Prognosis improves for public insurance  —  MOMENTUM SHIFT IS DRAMATIC Top Democrats push option in health-care legislation  —  Democratic leaders in the Senate and House have concluded that a government-run insurance plan is the cheapest way to expand health coverage …

Business Fights Back  —  His organization under attack by the White House, the president of the Chamber of Commerce stands by his defense of free enterprise.  —  Printer  —  Friendly  —  “One thing I can tell you: They can go out and chase me and chase the Chamber and put stuff in the newspaper.

George F. Will on GOP lightning rod Michele Bachmann  —  When Marcus Bachmann came home that Saturday evening in 2000, he checked the telephone answering machine and was mystified by the many messages congratulating his wife for something.  “Michele,” he said, “do you have something to tell me?”

RIGHT FALLS FOR ‘THESIS’ HOAX.... Right-wing pundit Michael Ledeen published an item this week on Barack Obama's “college thesis,” which Obama allegedly wrote as a student at Columbia 25 years ago.  Leeden cited some website, which ran a piece in August.

Muslim White House volunteer ÂÂ'misled' about talk show stint  —  Panel had members of anti-Western group under U.S. scrutiny  —  A Muslim member of President Obama's faith council says she was misled about the nature of a British TV talk show on which she was recently interviewed.

THIS WEEK IN GOD.... First up from the God Machine this week is a column from Catholic League President Bill Donohue, published by the WashingtonPost.com's “On Faith” website, an influential and widely-read faith-based site.  (via TS)  —  While Donohue has a well-deserved reputation for publishing angry …

Small Business Faces Sharp Rise in Costs of Health Care  —  As Congress nears votes on legislation that would overhaul the health care system, many small businesses say they are facing the steepest rise in insurance premiums they have seen in recent years.  —  Insurance brokers …

Obama's Minions Are Ingrates  —  The Bush administration did leave a plan for Afghanistan.  —  On October 18, White House chief of staff Rahm Emanuel appeared on the Sunday morning talk shows and, in the process of answering questions about Barack Obama's strategy on Afghanistan …

Dallas police ticketed 39 drivers in 3 years for not speaking English  —  sgoldstein@dallasnews.com  —  Dallas police wrongly ticketed at least 39 drivers for not speaking English over the last three years, Police Chief David Kunkle announced Friday while promising to investigate …

Our Obama-Approved News Team At Work  —  Rachel Maddow is Obama Approved!  So how is this trusted source for President Approved Punditry doing?  Uhh, not so well on the accuracy front, but she still delivers some good Bush-bashing!  Bob Somerby has been keeping an eye on Ms. Maddow, heroically sparing us the trouble:

Arizona May Put State Prisons in Private Hands  —  FLORENCE, Ariz. — One of the newest residents on Arizona's death row, a convicted serial killer named Dale Hausner, poked his head up from his television to look at several visitors strolling by, each of whom wore face masks and vests …