“Breaking” a Democratic president is much, much more important to Jim DeMint and his fellow Republicans than your lives, your health, your fortunes, and/or your sacred honor.

Last night, Speaker Pelosi wrote a blog post on her website about the House health care bill from the Tri-Committee staff that showed it as being deficit neutral and that it would yield a $6 billion surplus. This is huge news because it cuts off arguments from so-called “fiscal conservatives” like moderate Democrats, Republicans, and Blue Dog Democrats that the current House health bill isn’t deficit-neutral.

The easiest political path is still running the “co-op” crunch.  Regardless of what the House does, the Senate can pass Conrad’s shitty fake co-op.  The Blue Dogs band together and refuse to vote for anything else, and that’s what comes out of conference.  There’s a PR blitz to sell it as a “public plan” (which is why we’ve worked so assiduously to define it as NOT a public plan), and in a rush to get something passed, Rahm starts twisting progressive arms — which have been historically very easily twisted.

Shorter version:  keep calling.

AHIP, the insurance industry interest group that lobbies for insurance interests on the Hill and elsewhere, is launching its first PR salvo into the health care debate.

According to Politico, they are spending seven figures to do it.

And they’ve launched a super-swell website touting an “American Solution” to healthcare that, inadvertently I’m sure, fails to mention any public option or single payer perspective.

• Maybe because 76% want a public plan?
• With Democrats like these…
• Someone tell the Blue Dogs.
• RIP, Frank McCourt.
• Ignoring Cronkite’s legacy.
• Place yer bets.

The 40th Anniversary of taking Yuri Gagarin into the boards.

Mr. Tudball Needs A Secretary -  Mr. Tudball (Tim Conway) is looking for a secretary, but his wife (Vicki Lawrence) doesn’t like any candidates until Wanda Wiggins (Carol Burnett) shows up. Video is raw footage of the sketch from The Carol Burnett Show, including bloopers and unscripted… ah hell, just watch it. 

What’s on your mind?

Since it’s summertime, it must be hookertime. More salacious details from Eliot Spitzer’s callgirl, who now says there’s another “prominent” governor (with a wife “prominent in her own right”) in her 2006 appointment book, corroborated by ex-madam Kristen Davis.

Remember how I said that if you went after the torturers, they would implicate the architects of the torture? Here’s an example.

Now that Iraq is replacing Afghanistan as the “forgotten war” it must be hard for the generals who are left behind. At least one is throwing a bit of a temper tantrum.