NEW YORK TIMES: Legal and Political Fights Ahead for the Democrats.

WHY DID FOX PUT GERALDO ON TONIGHT? He’s even more useless than usual. And he seems to have trouble enunciating.

UPDATE: A reader emails: “Not only is he so giddy that he can’t enunciate, but if other viewers are like me, I changed the channel because I couldn’t stomach his liberal glee. Does FOX not realize that it’s not a good idea to put someone like him on after we’ve been not only racketeered but defiled by the Dems?”

JESSE WALKER: “Look on the bright side: Now we get to find out what’s in it.”

KABOOM:

VIDEO: ‘Hell No!’: Boehner Makes Impassioned Statement on House Floor.

FROM THE HOUSE CLERK: How they voted.

UPDATE: Reader George Gooding writes: “I can’t help but laugh at the fact that Obama attained the much-heralded bipartisanship – against his health care bill. That’s the only bipartisan thing about the vote tonight: opposition.”

ANOTHER UPDATE: Lamar Alexander’s office emails:

U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.), chairman of the Senate Republican Conference, today released the following statement regarding passage of the health care bill in the U.S. House of Representatives:

“This is an historic mistake. And unlike Social Security, Medicare and civil rights legislation, the only thing bipartisan about it is the opposition to it.

“The mistake is to expand a health care delivery system that is already too expensive instead of reducing its cost so more Americans can afford health insurance.

“This taxes job creators in the middle of a recession. It means Medicare cuts and premium increases for millions of Americans. When you include the cost of paying doctors who serve Medicare patients, it will increase the national debt.

“It will force governors to cut higher education funding, and raise taxes and tuition to pay for new Medicaid costs. In Tennessee, the governor says the cost will be $1.1 billion or more over five years.

“And the last-minute Washington takeover of the student loan program will add a half trillion more to the debt and overcharge 19 million student loans to help pay for health care.”

Well, students voted for Obama, so . . . try to enjoy it.

Plus, 34 Democrats who voted no.

COBB: The Great Tea Party Race Challenge.

FROM STATE ATTORNEYS GENERAL: A multistate challenge to ObamaCare?

UPDATE: Reader Bryan Livingston emails:

I read reports today that over three dozen Attorneys-General are lining up to challenge the unfunded mandates and other abuses of the Federal system in the health care legislation.

I smell a Constitutional convention. In the present climate, I think the usual scary arguments against a convention fall away.

Well, that’s something Randy Barnett has been talking about.

MARKDOWNS ON camp knives and tools.

THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER: Democrats To America: Drop Dead. “Never before in American history has a measure of such importance been imposed on the country by the majority party over the unanimous opposition of the minority. Democrats have continually sought to create a halo effect for Obamacare by associating it with Social Security and Medicare. But the reality is that both of those landmark programs were approved with strong bipartisan support in both the Senate and House.”

MEGAN MCARDLE:

Regardless of what you think about health care, tomorrow we wake up in a different political world. . . .

Republicans and other opponents of the bill did their job on this; they persuaded the country that they didn’t want this bill. And that mattered basically not at all. If you don’t find that terrifying, let me suggest that you are a Democrat who has not yet contemplated what Republicans might do under similar circumstances. Farewell, social security! Au revoir, Medicare! The reason entitlements are hard to repeal is that the Republicans care about getting re-elected. If they didn’t–if they were willing to undertake this sort of suicide mission–then the legislative lock-in you’re counting on wouldn’t exist. . . . If the GOP takes the legislative innovations of the Democrats and decides to use them, please don’t complain that it’s not fair. Someone could get seriously hurt, laughing that hard.

Read the whole thing.

HEALTH CARE GETS 219 VOTES, PASSES HOUSE. Stupak’s switch clearly made the difference.

UPDATE: Liberty dies, with thunderous applause.

A STUPAK PAYOFF? “U.S. Congressman Bart Stupak (D-Menominee) announced three airports in northern Michigan have received grants totaling $726,409 for airport maintenance and improvements. The funding was provided by the U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Aviation Administration.” Probably just a coincidence.

FLASHBACK: Obama’s Promise on Using Executive Power to Change Laws.

ACADEMIC PAPER IN CHINA SETS OFF ALARMS IN U.S.: “It shows that in an atmosphere already charged with hostility between the United States and China over cybersecurity issues, including large-scale attacks on computer networks, even a misunderstanding has the potential to escalate tension and set off an overreaction.”

WATCH OUT BARBARA BOXER: “It looks like I have enough signatures to make the ballot.”

AT PJTV, it’s Stephen Green’s The Week In Blogs.

LIVEBLOGGING THE DEBATE at UnitedLiberty.

WASHINGTON EXAMINER: SUPPORT SURGING ALREADY FOR STUPAK’S RE-ELECTION OPPONENT. I just looked at the opponent, Dan Benishek’s Facebook page and the numbers continue to climb.

RON PAUL blasts Stupak’s deal as “unconstitutional outrage.”

UPDATE: Michael Barone: Questions About The Stupak Deal. “Why did the Obama administration and the Democratic leadership make the deal with Stupak? Because they feared they didn’t have the 216 votes to pass the bill without him. And they know that, as Debby Wasserman-Schultz stated, an executive order cannot override an act of Congress.” Yeah, Obama gave us an executive order to close Guantanamo, too . . . .

ANOTHER UPDATE: GOP trying to force original Stupak language in. And Dr. Weevil hasn’t given up hope.

MORE: John Hinderaker: “This is a dark day in American history; one of the darkest. But there are many reasons for optimism. Here are a few.”

ANNALS OF GOVT. HEALTH CARE, CONT’D: Docs Removed Wrong Testicle. “Details of the error surfaced this week after the hospital was forced to confess all thanks to freedom of information laws. Care at the hospital had previously been rated ‘good’ by the Care Quality Commission.”

UPDATE: Joy McCann emails: “Did they get both of Bart Stupak’s?” Heh.

STUPAK FOLDS.

Meanwhile, reader Lisa Schell writes:

Watch the momentum on Stupak’s opponent’s facebook page. Dr. Dan Benishek is running against Stupak in Michigan. Check out the velocity of his growth since Stupak announced: Benishek for Congress

His membership is currently growing at a rate of about 20 new members every 30-60 seconds and incoming comments are fast and furious. People are begging him to set up his donation site so that they can start a money bomb.

Like the protester said yesterday, if you vote yes on the bill, we’ll vote no on you in November.

UPDATE: Reader Mark Kilian writes:

Dr. Benishek’s Facebook doesn’t yet have a pay button but his snail mail address is listed:

Benishek For Congress
802 Pentoga Trail
Crystal Falls, MI 49920

I literally couldn’t wait and I am heading to the mailbox to send my check tonight.

Wow. If that reaction is at all common, Stupak could come to regret this.

MORE PHOTOS FROM YESTERDAY’S RALLY AT THE CAPITOL: “All of these are by Meade (my husband, who says everyone was perfectly nice — too nice, if anything).” I like the lobster one especially.

GETTING HOLD OF Nancy Pelosi’s travel receipts. “According to the documents obtained by Judicial Watch through the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), the Speaker’s military travel cost the United States Air Force close to $2.2 million over a two-year period.” Like I say, I don’t want to hear one word about my carbon footprint.

IN MICHIGAN, protesting Jennifer Granholm’s “Michigan Meatout Day.” Granholm urging voters to go without meat? The mind reels with sarcastic replies. . . .

TONIGHT: LIVE HEALTHCARE COVERAGE on PJTV.com.

AIR-GUITAR PICKS AND PANS: Movies About Rock Bands.

THE HILL: Dems don’t appear to have 216 hours before a healthcare vote.

Huffington Post: Early Chaos On The House Floor:

A protester sitting in the House gallery just disrupted the early business going on in the chamber by screaming out: “The people have said no!” and “You took an oath.” Leadership tried to gavel the members back into session and ordered the Sargent in Arms to remove the unruly man. Before he was escorted out, however, he did receive a fair amount of applause from the Republican side of the aisle.

Outside, meanwhile, bullhorns and chants are seeping into the press room and even the chamber. Chants of “Naaaannnccy” and “vote them out” are constant, as are the usual “kill the bill” refrains. At one point, three lawmakers, presumably Republicans, went outside the Capitol building — on a second floor balcony — to greet the protestors. And they each held up one side reading: “Kill” “The” “Bill”

Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass.) emerged from the House floor irate to denounce Republicans for cheering on the protester.

There’s going to be a lot more for Barney to be irate about if this turkey passes.

MUNICIPAL FINANCE UPDATE: Too many towns, too much debt: Welcome to Pennsylvania.

“A train wreck is coming, and, because of my position, I think it’s my duty to alert people,” said George Cornelius, secretary of the state Department of Economic and Community Development. “Some of these municipalities may get into a situation where they have no choice; bankruptcy is the only option left.”

Cash-strapped municipalities suffering from the industrial decline, population loss and overwhelming tax increases common in the Rust Belt face a “downward spiral,” Cornelius said.

It’s not just Pennsylvania. And I’m not sure whether consolidating small towns into bigger ones will really help. Read the whole thing.

MIKE FLYNN: ObamaCare: To Pass Or Not To Pass.

The Democrats and the White House are lost in a legislative “fog of war” right now. They are focused on twisting enough arms, offering jobs and negotiating specific “deals” (bribes) to get them to 216 votes. Their attention and energy is focused exclusively on a final vote in the House tonight. No one is looking even one minute beyond that horizon. They are like a general who pours all his reserves into taking a symbolic bridge, never realizing that his lines have already collapsed and his flanks have been turned. They may take the bridge and get to 216 votes. (I’ve learned to never bet against Congressional leadership and an Administration united for a single legislative victory. ) But, they have already lost the war. They have deluded themselves that if they can…just…get…this…bill…passed, the public’s anger and attention will subside, they can put health care ‘behind them’ and they can focus on other ‘popular’ measures that will shore up their election prospects in November.

What they don’t realize is that today’s vote isn’t the end, but just a new beginning in the debate over health care. Buckle up, because if they manage to cobble together enough votes to pass the Senate Health Bill today, we’re set for weeks and perhaps months of a constitutional and political crisis the likes of which we haven’t seen in our lifetimes. . . . A representative democracy cannot long endure a political class that is so out of touch with the populace. In some respects, what happens tonight is almost beside the point. The politics are set. Some Democrats are deluding themselves that they can put this behind them and somehow survive in November. They are most assuredly wrong.

I agree.

ON DRUDGE: “OVERHEARD: Walking into Capitol this morning on phone, Speaker Pelosi tells Hoyer: ‘Steny, we have to get to 217. None of these members wants to be the deciding vote’… Developing…” It’s unsourced, but it’s easy to believe that nobody wants to be the deciding vote on this turkey.

UPDATE: Rep. John Tanner (D-TN) is now a No.

FROM RANDY BARNETT: More questions on ObamaCare’s constitutionality.

UPDATE: Reader Jim Murray writes: “Randy, like his critic, forgets to mention Bush v. Gore was a 7-2 decision to overturn what Florida was doing. The continued misrepresentation of the decision as 5-4 (the decision on the remedy) allows the liberals to maintain the election was stolen. Of course, they also neglect to recall the later unofficial recount performed by newspapers that found Bush won via actual votes.”

PRO-NUKE OBAMA. Lamar Alexander praises Obama’s NRC Appointments. “It would have been difficult for the president to have found three better nominees for the NRC. They are experienced and will make sure the plants are safe and see the value of them to our country.” Good for Obama. I hope he continues to push nice, clean, nuclear power.

DO TELL: 2007 Prius rated most dependable compact car in J.D. Power survey.

ARTISTS GETTING TOGETHER to celebrate Yuri’s Night.

IN THE MAIL: From Glen Cook, Shadowline.

PROTESTING OBAMACARE IN NASHVILLE: Reader Linda White emailed last night: “350-400 gathered in Nashville to protest Obamacare today – including a neurologist.”

SALENA ZITO: Voters In “Bitter” Western Pennsylvania Hold Center Stage.

PROTESTING OBAMACARE IN BOSTON:

Plus, Video: In Washington, Tea Party members converge on Congressional offices.

CINDY SHEEHAN ON BARACK OBAMA: “Arrest that war criminal!” Sad to see such open racism in 21st century America. . . .

IN THE WASHINGTON POST, Randy Barnett looks at constitutional challenges to the health bill.

PERHAPS NOT THE SMARTEST THING FOR A CANDIDATE TO SAY: “To Hell with all the bloggers.”

WRITE DIALOGUE like you’re fighting a Marlin.

MICKEY KAUS IS NOW BLOGGING AT HIS NEW LOCATION.

IT AIN’T OVER ‘TIL IT’S OVER, and the ObamaCare bill is clearly wildly unpopular. But if it does pass, the media message will be that the whole Tea Party movement has been a waste — when, in fact, without it this would have been passed nearly a year ago, and with far less political cost.

And political cost is the key. If this bill passes, there will be a brutal political cost, as spelled out in the sign below: You Vote for ObamaCare, We Vote For Your Opponent.

That’s what the next eight months or so will be about, and I don’t think that many of the folks you’ve seen demonstrating will give up and go home.

THE HILL: Vote No And Get Out: “A Democrat who has long committed to opposing healthcare reform legislation has advised his fellow defectors that they should vote no early on Sunday and then immediately leave the House chamber. . . . The tactics of House leaders during what is billed as a 15-minute vote are important. It is likely that some firm no votes on the Democratic side will vote right away while others, at the request of House leaders, will wait to register their no until the tally reaches the magic number of 216. Once it does, politically vulnerable Democrats will likely cast their no votes. But if getting to 216 is a problem, Democratic leaders may lean on these members to change their minds.”

ZOMBIE: Why America Hates Universal Health Care: The Real Reason.

IN ST. LOUIS, Rallying Against Russ Carnahan.

CHARLES MARTIN: Tens Of Thousands Protest ObamaCare At Capitol, Legacy Media Not Interested. “It would appear that a decent estimate for the size of the rally by the end was at least 30,000 people; tweeted estimates in excess of 40,000 seem a bit high.”

REPS. SPACE & MATHESON WILL BOTH VOTE NO. I’m also getting email reports that Rep. Lincoln Davis’s (D-TN) office is saying he will vote no, though I haven’t been able to find a published report to that effect.

UPDATE: A “no” from Rep. Glenn Nye.

ANN ALTHOUSE: President Obama’s lackluster speech to the Democratic caucus. “I watched this live, and I was struck by the dullness of the crowd as they listened to words that were supposed to stir them up.”

UPDATE: From the comments: “The crowd was dull because people who know they are going to their own slaughter usually do have that stunned, dull demeanor as they turn their glazed eyes toward their executioner.”

ANOTHER UPDATE: Fake Lincoln quotes?

NOW FOR SOME REAL POLITICAL VIOLENCE: Pies-in-face attack roils anarchist-vegan world. “An ex-vegan who was hit with chili pepper-laced pies at an anarchist event in San Francisco said Tuesday that her assailants were cowards who should direct their herbivorous rage at the powerful – not at a fellow radical for writing a book denouncing animal-free diets.”

DOES CLYBURN OWE TEA PARTY PROTESTERS AN APOLOGY? The bogus racism card has been played so often that I no longer find such charges very credible. I’m sure, however, that, true or not, they’ll be played much more loudly than the indisputably true statements about the antiwar movement.

UPDATE: Reader Rob Kleine writes: “All the focus on the anti-Obamacare protests has me wondering: Are there any pro-Obamacare protesters? Or is the Emperor truly w/o clothes?” I think there was an anti-war protest today in DC, too, but if there were pro-Obamacare protesters I haven’t heard about ’em.

And several readers note a conundrum for the media — since they ignored the anti-ObamaCare protests, it’ll be awkward for them to suddenly start running stories about charges of racism at those nonexistent protests.

ANOTHER UPDATE: Short on hate: “The rally earlier today on the West Lawn in opposition to the health-care legislation before Congress had all the fingerprints of a somewhat organic celebration of democracy. There was a pretty focused message, but mostly displayed on handwritten signs. . . . As I walked around, if it weren’t for the congressmen and some right-wing organization types speaking, one might think people had gathered for an Independence Day celebration. There were smiles and babies and families and goodwill. Now and again I would run into some lone guy responding to a speaker with ‘then we’ll dismantle the government.’ But that guy also got weird looks — and not just from me. I was struck by how few mass-produced signs there were. Many groups might try to take credit for the rally, but concerned Americans are responsible for it.” Lots of pics at the link.

Plus this: “Those gathered today, among many others across the country and in Washington who oppose this ill-conceived legislation from a condescending, patronizing administration — will not be giving up tomorrow. Because Monday is another day. And so is the first Tuesday in November.”

And, by way of contrast, here are some photos from that antiwar rally today in DC. Note the Soviet-nostalgia T-shirt. But guess which one the press will cast as “extremist?”

UPDATE: Reader Mwalimu Daudi emails:

Given the fact that the Members of Congress alleging this incident are among the most ethically-challenged, we can probably be safe as dismissing this as a last-second effort blow a little obscuring smoke. Don’t be surprised if this is a hot topic of conversation Sunday on the media round-table shows and disappears Monday.

However, I predict it will not go away entirely. Look for this to surface again near the November elections.What will be important to remember is that the media will have made zero efforts to investigate this between now and whenever they choose to recycle it. The “incident” will simply be reported as Gospel truth, since it fits the official media Narrative of Tea Party as racist/homophobic terrorists.

It’s all about the narrative. And Prof. Stephen Clark emails:

In following this, I’ve noticed the uptick in slurs of various kinds toward the Tea Party protestors. Now, I’ve watched all this for more than 40 years and as true racism has ebbed, that old charge remains the first and last option of the intellectually weak. If Congressman Clyburn, experienced the taunts and insults he claims, his anger is understandable. And yet, to indiscriminately tar all those present with same awful charge, given reports I’ve read and pictures I’ve seen, is not something to which, I believe, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. would have stooped.

I’m quite sure, from my memory of the time, that Dr. King experienced the rawest form of racism and would know it when he saw it. I’m equally sure, as a man of faith and good will, that were he to support the pending legislation, he would make his case on the merits of the legislation and would find no need for blanket and baseless charges in response to opposition. He was a man of grace. The most appropriate response to those whose lack of grace has been most evident is to note that they defile his memory, his work to unify our country, and his abiding love for us all.

Regardless, the sun will rise again on Monday – for everyone.

Indeed.

MORE: Smears debunked by video.

STILL MORE: Ann Althouse:

From what I heard — from Meade, who was there — the people at yesterday’s protest were unusually nice and friendly and well-behaved. Still, the Washington Post uses the term “angry protesters.” That’s a journalistic device to delegitimitize the demonstration by merging everyone into the few persons who said something racist/homophobic. That’s not fair and it’s not accurate, but it has been the stock MSM treatment of the Tea Party movement all along.

Indeed.

MORE STILL: Ann Althouse has more: “A member of Congress said he was spit on? Guards were right there. Was no one detained? Show me the person who was arrested. Otherwise, I’m assuming it’s a lie.” Yep. No evidence in the video, nothing else — it’s another bogus racecard-play unless somebody can come up with, you know, proof. But it gave lefty bloggers a bogus talking-point, which was, I guess, the point. . . .

DANIEL DREZNER: The political economy of pressuring China.

AT AMAZON, a clearance sale on jewelry.

POLIWOOD: Tom Hanks, Hollywood, and Anti-Americanism.

SOME POSSIBLE constitutional challenges to ObamaCare.

WANT TO GET PJTV ON YOUR IPOD, IPHONE, ETC.? Subscribe to PJTV.

WIRED LOOKS AT the future of money. Transferring money over Twitter?

“WE MAKE ‘EM UP AS WE GO ALONG:” I’m guessing that this Alcee Hastings video will appear in a few political ads this fall . . . .

Background here. And doesn’t it say a lot about this Congress that a guy who was kicked off the bench for corruption — by a Democratic-controlled Congress, no less — is now on the Rules Committee?

IS AMERICA READY TO LEGALIZE PROSTITUTION? Tracy Quan and Janice Crouse debate.

My take: Who needs to legalize prostitution when we already have Congress?

“GEITHNER MADE THE LEAP.”

THE MILLION FOLLOWER FALLACY: Audience Size Doesn’t Prove Influence On Twitter, according to researchers.

TWENTY DEMOCRATS WHO ARE STILL ON THE FENCE over ObamaCare.

BRITISH BOY RECEIVES pioneering stem cell surgery.

AT AMAZON, patio, lawn and garden markdowns.

REPORT: Deem and Pass is dead; keep the no-mentum going.

THE JOY OF DATING NERDS: “My girlfriend is a magnificent nerdess, a tornado of wonder. And even better, we have complementary nerd fixations, like comic books and politics. My life, however, is vastly improved by her own idiosyncratic pursuits. Everybody wins when everybody shares.”

INTERNET PRODUCES new generation of activists in China.

KILL A TREE for Congress. “Before testifying before a House Science subcommittee, witnesses were asked to provide (in addition to the electronic submissions) 55 hard copies of the final written testimony, 55 hard copies of a short narrative biography, two hard copies of the curriculum vitae, and two hard copies of a completed witness financial disclosure form.”

THE SCARY WORLD OF Garden Sculpture.

HEH: “Obama’s dedication to passing this spectacularly flawed and unpopular health care bill appears to be based on the assumption that the American people like a winner even if the victory comes at their expense.”

ANN ALTHOUSE HAS MORE PICS FROM THE WASHINGTON, D.C. PROTEST, courtesy of Meade.

UPDATE: More blogging here.

ANOTHER UPDATE: Anyone who’s there, Charlie Martin would like to know the width of the crowd (“between Penns and Maryland, or wider?”) and depth for purposes of estimating size.

MORE: Still more coverage at TigerHawk.

Also, a reader emails: “You want to know why I think most media outlets are frauds? There are 30,000 people in Washington, DC today protesting the health care bill right now. It’s not a headline on any of the main news outlets websites. Fail.” Fox is covering it on TV.

ANOTHER PICTURE OF THE DC ANTI-OBAMACARE TEA PARTY PROTEST, courtesy of Randy Barnett’s cellphone.

Meanwhile, this protest in Kansas at Congressman Dennis Moore’s office looks a lot chillier. Brr.

WHAT CONGRESS NEEDS: More law professors.

ANN ALTHOUSE: Michael McConnell states the constitutional problem with the “deem and pass” more clearly and concisely than anyone can explain what the “deem and pass” is. Is that a clue that something really devious is going on?

BYRON YORK: Rules Committee Meeting Descends Into Chaos. “Obviously, Democrats are performing such strange contortions because many of their members are scared of voting for a bill that will likely mean defeat for them in November. But their attempts to avoid responsibility have created some very basic problems.”

PROTESTING OBAMACARE IN WASHINGTON: Reader Barrett Cunningham sends this photo and reports: “It’s an incredible turnout Glenn, and people just keep coming.”

And reader Alan Poston sends this pic and reports a crowd estimate of 30,000 was given at the scene. Not sure of the source.

UPDATE: Here’s another pic from Randy Barnett.

ANOTHER UPDATE: Another pic from Randy Barnett:

Blackberries, iPhones, etc. sure make blogging these things easier.

On crowd size, Randy emails: “They announced 25K about 15 minutes ago. I cannot see side to side but it goes solidly from steps to pond and then around to the other side of the water. Before things got started it was full between the 2 walk ways leading up to Capital. Is now wider than that but I cannot see the edges from where I am.”

Photos from high vantage points, or descriptions of exactly how far the crowd spreads in various directions, would be much appreciated.

ANOTHER UPDATE: Another from Barnett, this time facing south.

And Randy emails: “Been reading your posts. Speaker just said, ‘The President is like a used car salesman. We tell him we don’t want to buy what he’s selling but he won’t let us off the lot.'”

IN THE MAIL: From Judith Shulevitz, The Sabbath World: Glimpses of a Different Order of Time.

RASMUSSEN: 44% “Strongly Disapprove” of Obama; only 43% approve of Obama at all.

23% of the nation’s voters Strongly Approve of the way that Barack Obama is performing his role as President. Forty-four percent (44%) Strongly Disapprove giving Obama a Presidential Approval Index rating of -21. That matches the lowest Approval Index rating yet recorded for this President (see trends). . . . Overall, 43% of voters say they at least somewhat approve of the President’s performance. That also matches the lowest level yet recorded for this President. Fifty-six percent (56%) disapprove.

Will the press start talking about “the increasingly unpopular President Obama” any time soon?

FROM JOHN HINDERAKER, a series of controversial propositions. Including this one: “The smartest person whom most Americans see on a regular basis is Simon Cowell.”

MEGAN MCARDLE: Arizona Kills SCHIP, Puts Medicaid on a Diet. “On the eve of the possible passage of a health care bill, Arizona has provided a glimpse of our possible future by shutting down its SCHIP program and booting a bunch of people out of Medicaid. . . . The reason this is so troubling, of course, is that the new proposed health care plan gets about half of its coverage expansion through adding people to Medicaid. The state side of this expense doesn’t show up on the books as a government expenditure (neatly enabling the bill to get a lower CBO score), but someone in America has to be taxed to pay for it, and there is a big problem when tax revenues fall short of the required expenditure.”

GUY SORMAN: The Euro In Crisis: In Greece and elsewhere, statism proves riskier than free markets.

FASTER, PLEASE: A Cheap, Portable Wound-Healing Device.

RATINGS: With a little luck, MSNBC might catch up to the Hallmark Channel.

GREG MANKIW: A Warning About The CBO Scoring.

There has been a lot of talk lately about the CBO scoring of the health bill. Here is one thing people should understand about their numbers: When they estimate the budget impact of a bill like this, they assume the path of GDP is unchanged.

Recall that the bill raises taxes substantially. Some of these tax hikes are the explicit tax increases on capital income to pay for the insurance subsidies. Some of these tax hikes are the implicit marginal rate increases from the phase-out of the insurance subsidies as a person’s income rises. Both of these would be expected to reduce GDP growth.

Indeed, to be very wonkish about it, these tax changes could have especially large GDP effects.

Not positive ones, either.

KEITH HENNESSEY: A New $29 Billion Gimmick In The Reconciliation Bill.

STRATEGYPAGE: “In a new effort to increase overall capabilities, the U.S. Army is now screening reservists to weed out underperformers.” Plus, increased money going to State Defense Forces.

VIDEO from an “impromptu” Tea Party protest outside Jan Schakowsky’s office.

IS TEA the new coffee?

MEMO TO DAVID FRUM: It’s The Spending, Stupid.

HMM: India Raises Interest Rate to Fight Inflation.

Also, Australia Raises Benchmark Rate to 4%.

UPDATE: Business Week: India’s Interest Rate Rise ‘Sign of Things to Come’.

U.S. rates, on the other hand, are supposed to stay low.

ANN ALTHOUSE: With the entire C-SPAN archive up on-line, what was the first thing I wanted to re-live?

LOOKING FOR WAR ON TERROR NEWS? Check out Fred Pruitt’s Rantburg.

NEW YORK TIMES: Doubts About Diversity Training.

UPDATE: From TigerHawk, the rest of the story.

GRANDPA MUNSTER comes out in favor of ObamaCare. Funniest billboard yet, though I think it’s a Photoshop.

CHANGE: More multigenerational families living together. “Driven partly by job losses, more multigenerational families are choosing to live together as ‘boomerang kids’ flock home and people help care for grandchildren or aging parents.”

OBAMAVILLES SPREAD: Number of People Living on New York Streets Soars.

NEW YORK TIMES: Fundraiser for Obama and Clinton Admits Fraud:

A wealthy businessman who raised money for leading Democratic Party politicians, including Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton, pleaded guilty on Thursday to defrauding three major banks out of $292.2 million in loan transactions, Reuters reported.

Hassan Nemazee, 60, who once ran a private equity firm, admitted in Manhattan federal court to defrauding Bank of America of more than $142 million, Citigroup of $74.9 million and HSBC Holdings of $74.9 million to pay his debt to Citigroup.

Then there’s all the money he got people to donate based on “hope, change, and a new kind of politics . . . .”

DON SURBER: “Hey, what George Bush could not accomplish in 8 years, Obama has accomplished in 14 months.”