603DnrsC3kxGA7bcH3CZXJWJl6eq4lqMHxj_yhTnkxZTpYTAjjWXTUbjTD_D29K0JUnT56j0yz3xW4pwXDccM-RWV5E3067O2CM3VJsr4evOJE7r6KvRXd/s640/Debate+Flyer.jpg" width="508" /></a></div>
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Special invited guests include:</div>
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Bob Brady and John Featherman </div>
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Robert Mansfield and Chaka Fattah</div>
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State Representative John Taylor </div>
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City Council and Commission Members</div>
Philadelphians for Ethical Leadershiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14873207935497959008noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8842841959830050211.post-217288660016447692012-09-27T08:14:00.001-07:002012-09-27T08:14:19.572-07:00<strong><span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;">Join Me TONIGHT to show your support! </span></strong><br />
<br />
There is a Cigar Benefit for the family of P/O Brian Lorenzo at:<br />
<br />
Holt's Cigars on Townsend Rd. in the Northeast - 6-9PM. <br />
More information here:<br />
<a href="http://www.facebook.com/#!/events/416966041700654/">http://www.facebook.com/#!/events/416966041700654<strong>/</strong></a><strong> </strong>Philadelphians for Ethical Leadershiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14873207935497959008noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8842841959830050211.post-56365166536549130742012-08-30T09:19:00.002-07:002012-08-30T09:19:16.366-07:00Convention-day mixer for all people<div class="clearfix figureset-description" id="event-when-display">
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<strong><em><span style="color: red; font-size: large;">Join us tonight!</span></em></strong></div>
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Whether you're a Democrat, Republican, or Independent, we'll gather TONIGHT to watch Romney's nomination acceptance speech, meet others who are trying to move Philly forward, and discuss our views in a positive environment. There will be complimentary pizza and $2 bottled beer and $1 drafts.</div>
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Thursday, August 30, 2012</div>
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7:00 PM</div>
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to <time id="event-end-time">11:00 PM at the</time><div class="subtext">
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<a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?q=3156+Frankford+Avenue%2C+Philadelphia%2C+PA" target="_blank" title="">United Republican Club</a> </div>
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3156 Frankford Avenue, <span>Philadelphia</span>, <span>PA</span> </div>
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(Parking is available across the street at the Dollar Store)</div>
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All political opinions are welcomed -- support, dissent, or ambivalence!</div>
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More importantly, this event takes place in a community that rarely sees political reform events (and really needs to), and is at a location where the 'old establishment' calls home - so it's a rare opportunity to have a meaningful exchange of views and ideas on how to fix our broken federal, state, and local governments!</div>
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Thursday, August 30, 2012, 7 PM--11 PM</div>
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<span><span><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>The happy hour is hosted by a mixed group of Philly Do-Gooders to include Philadelphians for Ethical Leadership, Philly R.O.C. (Philadelphia Republicans of Color), and both the 5th and 8th Wards(R).</strong></span></span></span></span><span><span><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: red; font-size: medium;"><strong>Don't just complain about Philly's failure in political leadership, join some like-minded citizens to work on some solutions!</strong></span></span></span></div>
Philadelphians for Ethical Leadershiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14873207935497959008noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8842841959830050211.post-18227931738656325752012-07-03T17:18:00.000-07:002012-07-03T17:18:00.448-07:00William Hite's selection to the PSD is yet another demonstration of Philadelphia's ongoing inferiority complex. Why is the 5th largest city in the nation looking to a place like Prince George's County, Maryland for educational innovation? Anyone who knows PG County should know why I'm asking this. PG County is the runoff for Washington, DC's closing public housing and has a rampant crime problem, largely attributed to a poor educational system, high poverty-rate, and unreasonable cost of living.<br />
<br />
One has to wonder what Philadelphia's infatuation is with the Washington, DC area? Arlene Ackerman, before starting her scandal-riddled tenure with San Francisco and Philadelphia was the Superintendent of the DC Public School System, which is one of the lowest rated systems in America (lower than Philadelphia's). Mayor Nutter appointed, then gave an unprecedented off-schedule raise to Commissioner Charles Ramsey, who was the D.C. Police Chief, where they had a higher per-capita crime rate than Philadelphia, in a much smaller area with more concurrent law enforcement agencies on patrol. Now, Philadelphia picks Dr. Hite from DC's worst suburb (which is ironic because Fairfax County, another DC Suburb has one of America's top 10 school systems). <br />
<br />
One has to wonder the political motivation for appointing those who come from places worse than our great city, not better; and why we as a city continue to perpetuate an inferiority complex that doesn't reflect the size and cultural diversity of Philadelphia.Philadelphians for Ethical Leadershiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14873207935497959008noreply@blogger.com0Philadelphia, PA, USA39.952335 -75.16378939.757580499999996 -75.479645999999988 40.1470895 -74.847932tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8842841959830050211.post-30214014633429055902012-05-23T07:33:00.000-07:002012-05-23T07:33:59.488-07:00Philadelphia Republicans Vote in a new Chairman - TonightI look forward to an HONEST Republican City Committee, one that gives voters on both sides of the aisle a true alternative to the Brady democratic machine in Philadelphia. In order to do that, Meehan, Canuso, and the PPA Patronage pit of the old-RCC needs to be given the keys to the street. Tonight's vote is truly is a big deal for the city and the hundreds of thousands of taxpayers who languish under the representation of the many "Poverty Pimps" at city hall. <br />
<br />
Read more at:<br /><a href="http://www.philly.com/philly/news/politics/152736265.html">http://www.philly.com/philly/news/politics/152736265.html</a>Philadelphians for Ethical Leadershiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14873207935497959008noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8842841959830050211.post-85290123630506617922012-05-02T11:47:00.002-07:002012-05-02T11:48:01.578-07:00Everyone - <a href="http://www.causes.com/causes/564736-philadelphians-for-ethical-leadership/actions/1648182">PLEASE SIGN THIS PETITION</a> to let City Council know that loyal taxpayers are not going to lay down and be used as a "cash machine" to bail out grossly mismanaged agencies.Philadelphians for Ethical Leadershiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14873207935497959008noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8842841959830050211.post-28147732418371516102012-01-19T09:40:00.000-08:002012-01-19T09:40:42.893-08:00Council Pres. Clarke appoints Street Administration cronies to key positionsSo let me get this straight - the new Council CFO was the CFO for the Street administration AND the $627-million in the hole SRC? <a href="http://www.philly.com/philly/blogs/cityhall/City-Council-president-brings-in-familiar-faces.html">Are you kidding me?</a> Philadelphians for Ethical Leadershiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14873207935497959008noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8842841959830050211.post-56199076726147954532012-01-17T07:55:00.000-08:002012-01-17T07:55:37.209-08:00Schools official comes forward on Ackerman contract fraud.As discussed at last summer's "Forum on Public Integrity" - more evidence surfaces that Ackerman cancelled a legitimately won $7.5M contract to steer it to a no-bid win by a personal associate...based on racial reasons. When will the FBI bring her to justice? Let's wait and see. <br />
Read the story <a href="http://www.philly.com/philly/news/20120117_Former_schools_official__Ackerman_steered_contract.html?cmpid=125459078">her</a>e.Philadelphians for Ethical Leadershiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14873207935497959008noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8842841959830050211.post-36258448308944364232012-01-14T12:53:00.000-08:002012-01-14T12:53:04.702-08:00The Weekly Standard: The GOP’s Philadelphia StoryTake notice America, Philadelphia is not playing games anymore! The Weekly Standard publishes a story of how Philadelphia finally elected an honest man.<br />
<br />
Read the story <a href="http://www.weeklystandard.com/articles/gop-s-philadelphia-story_616737.html">here</a>.Philadelphians for Ethical Leadershiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14873207935497959008noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8842841959830050211.post-33819263504529772172012-01-12T11:57:00.000-08:002012-01-12T11:57:05.673-08:00Council reconsiders open budget hearingsWhy does Council not want the public in their books? Because patronage and graft is often considered "constituent service" in this city. Here's a hint - instead of staying elected based on "constituent service", try to reform city agencies so that the average resident wont need a councilman to get the services they paid for in their inflated taxes. <br />
<br />
Read the story <a href="http://www.philly.com/philly/blogs/our-money/Some-Council-members-change-minds-about-budget-hearings.html">here</a>.Philadelphians for Ethical Leadershiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14873207935497959008noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8842841959830050211.post-13327224874822440972012-01-09T09:08:00.000-08:002012-01-09T09:08:24.638-08:00City takes it's sweet time with the Sheriff's OfficeThe corruption and mismanagement at the Sheriff's Office is the greatest example of abuse in the city thus far. Folks, your taxes are being raised while over a BILLION DOLLARS sits on the street uncollected. Enough is enough - demand state and federal oversight of this agency and it's new (just like the old) leader.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.philly.com/philly/blogs/our-money/A-crisis-at-the-Sheriffs-office.html">Read the story here</a>.Philadelphians for Ethical Leadershiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14873207935497959008noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8842841959830050211.post-15687948634503915562012-01-06T07:18:00.003-08:002012-01-06T07:18:34.712-08:00Corrupt traffic court judge firedChalk one up for justice - one less disgrace on the bench!<br />
<br />
Read more at:<br />
<a href="http://www.philly.com/philly/news/politics/20120106_Traffic_judge_canned_for_showing_his_Willie.html">http://www.philly.com/philly/news/politics/20120106_Traffic_judge_canned_for_showing_his_Willie.html</a>Philadelphians for Ethical Leadershiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14873207935497959008noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8842841959830050211.post-19784643875947990542012-01-04T09:39:00.000-08:002012-01-04T09:39:47.160-08:00Tasco calls the Daily News "racist" after covering her DROP collection of $478KIt's stuff like this that is the reason our group exists. To play the race card after the news coverage of the DROP fiasco cost three of her white colleagues their jobs goes to show the selfish, unethical nature of Tasco and the Philly political machine. <br />
<a href="http://www.philly.com/philly/news/20120104_Larry_Platt__WE_JUST_WON_T_DROP_OUR_ANGER.html?cmpid=124488459">Read more here.</a>Philadelphians for Ethical Leadershiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14873207935497959008noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8842841959830050211.post-69917781037084219692011-12-21T07:44:00.000-08:002011-12-21T07:54:25.370-08:00Sheriff-elect sues city after being detained by police.<span style="color: #1f497d; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-themecolor: dark2;"><span style="color: black;">Do you think that it's a conflict of interest for Williams to be suing the city he should be serving?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Furthermore, do you think that Williams identified himself as a former law enforcement officer when he interfered with officer safety procedures?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Don't say you weren't warned, Philly...with the sexual harassment claims and anecdotal evidence of unethical behavior in the state house, should Williams be the man to clean up our elected law enforcement agency?</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #1f497d; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-themecolor: dark2;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">Read more by <a href="http://www.philly.com/philly/news/20111221_Sheriff-to-be_gets__50_000_in_city_lawsuit.html?nlid=4070618">clicking here.</a></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
<span class="commentBody" data-jsid="text">There's something unsaid here that needs to be looked at further by the voters of the city. An ex-cop in good standing usually carries a retired shield or ID and would never step in between an officer and a frisk (<em>as they wouldn't want a fellow cop getting hurt</em>). So why did Williams get between the cops and the suspects to the point where the officers detained him so they could investigate the situation? </span><br />
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<span class="commentBody" data-jsid="text">Putting myself in this situation, it stinks. </span><br />
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<span class="commentBody" data-jsid="text">A beat cop wouldn't be in that position, so a four-star law enforcement executive should never have been in the position to be detained in the first place.</span></div>Philadelphians for Ethical Leadershiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14873207935497959008noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8842841959830050211.post-87725201652166342742011-12-14T07:48:00.001-08:002011-12-14T07:48:56.354-08:00Citizens for Judicial OversightNew group for those who feel that Judges should understand the consequences of their rulings (please join and share): <br />
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<a href="http://www.facebook.com/groups/JudicialOversight/members/#!/groups/JudicialOversight/">http://www.facebook.com/groups/JudicialOversight/members/#!/groups/JudicialOversight/</a>Philadelphians for Ethical Leadershiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14873207935497959008noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8842841959830050211.post-44287433548166816102011-12-09T06:52:00.000-08:002011-12-09T06:52:51.809-08:00Publically-Owned Space is NO Place for those who Preach Racism & Violence<h6 class="uiStreamMessage" data-ft="{"type":1}"><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><div class="text_exposed_root"><span style="font-size: small;">Tonight, on the 30th anniversary of the murder of Police Officer Daniel Faulkner, the National Constitution Center, which is federally subsidized and sits on National Parks Service land, has rented a room to a<a href="http://www.freemumia.com/?p=627"> group</a> that advocates the <u>VIOLENT</u> overthrow of the U.S. Constitution for the purposes of giving a convicted cop killer, Mumia Abu Jamal a forum to call in from his prison cell.</span></div><div class="text_exposed_root"></div><div class="text_exposed_root"><span style="font-size: small;">Not only is this yet another insult to widow Maureen Faulkner, but the fact that the staff at the NCC doesn't realize that it is not obligated to rent space to an organization that actively advocates for the overthrow of our society, shows you just how far we have fallen as a nation of laws and decency. As many know, Mumia's supporters, as seen from the below link, stem from the National Black Panther Party, New Black Panthers, and MOVE; which advocate racism and are directly responsible for the murders of two Philadelphia Police Officers as well as the 2008 voter intimidation case. </span></div><div class="text_exposed_root"></div><div class="text_exposed_root"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="text_exposed_show">Please call Governor Corbett at (717) 783-1116 to tell him that, as a PA voter and taxpayer, you are OUTRAGED by this racist group being hosted on public space on the land that our forefathers used to build this great nation. </span></span></div><div class="text_exposed_root"></div><div class="text_exposed_root"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="text_exposed_show">Also, you can contact Ms. Ashley Berke of the National Constitution Center at (215) 409-6693 to ask her why they would rent this room to a group supporting cop-killers and racists. </span></span></div><div class="text_exposed_root"></div><div class="text_exposed_root"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="text_exposed_show">A link to this offensive gathering can be found at:</span></span></div><div class="text_exposed_root"></div></span><a aria-hidden="true" class="external UIImageBlock_Image UIImageBlock_MED_Image" data-ft="{"type":41}" href="http://www.freemumia.com/?p=627" rel="nofollow" target="_blank" title=""><span style="color: #3b5998;"><img alt="" class="img" src="http://external.ak.fbcdn.net/safe_image.php?d=AQA35sqbxD4W2Nxp&w=90&h=90&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.freemumia.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2011%2F10%2F1.jpg" /></span></a> </h6><div class="mvm uiStreamAttachments clearfix fbMainStreamAttachment" data-ft="{"type":10}"><div class="UIImageBlock clearfix"><div class="UIImageBlock_Content UIImageBlock_MED_Content fsm fwn fcg"><div class="uiAttachmentTitle" data-ft="{"type":11}"><strong><a href="http://www.freemumia.com/?p=627" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3b5998;">Historic Event for Mumia to be held on Dec. 9 at National Constitution Center</span></a></strong> </div><span class="caption"><a href="http://www.freemumia.com/" rel="nofollow nofollow" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3b5998;">www.freemumia.com</span></a></span> <br />
<div class="mts uiAttachmentDesc translationEligibleUserAttachmentMessage">Join Cornel West, Immortal Technique, Vijay Prashad, Michelle Alexander, Ramona Africa, Mark Lamont Hill and many others on the 30th year of Mumia's wrongful imprisonment.</div></div></div></div>Philadelphians for Ethical Leadershiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14873207935497959008noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8842841959830050211.post-49437224893988275932011-12-07T06:34:00.000-08:002011-12-07T06:34:37.131-08:0030 Years: Justice for P/O Daniel FaulknerOn December 9, 1981, young Police Officer Danny Faulkner was murdered in the line of duty by Mumia Abdul-Jamal. Thirty years and multiple court appearances later, Abdul-Jamal's conviction still stands; yet his sentence has yet to have been carried out. Mumia's cause has been championed by celebrities and activists from as far as California and France, yet those of us in Philadelphia are still angrily awaiting justice in the name of Officer Faulkner and the thousands of men and women from all racial backgrounds who take the low-paying, at many times thankless job of Police Officer in the city of Philadelphia. <br />
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Thursday night, December 8, 2011 at the Keswick Theater in Glenside, PA; there will be a showing of Tigre Hill's critically acclaimed documentary "Barrel of a Gun" followed by a panel discussion hosted by WPHT radio's <strong>Michael Smerconish</strong> to discuss the Faulkner case and the many political and social issues associated with it over the last 30 years. The discussion panel includes:<br />
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<tr itxtharvested="0" itxtnodeid="412"><td itxtharvested="0" itxtnodeid="413" valign="top" width="590"><img alt="mas1 Michael Smerconish presents Tigre Hills <em>The Barrel Of A Gun</em> & Panel Discussion" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-83163" height="96" itxtbad="1" itxtnodeid="417" src="http://cbsphilly.files.wordpress.com/2011/10/mas1.jpg?w=420" title="Michael Smerconish" width="96" /><strong itxtbad="1" itxtnodeid="416">Michael Smerconish</strong><br itxtnodeid="415" />Talk Show Host and Co-Author of <em itxtbad="1" itxtnodeid="414">Murdered By Mumia</em></td></tr>
<tr itxtharvested="0" itxtnodeid="411"><td itxtharvested="0" itxtnodeid="418" valign="top" width="590"><img alt="maureen faulkner Michael Smerconish presents Tigre Hills <em>The Barrel Of A Gun</em> & Panel Discussion" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-83163" height="96" itxtbad="1" itxtnodeid="422" src="http://cbsphilly.files.wordpress.com/2011/10/maureen-faulkner.jpg?w=420" title="Maureen Faulkner" width="96" /><strong itxtbad="1" itxtnodeid="421">Maureen Faulkner</strong><br itxtnodeid="420" />Widow of Daniel Faulkner and Co-Author of <em itxtbad="1" itxtnodeid="419">Murdered By Mumia</em></td></tr>
<tr itxtharvested="0" itxtnodeid="410"><td itxtharvested="0" itxtnodeid="423" valign="top"><strong itxtbad="1" itxtnodeid="426"><img alt="seth williams Michael Smerconish presents Tigre Hills <em>The Barrel Of A Gun</em> & Panel Discussion" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-83164" height="96" itxtbad="1" src="http://cbsphilly.files.wordpress.com/2011/10/seth-williams.jpg?w=420" title="Seth Williams" width="96" /></strong><strong itxtbad="1" itxtnodeid="425">Seth Williams</strong><br itxtnodeid="424" />Philadelphia District Attorney</td></tr>
<tr itxtharvested="0" itxtnodeid="409"><td itxtharvested="0" itxtnodeid="427" valign="top"><strong itxtbad="1" itxtnodeid="430"><img alt="joseph mcgill Michael Smerconish presents Tigre Hills <em>The Barrel Of A Gun</em> & Panel Discussion" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-83165" height="96" itxtbad="1" src="http://cbsphilly.files.wordpress.com/2011/10/joseph-mcgill.jpg?w=420" title="Joseph McGill" width="96" /></strong><strong itxtbad="1" itxtnodeid="429">Joseph McGill</strong><br itxtnodeid="428" />Attorney with the Lock Law Firm in Philadelphia, former Assistant District Attorney, Philadelphia</td></tr>
<tr itxtharvested="0" itxtnodeid="408"><td itxtharvested="0" itxtnodeid="431" valign="top"><strong itxtbad="1" itxtnodeid="434"><a href="http://cbsphilly.files.wordpress.com/2011/10/96_hughburns.jpg" itxtbad="1" jquery1323268093523="173"><img alt="96 hughburns Michael Smerconish presents Tigre Hills <em>The Barrel Of A Gun</em> & Panel Discussion" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-172393" height="96" itxtbad="1" src="http://cbsphilly.files.wordpress.com/2011/10/96_hughburns.jpg?w=420" title="Hugh Burns" width="96" /></a></strong><strong itxtbad="1" itxtnodeid="433">Hugh Burns</strong><br itxtnodeid="432" />Chief Assistant District Attorney, Appeals Unit, District Attorney’s office, Philadelphia</td></tr>
<tr itxtharvested="0" itxtnodeid="407"><td itxtharvested="0" itxtnodeid="435" valign="top"><img alt="tigre hill Michael Smerconish presents Tigre Hills <em>The Barrel Of A Gun</em> & Panel Discussion" class="size-full wp-image-19873 alignleft" height="96" itxtbad="1" itxtnodeid="439" src="http://cbsphilly.files.wordpress.com/2011/10/tigre-hill.jpg?w=420" title="Tigre Hill" width="96" /> <strong itxtbad="1" itxtnodeid="438">Tigre Hill</strong><br itxtnodeid="437" />Documentary Filmmaker, <em itxtbad="1" itxtnodeid="436">Barrel Of A Gun</em></td></tr>
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<br itxtnodeid="415" />Tickets are just $20 and can be <a href="http://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/2011/10/21/barrel-of-a-gun-with-michael-smerconish/">purchased by clicking here</a>. I will be in attendance because I believe this case represents a notable piece of Philadelphia history, yet the story has still not concluded. <br />
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Please join us to mark the 30 year anniversary of Daniel Faulkner's murder; and to show the world that Philadelphians stand behind those who protect us.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbTeTd2uR2-_u2IaUD4oj0gdVhozONaLMaJzWpGSC5IhiCxrS5gXryPqPn7S6wJ_fDrYFc6lHY3RC9FLYFQhFx_5vPNUH-SalQvrw3kXuxLZcIS6vYB12mIEJljNAB6L63drAT0fDKScA5/s1600/Danny30.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" mda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbTeTd2uR2-_u2IaUD4oj0gdVhozONaLMaJzWpGSC5IhiCxrS5gXryPqPn7S6wJ_fDrYFc6lHY3RC9FLYFQhFx_5vPNUH-SalQvrw3kXuxLZcIS6vYB12mIEJljNAB6L63drAT0fDKScA5/s400/Danny30.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Philadelphians for Ethical Leadershiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14873207935497959008noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8842841959830050211.post-45728904278879729732011-12-01T08:38:00.000-08:002011-12-01T08:38:43.185-08:00When did public housing get so luxurious?<strong><u>Question:</u></strong> Is it an effective use of space for PHA to <a href="http://www.pha.phila.gov/pha-news/pha-news/2011/pha-dedicates-paschall-village,-a-high-performance-green-development.aspx">build green, single family public housing</a> with public funds?<br />
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As someone who works hard to afford my first single family home, which I bought just three years ago after renting apartments over my whole adult life - it bothers me to think that my tax dollars are going for single family homes with island kitchens and lawns when there are many more needy people who'd be happy (and warm) living in apartments that could have been built on the same space.<br />
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The idea with low-income housing is to give poor people a home while they work to improve their circumstances to the point where they can buy or rent a home of their own, that they can choose and modify to fit their needs and tastes - to participate in the American dream of home ownership. Therefore, what does it say of a Public Housing Authority who builds homes that exceed the expectations of many non-section eight first-time home buyers? If the public housing is better than what can be afforded otherwise, why would anyone leave public housing to open it up for the next needy family? <br />
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Coming from New York, home of the high-rise housing project; I've seen many crime and public health problems involving public housing, but one has to recognize that a cluster of 10 to 20-floor apartment buildings puts a roof over far more heads than a cluster of 3-bedroom single family homes. Isn't that the objective of public housing?<br />
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One has to wonder why our Public Housing Authority fails to see why that objective is so important when building properties with OUR MONEY. Philadelphians for Ethical Leadershiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14873207935497959008noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8842841959830050211.post-74643721350400048292011-11-30T11:24:00.000-08:002011-11-30T11:24:26.218-08:00School District CFO owes over $8,000 in delinquent municipal taxes.<span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><a href="http://www.philly.com/philly/news/20111130_District_s_budget_boss_was_a_tax_deadbeat_till_our_inquiry.html?cmpid=124488459">This story</a> is as much an indictment on the SRC as the disfunctional, corrupt Philadelphia Sheriff's Office. <span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}">Is it any wonder that the School District lost $627M and the Sheriff's Office lost $56M?</span></span>Philadelphians for Ethical Leadershiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14873207935497959008noreply@blogger.com0