Quick Update

Apologies to everyone... I've been running back and forth across the state... when free time presents itself, sleep has become the priority, thus the dismal lack of updates to this blog. Hopefully, once the endorsements by the PA GOP are finalized next weekend, I'll be able to blog again on a more regular basis.

Here's a quick update on some points of interest:

• A poll released last week by Franklin & Marshall shows challenger Pat Toomey leading Sen. Arlen Specter 45 to 31%. Were Joe Sestak to somehow conquer the Specter machine to earn the Democratic nomination, the same poll has Toomey walloping Sestak an incredible 41 to 19%. While this may seem like incredible news, let's not get too optimistic too early. With more than 9 months till the general election - a political eternity - and the most winningest opponent in PA history (Specter's won more elections than all PA candidates from Benjamin Franklin to Bob Casey, Sr.), anything can happen.

• Another significant point of interest in the same F&M poll shows Pennsylvania voters approval rating for President Obama at a mere 38%, about 12 points lower than his current national approval rating.

• Also on the national level, our government has invested $2,500,000 on a 30 second Super Bowl ad on behalf of the Census Bureau, encouraging us to be counted. (That's more than $83,000 per second.) Wow.

• Take heart, that's just over a tenth of the census bureau's entire budget to publicize this years' census... they have a whopping $133,000,000 publicity budget alone. Did I mention the census consists of just 10 questions? The math: YOUR tax dollars at work: $13,000,000 per question. Just in advertising.

• And the big news of the day, Senator-elect Scott Brown (MA), is now expected to be seated tomorrow, Thursday,February 4th! A huge victory for the GOP, Brown will be the 41st Republican vote in the Senate, ensuring enough votes to fillibuster upcoming Dem initiatives.