Baucus and the Threshold  —  So Senator Max Baucus, the chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, has released his “mark” on proposed legislation — which would normally be the basis for the bill that eventually emerges from his committee.  And serious supporters of health care reform will soon face their long-dreaded moment of truth.

Polish PM wouldn't take U.S. calls  —  Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk confirmed today that he declined last night to take a call from the U.S. informing him of the decision to scrap planned missile-defense bases in his country.  —  Two U.S.-based sources close to the Polish government …

Pelosi Chokes Up Warning Against Political “Violence”  —  Speaker Nancy Pelosi: “I have concerns about some of the language that is being used because I saw ... I saw this myself in the late '70s in San Francisco,” Pelosi said, choking up and with tears forming in her eyes.

Snowe: I Haven't Changed, My Party Has  —  It would be easy to over-interpret this statement from Sen. Olympia Snowe (R-ME), but it would be a mistake to dismiss it.  —  “I've always been a Republican for the traditional principles that have been associated with the Republican party since …

Michelle Obama Plans Dramatic Pitch for Olympics, Jarrett Says  —  Sept. 17 (Bloomberg) — A top White House adviser said first lady Michelle Obama is planning to make a dramatic presentation when she offers the closing argument for the bid by her hometown of Chicago to win the 2016 Summer Olympics.

Pro- and anti-government marchers face off in Tehran  —  Ahmadinejad, blasting Israel on the occasion of Quds Day, questions the Holocaust and blames “Zionists” for Mideast wars.  —  Reporting from Tehran and Beirut — Tens of thousands of demonstrators chanting, “Not Gaza, not Lebanon …

ACORN=SEIU  —  Same Physical Address 1024 Elysian Fields, New Orleans  —  SEIU President on ACORN Advisory Board (Andrew Stern)  —  anys12799  —  Maybe we'll see some of the SEIU-ACORN ties in response to the Louisiana Subpoena that requests ACORN and ALL affiliates turn over books and records, and ties to the Rathke guys.

Bankers Face Sweeping Curbs on Pay  —  Fed Plans to Limit How Lenders Can Structure Compensation for Executives, Traders, Loan Officers; 5,000 Firms Affected  —  Policies that set the pay for tens of thousands of bank employees nationwide would require approval from the Federal Reserve …

CALLASHWAC  —  Such audacious payback to Immelt is stunning.  Typical.  We are going down the tubes, America.  —  GE own NBC too. . .the National Barack Channel.  —  Huge bailout dollars went to GE, and Immelt is on Obummer's financial advisory board.  Very corrupt!  —  Sep 17, 2009

Mandatory Insurance Is Unconstitutional  —  Why an individual mandate could be struck down by the courts.  —  Printer  —  Friendly  —  Federal legislation requiring that every American have health insurance is part of all the major health-care reform plans now being considered in Washington.

How Time magazine enables Glenn Beck's lies  —  Four years ago, Time magazine devoted its cover story to a puff-piece profile of Ann Coulter, the right-wing ideologue best known for serial lies and wishing death upon those she disagrees with (journalists included).

Obama: Legalize illegals to get them health care  —  Republicans see a backdoor move toward ‘amnesty’  —  President Obama said this week that his health care plan won't cover illegal immigrants, but argued that's all the more reason to legalize them and ensure they eventually do get coverage.

Analysis: ‘Racist’ claims defuse word's power  —  With the word being used so often, it's harder to define its meaning  —  Everybody's racist, it seems.  —  Republican Rep. Joe Wilson?  Racist, because he shouted “You lie!” at the first black president.  Health care protesters, affirmative action supporters?

Tell Mike Ross and Blanche Lincoln to Act Like Democrats - Or We'll Find Someone Who Will  —  Blanche Lincoln says she opposes a public option because it's “too expensive.”  She doesn't mention that it will save individuals $2000 a year in medical costs.  —  Mike Ross says he opposes …

75 Percent of Oklahoma High School Students Can't Name the First President of the U.S.  —  OKLAHOMA CITY — Only one in four Oklahoma public high school students can name the first President of the United States, according to a survey released today.  —  The survey was commissioned …

Pagan ‘King’ Has Council GOP Nod  —  Dan Halloran, the Republican candidate for City Council facing primary winner Kevin Kim in the 19th District, already has a leadership role in a vast community that very few people know about - or understand.  —  Halloran is the “First Atheling,” or King …

Duo in ACORN Videos Say Effort Was Independent  —  Duo in Sting Video Say Their Effort Was Independent  —  The proposition was outrageous, outlandish, and right up James E. O'Keefe III's alley.  Hannah Giles was on the phone from the District, and she was asking him to dress like her pimp …

The Acorn 75  —  The only way they'd defund the outfit is if it endorsed the war in Iraq or Afghanistan.  —  Printer  —  Friendly  —  Yesterday the House voted 345-75 to ban all federal funding for the scandal-plagued advocacy group Acorn.  Coming on the heels of the Census Bureau's dissociation …

Memo to the DNC: What were you thinking?  —  The add essentially takes a non-issue for a vast majority of people and reminds the world how many czars Obama has.  Geez.  Talk about keeping a story alive.  The RNC should list the ad as an in-kind contribution.

Beck vs. Limbaugh  —  GOP media strategist Mark McKinnon thinks there are two people in the world who fear Glenn Beck — even if “neither will admit it.”  —  The first is Barack Obama.  —  The second is Rush Limbaugh.  —  Beck is on a huge roll.  Over the last month …