Da Pres has a good day

His best day since inauguration.

Senate Passes 9/11 Health Bill as Republicans Back Down

By RAYMOND HERNANDEZ 10 minutes ago

Facing criticism for stalling the bill to cover medical costs for 9/11 responders, Senate Republicans agreed to a deal providing $4.3 billion over five years.

With Obama’s Signature, ‘Don’t Ask’ Is Repealed

By SHERYL GAY STOLBERG 11:44 AM ET

President Obama on Wednesday signed legislation ending the military’s ban on service by gays and lesbians.

Michael Reynolds/European Pressphoto Agency

Senate Passes Russia Arms Control Treaty

By PETER BAKER 28 minutes ago

A treaty that scales back cold war nuclear arsenals caps a successful lame-duck session for President Obama. Above, Senators John Kerry and Richard G. Lugar after the vote.

• How the Senate Voted | Times Topics: Lame-Duck Session

• The Caucus: Obama’s Day of Accomplishment

• Live Video Via MSNBC: Obama Speaks

Activist, or activist?

The entire process of Supreme Court nominee hearings is a charade. But every so often the truth wins out. Witness Senator Jefferson Beauregard "Jeff" Sessions III in the current Kagan hearings: It’s difficult to know whether “you’d be more like John Roberts or more like Ruth Bader Ginsburg,” he said, referring to the justice nominated by Clinton who aligns with the court’s liberal wing.

What he wants is a conservative, but he ain't getting one, coz the Democrats won.

Irrelevant? Consider it done

The Senate approved Monday a measure that could make it harder to deploy U.S. funds in rescuing foreign governments, signaling Congress's unease with the sort of global economic aid recently given to Greece. The measure, adopted by a 94-0 vote as an amendment to the financial regulatory overhaul bill the Senate is considering, would require the Obama administration to certify that any future loans made by the International Monetary Fund would be fully repaid. Absent such as certification, U.S. representatives to the IMF would be required to oppose the lending. The U.S. is a major funder of the IMF, which provided loans to Greece as part of a larger support package.

"American taxpayers should not be involved in bailing out foreign governments," said Sen. John Cornyn (R., Texas), chief sponsor of the amendment. "Greece is not by any stretch of the imagination too big to fail."

"The thrust of the amendment is the correct one," added Senate Banking Chairman Chris Dodd (D., Conn.). "This is a good amendment deserving of our support."

With all the important work that needs doing, with the continued partisan divide, the US Senate once again proves that when it comes to the irrelevant and unimportant, it will unite in doing that and leaving serious work undone. In a way, that's a relief.