A new poll explores Pa. Republicans’ post-2012 views and the electoral college tinkering goes national. Good morning politicos, here’s the Buzz.
Mercyhurst Poll: PA Republicans Support Fiscal Cliff Compromise: Pa. Republican voters think the GOP and President Obama should compromise to avoid the fiscal cliff, a new poll shows. They’re split as to why Romney lost and who is the GOP’s national leader.
Electoral College Tinkering: a National GOP Push? It’s not just Dominic Pileggi. National Republicans are looking at ways to diminish Dems’ electoral college advantage in states like Pa.
Statewide
Capitol Ideas: PA Electoral College taps Obama, Biden for a second term
State House Sound Bites: Massacre prompts vows to revisit PA’s gun laws
State House Sound Bites: PA’s Electoral College gives all 20 votes to Obama, Biden in election rite
PA Independent: Monday’s unanimous Electoral College vote could be PA’s last
PA Independent: WATCHBLOG: Electoral College makes ‘peaceful decision’ official
StateImpactPA: Energy Department to Fund Projects Integrating Solar with Fossil Fuel Plants
StateImpactPA: Cause of Reactor Shutdown at Luzerne County Nuclear Plant Still Unknown
StateImpactPA: EPA Sets New Standards for Soot Pollution
StateImpactPA: “Shale Drillers Eager to Move Wastewater on Barges”
StateImpactPA: Shell’s Ethane Cracker Could Hinge On Act 13 Decision
StateImpactPA: The Macroeconomics of Fracking
Capitolwire: OFF THE FLOOR: Shell cracker’s final hurdles as end-of-year deadline nears.
Capitolwire: PMA, Corbett endorse chairmanship ‘appointment’ via Twitter.
Philadelphia
AP: Pa. justices fake texts don’t violate Wiretap Act
AP: State gaming board looks for key players
Inquirer: After Conn. tragedy, some in Pa. look again at gun laws
Inquirer: U.S. lawmakers from Pa., N.J. look at gun measures
Inquirer: Delco church alleges racism in suit over taxes
Daily News: Phila. schools ‘on high alert’ after Newtown
Daily News: Chillin’ Wit: Alan Butkovitz, city controller
Daily News: City Council still looking at Nutter’s lower-cost pension plan
Commonwealth Confidential: Corbett scoops Scarnati on committee announcement
WHYY Newsworks: Gun laws in region tougher than in most of U.S.
SEPA
Delco Daily Times: Pa Electors cast 20 ballots for President Obama
Delco Daily Times: Marple commissioners approve Phase III of Ravenscliff
Montgomery Media: Upper Salford supervisors approve 2013 budget with no tax increase
Pittsburgh
Tribune Review: Dems nominate former Lebo commissioner for House vacancy
Post-Gazette: Cranberry’s insurer approves $1.5 million settlement over arrest
Post-Gazette: Boehner offer raises hopes
Early Returns: More on Pa electoral vote change
Early Returns: Manchin: time to move past gun rhetoric
Southwest
Beaver County Times: Little Blue Run must close, federal judge rules
Altoona Mirror: Altoona finalizes bonds
Johnstown Tribune-Democrat: Big change for Critz
NEPA
The Times Leader: Lawton 2013 budget includes extra $1.7M in pact-mandated raises, bonuses
Times-Tribune: Half of Scranton’s $14M bond is fees; interest
Citizens Voice: Lawsuit filed over effort to privatize PA lottery
Standard Speaker: Sugarloaf Twp. supers won’t raise tax rate
Lehigh Valley
Express Times: Bethlehem votes no to change garbage system
South Central
AP: With a termination fee, Pa. could end Lottery deal
AP: Pa. table games revenue up slightly in November
AP: Pa. rabbi wins right to perform funeral rites
AP: Retired prof gets 3rd trial for shooting Pa. cops
AP: Pa. woman target of post-shooting ‘good deed’
AP: DA withdrawing theft charge against Pa. mayor
AP: Pennsylvania electors meet to make Obama’s re-election official
The Sentinel: Pa. jumps two spots in national health ratings
Harrisburg Patriot News: Harrisburg School Board looks to “work collectively” with chief recovery officer Gene Veno
Harrisburg Patriot News: Few Pennsylvania congressmen willing to go out on gun-control limb
Harrisburg Patriot News: State employees union and lawmakers ask court to put a stop to Gov. Tom Corbett’s lottery privatization
Harrisburg Patriot News: Rendell issues 5 point plan to combat mass shootings
Harrisburg Patriot News: Pa. State System of High Education coaches’ tentative agreement leaves only faculty without a contract
York Dispatch: Lawsuit filed over effort to privatize Pa. lottery
York Dispatch: Todd Platts leaves office as he arrived: Humble, hard-working public servant
York Dispatch: On an emotional day, First Lady of Pa. delivers books to students
Today’s the Day Harrisburg: The Letter Sent from PA Senators to the Dauphin County District Attorney On Harrisburg’s Debt Crisis
North by Northwest
Erie Times-News: Diehl-Armstrong asks Supreme Court to hear appeal in Erie bomber pizza bomber case
Sun Gazette: County, municipal budgets adopted
Sun Gazette: Mansfield OKs 2013 budget with no tax hike
Opinions
Altoona Mirror: PA paying price for decisions
Johnstown Tribune-Democrat: Deadly trend with firearms | Accidental shootings plague Pennsylvania
Tribune Review: The wind tax credit: bestill this perversion
Post-Gazette: The Pa welfare secretary should live in Pa
Daily News: DN Editorial: OUR SICKNESS
Inquirer: Inquirer Editorial: Zoning code attacked before its ink is even dry
Inquirer: Closing schools with care
Inquirer: Critical audit should be released
Inquirer: Inquirer Editorial: Children’s lives worth action
The Sentinel: Sentinel View: Back to the drawing board
York Daily Record: Out take: Newtown could look to Amish, Bentzel for healing help
York Dispatch: OP-ED: Unreason on health care
Lancaster Intelligencer/Era: No more free rides on ‘pike
Lancaster Intelligencer/Era: Off the rails
Lebanon Daily News: The terrifying norm
Blogs
Keystone Politics: The Case for a $1 Bottle Deposit Law
Keystone Politics: Trade Proportional Electoral College Votes for Proportional Congressional Elections
Keystone Politics: Allentown’s Housing Shortage
2 Political Junkies: The Trib Leaving Stuff Out. Again.