Welcome to my website and thanks for reading! On the right, you can find an archive of all my op-eds that have appeared in the Philadelphia Daily News as well as links to longer articles that have appeared in other publications.

If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to contact me by e-mail at benwaxman(at)gmail.com. Looking forward to hearing from you!

My twin brother is also a writer and he just had something published by Alternet. It's called "Repeating a Fatal Mistake." You can read it here.

By Ben Waxman
Philadelphia Daily News, 7/31/07

PHILADELPHIA'S murder rate seems to be rising along with the temperature.

An explosion of crime and violence has erupted in neighborhoods across the city. It's at a crisis level and there is need for dramatic, immediate action.

So the governor or the speaker of the House needs to call a special session to focus on guns and crime. Philadelphia needs Harrisburg to pass stronger gun laws - and it needs to happen now.

The mayor, the DA and City Council seem to be powerless to stop the shooting. In their defense, they lack the ability to legislate one of the most important issues: gun control. That's why Gov. Rendell or Speaker O'Brien needs to call a special session of the legislature to deal with crime and violence. Our local elected officials cannot act, so they must.

The legislature is not due back before late September. But that's too late to consider gun control - people are dying now. Something has to be done to stop the flow of illegal guns.

The governor and the leaders of the legislature have the power to call emergency sessions at any time. The sharp rise in the number of people being killed by guns in Philadelphia, and around the state, is, in my view, an emergency that warrants such a special session.

Right now, the city is on pace to have its deadliest year in more than a decade. At the end of July, at least 241 people had been killed in the City of Brotherly Love. I've seen the maps with the red dots in the city's neighborhoods. The map looks as if it was hit by a shotgun blast. The killings are concentrated in some areas, but there is no region of Philadelphia untouched by violence.

Clearly, there is a homicide emergency on our streets.

It's true that there are a lot of factors, like poverty or education, that will need to be addressed to deal with crime in the long run. But the most immediate truth is that the easy availability of handguns on city streets contributes to people getting shot. That's a no-brainier.

Gun control is also one of the few issues that affect crime and violence that can be addressed right now. The growing number of homicides is just the sort of issue that requires an emergency legislative session.

Some in the legislature argue that this is just a Philadelphia problem. This simply isn't true. Lancaster, population 60,000, has experienced a sharp increase in murders over the last few years.

The number is in the single digits, but it's a lot for a small city. York, population 40,000, has had four people killed and 50 wounded by guns. Handgun violence is a statewide emergency - and Harrisburg has to respond.

FRANKLY, IT'S troubling that I even have to make the argument that Harrisburg should do something because it's a statewide problem.

I find it outrageous that lawmakers touting the National Rifle Association line argue that the rest of the state don't have to care about its largest city. Philadelphians, mostly young, are being shot to death at an alarming rate.

We need help. And it's time to act like we're one state.

I'm not so naïve to think that gun control will solve the problem. But reasonable limits on gun purchases, such as one gun a month, could have a serious impact on the number of illegal guns available to criminals.

Gov. Rendell has promised to take up the issue when the legislature gets back into session. That's not enough. The news gets worse with every passing weekend - and we need immediate action.

A special session of the state legislature should be called to deal with the issues of crime and violence. The victims of crime, including those too scared to leave their homes, demand that lawmakers get off their butts - and do something. *

Ben Waxman is a recent graduate of Juniata College and a frequent contributor. He can be reached at benwaxman@gmail.com.

Right's wrong on Pa. problems
By Ben Waxman
Philadelphia Daily News, 7/5/07

I USUALLY CHEER anytime young people are involved in politics. Democrats or Republicans, I like it when people my age decide they care enough to get involved.

But there's a group of young activists who I believe are having a negative effect on state politics. An organization called the Young Conservatives of Pennsylvania has been pushing a right-wing agenda that actually hurts young people across the state.

Gov. Rendell and the Legislature have been in intense negotiations on the state budget for weeks. YCOP has been running radio ads in the districts of several legislative leaders that call for no new taxes. According to their Web site, their goal is to "drive a stake through the heart of liberal Gov. Ed Rendell's proposed 7 new tax hikes." They seem to subscribe to the right-wing notion that government can't accomplish anything and all social programs are a waste of money.

The main argument that conservatives make about taxes is simple - taxes are already too high and citizens shouldn't be forced to pay more. This is an appeal solely based on self-interest.

I understand why this argument is appealing, but it is incredibly short-sighted. YCOP may think all spending is wasteful, but effective government can actually lower the cost of living for young people and the entire state. There are two good examples facing the legislature right now: mass transit and health care.

Conservatives in the state Senate have been fighting dedicated funding for mass transit. Gov. Rendell initially wanted to spend around $1.2 billion to fully fund the state's roads, bridges and public transit. His original plan was to tax oil companies doing business in the state to fund this.

This increase, which seems reasonable given that oil companies are raking in record profits, was rejected by conservatives. So less money will be invested in transit infrastructure and transit agencies will have to raise fares.

I use public transit, SEPTA and Amtrak, all the time. Rendell's oil-company tax would have cost me and the vast majority of Pennsylvanians virtually nothing. Instead, bus and subway fares will increase because state funding won't be adequate.

If conservatives hadn't rejected Rendell's original proposal, my transportation costs wouldn't be going up. Statistics show that people 18-30 take public transit more than any other age group besides senior citizens. We can thank the young conservatives for helping save the oil companies money and passing the costs along to the rest of us.

Health care is another issue in which effective government can reduce the financial burden on individuals. The cost of health insurance in Pennsylvania has risen by more than 75 percent over the last six years. In contrast, inflation is up only 17 percent and wages 13.3 percent. This issue is particularly important to young people, since 72 percent of those age 18-25 can't afford insurance.

The cost of health insurance is passed along to consumers in a variety of ways. People without coverage are often forced to use emergency rooms, even if their condition doesn't require immediate treatment. Gov. Rendell estimates that providing non-emergency alternatives could save taxpayers more than $232 million a year.

Conservatives like to claim that any involvement by government in health care is akin to socialism. That's nonsense. In reality, a small amount of public investment can go a long way to reducing costs for all of us.

I admire the Young Conservatives for getting involved, but their message will hurt young people in the long run. In the real world, taxes are sometimes needed to fund important programs. In fact, a small amount of tax dollars can go a long way to deal with problems faced by the state.

I hope Gov. Rendell and the Legislature will be able to ignore the pressure from YCOP and their right-wing allies.

A rigid right-wing mentality is counterproductive. *

Ben Waxman, a Juniata College grad, can be reached at benwaxman@gmail.com.

Here is a preview of my column that will appear in tomorrow's Philadelphia Daily News.

"From a soaring crime rate to troubled public schools, there are a wide variety of challenges faced by Philadelphia. To successfully confront these problems, elected officials must seek input from a wide variety of perspectives. On May 16th, voters have a chance to help young people have a formal voice in the process. Philadelphians should vote “Yes” on creating a citywide youth commission.

Sponsored by Councilwoman Blondell Reynolds-Brown and endorsed unanimously by City Council, this proposal would amend the City Charter to create a body called the Philadelphia Youth Commission. Its 21 members will be responsible for assessing the impact of public policy on young people and informing elected officials of their findings. This commission will ensure that the needs of youth people are never overlooked by lawmakers.

It is a very important ballot initiative and should be supported by the voters on primary day. Young people have a unique voice that can help find real solutions to the problems facing Philadelphia. Often times, the process is so dominated by petty politics that common sense gets thrown out the window. The Youth Commission could provide a breath of fresh air to municipal affairs. A shot of youthful energy might be exactly what Philadelphia’s government needs.

Members of the commission will be drawn from young people between the ages of 12 and 23. They will be drawn from community organizations, student government associations, and youth-focused activist groups. Each member of City Council will have one appointment to the commission and four will be appointed by the mayor. Young people can also apply directly to the commission.

Some might claim that too many young people are apathetic and therefore this commission will be useless. This is not borne out by the facts. Youth are engaged in our communities in a variety of ways. According to a study from the Center for Information and Research on Civic Engagement, the highest level of volunteerism occurs among people aged 18-25. Many high school and college students across Philadelphia are working to make the city a better place to live. Their voices should be heard by elected officials.

Another concern is that some young people are not mature enough to wield this kind of political power. I don’t necessarily agree with the premise of that argument, but it should not be a concern. The Philadelphia Youth Commission will only act in an advisory role. Members of the commission will not be able to vote on or introduce legislation. Commissioners can only see their ideas turned into legislation if a member of council sponsors the bill.

Sometimes, I think the biggest problem in Philadelphia politics is cynicism. It seems that too many politicians, pundits, and members of the public have come to believe that nothing will ever change. They believe that our city will always have a soaring murder rate, thousands of people in poverty, and crumbling schools. The Philadelphia Youth Commission could be a way to shake things up a bit and provide some new perspectives.

Perhaps, more than all the fancy reforms, Philadelphia needs to rediscover a sense of idealism and hope. We need more imagination in government. Creating a Youth Commission will make certain that lawmakers have access to a unique and important perspective. Voters should support the proposal on Election Day and vote “Yes” on creating a Philadelphia Youth Commission.

Link: Virginia Gunman Identified as a Student

Another day, another senseless tragedy involving young people. A gunman went on a rampage throughout Virgina Tech's campus yesterday and killed over thirty people. Across the country, colleges and universities are in mourning. President Bush flew back from a trip abroad to attend the memorial service.

According to New York Times, there was a two hour gap between first two shootings and the mass killing that occurred later. During that time, campus administration failed to take several key steps that could have saved the lives of students. The university discovered the dead bodies, but did not issue a campus wide alert until the second round of killings. Security personal thought the problem had been contained to one dorm.

At tragic moments like this, it's often best not to run to judgment. It's important that we not automatically point fingers. After all, the real culprit is already dead. Still, students and lawmakers should carefully look at Virgina Tech's response and evaluate it. If there were mistakes, campus officials across the country need to learn the lessons.

Link: College grads prospects improve

A new study by Monster.com found that seventy-six percent of employers are planning to hire college graduates over the summer. This is up four points from last year. However, the same survey found that employers are not planning to raise wages or benefits for new workers. In fact, companies are finding they have, on average, 70 applicants for each job.

This story confirms something that I suspected based on talking with my fellow classmates. It is really hard to find a job. Even though employers are hiring more people, positions are still scarce. It's even more distressing to learn that wages and benefits are remaining static.

The first draft of my senior thesis is due tomorrow. Blah.

Link: Evans and Knox try to knock Brady from ballot

Dwight Evans and Tom Knox have jointly filed a challenge to Bob Brady's ballot petitions. They charge that the longtime party chairman failed to disclose a portion of his income on the disclosure form. The challenge appears to have a lot of potential for success, throwing the entire mayor's race in flux.

It's certainly ironic that one of Philadelphia's biggest power brokers is poised to get knocked out by a technicality. Still, Bob Brady should stay on the ballot. He should be judged by the voters.

Here is a little conspiracy theory: Bob Brady wants to be kicked off the ballot. He's looked at the polling and decided that he can't win. A loss would seriously damage his ability to remain chairman of the party. After all, if ward leaders like one thing, they like a winner. This allows him to leave gracefully.