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Associated Press
The Senate majority leader thinks he has the votes to move forward.
Senate Democratic leaders Wednesday unveiled a sweeping $849 billion plan to overhaul the nation's health care system, a proposal likely to trigger an epic Senate battle over how consumers will buy and maintain coverage. The Senate could vote as early as Saturday to begin debate on the measure, and Majority Leader Harry Reid is confident he has the votes. » read more
John Costello/Philadelphia Inquirer/MCT
Congressman speaks in defense of swine.
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals wanted to take a pretend pig farm with real pigs to Capitol Hill to protest how the animals are treated in big corporate hog farms. The U.S. Capitol Police said no, but one lawmaker raised a stink about the rationale behind the decision. » read more
The Confederate flag must be removed from the State House grounds if South Carolina is to attract jobs, according to one Democrat running for governor. Mullins McLeod, a Charleston attorney, released a plan to create jobs and reopened an old S.C. wound about whether it's appropriate to fly the flag on Capitol grounds. » read more
Fort Bragg has asked Sarah Palin, who will make a stop at the base on her book tour on Monday, not to make a speech at the public book-signing. The base also wanted to bar reporters from the event because it determined that by keeping out the media, the base would prevent Palin, a Republican and possible candidate in 2012, from having a platform from which to attack President Barack Obama, a Democrat. » read more
During a heated forum for U.S. Senate candidates Thursday at a Kentucky Association of Counties conference, Republicans Trey Grayson and Rand Paul exchanged sharp words on the issue of Guantanamo Bay, and at one point, Paul, the son of Republican U.S. Rep. Ron Paul of Texas, responded that Grayson should learn how to read. » read more
Pay for California's top elected officials will be slashed by 18 percent next month, one year earlier than expected, to abide by an opinion issued Thursday from Attorney General Jerry Brown. Just in time for the holiday season, lawmakers will have their salaries cut by $20,917 annually while California's 12 top state officials will see reductions of at least $28,644 apiece. » read more