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Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN) has introduced legislation that would "bar the dollar from being replace by any foreign currency." A statement from Bachmann's website:

Rep. Erik Paulsen (R-Minn.) is getting the benefit of being on more than one of The Hill

If there

One of the biggest Republican criticisms of President Obama's economic stimulus bill was how quickly it was sped through Congress, giving few members enough time to read the hefty bill.

Now, it appears that at least one Democrat is telling constituents that he read all of the 1,073-page bill, including the changes in the conference version, in the short run up to the vote.

In an email to a constituent obtained by the BBR, Congressman John Tierney (D-Mass.) said he read the $787 billion stimulus bill in its entirety.

"I did indeed read the entire bill, as did members of my staff," Tierney wrote in the email dated March 24. "We were versed on the changes to the bill as they occurred, as was necessary in order for us to ensure participation and an opinion on its overall merits as it made its way through the legislative process."

Tierney also said that the bill wasn't as rushed as it was portrayed in the media. "Of course, contrary to assertions made by bill opponents (who, incidentally, failed to offer any viable alternatives) and by media often caught up in spreading confusion, there was ample time to read the bill."

The bill, Tierney wrote, took "considerable time over weeks" to make it to the final vote on February 13. Read more...

A new Suffolk poll suggests Gov. Deval Patrick (D-MA) has a steep uphill climb to re-election. Only 40% of Massachusetts voters approve of the governor's performance, while 49% disapprove.

More disturbingly for Patrick, he'd lose a hypothetical head-to-head matchup if the election were held today:

When voters were asked to choose between Patrick and Treasurer Tim Cahill in a hypothetical general election match-up, 30 percent picked Patrick, 35 percent chose Cahill, and 30 percent were undecided.

If that sentence strikes you as strange, it's because Tim Cahill is, at least for now, a Democrat. Never that popular with his party, Cahill mentioned in an interview recently that he'd consider becoming an independent.

"Carlos has a better product to sell," Obama says, giving a hypothetical scenario in a response to a question about procurement reform.

Following just minutes on his marijuana answer, the line drew laughs from the audience.

Responding to a question about his plans for the auto industry, Obama says he'll roll out a plan in the next few days, "I don't want to make all the news here today," he says.

His "general philosophical approach," he says, is that "we need to preserve a U.S. auto industry."

But he adds that the auto industry is going to have to make severe changes to their economic model. "The price [for government assistance] is, you've got to finally restructure to deal with these longstanding problems."

"Just trying to build more and more SUVs and counting on gas prices being low...that's just not going to work." Obama added. "I'm not willing to have taxpayer money chase after bad money."

Put this in the how-did-I-not-see-this-until-now category: Despite polls suggesting he has a strong shot at it, New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo (D) is not planning to run for governor in 2010.

According to news reports, Cuomo told an audience at Schenectady County Community College on Tuesday that he has no intention of running for governor.

"I hope the people think that I've been delivering for them as attorney general," he said. "I've been trying my best and my only plan is to run for re-election as attorney general."

It gets more shocking, even though he reportedly refused to completely rule out a run.

"I believe Governor David Paterson is going to run for re-election as governor," Cuomo said. "I believe he's going to be re-elected as governor."

Whaaaaaaaaat? This is surprising on many levels. First, Cuomo is believed to be highly politically ambitious. More, a poll out this week showed that he would crush Gov. David Paterson in the Democratic primary by a nearly four to one margin (!). And on top of that, reports had been surfacing that Cuomo was wooing New York Democratic donors in preparation for a run.

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Obama acknowledges that a question about marijuana legalization improving the economy ranked fairly high on the White House site in advance of the town hall.

Feeling obligated to respond, Obama chuckles. "I don't know what that says about the online audience," he laughs. Then answers in the negative: "No, I don't think legalizing marijuana is a good way to grow our economy."

Sen. Arlen Specter is in tough spot, but maybe not as tough as we thought.

A new Franklin & Marshall College poll shows the Pennsylvania Republican leading the GOP primary by double digits, less than a day after a Quinnipiac poll showed him trailing by double digits.

Specter Read more...