R.I.P. Ted Kennedy

A true Health Care Reformer, and who President Obama regarded as “one of the most accomplished Americans ever to serve our democracy.”

The Congressional Break Has Been Anything But...

As the congressional recess comes to a close, it seems that there are more questions left to Health Care reform than there are answers.

Coming to no surprise at all, yet at the same time politically risky, the Democrats had remained fairly silent in terms of addressing constituent concerns, as only a mere 17 of the 58 Democratic senators — less than a third — were holding town halls back home, according to an informal POLITICO survey of every Democratic office in Congress. And as for the house, of 263 Democrats in the House, 91 were holding public forums for constituents — just over a third. Among those in the red is our very own Senator Schumer, whom I remember adamantly threw himself to the forefront of the Health Care debate and expressed the dire need for public option/strong Health Care reform. Now, it seems as though he doesn't have an ounce of fortitude to hold a town hall meeting to face his constituents, look them in the eyes and tell them that he supports Health Care reform -- or better yet, that he supports a completely partisan reconciliation vote of just 51 votes, indicating that he is willing to force a Health Care bill with NO Republican support at all. So why isn't he holding a town hall meeting you ask? Because he knows his constituents, Democrats, Republicans, and Independents alike, disagree with his policies. So technically he's ignoring his constituent base. Pragmatic? I think not...

Unless the Democrats get their act together, it will seem that all Pro-Health Care reform Senators have become ignorant of their own constituents -- that is, the very same people who have voted them in. It is no secret to the public that that they are simply following the sway of their party, rather than having the courage to question the current process of Health Care Reform for the sake of their constituents. Have they forgotten their responsibilities to vote based on the people's choice, and not theirs? It has become apparent recently that many life-long Democratic citizens across America have even begun to reconsider their party of choice. Democratic leaders believe that by courting Independent voters they will gain public approval for Health Care Reform, but it is clear that they should look no further than their own party. The message to me is clear for the Congressional leaders in Capitol Hill: if America, or specifically an overwhelming majority of your own constituents, is not in favor of the current Health Care legislation, then they must revise the bill altogether to better suit public approval. They shouldn't force current legislation. As a supporter of Health Care reform myself, I have continuously stated that there needs to be bi-partisan support, and not an isolationist approach that the Democrats are currently undertaking. I understand that in today's realm of politics, Washington has never been so divided, from abortion, gun laws, affirmative action, health care, immigration, and taxation to foreign policy strategies. Consequently, the Democratic majority have realized that the Republicans may never compromise simply for the sake of executing through party bias. However, the reality check may not come in the following months per se, but rather in the 2010 and 2012 election cycles in which angry voters across party lines will vote the majority out of Washington D.C. Republican voters will for the fact that they would like to see their party in the majority of course, but more importantly even the Democrats and Independents would vote against the majority simply for forcing policies that are highly unfavorable in general. While they may have the power/constitutional rights to vote however which they please, their voting record will ultimately affect their chances of re-election.

To those Democratic leaders who have done the right thing and stood up to their peers in such times of adversity, such as Sen. Arlen Spector (D-Pa.), Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.), and Sen. Ben Cardin (D-Md.), they still will stand a chance with their constituents during elections even if Health Care reform fails. Their constituents will appreciate the time and efforts taken to listen to their opinions, whether for or against reform. The power of elected political officials, their prestige, honor, and clout within Capitol Hill, lies in their public support. Without it, and they are politically dead. Democrats must hold town hall meetings not only for the sake of having one but to visualize first hand the dissension that their constituents feel over the current Health Care legislation and the hoopla surrounding it.

In any case, Politico recently highlighted the best (rather, the worst) moments in the crazy month of August "recess".

Health Care Reform: Chaos -- What Will Pres. Obama Do Now?

Well, town hall meetings have begun during August recess, and the results are just as I had expected: mayhem. Democratic Congressmen and Senators alike will continue to field hostile crowds everywhere they go, and in a democratic society there is nothing to stop this from happening. Although civilized behavior should be a prerequisite to attendance and expected, the CNN'S Report Card of President Obama's Handling of Health Care Reform is clear: people simply don't like the current direction of Health Care reform, and thus Congress should stop forcing the public to accept current legislation. Modification is necessary.

Yes, if one glances at the poll numbers CNN gathered it states that the "handling" of Health Care Reform is split down the line: 50% approve, 50% disapprove. However, the complexities arise when you analyze the overall grading: while 50% approved, 15% of those who gave Health Care reform a passing grade still rated it a C or lower. Clearly, those 15% like the idea of Health Care reform, but not the direction. Thus, this sends a message to Congress: get back to work. Mark up legislation that your constituents will APPROVE of. Granted, there are those who will simply vote against Health Care reform at all costs because of their allegiance to party lines or simply because of nonsensical hatred towards everything and anything that President Obama stands for. Also, I'm well aware that there is a LOT of misinformation put out there that I've outlined in earlier posts (i.e. abortion funding, euthanasia) which have also led to fairly negative responses of the Obama Administration's handling of Health Care reform on CNN. Since this is the case, town hall meetings should be mainly intended to debunk myths. If some misconceptions are cleared up and efficiently addressed to the American Public (mostly among the senior citizens) I really believe that a legitimate amount of opposition would turn into support. If you're convinced that everything that the Republicans say are true regarding Health Care, think again...

The question now however will be this: How will President Obama himself handle the overwhelming pessimism of Health Care reform, particularly within his own party and its voters? Forget about those who are misinformed or will forever reject any proposal of Health Care reform, but what about those who love the idea of Health Care reform in the United States, but not necessarily the means in which Congress are legislating/enforcing it? Will he entertain the far left who wish he will not budge and remain satisfied with current legislation that has minimal bipartisanship, or will he have a more centrist approach and tend to the Blue Dogs?

A Day in the Life of a W.H. Reporter

Pretty cool behind-the-scenes video how what it's like to be part of the White House Press Corps:

Sign of the Apocalypse -- Bill O'Reilly Praises Barack Obama

Wait a minute, Barack Obama is a certified Democrat, and Bill O'Reilly is praising him? Does this make any sense?! Isn't he a conservative talk show host, and, by definition, operated to destruct any goals/accomplishments/falters by the President? Well, low and behold Bill O'Reilly is for once a real pragmatist, and rightfully (and finally) praised President Obama for his upbringing and how his "rags to riches" story. The American Dream.

Look, everyone knows it's Bill O'Reilly's job to be the conservative that he is, and he should question the majority party's decisions in Capitol Hill to keep them in check/entertain his right wing base. But at the same time, it's good to see a Conservative actually recognize the President's credentials and his life story, and not dismiss it (i.e. Birthers). Politics aside, O'Reilly is one of the few notable Republicans to come out and publicly PRAISE the president, unlike some conservatives who are scared to just because they simply can't accept the fact. and I'll give him kudos for that.

-- O'Reilly's article will be published this Sunday in the Parade magazine. Here's a sneakpeak of the article:

"Barack Obama, a youngster in Hawaii without his parents around, has toughed it out and become one of history’s great stories, no matter what happens going forward," he writes at the end. "What he has achieved in his 48 years is simply astounding. Consider the odds. The United States is a nation of more than 300 million citizens. Only one person is currently the Commander in Chief. That man had no fatherly guidance, is of mixed race, and had no family connections to guide him into the world of national politics. That adds up to one simple truth that every American child should be told: “If Barack Obama
can become the President of the United States, then whatever dream you may have can happen in your life."

As Expected...For the Most Part

Judge Sotomayor will now officially replace David Seuter, after the Senate confirmed her to the United State Supreme Court on a vote count of 68-31.

Thanks to the SCOTUS blog, here's a list of how the Senate voted in the current Supreme Court justices during their confirmations (including Seuter):

Chief Justice John G. Roberts, September 29, 2005, 78 – 22

Justice Samuel A. Alito, January 31, 2006, 58 – 42

Justice Stephen G. Breyer, July 29, 1994, 87-9

Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, August 03, 1993, 96-3

Justice Clarence Thomas, October 15, 1991, 52-48

Retired Justice David H. Souter, October 02, 1990, 90-9

Justice Anthony M. Kennedy, February 03, 1988, 97-0

Justice Antonin Scalia, September 17, 1986, 98-0

Justice John Paul Stevens, December 17, 1975, 98-0

-- Also, due to her relatively early confirmation, Justice Sotomayor will be on the bench for the Sept. 9 reargument of Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission (08-205) and her first full term will begin Oct. 5. as the 111th Justice.

Here's a video of Pres. Obama right after Senate approval of Justice Sotomayor:

Mr. Intangible -- But Shouldn't This Be His Wife's Job as Secretary of State?

President Clinton successfully negotiated with N. Korea to release the 2 journalists held captive for, well, no reason at all by the monarchal government. I'm surprised the state-run media actually released pictures of the Team America: World Police star...

August Recess Is By No Means A Break

With August recess approaching at week's end for Congress, the war that will ensue is predictable: Democrats will go home to their constituents stating the urgency of Health Care and it's benefits for the American people while Republicans will use the time wisely to hone in on the hefty price tag of the bill along with current public disapproval ratings of reform (although I'd like to see the GOP propose an alternative solution and produce their own legislation that can solve this Health Care crisis)

Politico's Glenn Thrush outlined 5 things to watch for specifically during recess.

So far, poll numbers dictate that the Democrats are going to have to go back to the drawing board:

Extremism and Polarization

Due to a rocky start in Health Care overhaul and continuous push for government regulation/spending to stimulate the economy, the Obama Administration's popularity has been relatively low. Hence, one would think that the GOP would capitalize and gain popular support. However, it seems that voters seem to be rather weary of politics in general, and not so quick to jump over to the party in opposition, as was the case back in 2004 with the Democratic surge in Congress or 2008 with President Obama taking over the White House.

As I've stated numerous times before, I really think the GOP would garner greater support if extremism escaped their party. Thus far, there are no signs of improvement:

"The headlines focused on growing doubts about Obama's health care plan and the drop in his approval rating, from 60 percent in February to 53 percent now. But the same poll found that while Democrats as a party had a net positive rating of five points (42 percent positive to 37 percent negative), the GOP faced a 13-point deficit. Only 28 percent rated the Republicans positively; 41 percent rated them negatively."

And if you doubt that there still is extremism, here's some examples given that occurred just within the past 3 weeks, which I paraphrased from E.J. Dionne's article from RCP :

1. The birthers have emerged doubting the legitimacy of President Obama's birthplace in Hawaii (wrote about them in an earlier blog post). Sounds ludicrous, but the numbers don't lie: an astounding 28% of Republicans don't believe he was born in the United States.
2. As long as Rush Limbaugh continues to instill fear/indirect racism, nothing is going to change. Here are his thoughts on the Obama Administration: "How do you get promoted in a Barack Obama administration?" he asked. "By hating white people -- or even saying you do, or that they're not good or put 'em down, whatever."... OR why not throw Glenn Beck into the mix, who said that Obama "has a deep-seated hatred for white people or the white culture."
3. Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-N.C.) said that Section 1233 of the House health bill is an invitation to euthanasia...False. The Government will not dictate which senior citizens will live or die. Section 1233 provides Medicare funding so seniors with life-threatening diseases can consult their doctors on advanced care and be given "an explanation by the practitioner of the continuum of end-of-life services and supports available, including palliative care and hospice, and benefits for such services and supports that are available under this title." GOP'ers like Foxx just seem to twist words to, surprise surprise, inject fear into the American public.
   

As to what the GOP can do to galvanize the American public? E.J. Dionne put it perfectly:

"But to take advantage of the opportunities that might come their way, Republicans will have to make themselves an acceptable alternative. They have not done this yet. Facing down extremism and breaking out of the party's regional enclave would be good places to start."

-- To be fair, polarization is deep-rooted in both parties. Currently, the Republicans attract more attention because are the minority party in Capitol Hill. The truth of the matter is we are divided severely across party lines, and there seems to be no "gray area" or commonground that we can agree upon these days, which is said. The fault lies within BOTH political parties: After his first six months in office, Gallup found that only 23 percent of Republicans approved of Obama. After six months in office, Gallup found that only 28 percent of Democrats approved of W. Bush. David Paul Kuhn states that this is contrary to the political state of mind among American 5 decades earlier, in which after six months in office, 60 percent of Republicans approved of John F. Kennedy. After six months in office, 51 percent of Democrats approved of Richard Nixon.

....Thus the bottom line: extreme partisanship has unfortunately been seeded deep into the world of politics, particularly in the past 10 years. In order to avoid fear tactics and corruption, bi-partisanship and compromise are two words that politicians need to become more familiar with for Americans to regain trust in the government.

Week In Review

Palin Resignation, Beer Summit, Whether our President is American... and oh yeah, Glen Beck joining the infamous list of "People Slowly But Surely Contributing to the Demise of the GOP"...Enjoy.

We All May End Up Needing Designated Texters...

Yesterday the Senate just put forth legislation that would ban texting/e-mailing while driving.

If state's don't abide to enforce such a law, the consequences are just about the same if a state didn't enforce the drinking age of 21: they would have to forfeit 25% of highway money each year until the money is depleted (basically hundreds of millions of dollars).

“Studies show this is far more dangerous than talking on a phone while driving or driving while drunk, which is astounding,” said Senator Charles E. Schumer, Democrat of New York, one of four Democratic senators to introduce the proposal.

The sudden cause of the bill is due to a recent V-Tech Transportation Institute that found that truck drivers face a 23 times greater risk of crash or near crash when texting than when not doing so.

According to the NYT, texting while driving is banned in 14 states, including Alaska, California and New Jersey, as well as the District of Columbia. The New York legislature recently passed such a measure and sent it to the governor for a signature.

Unless you're blatantly texting with the phone inches away from your forehead, I don't know how the police are going to enforce this...

White House Time Keeper

Ever wonder how White House Events are orchestrated? Meet Brian Mosteller.

Mosteller's unique position is vague/endless: he essentially manages Pres. Obama's schedule around the White House and makes sure events/interviews/press briefings run smoothly.

Just to get an idea of one of his tasks:

'Mosteller’s time to perform is long before the cameras roll, coordinating with various offices at the White House and carefully checking off his list of things to do. “I would want to make sure that, if he’s going to a meeting in the East Room, that his talking points are seated on his chair. … Or when there are guests coming, the vice president or perhaps a member of Congress, I work with the mess to coordinate their orders and the little place cards on the table,” Mosteller said.'

How did he get the job? Mollester had an interesting resume built up leading to his current gig:

• Interned with the 1998 Clinton Administration at the White House
  
• Later designated as an Advanced Staffer for both Clintons
• Ran the Utah Olympic Park during the Salt Lake Olympics
• Logistical Planner for Olympic games in Italy and Greece
  
• Heavily involved in coordinating the Beijing Olympics before leaving for the Obama Campaign

Check the video:

White House Beer Summit - Getting Over a Nasty Hangover with Some Cold Ones

By now everyone has heard/talked endlessly about/discussed and had their fair share of opinion of the Gates-Crowley incident that took place. Old news.

What IS interesting though is the humorous curiosity/suspicion of WHAT beers each invitee will be drinking in the meeting between Obama-Gates-Crowly today at 6 p.m. at 1600 Pennsylvania.

In fact, several beer companies are using the occasion to make the case for their own products and why their beers should be downed this evening.

Here's the breakdown for beer of choice:

President: Bud Light
Prof. Gates: Red Stripe
Sgt. Crowley: Blue Moon

...What's even crazier is that I heard that there are a couple of congressman in Capitol Hill drafting legislation calling for the President and his 2 guests to sip on American-made suds ONLY. Get out of here, there's far more important issues to legislate upon.

Abortion Funding in the Health Care Bill? Don't Do It.

Regardless of what my stance is on abortion, embedding abortion funding into the Health Care Reform legislation in itself would be the demise of the bill. American taxpayers have doubts as it is to foot such an overhaul that is our Health Care system, and adding an "abortion provision" might put the nail in the coffin (again). Months of efforts, preparation, and persuasion to introduce Reform will be depleted.

Here's a breakdown of government intervention (financially speaking) with abortion:

1. During the first years after the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision, the federal government did pay for abortions for low-income women using Medicaid funds, treating it as a medically necessary service that was suitable for government reimbursement.
   
2. The practice was halted only by passage in 1976 of the Hyde Amendment, named for the late Rep. Henry Hyde (R-Ill.). The Hyde Amendment is an annual amendment (a “rider”) to an appropriations bill, and it has been included in federal law every year since.
3. In the 1993-94 health care debate, President Bill Clinton made clear that although abortion was not mentioned in the Clinton-Mitchell bill, abortion would have been covered, as would other surgeries or medical procedures not explicitly mentioned.

With the current marked up bill in Congress, the America’s Affordable Health Choices Act of 2009 (H.R. 3200) provides examples of how abortion would be funded or mandated. Although the bill is in its early stages, the mere notion of abortion funding have caused many Americans to preemptively reject ANY bill that will be pushed through Congress, no matter how beneficial it may be to his/her family or even if other favorable provisions are established through the course of legislation-making.

In quoting Jerry Remmers from the Moderate Voice (a centrist blog),

"The decision should rest with the doctor and the woman, the father, perhaps the pastor and definitely not the government...
...I realize this position is contradictory because it penalizes women who cannot afford abortion. Basically, I’m saying let’s keep the status quo under the guidelines of Roe vs. Wade and the Hyde Amendment, passed in 1976, that explicitly prevents the federal government from using tax dollars to fund abortion through Medicaid...
...Abortion is the most emotional among the numerous obstacles facing Congress in its struggle to pass healthcare reform"

Because abortion is such a controversial and divisive subject, I really think it should be kept out of the Health Care bill for the sake of passing a reform bill that needs to appease a solid majority of Americans, as I've said before.

You know it's a serious issue that should be modified when there is dissension within the majority party of Congress: 19 Democrats wrote to Pelosi last month to say that they "cannot support any healthcare proposal unless it excludes abortion from the scope of any government-defined or subsidized health insurance plan."

Diplomacy would be a Win-Win Situation

The WSJ recently ran an Op-Ed by Hillary Clinton and Tim Geithner, Secretary of Treasury, expressing efforts to boost U.S.-China relations, especially in midst of an economic turmoil for both countries. With China emerging on the international scene with economic force driven by an army of over a billion residents, it makes sense for the U.S. to actively engage in efforts to converse and strengthen relations with China to assure a "balanced and sustained global growth once recovery has taken hold". This comes in lieu of Sec. of State Clinton's recent meetings with Chinese leaders to discuss how to tackle global problems and regain economic growth.

They have outlined 3 vast ways to achieve balance and sustainable growth:

For Americans: rebuilding our savings, strengthening our financial system and investing in energy, education and health care to make our nation more productive and prosperous.
For China: continuing financial sector reform and development. Spurring domestic demand growth and making the Chinese economy less reliant on exports. Raising personal incomes and strengthening the social safety net to address the reasons why Chinese feel compelled to save so much would provide a boost to Chinese domestic demand and global growth.

Make progress on the interconnected issues of climate change, energy and the environment.

Broad area for discussion is finding complementary approaches to security and development challenges in the region and across the globe. (N.Korea, Afghanistan, Pakistan).

If At First You Don't Suceed...Give Up, For Now.

After a chaotic and well, lets admit it, failed attempt of pushing Health Care legislation through Congress, the Senate has at least decided to temporarily proceed with other initiatives and bills to legislate upon. I mean they can't possibly hone in on a bill that right now has minimal public support (thanks to the means in which Congress presented public-option Health Care before the floor). It's just a waste of time. They must achieve bi-partisan support first, and that should be accomplished first in the Finance Committee, and then hopefully it will be marked up appropriately and the logistics of funding the bill will be more reasonable to all parties involved. As I've said many times before: Health Care Reform is definitely necessary, and now is the time to sort out a joint resolution for it. Expressing urgency for reform is a first step for the GOP, and establishing a financially-acceptable legislation to act upon should be the top priority for Democrats.

Update:

• Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D-Mont.) continues to negotiate with a few Republicans in hopes of reaching a bipartisan deal.
• Democratic leaders now hope Baucus will unveil legislation in the next two weeks that can then be merged over the August break with a bill passed by the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee.
  

Will One More Fear Mongering Group Please Stand Up?: The Birthers

What had started out as a petty attempt to oust President Obama now has unreasonably grown to a new level of, in my opinion, shamelessness. Just days ago I posted about Rep. Campbell's interview with Chris Matthews, and since then the issue has gotten out of hand.

May I now introduce a conservative group that operates by deceiving and wrongfully instilling fear-mongering tactics to the American public, the Birthers: group of theorists devoted to proving that Barack Obama isn't eligible to be president of the United States.

The GOP party has rightfully regarded the movement as "embarrassing", and members have known better than to even associate with the Birthers, but the fact of the matter is that even if the Birthers get ONE advocate among the Republican Party, it's enough for them to garner enough political clout to proceed with their mission of supposedly "unveiling the true birthplace of Barack Obama"...which I can tell you right now was in Honolulu, Hawaii on August 4th, 1961.

It's one thing to disagree with President Obama and his policies. Maybe even you believe his upbringing was an over-hyped, media-fueled story of the "American Dream" that ultimately led him to the Presidency, and not his experience...or "lack there of". But to resort to questioning whether he, our President, is an American to begin with is foolish and unpatriotic in itself. People need to stop stressing that his middle name is Hussein. Yes, his father was a Kenyan and part Muslim. Yet, oh how we forget that his mother was Caucasian, or that he is a practicing Christian for over 2 decades. And before that he simply wasn't fully engulfed in religion to begin with, like a majority of the youth in America.

Anyway, just to ascertain people that this Birther's movement continues to be an ongoing problem:

• Colorado Republican Rep. Doug Lamborn has received 33 inquiries about Obama’s origins, with 10 coming in over the past week...
• One of the lead anti-Obama lawyers, Orly Taitz, a California dentist with a degree from an online law school, whose clients include soldiers challenging Obama's citizenship, has called on her blog's readers to "fight these communist Nazi thugs and hoodlums that took over our government," and told POLITICO that the wide refusal to take her case seriously is "totalitarian.
  

All is not lost though, and I understand that the Birther's group does not at all reflect the GOP party. Conservative talk show host Michael Medved recently referred to the movement's leaders as "crazy, nutburger, demagogue, money-hungry, exploitative, irresponsible, filthy conservative imposters" who are "the worst enemy of the conservative movement."

Catch Press Secretary Gibbs' thoughts below:

A Unique Breed for the GOP

Saying that the Republicans chose a Libertarian to challenge an Upstate New York District for the upcoming elections isn't even an apt title Assemblywoman Dede Scozzafava, a GOP female lawmaker who embraces gay marriage, fully supports abortion rights

Too best honest I'm surprised she's running as a Conservative. The day after the National Republican Congressional Committee announced a negative advertising blitz against her potential Democratic opponent, state Sen. Darrel Aubertine, Scozzafava warned national party leaders to stay out of the race.

“I don’t appreciate what they’re doing right now — in fact, I denounce what they’re doing right now,” she said.

She is definitely a breath of fresh air in the GOP, and I think her political policies lie more along as an Independent than a Conservative or a Democrat. She's more erratic than a Libertarian and seems to be too fiscally conservative to be a Blue Dog.

The Democrats had tried to match Scozzafava's distinctive political agenda by choosing NY State Senator Darrel Aubertine, a conservative-minded Democrat. But he announced late Thursday that he would not pursue the nomination.

Rep. Tom Reynolds (R-N.Y.), who headed the NRCC for two election cycles, stated Scozzafava's political philosophy the best: “Dede Scozzafava is a ‘what you see is what you get’ candidate.”

...I'm interested to see how constituents will react to such a rare politician running for office.

Why Don't We Stoop Down To a New Low Rep. Campbell?

California Representative John Campbell recently went on Hardball by Chris Matthews to promote his bill requiring presidential candidates to submit copies of their birth certificates.

Why would he even mark up such a bill? Well, I think the conversation below sums up his ludicrous motives behind proposing H.R.1503:

Matthews: “Do you have any doubts, Congressman, about the authentic native birth in this country of our president? Do you have any doubts?”

Campbell: “Chris, my — it doesn`t matter whether I have doubts or not.”

Matthews: “Do you have any doubts?”

Campbell: “It doesn`t matter at all.”

Asked if he thought Obama was “a legitimate native-born American or not,” Campbell responded: “As far as I know, yes, OK?”

..as far as I know, Rep. Campbell, you are an idiot for even trying to propose such a bill onto the national stage in the midst of an Economic Recession, not to mention a $24b deficit in your own state. Also, kudos for unnecessarily instilling fear in those who foolishly doubt whether our President was born in the United States of America.

Catch the debate below:

GOP Support for Sotomayor Rising

Today Senator Lindsey Graham (SC) declared his support of Sonia Sotomayor for U.S. Supreme Court Justice. GOP support for the born and raised NY judge seems to be growing, with a total now of 5 Republican Senators stating their approval. Senator Graham called her "a well-qualified jurist." He added that her "mainstream record" shows that her out-of-court statements on race and gender "don't drive her decisions on the bench."

Glad that some Republican Senators have decided to vote not based on party alliance or to appease to their conservative audience, but rather by qualifications and judicial record: the vital components in selecting a judge.

As of today, here are the GOP Senators that are to vote in favor of Sotomayor:

1. Susan Collins (R-MA)
2. Dick Lugar (R-Ind)
   
3. Mel Martinez (R-FL)
4. Olympia Snowe (R-MA)
   
5. Lindsey Graham (R-SC)
   

Health Care Will Not Meet the Obama Deadline

As rumored and speculated at first, the Senate will not be able to pass Health Care Reform before the proposed August deadline set by President Obama, according to Senator Dick Durbin (IL).

With the Democrats accepting the impracticality of expediting Health Care Reform, there will now be a new mission in place: to push forward a bi-partisan Health Care bill in the Finance Committee by the August Recess.

*Personally, I believe that this is not a loss for Health Care reform. Having more time to work out the kinks of Health Care Reform with those in opposition in the Finance Commitee will only improve/polish the bill for the Senate Floor once recess is over and hopefully expand its support base.

Gov. Bobby Jindal's View on the State of the Economy/Health Care System

Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal recently wrote an opinion article on Politico stating the federal government's attempt to "buy it's way" out of this Recession and his dissent over the handling of Health Care Reform:

"A private health insurance system, otherwise known as what we have today, will not be able to compete with a taxpayer-subsidized government plan, and businesses faced with growing health care costs will opt to either lay off more workers or send employees into the government plan. One independent study already suggested that up to 119 million Americans will end up leaving their private plans for the public plan. To think otherwise requires one to suspend disbelief.

...Let me be clear about something: I have no problem conceding that Speaker Nancy Pelosi, with whom I served in Congress, means well, even though I realize some Republicans get mad when I say that. But the simple fact is that House Democrats are determined to try to tax and spend our way back to prosperity. The past six months have made that clear."

With that said, Gov. Jindal does agree to a consensus that we need reform that reduces costs, improves outcomes and puts patients in control. He requests a bi-partisan approach to Health Care reform, one that:

"made health insurance portable, ended frivolous lawsuits, allowed for pooling, required insurance companies to cover the sick, paid based on outcomes and not activity, used refundable tax credits to increase affordability and incentivized rather than penalized small businesses to provide coverage. Republicans would support those reforms, and the policy would benefit the entire country"

- Unlike other GOP'ers and even some Democrats, Gov. Jindal seems to be willing to push bi-partisanship and reach common ground quickly among Democrats, Republicans, and Independents alike regarding Health Care reform. He recognizes the need for legislation that would transform the Health Care system, which is a start and unlike those who have vehemently opposed the House's version of the Health Care Bill and don't care to offer alternative solutions. They'd rather keep it as it is: fractured.

Fox News ...when will you learn?

And it doesn't end. Fox News anchor Biran Kilmeade and fellow analysts were discussing a study that states that those that stay married fend off Alzheimer's and dementia better than lonely divorcees. Kilmeade took issue with this. He didn't trust the study because it was done in Finland and Sweden, where the Finns and the Swedes have "pure" genes since they only marry within their own ethnicity/race (i.e. Whites marry whites, indians marry only other indians) . Whereas in America, everyone marries everyone so therefore the study doesn't mean anything. Great job indirectly stating your views on how "impure" interracial marriages are...




As stated in one of my earlier posts, the GOP will never be able to regain prominence in Capitol Hill if it continues to have racial insensitivity and homophobia embedded in it's political party. Not all GOP'ers feel this way, but those that do will inevitably keep the party strained and undermined in the eyes U.S. citizens/voters.


At least he apologized?



In the meantime, here's an opinion piece stating the importance of the Republican's need to diversify in order to strengthen/fortify it's voter base.

Utilizing Blogs to Decipher Capitol Hill Drama over Legislative Issues

President Obama has recently called upon, well, bloggers to debunk the myths of Health Care Reform and to continue to pressure Congress to pass a comprehensive bill.

In the 2008 Presidential Election President Obama had revolutionized the way in which politics had submerged in the digital media/internet. It was campaigning 2.0, and it proved to be an effective tool in gathering voter support. Hence, it comes to no surprise that the President is now relying upon the internet to reach out to U.S. citizens over policy issues now that he is in the White House.

GOP: Down and Out...For Now

In all honesty, I hope the GOP transforms for the better and regains its prominence...but in a positive way. Competition within political parties always benefits the ordinary U.S. citizen. I'd like to think that the GOP is now even more willing to tackle issues of racism and homophobia within the party after the evident drop in favorable popularity and support. However, if conventional GOP'ers are still dealing with such intolerable acts in the 21st century, like 24-year-old Rachel Hoff who unsuccessfully ran for President of the Young Republicans after agreeing and consenting to racist remarks, then the GOP will never, and definitely shouldn't, garner enough votes to lead Capitol Hill.

* Interesting Sidenote: GOP domination in the ’80s and ’90s was built on strong youth support for Ronald Reagan; in fact, Generation Xers still identify themselves as Republicans more than any other generation, according to a Gallup polling. Meanwhile in the 2008 election, The 18-29 crowd voted for Obama by a margin of 66-32.

- Therefore for those claiming that Democrats are in charge due to an unusually high number of uneducated young voters who were "rebellius", then what is your answer to the 1980 election in which Ronald Reagan, the Cult Icon of the GOP that Republicans still try to emulate today, was elected to office?

Does Obama Kick Back a Couple Cold Ones Every Now and Then?

The President drinks Natty Lights too?!

..I wish

I'd Like to Use Up Taxpayer's Money for Lavish Resorts Too...

ABC news reported that the WHOLE Social Security Administration went on a lavish three-day conference in Phoenix, AZ last week that cost $700,000. And who happened to foot the bill? We, the American people without our discretion. Unbelievable.

The reason: "We received threats against our employees by people who are in the American public," said SSA Regional Commissioner for San Francisco Peter Spencer in defense of the conference. He said "there is a tremendous amount of stress involved in the job that we do."

Right, and that is why the unemployed are just SO lucky to not have a job at all... a stressful one that is.

Wrong Direction....But the Right Person to Re-Direct

Recent polls show that 35% of the country think we are going in the right direction, while 56% disagree.

Conclusion: It is clearly President Obama's fault...right?

Not so fast, as President Obama's Job Approval is 56%, while 37.5% don't approve through this week.

What this really means is that the American public, rightfully so with this economy, has been generally pessimistic about the future of our country, even with the new Administrative takeover in Washington D.C. While critics may point to the lack of improvement thus far, one must not forget that the Obama Administration has only been in office for 5 full months. People forget that President Obama had entered the Oval Office with 79% of the country thinking that we are heading in the wrong direction through the week of January 13th, 2009, according to Fox News, of all sources. Hence, one SHOULD understand the motives behind the President's push for so many new initiatives early on in Office. He believed that a complete overhaul was necessary right away, for that is what the Americans wished for and needed. Urgency. Thus, Cash for Clunkers was established, the $787 Billion Stimulus bill was enacted, GM was revitalized for the blue-collar citizens, and the hopes of a Health Care reform was introduced in hopes that it would reduce premium costs for middle-class consumers from private insurers and offer alternative coverage (the government's).

With the President favorable approval rating, it remains seen that despite such a somber attitude with the direction of the U.S., citizens are still hopeful in the Leader of Change. There is still an underyling understanding within citizens in that there is only so much the Government can accomplish in 5 short months. I've said this before, but it's taken years of mishaps that led us up to this debacle in which we call our economy, so we must be patient and allow time for the Government to redirect our nation and regain our footing. One demonstrative example which I think sums up the state of our nation currently is President Obama's visit today to Michigan. As Politico put it, "the state that gave 54 percent of its vote to Barack Obama last November greeted his first return since the election with skepticism, doubt and anxiety about the future." But President Obama didn't falter, and he reassured Americans, saying "“I love those folks who helped get us in this mess and now say, ‘This is Obama’s economy,’” he said. “That’s fine. Give it to me. ... My job is to solve problems, not to stand on the sidelines and carp and gripe.”This is the type of leader we need right now. The legislation marked up so far regarding the Cap and Trade Bill and Health Care Reform may not be as reasonable and suitable to vote upon just yet, but the attitude and expressed motives of the Obama Administration does give Americans hope for the future.

Let the Games Begin...

The continuous struggles of Health Care reform has finally reached the Senate, with The Senate health committee approved a massive overhaul bill in a party-line 13-10 vote Wednesday morning. As expected, the Senate has expressed concerns regarding the amount of spending of public-option Health Care.

Also, as reported by Politico, the House version of the bill is dramatically different, with a surtax on the wealthy that may be a nonstarter in the Senate...a good sign.

The prospects of the Senate Version of the bill seems promising, for chances of Bi-Partisanship currently seem greater with players like Kennedy, Baucus, and Schumer.

Senator Kent Conrad, Democrat of North Dakota, said that negotiators continued to discuss some of the most controversial issues including a compromise on the government-run insurance plan that would instead use nonprofit health cooperatives to provide the desire competition with for-profit insurers.

The bottom line so far, as reported by the NY Times is this: "Even the most centrist Republicans such as Olympia J. Snowe and Susan Collins of Maine have shown no inclination to break with their Republican colleagues on the health care measure." - this simply means that the proposed health care bill still needs to seek common ground, even with Republicans reportedly being involved with over a 100 amendments to the House bill.

As always, there still 2 sides to even the idea of a public option Health Care.

On one hand.."Nationwide, health care costs consume 18 percent of our gross domestic product. If we continue on our current path, health care costs will consume 34 percent of our GDP by 2040, and the number of uninsured Americans will rise to 72 million, according to the Council of Economic Advisers."

On the other hand, "Should a "public option" be inserted into the health care market and perform like other government programs, 120 million Americans would lose their current coverage, according to actuaries at the nonpartisan Lewin Group. It's not hard to foresee employers dumping their private provider in search of less expensive, government-subsidized coverage."

...let the fight continue between the Dems and Republicans.

In my opinion, although such hefty price tags have been attached to current Health Care legislation, we must not forget that President Obama promised that the Administration will not be open to deficit spending. Health care reform will be paid for, and it will be deficit-neutral over 10 years. Also, one can't deny that President Obama is trying to cross party lines to keep open and bi-partisan discussion. So let's not loose all faith in this progressive initiative...

House Health Care Bill Released, And Mayhem Will be Unleashed

A day after President Obama met with key Democratic players of Health Care reform, the House unveiled it's $1 Trillion Health Care bill that essentially taxes those in the upper tax brackets to provide "Affordable Health Care for the Middle Class".

In an effort to expedite Health Care legislation, President Obama has also urged various members of the Senate to mark up legislation by week's end.

As I stated in my first post of this blog, I am cautious in the direction in which the Health Care Reform is heading. The House Health Care reform would impose penalties on employers who fail to provide health insurance for their workers and on individuals who refuse to buy it, with costs as much as 2.5% higher than the average health care insurance plan. I don't know if this approach is reasonable, and with a $1 Trillion price tag Blue Dog democrats need to have their voices heard on Capitol Hill. As expected, cuts in Medicare and Medicaid have helped make way for funding the bill, which could accumulate up to $500 million worth.

However, there are certainly many positives of the bill:

• The bill would require insurance companies to offer coverage, without exceptions or higher premiums in cases of pre-existing medical conditions.
  * This provision benefits American patients nationwide, without a doubt.
  
  
• It also would allow the government to sell insurance in competition with private firms, a provision that has sparked objections from Republicans and even some Democrats.
  * I believe that competition, in a business sense, always results in an advantage to
  the consumer (i.e. Technologically speaking, Google's Chrome OS will instantanelsly
  challenge Microsoft's monopoly over the PC world). Prices decrease, and quality
  must always be at least up to par with the next best service available.
  
  
• According to a Congressional Budget Office estimate released Tuesday afternoon, the legislation would reduce the number of uninsured Americans by 37 million over 10 years, with an estimated $6,000 per person federal subsidy for those who choose the public insurance option.

catch the video below:

Immigration Reform Attempt # ?

The Obama Administration had expressed 4 areas of interest that they wished to tackle early on when taking over 1600 Penn. Ave: Economy, Health Care, Green Energy, and Immigration.

With 3 of the 4 topics already heavily discussed and legislated upon on Capitol Hill, the fourth topic of Immigration will soon make it's way next month as Senator Chuck Schumer recently announced that he plans to have Immigration legislation marked up by Labor Day.

Expect extensive media coverage soon in Washington D.C.

Spilling the Beans On Our Foreign Policy

Reports recently have revealed that former VP Cheney had an extensive role in covering up a controversial CIA program to assassinate Al-Qaeda leaders. Because the VP had interfered with covert CIA operations, I definitely believe that certain Congressional leaders should have been made aware or updated of CIA actions, for practical reasons of upholding checks and balances in Governmental interference with the CIA and simply for a broader consensus of the decisions made. Typically, the CIA has varying amounts of Congressional oversight, although that is principally a guidance role.

With that said, I do think that media exposure of past CIA operations regarding assassination plots of al-Qaeda is a threat to our national security and unnecessary exploitations of our foreign policy. Such information is universally dispersed, and not just to the American people. Therefore, such controversial information should be kept within and between the Government and the CIA.

While I may not agree with the article in whole, National Review's Andrew Mccarthy makes a valid point:

"No one expects the CIA to alert congressional leadership every time some agent conjures up a potential operation or to waste Congress’s time with briefings to explain the agency’s current thinking on matters (like how to neutralize al-Qaeda) that everyone knows the agency is working on. After all, if Congress wants to inquire about such things, it can ask. At the same time, if the CIA is about to embark on an effort that could have significant policy or security consequences, it is in the interest of the president and the country that bipartisan congressional leadership be given a heads-up."

Health Care: Let's Set Aside Logistics, Let's Talk About What the Americans Really Want

Facts are Facts:

• More than 90% of those surveyed last fall by the Deloitte Center for Health Solutions said that healthcare costs are a threat to their personal financial security.
• 80% gave the system a mediocre grade or worse.

Although many Americans are skeptical of what Congress has proposed thus far, including myself, change in the Health Care is necessary and inevitable, and that's the message President Obama is pushing.

According to an OP-Ed in the LA Times, "the current system generally reimburses providers for what they do to their patients, not how well their patients stay, which means it undervalues immunizations, routine checkups and other services that can ward off or mitigate ailments."

Therefore, the insurance companies are rather passive towards their patients, not aggressive, because the financial incentives stem from medical procedures such as surgery, not checkups.

The OP-Ed also pushes for greater integration of technology into the world of Medicine. The advancement 0f electronic medical records into our medical system currently seems to be one of the sole points of common ground among all Americans. It will improve patient care greatly, by "guiding which medicines are prescribed, what dosages are ordered and when they are to be administered -- three of the most common sources of medical foul-ups."

Accommodating electronic medical records into our Health Care systems is costly, but it's a price worth paying for.

*Update on Health Care legislation: So unless lawmakers across the board swiftly sort out the kinks of the bill (highly unlikely), reform is not expected to be voted upon by the August deadline in either the House or the Senate, as the President hoped for. The high costs of the bill and the means in which to pay for Health Care Reform has especially stalled talks of marking up legislation among Senate Democrats.

"Working Hard for Justice"...or Should I Say Tyranny

Today the state news agency of Iran, the IRNA, claimed that Ahmadinejad's premature "whitening" of his beard is a result of his arduous "fight for justice". Right...And what does that make Neda's fight for democracy, along with thousands of other innocent Iranians who were killed because they simply asked for a fair democratic election, as "promised"? Foolish and unreasonable?

Sunday Review - CIA/Sotomayor

And The Verdict is Released For Warrantless Wiretapping

The ongoing saga of wiretapping and its effectiveness had finally reached substantive conclusion -- A new government review that was released stated that the efficiency of the NSA Warantless Wiretapping Program executed under the Bush Administration was UNCLEAR.

So after years of supporting this constitutionally-debatable program, the Bush Administration seemed to have falsely persuaded citizens in thinking that such a program would enhance national security. In fact, the CIA said that the Wireless Program had extremely limited value and could not directly link it to counter-terrorism successes.

Political pressure from the Bush Administration seemed to underline the CIA's O.K. on the program in the first place. Wait a minute, the Bush Administration used their clout to push action, even if it violated Ethics 101? Shocking.

Rather than risking a covert program that had ultimately been exposed by the media, with the New York Times uncovering the Terrorist Surveillance Program, the Bush Administration should have been much more preemptive. If the Administration cautiously issued a press release on the mission of the surveillance program when it launched the American public would have been much more understanding and receptive. The Bush Administration should have taken an approach that emphasized national security, stating that the NSA Wiretapping Surveillance program would require sacrifice from each U.S. citizen and some parts of their right to freedom. But that the freedom that every American is granted constitutionally would be abridged for a greater cause, which is to protect the interests of the United States and its citizens, and with minimal infringement. Instead of covertly violating our civil liberties, the Bush Administration should have been upfront of the extensive authority the federal government would require in order to execute the program. Furthermore, in covering up his mistakes in the aftermath of New York Times article, President Bush was too caught up in defending his Executive privileges through legal measures rather than reinforcing the overall purpose of the NSA Wiretapping Surveillance program. Rather than diverting the attention from the legality of the Terrorist Surveillance Program, to a much more advantageous stance such as the potential benefits and evidential proof of the effectiveness of the program, the Bush Administration seemed to remain in quarrels with both Democratic and Republican leaders as well as the American public. Consequently, the Bush Administration came off as an Executive Branch that abused its power of checks and balances under the Federal Government, with constitutional violations underlying their secretive and underground operations.

Congress = Lawmakers Who Sometimes Forget to Read Over the Laws They Make

There has been a on-going vice in Congress throughout the years: they don't even read the bills they pass/vote on. To be fair, this applies to both the Democrats and the Republicans.

The idea of Congress reading every single bill from front to back before voting is unfeasible, for there would be minimal progress in legislation. It is understandable that some bills require urgency as well in order for changes to come into effect immediately for the betterment of society.

However, slacking and skimming through bills that will essentially transform the structure of America (i.e. Health Care reform, which we sadly even have to force them to read) is reckless.

Glad that watch-dog groups are solely devoted to passing a Read The Bill Act.

The Obama Administration has expressed desire to increase and expand transparency, and the only way Congress can achieve this is by being honest to its constituents and re-assuring them that their votes stem from comprehensive research and understanding of monumental bills.

It's All About the Linguistics...

An interesting piece on the term "moderate".

The word "moderate" may not garner as much political unrest among the Republicans as it does for the Democrats down in Capitol Hill.

One of the few times I can say I'm happy I'm not making $350,000+

Ouch. Ways and Means Committee Chairman Charlie Rangel just announced that the burden of funding for the Health Care reform will land on those earning $350,000+.

Taxing the rich a little higher in order to allow cuts for the middle and lower classes has always been an argument between the Left and Right, and always will be. Personally, I believe that taxing 1-2% of the whole U.S. population for the sake of expanding capital across an overwhelming majority of the country makes sense.

But House Democrats now seem to want to hike up the taxes on the rich even more to cover the Health Care bill as well. May be a bit too ambitious...

Here's the proposed break down:

• Married couples making $350,000-$500,000 = a 1% surtax to cover the health plan.
• For those making over $500,000-$1 million = 2% surtax to cover the health plan.
• For those making over $1 million+ = 3% surtax to cover the health plan.
  

* By the looks of it, President Obama also wants to find more alternative means of footing this Health Care Bill, such as by cuts in wasteful spending in Medicare and Medicaid.

The Faithful, Devoted, Family-Oriented GOP

“I came to that conclusion recently, and frankly it’s because of what he put his whole Cabinet through and what he has put the country through,” Ensign said Thursday, becoming the first member of the Nevada delegation to call for Clinton to quit. “He has no credibility left.”
- Wise words of John Ensign during the Lewinsky scandal.

Yes, Senator Ensign not only called for Clinton's impeachment but also said fellow GOPer Larry Craig was a "disgrace". He, clearly, decided to take the high road...by showing them how to REALLY do it.

Oh yeah, Sanford, anyone? This guy has no remorse. None. He just went down for the count swinging at anyone and everyone. Hilarious.

Now pitching for Team Sotomayor...David Cone?!

So recently the witness list was released for the confirmation hearings of Judge Sotomayor.

Among the Majority Witnesses:

1. Mayor Bloomberg? Could only better your chances
   
2. DA Robert Morgenthau? Qualified
   
3. David Cone?! ... Yes the Ex-Yank will be testifying in favor of Sotomayor.

Someone pray that discussions of HGH and Anabolics don't accidentally mix in with the Abortion questions...

1st Federal Stimulus Package= Pill of Disaster?

So I guess our government kind of performs under pressure...

Warren Buffet suggest that a 2nd stimulus packaged might be necessary, given that the first package was "like taking half a tablet of Viagra and then having also a bunch of candy mixed in as if everybody was putting in things for their own constituencies" ... hell of an analogy.

NY Senate

We NY'ers actually elected a bunch of incompetent politicians, all sides considered. Still amazed at how this came about, although it's finally over.

Federal Stimulus Package

Great article about the federal stimulus package. Give the package some time. It took years to get into this economic recession, lets give it at least some months to see the full effects.

However, there really is no excuse for funds not to be allocated to their respective states already, whether it be for infrastructure or urban development. White House officials estimated that the government had committed $158 billion for spending around the country, but only about one-third of that had been spent so far...

"We must let it work the way it’s supposed to, with the understanding that in any recession, unemployment tends to recover more slowly than other measures of economic activity.” - President Obama in his weekly address

---

Breakdown of the Federal Stimulus Package:

1. Infrastructure - Rebuilding our highways, bridges, schools, etc. alongside creating more renewable energy (39% of total)
2. State Relief - Helping the states with unemployment benefits, budget shortfalls, medicaid, and the like (13% of total)
3. Struggling Citizens – Increase food stamps, unemployment insurance coverage, and provide insurance for the jobless (12% of total)
4. Tax Cuts – Tax cuts to individuals and business (36% of total)
   
   [source]
   

Does the G-8 Summit ever get anything done?

There seems to be always talks about new initiatives and progressive policies...but never any actions taken by these world leaders at the actual conference.

If this means anything, a recent draft of the Group of 8 agreement said emissions should be reduced “to limit the average increase in global temperature to 2 degrees Celsius above preindustrial levels.” The final version said the nations “recognize the broad scientific view” that it should not rise more than 2 degrees Celsius.

This seems rather vague -- Should countries now execute and operate on a basis of whether they "hold the global temperatures below 2 degrees?”I have yet to read an article that states how a country would even measure this proposed standard.

GM.

GM is out of bankruptcy...finally.

Another government oversight project, but I think this actually has great potential. People don't realize that without government regulation and intervention in the failing automotive industry, the pride and success of a majority of America's blue collared citizens would be completely debased if the Big 3 plummeted, especially in Detroit--if it hasn't already. America needs GM for economical AND sentimental reasons.

Sotomayor...Activist?

A study by New York University Law School’s Brennan Center for Justice has analyzed 1,194 constitutional cases decided during Judge Sotomayor’s tenure on the Second Circuit and found her to be solidly in the mainstream of the bench. On the Second Circuit, Judge Sotomayor has voted with the majority in 98.2% of constitutional cases and 94% of her constitutional decisions have been unanimous.

-- If Sotomayor is an activist, then what does that say of all the other judges who voted with her on 98.2% of constitutional cases? In fact, Republican appointees have agreed with her decision to hold a challenged governmental action unconstitutional in nearly 90% of cases. Yes, her ethnic race and upbringing has influenced her decision-making I'm sure. But we certainly can say the same for Chief Justice Roberts, Justice Scalia, and the other 6 judges on panel. Each judge brings a unique perspective to the court. In the end, her ACTUAL rulings have proven to be rather consistent with her colleagues, and statitistics show that she will not rule as an outcast who will single-handedly misinterpret and undermine the values and morals of our constitution.

You can catch the whole rundown of the Brennan Center's report here.

p.s. Couldn't agree more on Obama's take on choosing Supreme Court judges:

He said adherence to precedent and rules of construction and interpretation will only get you through the 25th mile of the marathon. What concerned him most was the last mile, one that must take account of “broader perspectives on how the world works.”

Health Care

Let me say this: I certainly think this country needs a public option Health Care system. The inadequate care of those uninsured (and even those insured!) is inexcusable, when compared to other countries (i.e. look at Europe). Critics may say that the Government is overexhausting its power, but how can one justify overzealous insurance companies who offer relatively steep costs to begin with and for the most part don't even foot the whole medical bill when time comes to anti up?
With that said, the means in which some politicians are trying to fund such a behemoth bill does make me rather skeptical. Senator Max Baucus of Montana, who is currently the Senate Finance Committee Chairman and major player in health care reform, recently outlined 12 ways in which Congress can pay for Health Care Legislation. A possible tax on health benefits is costly to the middle class and against Obama's promise, and charging fees to pharmaceutical manufacturers may be a bit too overbearing...

From what I've heard from talks so far, I really think that Health Care legislation will need a long overhaul already, even though it didn't even reach the House Floor yet. I know it's not going to be an easy bill push through--even Obama has expressed the complexity of the bill. Anyway, the big news in the House this week was a the struggle to keep the bill under the $1-trillion mark and to find a way to pay for it -- all while keeping to a July 31 deadline to pass a bill out of the chamber. Glad Blue Dog Dems have voiced their concerns early on.