AmSpecBlog

The Stupak Amendment

W. James Antle, III — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 18:43:00 -0500

This is the first legitimate pro-life amendment to the House health care bill that has had a chance of passing the full House (no, the Capps Amendment doesn't count). That's why it is very ...

Politico: Dems Have Needed Votes to Pass Health Care Bill

Philip Klein — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 17:38:00 -0500

The Politico is reporting that the Democrats are now confident that they have the 218 votes needed to pass the House health care bill. If the bill does end up passing, it seems that the...

"No Guarantees"

Philip Klein — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 14:53:00 -0500

The House is in the midst of a 4 hour debate ahead of a vote sometime tonight on the health care bill. House Minority Leader John Boehner just asked Rep. Henry Waxman if he could guarantee that...

Government Takeover is a Double-Edged Sword

Philip Klein — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 11:47:00 -0500

Liberals are upset that Democrats gave in and supported a vote on an amendment to prohibit federal funds from being used to subsidize abortions. "They totally caved because they couldn’t...

Too Big To Succeed

Greg Scandlen — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 10:01:00 -0500

I participate in a number of discussion groups, often with highly educated experts in health policy. In recent months it has become increasingly difficult to even discuss the health reform ...

Down to the Wire in the House, Focus Turns to Abortion

Philip Klein — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 09:52:00 -0500

As of now, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is still intent on pushing though health care legislation at some time tonight. With all Republicans expected to vote against it, Pelosi needs to make sure...

Alabama vs. LSU and Nancy Pelosi vs. the American People

Robert Stacy McCain — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 06:52:00 -0500

A struggle of world-historical importance will take place today when the University of Alabama hosts the LSU Tigers in Tuscaloosa. Yet we who care about this existential...

Golden State Showdown

Philip Klein — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 19:17:00 -0500

Earlier today, Brian noted the endorsement race between former Hewlett Packard CEO Carly Fiorina and California Assemblyman Chuck DeVore, but I thought I'd add a few broader points about the...

Helpful Ramesh

W. James Antle, III — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 18:04:00 -0500

He advises moderate Democrats who are going to vote against their leadership to announce their positions now.

Hero Injured

Reid Collins — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 16:43:00 -0500

The outrages of Ft. Hood and Orlando have become occasions once more for journalistic misuse of the language. If you were shot but not killed, you were "wounded." The policewoman credited...

Thank God Obama "Saved" Jobs

Asher Embry — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 16:25:00 -0500

Too few have looked critically at the 640,329 jobs the Obama White House reported as “saved or created” by the Stimulus. Those who looked have been left incredulous by the many examples of ...

Louisiana Attorney General Raids ACORN Office

Matthew Vadum — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 15:18:00 -0500

Louisiana Attorney General Buddy Caldwell's investigators have raided ACORN's headquarters in New Orleans. A warrant was executed at ACORN's office at 2609 Canal Street and not at 1024...

I've Invented a New Game

Joseph Lawler — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 14:12:00 -0500

I've invented a game where first you take what Pres. Obama wrote about the dire consequences without his stimulus: And if nothing is done, this recession might linger for years. ...

Re: DeMint Endorses DeVore

Brian O'Connell — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 13:40:00 -0500

Regarding Fiorina's base, she gained conservative support on Thursday from Senator Tom Coburn along with much of the Republican mainstream following her announcement on Wednesday....

The Whip Job Ahead of the Democrats on the Way to 218

W. James Antle, III — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 13:34:00 -0500

House Minority Whip Eric Cantor (R-Va.) has posted a useful list of 69 Democrats who have expressed opposition to the speaker's health care bill, with quotes. With zero Republican defections,...

DeMint Endorses DeVore

Brian O'Connell — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 12:12:00 -0500

Senator Jim DeMint (R-SC) endorsed California US Senate candidate Chuck DeVore Tuesday, one day before former Hewlett Packard CEO Carly Fiorina formally announced her campaign at a "green...

Obama in Feb.: Without Stimulus Bill, "Unemployment will approach double digits."

Philip Klein — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 11:59:00 -0500

Here's what President Obama wrote when pushing the economic stimulus bill in a February Washington Post op-ed titled, "The Action Americans Need": And if nothing is done, this...

Hoyer: Vote on Health Care Bill May Be Delayed for Lack of Votes

Philip Klein — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 11:43:00 -0500

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer has said Democrats may have to delay a health care vote scheduled for Saturday until Sunday or early next week, according to the Associated Press, because...

Looking Past the Party Label

W. James Antle, III — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 11:11:00 -0500

Today in the Politico, I make the case that the ineffectual Democratic supermajority proves conservatives were right to choose loyalty to ideas over party loyalty in New York's 23rd...

Nidal Malik Hasan

Philip Klein — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 11:09:00 -0500

As I wrote yesterday, it's important to be cautious when commenting about the massacre at Ft. Hood, because early media reports often turn out to be wrong. With that said, we now have several...

Daily Must-Reads

Brian O'Connell — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 10:20:00 -0500

Times of London describes yesterday's health care protesters as "radical conservatives." I was there, and while many may have been described as conservative, there was very little about...

Double-Digit Unemployment

Philip Klein — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 09:12:00 -0500

The unemployment rate jumped to 10.2 percent in October, the highest rate since April 1983, the Department of Labor reported this morning. Psychologically speaking, I think the jump to "double...

Double Digits

Joseph Lawler — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 09:11:00 -0500

Today's Bureau of Labor Statistics jobs report contains the unwelcome news that unemployment has, as expected, crept up into the double digits: 10.2 percent, up from 9.8. 190,000 jobs were...

"It's Shocking"

Shawn Macomber — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 08:51:00 -0500

A friend stationed at Fort Hood posted the following on Facebook last night: found it hard to sleep last night. Fort Hood is a special place to me, sort of a bastion against the trials...

The Day Ahead: November 6

Maia Lazar — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 06:10:00 -0500

Today on the main site: Feeding the Beast, by Phillip Klein The Somali-Kenya Connection, by George H. Wittman Joe Wilson, Call Your Office, by Larry...

Ft. Hood Tragedy

Philip Klein — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 22:35:00 -0500

I have avoided posting about the tragic event in Ft. Hood up until now, because the reported details keep changing rapidly (i.e. shooting suspect Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan originally reported to...

Re: Storming the Capitol

Brian O'Connell — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 17:51:00 -0500

A bunch of sites are highlighting the arrests from the health care protest today: Roll Call. Talking Points Memo. This was not the 1968 Democratic Convention. Phil's photo ...

Abortion Care

Robert P. Kirchhoefer — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 17:34:00 -0500

From today's Drudge Report. Minority Leader Boehner indicates that "Speaker Pelosi’s Government-Run Health Plan Will Require a Monthly Abortion Premium": On line 17, p. 110, ...

LA Times Loses Mind

Quin Hillyer — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 16:22:00 -0500

I haven't seen the real-paper version of Wednesday's LA Times, and I am ASSUMING that an editor had sense enough not to let this article see the real light of day (as opposed to the light of...

Storming the Capitol

Philip Klein — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 15:06:00 -0500

Thousands of protestors gathered on the lawn of the U.S. Capitol today and lined up outside House and Senate office buildings to protest Democrats' health care legislation. The crowd, chanting ...