Captive Consumers in Oligopolies Do Not Make Effective Markets
In a post citing liberally from a Matt Yglesias post naming me, Ezra takes on the argument that the health care bill, as currently conceived by President Lieberman, would be a bailout of the insurance industry.
There's an argument on the left…
Carl Levin Takes Ownership of Corrupt Deal with PhRMA
In voting against the Dorgan amendment last night, Carl Levin excused flip-flopping on this important issue in the interest of supporting the corrupt deal the White House secretly made with PhRMA.
Health Care on the Road to Neo-Feudalism
Passing Joe Lieberman's health care bill will be a fundamental step on the road to neo-feudalism.
Crazy Pete Hoekstra Throws Hissy Fit, Chases Jobs from Michigan
It's official. Crazy Pete's hissy fit about moving Gitmo prisoners to Standish, MI, have lost MI those potential jobs.
"Taking Care" of Almost-Seniors
Joe Lieberman thinks asking those in their 50s to pay $5,000 a year more for health insurance is "taking care" of them.
Rahm's Making the White House Look Terrible
This morning, the Politico made news by reporting that someone at the White House had ordered Harry Reid to cut a deal with Joe Lieberman on health care.
The White House denied the report.
"The White House is not pushing Senator Reid in any…
Ecuador Accuses US of Helping Colombia Assassinate FARC Leader
Ecuador just released a report accusing the US of participation in the assassination of Raul Reyes in 2008. Sort of makes you wonder whether our favorite assassination contractors were involved, doesn't it?
White House to Restore Emails from Plame Cover-Up Period
The National Security Archive has released a list of dates for which the White House will restore emails under its settlement agreement.
That list includes almost all of the most suspect dates when email was missing, most notably the period…
SCOTUS: Rummy Is Immune in Torture Suit
Today, SCOTUS declined to review an Appeals Court decision that ruled that Rummy and 10 other DOD officials are immune from suit for torture.
The Court’s denial of review of Rasul, et al., v. Myers, et al. (09-227) leaves intact a federal…
One of Few Things Growing as Fast as Health Care Costs Is Income of Richest 1%
The Economic Policy Institute provides a much needed counter-weight to those cheerleading the use of Cadillac-as-Chevy taxes to pay for the Senate health care bill. It shows, generally, that the millionaire's tax used to fund the House bill…
Blago Begins His Rahm Play
Blago has asked for FBI interview materials on Rahm, Obama, Valerie Jarrett, and the SEIU officials named in documentation.
Correction: Bad Nelson and Holy Joe Think Up a New Excuse
The press, other members of Congress, everyone have to stop reporting over and over again that the Bad Nelson and Holy Joe "oppose" some aspect of health care reform.
Two key senators criticized the most recent healthcare compromise Sunday,…
Grading the Economy
Nate Silver asks why Democrats aren't cheering the Administration's accomplishments on the economy more loudly. Here's why I'm not doing so.
We're All BCCI Now
The news that drug and gang money kept our finance system afloat last year supports my contention that Citi, in this day and age, is not all that different from what BCCI was in its day.
Maybe We'll Learn How All the CIA Leak Cover-Up Emails Disappeared?
MoJo reports that CREW and the White House may be close to a settlement on the missing White House email.
Trash Talk: Patriots Have A Strange Kind Of Mascot
Sports mascots are ubiquitous. College mascots are a tradition I suppose, irrespective of redeeming value, but pro mascots - with the exception of the San Diego Chicken, the Phoenix Suns Gorilla and, maybe, the Philly Phanatic are totally lame.…
Tony Blair: We Invaded Iraq to Change the Region
Tony Blair explains he had to get rid of Saddam to change the region.
Baucus' Girlfriend Helped Arrange His Separation
Max Baucus' then State Director and now girlfriend, Melodee Hanes, helped arrange Baucus' separation from his then-wife in 2007.
The Truth about Harry Reid's Lifetime Cap Loophole
Harry Reid is fooling you when he says he had to eliminate lifetime caps to keep premiums down. What he meant is that--having gutted the public option and taxed health care--he needs another means to keep premiums low.
ABC Returns the Blackwater Focus to Pakistan
ABC has now caught up to Jeremy Scahill. In this Blackwater installment, they describe sketchy details of two Blackwater operations in Afghanistan/Pakistan, one in 2003, and one in 2006.
CIA officials acknowledge that two private contractors…
