Topic: Max Baucus
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Health care law's future: four scenarios
One year ago, President Barack Obama signed a sweeping health-care law to fulfill a long-standing Democratic pledge to ensure health-care coverage for all Americans. Passage of the law was a major legislative victory for Obama and helped change the political landscape, but not always in the way Democrats had hoped. Republicans strongly opposed the law and successfully worked public skepticism about it into sweeping election victories in November. Here's a look at the uncertain future of the health care law:
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Conrad makes a case against tax subsidies
Senate Budget Committee Chairman Kent Conrad is an important player in tax reform.
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Hyperinflation led to Hitler and Mao. What will China's currency manipulation lead to?
China's currency manipulation aggravates US politicians, but it could also upend its own economic gains. By keeping the yuan artificially low, China increases inflation to dire levels. Instead of whining about the policy, the US must emphasize this dangerous tradeoff to China.
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Can Obama, Lee sell lawmakers on US-South Korea free trade deal?
Just as hopes were fading for the US-South Korea Free Trade Agreement, negotiators came to terms on prying open the South Korean motor vehicle market to placate angry US carmakers and labor unions.
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Deficit commission's work is finished. What happens next?
A 60 percent majority on Obama's bipartisan deficit commission say they approved the co-chairs' recommendations, not enough to force a vote in Congress. Will their work have an impact?
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Congress lets unemployment benefits expire: 'What now' and six other questions
More than 2 million unemployed people awoke Wednesday to the prospect that they may no longer have unemployment checks to help them pay rent or buy food and gas. Congress on Tuesday failed to renew an extension of unemployment benefits that it passed at the end of July. Democrats have argued that with unemployment at 9.6 percent, many people still need help. Republicans say they would like to help the jobless, but want the $5 billion per month cost to be funded by a spending cut somewhere in the federal budget.
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Who will get Bush tax cuts? Congress can't decide.
Unable to agree on who should be eligible to continue to receive the Bush tax cuts, which expire Jan. 1, President Obama and congressional leaders decided to convene a panel Tuesday.
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Campaign financing machine cranks up for midterm elections
Special interest groups are spending five times as much on this year's midterm elections as compared to 2006. Many of their donors can't be traced. Congress must require disclosure.
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Senate enters total gridlock as Election 2010 nears
Democrats failed to move forward on a bill that would have ended a tax break critics say rewards companies who send jobs abroad. Legislation is going nowhere ahead of Election 2010.
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The Postcatastrophe Economy
Macroeconomic sage Eric Janszen makes a case that the same forces that caused the last economic crash will cause the next one too.
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Unemployment insurance benefits extension clears hurdle
Unemployment insurance to millions who have been out of work for more than six months would restore jobless checks for 2.5 million people whose benefits started running out seven weeks ago.
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GOP's jobs ideas: Keep Bush tax cuts, freeze regulations
Employers won't create jobs until they have a clear sense of what comes next in taxes and regulation, say Republicans. House GOP leader John Boehner proposes a moratorium on new government regulations for a year and keeping the Bush tax cuts.
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Wealthy Americans shoulder health care tax burden
President Obama is 'spreading the wealth,' that is, taxing the rich and redistributing the wealth. Good policy or heavy-handed intrusion?
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Obama signs healthcare bill with 22 pens. Who started that idea?
Many presidents now sign historic legislation – like the healthcare bill – with multiple pens. Twenty-two isn't even close to the record, in fact.
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Will healthcare reform nix any Senate bipartisanship on other bills?
GOP senators who have been willing to work openly with Democrats say that the process for healthcare reform could end the prospects for bipartisanship elsewhere. Possibly at stake in the Senate: comprehensive immigration reform and financial regulation.
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At White House: 14 senators discuss climate-energy legislation
The White House hosted a meeting Tuesday with 14 key senators, many from coal- and oil-producing states, who oppose curbs on carbon emissions. Obama appears to be making a big push to win Senate passage of revamped climate-energy legislation.
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Jim Bunning delays vote; unemployed face first week without check
With Sen. Jim Bunning blocking a vote on extending unemployment benefits, some 205,000 Americans will not get a check this week, says the National Employment Law Project.
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Senators Wyden and Gregg climb aboard the tax reform bandwagon
Senators Ron Wyden (D-OR.) and Judd Gregg (R-NH) rolled out their version of a simplified, relatively low-rate individual and business tax system.
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In Washington, cross-party dealmaking hits a rough patch
With his new fiscal commission, President Obama continues his push for bipartisanship. But it may be an uphill slog. On other major issues – healthcare, bank reform, and jobs – it's been hard to find agreement.
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Why Harry Reid is stripping down jobs bill
In paring down the jobs bill, Senate majority leader Harry Reid has an eye on voter concerns about federal spending. He's also betting that Republicans won't reject a bill with 'jobs' in the title.
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Harry Reid scales back Senate jobs bill, reflecting voter anger
Senate majority leader Harry Reid says he's focused on a leaner bill that will 'create jobs immediately.' He's also aware that voters are angry with the way government is working, particularly in terms of federal budget deficits.
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Baucus, Grassley push bipartisan jobs bill in the Senate
The Baucus-Grassley bill focuses on those who have been out of work for at least 60 days. But some experts say it would have only modest impact on the unemployment rate.
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With Scott Brown's election, healthcare ball in Pelosi's court
Speaker Nancy Pelosi says the House would not approve the Senate-passed bill. But Scott Brown's vote might make it impossible to get a House-modified bill back through the Senate.
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GOP's last bullet in healthcare reform battle: public opinion
Republicans have ratcheted up the rhetoric against the Senate healthcare reform bill during the past two days. They hope to capitalize on public doubts about healthcare reform.
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Senators look for way to finesse healthcare public option
Under the healthcare public option plan being fashioned by Senate liberals and moderates, private nonprofit insurance plans would have to meet standards comparable to the options now offered federal employees.
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