ArklatexPolitics.com

Posted 10 hours 16 minutes 4 seconds ago
Posted In: Home, National

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The House's No. 2 Democrat is dismissing as
"absurd" former Rep. Eric Massa's claims that he was forced out
by party leaders because of his opposition to health care
legislation.
House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md., told reporters Tuesday
that Massa's conspiracy argument was "absolutely untrue."
The former New York lawmaker, who is facing a harassment
complaint from a male staffer, said Sunday that Democratic leaders
will "stop at nothing" to advance the health care bill. Massa
voted against the legislation last year.
Massa has given three explanations for leaving office. Last
week, he said he would not seek re-election because of health
problems.
Massa's departure reduces the majority House Speaker Nancy
Pelosi needs for passage of health care legislation to 216.

Posted 10 hours 16 minutes 58 seconds ago
Posted In: Home, National

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Dozens of health care activists are protesting
in the nation's capital against what they call an abusive health
insurance industry.
Members of Health Care for America Now gathered at Dupont Circle
Tuesday morning, and former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean and other
speakers addressed the crowd. They planned to march through
downtown Washington to a hotel where America's Health Insurance
Plans, an association of health insurance companies, is meeting for
a conference.
Protesters say they are fed up with rising premiums, denials of
care and claims, and insurance companies' efforts to thwart reform.
They say they want to hold the industry accountable for its
actions.

Posted 10 hours 18 minutes 27 seconds ago
Posted In: Home, National

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Young adults between 18 and 29 are anxious
about being able to pay for their educational, housing and health
care needs. Those are findings from a new poll that suggests many
worry they will never be better off than their parents.
The poll by Harvard's Institute of Politics found that six out
of 10 of those surveyed worry they may not meet their current bills
and obligations. Nearly half of those attending college wonder
whether they will be able to afford to stay in school. And more
than eight out of 10 said they expect difficulty finding a job
after graduation.
Politically, young Republicans are more motivated to vote in the
2010 election than those who described themselves as Democrats. A
majority approves of President Barack Obama, but not his handling
of top issues.

Posted 10 hours 21 minutes 41 seconds ago
Posted In: Home, National

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Major business groups say President Barack
Obama's health care overhaul is a job killer, and they're launching
a multimillion-dollar ad campaign to take that message to voters.
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the National Association of
Manufacturers, and groups ranging from contractors to retailers
said Tuesday the Democratic health care bills would raise their
expenses, while failing to control health care costs.
Advertisements will start airing nationwide Wednesday on cable
television and shift in a few days to 17 states, targeting moderate
and conservative Democrats whose votes are critical to passing the
bill in the House. The campaign is estimated to cost between $4
million and $10 million, with the insurance industry paying part of
the cost.

Posted 10 hours 23 minutes 6 seconds ago
Posted In: Home, National

WASHINGTON (AP) -- President Barack Obama is meeting with Cabinet
members and key senators from both parties in a bid to move forward
on a long-stalled climate and energy bill.
A bill sponsored by Sens. John Kerry, D-Mass., Lindsey Graham,
R-S.C., and Joe Lieberman, I-Conn., aims to cut emissions of
pollution-causing greenhouse gases by 17 percent by 2020. The bill
would abandon a broad "cap-and-trade" approach to reducing carbon
pollution. Instead it would apply different carbon controls to
different sectors of the economy.
The bill's prospects in the Senate are uncertain, and Tuesday's
meeting is seen as an attempt to bring together moderates from both
parties to gauge their support.

Posted 10 hours 25 minutes 14 seconds ago
Posted In: Home, National

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Legislation to give additional months of
unemployment benefits to people who have been out of a job for more
than half a year has won key GOP support that means it will soon
pass the Senate.
The sweeping bill also would prevent doctors from absorbing a
crippling cut in Medicare payments and extends health insurance
subsidies for the unemployed through December.
Eight Republicans voted with Democrats to defeat a GOP
filibuster of the measure, setting up a final vote later today.
The bill also extends a variety of tax breaks for businesses and
individuals that are popular with senators in both parties.
The $66 billion cost of providing the extended unemployment
checks is added directly to a budget deficit expected to hit $1.6
trillion this year.

Posted 10 hours 28 minutes 19 seconds ago
Posted In: Home, Texas

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) -- Democrat Bill White is criticizing
Republican Gov. Rick Perry for pressing state agencies to cut their
budgets by five percent, calling the approach "Soviet-style"
budget management.
With Texas facing a budget shortfall of at least $11 billion,
White says he'd insist on "fiscal discipline" but refuses to rule
out possible tax increases to close the gap. He says he'd first
have to "look under the hood" of state government to identify
possible savings and inefficiencies.
White, who faces Perry in the November elections, spoke Tuesday
at a conference hosted by the Texas Tribune online news site.

Posted 1 day 3 hours 49 minutes ago
Posted In: Home, National

ROCHESTER, N.Y. (AP) -- New York Rep. Eric Massa is blaming his
resignation on a conspiracy by House Democratic leaders to force
him out before a crucial vote on health care.
Massa was one of 39 Democrats who voted against an earlier House
version of the health care bill in November. He says Democratic
leaders will "stop at nothing" to advance the health care
overhaul.
Massa was speaking Sunday night on his weekly radio show on
WKPQ-FM in Hornell.
Katie Grant, a spokeswoman for House Majority Leader Steny
Hoyer, says Massa's accusation is false. Massa didn't respond to
phone calls seeking comment Monday.
Facing a harassment complaint from a staffer, Massa said last
week he'd step down from his seat. The resignation took effect
Monday. He earlier announced he wouldn't seek re-election because
of health problems.

Posted 1 day 10 hours 26 minutes ago
Posted In: Home, Louisiana

ALEXANDRIA, La. (AP) -- U.S. Sen. David Vitter has picked up a
Republican challenger for his re-election bid, a first-time
office-seeker who manages a garden center in Alexandria.
Milton Gordon says Vitter, a Republican running for a second
term, hasn't been conservative enough, is out of touch with people
and should have resigned after he was embroiled in a prostitution
scandal.
Gordon says he will face Vitter in the Republican primary,
according to The Town Talk of Alexandria.
U.S. Rep. Charlie Melancon is the only announced Democrat in the
race. Another little-known candidate, Bob Lang of Natchitoches, has
said he will run as an independent.
The primary election is Aug. 28, and the general election is set
for Nov. 2.
This is Gordon's first run for office.

Posted 1 day 10 hours 27 minutes ago
Posted In: Home, Louisiana

BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) -- The cost of a Louisiana driver's license
went up $15 Monday, and lawmakers are questioning the jump in
price.
A basic license now costs $36.50, up from $21.50.
The Louisiana State Police announced the price hike less than
two weeks ago.
Col. Mike Edmonson -- the head of the Department of Public Safety
that oversees the state motor vehicles office -- says the cost
increase covers a federal mandate that requires a more extensive
state identification program to protect against identity theft and
fraud.
The federal government imposed the requirement in 1993, and
Edmonson says his department has been absorbing the cost of the
mandate ever since.
State Sen. Lydia Jackson called the license price hike a tax.
Sen. Joe McPherson announced he will call a special transportation
committee meeting to discuss the increase.