(2) Opening Senate debate on a House-approved measure to impose caps on jury awards in medical malpractice cases, Majority Leader Bill Frist (a physician), noted: "We are in desperate need of medical liability reform." Yet the Democrats disagree, and their opposition seems likely to kill the bill. Evidently it's Democratic payback time for the hefty contributions trial lawyers tend to make to Democratic political candidates - including Democratic senators.
What's more (3), the Senate seems destined to kill a House-approved bill to end the estate tax - forever. Right now, the untaxable amount of an estate is rising sharply, with a reversion to the $600,000 range set for 2011. The House wants to make the higher untaxable amounts - in the millions - permanent, ending the tax in nearly all instances. To end the estate (or death) tax, the Senate will require a stronger Republican majority instead of the current circumstance, with the Democrats just barely out of power.
Abroad, two points: First, not Iraq but Iran. (a) Despite the growing number of American casualties in Iraq, most Americans favor American military action to stop Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons. (b) Iran has just tested successfully a Shahab-3 missile, probably derived from North Korea's Rodong-1, that could deliver a nuclear warhead 900 miles away (in e.g. Israel or Saudi Arabia). (c) Teheran is the seat of mass demonstrations against the Iranian regime. So (d) maybe the time is approaching when the United States will have to take action - with apparent support from not only the American but Iranian peoples.
Second, regarding Iraq itself, where President Bush has said of Saddam loyalists targeting American troops, "Bring 'em on!" - this question: As for instance the Palestinians are bleeding Israel and the Irish Republican Army is bleeding Britain, so are Iraqi Saddamites now seeking to bleed - and thereby drive out - the United States?
Lighter notes: (1) Hormel Foods Corp. is suing a Seattle software company (Spam Arrest LLC) for trademark infringement of its canned meat product Spam (6 billion cans sold since 1937). (2) About 120 trial lawyers, consumer advocates and public health officials recently met in Boston to plot litigation against restaurants, food companies and fast-food chains selling fatty foods - a la suits against tobacco and gun manufacturers.
And (3) seeking to close its $1 billion budget gap, and facing state prohibitions against income, business, payroll and banking taxes, Nevada legislators are seriously contemplating a 10 percent "entertainment" tax on, yes, prostitution.