Both Councilwoman Cindy Bass and Rep. Chaka Fattah have been spending a lot of time focusing on co-ops lately.

Bass introduced a resolution that is intended to promote "the economic and social virtues of the cooperative style of business."

Fattah has talked a lot about co-ops as well. He introduced a bill to support them in December, and he visited a forum on co-ops Tuesday in Philadelphia.

The forum was conducted by the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission’s Regional Community and Economic Development Forum. Fattah was there, essentially, to talk about the bill that he introduced.

He left with some Weavers Way Co-op swag, as you can see in the photo at right.

So why all the attention on co-ops? Weavers Way, in particular, has been around for quite a long time.

The politicians clearly see them as a good way to promote continued economic development at a time when there are some signs that the economy's beginning to turn around.

Plus, they often have the word "local" attached to them. And who doesn't love local, especially here? Just look at the comments on this article about Rita's potentially moving to Chestnut Hill. It's a debate about whether the area needs so-called chain establishments or whether it should support the local businesses that already exist. It also focuses on whether Rita's can be called a chain at all.

So co-ops are a safe bet for politicians who already believe in the things they do. Bass and Fattah have a lot of co-op members in their districts, especially in Mt. Airy and Chestnut Hill (where Weavers Way is certainly a stronghold). And they have supporters in West Oak Lane, too, where a Weavers Way existed until the end of August.

The co-op has its own newspaper, The Shuttle, which will post information about Fattah and Bass' involvement in their cause. It's clear the two of them will get plenty of press that stems from their involvement with the co-op.

It's certainly a matter of conviction for the two of them to be involved with Weavers Way. But it's also a safe bet for both, and it seems like that's why they've gotten so involved lately.