What we’re reading:

On Capitalwire: Children’s advocates urge lawmakers not to cut funding –“What would Jesus do? He’d raise your taxes, said Rev. Sharon Easterling, executive director of the Delaware Valley Association for the Education of Young Children.”  Easterling, along with colleagues from Better Choices for Pennsylvania, gathered at the Capitol to voice their opinions this past Monday.  Easterling’s eye is on education, clearly not seeing the heavy weight that our state’s debt must play in funding.  Jesus does ask of his people – NOT THE CIVIL GOVERNMENT! – to give to others (or organizations), but he also says ‘not to spend more money than you have.’  The fact is Pennsylvania does not have the money to fund every education program and it would be foolish to spend non-existing money.  In addition, it is even more foolish for the government to inflict taxes upon its people in order to repair its careless spending.

Follow Live Blogging of Sotomayor Hearing – Read to find out how she answers pressing questions on abortion, same-sex marriage, and more.

Feds Wants Pitt, PSU to Get Stimulus Eleanor Chute, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (16 July, 2009) -“The U.S. Department of Education has directed Gov. Ed Rendell to resubmit an application for federal economic stimulus money, this time counting the four state-related universities as public institutions of higher education.”