All the rest . . .

• The Inquirer takes a look at the start of City Controller Alan Butkovitz's new term. What he hopes to do, his intention to treat powerful pols equally, views on current financial issues, and other speculations.
  
  
• John Baer thinks that the state GOP is at loose ends this year to an uncharacteristic degree, especially with regard to their choice between Scranton and Swann for their gubernatorial torch-bearer.
  
  
• The CityPaper's political notebook looks at the sudden flurry of interest in the Lieutenant Governor's post and wonders why the office even exists (at least in its current plush but ceremonial form).
  
  
• Will Bunch notes that it wasn't just Casey taking a needless position in favor of Alito, but that Governor Rendell weighed in too -- this disappoints Bunch even more, and leads him to discuss whether our Gov, with his call for less "partisan nitpicking," is a man for a different era.
  
  
• And finally, Above Average Jane notes the possibility that we could have a confusing pack of legislators named Murphy, depending on the results of the fall elections. I hope that's a problem we get to have!