Archive
House Inches Toward Senate on Biz Tax Breaks
Trying to break a House-Senate stalemate over competing minimum wage bills, Rep. Charlie Rangel is planning on moving a bill with $1 billion in business tax breaks, separate from the minimum wage bill, according to CQ Today. That's much smaller than the $8.3 billion...
The Universal Health Care Debate Is Over
If the head of Wal-Mart and the head of Wal-Mart Watch agree we need universal health care, then we need universal health care. QED. McClatchy Newspapers has the story: A group of businesses and labor unions - led by Wal-Mart and one of the retailer's staunchest...
Bloggingheads.tv
Earlier today, Bloggingheads.tv posted a diavlog between Eric Alterman and myself. Among other topics, we discussed how the Senate should deal with the conservative minority seeking to thwart priorities shared by Campaign for America's Future. You can jump to that...
Edwards Gives Nod Toward "Health Care For America"
Yesterday, presidential hopeful John Edwards announced a health care plan titled, Universal Health Care Through Shared Responsibility. The New Republic reports today that a core feature of the plan is "the essential idea behind another health care reform plan that has...
Bush Flinches on Big Oil Subsidies
CQ Today notes that on subsidies to Big Oil, the Bush budget proposal actually inches towards the recently passed House bill, which takes back $14 billion in giveaways and invests it in renewable energy. CQ reports: In a nod to Democrats seeking to end subsidies for...
Bush Budget: Last Gasp of Conservative Failure
When President released his budget today, it once again showed the limits of the conservative message. Like many conservative leaders, Bush knows he can't rally the public by pledging to deny funds for goals deemed important by the voters, like health care, energy...
Krugman, on Crippling Our Civil Service
Today, NY Times columnist Paul Krugman picks up on my earlier post, about how President Bush is following a 2001 Heritage Foundation white paper dictating how to undermine our civil service, ensuring our government doesn't work for us. The piece is behind the Times...
Bush Swings Medicare Ax
President Bush's budget comes out next week, and today's NY Times headline says he wants "Big Medicare and Medicaid Saving". That means big cuts. Cuts where? Less money for middle-class kids in the Children's Health Insurance Program. (Here, the NYT uses White...
PA Moves Toward Cleaner Energy
Yesterday, Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell sought to fill the leadership vacuum on energy independence, left by the Bush White House. Rendell announced a plan for a $850M Energy Independence Fund, which would create financial incentives for citizens to install solar...
If You Can't Beat 'Em ... Bribe 'Em And Brainwash Their Kids
The latest report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the "world's leading authority" on the issue with scientists from 113 nations, was released this morning. And as the NY Times reports, it's "the first time the group asserted with near certainty —...
