Health-care bill wouldn't bring real reform  —  If I were a senator, I would not vote for the current health-care bill.  Any measure that expands private insurers' monopoly over health care and transfers millions of taxpayer dollars to private corporations is not real health-care reform.

ClimateGate Just Got Much, Much Bigger  —  Over at ICECAP.us Meteorologist Joe D'Aleo has posted an item on a “Russian Bombshell” highly relevant to the ClimateGate scandal.  The Russian media first posted the story and now some Brits are loving it.  —  The long and the short …

What the Russian papers say  —  MOSCOW, December 16 (RIA Novosti) Russia trading in diplomatic recognition / U.S. uses NATO as a tool to integrate Russia into its project for a new world order - expert / New round of struggle to end Cold War / Russia affected by Climategate /

20 Questions for Bill Killers  —  1. Over the medium term, how many other opportunities will exist to provide in excess of $100 billion per year in public subsidies to poor and sick people?  —  2. Would a bill that contained $50 billion in additional subsidies for people making less than 250% of poverty be acceptable?

Vote by Christmas in peril  —  Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid's plan to pass the Senate health care reform bill by Christmas looked increasingly in doubt Wednesday, as Republicans launched an offensive to stall the legislation and Democrats had yet to strike a 60-vote compromise.

China says it can't see reaching agreement on climate pact  —  COPENHAGEN — China has told participants in the U.N.-sponsored climate talks that it cannot envision reaching an immediate, operational accord out of the negotiations here, according to an official involved in the talks.

Penny Wong jeered, Hugo Chavez cheered  —  THE Copenhagen climate summit was pretty much summed up in the high-level segment yesterday when Penny Wong's speech was interrupted by whistles and chanting and Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez got a standing ovation.