McCaskill Switching Parties?

After voting as a Republican on war funding, FISA, free speech, and opposing important environmental work in the Everglades, Senator Claire McCaskill (?-MO) has announced her intention to vote with the Democrats and to support a public option. And it seems pretty clear: "I support public option for health care reform. I want people to have a choice between public and private."

Of course, the votes have not yet been cast, and it's entirely possible that McCaskill will rejoin her Republican colleagues, but, as of now, it looks like she may be putting her Tiffany WWJTD (What Would Jim Talent Do?) on eBay. Stay tuned . . .

Billionaire Claire Steps Off Her Private Jet to Attack CEOs

Mixed emotions here. I'm glad to see somebody talking boldly about CEO compensation, which has spun wildly out of control.

It just strikes me as odd that the messenger is our own billionaire Claire McCaskill, who is the 14th wealthiest member of an incredibly wealthy congress, and has a private jet at her beck and call so that she doesn't need to brush up against commoners at the airport.

Salary caps are a nice soundbite, and Claire is milking this one for all it's worth - probably more than it's worth, actually, given the multiple ways that Wall Street can funnel millions without resorting to salary lines.