WASHINGTON — The White House called for a "simple up-or-down" vote on health care legislation Sunday as Speaker Nancy Pelosi appealed to House Democrats to... Adam J. Rose http://www.huffingtonpost.com/the-news/reporting/adam-j-rose/

CHICAGO — Nation of Islam Minister Louis Farrakhan, boasting his divine stature, on Sunday predicted trouble ahead for President Barack Obama and urged him to... Adam J. Rose http://www.huffingtonpost.com/the-news/reporting/adam-j-rose/

North Carolina has named an executive director of the N. C. Justice for Victims of Sterilization Foundation, Charmaine Fuller Cooper. Upon her nomination, she said:... Philip N. Cohen http://www.huffingtonpost.com/philip-n-cohen/

How does the rest of the club of affluent countries manage to insure everyone for 9 or 10 percent of GDP, and have a healthier and longer-lived population, to boot? They do it, of course, through universal, socialized insurance. What every other nation has in common is that they have taken the commercialism out of their health systems. But most Democratic politicians and policy wonks behave as if the option of a national health plan simply did not exist. Robert Kuttner http://www.huffingtonpost.com/robert-kuttner/

Doing business with countries averse to American interests is not smart. Investing in our own energy industry and creating jobs is smart economics, smart politics, and smart foreign policy. Bob Barr http://www.huffingtonpost.com/bob-barr/

A POLL IS NOT A VOTE: So many of the political pundits on talk radio, television and in the newspapers claim to know what "We,... Elizabeth Westling http://www.huffingtonpost.com/elizabeth-westling/

A serious look at the budget reveals some "leaks" -- two in actual spending practices and two in the basic assumptions that undergird the budget itself. Ship-shape as it may look on the surface, this is a budget perilously close to an iceberg. Jo Comerford http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jo-comerford/

Jeff Danziger http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jeff-danziger/

Democrats are heading toward next fall's mid-term elections with a serious enthusiasm gap: The Republican base is fired up. The Democratic base is packing up. The reasons why are obvious enough. Robert Reich http://www.huffingtonpost.com/robert-reich/

Consumer advocates are reacting harshly to a compromise Consumer Financial Protection Agency being proposed by Banking Committee Chairman Chris Dodd (D-Conn.). HuffPost and other media... Ryan Grim http://www.huffingtonpost.com/the-news/reporting/ryan-grim/

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama hasn't kicked the smoking habit, takes anti-inflammatory medication to relieve chronic tendinitis in his left knee and should eat better... Michael Falcone http://www.huffingtonpost.com/the-news/reporting/michael-falcone/

CERES, Calif. — Kent Hancock can't remember tougher economic times in the two decades he's sold used cars in California's Central Valley. He brings home... Alexander Belenky http://www.huffingtonpost.com/the-news/reporting/alexander-belenky/

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — With less than two weeks before he must enter the race for governor, state Attorney General Jerry Brown told college-age Democrats on... Michael Falcone http://www.huffingtonpost.com/the-news/reporting/michael-falcone/

Democratic Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) said on Sunday that the House must move on a package of fixes to the health care bill before... Ryan Grim http://www.huffingtonpost.com/the-news/reporting/ryan-grim/

Friday night's "Real Time With Bill Maher" featured a panel discussion on health care reform. Maher and the guests broke down what the Democrats need... Dan Abramson http://www.huffingtonpost.com/the-news/reporting/dan-abramson/

Obama made a bold move engaging conservative senators on state-run health care. If he keeps this up he may win big time, installing a "hybrid" of federal and state-run solutions for health care reform. Michelle Kraus http://www.huffingtonpost.com/michelle-kraus/

The White House's top point person on health care reform expressed confidence on Sunday that Democrats would muster the votes to pass legislation, implying that... Sam Stein http://www.huffingtonpost.com/the-news/reporting/sam-stein/

Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) said on Sunday that if Democrats push health care through under the majority only process known as reconciliation, it will be... Ryan Grim http://www.huffingtonpost.com/the-news/reporting/ryan-grim/

"Black America stands at the precipice. African American unemployment is at its highest in 25 years. Thirty-five percent of our children live in poor families.... Duchess Harris http://www.huffingtonpost.com/duchess-harris/

Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said on Sunday that House Democrats would come around and embrace the incremental approach to job creation that the Senate is... Ryan Grim http://www.huffingtonpost.com/the-news/reporting/ryan-grim/