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Budget. President's Budget Strategy Under Fire "Senior members of the Obama administration are pressing lawmakers to use a shortcut to drive the president's signature initiatives on health care and energy through Congress without Republican votes, a move that many lawmakers say would fly in the face of President Obama's pledge to restore bipartisanship to Washington." Obama Defends Budget Proposal "The White House has begun a full frontal assault to get President Obama's first budget through Congress. During an appearance on Tuesday at the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, Mr. Obama took a swipe at Republican critics of his $3.6 trillion budget and its agenda for healthcare, energy, taxes and economic recovery."
Health care. Team Effort in the House to Overhaul Health Care "Three powerful House committee chairmen have agreed to work together on legislation to overhaul the health care system, starting with the view that most employers should help finance coverage and that the government should offer a public health insurance plan as an alternative to private insurance."
AIG bonuses. White House Calls Bonuses a Late Surprise "Senior White House officials said last night that President Obama did not learn that bonuses worth $165 million were to be paid to executives of American International Group until Thursday, one day before they were issued and two days after his Treasury secretary was informed that the payments were going forward." AIG bonus flap may cost recipients "The government will deduct $165 million in proposed aid to bailed-out American International Group Inc. to recoup the cost of bonuses paid to employees of the giant insurer last week."
Seminaries. Seminaries fall on bad times "Sagging endowments and other shrinking revenue streams are challenging the status quo at the nation's seminaries, most of which aren't cushioned by a link to an endowed university."
Books in prisons. Plan Would Limit Prison Chapel Books "A broad swath of religious organizations and civil liberties groups - often on opposite sides of contentious issues - have joined together to condemn a proposed rule that they say would prohibit some religious texts in federal penitentiary libraries."
Gay rights. Officials: Obama administration to reverse Bush stance on gay rights at U.N. "The Obama administration will endorse a U.N. declaration calling for the worldwide decriminalization of homosexuality that then- President George W. Bush had refused to sign."
Newspapers. Extra! Extra! Are newspapers dying? "Sometime soon, millions of people may find themselves unwittingly involved in a test that could profoundly change their daily routines, local economies and civic lives.
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