Top Items:


House may try to pass Senate health-care bill without voting on it — After laying the groundwork for a decisive vote this week on the Senate's health-care bill, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi suggested Monday that she might attempt to pass the measure without having members vote on it.
Discussion:
Ezra Klein, ourfuture.org/blogs_chrono/*, The Swamp, The New Republic, The Atlantic Online, Fox News, The Hill, Washington Examiner, Roll Call, Mediaite, The Fix, The Huffington Post, msnbc.com, McClatchy Washington Bureau, CNN, The Politico, Daily Kos, USA Today, Media Matters for America, TPMDC, Washington Times, Los Angeles Times, Wall Street Journal, Jules Crittenden, MyDD, Maggie's Farm, Repository, Hit & Run, The Caucus, Scared Monkeys, NewsBusters.org, Another Black Conservative, Balkinization, Snapped Shot, AmSpecBlog, QandO, Politics Daily, Cato @ Liberty, The Strata-Sphere, protein wisdom, No More Mister Nice Blog, FullosseousFlap's Dental Blog, Gateway Pundit, TalkLeft, Left Coast Rebel, NewsReal Blog, gopleader.gov, Don Surber, BluegrassBulletin.com, Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion and The Reaction
RELATED:


Slaughter House Rules — How Democrats may ‘deem’ ObamaCare into law, without voting. — We're not sure American schools teach civics any more, but once upon a time they taught that under the U.S. Constitution a bill had to pass both the House and Senate to become law.
Discussion:
Richmond Times-Dispatch, The Corner on National …, The Atlantic Online, Taylor Marsh, RedState, Daily Kos, The Foundry, JOSHUAPUNDIT, Sense of Events, Commentary, Washington Examiner, Fausta's Blog, Pundit & Pundette, Hugh Hewitt's TownHall Blog, Real Clear Politics and Washington Monthly


Pelosi, Slaughter went to court against GOP's self-executing rule in 2005 — You've been hearing a lot this week about the Slaughter Solution, the rule devised by House Rules Committee Chairman Louise Slaughter of New York whereby the House would pass an Obamacare reconcilliation bill via a rule that …
Discussion:
Ezra Klein, Hot Air, The Mahablog, The Daily Dish, JustOneMinute, Confederate Yankee and NO QUARTER

Key Dem: Using ‘deem and pass’ health plan is ‘wrong’ — A plan that would allow House Democrats to bypass a direct vote on the Senate's healthcare bill is causing “discomfort,” a key centrist Democrat said Tuesday. — Rep. Jason Altmire (D-Pa.), a member of the Blue Dog and New Democrat Coalitions …

Hoyer defends tactic to ‘deem’ approval of Senate health bill
Discussion:
The Political Carnival

Slaughtering the Constitution — By: Andy McCarthy
Discussion:
The Moderate Voice, Hot Air, Washington Times, Betsy's Page, Power Line, And So it Goes in Shreveport and Sister Toldjah

What Obama is Actually Trying to Do in Israel — There is much speculation that this kerfluffle over 1600 theoretical apartments on the wrong side of the green line in Jerusalem will lead to a rupture in American-Israeli relations, but analysts who suggest this are missing the point of President Obama's maneuverings.
Discussion:
Ben Smith's Blog
RELATED:

Palin: Hit ‘reset’ — with Israel — Former Governor Sarah Palin, increasingly willing to criticize Obama on foreign policy grounds, is joining the chorus of Republican critics of his confrontation with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, contrasting his policy of engaging enemies with the tough talk to an ally.

The U.S. quarrel with Israel
Discussion:
The Daily Dish, Commentary, Associated Press, PostPartisan, Israel Matzav, Taylor Marsh, New York Times, Firedoglake and The Politico

Dems rebuke Obama administration for Israel criticism
Discussion:
Commentary

Everything David Brooks says about reconciliation is wrong — Jon Chait did a very funny job taking apart David Brooks's column on reconciliation. I want to do a serious job on it. The factual statements Brooks uses in his argument are wrong. Not arguable, or questionable, or suspicious.
Discussion:
Daily Kos, Hullabaloo, Grasping Reality …, The Corner on National … and Lawyers, Guns & Money
RELATED:

The Spirit of Sympathy — Human beings, the philosophers tell us, are social animals. We emerge into the world ready to connect with mom and dad. We go through life jibbering and jabbering with each other, grouping and regrouping. When you get a crowd of people in a room …
Discussion:
The Moderate Voice, Taibblog, Think Progress, Washington Monthly, Newsweek Blogs and A plain blog about politics

David Brooks At His David Brooksiest — Today David Brooks has written the platonic ideal of a David Brooks column. It is in some sense the template for nearly every David Brooks column, but it captured the major elements so perfectly that it almost feels as if every previous David Brooks column has been an homage to this one.

THIS IS CNN?.... If I didn't get independent confirmation of this, I honestly would have assumed the announcement was some elaborate practical joke. Alas, it's true. … This is easily the worst decision CNN has ever made. That the network probably reviewed Erickson's work before hiring him …
Discussion:
Sadly, No!, ECHIDNE OF THE SNAKES, The Impolitic, Riehl World View, Liberal Values, American Power and TBogg
RELATED:

Here's My News: Erick Erickson Joins CNN's Roster of Political Contributors — A week after Christy decided to be a stay at home mom back in December, I got a call from CNN and was asked to meet some people in Atlanta. — Since that time, as you all know, I've been on more than a few times.


New Health Care Whip Count: 190 Yes, 206 No (205-209 with Leaners) — The leadership says they have the votes, but projecting an aura of confidence has been a key to their pressure strategy. Bart Stupak says Democrats are 16 votes short, but pessimism has been, well, part of his strategy.


How High Court Could Change If Stevens Retires … text sizeAAA — In the March 22 issue of The New Yorker, legal correspondent Jeffrey Toobin profiles Justice John Paul Stevens, the Supreme Court's longest-serving member. — Stevens, who will celebrate his 90th birthday on April 20 …
Discussion:
Crooks and Liars, The Huffington Post, CBS News, AMERICAblog News, Above the Law, New Yorker and Main Justice
RELATED:

Supreme Court Justice's Wife Embraces Tea Party
Discussion:
The Swamp, The BLT, Blogcritics, Raw Story, Newsweek Blogs, Law Blog, Politics Daily, Hit & Run, Don Surber, D.C. Now and SCOTUSblog


Court rules Tea Party can proceed with effort to recall Sen. Robert Menendez … A state appellate panel today ruled New Jersey's secretary of state must accept a petition a citizens group filed to recall U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez. — The court stayed its decision to allow Menendez (D-N.J.) to appeal its ruling.


Barack Obama threatens to withdraw support from wavering Democrats — Barack Obama has said he will not campaign for any Democratic congressmen who fails to support health care reform. — The president will refuse to make fund-raising visits during November elections to any district whose representative has not backed the bill.

Tommy Thompson “50-50” on challenge to Sen. Russ Feingold — Former Wisconsin Gov. Tommy Thompson (R) is “50-50” on whether or not to challenge Sen. Russ Feingold (D) this fall and will almost certainly make a decision before the May 20 state party convention, according to a source familiar with his thinking.


Jim Bunning's Back: Blocking Nominees Over Canadian Smoking Law — WHAT'S YOUR REACTION? — Jim Bunning, far from being cowed by the national exposure of his recent effort to hold up unemployment benefits for millions of laid-off workers, is back at it in the Senate.


Holding up the health care bill, Rep. Gohmert shouts, ‘I brought an abortion to show you today.’ — As House Democrats prepare to vote on health care reform in the next few days, tea party activists protested outside the Capitol this morning, shouting cries of “kill the bill.”

Clyburn says health vote could push past Easter holiday — The House's healthcare vote could be delayed until as late as Easter, House Majority Whip James Clyburn (D-S.C.) said Tuesday. — Clyburn, in an interview with McClatchy Newspapers, said it is possible that the House vote …


Obama agencies invoking secrecy provision more often than under Bush — One day after being sworn into office, President Barack Obama instructed federal agencies to ensure government transparency by complying with the spirit of the Freedom of Information Act law.