Adventures in e-mail Kool-aid distribution.

Update from today’s conference call with Richard Trumka of the AFL-CIO.

While defending the cost-cuting measures in the health reform bill, Budget Director Orszag and Health adviser Nancy-Ann DeParle slip in one whopper with cheese when describing the excise tax escalation rates.

We had a very frank conversation with Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz on The Young Turks. We talked about whether it makes sense to reach out to Republicans or if it’s a poor strategy, we talked about corporatism inside the Democratic Party and we talked about the state of the health care bill in Congress.

House submits its Reconciliation proposal : eliminate Excise Tax altogether

Obama proposes to fix the healthcare crisis by imposing a tax on certain members of the middle class in order to decrease their insurance coverage thereby rationing their access to medical care.

So, uh, what happened to make us embrace that idea that was so radical before the 2008 elections? If radical is now okay, let’s do a truly radical rewrite of the tax code.

Michael Whitney: Shark Jumper

Mr. Whitney’s attack on unions is reminiscent of republican/corporate tactics.

Putting the healthcare ‘excise’ tax in context.