This will be the most historically and monumental weekend that will answer the question of whether health care is a right or a personal responsibility since Congress passed similar safety net legislation on Social Security, Medicare, MediCaid and prescription drug subsidies for seniors. I’ll defer the prestidigitation of the politics to MSNBC.com First Read whose contributors know a helluva lot more than me. Likewise, I’ll delegate the major cost features also for explanation to First...

Former Alaska Gov. and GOP political celebrity Sarah Palin apparently has A&E interested in her proposed reality show. She has reportedly put a pricetag on it: $1 million to $1.5 million per episode. (Power to the millionaire populists!) I wonder if the show could be seriously pitched at that price if it featured Eric Massa? (It would probably have to be shown on Showtime due to all the guest appearances of Rahm Emanuel in the nude.) Or Dennis Kucinich? (It could have appeal as a SciFi show)....

Homer: And how is “education” supposed to make me feel smarter? Besides, every time I learn something new, it pushes some old stuff out of my brain. Remember when I took that home wine-making course and I forgot how to drive? Marge: That’s because you were drunk! Homer: And how. ********** WaPo: Historians on Tuesday criticized proposed revisions to the Texas social studies curriculum, saying that many of the changes are historically inaccurate and that they would affect textbooks...

According to The Hill, the current whip count estimates put the No side just one vote short. Of course these are only estimates, and presumably the House leadership would not set a vote unless they have the votes. The key would seem to be a possible compromise on abortion language However those quiet whispers about possible delays in the vote could start coming out today.

I know this is primarily a political site but occasionally I like to throw into the mix something else that is topical and of interest… Yesterday was the beginning day of the NCAA Men’s Basketball tournament, known as “March Madness.” There were some very good games on day 1. Some highlights include: The Big East got taken down a few notches with (#3) Georgetown getting beaten by (#14) Ohio by double digits; (#6) Notre Dame falling to (#11) Old Dominion and (#6) Marquette...

The caption to a photo at the The Globe and Mail the other day explained what was going on: “Supporters of deposed Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra hold up cannisters filled with human blood as they gather outside Government House in Bangkok, Thailand. Protesters donated blood with the intention of collecting one million cubic centimeters to be used in demonstrations outside Government House, as the government of Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva continues to reject calls for a dissolution...

I’ve been reading Paul Johnson’s excellent biography of Winston Churchill. Yesterday I came upon a quote in the book that blew me away. It did so because it was so revealing about the current state of American politics and the behavior of members of one of our national parties. Some background. Churchill, though enormously admired by his people during the 1939-1945 war years, was drummed out office in the 1945 national election along with his Tory Party. It wasn’t a close vote....

Those who know me, even just through blogging, know what I think of organized religion, and of Christianity in particular. Well, let me be blunt. If, as Glenn Beck suggested, taking the baton from Rep. Steve King, one of the more extremist Republicans on Capitol Hill, voting for health-care reform on a Sunday, perhaps this Sunday, is “an affront to God,” then Beck’s “God” can shove it. Because it would mean that his “God” thinks that millions and millions...

The Apple patent infringement suit against HTC, the Taiwan-based manufacturer of smartphones including the Eris and Nexus One, is widely seen as an escalation of the gritty battle royale over the future of mobile computing. In that battle, Silicon Alley’s Business Insider reports, Apple Is Armed To The Teeth With Patents: Apple is suing HTC for violating some 20 patents — many in reference to Google’s Android operating system, which HTC uses. Between 2004 and 2007, when Apple...

The New York Times provides a fascinating update on the relationship between those onetime bitter foes for the 2008 Democratic Presidential nomination (now President) Barack Obama and (now Secretary of State) Hillary Clinton — a fascinating portrait of a 21st century “team of rivals” at work. Key passages: Sixteen months after Mr. Obama surprised nearly everyone by picking her as secretary of state, the two have again surprised nearly everyone by forging a credible partnership....

Comedy Central’s Jon Stewart did an extended parody of Fox News’ mega-ratings powerhouse, conservative host Glenn Beck (warning some adult content):

RJ Matson, The St. Louis Post Dispatch This copyrighted cartoon is licensed to run on TMV. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited. All rights reserved.

America’s attention is rivetted to Speaker Nancy Pelosi, described as the most powerful woman in American history. As the date for voting on health care reform in House of Representatives approaches fast, can Mrs Pelosi, the House speaker, hold her party together? Is she up to the job? Lexington presents in The Economist an interesting profile of Mrs Pelosi and describes the exciting few days ahead. “To simplify a gruesomely complex process: if House Democrats approve a health bill the...

“Like heaven above me, the spy who loved me is keeping all my secrets safe tonight.”

Daryl Cagle, MSNBC.com This copyrighted cartoon is licensed to run on TMV. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited. All rights reserved.

Why bother to even rant about there being “limits” to partisan demonization anymore? THIS is now becoming no news and American politics is becoming about trying to destroy or discredit those who dare state a view with which you disagree or one that you feel undermines your own argument. But there are some Americans who are getting sick of it. In my own case it’s why when I travel now, I listen to XM satellite radio and tune to CNN, POTUS (Politics of the United States), CSPAN,...

With Mexico’s cataclysmic drug war rapidly bleeding into the United States, this editorial from Mexico’s La Jornada warns people to prepare for extensive U.S. meddling in their nation’s internal affairs. According to the newspaper, Mexico’s government is deteriorating at such an alarming rate, that it is incapable of exercising control over ‘huge swaths’ of the country. The La Jornada editorial says in part: The execution-style killings of three U.S. Consulate...

It seems as if the war of words and accusations between the Obama administration and the Israeli administration, accusations that President Barack Obama is anti-semitic (from a relative of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu — an accusation contained in several emails and referral links now being emailed), charges from some Republicans that the Obama administration is abandoning Israel, or reports that the Obama administration’s blocking of bunker busting bombs to Israel means the administration...

Uncle Sam left something lurking in your mailbox. Dare you open it?

With the release of the CBO’s preliminary report, the stage is set for the House to move on its health care reform bill by Sunday. The failure of a Republican resolution to block the Slaughter Strategy means that the “deem and pass” method of enacting legislation remains strongly on the table. And some early “yes” vote announcements have many giddily predicting victory this weekend. What would that victory look like? Well, it would obviously result in a bill being passed...

A retired Marine general, John J. Sheehan, told senators on the Senate Armed Services Committee that the Dutch Army failed to protect the city of Srebrenica during the Bosnian war ”partly because of the presence of gay soldiers in its armed forces,” according to the Washington Post. Sheehan, a NATO commander who retired in 1997, made these comments during hearings on “don’t ask, don’t tell” today. Senator Levin sharply questioned the general’s remarks, sources, accuracy and...

That Bart Stupak, he’s a real respectful guy, isn’t he? Especially to those, um, female caregivers in those Catholic hospitals that he and the bishops are so concerned about (emphasis is in original):

We just might be witnessing the Second American Revolution. The fight for process is gaining some traction. And wasn’t process a founding value for us? IndependentVoting.org attorney Harry Kresky’s piece today on HuffPo Words Matter: Voters to Get Fair Wording of California Open Primary Initiative is a gem. The assertion of such a right by the parties raises a fundamental question about the nature of our democracy. Does it rest on the rights of voters or on the rights of parties? On...

Last night Senator Ensign arranged for phone calls about health insurance reform to constituents in the Congressional District of Dina Titus (D). While at least one political scientist called this move “clumsy,” today that is the least of the Senator’s problems. It seems that Sen. Ensign and 6 local businesses got subpoenas today regarding his now-ended affair with Cynthia Hampton. Confirmed recipients include political rainmaker Sig Rogich, former state assemblyman Pete Ernaut,...

The Women’s Reservation Bill, introduced in 1996, was passed in India’s upper house of parliament last Wednesday, March 10, 2010. That was the first of four steps the bill must go through, and it needs the ceremonial president’s signature. The NYTimes reports today on the Uproar in India Over Female Lawmaker Quota: The upper house of India’s Parliament passed a bill Tuesday that would amend the Constitution to reserve one-third of the seats in India’s national and state legislatures...

That grinding sound you hear may be the sound of the conventional wisdom shifting: as of today, many news, broadcast and blog reports are starting to (gingerly) suggest that bet health care reform could squeek through the House. But the Senate? Reports now suggest that could still be very much up in the air there — since reports suggest the GOP is now working on ways to try and halt health care reform in the Senate, by using procedural and other monkey wrench type tactics. First, here’s...

Brian Fairrington, Cagle Cartoons This copyrighted cartoon is licensed to appear on TMV. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited. All rights reserved.

This table provides a quick glance at the health bill costs, courtesy of the Washington Post and the Wonk Web site.

Ezra Klein assesses the meaning of what happened today:

Confessions of a banker in this scuttlebutt of the blame game for the financial meltdown. It goes like this: Banks were pressured by bank regulators to loan, loan, loan despite the credit worthiness of the borrower. After the 2008 market collapse, these same regulators employed by three governmental agencies, told banks no, no, no to even low-risk borrowers. Today a spotlight is shed on these regulators employed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp., the Office of Thrift Supervision and the Office...

As health care fever spikes up, the body politic in woozy Washington is showing symptoms of a breakdown. Democrats are struggling with parliamentary paralysis, Republicans are having apoplectic fits and Barack Obama is laying hands on everyone in sight with pleas to help a presidency on life support. His agitation brought him to Fox News last night for a Tourette’s Syndrome interview with someone named Bret Baier, who sat in the White House constantly interrupting the President with what the...

Paul Zanetti, Australia This copyrighted cartoon is licensed to appear on TMV. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited. All rights reserved.

There is no principle here at all — just blind partisanship and the urge to destroy.

Google, Intel and Sony plan to bring the Web into your living room through a set-top box called Google TV. Logitech will build the remote and peripherals. The NYTimes: Google intends to open its TV platform, which is based on its Android operating system for smartphones, to software developers. The company hopes the move will spur the same outpouring of creativity that consumers have seen in applications for cellphones. Google is expected to deliver a toolkit to outside programmers within the next...

I’ve been following the debate about process when it comes to passing health care legislation. And the Republican logic on view in this debate has got me totally confused. Perhaps someone can explain it to me. Here’s my confusion. In one part of our national legislature, the House, the Democrats can’t seem to pass a health care measure they want, so they are likely to use a gimmick called “deem and pass” to do the job. And the Republicans are furious because they want...

The politicial, media and blogosphere worlds are abuzz over Fox News’ Bret Baier’s interview with President Barack Obama. Did Baier show himself to be a caricature of Fox News — a biased partisan masking as a newsman? Or was he asking tough follow up questions and trying to do what good journalists are trained to do: extract information from interview subjects that their readers or viewers would like to get? Was Obama justified in asking Baier to let him finish? Or was he, as some...

Politico has just announced that House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) has released the first set of Congressional Budget Office numbers to reporters this morning. According to Politico: The bill would cost $940 billion, and reduce the deficit by $130 billion over the first 10 years and $1.2 trillion in the second 10 years. The deficit numbers Democrats have been most worried about, and will be key to convincing moderates to coming on board with the bill. More details here UPDATE: According...

Some thoughts from Betsy Newmark.

This guest cartoon is by Sarjex, who describes herself as “a lonely little wingnut in the crazy liberal mecca of San Francisco.”

I suppose you have to get pretty jaded before you can find the current health care debate in Congress to be amusing. OK… call me jaded. I have long since given up hope that the assembled clowns, crooners, swindlers and shouters on the hill would strip down and re-tool the proposed health care legislation into anything useful, but there’s no reason that we can’t at least sit back, munch some popcorn, and watch the absolute worst aspects of the legislative sausage factory operating...

It’s High Noon now for President Barack Obama and the Democratic party’s dream of health care reform. Many analysists say it is now and if not necessarily “or never,” then now or for many years — or a generation. But the past 24 hours brought some good news for those who seek to enact the controversial program: the measure picked up key support yesterday from balking parts of the Democratic party’s often self-defeating de facto electoral coalition, raising the...

Hello there, Dr. E. here. Today I am pleased to introduce you to our newest coblogger at The Moderate Voice, Elijah Sweete. You may remember articles of his I ran as Guest Voices under my bi-line, particularly his articles on the Death Penalty panel in Texas and the Governor’s seeming meddling in its outcomes, and another which was a strong interview with a vegan with fierce viewpoints. I invited Mr. Sweete to write at will at TMV, but also requested he write about Roe v. Wade, as my reading...

One of the fun things about being a political moderate is that you can be sure no matter what you say the odds are you’ll tick off people on both sides of the political fence. I am quite sure that this will be true as I offer some of my own thoughts on what sort of proposal should be adopted when it comes to Health Care Reform. I am long on record as a supporter of reform and have also made clear my view is best summarized by the old Chinese proverb which states that it does not matter what...

Is the United States hypocritical when it comes to the war on drugs? A day after the murders of three Americans, all employees of the local U.S. Consulate and casualties of Mexico’s drug conflict, Ricardo Aleman of Mexico’s El Universal tells President Obama to focus his rage where it belongs: on U.S. corruption and drug abuse. For El Universal, Ricardo Aleman writes in part: Even with the rampant corruption among police, government and specialized agencies, the U.S. clearly doesn’t...

“You’ve put these distances between us. You’ve built these walls; they’re your design.”

WASHINGTON — One of the tragedies of the viciously politicized battle over health care reform is the defection of the nation’s Roman Catholic bishops from a cause they have championed for decades. Indifferent to political fashions, the bishops were the strongest voices in support of universal health coverage, a position rooted in Catholic social thought that calls for a special solicitude toward the poor. Yet on the make-or-break roll call that will determine the fate of health...

Fox News’ Bret Baier spent much of a rare one-on-one interview with Pres. Obama not letting him answer the questions he asked.

John Darkow, Columbia Daily Tribune, Missouri

Democratic Rep. Dennis Kucinich is now having to defend his vote change on health care reform, after for a long time suggesting he would vote not because plan did not go far enough. He’s now under fire from some on the Democratic party’s left, who believe that a bill that doesn’t have all they want is worse than having the bill go down in flames. Kucinich went on CNN’s Larry King Live to explain his vote switch, which came after intense personal lobbying by President Barack...

According to The Hill.com there is no CBO scoring yet which means that if the 3 day rule is followed then there won’t be a vote on Saturday. So unless Obama delays his trip again it is unlikely things will happen before the Easter/Spring Break. Vote remains close, with opponents 2 votes shy of a majority. As a supporter of HRC I still hope they will be smart enough to take a little extra time to get this done right rather than meet an artificial deadline. Many bills are passed in the summer.

Much has been made about how insurance premiums will be positively affected by the health care bill being shepherded through the House at this hour. But the Associated Press writes a fact-check article that finds that, despite promises made by the President to the contrary, premiums will continue to increase under the new bill: Premiums are likely to keep going up even if the health care bill passes, experts say. If cost controls work as advertised, annual increases would level off with time. But...

It’s a tough time to be a Catholic. Today 60 leaders of religious orders representing 59,000 nuns sent a letter to lawmakers in opposition to bishops claiming the health care bill leaves loopholes for government funded abortions. The Catholic Health Association backs the bill so is siding with the nuns. As for the other denominations, a group of 25 “pro-life Catholic theologians and Evangelical leaders” also sent Congress letters supporting the bill. NPR had 2 terrific stories on that...

Earmarks — those endearing Congressional plums that brought us “The Bridge To No Where” — sort of slipped under the radar of the recent news cycles out of Washington this past week. Democratic House members have pledged to not submit earmarks for for-profit projects. Republicans have one-upped that by pledging a ban on all earmarks for a year. Earmarks are the fast track for a Congressman to return favors to his district under the euphemism of returning back home tax dollars...

Republicans in Congress, Tea Party protesters, and the governors of some conservative states, all think it’s unfair, unjust, and maybe unconstitutional to force everyone to have health insurance, and buy it themselves if they don’t already have it from somewhere else. This strikes me as kind of odd, since virtually everyone who doesn’t have health insurance in this country actually does want it, and doesn’t have it simply because they can’t afford it. But hey. What...

One of the drawbacks of being a WASP is we get no ethnic holidays. It’s akin to being an atheist who in good conscious cannot celebrate Christmas. I was reminded today is St. Patrick’s Day when I clicked for a search. Google sprang up green. In grade school, I quickly learned not to wear green on March 17 because it was my only come-on for the girls to pinch me. I remember watching the news video of the Irish turning some river in Detroit green on this day. Heck, I thought that river...