Bird’s-Eye View

Sittin’ at Prince Street Cafe right now sippin’ a cup of the Prince Street Blend, an excellent full-bodied dark roast that combines beans from “all Arabica” regions. Arabica beans are considered the best kind of coffee bean because it grows in humid areas which get cold at night (like Central American mountains) and has a […]

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And speaking of Arlen Specter …
The senior Senator from Pennsylvania has his first primary challenger, and it isn’t Pat Toomey.
It’s Peg Luksik.
Who?
Peg Luksik, the Johnstown resident who failed thrice during the 1990s to win the governor’s seat, including as an independent or Constitution Party candidate.
Who?
Peg Lusik, the noted 53-year-old anti-abortion advocate who spoke in favor […]

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Over-caffeinated and over-stimulated. Gonna be on the radio tonight. See below for details on how to listen in.
Let’s dive into the political pool:
 
The buzz at the Nest today is about Gov. Ed Rendell’s announcement regarding emergency actions to try and heal an ailing economic situation in Pennsylvania. Rendell announced at a presser how he would start spending money […]

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Now this I think is a good idea:
Several dozen school teachers attended a daylong seminar Wednesday at the state Capitol that was designed to increase their knowledge of the state and federal court systems. It was part of an effort by the courts to counter cynicism that many fear has corroded public confidence in the […]

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I’m going to build on something Gil Smart of the Sunday News wrote today. The Pennsylvania Family Institute, the group that’s been a catalyst for failed attempts to drive through an anti-gay marriage amendment to the Pennsylvania constitution, released a “factual, impartial and non-partisan” voting guide.
I don’t write this to be “anti-Pennsylvania Family Institute” but […]

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At the Nest today, we took a look over at our colleague’s blog, Smart Remarks, and found the new video of Bill O’Reilly quite compelling. Check it out first then proceed:
http://www.redlasso.com/ClipPlayer.aspx?id=9ca7efa6-5a1d-4443-97be-00cd871b6726
I bring this up because I have to applaud O’Reilly for his line of questioning. The attorney is justifying a ban on gay marriage simply […]

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An interesting piece by Pete DeCoursey of Capitol Wire running in tomorrow’s Intell about how Democratic state Sen. Vince Fumo of Philadelphia essentially sunk the proposed marriage amendment, championed by Lancaster County’s state Sen. Mike Brubaker.
According to DeCoursey, Fumo had corralled 30 votes in the 50-member Senate, dominated by Republicans, to eliminate the “functional equivalent” language from the […]

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This week’s decision by state Senate Republicans to table the proposed marriage amendment may just be a lesson in political realism. While they say a majority of Pennsylvanians would support such an amendment should it be put to a referendum, that doesn’t mean a majority of Pennsylvanians want such a referendum. Marriage and just who should […]

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The proposed marriage amendment, which supporters say will prevent judges from legalizing civil unions and gay marriage, moved forward today when the Senate Appropriations Committee approved it 18-8. Look to Wednesday for a full vote on the floor of the GOP-controlled Senate, and that may prove to be this bill’s highwater mark. With Democrats in […]

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HARRISBURG - If anyone embodies the anger and intellect of those who oppose passage of Senate Bill 1250, the one that would essentially define marriage in Pennsylvania’s Constitution as only a heterosexual relationship, it’s retiring state Sen. Vincent Fumo, a Philadelphia Democrat. The best show at the Capitol today was inside the Senate Appropriations Hearing on […]

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