If you haven’t already noticed on CSPAN2, the Senate has begun debate on the FY2010 Defense Appropriations bill. Typically, defense is the last of the 13 spending bills to be passed because it’s a must pass – ie, you can’t not update military funding in a time of war – and it often becomes a Christmas tree for all the pork that …
Democratic Party
Freaked Out Freshmen
Yes, they’re worried about seniors with paddle boards — in a sense.
As Speaker Pelosi right now meets with her caucus for the second time today and the third time this week as members try to come to consensus on a health care bill, here’s a story from this week’s dead tree edition on what has so many of her freshmen and …
Tuesday in the Finance Committee Markup
It’s easy to get in the wonk weeds with health care, so here are a few quick and easy highlights from the first day of the Senate Finance Committee markup that ended around 10 p.m.
President Obama is in the Room
Not really, but his promises are – namely, his health reform promise that “if you like what have, you can keep it” and his campaign pledge not to raise taxes on American families whose income is less than $250,000 year. Republicans are doing their best to keep these promises fresh in everyone’s mind, while pointing out how they …
Going it Alone
We’ve heard a lot of threats back and forth about the risks of Dems going it alone on health care reform. Here’s a story from me on the challenges for both Democrats and Republicans in flying solo and, in a twofer Monday, here’s another story from me on the 2010 Senate landscape.
Baucus Makes $28 Billion in Changes Pre-Mark Up
For all that Senate Finance Chairman Max Baucus moved frustratingly slowly the last five months – especially to those of us standing in the hall in front of his office waiting for an agreement — he’s moving lightning quick to the mark up. The bill that he will be moving through his committee tomorrow will already have some of the …
Pelosi Chokes Up
The topic of the day on all the cable nets seems to be House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s emotional plea for calm during her regular weekly briefing yesterday.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b1JTAKPcM3o]
The Baucus Health Care Bill: A Work in Progress
I talked to Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus last night after what sounded like a pretty stormy meeting with his fellow committee Democrats last night. Baucus is still sounding confident about the prospects for his bill, but also suggests he is open to some significant changes in it, particularly on the question of making insurance …
Things Dems Hate About Baucus’ Bill
My story out today focuses on five things but I think there are actually six – I just ran out of space. Plus, for some odd reason, readers don’t like listy pieces over five bullet points, I’m told. Actually, there are probably hundreds or thousands of things that lawmakers could find to loathe in this bill – which when actually …
Panetta Says CIA Will Be Absolved
From TIME’s Bobby Ghosh afield in Michigan:
Leon Panetta is confident that the DoJ’s new investigation into wrongdoing by CIA’s interrogators will absolve the Agency. “I don’t believe there’s a basis for any kind of action [against the interrogators]… and I’ll be proved right,” Panetta told reporters in Dearborn, MI, …
Bending the Cost Curve
How one Congressional Budget Office score salvaged Max Baucus’ day and possibly his bill.
When Senate Finance Chairman Mac Baucus finally revealed his long anticipated bill, his Democratic colleagues treated the proposal like the open salvo in barter exchange and Baucus like a used Turkish rug merchant they were sure was out to …
Reax to the Baucus Bill
From TIME’s Kate Pickert:
The Senate Finance Committee’s health reform bill has provoked a wide range of reactions from special interest groups and lawmakers. Here is what the major players have to say in the wake of the bill’s unveiling: