Apparently there were lots of catcalls from Republicans when Gov. Ed Rendell, addressing the Legislature during his annual budget address Wednesday, proposed legalizing and taxing video poker. “I do not view the legalization of video poker as the first step in an attempt to expand gaming,” the governor said. The way Ed sees it, there are already 17,000 unregulated and untaxed machines at bars, taverns and private clubs across the state. So why not make a little dough off gambling and help college students pay their tuition?

Fair enough. We have it on good authority that, among the many lighter moments yesterday, Butler County Republican Rep. Daryl Metcalfe then shouted facetiously, Why not legalize prostitution?

For what it’s worth.

Allentown Morning Call reporter John Micek’s favorite part of the day was Rendell “going all snarly” on those House members who heckled him. ”Listen. Just be polite enough to listen,” he growled, according to Micek. ”You’d better listen, because thousands of families have decided that they can’t afford to send their kids to college.”