On paper and in the public, most Democrats love Arkansas Senator Blanche Lincoln’s proposal to force banks to divest their derivatives operations. It’s populist and gets at the heart of the credit default mess that caused the financial meltdown. Heck, President Obama even warned
passage
Al Frumin’s Bad Day
In the middle of a meeting in the early evening Wednesday on – what else? – reconciliation, the Senate Sergeant-at-Arms Terrance Gainer interrupted proceedings to speak with the Senate Parliamentarian. Though neither man would discuss what was going on, reports soon emerged: Tea Party protesters were planning to picket the …
House Passes Health Care Reform
The House of Representatives tonight passed 220-215 sweeping $1.2 trillion health care reform legislation. The bill garnered the support of just one Republican, Joe Cao of Louisiana; 39 Democrats voted against it.
The vote, which looked uncertain even going into the House Rules Committee last night, came after the adoption 240-194 of …
The Latest on the Bailout
Anyone have that sense of deja vu? We’re into the final debate and we’ve been here before (Monday). But coming from the last votes in the Speaker’s Lobby, there seems to be a decent number of folks who have switched over. John Shadegg, Jim Ramstad and Zach Wamp said yesterday they’re for it. I spoke with Sue Myrick and Michael Conaway …