WASHINGTON _ The Senate is ready to begin a volatile, high-stakes health care debate that's sure to be punctuated by tense and unpredictable battles over some of the most incendiary issues in American politics today.

Debate on the $848 billion bill to overhaul the nation's health care system is expected to start next week, after the Senate returns from its Thanksgiving recess, and many lawmakers already consider it a golden opportunity to win long-sought projects and local aid for their constituents.

The flashpoints will be familiar _ abortion, federal deficits, government involvement in health care decisions and other hot topics _ and many Democrats already have said they want to see, and are well-positioned to seek, changes in the bill. » read more

WASHINGTON _ With just over two weeks to go before global climate negotiations in Denmark, the United States has yet to decide whether it can meet international expectations and offer to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by a certain amount in the next decade.

The success or failure of the talks in Copenhagen could hinge on whether the United States offers a concrete plan. Failure would mean a loss of momentum toward a treaty to reduce carbon emissions that includes all countries, which already has been delayed to next year. Moreover, other countries are unlikely to move forward to cut emissions if the United States doesn't pledge to make mandatory reductions.

Todd Stern, the U.S. negotiator, said that the U.S. hasn't decided whether it will say how much it intends to reduce emissions. » read more

WASHINGTON — There's no need to go to Washington to hear the increasingly shrill arguments over phantom congressional districts and the number of jobs created by the $787 billion economic-stimulus plan.

That dispute is raging across South Carolina among private-sector recipients of stimulus money and among state government officials tracking the funds and their impact.

New reports that the state unemployment rate rose to 12.1 percent last month, matching its peak level in June, give added urgency to the debate. » read more

WASHINGTON — The Senate voted 60-39 Saturday to clear the way for consideration of historic legislation to overhaul the nation's health care system, but reluctant Democratic moderates sent strong signals that the bill has an uncertain future.

Saturday's test vote was about whether to cut off a Republican-led filibuster and begin formal debate on the Senate Democrats' proposed $848 billion, 2,074-page health care plan.

Democrats control 60 of the 100 Senate seats, and all 60 voted to proceed with the bill, while 39 of the 40 Republicans voted no. Ohio Republican George Voinovich didn't vote, while the last Democratic holdouts, Sens. Mary Landrieu of Louisiana and Blanche Lincoln of Arkansas, agreed Saturday afternoon to vote with their party. » read more

WASHINGTON — Rep. Emanuel Cleaver wanted people to stop complaining for a day and count their blessings.

What he got, however, was just more complaints.

Indeed, the Missouri Democrat was on the receiving end this week of an angry torrent of ill will from conservative Web sites about him and about Congress. » read more