Finally, Minnesota has its Second Senator

Al Franken, a satirist known for his biting political humor, is headed to the U.S. Senate, the survivor of an epic legal struggle that opponent Norm Coleman finally conceded he couldn’t win.  Franken’s triumph followed a 5-0 decision Tuesday by the Minnesota Supreme Court declaring him the winner and a quick concession by Coleman.  Franken, a Democrat, could be sworn into office soon after the July 4th holiday.

Via the Minneapolis Star-Tribune.

Doctors deeply divided
over national health care reform

The AMA’s oppos[ed] to a new public insurance option as part of President Obama’s plan for health-care reform.  But with 250,000 members, the AMA represents just 20 percent of physicians, down from 75 percent in 1960.  Another is Physicians for a National Health Program (PNHP). It has 16,000 members and supports a single-payer system, where patients continue to see private providers but the government pays all medical bills.  “Talk to a doctor who works in a public hospital,” said Dr. Scott Davies, chief of medicine at Hennepin County Medical Center and an AMA member, “and the majority would favor single-payer.”

Via the Minneapolis Star-Tribune

US House Passes Greenhouse emissions bill

The US House of Representatives has passed a climate change bill aimed at reducing the country’s emissions. The legislation will put curbs on pollution and apply market principles to attempts to tackle global warming. It was passed by a narrow margin of 219 votes to 212. President Barack Obama said the vote represented “enormous progress”.

Via BBC News

Obama’s Stimulus package making strides
Most Oregon projects begun
Jobs saved, created

Nearly 90 percent of the projects funded by the state’s $175 million stimulus package have started, creating or saving more than 3,200 jobs, according to a progress report released Tuesday. The report shows significant improvement over an April update that indicated the program was well behind its goal of creating 3,000 jobs by the beginning of that month. Overall, the report shows that 543 jobs have been created while another 2,694 have been retained or, put another way, the program has generated about 90,000 hours worth of construction work.

Via the Salem Statesman-Journal

President Obama Fights for Banking Changes

President Obama is warning critics of his vast financial overhaul plan that he has no patience for debate from hard-line defenders of a system that has exploited bewildered consumers. Pushing for a law this year, Obama said: “While I’m not spoiling for a fight, I’m ready for one.”

Via USA Today.

Sec. of State Hillary Clinton’s Style
Winning Battles with Low-key style

Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton won a small diplomatic victory here recently. Few Americans are likely to have heard about it.  The issue was Cuba, and the details were arcane. Clinton and her team, in negotiations on the sidelines of the Organization of American States assembly, persuaded 33 other governments not to allow Cuba back into the OAS without a process that respects the group’s charter language on democracy.  It wasn’t easy.

Via USA Today.

Hundreds of Colorado Small Businesses
Support EFCA

• OVER 225 Colorado small businesses announced support for the Employee Free Choice Act and Restoring Middle Class America.

Via the Denver Business Journal.

Howard Dean talks Health Care Reform
in Denver

The former chairman of the Democratic National Committee, who is traveling the country to talk about health care reform, said Americans also should have the option of keeping their private insurance. “All people get nervous about change,” he said to about 300 people gathered at First Unitarian Church east of downtown. “If you like what you have, you can keep it.” Dean, former governor of Vermont and a physician, praised President Barack Obama’s health care plan, which would allow people to choose between public or private insurance. The government would subsidize public insurance depending on income. Dean likened the public-insurance option to Medicare, except for people under age 65.

Via the Denver Post.

Gov’t Report Foresees 40% Growth in
Carbon Pollution by 2030

The amount of heat-trapping carbon dioxide seeping into the atmosphere will increase by nearly 40 percent worldwide by 2030 if ways are not found to require mandatory emission reductions, a government report said Wednesday.   The biggest increases in energy use will come from economically developing countries such as China and India.  Substantial growth is expected in the use of renewable energy sources such as hydropower, wind and solar, the report said. But it also said overall growth in demand will require continued reliance on fossil fuels, especially oil and coal.  As a result, the analysis predicted a steady increase in emissions of carbon dioxide, the greenhouse gas that scientists say threatens a serious warming of the Earth later this century.

Via the Seattle Times.

Wash. Gets $672M in Education stimulus
from President Obama’s plan

The state is receiving $672 million in federal stimulus money that state officials say will help offset budget cuts in the K-12 education system.  Gov. Chris Gregoire announced Wednesday that the money was now available, and that the state would be able to apply for an additional $331 million in the fall.  Gregoire says the money will help reduce class sizes in grades K-4 and provide additional training for educators, among other things.  Higher education will also receive some of the stimulus money.

Via the Olympian.

Montanans Favor Single-payer health care
at Dem Senator discussion

When the time came for questions, McArthur stood up and asked a simple question. Looking across a standing-room-only crowd of about 275, he asked how many were happy with their employer-based health insurance.

Fewer than 10 people raised their hands. “The number is bogus,” McArthur said. “It’s not working for 95 percent of us.” McArthur drew resounding applause.  In fact, any mention of single-payer health care insurance brought raucous cheers and clapping. Any other solution to health care reform – including Baucus’ “balanced” plan that would create a mix of public and private plans – was received more coolly.  Tuesday’s session was one of a handful of events Baucus is sponsoring around the state this week. He chairs the Senate’s powerful Finance Committee, and is the point man on health care reform.  He did not attend Tuesday’s meeting, but Selib did, and he heard what the senator himself has heard since he announced that single-payer wasn’t really on the table.

Via the Missoulian.

Obama plugs solar power, economic stimulus
results in Nevada

President Barack Obama on Wednesday hailed solar energy as a cost saver for a major Air Force base, one stop on a Western trip devoted to raising political money and promoting his economic policies.   Obama’s aides had mocked reporters for making a fuss over his first 100 days in office, but the president was eager to assess the first 100 days of his $787 billion economic stimulus package.  It has “saved or created nearly 150,000 jobs,” he said, including “jobs building solar panels and wind turbines; making homes and buildings more energy-efficient.”

Via the Minneapolis Star-Tribune.