At least, Kennedy thought so: his refusal to cut a deal with Richard Nixon in 1971 on universal health insurance. (Well, it was his greatest public policy mistake.) As Steve Pearlstein writes in the Washington Post today, there are lessons in that for Democrats. I think Pearlstein’s prescription is generally ok, with one exception: the [...]
There’s been a lot of suggestion this week that Ted Kennedy’s death might be a moment that brings his former colleagues in Congress together with a renewed sense of purpose, one that forces them to bridge their differences, to work together to pass meaningful health reform as a tribute to him. I think Ted would [...]
I don’t think anybody could do a better job than the Boston Globe’s coverage of Senator Ted Kennedy’s motorcade. Now lying in repose at the JFK Presidential Library, Kennedy’s body — in Irish tradition — will never be left alone: family and friends will take turns through the next three days holding vigil. All along [...]
Stars and Stripes, the U.S. military’s independent newspaper, has a zinger of a scoop today: WASHINGTON — Contrary to the insistence of Pentagon officials this week that they are not rating the work of reporters covering U.S. forces in Afghanistan, Stars and Stripes has obtained documents that prove that reporters’ coverage is being graded as [...]
“We’re not in it to make money.” How times do change.
With his beloved blue-hulled 50-ft. schooner, The Mya, twisting on her anchor in front of the Kennedy compound – her flags at half mast – Senator Ted Kennedy’s body was loaded into a hearse at 1:47pm to begin his final voyage in this world. A Washington DC honor guard made up of nine members representing [...]
Question #1: It has been documented that one of the major U.S. political parties sent out a push-poll “survey” asking questions about health care that have no relation to reality. The survey attempted to scare readers into thinking that Democratic lawmakers might use voter registration rolls to discriminate against Republicans in the allocation of government-funded [...]
The FBI’s Highway Serial Killings Initiative has a database of 500 murder victims from along or near highways. This video from Time.com explains what is going on.
Matt Yglesias does good service by reminding us of the 2003 Senate vote on Medicare Part D, the budget-busting prescription drugs for seniors bill that passed the Senate 54-44, even though it wasn’t paid for (it adds trillions to the deficit over time). Here’s the vote: it is interesting to note that the two Gang [...]
Christopher Hayes, the Nation’s DC editor, has a long essay out explaining the history of the Church Committee, which was one of the most remarkable products in the history of any Democratic system of checks and balances. As a result of the committee’s work, we now know, as Hayes explains: [T]he CIA contracted a Mafia [...]
