Presidential Spokesman Robert Gibbs today tried to define “wee weed up,” the phrase Barack Obama employed on Thursday to describe the excited anxiety that Washington tends to experience over less-than crucial happenings. “Bedwetting is — would be probably the more consumer- friendly term for. . . ” Gibbs said before trailing off, …
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Krauthammer on Death Panels
Charles Krauthammer has not been entirely unreasonable in the current health reform battle. A few weeks ago, he proposed his own plan: malpractice reform and a government health care tax credit to replace the current tax exclusion for health care benefits–in other words, he favors a single-payer system (the government would be the payer …
Color-Coded Con Job?
On August 1, 2004, just days after the Democratic National Convention nominated presidential candidate John Kerry on a national security platform, the Bush Administration raised its terror threat level to “Code Orange,” or high, for certain cities with major financial institutions. In a press conference to announce the change, which …
Because Television Is Not Enough
Here are the top ten health reform ads of the summer.
Kennedy Prepares For The Vote He May Not Cast
All year, Ted Kennedy, the liberal lion of the Senate, has been the symbolic leader of the fight for health care reform, taking time out of his treatment for a brain tumor to show up at White House events on the topic and spending countless hours on working the phones to further negotiations. But there has been no certainty at all that …
The Afghan Vote
First reports suggest that the turnout is not overwhelming, especially in the Pashtun south.
Latest Column
On the depredations of the Republican Party.
Obama Looks To Heavens (For Health Reform Inspiration)
The debate over health reform, most days, concerns earthly things, like spreadsheets, CBO projections, medicare reimbursements rates, and health insurance qualifications. It’s a tough one to win politically, because not just because it is so boring and complicated, but also because it’s complexity makes misrepresentation easier. So Obama …
Iran Nuke Talks? Well, Maybe Not
It seems the Iranians are walking back their previous announcement about nuclear talks.
The Much Less Secret Life Of Howard Dean, Drug Industry Advisor
Yesterday, I wrote a piece about Tom Daschle, who went on Meet The Press to talk about the need to defeat the insurance industry without disclosing that he was working for the insurance industry. Indeed, Daschle is not the only prominent proponent of health care reform with less-than-obvious industry ties.
Howard Dean, the former head …
Obama’s Russian Muddle
Les Gelb raises some important points about the Administration’s plan to welcome Georgian troops as part of the coalition forces in Afghanistan–and the mixed signals the Administration has been sending the Russians.
What Would Jesus Do About Health Care?
You knew it was coming.
Before we continue, a claim: I speak with absolutely no authority on Jesus, or his views, but I would bet a few days in purgatory that if Jesus were alive today, he would tell his followers not to watch any more cable news in August. Just going with my gut on that one.
MSNBC’s Pastoral-stand-in Ed Shultz got …
Public Opining
The debate over health care reform remains surreal. We are now focused on President Obama’s (sort of) unchanged position on the public option and the late-blooming possibility of health care co-ops as a replacement for said option. This is a foolish diversion from the actual work of health care reform–not as foolish as the Republican …