Blog Roundup

• PhillyNow criticizes Rendell’s “inability” to make budget cuts, while pointing to CF’s A Taxpayer’s Budget, which identifies $4 billion in possible cuts. MayDayPA does the same, publicizing the Governor’s “tax ‘em more bus tour” to demonstrate the “need” for transportation funds.
• Giving kudos to gov. hopeful Corbett, the Conservative Reform Network Blog features CF’s graph and facts on school spending.
• Paul Jacob’s Common Sense blog promotes initiative and referendum in Pennsylvania, citing our I&R commentary.
• Orlando Political Press blog dug up CF’s 2009 video “The Story of Spending,” available at BankruptingPA.com.
• Conservative Reform Network Blog posted some elements of the CF-PennFuture exchange, including CF’s original report on PennFuture’s lobbying.
• GrassrootsPA provided readers a link to Matt Brouillette’s commentary, “Can Tom Corbett Keep His ‘No Tax’ Pledge?”

Take a closer look at some other interesting blog posts:

PAWaterCooler.com dissects remarks made about Pennsylvania’s natural gas drilling. First, gubernatorial candidate Onorato claims that drilling is PA’s “golden opportunity,” for revenue. Then the Post-Gazette bemoans contaminated water in citizens’ futures while ignoring the thousands of new jobs created by PA natural gas drilling. This is Thuggery, Hype, and Reason-The Marcellus Shale in Three Acts.

Rep. Tom Creighton of Lancaster wants to pass a bill requiring gas stations with six or more pumps to have one full-service pump. His reasoning is that elderly and disabled people have a difficult time of pumping their own gas and should have help at these larger stations. Vote your opinion in the site’s poll.

John Lott reflects on the “coincidence” of slanted unemployment headlines. He says, “When the unemployment insurance benefits extension wasn’t renewed you get headlines like this: ‘New jobless claims fall to near two-year low.‘ After the benefits have been renewed you get headlines like this: ‘Jobless claims raise doubts about economy.‘ Along with a note about the number of new claims rising “unexpectedly.” Read more on jobs and unemployment benefits.

The Heritage Foundation’s recent piece, The CLASS Act: Obamacare’s Other Public Option, details another costly part of the new healthcare law. The CLASS Act included in the bill will provide a long-term failure of a health plan, one which will probably be subject to “severe adverse selection.” This will leave it as a pool for people with great health risks, causing American taxpayers to suffer for their costly healthcare. However, the CLASS Act requires expensive premiums for five years, causing Obamacare to look $70 billion cheaper on the surface, before the costs kick in.