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With a name inspired by the First Amendment, 1A explores important issues such as policy, politics, technology, and what connects us across the fissures that divide the country. The program also delves into pop culture, sports, and humor. 1A's goal is to act as a national mirror-taking time to help America look at itself and to ask what it wants to be.

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Go behind the headlines: From the economy and healthcare to politics and the environment - and so much more - On Point talks with newsmakers and real people about the issues that matter most. On Point is produced by WBUR for NPR.
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On Point

Go behind the headlines: From the economy and healthcare to politics and the environment - and so much more - On Point talks with newsmakers and real people about the issues that matter most. On Point is produced by WBUR for NPR.

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The Why Archive

Pennsylvania state Sen. Daylin Leach. (Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call via AP)
The Why
Politics & Policy

Daylin’s dilemma: Why Daylin Leach’s political career may be derailed by sexual misconduct charges

Gov. Tom Wolf and others have called for Daylin Leach to step down amidst sexual misconduct allegations — but the Pa. state senator is standing firm.

Air Date: February 21, 2019

Listen 16:31
American-African spiritual leader Father Divine smiles as he leads a parade of his followers from Harlem to the docks in New York, on Aug. 20, 1936, to board the paddle-steamer City of Kennsburg to take them on the first stage of their great trek to their new camp in Ulster County, New York State. (AP Photo)
The Why
Community

Father Divine: Charismatic cult leader or civil rights pioneer?

Why Father Divine, the man behind the iconic Divine Lorraine Hotel on North Broad Street in Philadelphia, left a complicated legacy.

Air Date: February 20, 2019

Listen 0:00
A sinkhole that opened up in January outside a suburban home at Lisa Drive in West Whiteland Township, Chester County, is surrounded by orange plastic fencing.(Eric Friedman)
The Why
Politics & Policy

Drilling on shaky ground: Why Chesco’s DA is investigating the Mariner East pipeline project

Construction of the Mariner East 2 pipeline has been plagued by mishaps and delays. Now, the Chester County District Attorney has launched a criminal investigation.

Air Date: February 19, 2019

Listen 14:10
The Why
Arts & Entertainment

Staying power: What a photographer’s retrospective says about the AIDS crisis

At 70, photographer David Lebe is having his first retrospective at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. He didn't think he'd live to see it.

Air Date: February 18, 2019

Listen 11:56
Members of the Hammond Comic Club in blackface, 2nd and Mifflin streets, January 3, 1964.
The Why
Politics & Policy

Washing off blackface: Why a racist practice persists

From minstrels to the mummers, from governors to Gucci, how blackface began and why it keeps coming up.

Air Date: February 14, 2019

Listen 14:58
A man pushes a stroller off a SEPTA subway train at the 8th and Market station. (Emma Lee/WHYY)
The Why
Urban Planning

Elevating SEPTA’s accessibility: Why public transit systems aren’t designed for everyone

A mother's fatal fall on New York City subway stairs has raised the question of why many public transportation systems like SEPTA are not fully accessible — yet.

Air Date: February 13, 2019

Listen 12:22
Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner is pictured in the District Attorney's Office in Center City Friday, February 1, 2019. (Brad Larrison for WHYY)
The Why
Courts & Law

One year of Krasner: Why Philly went from ‘the Deadliest DA’ to its most progressive

And why Larry Krasner's criminal justice reform agenda is having a moment.

Air Date: February 12, 2019

Listen 14:32
Recycling bins on Cuthbert Street in Philadelphia. (Emma Lee/WHYY)
The Why
Urban Planning

Reduce, reuse, incinerate: Why half of Philly’s recyclables aren’t recycled

Why is Philly incinerating more than half of its recyclables? The answer is complicated, and spans from your kitchen to China.

Air Date: February 11, 2019

Listen 12:25
State and local government officials attend a ceremony for the raising of the final steel beam at Holtec International. on July 8, 2016. The company got $260 million in tax incentives to build its manufacturing plant in Camden.
The Why
Politics & Policy

Are N.J. tax breaks for companies worth the money? Why it’s hard to tell

The Economic Opportunity Act offered companies big tax breaks to move to or expand in N.J. It worked for Camden. Now critics say the program needs to change.

Air Date: February 7, 2019

Listen 14:41
Jamie Lynch immersed herself in books on reading assessment and dyslexia when her son struggled to learn to read. (Emma Lee/WHYY)
The Why
Education

Why parents in this Chesco school district want it to call their kids ‘dyslexic’

In Tredyffrin/Easttown, some children are struggling to read. Their parents blame dyslexia and schools they say aren't teaching them, but the reality is more complicated.

Air Date: February 6, 2019

Listen 13:21
In this map showing the results of 2018 election, blue indicates congressional districts that went to Democrats and red shows districts that went to republicans. (Keystone Crossroads)
The Why
Politics & Policy

Gerry-meandering: Why the outcome of Pa.’s 2018 midterms was about more than a map

Why a new analysis finds Pa. Democrats would have made gains even under the state's old congressional map, which had been ruled a partisan gerrymander.

Air Date: February 5, 2019

Listen 15:29
Tamaqua parent Rebecca Kowalski supports the school board's new policy that would authorize the training and arming of some teachers and staff. (Matt Smith for Keystone Crossroads)
The Why
Community

Why a Pa. community where guns are common is divided over arming teachers

Tamaqua became the first school district in Pa. to sanction armed teachers. Now, a legal battle is underway over whether the district can make such a policy.

Air Date: February 4, 2019

Listen 13:28
Union boss John 'Johnny Doc' Dougherty outside of his home in South Philadelphia during an FBI raid in 2016. (Emma Lee/WHYY)
The Why
Politics & Policy

Johnny Doc’s biggest fight: Why Pa.’s most powerful union boss is under indictment

The brash union boss has been the powerbroker behind a slew of Pa. politicians for years. But have Johnny Doc's "in-your-face" politics caught up with him?

Air Date: January 31, 2019

Listen 15:38
People now use the Delaware for recreation, like these visitors to Spruce Street Harbor Park. Prior to the Clean Water Act, the Delaware River was so polluted no one would have considered basking so close to it. But the regulation has not been updated for decades, and scientists say hidden dangers to fish and wildlife still exist. (Brandon Eastwood for WHYY)
The Why
Science

Keeping the river rolling: How the Clean Water Act helped revive the Delaware

The Clean Water Act helped turn the Delaware River and its waterfront into a place many people enjoy today. But can the river be protected from future pollution?

Air Date: January 30, 2019

Listen 13:34
Homes at 52nd and Diamond streets in Philadelphia's Wynnefield neighborhood.
The Why
Urban Planning

Zoning the American Dream: Where Philly fits in the debate over affordable housing

Cities like Minneapolis are considering eliminating single-family zoning as a way to make housing more affordable. Here's why Philly isn't following suit.

Air Date: January 29, 2019

Listen 12:51
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The Why

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Top Stories

  • The Capitol is seen in Washington, Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2019. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
    Politics & Policy

    Watch live: House begins markup of articles of impeachment

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    Billy Penn

    Philly comedian Chris Cotton dies at 32, just months before welcoming first child

  • The Free Library of Philadelphia Parkway Central branch. (Google Maps)
    Community

    Got a fine for overdue books? Philly libraries will soon forgive them

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