From 'round the world of politics...

Stimulus Money Used to "End" Jobs?

The Des Moines Register reported that the good folks at the Iowa University system have used over 43 million in "stimulus" money (read: taxpayer dollars) to as inducements to encourage employees to take early retirement.

So let's get this straight, the money that was supposed to be used to "create" jobs was used to pay people to quit their jobs?  That makes (Washington) sense.

Liberals against Obamacare?

Yes, believe it or not, there are now some key liberal voices coming out against Obamacare.  Not for the same reasons that conservatives oppose it of course.  But because they feel the Senate leadership has crossed the liberal line in the sand in terms of the latest version (such as it is) not going "far enough". 

The latest big-time liberal to voice opposition was former DNC Chairman and Vermont Governor Howard Dean.  From the AP:

Former Democratic Party Chairman Howard Dean argued Wednesday that
the health care overhaul bill taking shape in the Senate further
empowers private insurers at the expense of consumer choice.

"You
will now be forced to buy insurance. If you don't, you'll pay a fine,"
said Dean, a physician. "It's an insurance company bailout."
Interviewed on ABC's "Good Morning America," he said the bill has some
good provisions, "but there has to be a line beyond which you think the
bill is bad for the country."

"This is an insurance company's
dream," the former Democratic presidential candidate said. "This is the
Washington scramble, and it's a shame."

Dean even went on MSNBC's "Countdown" last night and said:

“You can’t vote for a bill like this
in good conscience. … It costs too much money. It isn’t health care
reform. It isn’t even insurance reform.”

Of course, his problems with the bill don't extend to a normal conservative reaction, like: the federal government forcing private individual to actually purchase a consumer product is un-constitutional, for instance.  But we'll take what we can get.

And now the founder/editor of the powerful liberal blog Daily Kos has come out against it as well, saying:

"Insurance companies win. Time to kill this monstrosity coming out of the Senate."

Glad to have them aboard!

Here comes amnesty! (again)

House Democrats are ready to start the amnesty for illegal aliens debate again, and have introduced a new bill to get things going. And (surprise) it's even more liberal and "generous" than what they tried to do a few years ago.  According to the NY Times:

Under the bill, to gain legal status and possibly citizenship, illegal
immigrants already here would have to demonstrate they had been
working, pay a $500 fine, learn English and undergo a criminal
background check, among other provisions. Unlike previous proposals in
Congress, they would not have to return to their homeland first,
something known as “touchback.”

No more "temporary workers" shams...no "touchback" (requiring those here illegal to go home, fill out paperwork and pay a fine and come back)...no, this is just straight up "you're here, and it's ok...".  Not sure if even the larger Democrat majority can pull this one off, given the current environment...and elections next year.

Some Democrats starting to abandon ship?

It's starting to look that way.  At least if you consider the increase in the number of House Democrats that have begun to announce that they will no run for re-election in 2010.  Especially those from margin to conservative districts...but even some that have routinely received over 60% of the vote.  From the Examiner:

The question now is whether more Democrats of this ilk will choose to
retire -- something House Democratic leaders have been working to
prevent. They're very much aware that Republicans in 1994 won some 21
open seats in which Democratic incumbents did not seek re-election,
nearly half the 52 seats the Republicans gained when they won control
of the House that year.

And why might any congressman in any way worried about re-election be further tempted not to run? Glad you asked:

...none can be unaware that there is a robust job market in Washington for
former Democratic congressmen with good political skills. Members of
Congress make $174,000 a year; heads of trade associations make upward
of $741,000 and don't have to return to home districts on weekends.

Survival.  The "first" instinct.  In politics as well as life.