New health care ideas, but path of passage iffy at best

Republican, Democratic and even bipartisan plans for reshaping parts of the Obama health care law are proliferating in Congress. But they have iffy prospects at best, and there were no signs Monday that GOP leaders have chosen a fresh pathway after last week's collapse of their struggle to repeal and rewrite the statute.

McCain threatens to give his own Afghanistan strategy to Trump

Senate Armed Services Chairman John McCain on Monday threatened to present President Donald Trump with his own Afghanistan strategy if the Trump administration won't develop its own. McCain issued a statement saying he would offer an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act in September that would provide a strategy for Afghanistan, the 16-year war that has been a divisive issue within the White House.

A terrorism trial in the federal courts

Republicans raged over what they called the White House's weak and dangerous decision last week to prosecute in federal court a man suspected of belonging to Al Qaeda, rather than shipping him off to the military prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Sorry, wrong year.

Alabamians and the tussle between President Trump and AG Sessions

If you're curious where Alabama voters, by and large, fall on the topic of President Donald Trump and Attorney General Jeff Sessions, consider this: "And to a striking degree in a state where Mr. Trump won 62 percent of the vote last fall, Republicans and Democrats alike have closed ranks around Mr. Sessions, who was the state attorney general before he won a Senate seat four times and joined the president's cabinet. Interviews with voters from four counties, three of which supported Mr. Trump, revealed near-absolute confidence in Mr. Sessions's virtue and conservatism, a swelling of state pride and, in this case at least, an encroaching skepticism of the president."

From Times Opinion pages: Why Dianne Feinstein shouldn’t run again

At age 84, Dianne Feinstein is the oldest of the 100 United States senators. And the word, both in Washington and around California, is that she plans to run for reelection next year to a six-year term that will end when she's 91. That would squeak her in under the actuarial wire.

Dr. Gilmore Honored at MDI Hospital’s Annual Meeting

Dr. Edward Gilmore will be honored for more than 46 years of service at Mount Desert Island Hospital's Annual Meeting on Monday, August 7 from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. at the Bar Harbor Club on 111 West Street in Bar Harbor. All are welcome and encouraged to attend this community celebration, which is free to the public.

White House to Senate: Pass health bill now or else

" The White House stepped up demands Sunday that the Senate resume efforts to repeal and replace former President Barack Obama's health care law, suggesting that lawmakers cancel their entire August recess, if needed, to pass legislation after a stunning series of failed votes last week. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., has declared that it was "time to move on" from health care, scheduling debate early this week on judicial nominations.

White House: Trump to decide soon on letting ‘Obamacare implode’

The White House is insisting that the Senate resume efforts to repeal and replace the nation's health care law, signaling that President Donald Trump stands ready to end required payments to insurers this week to let "Obamacare implode" and force congressional action.

Republicans Face Tough Choice: Repeal Obamacare or Cut Taxes

After the collapse of Obamacare repeal, Republicans may have to choose between pursuing another health bill or pushing through a tax overhaul this year, because there's almost certainly not enough time to do both. And that's not even their biggest problem -- which is, they can't agree on either.

White House: Trump to decide soon on ending health payments

In this Tuesday, July 25, 2017, photo, Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine is surrounded by reporters as she arrives on Capitol Hill in Washington, before a test vote on the Republican health care bill. Collins, who was one of three Republican senators voting against the GOP health bill on Friday, July 28, said she's troubled by Trump's suggestions that the insurance payments are a "bailout."

Trump to decide soon if he will let ‘Obamacare implode,’ White House says

U.S. President Donald Trump has not answered a single question from non-friendly media about his party's health care plan. He seems fond of tweeting about the topic to publicly scold Republicans, but it's not clear if Trump knows or understands any of the nuances of health care policy.

Who Ate Republicans’ Brains?

When the tweeter-in-chief castigated Senate Republicans as "total quitters" for failing to repeal the Affordable Care Act, he couldn't have been more wrong. In fact, they showed zombie-like relentlessness in their determination to take health care away from millions of Americans, shambling forward despite devastating analyses by the Congressional Budget Office, denunciations of their plans by every major medical group, and overwhelming public disapproval.