Updated from yesterday's version. Note: if you support the public option, please sign the petition at StandWithDrDean.com, send an e-mail to your senators, and support Blue America's planned tv ad campaign.

The White House and key Democratic senators, including Iowa's Tom Harkin, appear to be walking into a trap for the sake of bipartisan agreement on health care in the Senate.

There is growing support for a fake "public option," as opposed to a government health insurance plan that would compete directly with private insurance companies.

If Congress passes this kind of deal and President Barack Obama signs it, we will get a enormously expensive non-solution to an enormous problem, and Democrats will pay the political price.

After the jump I'll explain why political hacks as well as policy wonks should refuse the latest efforts to derail the public option.

UPDATE: Check out the numbers from a brand-new New York Times/CBS nationwide poll: Asked, "Would you favor or oppose the government's offering everyone a government administered health insurance plan like Medicare that would compete with private insurance plans?" 72 percent of respondents said "favor," including 87 percent of Democrats, 73 percent of independents, and 50 percent of Republicans.

There's more...

Note: if you support the public option, please sign the petition at StandWithDrDean.com, send an e-mail to your senators, and support Blue America's planned tv ad campaign.

The White House and key Democratic senators, including Iowa's Tom Harkin, appear to be walking into a trap for the sake of bipartisan agreement on health care in the Senate.

There is growing support for a fake "public option," as opposed to a government health insurance plan that would compete directly with private insurance companies.

If Congress passes this kind of deal and President Barack Obama signs it, we will get a enormously expensive non-solution to an enormous problem, and Democrats will pay the political price.

After the jump I'll explain why political hacks as well as policy wonks should refuse the latest efforts to derail the public option.

There's more...

A conservative blogger I know started a meme examining the milestones of her life in relation to the presidential elections.

I picked up the meme, with a bit of a different focus (her blog is mostly about her Christian faith).

There's more...

The closer election day and the more likely a positive outcome for the Democratic ticket, the more you can see and hear about Sarah Palin getting ready for a 2012 run for the nomination.

This got me wondering: has anyone ever won the nomination of their party or even the presidency after being the running mate on a losing ticket?

Follow me below the fold for what I found. Let's just say history does not bode well for Palin 2012.

There's more...

Our show was recorded before the shocking news about Tim Russert's death. We are tremendously saddened by the news and offer our deepest sympathies to his family.

There's more...