My reaction to today’s sudden silliness is below. But both Jonathan Cohn of the New Republic and Ezra Klein of the Washington Post have weighed in as well–and they are two of the wisest, best-informed health care wonks extant. This issue is just too serious for preening or ranting. There are millions of poor people [...]
When Republican Sen. Tom Coburn forced the the reading of a 767-page single-payer amendment from Bernie Sanders – a task estimated to take 8-12 hours – it looked like most of us could pack it in for the day. But after nearly three hours of reading, Sanders found a way to stop the madness. He [...]
TIME’s Bobby Ghosh files this report: For only the second time in the CIA’s history, a woman has risen to the No. 3 position. Director Leon Panetta today announced that Stephanie O’Sullivan is the new Associate Deputy Director, replacing Scott White, a 39-year veteran who is retiring. O’Sullivan is among a tiny number of women [...]
They really don’t pay the clerks of the Senate nearly enough to make them do this. Some day, in my next career as Senate Parliamentarian, I am going to rule that if a Senator wants to waste time like this, he (I’m looking at you, Tom Coburn) should be forced to read the darn thing [...]
Ben Smith is reporting that the Deaniacs are now campaigning against the individual mandate, an absolutely central and crucial part of health care reform. This, and assorted nonsense from left-bloggers in high dudgeon, and assorted dilatory narcissism from the likes of Ben Nelson and Roland Burris, calls into question the ability of the Democratic Party [...]
Heeeeeeeere we go. Right now in the Senate chamber, GOP delay tactics on the Democratic health care reform bill are in full swing. The Senate clerk is reading out aloud the text of an amendment by Sen. Bernie Sanders that would insert a single-payer system into the health care bill. The process of verbally entering [...]
Here is Michael Grunwald’s excellent profile, and Rick Stengel’s explanation of how the Fed Chairman was chosen Person of the Year. So tell us, Swampland commenters: Did TIME make the right pick?
Stanley McChrystal who, if he succeeds in Afghanistan, will be person of the year in 2011.
Tonight the Senate began voting on amendments to the health care bill for the first time in days. Near the top of the agenda: an amendment from Democratic Sen. Byron Dorgan that would have allowed U.S. pharmacies and drug wholesalers to “reimport” drugs from foreign countries. It was was voted down 51-48. (Amendments need 60 [...]
