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Some Argue for Emergency Room Funding in Healthcare Bill
Tweet Share on Facebook December 8, 2009 Comment (1)By Paul Bedard, Washington Whispers
Overshadowed by the larger healthcare debate, doctors from border states are lobbying to revive federal funding for all hospital emergency rooms, especially those that serve illegal immigrants. "It's a big deal," says David Englander, former director of emergency medicine at California's Riverside County Regional Medical Center. To cover an unfunded mandate, Congress in 2003 set aside $250 million annually to help medical facilities recoup the costs of paying for care to the poor, such as illegal immigrants. The money expired this year, but Englander argues that funding could be added to the far-reaching healthcare bill now before the Senate. So far, the goal of providing medical care to the poor hasn't gotten caught up in the debate over immigration. Englander says illegal immigrants have received free care for decades, because federal laws prohibit emergency room discrimination. Starved of funding, he says, some facilities will go belly up.
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State Dinner Crashing Could Lead to Secret Service Improvements
Tweet Share on Facebook December 8, 2009 Comment (3)By Jessica Rettig, Washington Whispers
If there's one person who thinks the media attention on the Salahi-state dinner gate-crashing incident was a good thing, it's Ron Kessler, author of the recently published book In the President's Secret Service. The longtime journalist and writer of 17 other nonfiction books said that media scrutiny of the Secret Service is absolutely necessary, since corner-cutting has become the norm among the agents. The agents themselves are honorable men, all college-educated and well screened, and really would take a bullet for the Obamas, he says. But he claims that they are poorly managed and overworked, causing low morale and lots of slack in the system, such as letting unknown blondes in saris walk through security checkpoints when pressure is high.
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Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, Regular Guy
Tweet Share on Facebook December 7, 2009 Comment (41)By Paul Bedard, Washington Whispers
He's the second-ranking House member, but Majority Leader Steny Hoyer doesn't act like a prince. No, the longtime Maryland Democrat remains close to his regular-guy roots. For example, he brings his own shirts to the dry cleaners, mows his lawn, and personally shops for Dinty Moore beef stew at his supermarket. And he spent Thanksgiving weekend hanging Christmas lights and wreaths on his Mechanicsville, Md., home.
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'Climategate' Inspires New Anti-Global-Warming Website
Tweet Share on Facebook December 7, 2009 Comment (23)By Paul Bedard, Washington Whispers
A leading foe of international plans to cut carbon dioxide has landed in Copenhagen, home to the huge climate summit, to play off the recent "climategate" controversy and announce a website that questions the science behind global warming claims. Leighton Steward tomorrow launches SpeakOutForAmerica.com to draw international attention to the impact of proposals expected to be offered by President Obama and other nations at the two-week summit.
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Klayman's Next Law Suit Target: Obama's Healthcare Reform
Tweet Share on Facebook December 7, 2009 Comment (4)By Paul Bedard, Washington Whispers
He's back! Lawyer Larry Klayman, the founder of Judicial Watch who uncovered Clinton scandals like Chinagate and Filegate and probed Dick Cheney's energy task force, that is. Armed with his dirt-dishing autobiography and leading a new public-interest group, Freedom Watch, Klayman is returning to Washington after a failed 2004 Florida Senate bid. His goal: to take on the new administration and even world tyrants like Iran's Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, whom he wants to depose in a human-rights suit. "I feel the country really needs somebody like me," says Klayman.
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GOP Whispers About Investigating Obama, 'Climategate'
Tweet Share on Facebook December 4, 2009 Comment (21)By Paul Bedard, Washington Whispers
Republican foes of President Obama's bailouts of automakers and Wall Street, global warming proposals, and healthcare reform are eagerly considering investigating those programs should the GOP retake control of the House, according to several involved in the discussions. Topping the list is global warming and the controversy over whether supporters of curbing carbon dioxide output used "tricks" to promote their claims of disastrous climate change. "Just imagine 13 months from now when we have subpoena power," said one Republican involved. Others are interested in looking into the president's healthcare reform plans and whether there are ties to industry or special interests. That case, said one Republican interested in a probe, might be modeled after the GOP probe into the secret meetings of the Clinton healthcare task force.
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Zogby: Obama's Afghanistan Speech Didn't Help Him
Tweet Share on Facebook December 4, 2009 Comment (4)Pollster John Zogby updates our weekly Obama Report Card with a grade on the president's performance. Zogby uses his polling, expert analysis, and interaction with major players to come up with a grade and some comments that capture how he see's the president's week ending.
John Zogby on Week 46:
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Support Organized for SEALs Who Captured Alleged Terrorist
Tweet Share on Facebook December 4, 2009 Comment (37)By Paul Bedard, Washington Whispers
The three Navy SEALs being arraigned Monday in Norfolk, Va., for allegedly punching a suspected Iraqi terrorist are set to receive a hero's welcome as they enter court. Friends and dedicated Facebook pages are urging supporters to cheer on the SEALs, who many feel are being unfairly prosecuted by U.S. Central Command.
According to reports, Ahmed Hashim Abed, suspected in the 2004 murder of four Blackwater security guards in Fallujah, Iraq, said his lip was bloodied during his arrest by the SEALs.
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Why the U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree is Cut Down Each Year
Tweet Share on Facebook December 3, 2009 Comment (2)The annual display of the U.S. Capitol Christmas tree is a popular attraction. But it's also a bit sad that one of the nation's oldest is felled for a month of work on the West Front Lawn. It wasn't always this way. Back in 1963, a 24-foot Douglas fir was planted, but a bad storm and root damage killed it five years later. Since 1970, the "People's Tree" has been selected from different states. So why not try a live tree again? Officials say root damage from the crowd-crushing July 4 concerts and inaugurations spells certain death.
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Poll: Obama Shares Blame on Economy With Bush
Tweet Share on Facebook December 2, 2009 Comment (18)By Paul Bedard, Washington Whispers
With his speech at West Point last night, President Obama is conceding the obvious: He now owns the war in Afghanistan.
