Dem health care talks collapsing  —  Health care reform teetered on the brink of collapse Thursday as House and Senate leaders struggled to coalesce around a strategy to rescue the plan, in the face of growing pessimism among lawmakers that the president's top priority can survive.

In U.S., Majority Favors Suspending Work on Healthcare Bill  —  Seven in 10 say Massachusetts election result reflects frustrations shared by Americans  —  PRINCETON, NJ — In the wake of Republican Scott Brown's victory in Tuesday's U.S. Senate election in Massachusetts, the majority of Americans …

So Is It Really Over?  —  Let me take a moment and explain where I think we are on the Health Care Reform front.  —  As I've argued, procedurally, with the senate Dems reduced to 59 votes, there's no way to get a better or revised bill through the senate.  (Frankly, it's not clear to me that there are still 59 votes.)

Will the Base Abandon Hope?  —  Imagine for a moment that you're a liberal.  Oh, I know, that won't be a stretch for some of you.  Over the years, you've developed a pretty thick skin, since while you've won an election now and then, you haven't had too many policy victories since ... well, since forever.

A New Search for Consensus on Health Care Bill  —  WASHINGTON — Even as Speaker Nancy Pelosi affirmed her commitment to pass far-reaching health care legislation this year, members of Congress and health policy experts began Thursday to deal with the reality that a smaller bill would have a better chance.

Justice Stevens Stumbles: A Step To Retirement?  —  Justice John Paul Stevens has left some clues he's planning to retire this year, shortly after he turns 90 years old.  He's only hired one law clerk for next term, for example, and not the four that sitting justices typically hire every year.

Geithner has reservations on US bank limits-sources  —  President Barack Obama's newest Wall Street crackdown was met with hesitation from Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner, who is concerned that politics could be sacrificing good economic policy, according to financial industry sources.