Many candidates on our side have plans for a national health care system. When they talk about them you hear about big picture stuff — how it will be paid for — as well as some microcosmic examples, like how this senior citizen or that working family can't pay even their routine medical bills, let alone pay for catastrophic care.

My sister-in-law sent me this story yesterday, and at first I thought there must be some misunderstanding. It isn't real political news, it isn't policy news, and it is more for hilarity than anything else, although I guess if you wanted to have a debate about due process concerning this case, you could: Nebraska State Senator Ernie Chambers has sued God.

Not too long ago, the Center for Public Policy Priorities put out their Family Budget Estimator along with a statement titled "What does it really take to get by in Texas?" The results are surprising. Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson, on this week's show, reminded us that there are a lot of poor people in Texas. Tuesday in Laredo, there was a riot at the Housing Authority office.

Henry Waxman recently sat down with Thomas Edsall from the Huffington Post, and the resultant interview is a surprisingly insightful read.

We've talked quite often about how the Republican position on immigration will hurt them among Hispanic voters, a demographic that is unquestionably ascendant in both state and national politics. That conversation continues to build.

I'm a big fan of Jon Stewart and The Daily Show. I am also a big fan of Stephen Colbert, but I sometimes think his show is just too ridiculous to keep going. I am always wrong. He continues to prove that you can use humor and satire to do some good in the world in addition to making people laugh. And he's not going anywhere any time soon.

Senator Tim Johnson informed the media that he is not only headed back to work; he's also headed back to the campaign trail. His staff says that might not necessarily be the case.

Thanks for playing, Senator Larry Craig.

In a May lawsuit, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington made moves via official and proper channels (read: FOIA requests) to gain access to White House Office of Administration documents concerning the deletion of millions of White House emails.

Alt-weeklies strike again. The Austin Chronicle puts two and two together and comes up with a possible reason why Anna Mowery would resign in mid-August: a special session!