Bird’s-Eye View

In case you missed it, the major engagement between Democratic Gov. Ed Rendell’s administration and the Senate Republican Caucus over insuring the uninsured goes to the latter:
The prospect of expanding subsidized health coverage to thousands of uninsured Pennsylvanians before the end of the year died Wednesday, as Gov. Ed Rendell and Senate Republicans failed to […]

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Lancaster County’s own state Rep. John Bear, a Lititz Republican, is hoping to cap his first two-year term with passage of a health care bill for veterans. Bear’s legislation, which would provide better access to better access to low-cost prescription drugs for veterans in long-term care facilities, passed the state House unanimously Tuesday 198-0.
The bill’s […]

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Jon Baer of the Philadelphia Daily News penned a sharp op-ed noting how not only did taxpayers fund the illegal bonuses alledgedly dolled out to legislative staffers for campaign work, but taxpayers also paid for attorney fees, a double whammy Baer notes:
As reported by the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review and the Associated Press, House Democrats paid more […]

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We come to it at last. State Attorney General Tom Corbett is set to appear at a 2 p.m. press conference to announce criminal charges related to an investigation into whether legislative employees were paid illegal bonuses for campaign work. How widespread the net will be - current lawmakers, former lawmakers, current or former staffers […]

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Breathe a sigh of relief. Call off the search dogs. The kids can come out the play, again.
Late last night, Gov. Ed Rendell announced an agreement between his office and the Legislature over a budget that was more than $500 million less than what Rendell wanted. Here’s some details from his press release:
The Governor said […]

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As Aerosmith once said, “I’m back in the saddle, again!” Had a couple of nice days off, and I see the political arena has gotten itself in a frenzy.
Some random thoughts:
Obama foregoes public financing
I spent a couple of days with close friends in York County. One of them - mother of two, college educated, someone I […]

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The state Senate State Government Committee approved a bill sponsored by Sen. Mike Folmer, a Lebanon County Republican who represents a slice of Lancaster County, that would put a tag on all advertising done by the state.
From his news release:
The legislation requires all advertising by state government to bear the following disclaimer: “Paid for with Pennsylvania […]

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The state Senate this afternoon passed a tax cut package. From the Associated Press:
The four bills that passed Monday are a Republican plan to deliver relief to businesses and low-income taxpayers and to jump-start a sluggish economy.
But Democrats argued against the bills, saying now isn’t the time to cut taxes, when the state is scrounging […]

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I don’t get it. The state Senate reversed course just a few moments ago and approved the same smoking ban bill they voted down last week. Today’s vote was 41-9 in favor. Last week’s vote was 31-19 against. The same exemptions (bars and taverns with 20 percent or less revenue from food; cigar bars; private […]

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We at the Nest are taking out our Army helmets. The political bombs at the state Capitol are flying back and forth as Republicans and Democrats launch daily salvos. Here’s today’s damage report:

Senate Republicans unveiled their own health care reform package they say only costs $100 million and would cover 500,000 Pennsylvanians currently uninsured. That’s […]

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