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AARP COMES THROUGH IN THE CLUTCH?.... In August, at a town-hall meeting in New Hampshire, President Obama talked about the broad support that exists for health care reform. The coalition, he noted, included the American Medical Association and Americ...
THE GIFT THAT KEEPS ON GIVING.... Back in August, Jon Stewart did a segment on South Carolina, kicked off by a report about a South Carolinian who loved his horse just a little too much (twice). Stewart said, "We here...
THE LONG-SOUGHT, STILL-ELUSIVE GOP ALTERNATIVE.... When pressed on why Democrats are moving forward with a health care reform plan, while Republicans haven't offered a proposal of their own, GOP leaders will routinely say there are a handful of R...
MEDICARE PART E.... The first time I ran across someone calling the public option "Medicare Part E" was a month ago, when Mark Kleiman recommended it. Apparently, Thom Hartmann started using the same phrase in early September. And while we&...
CIRCUMVENTING THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.... The fall has not been especially kind to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. It's lost some high-profile corporate members; its membership ranks have been exposed as exaggerated; and its leadership has been emb...
ANOTHER MONTH, ANOTHER EXCUSE.... That Joe Lieberman would rather kill health care reform than let some consumer choose between competing public and private plans isn't exactly new. I continue to find it fascinating, though, to see his evolving...
BIG DIFFERENCE IN LITTLE ROCK.... In October, MSNBC's Keith Olbermann helped raise $1.2 million for the National Association of Free Clinics, which in turn led to events in Little Rock, Kansas City, and New Orleans where the uninsured could get...
REFRESHING LIEBERMAN'S MEMORY.... When it comes to the larger health care reform debate, the public option is a pretty new idea. As recently as the 2004 campaign, the leading Democratic candidates (Dean, Kerry, Edwards, Clark) all had health plans,...
THE INESCAPABLE CONCLUSION.... I frequently get emails from readers warning me not to underestimate Sarah Palin. She has a rabid fan base, I'm reminded, who care little for reason, and are outwardly hostile towards reality. The right-wing enthusiasm...
A DERANGED HUCKSTER HAS SOME PRODUCTS FOR YOU.... Glenn Beck doesn't want a microphone; he wants a cult that will keep buying his wares. Glenn Beck, the popular and outspoken Fox News host, says he wants to go beyond broadcasting...
