Optimizing McCain--Free and Easy Widgets!

HCR passes House 220-215: Oregon delegation splits 4-1
HR 3962, the Affordable Health Care for America Act, passed the floor vote by 220-215 at a few minutes after 8pm, Pacific Time, tonight.   The Oregon delegation votes: Yes:  Blumenauer, DeFazio, Schrader, and Wu. No: Walden (Flip those around, and you've got their votes for the odious Stupak Amendment earlier today.)

OR-5: Last Chance to Weigh in with Schrader on HCR
Carla at Blue Oregon has been on Kurt Schrader (OR-5), who's been unwilling to say whether he'll support the health care reform when it finally comes to a vote in the House, probably later this evening.   While callers were getting through to DeFazio's, Wu's, and Blumenauer's offices in DC today, it looked for a while like Schrader and staff had put the phone under the couch cushion and left the office, locking the door behind them.  In the comments at BO we're assured that Schrader's office is open for business today, just swamped with calls (many, apparently, from out of

Earl Signals Opposition to Stupak Abortion Amend; Vote Still On Track for Today
It's hard to get truly excited about the fair-to-middlin' health care reform package now pending final debate and a vote later today, because it really stood just a few cruel Blue Dog votes away from producing an ironically cheaper (and more effective) bill they couldn't support. Kurt Schrader in the 5th echoed the refrain from other Western/rural Democrats who complained that Medicare +5% provider reimbursements under the public plan would penalize the more efficient Oregon providers, who get much less than doctors in other states for the same services.It's a fair argument--but it's also something that can be dealt with; Congressman Blumenauer

Blaze?...Blaze! Someone Call 9-1-1! The Blazers Is Illin'!
Across Oregon, after the question "Should U of O end up ahead of Boise if they both win out" I'm sure the most popular sports fan worry is "WTF with the Blazers?" It's way early yet, and 2-3 is hardly a disaster--but there are some evil portents and recurrences of past problems that should leave many Blazers fans unsettled if not actually panicked. You'll notice I did not muster a game recap for the Hawks debacle Tuesday (nor the win in OKC or the loss in Houston, but I'm likely to cover fewer away games and losses anyway); it was partly a lack of free time, partly a lack of general motivation to write on ANY subject--but also a fear that I'd try to keep p

Measures 66/67, Explained in Pictures for Teabaggers
Today's Election Day across the country, such as it is in Oregon with only local races on the ballots in-state. But there's another one coming up in January that you may not be thinking about, and it's an important one--the key question will be an attempt at repeal of the tax fairness measures established by the Legislature last session. The astroturf Freedomworks affiliate in Oregon, strongly assisted by the Oregon Republican Party, secured more than enough signatures to place the question on the ballot, and so here we go playing Russian roulette with basic services again.  Most ballot questions are at least a little convoluted in t