* The New York Times reports what I noted here yesterday: The public option with the “trigger” is still very much alive in the Senate: In the Senate, Mr. Reid is considering several alternatives to his proposal for a national public insurance plan. Under one alternative, the public plan would be established, or triggered, only in states that failed to meet certain goals for insurance coverage. Yesterday I noted that the Senate leadership’s vote counting showed that the trigger was

CBS News Sen. Boxer Says Obama Admin Could Make Climate Pledge in Copenhagen New York Times UNITED NATIONS -- Even if a US climate change and energy bill is not ready before December's international climate talks, the Obama administration should be able to adopt firm greenhouse gas reduction targets there, ... Senate panel to approve climate bill by December: Boxer Reuters Sen. Graham Splits with GOP on Climate Change WOLO Graham Changes the Game on Senate… Mother Jones Washington Post Sen. Bo

Politically speaking, Sen. John Ensign of Nevada is about as battered as it gets. The Republican senator in June acknowledged an extramarital affair with a campaign aide, who was married to his best friend, who has castigated Ensign in television interviews as a shameless Lothario. In recent days, after the New York Times reported on Ensign's efforts to silence his mistress' husband, Doug Hampton, the Senate ethics committee launched an investigation and talk surfaced of a possible FBI inquiry.

FOXNews Senate Schedules Vote on Health Bill New York Times WASHINGTON — The Senate Finance Committee will vote next Tuesday on legislation to revamp the health care system, Senator Harry Reid of Nevada, the Democratic majority leader, said on Thursday. ... Senate Panel to Vote Tuesday on Health-Care Overhaul Washington Post HMO stocks sink after report boosts reform bill Reuters On health, finding a path through the confusion OregonLive.com The Associated Press Senate Schedules Vote on Health

Badges? We don't need no stinkin' badges.Here’s how much the Congressional Budget Office says a new health reform bill in the Senate would cost: $829 billion over 10 years.The New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, the Washington Post , Associated Press and the Wall Street Journal all used that figure to describe the bill’s 10-year price tag.All noted that it would reduce the number of uninsured by 29 million people. In 10 years, all said, 94 percent of Americans under age 65 — the age at whic