Good morning politicos, and welcome to the Buzz. We hope you your shopping is (pretty much) done and have a good holiday weekend planned. PoliticsPA will be on a limited schedule Friday through Monday, but we will still be around if anything big breaks (Tip for candidates et al: this is not a good time to break anything big).

We will definitely be here tomorrow with the Ups & Downs.

Senate Hopefuls Side with House GOP on Payroll Tax: Several candidates hoping to face Senator Bob Casey next year say the payroll tax cut compromise he supported isn’t good enough. They told PoliticsPA that Republicans in the U.S. House are right to hold out on the deal.

Mike Fitzpatrick: Dems’ Newest Villain: Democrats pounced on Rep. Mike Fitzpatrick (R-Bucks) Wednesday, as he ended session in the U.S. House over zealous efforts by Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer to bring a payroll tax cut extension measure to the floor. It’s making the rounds in the blogosphere.

National
Hill: NRCC hits House Dems on payroll tax
WJXT Jacksonville: Chamber to host forum on Jacksonville’s infrastructure
Pennsylvania Ave.: With 10 Days To Go, Payroll Tax Cut Deal Still Uncertain
Pennsylvania Ave.: Junk Food Marketers Fatten Dent, Holden’s Campaign Funds
Early Returns: More On Pro-Tim Murphy Ads
Transportation Nation: Newt Gingrich: Rail Visionary, Lover of Oil
Washington Post: Arlen Specter
Washington Post: How the payroll tax debate has become less democratic
Washington Post: Name that District contest: Pennsylvania’s 7th district
Sunshine State News: House Republicans Raise the Stakes in Payroll Tax Showdown
ABC News: Rick Santorum and Michele Bachmann Contrast Both Experience and Campaign Style
NPR: Rick Santorum
Hot Air: The Ed Morrissey Show: Andrew Malcolm, Senator Rick Santorum
Politico: Super PACs: The bad cops of 2012
NBC: How should schools handle crisis situations?

Statewide
Daily American Online: Final map plan sent to Corbett
Daily American Online: Commissioners vote to modernize bonding requirements
Patch: Palmer, Forks get new Congressman
Capitolwire (Paywall): Budget Secretary Says Spending Cuts Needed To Address Revenue Shortfall, Predicted 2012-2013 Budget Deficit
Capitolwire (Paywall): House Moves Shale Bill To Conference While Scarnati Sheds Light On Talks
Patriot-News: PennFuture Returns More Than $138,000 To Pa. Because Of Contract Violations
Commonwealth Confidential: Red Light Cameras Stream Green Outside Philly
Patriot-News: Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board Delays Vote On Prices Until January
State House Sound Bites: Feds, State Agencies Scramble To Find Money For Pa. Stream Gauges
Central PA Business Journal: Casey bill requires buy- American on infrastructure projects
NPR: Calls For More Reporting of Suspected Child Abuse
Home Insurance: PA lawmaker calls for greater sinkhole awareness
witf: PA Lt. Gov. Jim Crawley reflects on administration’s first year
WECT-TV6: McIntyre featured in NRCC robocalls on tax vote
Times Herald: Congressional redistricting plan passes in Harrisburg

Philly
Philly Clout: PICA will search for new executive director
Inquirer: Gates pledges $100k to Philly schools
PhillyNOW: How many news outlets picked up the Conlin story?
Philadelphia Magazine: We Can Save Philadelphia’s Sunoco Refinery Jobs

Philly Burbs
PhillyBurbs: 2 in Bucks corruption case lose pension
Daily Times: Teacher sues school over student sex claim
Montgomery Media: Hatboro-Horsham School District to not raise taxes
Patch: Redistrict Plan: Half of Wissahickon Area to Get New U.S. Reps

Pittsburgh
Tribune-Review: State role in health-care rates to expand

Southwest
Tribune-Democrat: Corbett expected to sign GOP version of congressional map

Lehigh Valley
Reading Eagle: State House OKs redrawn districts
WFMZ: Aide: Corbett working on funding freeze
AP, Express Times: Democrat knocked out of congressional race by new district map vows to run

NEPA
Times Leader: Charter limits tax options
Times Leader: Mayor, families dedicate streets in Court Right Housing Development
Citizens Voice: County flood board OKs budget
Citizens Voice: Hazleton increases taxes by 10 percent
Citizens Voice: Corbett plans to limit capital projects in budget tightening effort

South Central
Lebanon Daily News: GOP-drawn congressional map sent to Corbett’s desk
Lebanon Daily News: Could-be senator comes to Lebanon
York Dispatch: Platts speaks on vote to reject payroll tax cut
Sentinel: Wilson to resign as Carlisle mayor, become TV news reporter
York Daily Record: Judicial appointees recall process was political

North by Northwest
Northwest Herald: Are you ready for some Batman?
Erie Times: Gary Johnson to seek Libertarian presidential nomination
Erie Times: Erie taxes headed up after City Council adopts budget
Erie Times: Pa. court tosses sex-for-tickets conviction
Erie Times: Corbett to freeze spending, projects shortfall
Erie Times: Corbett signs into law an expansion of Megan’s law
Leader-Vindicator: Armstrong County budget given final approval
Courier Express: Congress tries to buy votes with jobless payment extensions
Centre Daily Times: Penn State cancels commitment to Fraser Centre
Centre Daily Times: 340 former Penn State players honor Paterno
Centre Daily Times: Paterno turns 85, receives “boatloads” of birthday, get-well wishes
Centre Daily Times: Sandusky court documents
Sun Gazette: Plan tied to grant
Sun Gazette: New teen driver laws start soon
Sun Gazette: County commissioners to seek disaster funding
Sun Gazette: East Lycoming: Planned tax hike likely to be lowered in weeks
Sun Gazette: Montgomery district hires new business manager
State College: Charges Reach 45 People in State College Riot; Total Damage Estimate Eclipses $150,000
Lehigh Valley
WFMZ Allentown: Still no deal for payroll tax cut extension
Express Times: Lehigh Valley lawmakers offer their takes on new congressional redistricting map

Opinion
Daily News: How do we report about our own?
Philly Weekly: Why does PA care about banning Sharia Law?
Delco Daily Times: Silence from Sunoco executives is deafening
Erie Times: Cokie and Steve Roberts: Meet Mitt Romney the heartless
Leader-Vindicator: New districts are reason enough to vote ‘em all out
Sun Gazette: An end run around liquor privitization?

Blogs
Keystone Politics: Democrats Need a Primary
Lu Luc Political Letter: Write On Wednesday: Unpromising Promises
Commonwealth Foundation: Drilling regulations in Pennsylvania vs. Neighbors
Lehigh Valley Ramblings: Dent pledges to continue advocacy for ALL of Northampton county
Lehigh Valley Ramblings: Dent: extend payroll tax cut already
Lehigh Valley Independent: Morning Call’s incumbent protection program kicks off
NEPArtisan: Selling out PA in NEPA: Ken Smith, Sid Kavulich, Ed Staback
Water Cooler PA: Save Sunoco refineries? Get politicians out of the way!
Pennsylvania Progressive: Fitzpatrick walks out on America
Pennsylvania Progressive: Who will primary Bob Brady?
Pennsylvania Progressive: News & Notes December 21, 2011
Above Average Jane: Two medical news notes for PA
Keystone Progress: Even the right wing is now accusing Corbett of inaction in Sandusky case
Citizen’s Call: Redistricting switches Cheltenham back to Schwartz’s 13th congressional district