The idea that David Vitter can say with a straight face that he supports legislation to “remove” the liability cap for BP’s oil spill, and hold them accountable, only makes sense on the surface. You have to ignore a host of past experience, as well as the flawed legislation he’s actually pushing, to arrive at that conclusion.

What are the long-term solutions to the ongoing crisis in the Gulf of Mexico?

Both Robert Menendez and David Vitter offered legislation on the Senate floor to alter the liability cap on oil companies who damage American land through spills, but both were denied unanimous consent, as members of the opposite party objected.

Big Oil found their target. Just now, as expected, Robert Menendez sought unanimous consent for the Big Oil Bailout Prevention Liability Act of 2010, which would raise the liability cap on oil spills from $75 million up to $10 billion. And it would have surely passed. Big Oil needed one Senator to raise an objection [...]

Even if this is just a stunt designed to prove Democrats are “serious” about compromise so they can embarrass the bigots even more for their refusal to accept the compromise, why would you ever miss the opportunity to tie a universal registration card to a potential fix to the problems in our election system?

Under current law, legal immigrants are subject to a 5-year waiting period before accessing programs like Medicaid. The Senate bill did not alter this feature of our health care system. But Robert Menendez has exacted a concession from Harry Reid on the issue.

The trigger is not a modification of the public option. It is not like a public option. It does not serve the same function as a public option. It is the same as simply having no public option at all.

[Before I get into the post today, just want to make sure everyone knows the AFL-CIO formally endorsed Barack Obama today. More here.]

Marybeth Litcholt has worked as a casino dealer at the Trump Plaza Hotel and Casino in Atlantic City since 1987. After 21 years on the job, she makes $9 an hour.