Centre Square

IRS' Tea Party scrutiny was a huge blunder, but a deeper issue lurks beneath

newsworks@whyy.org (Chris Satullo) — Mon, 20 May 2013 02:44:57 GMT

Let's try to do something that Washington has a hard time doing once a whiff of scandal is in the air.

Let's keep our bearings. Let's survey all the moving parts of an issue.

Philly pols' empty rhetoric leaves city's kids behind

newsworks@whyy.org (Chris Satullo) — Mon, 06 May 2013 01:32:37 GMT

If they ever make hypocrisy an Olympic sport, I think Philadelphia City Council has a real shot at the gold.

TV news' sound and fury signifies less and less information

newsworks@whyy.org (Chris Satullo) — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 10:05:37 GMT

It has been a stressful, tragic couple of weeks for national breaking news.

So a lot of us, me included, have spent an unusual amount of time watching network television news, hungering for updates. And this just in: Man, has it gotten terrible.

If 'teaching to the test' bugs you, don't blame the test

newsworks@whyy.org (Chris Satullo) — Sun, 14 Apr 2013 16:25:20 GMT

Some parents have begun pulling their kids out of statewide standardized testing. They say its stresses out their kids, for no good reason.

This is part of a growing rebellion against so-called high-stakes testing. Many feel these batteries of test are harmful to kids and to education, leading to evils such as cheating and teaching to the test.

Well, I agree that the status quo on testing is disgraceful – but not for exactly the same reasons.

The health-care diagnosis is clear, the treatment less so

newsworks@whyy.org (Chris Satullo) — Sun, 31 Mar 2013 23:31:57 GMT

So, we went ahead and did it.

A liberal and a conservative talked health care for two hours in front of a crowd of about 300 people.

And no one killed each other. No eyes were gouged or bones broken. In fact, hairs barely even got mussed.

Pa. liquor stores should be privatized; you can drink to that!

newsworks@whyy.org (Chris Satullo) — Mon, 25 Mar 2013 03:08:51 GMT

Back when he was mayor of Indianapolis, Stephen Goldsmith developed what he called the "Yellow Pages" rule.

Event aims to cool discussion about hot-button issues

newsworks@whyy.org (Chris Satullo) — Mon, 18 Mar 2013 02:01:20 GMT

Can we talk about health care without killing each other?

Next week, I'm going take part in an experiment testing that proposition.

Is the hunt for the 'purple squirrel' stalling job growth?

newsworks@whyy.org (Chris Satullo) — Mon, 11 Mar 2013 01:01:10 GMT

Have you ever seen a purple squirrel?

Probably not. But rest assured it's better to be than see one.

Taxes can be badly done, but they are not theft

newsworks@whyy.org (Chris Satullo) — Sat, 02 Mar 2013 18:02:11 GMT

Somewhere, Murray Rothbard is smiling.

Some of the rest of us are scratching our heads, though.

Here's the deal – leading is not just about deals

newsworks@whyy.org (Chris Satullo) — Mon, 18 Feb 2013 02:49:40 GMT

Last week I got a chance to talk to this year’s Leadership Philadelphia class.

Talk about intimidating, the task of trying to say something useful about leadership to a room packed with some of the brightest, most effective Generation X’ers and Millenials in the region.