Monday news and bits

• These short political bits at the Inquirer are often entertaining -- noteworthy this time is the second piece, in which Campbell's financial shenanigans past, far from bringing reproach, become institutionalized.
  
  
• Looks like Harrisburg won't be getting much done in the remainder of the fall, with this week the last regular business week before the election, and very few work days scheduled for the lame duck session that comprises the rest of November and December. A prod to those hoping to get a last few things (lobbyist disclosure, anyone?) pushed through, a relief for those concerned about what damage might be wrought (stripping Philadelphia of say over its waterfront, maybe?)... The bottom of the article lists a series of issues and the current state of related legislation.
  
  
• Weldon-Sestak race a hot one, with veterans, in particular, divided between the two.
  
  
• A YPP poster gives a lengthy report of the joint fundraiser held for Murphy, Murphy, and Sestak, and featuring Hillary Clinton.
  
  
• Tom Ferrick made some live notes during the daytime Senate debate (on radio); their next/last TV appearance is tonight.
  
  
• Unsure how to use the voting booths at your polling place? You can use this tutorial, tailored to the system used in your (Pennsylvania) county.
  (via Suburban Guerilla, via PhillyFuture)
  
  
• Friedman at America's Hometown points us to Cities on a Hill, a sort of ideas-sharing project for city planning and public policy folks. Not sure what to make of the prominence of "market-friendly" among their descriptors.
  
  
• Sty thinks better enforcement of current gun laws would do the trick for fixing traffic in illicit guns.
  
  
• The Inquirer endorses Fattah for Congress. Whoopie.
  
  
• The Urban Warrior razzes the city for dragging its heels on an offer of free medical equipment and training for recreation centers.
  
  
• A DN opinion piece offers what it means to be a liberal, by way of ten points. Not a bad boiling-down.
  
  
• I didn't mention this critique of Nutter's suggestion that the city declare an emergency before, in part because it was posted a week after the news and didn't seem to add much. But all sorts of people have subsequently weighed in, including several current and would-be City Councilfolk, and it's become an interesting combination of policy discussion and historical review (along with some sniping and personal jabs) that is worth a read if you're interested in solutions to Philadelphia's violence problems. At least some good food for thought.