The Center for Public Integrity came out swinging Fridaywith a blistering story alleging that “Newt Gingrich is straddling a fine line” by taking millions of dollars from a Las Vegas Casino boss, while at the same time trying to court evangelical voters for the 2012 nomination. But I would not put all my chips on [...]
There’s a fascinating hearing going on right now on Capitol Hill where the CEO of AARP Barry Rand is testifying before the House Ways and Means subcommittees on Oversight and health. Republicans this week released a report accusing AARP of profiting from health care reform to the tune of $1 billion over a decade at [...]
Republican Gov. Jan Brewer, as part of a broader package to reduce costs of Medicaid in Arizona, is proposing an annual $50 charge for patients who are obese. The Wall Street Journal called this a “Fat Fee,” though it could go by many other names: Corpulence Cost, Plumpness Payment, Overweight Outlay, Stoutness Setback, Big-Bottom Dollar. [...]
Iraq veteran John Kamin on Capitol Hill. (Natasha Del Toro) March’s jobless numbers, released Friday, offer some hope of a rebound in the labor market, but things aren’t so easy for Iraq and Afghanistan-era war veterans. According to the Department of Labor statistics, the unemployment rate for those returning soldiers in 2010 was 11.5%, compared [...]
–Unemployment falls to 8.8% in March, a two-year low, as non-farm payrolls swell by 216,000. It’s a good sign of momentum, but obviously the bar for happy news is pretty low. A return to normal employment levels will take a very long time at this rate. –Many conservatives are feeling good about 2011 budgets and [...]
Cairo A few days ago, I vented on the pathetic nature of the Republican Party’s presidential field for 2012, as seen from overseas. And now, again reading the US newspapers from abroad, I’m amazed by the greed-soaked myopia of the “enlightened” business community, in the persons of two of Barack Obama’s favorite business guys, Jamie [...]
John Boehner, who often meets the press flanked by a team of deputies, took the podium alone on Thursday. With a week left before the government shuts down April 8, the House Speaker took pains to dispel rumors of a deal. “There is no agreement” on a pact that would cut $33 billion from the [...]
