Huw,

Just so we're clear, GrassrootsPA is now a "media site" (nice work Chris), and if any group ever advertises with "the media," it is questionable when that media covers the group?

That would apply to CBS, NBC, ABC, Fox, CNN, and MSNBC - who take advertisements from candidates - the Inquirer, Patriot News, Morning Call, Post-Gazette, et. al., anytime they ever quote or mention a candidate or business that advertises with them?

Or is it only when Grassroots posts a link (out of dozens added today) to CF, that you scream "vast right wing conspiracy"?

Also, I haven't seen much of your vitriolic comments on PolicyBlog lately. What gives? Are we less deserving of your animosity now?

Proponents said the soccer stadium would "pay for itself" from all the new economic activity it would generate.

Peeing on a golf course - what's the big deal? It's not like he raped someone...

Corbett is wrong to say "the jobs are there" - at least not in terms of the number of job opening that would dramatically return our economy to the employment levels of a few years ago - but accurate on the effects of unemployment compensation.

Anecdotally, we are hearing much of the same things from businesses: that employees are refusing jobs - or in some cases asking to be paid under the table to avoid losing unemployment benefits. Now these may not be the best paying jobs, or the dream jobs for workers - e.g., the Taco Bell I eat at weekly is hiring management position - but there is no doubt paying people to remain unemployed increases unemployment.

Unemployment compensation offers incentives for workers to refuse to take jobs, and to avoid seeking new jobs. In Pennsylvania, there is no penalty for turning down a job offer, and little enforcement of requirements to look for employment - two of the many problems with our UC system. Unemployment benefits create a double whammy, in that they are paid for through payroll taxes - and thus extensions and increases in benefits make it more expensive to hire workers.

The economic evidence that extending unemployment benefits increases unemployment is overwhelming. A recent Wall Street Journal piece by Dr. Art Laffer highlights much of this, and these conclusions are mirrored by economists like Alan Reynolds and Larry Summers (Obama's chief economic adviser).

A very recent study finds that each week UC benefits are extended increases the average duration of unemployment by recipients by 0.2 weeks. On top of that, the US Dept. of Labor reports $7.1 billion in overpayments in unemployment compensation.

Corbett may sound "mean", but he's not wrong. We need to reform our Unemployment Compensation system, not extend benefits.

See: http://www.commonwealthfoundation.org/policyblog/...

What, are you saying the homebuyer tax credit was not intended to create a temporary bubble in new home sales, followed by a 33% decline (and a record low)? http://money.cnn.com/2010/06/23/real_estate/new_h...

"Gov. Ed Rendell, who met with legislators on the pension crisis this month, pointed to casino revenue as part of the solution.
Once the property tax relief fund culled from casino revenue is fully up and running, there will be significant tax relief, he said. "

Gov. Rendell has said a number of dumb things over the years, and made countless predictions that never came through ... but I cannot believe he actually said that. Normal property tax increase have already outpaced the $600/million in "property tax relief" by a factor of five. The pension "spike" is a $6 billion crisis. See http://www.commonwealthfoundation.org/pensions

An update: The Attorney General's Office says this relates to the sentencing (to be held tomorrow) of Brett Cott - who they believe is one of the authors of CasblancaPA, and is using the blog to "defect blame and deny responsibility"http://www.pennlive.com/midstate/index.ssf/2010/0... Related story on KDKA:http://kdka.com/politics/Corbett.subpoena.twitter...

However, as CasablancaPA points out on its latest post,http://casablancapa.blogspot.com/2010/05/maybe-th... they have never once defended actions of any defendants - but only posted allegations that AG was ignoring related corruption (or engaging in similar activities himself).

Expect more development at/after the sentencing hearing on this case tomorrow.

PA Independent has a full news story on this: http://www.paindependent.com/todays_news/detail/1...

The most stunning finding, by far, is that 48% of PA-12 voters want Roethlisberger back with the Steelers.

That Green Jobs link is from June of last year. Curious though, the original study also shows PA is 3rd in clean energy jobs lost and also ranks sixth in total jobs lost. This despite millions in subsidies for green jobs and mandates for alternative energy.

How's that working?