Top Items:
The Hill:
Dems at odds on how to turn tide on health — House Democrats' drive to overhaul the nation's healthcare system sputtered Tuesday, fueling doubts that the complex legislation can be passed before lawmakers leave town for the August recess. — If Democrats in the lower chamber do not pass …
Discussion:
Swampland, Top Stories from CQ, Salon, Washington Post, The Politico, American Power, Wizbang, Blog entry, Gallup, Associated Press and Jules Crittenden
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Bobby Jindal / Wall Street Journal:
How to Make Health-Care Reform Bipartisan — In Washington, it seems history always repeats itself. That's what's happening now with health-care reform. This is an unfortunate turn of events for Americans who are legitimately concerned about the skyrocketing cost of a basic human need.
CNN:
Senator: Democrats “baffled” by president's health care stance — WASHINGTON (CNN) - As the prospects for passing health reform by the time Congress leaves for its August recess look bleaker, Democratic grumbling about President Obama is growing louder. One Democratic senator tells CNN …
Patrick O'Connor / The Politico:
Blue Dogs get a deal on health costs — Moderate House Democrats and a key committee chairman emerged from a three-hour meeting at the White House on Tuesday with a tentative agreement to give an outside panel — rather than Congress — the power to make cuts to government-financed health care programs.
Discussion:
Washington Monthly, Roll Call, Wall Street Journal, Kausfiles, Wizbang, TPMDC and Patients United Now
Sheryl Gay Stolberg / New York Times:
In Health Care Fight, Defining Moment Nears for President — WASHINGTON — Six months into his administration, President Obama is at a pivotal moment. He has pushed through a $787 billion economic stimulus package, bailed out Wall Street and, on Tuesday, managed to beat the defense industry in the Senate …
Political Punch:
Facing Blue Dog Rebellion, House Energy and Commerce Committee Cancels Markup for 2nd Day in a Row — At 5:54 pm ET the news came: “The Energy and Commerce Markup of H.R. 3200 - America's Affordable Health Choices Act for 7-22-09 has been CANCELLED. — Not a good sign for the Democrats trying …
Discussion:
Hot Air, Wake up America, PoliGazette, FiveThirtyEight, Pundit & Pundette, The Other McCain, HotAirPundit, USA Today and The Caucus
Andrew Malcolm / Top of the Ticket:
Obama White House breaks another promise to reject Bush secrecy — Well, at least it's bipartisan. — The still sort-of-new Barack Obama Democratic administration has again adopted another policy straight out of the administration of his much-criticized Republican predecessor, George W. Bush.
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Peter Nicholas / Los Angeles Times:
White House declines to disclose visits by health industry executives — Citing an argument used by the Bush administration, the Secret Service rejects a request from a watchdog group to list those who have visited the White House to discuss the healthcare overhaul.
Anne Flaherty / Associated Press:Democrats challenge Obama signing statement
Discussion:
Buck Naked Politics
Deirdre Walsh / CNN:
GOP's new youth ambassador: Lady Gaga? — WASHINGTON (CNN) - Politics may make for strange bedfellows — but even for this town, this may be the oddest couple to ever make beautiful music together: House Republicans...and pop diva Lady Gaga. — At Tuesday morning's weekly GOP conference meeting …
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Myglesias / Matthew Yglesias:
The Lady Gaga Strategy — CNN tells us about the latest GOP youth initiative, white dudes whining about taxes over Lady Gaga's beats: … What's interesting about this particular youth outreach angle is how detached it is from any actual opinions held by young people. From David Madland and Ruy Teixeira:
Bob Franken / Politics Daily:
Sarah Palin 2013: A Look Ahead — It is noon, Jan. 20, 2013. Sarah Palin raises her right hand to be sworn in as the 45th president of the United States. — Palin had won a decisive victory over the incumbent, Barack Obama. The country was still trapped in economic rubble …
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Quinnipiac University:
Toomey Ties Specter In Pennsylvania, Quinnipiac University Poll Finds; More Say New Democrat Does Not Deserve Another Term — Pennsylvania Sen. Arlen Specter's 2010 reelection lead over Republican challenger Pat Toomey has shrunk to a tie with 45 percent for Specter and 44 percent for Toomey …
Discussion:
D-Day, The New Republic, TPMDC, Commentary, Real Clear Politics, Scorecard's Blog, Taegan Goddard's …, The Page, AmSpecBlog and Moe_Lane's blog
Marc Ambinder / The Atlantic Politics Channel:
Should The GOP Take The Birther Threat Seriously? Rush Does.... That's the thesis of the First Readers of NBC News, after viewing this astonishing clip from a town hall meeting that Rep. Mike Castle held in Delaware for his constituents. What's most notable, to me, at least …
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Directorblue / Doug Ross:
Obama's Ominous Implication: Euthanasia of the Elderly May Be Necessary — Gee, socialized medicine sounds great — don't you think so, grandma and grandpa? … In other words, faceless bureaucrats in Washington — not your family — will decide whether your grandparents live or die.
Discussion:
The Strata-Sphere, PoliGazette, Pundit & Pundette, THE ASTUTE BLOGGERS, Newshoggers.com, Cold Fury and Balloon Juice
Dareh Gregorian / New York Post:
RATHER'S SUIT AGAINST CBS COMES BACK TO LIFE — If you believe Dan Rather's lawsuit against CBS is close to finished, folks, you'll believe rocks can grow. — The anchor's $70 million lawsuit against his former employers got a new lease on life today when a Manhattan judge restored …
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Gallup:
About One in Six U.S. Adults Are Without Health Insurance — Highest uninsured rates among Hispanics, the young, and those with low incomes — WASHINGTON, D.C. — As congressional lawmakers debate healthcare reform legislation, partly aimed at expanding coverage to the uninsured …
David Kurtz / Talking Points Memo:
Fox News: Surgeon General Too Fat — In what has to be among Fox News' all-time lowlights, Neil Cavuto had a segment a short while ago on whether the new surgeon general nominee, Dr. Regina M. Benjamin, is “too fat” for the post. Seriously. In support of this argument …
Reuters:
GM global sales fall 22 pct in first half of 2009 — * Q2 sales fall 15.4 pct, first half sales fall 21.8 pct — * First half global market share 12 pct, down 0.3 pct pt — DETROIT (Reuters) - General Motors posted Wednesday a 22 percent global sales drop from a year earlier …
Acorcoran / Refugee Resettlement Watch:
Two on TiZA: Using taxpayer money for the Stealth Jihad? — TiZA is the Tarek ibn Ziyad Academy. We told you about the Minnesota charter school before, here. Thanks to reader Mars for alerting us to them, below are two recent stories to bring us up to date on the ACLU lawsuit against the school …
David S. Hilzenrath / Washington Post:
Health Insurance Lobby Cherry-Picks Data in Fight Against Public Plan — The industry that helped scuttle health reform 15 years ago with its “Harry and Louise” ads is back, voicing support for a central element of the Obama administration's plans: making sure everyone is covered.
Discussion:
Washington Monthly
NPR:
Rapper Feud Mirrors World Politics — Listen Now — Some of the greatest minds in national security have turned their attention to a classic problem: When there is one dominant power, the rest of the world tries to challenge it. That's what happened to Britain in the 19th century and to the United States today.
G. Jeffrey MacDonald / USA Today:
Atheists choose ‘de-baptism’ to renounce childhood faith — Up until last summer, Jennifer Gray of Columbus, Ohio, considered herself “a weak Christian” whose baptism at age 11 in a Kentucky church came to mean less and less to her as she gradually lost faith in God.
Real Clear Politics:
Lessons For Health Care Reform — Tennessee was home to a failed attempt at universal single payer care, and has lessons to teach a President who has promised that in pursuing his goal of universal health care, he will learn from the policy failures of the past.
Discussion:
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