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Collins Tries to Stop Bunning Filibuster — Senate Republicans sought Tuesday to insulate themselves from the damage caused by Sen. Jim Bunning's (R-Ky.) filibuster of a bill that would extend unemployment and health benefits and highway programs. — Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) …
Discussion:
The Politico, NPR Blogs, Wall Street Journal, Top of the Ticket, Swampland, pandagon.net, The Washington Independent and Erick's blog
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It's Not a Filibuster You Freaking Idiots — Dennis Miller once joked about those who would mispronounce certain words on the Senate floor, “now color me reactionary, but I don't think you should vote on this sh*t unless you know how to pronounce it.” Well, I think we should amend …


Bunning Blinks? — ABC's Jonathan Karl reports: — In another interview at the Senators-only elevator near his office, Senator Jim Bunning, R-Ky., said he is working on a deal to pass the unemployment extension bill he has been blocking since last Wednesday. — “We're working on it,” Bunning told ABC News.
Discussion:
The Corner on National …


GOP Sen. Kyl: Unemployment Benefits Make People Not Want To Get A Job — WHAT'S YOUR REACTION? — A debate on the Senate floor Monday over unemployment compensation crystallized, at least for a moment, the divide between the two parties in Washington. — Sen. Jon Kyl of Arizona …

Who really gets hurt when GOP's Bunning blocks this bill?
Discussion:
Washington Post, Democracy in America, Right Pundits, Bluegrass Politics, Hotline On Call, Gateway Pundit, Open Congress, Right Wing Nut House, New York Times, The Sundries Shack, The Humble Libertarian, The Hill, CBS News, DownWithTyranny!, The Impolitic, PERRspectives, Left Coast Rebel, Think Progress, Prairie Weather, ourfuture.org/blogs_chrono/*, Washington Monthly, The Lonely Conservative and WLKY-TV

Unemployment Compensation has Broad Based Benefits
Discussion:
Crooks and Liars

Health care by Easter? — With AP suggesting that nine “no” Democrats in the House could switch to “yes,” Inside Health Policy has a timeline: — According to [a] Democratic memo, the timeline may be: Step one: The House passes the Senate's health reform bill by March 19.
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President Obama Follows Up on Thursday's Bipartisan Meeting on Health Reform

Obama Wants Comprehensive Bill, GOP Ideas; READ His Letter To Congress
Discussion:
Bob Cesca's Awesome Blog!


Hotheaded Emanuel may be White House voice of reason — Rahm Emanuel is officially a Washington caricature. He's the town's resident leviathan, a bullying, bruising White House chief of staff who is a prime target for the failings of the Obama administration.
Discussion:
AMERICAblog News, msnbc.com, The Atlantic Online, Matthew Yglesias, Ezra Klein, Hot Air, New York Magazine, Guardian, Firedoglake, The Confluence, Prairie Weather, ATTACKERMAN, Commentary, No More Mister Nice Blog, The Fix, Taylor Marsh, Grasping Reality …, Emptywheel, DISSENTING JUSTICE, Wonk Room, PostPartisan, The Washington Independent, The Page, Ben Smith's Blog, Althouse, Gawker and Jules Crittenden
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Obama to Highlight Cost in New Health Bill Push — WASHINGTON — President Obama this week will begin a climactic push to rally restive Congressional Democrats to pass major health care legislation by hammering the argument that the costs of failure will be higher insurance premiums and lost coverage for individuals and businesses.


Feel the Kausmentum — With the valuable Glenn Reynolds and Jonah Goldberg endorsements in hand, Mickey Kaus' bid for a Democratic Party primary win is looking more solid than ever. — That said, I'm going to go counter-counterintuitive here and say that if some weird process put Mickey Kaus …
Discussion:
Winds of Change.NET
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Coffee Party Parasites — The New York Times and Washington Post are promoting a group called the “Coffee Party” organized by filmmaker Annabel Park. — The Coffee Party is a political parasite which presents itself as something it is not. As reported in the NY Times [see update below] …
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Reconciliation on health care would be an assault to the democratic process — America's Founders gave us a system of governance designed to limit government power and maximize liberty. The legislative branch is different from the executive, and the Senate is different from the House.
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Roger Ebert takes to Twitter to give tea party followers a thumb's down — The film reviewer is aiming barbs at Sarah Palin and other conservatives. — Who's the biggest scourge of the tea party movement these days? It might be film critic Roger Ebert, who lately has been tossing brickbats …

Same-sex marriage leads Catholic Charities to adjust benefits — Employees at Catholic Charities were told Monday that the social services organization is changing its health coverage to avoid offering benefits to same-sex partners of its workers — the latest fallout from a bitter debate …


Ford bolts; Zuckerman rises — Harold Ford gave many reasons for his decision not to launch a primary challenge against Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, but he didn't mention a decisive one: The emergence of a richer, stronger center-right challenger whom many of Ford's potential supporters …


Debunking Some Emerging ACORN Liberal Myths — This post debunks several liberal myths about ACORN that have emerged in recent weeks — many from Eric Boehlert of Media Matters and Brad Friedman. — POSING AS PIMP AT ACORN — Liberal Myth: James O'Keefe did not pretend to be a pimp inside ACORN.
Discussion:
Media Matters for America, StarkReports.com, pandagon.net, The Jawa Report and The BRAD BLOG

Jindal develops extensive campaign organization — For his re-election bid, Gov. Bobby Jindal has tapped into an extensive network of Republican fundraising and consulting firms known for their work for GOP candidates and causes around the country. — Jindal is seeking a second term as governor.
Discussion:
The Page

Cheney group questions loyalty of Justice lawyers — Liz Cheney's group Keep America Safe, which has led the resurgent Republican attacks on President Obama's national security policies, is releasing a video this morning that questions the loyalties of Justice Department lawyers who advocated …