Top Items:
David Espo / Associated Press:
Dems agree to drop gov't-run insurance option — WASHINGTON — Democratic senators say they have a tentative deal to drop a government-run insurance option from health care legislation. No further details were immediately available. — But liberals and moderates have been discussing an alternative …
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Reuters:
Democrats reach deal on health plan — WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Senate Democratic negotiators said they had reached agreement on Tuesday on a compromise on a scaled-back public insurance plan in a broad healthcare overhaul and would seek cost estimates on the deal.
Brian Beutler / TPMDC:
Snowe Says She Opposes Medicare Buy-In Idea — Sen. Olympia Snowe (R-ME) says a Medicare buy-in approach will be a hard sell with her. She told reporters this afternoon that she's not inclined to support the idea, currently being discussed by liberal and conservative Democrats seeking a compromise on the public option.
The Huffington Post:
Medicare Buy-In Proposal Could Begin In 2010 — WHAT'S YOUR REACTION? — There is “growing enthusiasm” for a proposal that would make Medicare coverage available to more consumers as early as next year, a Democratic source with knowledge of health care negotiations tells the Huffington Post.
Suzy Khimm / The New Republic:
Rockefeller: Medicaid Expansion Is Out — While some have celebrated the newest public option compromise as a solution to the political deadlock on Capitol Hill, Senate leaders have already begun watering down some of the strongest elements of the new plan, which is combines a Medicare buy-in …
Prescriptions:
Senate Leaders in Tentative Deal to Alter Public Option
Senate Leaders in Tentative Deal to Alter Public Option
Discussion:
Washington Post, Associated Press, The Politico, Swampland, Daily Kos, AMERICAblog News, Newsweek Blogs, TPMDC and Gawker
Greg Sargent / The Plum Line:
House Liberals Skeptical Of Senate Proposals, Vow Not To Swallow Senate Compromise
House Liberals Skeptical Of Senate Proposals, Vow Not To Swallow Senate Compromise
The Huffington Post:
Health Care Reform Could Skip Final Step, Roll Right Through House
Health Care Reform Could Skip Final Step, Roll Right Through House
Discussion:
Firedoglake, Daily Kos, Open Congress, Hot Air, Glenn Thrush's Blog, The Politico, Washington Monthly, AMERICAblog News and Ezra Klein
Sarah Palin / Washington Post:
Copenhagen's political science — With the publication of damaging e-mails from a climate research center in Britain, the radical environmental movement appears to face a tipping point. The revelation of appalling actions by so-called climate change experts allows the American public …
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Mark Silva / The Swamp:
Sarah Palin: Obama, boycott Copenhagen — In the practice of preaching to the choir, Sarah Palin appears to have all but patented the art of saying what a few want to hear — and it's an all-new tune now. — Palin, who was the Republican Party's nominee for vice president …
Discussion:
D.C. Now
ABCNEWS:
Massive TSA Security Breach As Agency Gives Away Its Secrets — Online Posting Reveals a “How To” for Terrorists to Get Through Airport Security — In a massive security breach, the Transportation Security Agency (TSA) inadvertently posted online its entire airport screening procedures manual …
Discussion:
Politics Daily, Debbie Schlussel, Hot Air, Technologizer, The Lonely Conservative and The Political Carnival
Michael O'Brien / The Hill:
Senate tables Nelson's abortion amendment 54-45 — Senators voted Tuesday afternoon to set aside a healthcare amendment that would have curbed federal support for abortion coverage. — Senators voted to table a measure from Sens. Ben Nelson (D-Neb.) and Orrin Hatch (R-Pa.) …
Discussion:
ABCNEWS, Power Line, MyDD, George's Bottom Line, The Hill, Alan Colmes' Liberaland and Gateway Pundit
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Capitol Briefing:
Senate rejects Nelson amendment on abortion — The measure, which failed 54-45, addressed the scope of restrictions on coverage of abortion services for people who receive subsidies to buy insurance. The outcome was expected, but could cost the support of Sen. Ben Nelson (D-Neb.) …
Brian Beutler / TPMDC:
Nelson: Failure Of My Abortion Amendment Makes It Harder For Me …
Nelson: Failure Of My Abortion Amendment Makes It Harder For Me …
Discussion:
No More Mister Nice Blog
Glenn Greenwald / Salon:
My friend the president — Over the past couple of days, Andrew Sullivan has linked to and published protests from various individuals who are quite angry that people “on the left” are being so mean to President Obama, and several of them are so upset that they have decided they are “leaving the left,” whatever that might mean.
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Suzi Gablik / Virgil Speaks:
Why I'm Not a Liberal Anymore — Maybe the initial illuminating moment came when I learned that Tom Hayden, the anti-Vietnam war activist, had removed the Obama bumper sticker from his car. All I know is that I can hardly stand reading the Huffington Post these days.
John Vidal / Guardian:
Copenhagen talks in chaos after leak — Developing countries react furiously to leaked draft agreement that would hand more power to rich nations, sideline the UN's negotiating role and abandon the Kyoto protocol — The UN Copenhagen climate talks are in disarray today …
Discussion:
Hot Air, Wall Street Journal, The Politico, NewsBusters.org, Gateway Pundit, Newsweek Blogs, Grist, The New Republic, Donklephant, JustOneMinute, Politics Daily, The Greenroom, Watts Up With That?, YID With LID, Plunderbund, Green Energy Reporter, American Power, Confederate Yankee, EU Referendum, Taylor Marsh, THE ASTUTE BLOGGERS, Vox Popoli, Left Coast Rebel, Samizdata.net, Tim Blair and The Strata-Sphere
Boston Globe:
Voters a rare sight at some polling places — With the clock ticking down towards the close of the polls at 8 p.m., some communities reported low voter turnout in the special primary elections for US Senate. — People breezed past community centers, gymnasiums, town halls …
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Political Punch:
Gibbs Bashes Gallup Daily Tracking Poll
Gibbs Bashes Gallup Daily Tracking Poll
Discussion:
Don Surber, Weekly Standard, Hot Air, Gallup, The Huffington Post, National Review Online and The Hill
Andy Barr / The Politico:
Palin: Huck made ‘horrible decision’ — Sarah Palin says former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee made a “horrible decision” nine years ago in granting clemency to a man suspected of killing four police officers two weeks ago in Washington state. — “It was a bad decision obviously …
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Robert Reich / Robert Reich's Blog:
The President's Job's Initiative Doesn't Measure Up — Barack Obama is trying once again for balance. On the one hand, he wants enough government spending to offset the timid spending of consumers and businesses. Otherwise, the jobs and wage recession could drag on for years.
Bob Egelko / San Francisco Chronicle:
White House wants suit against Yoo dismissed — (12-07) 11:33 PST SAN FRANCISCO — The Obama administration has asked an appeals court to dismiss a lawsuit accusing former Bush administration attorney John Yoo of authorizing the torture of a terrorism suspect, saying federal law does …
New York Times:
Obama Offers Help for Small Businesses — WASHINGTON — President Obama presented a series of initiatives on Tuesday aimed at turning around the nation's beleaguered job market, paying particular attention to increasing the hiring of small businesses by opening lines of credit and offering tax breaks …
Discussion:
Switchboard, The Moderate Voice, Washington Monthly, Daily Kos and The Corner on National …
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Rasmussen Reports:
Most Americans Oppose Second Stimulus and Using Bailout Funds for States — President Obama hopes to use money still unspent from the $787-billion economic stimulus plan to fight the nation's 10% unemployment rate, and one of the ideas on the table is to channel money to states to keep them from laying off public employees.
Mark Silva / The Swamp:
Cheney: Obama ‘more radical’ than seen — President Barack Obama, bowing to other leaders of the world, fails to understand the concept of “American exceptionalism,” former Vice President Dick Cheney contends. — “There's never been a nation like the United States of America in world history …
Discussion:
Weasel Zippers