The Hill Articles: October 22, 2009

Healthcare for Christmas: Reid under pressure to slow down reform debate Clean air rule may sink ships Two Democrats buck Rep. Towns, call for Countrywide probe Whip count shows Democrats lack votes on ‘robust’ public option for healthcare FEC won’t appeal EMILY’s List ruling Cheney’s attack sparks new fight between two administrations Weyant’s World: October 23, 2009 New consumer financial agency passes its first test Appointments House Dem: Further action on exec pay needed On 5-0 vote, agency moves ahead in push to regulate Internet Changing Direction Dorgan, Snowe open to net neutrality legislation In defense of pinot noir Nothing about my support for bank was inappropriate Balloon juice Public option for Congress Why increased U.S. sanctions on Iran don’t work Gilded Age Democrats Specter: Dems have 60 cloture votes for public option Rep. Wilson’s wife sick with swine flu virus Gingrich holding ‘twitternactment’ of Revolutionary battle Senate OKs defense bill, 68-29 Rockefeller: Health insurers ‘control’ state governments Senate eyes another public option compromise DAY’S END ROUNDUP Conn. GOPers imitate Dem state lawmakers on Twitter Poll: GOP losing touch with base Hoyer: Census ‘doesn’t exist to score political points’ No hint of irony Gore disgusted by forged climate lobbying letters Paterson: New executive compensation rules ‘cost New York $1 billion” TOP TWEETS Report: Telecom firms shower lawmakers with money in net neutrality fight Reed: GOP just blames Obama for cleaning up messes they caused Hoffman shows $206k raised, $73k on hand The Washington wrongman Nazi looted art found at future site of Bush presidential library Campaign link removed from Grayson site Palin critics to publish competing book Alexander: President should ‘leave the street fighting’ at the door Gingrich defends endorsement as ‘practical choice’ AT&T reacts to net neutrality rulemaking No anti-trust exemption for health insurers (Rep. Raúl Grijalva) Nelson asks Obama to redirect stimulus bucks to NASA Rural communities need access to heath care facilities (Rep. Jerry Moran) Senate defense bill, hate crimes law survives cloture vote Senate hopeful withdraws support of healthcare, trade bills White House report says NASA on an ‘unsustainable trajectory’ Family Research Council to launch anti-health bill ads targeted at centrist sens. Hoffman bombs on local issues quiz Building a house of health (Rep. Jim McDermott) Extending unemployment benefits cannot wait (Sen. Jeanne Shaheen) McCain seeks to block FCC rules McCain supports Obama’s planned exec pay cuts White House fires back at Dick Cheney over ‘dithering’ remarks Schumer pens letter supporting exec pay cuts, more reforms Schumer to Obama: ‘Significantly revamp corporate governance’ Ditka disputes Senate candidate’s campaign endorsement claim Pelosi searching for more Dem votes for public option Vote fast, or stay here an extra week GOP leaders stick up for Fox, suggesting attacks ‘beneath’ Obama MIDDAY ROUNDUP Landrieu blasts public option Pelosi says House healthcare bill will nix insurance exemption McCain tweets ‘Top 10 earmarks of the day’ Brown: Insurers win if public option passes with ‘trigger’ House committee gives nod to creating consumer financial protection agency Grayson opponent to file ethics complaint against healthcare website The follies of age segregation Moral hazard Howard Dean claims that some Blue Dogs may back public option No, Lamar, Obama ain’t no Nixon Barletta likely to challenge Kanjorski again FCC votes to move net neutrality rules forward Reid: Cloture vote on unemployment insurance by day’s end Fraud in homebuyer tax credit program could scuttle revival efforts TARP watchdog slams execs Obama suggests Fox News is like ‘talk radio’ Buying American through a healthy economy, not stimulus bill (Rep. David Dreier) The Big Question: Did the pay czar go too far or not far enough? The Gilded Age Democrats who sell out for money Grassley questioning whether HHS healthcare campaign is ‘propaganda’ FCC’s Levin wants more spectrum. Lots of it. Clyburn says Dems short on health votes, contradicting Pelosi Poll: Half of Americans worry reform will not lower healthcare costs Barrasso, ‘secret person’ to join Inhofe on Copenhagen trip Cheney: Obama ‘seems afraid’ to make final decision on Afghan troop surge Pay czar to slash salaries at several top gov’t-backed firms Eshoo runs into high Internet access fees MORNING READ Daggett getting into Ventura territory in polls Huffington Post Drudge Report AMERICAblog Powerline Daily Kos Hot Air AT&T hits Internet vote K Street to rake in healthcare cash; ‘Lobbyist Full-Employment Act’ Advocates for high-speed rail lobby for more after $8 billion in stimulus Front-runners for Kirk’s Illinois seat are lagging in money chase Rubio gains on Crist In the Know: Cohen breaks into song, challenges Oberstar Reps. Cohen and Miller have their personal attachments to the blues Weyant’s World: October 22, 2009 Centrists vs. Pelosi: Blue Dog Democrats beginning to show spending fatigue Speaker’s move left on public option draws centrist complaints Miscalculation delivers loss on Medicare doctor’s fix for Majority Leader Reid Looking to unite Democrats on health reform, Obama takes partisan tone Obama hints Afghan decision may wait GOP seeks to regain August momentum Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac critics form lobbying group FCC’s spectrum search Schwab: Ban would hurt trade talks Some spending on K St. up even as economy ails