Philadelphia City Paper | Tom Namako

Election '08: The Can't Votersnew

Millions of people who will be greatly affected by the outcome of next week's election, but won't be able to cast a vote in it. And yet, some of these same people -- those who don't meet citizenship requirements, the incarcerated and the underaged -- are more invested in the political process than many eligible Americans.

Philadelphia City Paper | Tom Namako | 10-30-2008 | Politics

Tags: Immigration, prison, 2008 presidential election, citizenship, voting rights, crime & justice, disenfranchisement

Election '08: The Voter Fraud Fraudnew

Though ACORN has been legitimately criticized in the past for the way it collects new voter registrations, the idea that it has compromised this year's electoral process is, simply, false.

Philadelphia City Paper | Tom Namako | 10-28-2008 | Politics

Tags: 2008 presidential election, John McCain, ACORN, voter fraud

Voter Intimidation Tactics Afoot on Pennsylvania College Campusesnew

The Drexel Dems website has an item up about a flyer taped to several tables across campus, essentially saying that anyone who goes to vote on Nov. 4 will be arrested if they have any outstanding traffic violations or warrants.

Philadelphia City Paper | Tom Namako | 09-24-2008 | Politics

Tags: 2008 presidential election, voting rights, disenfranchisement, misinformation, Drexel University, voter intimidation

Hard Questions for Joe Biden: A Face-to-Face with the VP Candidatenew

We could have asked a bunch of questions about Sarah Palin, and how she's a moose-hunting wrecking crew aimed at the Democrats' heads. Instead, we asked about Philly.

Philadelphia City Paper | Tom Namako | 09-23-2008 | Politics

Tags: Philadelphia, 2008 presidential election, Barack Obama, urban issues, Joe Biden, vice presidential nominees

Five Minutes With Howard Deannew

The Democratic National Committee Chairman and former presidential candidate is tearing through Pennsylvania to talk about health care with SEIU workers. We got a chance for a five-minute phone interview (we forgot to ask about the scream!). Here are some excerpts.

Philadelphia City Paper | Tom Namako | 09-23-2008 | Politics

Tags: 2008 presidential election, Barack Obama, John McCain, health care, Howard Dean, Democratic National Committee, Sarah Palin

Philly's Rise in HIV Among Young Gay Males Has Led to New Testing Measures ... at Night Clubsnew

Years ago, drawing vials of blood and waiting two weeks for results gave way to a finger-prick or cheek swab and a 20-minute wait. Since today's tests are light on equipment, the process has been moved out of stuffy clinics and into RVs that can be parked in parts of town where incidences of the disease run high.

Philadelphia City Paper | Tom Namako | 08-05-2008 | Science

Tags: Philadelphia, HIV, Health & Science, gay & lesbian issues, HIV testing, mobile units

It's Been a Year Since Steven 'Butter' Miller Was Killed. Does Anyone Remember?new

When Butter was shot dead by police -- shot at 85 times, hit about 20 -- he was high, standing on a corner and waving a loaded gun. He hadn't pointed it at anyone, or if he had, it had been completely accidental, coincidental, because Butter was blank-eyed, detached from the world.

Philadelphia City Paper | Tom Namako and Doron Taussig | 07-29-2008 | Crime & Justice

Tags: Philadelphia, hip-hop, race relations, crime & justice, police shootings

Locked Down: What It's Really Like Inside Philly's Overcrowded Prisonsnew

The city's prisons woefully overpopulated and have been for several decades. Efforts to fix this problem have come up against the seemingly immutable fact that, on an average day, 108 people enter the six-prison system while only 105 leave it.

Philadelphia City Paper | Tom Namako | 06-24-2008 | Crime & Justice

Tags: Philadelphia, violence, prison, inmates, crime & justice, correctional officers, Curran-Fromhold Correctional Facility, prison overcrowding

Food Prices are Going Up, but Food Stamp Allowances Aren'tnew

There hasn't been a major revision of food stamp regulations since 2002. Philadelphians on food stamps continue to wait for any action, and improvise.

Philadelphia City Paper | Tom Namako | 05-13-2008 | Economy

Tags: Philadelphia, Farm Bill, food prices, food stamps, food pantries, Economic Issues

How Far Philadelphia Has (and Hasn't) Come in Terms of Votingnew

Did Michael Nutter's election move Philly into a post-racial voting era? Or were voters still widely using race as a deciding factor in the polls? The frustrating answer: It was hard to tell.

Philadelphia City Paper | Tom Namako | 04-29-2008 | Politics

Tags: Philadelphia, 2008 presidential election, Barack Obama, race, voting

I Was a Clinton Volunteernew

We go undercover as a campaign volunteer for Hillary Clinton, and find the story of a campaign in a make-or-break primary where messages are tightly controlled.

Philadelphia City Paper | Tom Namako | 04-21-2008 | Politics

Tags: Pennsylvania, 2008 presidential election, Hillary Clinton, Campaign