Bird’s-Eye View

Senate Republicans in Harrisburg today announced they would not convene a “lame duck” session after the Nov. 4 election. While GOP leaders are hailing this decision as another step in government reform, it ups by one month the deadline for a profound amount of legislation - mainly Democratic Gov. Ed Rendell’s proposals for health care […]

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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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There are subtle movements in the state House to drastically change who’s eligibile to participate in primary elections. As the Nest noted earlier, state Rep. Jaret Gibbons proposed allowing independents to vote in either the Republican or Democratic primary (but not both), and a quick check on House Bill 2482’s status shows no legislative action […]

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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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It didn’t receive much fanfare, but six days ago state Rep. Jaret Gibbons, a Democrat, introducted legislation in the state House that would allow independents to participate in Pennsylvania’s primary. Too late for this year, obviously, but this would radically change our statewide primaries. As it is, we have a closed primary, where Republicans vote […]

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… You saw this? A 200-0 vote in the state House for new gun laws is on par with landing a man on the moon; not impossible; not a routine sight, either.
Here’s what the bill would do, according to the Philadelphia Daily News:
* Anyone simply possessing a firearm with an altered or obliterated serial number […]

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