Vermont Governor Peter Shumlin Signs Single-Payer Healthcare Into Law

First state to make healthcare “a right and not a privilege”…

Dick Cheney: “I Worship The Ground Paul Ryan Walks On”

“I hope he doesn’t run for president because that would ruin a good man who has a lot of work to do.”

“Act like you know what you’re doing” (even if you don’t)…

Rumseld To Obama: Learn From Our Mistakes

Warns Against cutting defense budget:

“If they’re going to make mistakes, why don’t they just make original mistakes, instead of ones we made three or four times in the past?” Rumsfeld asked.

 …

Liberaland Interactive

Post your favorite links, but one per post, please, or it will wind up in moderation…

Rep. James Clyburn: Obama’s Problems Largely “Because Of The Color Of His Skin”

Congressman James Clyburn of South Carolina is the highest-ranking African American in Congress.

Clyburn, who met his wife at a 1960 court hearing after spending a night in jail for having engaged in a civil rights protest in Orangeburg, S.C…brought up Obama’s race as the first black president.

“You know, I’m 70 years old,” he said. “And I can tell you; people don’t like to deal with it, but the fact of the matter is, the president’s problems are in large measure because of the color of his skin.”

Clyburn noted that he himself got hate mail, racist phone calls …

Universities And Inequality

by Stuart Shapiro

David Leonhardt has a superb column today on the efforts by the President of Amherst University (Anthony Marx, pictured) to ensure greater economic diversity at his elite college.  And it is indeed an uphill battle.

When we spoke recently, he mentioned a Georgetown University study of the class of 2010 at the country’s 193 most selective colleges. As entering freshmen, only 15 percent of students came from the bottom half of the income distribution. Sixty-seven percent came from the highest-earning fourth of the distribution. These statistics mean that on many campuses affluent students outnumber middle-class students.

“We …

Trump To Write Book On Politics

To be published by conservative Regnery

“[Trump] has proved to be a remarkably powerful force in American politics. Mr. Trump’s message – that America, once the most powerful nation on Earth, has lost the respect of the world – clearly resonates with millions of Americans who are angry about the decline of our great nation. We are honored he has chosen us to publish his book.”…

The Musical Stylings Of The Likely New Chairman Of The Joint Chiefs, Martin Dempsey

General Martin Dempsey, Army Chief of Staff, will be nominated by President Obama to be Chairman of the Joint Chiefs.

Dempsey fits the bill as among the most battle-tested of today’s four-star generals, with two tours of duty in Iraq and a stint as acting commander of Central Command, which covers most of Central Asia and the Middle East. Not well known publicly, he has a reputation inside the Army for forthrightness and innovative thinking.

And, apparently, as a singer of songs.

…

Only 5 Republican Senators Vote To Save Medicare

The GOP budget failed 57-40.

Voting with all of the Democrats were Sens. Scott Brown (R-MA), Olympia Snowe (R-ME) — both 2012 incumbents — along with Sens. Susan Collins (R-ME) and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK). Rand Paul (R-KY) voted against it because it wasn’t radical enough.…

On Wednesday’s Radio Show…

• Legendary KISS musician Gene Simmons tells Alan why he disapproves of Obama’s Israel policy.

• Rev. Robert Chase discusses his Believe Out Loud campaign to make churches more welcoming to gays and lesbians.

• Messing with Medicare: Alan questions why Republicans keep pushing a plan that voters clearly reject.…

Tiffany’s Lobbied Committee Where Newt’s Wife Worked

Is that at all related to the $500,000 line of credit?

Questions about “normal no-interest charge account”…