Rep. Gary Ackerman To GOP On Healthcare: Put Up Or Shut Up

Democratic New York Congressman Gary Ackerman says he’ll introduce a series of bills to give Republicans an opportunity to do what they say they want to do: repeal “Obamacare.”

The congressman said the legislation — all titled the HIPA-CRIT (Health Insurance Protects America—Can’t Repeal IT) — will give Republicans a chance to “put up, or sit down” on their campaign promise to repeal the eight-month-old law.

“This will be the big chance for Republicans to do what they’ve vowed to do,” the 13-term member said. “These bills will be their chance to at long last restore liberty and repeal the …

Jennifer Grey Wins “Dancing With The Stars”

The tea party has lost another election, as Jennifer Grey has won season 11 of “Dancing With The Stars.”

The 50-year-old actress, whose performances were almost always flawless during the season, beat out last-place finisher Palin Tuesday on the hit ABC show and actor Kyle Massey, who came in second.

Some viewers and voters wanted to make the contest a referendum on politics, and the Palins in particular. Even Bristol subscribed to that philosophy.

“Going out there and winning this would mean a lot. It would be like a big middle finger to all the people out there that hate …

GOP Congressional Handbook Warns Freshmen: Avoid The Press

The 144-page guidebook put out by incoming Majority Leader Eric Cantor and other Republican leaders offers typical conservative anti-media paranoia.

“Certain members of the media will be looking to ‘ambush’ unsuspecting freshmen as they walk to the Capitol to vote. If it’s a contentious issue and you don’t wish to be interviewed, then take the tunnel. The odds are better this way that you won’t be caught off guard.”…

The Winner Of Dancing With The Stars Should Be…

Bristol Palin?

No, Jennifer Grey!

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On Tuesday’s Radio Show…

• Alan responds to the inevitable partisan criticisms of Barack Obama in the wake of today’s North Korean attack on South Korea.

• John Bredar, author of The President’s Photographer: Fifty Years Inside the Oval Office, shares a behind-the-scenes look at life in the White House.

• PETA‘s Bruce Friedrich tells Alan why the animal rights group is asking Americans to not eat turkey this Thanksgiving.…

Sarah Palin Is Trying To Get Christine O’Donnell On “Dancing With The Stars”

Sarah Palin is asking the producers of Dancing With The Stars to get former Delaware U.S. Senate candidate Christine O’Donnell on next season’s show, reports Rob Shuter at PopEater.

“Christine is not a bad idea at all,” one ABC executive tells me. “After Kate Gosselin and Cloris Leachman, O’Donnell would fit right in. She certainly would be so controversial that the amount of press attention and buzz the show would get would be huge. Plus, you know they would make her dance in a witch’s hat with a broomstick.”

She might get more votes than she did in Delaware.…

Voters Strongly Support A Constitutional Amendment Restricting Corporate Political Spending

By Yashwanth Manjunath

The number one issue plaguing this country, beyond a shadow of a doubt, is corporate political spending. Without real campaign finance reform that takes corporate (and union) money out of politics, both political parties will be beholden to special interests and lobbyists on every single important issue that affects the economy. That is why it extremely encouraging that, according to a poll commissioned by the Progressive Change Campaign Committee (PCCC), voters by a margin of 46-36 want Congress to amend the Constitution to overturn the Supreme Court decision in Citizens United that allows unlimited corporate spending on …

An “Only In America” Thanksgiving

My latest at AOL.…

Vatican Approves Condom Use For Everyone To Prevent HIV

In a major shift, the Vatican says using condoms is a lesser evil than transmitting HIV to a sexual partner, even if it means avoiding a pregnancy.

The Vatican has long been criticized for its patent opposition to condom use, particularly in Africa where AIDS is rampant. But the latest interpretation of Benedict’s comments about condoms and HIV essentially means the Roman Catholic Church is acknowledging that its long-held, anti-birth control stance against condoms doesn’t justify putting someone’s life at risk.

“This is a game-changer,” said the Rev. James Martin, a Jesuit editor and writer. “By acknowledging that condoms …

Americans Want To Keep Or Expand Health Care Reform; End Tax Cuts For The Rich

A new McClatchy poll shows that Americans do not subscribe to the policies claimed by conservatives during the past election cycle.

A majority of Americans want the Congress to keep the new health care law or actually expand it, despite Republican claims that they have a mandate from the people to kill it, according to a new McClatchy-Marist poll.

The post-election survey showed that 51 percent of registered voters want to keep the law or change it to do more, while 44 percent want to change it to do less or repeal it altogether.

Just 16% want the health care …

American Businesses Just Had Their Best Quarter Ever

Corporate profits were the highest ever recorded last quarter, with American businesses bringing in $1.66 trillion when adjusted for annual rates. The Bureau of Economic Analysis just issued its report.

Corporate profits have been going gangbusters for a while. Since their cyclical low in the fourth quarter of 2008, profits have grown for seven consecutive quarters, at some of the fastest rates in history.

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The increase in output in the third quarter was driven primarily by stronger consumer spending. Private inventory investment, nonresidential fixed investment, exports and federal government also grew.

So, based on the trickle-down theory, shouldn’t …