Arkansas Rep. Mike Ross [Wikipedia] [VoteSmart][OpenSecrets] — a Blue Dog Democrat playing a key role in the health care debate — sold a piece of commercial property in 2007 for substantially more than a county assessment and an independent appraisal say it was worth.

The buyer: an Arkansas-based pharmacy chain with a keen interest in how the debate plays out.

Photo: Mike Ross

Ross sold Holly’s Health Mart in Prescott, Ark., to USA Drug for $420,000 — an eye-popping price for real estate in a tiny train and lumber town about 100 miles southwest of Little Rock.

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Republican Reno attorney Charles Kozak toured the state Monday seeking publicity for his U.S. Senate bid.

Kozak, a political unknown, is joining a race with potential primary opponents who have polling data showing voters would prefer them to Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev.

The list of candidates and potential candidates includes Las Vegan Danny Tarkanian; Nevada Republican Party Chairwoman Sue Lowden; former Assemblywoman Sharron Angle; state Sen. Mark Amodei, R-Carson City; investment banker John Chachas; former Nevada Test Site worker Bill Parson; Robin Titus, a medical doctor, and Mike Wiley.

Source: ReviewJournal.com.

“So now for the quiz: Who’s the active opposition to the president’s plan to stop banks from gouging consumers?” [Rachel] Maddow asked. “If you said Wall Street, you definitely do not fail, but you’re not quite there. If you said Republicans, you have to go back and count seats in the House and the Senate — it’s not really them. The answer is Democrats, specifically Blue Dog Democrats, ConservaDems.”

So, if, as Maddow suggests, the biggest problem for progressives is not the conservative Republicans–but Democrats—then the Democrats should be the target of progressives.

A Blue Dog Democrat is a DINO (Democrat In Name Only).

[Source: Raw Story]

Despite Senator Max Baucus’ healthcare bill, real doctors who work in the system every day, say single-payer health insurance reform is the way to go.