Politico – L’AQUILA, Italy—Summit planners seem to be capable of a kind of math most of us can only marvel at.

Kausfiles senses a perilous weakening in the Congressional momentum for health care reform. He refers us to these lines from Jonathan Cohn at the New Republic : [T]here’s reason for concern… On Thursday, as Politico details, the leadership got hit with a flurry of letters from several groups of extremely unhappy members. Some were objecting to the design of the public plan. Some were objecting to proposed tax hikes. Some thought the bill didn’t do enough to control costs.

When I learned about the surroundings for the announcement Friday that Roland Burris will finally retire from political life, I couldn’t help but be reminded a bit of the Rev. Paul Hall. The reverend was a South Side pastor who had developed a reputation for running a church that did many good works in impoverished neighborhoods, and also had become a foster father for many troubled youths. BUT HALL ULTIMATELY committed acts considered improper with some of those youths entrusted to his care, which led to his trial, conviction and eventual sentence to a four-year term in a state prison.

Politico – But the bill’s introduction is put off again as moderates wrestle with the trillion-dollar price tag. View original post here: (Politico)”> (Politico)”>Rangel: Health bill will tax the rich (Politico)

And just go ahead and leave your wallet!Well, the pain has arrived. Politico has a list passed around by Democrats last night.Cha-ching, cha-ching, cha-ching:— Broaden the 1.45-percent Medicare tax on earned income to “passive income,” which could include money from capital gains, rental properties and businesses that do not require direct participation. This could raise $100 billion.— Levy a five-percent surtax on individuals who earn more than $500,000 and couples that make $1 million.— Tax health benefits at a higher level than had been considered.

I don’t know what to think about the Illinois Repubican Party. Politico’s Josh Kraushaar has a better idea than I do: Want a sign that the Illinois Republican party is in disarray? The state party chairman, Andy McKenna, is the one stumbling block preventing the GOP’s leading recruit, Rep. Mark Kirk, from officially announcing he’s running for the Senate. Kirk, who has been courted by national Republicans for months, told party officials today that he would only be running if they ensured that McKenna won’t be challenging him in a primary.

Politico:Senate Democrats have punted climate change deeper into the fall, a delay that underscores the steep climb the White House faces in convincing Congress - and the world - to dramatically slash greenhouse gas emissions.The decision came Thursday, a day after Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid met with White House energy adviser Carol Browner and six Senate committee chairmen and the group realized it would need additional time to finesse a deal that could pass theSenate.“There are a number of committees that need a little more time,” Reid said Thursday, setting the new climate bill deadline for Sept.

I’m shocked that Josh Trevino buried the lede. It was, what? All of twenty seconds in ? MODERATOR: Let’s go to our next e-mail question. Adrian from Sacramento: To save money, legislators need to go part time. If other states can do this, why can’t we? STEINBERG: Want me to take that? LENO: You start off, I’ll – STEINBERG: Okay. You know, um, I disagree with the premise of, uh, the question. California is a nation-state. OK, yeah. Stop right there.

Kirsten Powers, David Brooks and Michael Kinsley are not exactly charter members of the VRWC, but they do not have much nice to say about Obamacare — or the way Pres. Obama is trying to sell it to a skeptical public. Here’s Powers:An analysis of a new poll from the centrist think tank Third Way finds that Obama needs to radically alter how he’s selling his plan to America. Obama’s central message so far has focused on the promise of lower costs for health coverage and more accessibility.

 As Congress returns to Washington this week, much of the talk this weekend will deal with analyzing President Obama ’s performance to date, especially his discussions with Russa’s top officials and at the G-8 summit in Italy, as well as General Motors ‘ future after leaving bankrupcy protection,  the prospects of  Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor during her confirmation hearings, and the decision of Alaskan governor and Republican vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin to resign before her first term in office is over…with thoughts about her possible future.  ABC  NEWS / This Week with George Stephanopoulos :    U.S.