Idaho's 2nd District GOP Rep. Mike Simpson is No. 5 on AOL's list (of top energy lawmakers), according to a story published Thursday. Topping the list is Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., who is noted for having blocked bills backed by Simpson and other House Republicans aimed at limiting the power of the Environmental Protection Agency. Simpson chairs the Appropriations subcommittee that oversees EPA spending and has proposed an 18 percent cut in EPA's budget, including funding for air quality rules. He also seeks to prohibit EPA from regulating greenhouse gasses/Dan Popkey, Statesman. More here.

Question: Do you agree with Mike Simpson's energy politics?

Earlier this week, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nevada, said he couldn’t see how anyone of Hispanic heritage could be a Republican. (CBS News story here.) Today, Raul Labrador, the Puerto Rico-born Republican who is seeking to unseat Democrat Walt Minnick in Idaho’s 1st Congressional District race, fired back: “I cannot believe an elected leader of Harry Reid’s stature can continue to make racist comments about huge numbers of Americans. Harry Reid’s latest race-baited comments are simply unacceptable to all members of the Hispanic community. Denigrating the entire Republican Hispanic community, including myself, is simply outrageous. Contrary to Senator Reid’s beliefs, the Latino community is perfectly capable of making choices of political affiliation that are in its best interests, including being Republicans.” More from Labrador.

• Dan Popkey’s Idaho Statesman story
  

Question: Do you see anything wrong with Reid’s remark?

President Barack Obama, left, waves to the crowd with Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., right, at a Reid campaign rally at the Aria Resort at CityCenter Las Vegas on Thursday.  (AP Photo/Mark Damon)

Question: Who do you think has a better record for endorsing candidates who go on to win their races — Barack Obama or Sarah Palin?

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) greets supporters following a campaign rally in Las Vegas on Monday. Reid is currently trailing in the polls in a state that solidly opposes recent health care reform by congressional Democrats. (AP Photo/Laura Rauch)

Question: Do you think Harry will survive the Nevada elections this fall? You can discuss this issue or any other political one by playing this Wild Card …

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nev., center, answers questions outside of the Senate chambers on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, Dec. 24, 2009, after the Senate passed the health care reform bill. From left are, Senate Finance Finance Committee Chairman Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mont., Reid, Senate Majority Whip Richard Durbin of Ill., and Senate Banking Committee Chairman Sen. Christopher Dodd, D-Conn..
(AP Photo/Mannul Balce Ceneta)

WASHINGTON — Senate Democrats passed a landmark health care bill in a climactic Christmas Eve vote that could define President Barack Obama’s legacy and usher in near-universal medical coverage for the first time in the country’s history.

“We are now finally poised to deliver on the promise of real, meaningful health insurance reform that will bring additional security and stability to the American people,” Obama said shortly after the Senate acted.

“This will be the most important piece of social legislation since Social Security passed in the 1930s,” said Obama, standing with Vice President Joe Biden in the State Room of the White House.

The 60-39 vote on a cold winter morning capped months of arduous negotiations and 24 days of floor debate. It also followed a succession of failures by past congresses to get to this point. Biden presided as 58 Democrats and two independents voted “yes.” Republicans unanimously voted “no.” More.

Anyone surprised?

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, center, accompanied by Senate Banking Committee Chairman Sen. Christopher Dodd, left, and others, speaks during a Democratic health care rally Tuesday on Capitol Hill in Washington. Associated Press photos

WASHINGTON – Americans will feel the pain before the gain from the health care overhaul Democrats are close to pushing through Congress.

Proposed taxes and fees on upper-income earners, insurers, even tanning parlors, take effect quickly. So would Medicare cuts.

Benefits, such as subsidies for lower middle-income households, consumer protections for all, eliminating the prescription coverage gap for seniors, come gradually. More here.

Hmm…taxes and fees take effect quickly. Coverage for the uninsured not likely ‘till 2013. See anything wrong with this picture?

Update: Exultant Senate Democrats pushed President Barack Obama‘s landmark health care overhaul past a final procedural hurdle Wednesday, setting up a Christmas Eve vote to pass the legislation extending coverage to 30 million Americans.

I can’t help but wonder how a Republican Senate majority leader would have been treated by the mainstream news media if he had made it clear he didn’t want no coloreds appointed to fill the Illinois U.S. Senate seat recently vacated by Barack Obama. According to Illinois’ impeached Gov. Rod Blagojevich, D, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D, (pictured) called to ask that the governor not appoint any of the leading African-American candidates seeking that seat. Reid revealed himself as a soulmate of Pennsylvania Gov. Fast Eddie Rendell, D, who argued during last year’s Democratic presidential primary that conservative Democrats might not vote for a darkie. Reid worried that labor union Democrats would recoil from a candidate with a name like “Jesse Jackson Jr.” in the 2010 election and the Democrats would lose that seat. All this drifted through the ether with little comment from the mainstream media/Michael Costello, Lewiston Tribune. More here (pdf).

Question: Agree? Disagree?