Politics

Democrats Show Signs of Disunity as Senate Health-Care Bill Debate Looms Democrats who united last week to bring a sweeping health-care plan to the U.S. Senate floor still need to settle disagreements in their own ranks to pass President Barack Obama’s top domestic initiative.

Senate Begins Debate Next Month on $848 Billion U.S. Health-Care Overhaul Democrats united to bring a sweeping health-care plan to the U.S. Senate floor in a party-line vote that kept Republicans from blocking debate on President Barack Obama’s top domestic initiative.

Tax on High-Income Americans May Be Needed for Afghan War Cost, Levin Says Higher-income Americans should be taxed to pay for more troops sent to Afghanistan and NATO should provide half of the new soldiers, said Carl Levin, chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee.

Paterson Prods N.Y. Lawmakers With Letter Seeking $3.2 Billion Budget Deal New York Governor David Paterson, in a letter to lawmakers, said education and health-care expenditures must be cut as part of any plan to close this fiscal year’s $3.2 billion budget deficit.

Clinton Sees Encouraging Karzai Signs as U.S. Plots Afghanistan War Plan Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said she is encouraged by Afghan President Hamid Karzai’s promises to fight corruption and build up Afghan security forces to replace U.S. troops by the end of his new five-year term.

Calls for Geithner to Quit U.S. Treasury Post May Grow as Election Nears U.S. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner, as part of a grilling on Capitol Hill yesterday, was asked by a Republican lawmaker to resign. It is a call he is likely to hear again and again as next year’s election campaign heats up.

U.S. House Passes Measure to Avert Cuts in Medicare Payments to Doctors The U.S. House approved spending $210 billion over 10 years to prevent reductions in federal reimbursements to doctors participating in the Medicare program.

Palin `Going Rogue' May Not Presage Comeback as Appeal Remains Grassroots Sarah Palin is trying for a second chance at a first impression.

Rangel Says House Democrats Will Seek to Renew Expiring U.S. Tax Breaks New York Representative Charles Rangel said House Democrats will move next month to renew dozens of tax breaks before they expire at year’s end, including a research credit promoted by companies such as Dow Chemical Co.