Top Items:
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.
Discussion:
Washington Monthly, Firedoglake, Think Progress, Open Congress, Newshoggers.com, Alan Colmes' Liberaland, Daily Kos, D-Day, Hot Air and TPMDC
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, No More Mister Nice Blog, FiveThirtyEight, Riehl World View and The Huffington Post
Peter Cohn / National Journal Online:
Plastic Surgery Tax Eyed As Revenue Raiser — Face-lifts, tummy tucks and hair transplants could be hit with a new tax to help finance the trillion-dollar healthcare overhaul plan, according to sources familiar with the Senate talks. — The Senate Finance Committee has discussed imposing …
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.
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Philip Rucker / Washington Post:Sen. DeMint of S.C. Is Voice of Opposition to Health-Care Reform
Discussion:
PrairiePundit
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.
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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.
Discussion:
CNN, Crooks and Liars, Washington Monthly, Wall Street Journal, Firedoglake and USA Today
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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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.
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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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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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.
Matt Richtel / New York Times:
In Study, Texting Lifts Crash Risk by Large Margin — The first study of drivers texting inside their vehicles shows that the risk sharply exceeds previous estimates based on laboratory research — and far surpasses the dangers of other driving distractions.
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:
Robin Wells / The Huffington Post:
Hard Truths and the Teachable Moment: The Gates-Crowley Saga — We've embarked on a national attempt to find something redeeming in the Gates-Crowley affair - to find the “teachable moment.” Obama's gracious and politically astute offer to bring the two men together is an example of what Obama does best …
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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.
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Dan / Riehl World View:
Gates Revises Tax Return Based On Blog Post — I think it fair to say the first and perhaps only place this was reported was in my blog post of Saturday. I dug the recipient's links to Gates out via Google after seeing their names on Joe's documentation that made me aware …
Discussion:
Don Surber
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.
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.
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 …
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