Ochenski skewers Montana Democrats for lining up to laud Baucus' healthcare bill: "So why would Democrats be so happy about a bill that leaves the insurance industry in charge, denies the ability of the government to negotiate for lower prescription drug prices and criminalizes those who can't afford to buy low-end health insurance? The answer, however ugly, is simple: money, money, money.
"In a nutshell, Baucus brings home the dough to Montana Democrats. All those millions of dollars that people have been criticizing Baucus for taking from the drug, insurance, and health industries don't just stay in Max's pocket-they get spread around throughout Montana Democrat circles for polls, political operatives, signs, ads, phone calls and mailings. Like feeding popcorn to the pigeons."
The Indy endorses Missoula city council candidates Strohmaier, Houseman, Jaffe, Wilkins, O'Herron, and Marler. The one seat I'm crossing my fingers on to flip is Ward 2's. Missoula - and probably Hendrickson himself - would be a lot better off without the incumbent occupying the seat. For a reason why, check out jhwygirl's "best of" Hendrickson moments. That, and Houseman would make an amazing city council member and would serve the city well.
Barkus arraignment delayed; prosecutor Ed Corrigan - for unknown reasons - requested and received a new judge to provide over the case. Dan Testa speculates that it was because of Justice Swandal's frequent and exclusive contributions to Montana Republicans.
A gut punch to Missoula's chances of getting rail service: the Amtrak feasibility study found that to revive the North Coast Hiawatha line through Missoula would cost 1.043 billion dollars.
Looks like the Hardin Jail is going to be put on ice.
Support for the legalization of marijuana at an all-time high, according to a Gallup poll: 44 percent of Americans support making "use of marijuana legal." The cross-tabs are even more interesting: a majority of Westerners favor legalization, and support breaks down across ideological and age lines.
Obama's Department of Justice announces it will not pursue charges against "medicinal-marijuana users and distributors who comply with state law."
Michael Krasny discusses the DoJ's announcement on The Forum. (Featuring my sister-in-law and good friend, Tamar Todd!)
John Adams charts the reaction to the DoJ's announcement in Montana.
The CBO scores House healthcare reform bill with public option: "A preliminary estimate from the Congressional Budget Office projects that the House Democrats' health care plan that includes a public option would cost $871 billion over 10 years, according to two Democratic sources.
"CBO also found that the Democrats' bill reduces the deficit in the first 10 years.
"This new CBO estimate, which aides caution is not final, is significantly less than the $1.1 trillion price tag of the original House bill that passed out of three committees this summer. More importantly, it comes under the $900 billion cap set by President Obama in his joint address to Congress last month."
House Democrats to rebrand public option as "Medicare Part E," "as in, Medicare for Everyone." Genius. Publius: "In all seriousness, the most valid reason not to call it "Medicare" is that the public option is far less socialized."
Dana Goldstein: "...the Baucus bill slams single moms in the midst of a recession, when many are scrounging to make ends meet."
Sy Hersch on conflict between the White House and the Pentagon: "The army is also 'in a war against the White House - and they feel they have [President] Obama boxed in,' Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter Seymour Hersh told several hundred people in Duke University's Page Auditorium on Tuesday night. 'They think he's weak and the wrong color. Yes, there's racism in the Pentagon. We may not like to think that, but it's true and we all know it.'"
Connecticut Republicans create 33 false Twitter accounts using the names of state legislative Democrats. Twitter shut down the accounts. The Republican response? "'That's unfortunate,' was state Republican Chairman Chris Healy's response when told of Twitter, Inc.'s decision. 'I'm not quite sure what the issue is, other than that the Democrats were successful in stopping free speech.'" Classy.
Media Matters charts the extremists Glenn Beck is linked to.
Meanwhile, South Carolina Republicans praise Senator Jim DeMint for being like a penny-pinching Jew. Sort of astounding they'd think something like this was acceptable.
Ha ha ha! Republican Rep. Gregg Hunter jokes he hunts "liberal, tree-hugging Democrats"! Ha ha ha ha!
Oh, and a Pennsylvania Republican wrote that he believes "any veteran lending their name to promote the leftists propaganda of global warming and climate change...is a traitor to the oath he or she took to the defend the Constitution of our great nation!"
