First, here’s how the Washington Post describes “Deem and Pass”:

After laying the groundwork for a decisive vote this week on the Senate’s health-care bill, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi suggested Monday that she might attempt to pass the [Senate health care bill] without having members vote on it. Pelosi would rely on a procedural sleight of hand: The House would vote on a more popular package of fixes to the Senate bill; under the House rule for that vote, passage would signify that lawmakers “deem” the health-care bill to be passed. The tactic — known as a “self-executing rule” or a “deem and pass” — has been commonly used, although never to pass legislation as momentous as the $875 billion health-care bill. It is one of three options that Pelosi said she is considering for a late-week House vote, but she added that she prefers it because it would politically protect lawmakers who are reluctant to publicly support the measure.

As Pelosi says:

“It’s more insider and process-oriented than most people want to know, but I like it, because people don’t have to vote on the Senate bill.”

Oh yeah, Pelosi also said: “We have to pass the bill so you can find out what is in it”

Hmm, perhaps the words “Demon Pass” are suitable after all.

pharmaceutical industry lobbyists and executives met with top White House aides dozens of times to hammer out a deal that would secure industry support for the administration’s health care reform agenda in exchange for the White House abandoning key elements of the president’s promises to reform the pharmaceutical industry. They flooded Congress with campaign contributions, and hired dozens of former Capitol Hill insiders to push their case. How they did it is a testament to how ingrained the grip of special interests remains in Washington.

Emperors and Kings and Princes… Obama bows to all of ‘em.

Source: Reuters

UK Telegraph:

[Obama] bowed deeply to Japanese Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko, upon arrival at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo for a private lunch before he headed to Singapore on the next leg of his Asian tour.

Obama Bows to the Saudi King

Source: WND

This happened at the G-20 summit. It just seems… un-American to bow to foreign monarchs. Doesn’t it?