The New York Times, Washington Post, and the Wall Street Journal's
world-wide newsbox all lead with the health-care debate as Democratic
leaders push to make progress on legislation before lawmakers leave
Washington for the August recess. The NYT takes a look at the health insurance mandate and whether the subsidies
currently in discussion would really be enough to help families with
modest incomes obtain coverage. Those who could show financial hardship
would be exempted from the requirement to carry insurance, but that
could translate into a substantial number of people remaining
unisnsured. The WP highlights House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's optimism that, despite the
intraparty squabbling, the House will approve health care legislation, though she refused to commit to a timetable. The WSJ takes a look at the so-called Blue Dog Democrats, who continue to raise objections to the health legislation as one of its leaders said he doesn't expect the House will vote on a bill before Labor Day.
USA Today leads with news that the U.S. Agency for International Development has suspended a program to provide jobs to Iraqis
due to evidence of fraud. The $644-million Community Stabilization
Program has received much praise since it was launched in 2006, but
there are claims that millions of dollars might have gone to insurgents
and corrupt leaders as well as nonexistent projects. The Los Angeles Times leads locally but goes high with Sarah Palin officially stepping down as Alaska governor
yesterday and handing power over to Lt. Gov. Sean Parnell. Standing
with her husband and two of their daughters, Palin criticized those who
questioned her decision to step down 18 months before the end of her
term. "It should be so obvious to you," she said. "It is because I love
Alaska this much, sir, that I feel that it is my duty to avoid the
unproductive, typical politics-as-usual lame-duck session in one's last
year in office."
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