The Senate Judiciary Committee plans to move forward with a commission to investigate torture during the Bush administration. Committee Chairman Pat Leahy, D-Vt., told Salon Tuesday that his panel would soon announce a hearing to study various commission plans. His staff said the announcement could come as early as Wednesday.

While Michigan Democrat Rep. John Conyers and North Carolina Republican Rep. Walter Jones drafted a bill to create a commission to review abuse of war powers during the Bush administration, Leahy’s Senate commission would represent the first concrete steps toward a broad review of U.S. torture since 9/11.

Spearheading Senate efforts to establish a torture commission is Rhode Island Democrat Sheldon Whitehouse. As a member of both the Judiciary Committee and the Intelligence Committee, Whitehouse is privy to information about interrogations he can’t yet share. Still, regarding a potential torture commission, he told Salon, “I am convinced it is going to happen.” In fact, his fervor on the issue was palpable. When asked if there is a lot the public still does not know about these issues during the Bush administration, his eyes grew large and he nodded slowly. “Stay on this,” he said. “This is going to be big.”

(Senate will advance torture commission, Salon.com, 02/24/09 … registration not required for this story)

and I’m talking single payer, universal medical/health care.

The nation’s largest organization of registered nurses released new data on how the most comprehensive healthcare fix would create new jobs in nearly all areas of the national economy.

Overall, expanding and upgrading Medicare to cover all Americans (single-payer) would create 2.6 million new jobs, infuse $317 billion in new business and public revenues, and inject another $100 billion in wages into the U.S. economy, according to the study by the Institute for Health and Socio-Economic Policy, research arm of the California Nurses Association/National Nurses Organizing Committee

(Landmark study argues that Medicare for all would create jobs, stimulate economy, Examiner.com, 02/24/09)

Here’s the study … this way … click here … this is a link

One of Obama’s failures is his view that we need yet another medical/health insurance scheme as opposed to a medical/health delivery plan. As has been said by many folks many times smarter than me … why are we wasting so much money on an insurance industry?

Madoff made off with my stash

My insurance company made an investment so rash

My employer stole

My retirement whole

Lost my job and now I’m outa’ cash!

About a month and a half ago, I posted this piece, which outlined the problems faced by Vermonters trying to contact the department of labor about filing unemployment claims, which included this quote from the Rutland Herald:

And while the state has been adding staff to the call centers, Powden said Vermonters who need the services should keep on calling.

“Think of it as a radio contest,” she said. “Just hit the redial button.”

A week later, there was a reference in the Herald to how Vermonter’s were “draining” the unemployment system, and how it would require increased contribution from employers.  That piece included this gem (emphasis mine):

The administration of Gov. James Douglas has not proposed a solution to the problem of a diminishing unemployment fund. But the answer will likely have to involve changes to the amount of employer contributions – don’t call them taxes, Powden said – and diminished benefits for unemployed workers.

Apparently, the Hearald didn’t listen to her, though, because here’s today’s piece:

The proposal by Gov. James Douglas’ administration to keep the fund afloat would involve raising taxes on employers by more than $40 million a year for two years by increasing the amount of wages that are subject to the tax. That amount, $8,000 in annual wages, has not been changed in a quarter century, even as benefits have increased.

The herald also notes that:

…hidden in the arcane details of the declining unemployment fund, is the possibility… and a decline in unemployment benefits for those who are laid off or otherwise lose their jobs.

So it’s a twofer: the Douglas administration gets to screw over the poor and has another excuse for dumping on Vermont over its high taxes on businesses.  

Hey, maybe they’ll use this as an opportunity to push for elimination of ACT 250.  Win-win!

Bobby Jindal, Gov of Louisiana, dependent on the Army Corps of Engineers for levies and pumps, and on NOAA for weather reports, giving the official Republican version of the State of the Union, just came out against monitoring volcanos!

“God bless Louisiana.”

So where does Big Jim stand on volcano monitoring?

So you’ll remember the rumor I referred to in a previous diary – that Emily’s List (the national PAC that supports pro-choice women for political office) was intending to power a $2 million gubernatorial campaign for Deb Markowitz. Well I mentioned the rumor in passing in conversation, and it turned out I was speaking to the source.

Senate Appropriations Chair and potential gubernatorial candidate Susan Bartlett contacted Emily’s List herself, only to find out that they had already decided to back Markowitz in a primary. When she informed them that she thought a gubernatorial run would need to be in the $750k – $1m range, they told her explicitly that they intended to work towards a $2 million campaign for Markowitz.

On the one hand, this means that my theory that this was a fanciful number being floated by Team Markowitz to scare off the competition was off the mark.

On the other hand – Two million dollars?!?! Holy crap!

While the Democratic enthusiast in me is thrilled by the prospect, the realist in me is shaking his head. Honestly, I just don’t see it in this state. Might as well have said 2 gajillion. Still, it’d be something to be proven wrong, as that kind of money would significantly surpass Jim Douglas.

Of course, I can’t imagine how pissed off Bartlett must really be to be stiff-armed by what should be a natural base of support. Very interesting that they’d make such a definitive commitment so early in the cycle too. On the other hand, if Bartlett does get into this and the polls start surprising people… well, you just never know with some of these big national outfits. Stay tuned. The game’s afoot.