The greatest myth being told in Washington right now is that reconciliation could not produce a good health care bill. That is pure nonsense.

As psychiatrists who provide critical psychological counseling and support for many patients living with HIV/AIDS in San Francisco, Drs. Tsai and Rosenlicht have observed firsthand how “evergreening” by the pharmaceutical industry has adversely affected their patients. They respond here to Rep. Anna Eschoo’s recent comments indicating her continued support for the biologics bill.

Is it possible that 31 Senators in the Democratic Caucus traded away $106 billion dollars in savings for consumers — and $19 for the federal budget according to CBO — for an empty promise that hasn’t even been agreed to?

Remember that time when Robert Gibbs called Joe Lieberman “irrational?”

Neither do I.

The LieberCare health care bill is an absolutely catastrophe for labor unions. Both the AFL-CIO labor federation and SEIU, one of the country’s largest unions are holding emergency meetings today to decide what to do about the Senate bill

It’s pretty laughable that people think Lieberman is “killing” health care when he’s delivering up the Senate Finance Committee bill the White House negotiated.

TIME Magazine chose Bernanke for the same reason CNBC’s Ron Insana worshipped at his feet yesterday – that he’s the “world’s most important man in charge of the world’s most important economy,” that he had a history in Depressions so he knew how to avoid one, etc. They didn’t choose him because he actually did anything with regard to a core mission at the Fed — maximize employment. They also ignored his inability to see the freight train bearing down on the economy from subprime mortgages and collateralized debt objects.

I believe that if the Senate health care bill passes as Joe Lieberman has demanded it — with no Medicare buy-in or public option — it will be a significant step further on our road to neo-feudalism. As such, I find it far too dangerous to our democracy to pass, even if it gives millions (perhaps unaffordable) subsidies for health care.

Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-OR), a member of the Senate Banking Committee, will vote against Ben Bernanke’s nomination for a second term as Chair of the Federal Reserve.

Mika Brzezinski I won’t name names, but I heard it from several people in the Administration: Howard Dean, very not pleased, with Dr. Dean speaking out about health care reform and this plan.

Savannah Guthrie: Yeah, very irritated. Yes, isn’t it fascinating they don’t seem to be too angry at Lieberman, they’re reserving their fervor for Howard Dean, but actually, one senior official who I talked to this morning paid the highest insult which was to call him irrelevant to the entire health care debate.