Morning Must Reads: May 8

In the news: hospital costs, Mark Sanford, Syria, a budget deal, China, internet sales tax, and Obama's marijuana problem

  • Share
  • Read Later
Mark Wilson / Getty Images

The early morning sun rises behind the US Capitol Building in Washington, DC.

  • In part in response to Steve Brill’s TIME cover article “Bitter Pill,” the Obama Administration will release the prices by all hospitals across the U.S. for the 100 most common inpatient treatment services in 2011. It will compare these prices to how much the services cost, as calculated by Medicare.
    • How Much Hospitals Charge For the Same Procedures (Interactive)
  • The fallen turn mighty. Joel Stein on Gov. Mark Sanford’s victory over Colbert Busch for a South Carolina House seat.
  • The Pentagon is stepping up plans to deal with a dangerous regional spillover from Syria’s possible collapse, drawing up proposals including a Jordanian buffer zone for refugees secured by Arab troops.
  • US economy is improving, pushing back the deadline for a budget deal to October.
  • State Dept. official to testify today that President Obama and Hillary Rodham Clinton, the former secretary of state, did not do all they could to stop the Benghazi embassy attack, and then misled the public about what they knew.
  • Facebook‘s support of Republicans in favor of immigration reform have caused some liberal groups to stop advertising on the site.
  • China is engaging in territorial disputes with India, the Philippines, and Japan.
  • Republican Sen. Jeff Flake said he is willing to reverse his opposition to expanding background checks for guns if the Senate bill’s sponsors change a provision dealing with internet sales. Flake was recently voted least popular Senator after he was one of 46 Senators to strike down the bill a few weeks ago.
  • Speaker of the House John Boehner says he “probably” can’t support an online sales tax.
  • Obama’s marijuana problem.