Health care reform news: 

►  Today from AP -- Sunrise votes nudge health care bill toward passage -- Two down, one to go. The health care overhaul cleared its second 60-vote test in the Senate early Tuesday morning. Senate Democrats remained united in their goal of passing historic legislation by Christmas, and Republicans were steadfast in opposition. The motion to shut off debate passed 60-39. The final 60-vote hurdle, is expected Wednesday afternoon, starting a 30-hour countdown to a night-before-Christmas vote on the bill, which needs only a simple majority to pass.

►  In today's NY Times -- Democrats face challenge of merging health bills -- Democratic leaders and the White House will have to find a way forward on the abortion issue and big differences between the House and Senate bills, including how to pay to expand insurance coverage and whether to include a government-run plan to compete with private insurers.

►  From AP -- Americans' view of health care steady this year -- The public's views on health care have stayed largely steady this year, despite dramatic swings in the political battle over reform. Overall, 82% say an overhaul of the health system is important for recharging the economy.

►  In today's NY Times -- A bill well worth passing (editorial) -- It would cover more than 30 million of the uninsured and would, by 2019, result in 94% of legal residents below Medicare age having health insurance, a big improvement from the current 83%. It would reduce deficits over the next decade by $132 billion and even more in the following decade. ... The reform package should include a public plan, but the absence of one is not a good reason to vote against the bill.

►  In the Wash. Post -- Democrats: Stop screaming and pass health reform (E.J. Dionne column) -- For progressives, the question on the health care battle going forward is not whether they have a right to be angry but whether they can direct their fury toward constructive ends. The alternative is to pursue a temporarily satisfying and ultimately self-defeating politics of protest. Of course what has happened on the health care bill is enraging. It's quite clear that substantial majorities in both houses of Congress favored either a public option or a Medicare buy-in. In a normal democracy, such majorities would work their will. But everyone must get it through their heads that thanks to the now bizarre habits of the Senate, we are no longer a normal democracy.

Boeing news:

►  In the PS Business Journal -- With 787 now aloft, Boeing’s suppliers hire workers (if you can't read this story, email us for a copy) -- First flight means new jobs and new revenue at approximately 100 companies around the state that invested in equipment and training to make parts for Boeing’s newest plane, but have waited through two years of delay. These manufacturers, which are among some 600 Washington aerospace companies, now expect to accelerate work at their factories as Boeing ramps up to fill a record backlog of 840 orders for the 787.

►  In today's Seattle Times -- Heavier 787 will still meet performance targets, Boeing says -- Boeing has published a document that suggests to some weight-watching industry analysts that the 787 still exceeds its original target weight by a few tons. Boeing says it will meet its targets for range and payload and still deliver on the original promise of being 20% more fuel efficient.

►  In today's Everett Herald -- Second 787 flight set for today from Paine Field -- Weather permitting, the second Dreamliner will take off at 8:45 a.m., one week after the 787's maiden flight.

►  At HeraldNet.com -- Boeing buys out 787 partner in S.C. -- Boeing is purchasing Global Aeronautica's stake in the former Vought 787 fuselage assembly factory in Charleston, S.C. Says Jim Albaugh: "Ultimately, we believe integration of the site will increase productivity for the 787 program and allow us to maintain our long-term competitiveness." (This article doesn't say how much more Boeing will pay to insource this previously outsourced work.)

►  In today's Seattle Times -- Alcoa will keep Ferndale smelter open, saving 528 jobs -- Alcoa will keep open its Ferndale smelter after an agreement to buy power from the BPA at a favorable rate. The aluminum smelter has been in danger of closing the past two years, after a federal court ruling rejected the BPA's system for offering long-term discounted power.

►  In today's Everett Herald -- Furloughs may not fly with county's union workers -- Unions say Snohomish County hasn’t done enough to find money elsewhere. The 2010 budget relies on workers taking off five days without pay, about a 1.9% pay cut. “There’s no shared sacrifice,” said AFSCME Council 2 President Chris Dugovich. “We solved their problems last year.”

►  In today's News tribune -- Horizon flight attendants ratify two-year contract (brief) -- With 78% voting to approve the contract covering 584, they will get at least a 3% pay increase.

►  In today's Bellingham Herald -- Republican robocalls target Rep. Larsen's stimulus votes -- Residents of the 2nd Congressional District will begin to get recorded telephone messages criticizing the Everett Democrat over his votes on various bills, including the economic stimulus.

Unemployment Insurance news:

►  In today's Washington Post -- State's jobless funds are being drained in recession -- The recession's toll is draining unemployment-compensation funds so fast that, according to federal projections, 40 state programs will go broke within two years and need $90 billion in loans to keep issuing the benefit checks. Currently, 25 states have run out of unemployment money. The shortfalls are putting pressure on states to raise taxes or shrink the aid payments. (Washington's model Unemployment Insurance system is NOT in danger of insolvency. Our system is successfully injecting millions into local economies in every corner of the state, which SAVE JOBS. For more information, see our August 2009 special report, Unemployment insurance saving WA businesses, jobs amid recession.)

►  In today's Spokesman-Review -- Jobless receive retraining boost -- Several hundred unemployed Spokane-area residents are receiving training for new jobs through federal stimulus money.

►  In today's Olympian -- It's time for leaders to study future of liquor stores (editorial) -- Sen. Tim Sheldon’s liquor-store privatization legislation is worthy of debate and serious legislative consideration. Opponents of privatization say hundreds of family-wage jobs will be lost and that’s particularly heartless at a time when the nation is in the throes of a recession and new jobs are scarce. On a certain level, privatizing liquor sales sounds like a logical step for the state to take. But there are many questions lawmakers must answer -- especially on financial implications for the state treasury and liquor store patrons.

►  In today's Seattle Times -- Needed: Tunnel vision on Alaskan Way Viaduct replacement (editorial) -- The politics have gotten trickier since it was announced a year ago, but the legislation should be clarified to return the overrun burden to the state. That is easier said than done. The entire bill may have to come before legislators, which could torpedo the earlier hard-fought decision.

►  In today's News Tribune -- Washington pays twice for parolee trade deficit (editorial) -- Our state has responsibility for supervising 2,393 offenders from other states, but only 1,046 of this state’s offenders are doing their probation in other states. That's partly because Washington tends to require less community supervision once criminals are released than other states.

►  In today's Olympian -- Two more engage in race for House -- Longtime natural-resources policy hand Steve Robinson says he'll run next year for the 22nd District seat that state Rep. Brendan Williams is giving up after three terms. Fellow Democrat Stewart Henderson also is running.

►  In today's NY Times -- Efforts lag at making highway work zones safer -- Ubiquitous annoyances of on-the-go American life, work zones are sometimes death traps, too. Thousands of deadly accidents in highway work zones across the country that have killed at least 4,700 people -- more than two a day -- and injured 200,000 in the last five years alone. Yet there are virtually no laws or regulations mandating safety measures in work zones. There are standards, but they are loosely enforced and differ from state to state.

►  In today's LA Times -- Pay czar OKs $4.3-million raise for AIG executive -- Kenneth Feinberg, the Obama administration's pay czar, says it was appropriate "to ensure that the employee contributes to AIG's long-term success and, ultimately, AIG's ability to repay taxpayers."