Senator Sanders

Health Care - Medicare Democratic leaders have been trying to create an image of momentum. Sen. Charles Schumer, one of the architects of the tentative deal, said he was encouraged because "Bernie and Joe both said good things" about it. And they have, but with huge asterisks. Sen. Bernard Sanders worried that expanding existing government health programs could make it harder for people to get care, since those programs traditionally pay doctors and hospitals less than private insurers do, McClatchy reported. LINK

Health Care - Single Payer "The Senate is holding a vote on Bernie Sanders' amendment, the single-payer system that the public has been demanding. Now we need to make sure that it passes," Peter Whitlock wrote to the Cape Cod Times. "And when that vote is taken, we will know two things: 1. who will stand up for the interest of the people, and 2. whether we have done everything we could have done to speak out and encourage everyone else you know to do the same," T. Frank Box wrote to the Anchorage Daily News. LINK and LINK

Assessing Sanders In an editorial that ranged from praise for his work on community health centers to reservations aboout his criticism of Ben Bernake, the Times Argus and Rutland Herald say that "Sen. Sanders is taking an increasingly prominent role on the national stage. In the midst of the Great Recession, Sanders' straightforward, unvarnished rhetoric is like a bracing slap in the face."  LINK and LINK

Admired Senators Which senator do you most admire? National Journal magazine asked its panel of congressional insiders. Richard Durbin topped the list among Democrats. Sen. Sanders was among "other top vote-getters."

Federal Reserve "As unlikely as it sounds, Ron Paul and Jim DeMint, political heroes of the tea party right, and Bernie Sanders and Alan Grayson, similarly revered on the left, have found a common cause in vilifying the Federal Reserve Bank and its chairman, Ben Bernanke," Frank Rich wrote in The New York Times. "The Fed is hardly the root of all evil, but you can see why it is a handy scapegoat." LINK

Vermont State Hospital Passes Inspection Federal regulators declared the Vermont State Hospital in compliance with federal hospital regulations after finding a single deficiency during an inspection. Gov. Douglas and Sen. Sanders had pressed top federal officials to give the hospital another chance and they won, The Burlington Free Press reported. LINK

Honoring Veterans Members of the Green Mountain civil air patrol joined organizations across the nation in laying down wreaths over veteran graves. Sen. Sanders, Gov. Douglas, and Lt. Gov. Brian Dubie were guest speakers at the ceremony that took place across from Camp Johnson in Colchester, WPTZ reported. The program is an extension of the Arlington wreath project to honor veterans during the holiday season. VIDEO

International

Climate Conference Danish police outnumbered protesters on Sunday, detaining more than 200 people on a second day of demonstrations as environment ministers met for informal talks to advance negotiations on a new pact, The Associated Press reported. LINK

National

Senate Republicans to Allow Votes on Drug Importation Amendments Senate Republicans on Saturday agreed to allow votes on a pair of drug importation amendments to the health care bill, ending a deadlock over the issue, Congressional Quarterly reported. LINK

Senate Agrees to Cloture on Omnibus Spending Bill The Senate agreed to end debate on an omnibus appropriations bill, setting up a vote to clear the measure on Sunday, according to CQ. LINK

Vermont

School Breakfasts The number of low-income Vermont children who eat breakfast daily at school hit almost 15,000 and jumped 15.5 percent this year, the largest increase in the nation, according to a new report. The Food and Research Action Center's "School Breakfast Scorecard 2009" put Vermont third among states for school breakfast participation, up from ninth the previous year, The Burlington Free Press reported. LINK

War Protest On Friday, Jim Ramey of Burlington said goodbye as his brother Scott went off to war in Afghanistan with the Vermont National Guard. Saturday, Ramey mounted the steps of City Hall to try to help reinvigorate the anti-war movement in Vermont, The Burlington Free Press reported. LINK

Jobs Plan U.S. Rep. Peter Welch is pushing for congressional approval of a bill that would boost federal support for unemployment insurance. The Vermont Democrat, who will outline the provisions of the bill at a news conference Monday, says it would provide full federal support for the state Short-Time Compensation program, which seeks agreements between businesses and employees in hopes of averting job cuts, The Associated Press reported. LINK