Deadlines in every direction today, but hey, I’m on schedule, which is more than most writers can say at any given moment, myself included.
Here are some timely midday news/views treats:
* At Vox, Sarah Kliff outlines the new administration plan to begin making Medicare payments reflect health outcomes, not just the type and volume of procedures ordered. More about this later.
* Dave Weigel explains that Bibi’s speech to Congress next month fulfills a long-time aspiration of Louie Gohmert.
* Jonathan Chait wades into the liberal/Left controversy over speech codes, “trigger” warnings, and the very concept of “political correctness.”
* Democratic filibusters stop Keystone XL pipeline in the Senate, for now.
* In wake of his “victory” at the Iowa Freedom Summit, Scott Walker forms 2016 exploratory committee.
And in non-political news:
* Big buzz over faulty “historic blizzard” forecasts for NYC.
As we break for lunch, here’s slide guitar virtuoso Elmore James, who would be 97 today, performing “Blues Before Sunrise.”