Top Items:
New York Times:
Health Policy Now Carved Out at a More Centrist Table — WASHINGTON — On the agenda is the revamping of the American health care system, possibly the most complex legislation in modern history. But on the table, in a conference room where the bill is being hashed out by six senators, the snacks are anything but healthy.
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Carrie Budoff Brown / The Politico:
Key Democratic provisions fading fast — Bipartisan negotiations on the Senate Finance Committee are moving closer to eliminating two health care provisions favored by many Democrats - a mandate on employers to provide insurance or pay a penalty, and a government insurance option, a senator and health care insiders said Monday.
Discussion:
The Note, QandO, FiveThirtyEight, No More Mister Nice Blog, Riehl World View and The Huffington Post
Mike Soraghan / The Hill:
House inches forward; Senate may scrap public option — House Energy and Commerce Chairman Henry Waxman said he hopes to restart work on healthcare legislation Wednesday after cobbling together the beginnings of a possible agreement with centrist Blue Dog Democrats.
CNN:
New CBO study: Public health care option won't dominate system — WASHINGTON (CNN) — House Democrats on Monday hailed a new report by the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office that they said proves Republicans are misinforming the public about the effects of health care reform.
Discussion:
Wall Street Journal
Associated Press:
Sources: Senators near bipartisan health deal — WASHINGTON - A bipartisan group of senators is closing in on a health care compromise that omits key Democratic priorities but seeks to hold down costs, as lawmakers on both sides of the Capitol labor to deliver sweeping health legislation to President Barack Obama.
Ben Armbruster / Think Progress:
Bachmann blocks resolution declaring Hawaii to be Obama's birthplace. — Today, Rep. Neil Abercrombie (D-HI) introduced a resolution commemorating the 50th anniversary of Hawaii's statehood. The resolution also proclaims the state as President Obama's birthplace, a point …
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Greg Sargent / The Plum Line:
House Dem Putting GOPers On The Spot By Introducing Measure Describing Hawaii As Obama's Birthplace — Okay, this is getting really good. Dem Rep. Neil Abercrombie of Hawaii is going to introduce a resolution on the House floor today that seems designed to put House GOPers who are flirting with birtherism in a jam.
Pareene / Gawker:
Sarah Palin's Gradual Descent Into Incoherency — Remember how Sarah Palin graduated from her fiftieth college with a degree in communications? What the hell happened to addle this woman's mind so much that she can no longer form logical sentences? We went to the tapes to investigate.
Gateway Pundit:
Sen. McCaskill's Office Holds Town Hall— TEA PARTY BREAKS OUT — Senator Claire “ACORN” McCaskill's office agreed to hold a town hall meeting on Obamacare. — A massive Tea Party Protest broke out! — Check this out: — This tea party protester fired up the crowd:
Michael O'Brien / The Hill's Blog Briefing Room:
Voinovich slams DeMint and Coburn for GOP downfall; blames ‘the southerners’ — Too many conservative senators like Jim DeMint (R-S.C.) and Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) are to blame for the GOP's downfall, one of their retiring Republican colleagues complained Monday.
Discussion:
Washington Monthly, Right Wing News, DownWithTyranny!, The Other McCain and Burnt Orange Report
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Aluf Benn / New York Times:
Why Won't Obama Talk to Israel? — IN his global tours and TV appearances, President Obama has spoken to Arabs, Muslims, Iranians, Western Europeans, Eastern Europeans, Russians and Africans. His words have stirred emotions and been well received everywhere. — But he hasn't bothered to speak directly to Israelis.
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Larry Margasak / Associated Press:
AP IMPACT: Dodd, Conrad told deals were sweetened … WASHINGTON (AP) - Despite their denials, influential Democratic Sens. Kent Conrad and Chris Dodd were told from the start they were getting VIP mortgage discounts from one of the nation's largest lenders, the official who handled their loans has told Congress in secret testimony.
David Brooks / New York Times:
The Power of Posterity — Every day, I check a blog called Marginal Revolution, which is famous for its erudite authors, Tyler Cowen and Alex Tabarrok, and its intelligent contributors. Last week, one of those contributors asked a question that is fantastical but thought-provoking …
Discussion:
Marginal Revolution
Julian E. Barnes / Los Angeles Times:
Q & A with Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal — You have said that in Afghanistan protecting the population is the top priority. What does that mean you stop doing? — It means we put as much of our effort as we can to establish security for the population and we stay there so those other critical parts …
Shaggles / Media Matters for America:
How Lou Dobbs scared Rush Limbaugh off the birther story — I can think of three (inadvertent) positives that came out of Lou Dobbs' ill-advised embrace of the birther movement: — 1) The CNN host has permanently tarnished his reputation — 2) The birther movement is officially kaput (like, stick-a-fork-in-it done)
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Martin Feldstein / Washington Post:
Obama's Health-Care Reform Plan Is Not the Answer — For the 85 percent of Americans who already have health insurance, the Obama health plan is bad news. It means higher taxes, less health care and no protection if they lose their current insurance because of unemployment or early retirement.
Washington Times:
Sotomayor snubs the Senate — Senators should snub her back — Senators of both parties should be offended by the evasive and misleading answers Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor provided to written questions senators submitted following her July 13 through 17 public hearings.
Allahpundit / Hot Air:
Must see: Cambridge cop says she won't vote for Obama again after Gatesgate — An amazing clip via Verum Serum. God only knows how much heat she and Sgt. Lashley will take from the “authenticity” police for this; Crowley's a spectacularly lucky guy to have friends like them.
Dana Blanton / Fox News:
FOX News Poll: 60 Percent Disapprove of Congress — Less than one-third of Americans approve of Congress' performance as support from Democrats has tumbled — and as more people identify themselves as Republicans than have done so since 2008. — FOXNews.com
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Stephen Battersby / New Scientist:
Is Pluto a planet after all? — HOW many planets are in the solar system? The official answer is eight - unless you happen to live in Illinois. Earlier this year, defiant Illinois state governors declared that Pluto had been unfairly demoted by the International Astronomical Union …
Discussion:
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