Lieberman, Bayh Wives in Bed with Health Biz

Senator says his vote unaffected by Susan's myriad board positions

(NEWSER) - As both sides of the health care debate court Sen. Evan Bayh's elusive vote, his wife's earnings from the industry are raising more than a few eyebrows. The Indianapolis Star takes a look at Susan Bayh, who pulled down some $2.1 million between 2006 and 2008 for serving on the boards of health care companies that have a decided stake in the outcome of reform. More»

Ben Nelson, Joe Lieberman are two of them

(NEWSER) - To get the 60 votes he needs just to bring his health care bill to the floor of the Senate, Harry Reid is going to have to rein in some of his caucus' members. Politico surveys the majority leader's biggest challenges.

• Joe Lieberman, Conn. The independent said yesterday he'll join a GOP filibuster if the bill's not changed. He's no fan of either a public option or Olympia Snowe's trigger option—though he might just be posturing.

...and some of its policy advice echoed ObamaCare

(NEWSER) - More consulting trouble for Newt. Since 2003, a Gingrich-founded think tank has pulled in at least $37 million from the health-care industry—and has called for an insurance mandate reminiscent of President Obama’s. Wellpoint, Blue Cross Blue Shield, AstraZeneca, and other members of the Center for Health Transformation paid as much as $200,000 in yearly dues; in exchange, they got “direct Newt interaction,” or at least so promised the think tank's promotional materials, the Washington Post reports. Gingrich ran the center until he left this year for the campaign trail. More»

Dems should be ashamed of bill, but pass the damn thing

(NEWSER) - The Democrats should hurry up and pass their sorry excuse for a health bill, but they should stop calling it "health care reform," writes Michael Moore. The president and Democratic leaders should apologize to the American people for coming up with a bill that leaves 12 million people still uninsured and leaves the "greedy, private insurance industry" in charge of the plan, Moore writes in the Daily Beast. More»

Compromise looking more distant than ever

(NEWSER) - President Obama's health care summit left pundits from across the spectrum feeling more pessimistic than ever about the chances of crafting a bipartisan agreement on reform.

• "It was a talking-point festival," writes Peggy Noonan at the Wall Street Journal. The Republicans put forth seemingly unconnected statements, and the "boorish" Democrats appealed to sentiment in an effort to win support for a bill that they obviously plan to "bully through Congress."