Ohio a Game Changer Please.

 

(AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

Republican presidential candidate, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney speaks at a campaign rally in Zanesville, Ohio, Monday, March 5, 2012.

Any of the following sound familiar? This ?could be a game-changer in the Republican presidential race,? Reuters reports. ?It may be Romney's last stand,? CBS News declares. Matthew Dowd chimes in: ?This is a huge, crucial moment. I think it?s actually the most important moment for Romney in this entire campaign up until now.? If any of this rings a bell, it?s because that?s what pundits were saying about Michigan no more than a week ago. Today, it?s Ohio that has been christened the state that will make or break the Romney campaign.

Despite taking place on a date with a snazzier name, there is little to distinguish the Ohio primary from the heavily covered contests in Michigan and Florida. While it's understandable that media attention has focused on contested states instead of safe bets like Nevada or Arizona, the vote breakdowns in all these contests can be explained by the same spiel: It's about demographics. There are Republicans who can be easily labeled as Romney-types and Santorum-types, and you can predict who will win a state based on geography far more than sexier factors like momentum, endorsements, or debate performances.

The reason Michigan and Florida were propelled into the media spotlight?and why Ohio is on the top of everyone?s Super Tuesday radar?is because these states aren?t dominated by either a Romney or Santorum or Gingrich coalition. There?s still a bit of suspense left in these battleground states, and where there?s a sniff of uncertainty there?s a swarm of pundits waiting to sprinkle it with importance dust. But, no matter what happens in Ohio, the candidates are going to keep winning the same votes they?ve been winning since January, until Romney finally out-survives the other candidates in a war of attrition.

Romney attracts reliable numbers of the AARP crowd, college grads, voters looking for electability, and the 1 percent. According to exit polls, Romney won 51 percent of the 65+ vote in Florida. In Michigan, he won 49 percent. He won 47 percent of college grads in Florida, and 45 percent in Michigan. These supporters propelled him to victory in New Hampshire and will do the same again in Massachusetts, Vermont, and Virginia tomorrow. He also pulls in reliable numbers of the rich and Mormons, which is why he won decisively in Nevada and Arizona.

Santorum has the same levels of stubbornly static support among conservatives and the religious right, which is why he won Missouri and Minnesota and was able to make a an impressive show in Iowa. Gingrich has morphed into a lesser Santorum since Florida, and serves little function in the race except dropping a condescending media jab here and there. But, for a few weeks, he was the conservatives? kingmaker, pulling a win in South Carolina and a second-place finish in Florida. There are still states that favor the strengths of these candidates?like all the states in the South voting tomorrow, over which Santorum and Gingrich have been playing tug-of-war. These two candidates? claim on the most extreme wing of the Republican party have kept them in the race, and you can expect Rick and Newt to keep raking in delegates, since they won?t be leaving the race anytime soon.

Ron Paul?s set of fixed supporters comes from the 18-28 set, but unfortunately for him they don?t make up a big enough segment of the Republican party to keep him out of entertaining-but-irrelevant territory. No matter where the momentum, endorsements, and media take the candidates, they are all so weak that they can?t encroach on the others? already claimed terrain, except for in well-matched states like Ohio.

So what makes a winner in states where at least two candidates have coalitions of equal size? The more money, the better. It's here that Romney has the advantage. Although the majority of Republican voters are predictable, there is some wiggle room with undecideds, whose small numbers can make a big difference in a close race. They are also the easiest to sway with a last-minute, million-dollar ad buy, likely to be paying attention to the race for the first time and unaware of the particulars or any candidate?s platform or personality. When Gingrich looked poised for an upset in Florida, Romney outspent him 5-to-1 on ads. Romney also outspent Santorum in Michigan when he was behind in the polls a week out from the election.

Ohio won't dramatically change the course of the race, but it will show whether the Romney campaign can keep clinching wins in these battleground states. And right now, he?s looking pretty good. Currently, the polls are moving in Romney?s favor in Ohio, as they did in Michigan and Florida. The Real Clear Politics average has Santorum up 34-31. Last week, he was up 33-26. Nate Silver has Romney with a 65 percent chance of winning.

Even if Romney loses, it is doubtful that it will be a significant-enough margin to mean anything. And his campaign coffers are still plentiful, despite doubts sparked by his plea for donations at the tail end of his Michigan victory. Restore Our Future and the candidate?s campaign have together spent over $3 million in Ohio. The super PAC is also spending more than $1 million in Tennessee and $500,000 in Oklahoma?the largest ad buys in those states.

Will not being able to capture any demographics outside of his usual suspects hurt Romney?s nomination chances? Maybe in another year, but lucky for him, his opponents are stuck in the same rut. Romney just needs to coast to the convention, and no matter the result in Ohio, he?ll soldier on. His campaign has always been at just the right height to get by, and it doesn?t look like that is going to change any time soon.

Read The Full Article:
http://prospect.org/article/ohio-game-changer-please

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A governor says: State solutions need an active
federal government.

There was a time when the term ?states? rights? was simply code for racial discrimination. In the early 1960s, Governors Ross Barnett of Mississippi and George Wallace of Alabama adhered to the policy of ?segregation now, segregation tomorrow, and segregation forever.? They felt that as governors each state had the right to set policies regarding [...]Related posts:

1. Romney turns his back on his home state
2. McVeigh and Coburn: Two ways to hate the federal government
3. Why are civilian Federal workers getting the shaft?

Read The Full Article:
http://www.occasionalplanet.org/2012/03/06/a-governor-says-state-solutions-need-a
n-active-federal-government/

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My Free Speech

Marti Rosenberg posted this on Facebook today–
“As you can see, I’m incensed beyond belief by Limbaugh. Here’s the email I just wrote to WHJJ, at feedback@920whjj.com. Steal my format, make up your own – just let them see our rage in Rhode Island!”

Hello – I have been outraged since hearing the Rush Limbaugh attacks on Sandra Fluke.

Advertiser after advertiser has realized that this time, his comments were not “opinion” or “attempts at humor” as you characterized them on your Facebook page, but mean, rude, and completely unnecessary personal attacks. You can agree or not with her position, or her desire to testify before Congress, but to call her a prostitute because she has used birth control – to be an example to my daughter and my son that this type of behavior is just an attempt at humor – simply goes too far.

I don’t know who is reading this, but would you want your children or other family members to hear Rush Limbaugh, or for them to be treated how he treated (and continues to treat) Sandra Fluke, even after his so-called apology? I think not.

So, WHJJ, if you continue to make excuses for his inexcusable behavior, and keep his show on your channel, I will not listen to you any more, nor will I patronize your advertisers.

Please join your sister stations in Hawaii and Massachusetts, and take Rush Limbaugh off the air in Rhode Island – in which case, WHJJ (and your other Providence stations) will return to my radio dial and I will happily shop with your advertisers.

Sincerely,

Marti Rosenberg
Cranston, RI

It’s usually like pulling teeth to get me to write a letter, but here I am all caffeinated and Marti makes it easy by posting the email address. So here’s my free speech…

Dear Program Director,
Like the man said, there’s free speech, and then there’s shouting ‘fire’ in a
crowded theater. Rush Limbaugh’s personal attacks on a young student,
Sandra Fluke, have crossed the line from free speech to incitement to violence.
For that matter, Limbaugh’s speech is paid speech, and you’re paying him.
How about spending that money on local programming? You may not know this, but
Limbaugh drives away listeners too. This latest rant is aimed at women
generally, and we are more than 50% of the population.
Again, Limbaugh is paid, and you’re paying him. Is he worth your support?
I hope you will trade him in for someone who will speak for Rhode Islanders, and give us a reason to tune in to WHJJ. Thank you for your consideration.
Nancy Green, RN
Providence, RI

Limbaugh likes to present himself as a cheerful provocateur, but lately he sounds like a bitter old man. Perhaps the bitter old man demographic is a good group to market to, and WHJJ’s sponsors are enjoying the controversy. It’s all on the balance sheet, is he worth what they pay him?

This here is free speech, uncensored and owing nothing to anyone. You won’t get paid for sending an email to WHJJ, but if you’re inclined to express yourself, you can send it here–

feedback@920whjj.com

Read The Full Article:
http://kmareka.com/2012/03/06/my-free-speech/

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Daily Kos Elections Morning Digest: Former Gov.
Angus King will run for Senate in Maine

Want the scoop on hot races around the country? Get the digest emailed to you each weekday morning. Sign up here.Leading Off:

? ME-Sen: Well ugh. Late on Monday evening, independent former Gov. Angus King, as expected, threw his hat into the Senate ring. This seriously screws up Democratic hopes of capturing Olympia Snowe's seat, given that King generally seems to have more appeal on the left than the right. He endorsed both John Kerry and Barack Obama, for instance... and he also endorsed the most likely Democratic nominee in the Senate race, Rep. Chellie Pingree, when she ran for re-election last cycle.

This isn't to say Pingree can't win should she get in?quite the contrary. In a tease of a poll expected out on Tuesday, Public Policy Polling says that they show Pingree leading all Republicans "by a good margin," and they also suggest that this applies matchups which include King. But PPP nonetheless calls King "competitive," and though he hasn't held office in a decade, he still has an incredibly impressive 62-44 favorability rating. PPP's numbers also confirm that King draws more Democratic votes than Republican votes; in a nightmare scenario, he and Pingree would split the left-hand side of the electorate and allow a Republican to win?something that happened in Maine's 2010 gubernatorial race.

Of course, if King pledges to caucus with Democrats and winds up winning, that wouldn't be the worst thing in the world. And it may even turn out that Pingree will now decide not to run?her response to King's announcement was only to say that she'll "continue thinking very carefully" about the race. It's possible that the fix is in, and that power-brokers are encouraging Pingree to stand down in exchange for a promise from King to organize with the Dems in the Senate. The filing deadline is in just ten days, though, so we'll know soon one way or the other.

P.S. The state's other prominent independent, attorney and 2010 gubernatorial candidate Eliot Cutler, says he won't run, but predictably, he's throwing his support to King.

Senate:

? MA-Sen, OH-Sen, VA-Sen, NC-Gov: A ton of new polling just got blasted out over the weekend?far too much to cram into the digest. Fortunately, David Jarman wraps it all up in one handy post, looking at three new Senate polls (in Massachusetts, Ohio, and Virginia), and one gubernatorial survey (of the Democratic primary in North Carolina).

? WI-Sen: This is pretty funny. In his final act as George W. Bush's Secretary of Health and Human Services, ex-Gov. Tommy Thompson granted a waiver to then-Gov. Mitt Romney that allowed him to establish the universal healthcare program in the state of Massachusetts now known as Romneycare?aka the forerunner to Obamacare, aka that government program which makes veins pop out on the necks of conservatives like few other things.

Gubernatorial:

? NJ-Gov: Newark Star-Ledger reported Jarrett Renshaw takes a very comprehensive look at the field of Democrats who might challenge Gov. Chris Christie next year. The eight names he looks at: state Sen. Richard Codey, state Sen. Barbara Buono, Assembly Majority Leader Lou Greenwald, Newark Mayor Cory Booker, EPA chief Lisa Jackson, state Senate President Stephen Sweeney, Rep. Frank Pallone, and state Democratic Party chair John Wisniewski.

House:

? AZ-09: There aren't very many female Air Force pilots, either retired or on active duty, so it seems a bit remarkable that a second one is now running for Congress in Arizona, Wendy Rogers. (A couple of districts over, Martha McSally is seeking the GOP nomination in the AZ-08 special election.) Rogers joins three other Republicans in the race: Chandler City Councilman Martin Sepulveda, Maricopa County Supervisor Don Stapley, and Arizona Air National Guardsman Travis Grantham.

? CA-21: It's about a week old, but this is still an interesting link. The Fresno Bee's John Ellis reports that former state Sen. Dean Florez, the "please save us!" candidate many Democrats have long been hoping would enter the race for the open 21st CD, recently met with former Lt. Gov. Cruz Bustamante to discuss the contest. Bustamante, you'll recall, began expressing interest in running here late last month, and in the wake of this meeting, he said he's "coordinating" with Florez. Ellis takes this all to mean that Florez won't make a bid and that it's "all about Bustamante and whether he's in or out." We'll know very soon, though, since California's filing deadline is on Friday.

? CO-05: Robert Blaha, the wealthy businessman trying to challenge Rep. Doug Lamborn from the right (no mean feat!) in the Republican primary, is already on the air with TV and radio ads introducing himself to voters. In fact, according to Kurtis Lee at the Denver Post, he spent $75K last month and plans to spend the same this month as well. Colorado's primary isn't until June 26, so if Blaha keeps ramping up, he should have some pretty good name rec by the time election day rolls around.

? FL-06: This is a little old, but a fourth Republican has jumped into the race for this red-leaning open seat along Florida's northeastern coast, Jacksonville City Councilman Richard Clark. He joins state Rep. Frank Costello, former steakhouse CEO Craig Miller, and attorney Ron DeSantis.

? FL-19: Lee County Commissioner Tammy Hall, one of a large group of Republicans vying to replace Rep. Connie Mack, is dropping out of the race. You can keep tabs on the rest of the field with our handy Florida cheat sheet.

? IL-10: There's nothing newsy in this piece, but it's a pretty good compare-and-contrast profile of all four Democrats seeking the nomination to run against GOP freshman Bob Dold in the 10th District.

? MD-06: Bill Clinton is endorsing financier John Delaney in the Democratic primary, and at this point, you don't even have to guess why?you just automatically know that Delaney must have been a big supporter of Hillary Clinton's. Indeed, according to the Washington Post, Delaney raised over $800,000 for HRC's presidential run. Meanwhile, Delaney's opponent for the nomination, state Sen. Rob Garagiola, picked up the support of the Sierra Club.

? ME-01: While we're waiting on Chellie Pingree to make up her mind, there's still some motion elsewhere in the ocean. Peter Chandler, the chief-of-staff to Dem Rep. Mike Michaud, is apparently looking at running in the 1st CD; though Michaud of course represents ME-02, Chandler lives in ME-01. Meanwhile, though Pingree still hasn't formally announced a run for Senate, she took the time to say that she thinks her daughter, former state House Speaker Hannah Pingree, is "very seriously thinking about" running to replace her in the House?should she make the jump, of course. (Otherwise, we'd have a really weird Francis H. Powers vs. Francis M. Powers situation on our hands.)

? MI-03: This off-the-radar race went from "nowhere" to "huh, that might be interesting" to "okay, we've scored a really good get" in almost no time flat. Ex-state Rep. and former judge Steve Pestka announced on Monday that he'd take on dystopian freshman GOPer Justin Amash in the 3rd CD, less than a week after we first learned he was considering the race. Though Pestka hasn't served in office for some time, he's well-connected, has a good profile for this red-leaning district, and may, from what I understand, be wealthy. Pestka will first face Trevor Thomas, a gay rights activist and former staffer for ex-Gov. Jennifer Granholm, in the Democratic primary. Apparently in anticipation of Pestka's entry, Thomas rolled out endorsements Granholm and former LG John Cherry, though given that he used to work for her, would have been somewhat surprising had she not offered Thomas her backing.

? NC-08: Physician John Whitley is up with his first ad of the election season, which I believe may also make him the first candidate to take to the airwaves in the Republican primary (which is on May 8). In the spot, he touts his credentials as a "conservative" and a "Christian," and his support for "repeal[ing] Obamacare" and "traditional marriage values." A spokesman says via email: "It?s a full Fox News and News 14 buy on every cable system in the 8th district. It?s about a $35,000 buy over the next two weeks."

? NJ-05: This is freaking ridiculous. Just a day before he was set to announce, political commentator and former Frank Lautenberg chief-of-staff Jim McQueeny pulled the plug on his candidacy. Democrats had seemed pretty excited about him entering the race, and at least one actual candidate, Passaic County Freeholder Terry Duffy, was ready to defer to McQueeny in the event he joined the contest. But after all that, McQueeny cited "professional responsibilities" as his reason for declining?though of course I've gotta ask, did he forget about these professional responsibilities when he started telling everyone he would run? Argh, whatever.

In any event, that leaves Duffy, Teaneck deputy mayor Adam Gussen, and 30-year-old Marine Corps. vet Jason Castle (who just joined the race) still vying for the Democratic nod to take on GOP Rep. Scott Garrett.

? NV-02: It looks like Republican Mark Amodei, who won the GOP nomination in last year's special election via a disputed party committee selection process rather than a primary, won't face a primary this year either. The two most likely challengers, former Assemblywoman Sharron Angle and Navy veteran Kirk Lippold, don't sound eager to take him on. Angle says only that "I?m keeping my options open" and will decide "in the near future." Lippold is even further from making a bid, saying "I don?t intend to run," but that if Amodei runs into any ethical or legal troubles, "I reserve the right to change my mind."

? NY-13: Ah, sweet vindication. Local Republicans went semi-nuts with both glee and anger late last week when ex-Rep. Anthony Weiner reached out to the media to say that he informed the FBI back in 2010 that a local rabbi, Yoshiyahu Yosef Pinto, complained to him that Republican Mike Grimm, then running for Congress on Staten Island, was extorting contributions from his congregants. (This is another angle to the major story about the same congregation the New York Times broke back in January.) Indeed, ex-Rep. Guy Molinari even bellowed that Weiner was a "pervert and proven liar"... but the only problem is that the FBI has confirmed Weiner's version of events?and then some!

Indeed, the AP managed to get a source to confirm that not only did Weiner bring these allegations to them, but that the feds are also "gathering information and considering whether or not to open a formal investigation into fundraising for Grimm by Pinto's followers and associates." Of course, don't forget that Grimm himself is a former FBI agent, which makes this prospect even more delicious.

? NY-21: Republican banker Bob Dieterich says he plans to run against third-term Dem Rep. Paul Tonko in whatever becomes of the 21st Congressional District, but this isn't an auspicious sign for his nascent campaign. Even though he's staging a formal announcement on Wednesday, an item in the Daily Gazette of Schenectady reports: "Dieterich wasn?t immediately available for comment."

? OH-09: Ohio's congressional primaries are on Tuesday, and the race between Democratic Reps. Marcy Kaptur and Dennis Kucinich has now reached maximal hostility, so I thought this was a pretty good observation by a local strategist:

In one Kaptur radio ad that Kucinich?s campaign has called despicable and dishonest, she hits her rival for praising Jimmy Dimora, a former county commissioner now on trial in Ohio for racketeering. Kucinich?s campaign pointed out that he routinely honors constituents from his district ? hundreds per year ? by entering their names in the congressional record.

"You have to ask yourself whether this race is a lot closer than anybody thinks, or whether Kaptur?s people smell blood and understand that she could put him away," said Bill Burges, a Cleveland political consultant.

Burges pointed out that Kaptur must have data to back her decision to use such an odd line of attack against a politician with such obvious vulnerabilities; Kucinich is one of the most liberal members of the House, and has faced criticism for focusing too much on his national profile.

The Cleveland Plain-Dealer points out that the ad (which you can listen to at the link) targets a resolution honoring Dimora for his birthday over a decade ago, years before he faced criminal charges, so yeah, it does seem like a rather extreme attack. In any event, Kaptur has the geographic advantage in this race, and observers (myself included) have generally figured her to be favorite. But one thing we haven't seen is a single poll here, so perhaps the contest is more up-for-grabs than we've imagined.

Apart from this Dimora spot, there've been a flurry of last-minute ads from both sides. Kucinich finally seems to have gone on TV with this positive ad touting his work on behalf of "the people," while Kaptur has an ad featuring a World War II veteran praising her efforts to support vets. Kaptur also has another radio ad comparing Kucinich to Art Modell and LeBron James, two famous Clevelanders who bailed on the state?something Kaptur says Kucinich is still contemplating, given his recent refusal to rule out a second run for Congress this year in Washington state should he lose on Tuesday.

P.S. We will, of course, be liveblogging the Ohio primaries tonight, as well as all of the other Super Tuesday contests, so please join us when polls close on Tuesday evening.

? PA-12: It looks like Rep. Jason Altmire has survived the legal challenge to his petitions by fellow Rep. Mark Critz?for now. A quickie post in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette says that following a court ruling, Altmire is now just 150 over the 1,000-signature mark he needed to stay on the ballot, though you've gotta check out Altmire's wildly over-the-top language in his press release. Sample: "Mark Critz has lowered himself to tactics usually reserved for elections to high school prom king." I didn't realize that in Pennsylvania, "prom king" was usually decided at the appellate court level. Meanwhile, Critz's camp tells PoliticsPA that they're "currently exploring" their "legal options" (i.e., the possibility of an appeal).

? TX-27: This seems like an incredibly tough row to hoe: Bastrop County Judge Ronnie McDonald is stepping down from the bench to consider a possible run for Congress in the redrawn 27th. McDonald is a Democrat, though, and the redrawn 27th plummeted from a district Barack Obama won by 53-46 in 2008 to one he lost by a huge 40-59 margin, so a Dem win here would be nothing short of stunning. If anything, I'd expect some action on the GOP side, given how fluky freshman Blake Farenthold's win was in 2010, plus the fact that he only represents about half of the constituents of the revised 27th. That kind of situation makes you think that some more established Republican office-holders might like to try making TX-27 their new home.

? WA-06: We've got our first entrant in the race to replace Norm Dicks, who retired on Friday after 36 years in the House. And it's not surprise, but rather the guy who immediately got tagged "frontrunner" before the ink was dry on the Dicks announcement: state Sen. Derek Kilmer. Kilmer, 38, in his second term in Kitsap Co.'s swingy LD-26, knows how to win tough races; he was re-elected pretty easily in 2010 at the same time as several other Dem freshmen in the Seattle 'burbs were losing much friendlier seats.

Kilmer may not have the race to himself: The Olympian got three other Dems on the record about it over the weekend, though they all sound ambivalent. DINO-ish state Sen. Tim Sheldon says he'll "leave the door open," Tacoma mayor Marilyn Strickland said it's "something I will take into consideration," and retiring state Auditor Brian Sonntag said it's "certainly worth taking a look at." Two Democrats did decline, though: Pierce Co. Prosecutor Mark Lindquist took to Facebook to say he won't make a bid, and state Sen. Christine Rolfes from Bainbridge Island also said she wouldn't run.

As for Republicans, state Rep. Jan Angel (the only GOP state legislator anywhere in WA-06) said she "hasn't yet had time to think about" it, while both of the credible GOPers running in WA-10, Dick Muri and Stan Flemming (neither of whom live in WA-06 in any event), said they're staying in the 10th. (David Jarman)

Grab Bag:

? Arkansas & Nebraska (PDF): Filing deadlines in Arkansas and Nebraska passed on March 1, and you can find complete candidate lists for each state at the respective links. You'll also want to check out the Race Tracker Wiki, which not only lists actual candidates but everyone who considered and declined as well.

Redistricting Roundup:

? WA Redistricting: Jeffmd has crunched the numbers, and now we have 2008 presidential election results and gubernatorial results (from the Chris Gregoire-Dino Rossi race) for Washington's new congressional districts. Below are all the numbers in handy table form:

DistrictObama
(new)McCain
(new)Obama
(old)McCain
(old)Gregoire
(new)Rossi
(new)WA-01564262365050WA-02603856425644WA-03514752464753WA-04395940583466WA-05465146524654WA-06574157415347WA-07801884157624WA-08514757424555WA-09693059406337WA-105741----5445Remember, you can find all of our pres-by-CD numbers here.

Read The Full Article:
http://feeds.dailykos.com/~r/dailykos/index/~3/D1UlCHgFv4s/-Daily-Kos-Elections-M
orning-Digest-Former-Gov-Angus-King-will-run-for-Senate-in-Maine

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Morning CheckUp: March 6, 2012

Medicaid waivers pave way for reform: “Millions and millions of dollars in Affordable Care Act grants aren?t the only way the Obama administration is helping states prepare for health care reform. Some states are also bringing in billions through Medicaid waivers.” [Politico]

Republicans and conservatives clash over ACA repeal: “Senate Republicans are clashing with conservative groups over whether to hold votes this year to repeal all of President Obama?s healthcare reform law. One group, the Restore America?s Voice Foundation, plans to spend $50,000 to $100,000 per week on television ads pressing Senate Republicans to force a vote on repeal.” [The Hill]

Docs with e-access order more tests: “Physicians who have computerized access to patients’ test results are actually more likely to order additional lab and imaging tests, according to a study published in Health Affairs. The study’s findings, which point to a 40% to 70% increase in testing among doctors with computerized access to test results, could shed doubt on long-held beliefs about health information technology’s potential to reduce healthcare spending and inefficiency, the authors said. [Modern Healthcare]

Republican governors raise concerns about Medicaid block grants: “Several Republican governors are raising concerns with a House GOP Medicaid reform proposal that’s expected to be reintroduced shortly….A couple of former Republican governors however told The Hill this past week that the block grant proposal may not work for their states. Block grants have an ?inflammatory connotation,? said former Vermont Gov. Jim Douglas, who was in office from 2003 to 2011.” [The Hill]

Insurers must cover contraception in New York: “New York state on Monday warned health insurers they would lose state contracts if women on Medicaid are denied their choice of higher-cost, brand-name contraceptives unless cheaper, generic methods ‘fail first.’” [AP]

Ultrasound laws lead to higher costs: “The Associated Press reported on Friday that laws requiring women to undergo an ultrasound prior to having an abortion have not reduced the number of abortions, and have instead raised the price of the legal procedure. Florida was among the various states to pass such a measure last year.” [Florida Independent]

Utah house passes 72-hour waiting period: ” A longer waiting period could be required before a woman could have an abortion in Utah under a bill moving to the Senate. Republican Rep. Steve Eliason of Sandy says House Bill 461 would increase the required waiting period from 24 to 72 hours.” [The Republic]

Americans are paying more for health care: “Americans spend more than people in other countries on just about every medical procedure and doctor visit, according to a new report from the International Federation of Health Plans. The group’s survey of expenses for medical procedures, tests, scans and treatments in nine countries shows that Americans pay more for physician time, for scans, surgery and drugs than people in Spain, France, Germany, Argentina, Chile, Canada, India and Switzerland with one exception ? cataract surgery costs more in Switzerland.” [National Journal]

Read The Full Article:
http://thinkprogress.org/health/2012/03/06/438392/morning-checkup-march-6-2012/

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Mike's Blog Round Up

Super Tuesday......what's so super about it? .

Wolfrum Chronicles: Rush Limbaugh & Overstock.com's Patrick Byrne: Misogynists Getting Their Due

Juanita Jean's: The New Republican Party: Stoopid Reigns

Jesus' General: Obama Using Sorcery to Bring About Apocalypse

We Are Respectable Negroes: More Than Slut Shaming: Rush Limbaugh and the Crisis in White Conservative Manhood

Round up by Swimgirl. Send tips to mbru AT crooksandliars DOT com.

Read The Full Article:
http://crooksandliars.com/swimgirl/mikes-blog-round-57

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A Guide to Super Tuesday Scenarios

The line between a resplendent night for Mitt Romney and a suspect one is relatively slim.

Read The Full Article:
http://fivethirtyeight.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/03/06/a-guide-to-super-tuesday-scen
arios/

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A Guide to Super Tuesday Possibilities

The line between a resplendent night for Mitt Romney and a suspect one is relatively slim.

Read The Full Article:
http://fivethirtyeight.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/03/06/a-guide-to-super-tuesday-scen
arios/

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Lakeside Diner

A variety of links to articles/interviews/speeches on current topics that may be of interest.[...]

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http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/firedoglake/fdl/~3/eUfJ76XqIS8/

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Is the USS Limbaugh sinking

Let me say, I that I’m shocked that Rush Limbaugh issued anything besides a big FU on[...]

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http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/WheresTheOutrage/~3/6DBe86hEkH8/

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