►  At TheOlympian.com -- Baird gets victory on 72-hour rule, but... -- We don't know how Rep. Baird plans to vote, but he scored a victory when Democratic leaders agreed to post HR 3962's details online and allow 72 hours' time before any vote.

More health care news:

►  In today's NY Times -- Buoyant Democrats unveil health care bill -- They have unveiled their bill and they say they have the votes to pass it. 

►  In today's Huffington Post -- Public option polls put wavering Dems on the spot -- Public opinion polls in states with conservative Democratic senators (Indiana and Arkansas) show that the public option not only is widely popular among voters, but could become a potent issue in the upcoming congressional elections. In state after state -- including ones deemed to be political "toss-ups" -- the public option polls extremely well. In Indiana, for instance, voters favored the plan for government-run insurance by a margin of 52% to 42%, and it jumped to 59% to 33% among Independents.

►  In today's NY Times -- The House health reform bill (editorial) -- The Senate should pay attention to the health care reform bill unveiled by House Democratic leaders. It would greatly expand coverage of the uninsured while reducing budget deficits over the next decade and beyond. It includes a public option that is weaker than we would like, but it still deserves to be approved.

►  In today's NY Times -- The defining moment (Paul Krugman column) -- O.K., folks, this is it. It’s the defining moment for health care reform. As a result, everyone in the political class now has to make a choice. The seemingly impossible dream of fundamental health reform is just a few steps away from becoming reality, and each player has to decide whether he or she is going to help it across the finish line or stand in its way. This is the moment of truth. The political environment is as favorable for reform as it’s likely to get. The legislation on the table isn’t perfect, but it’s as good as anyone could reasonably have expected. History is about to be made -- and everyone has to decide which side they’re on.

Boeing news:

►  At IAM751.org -- Boeing issues "misleading" memo; Machinists ready to move on, fix 787 -- IAM District 751 President Tom Wroblewski responds to an e-mail memorandum sent to employees in which Boeing executives claim negotiations with the IAM were in good faith and the union's offer fell short: "This latest Company e-mail is just another smoke-and-mirror tactic trying to confuse the situation. Boeing executives had made their decision long before they ever sat down to talk with us. ... The simple truth is there won’t be any new jobs in South Carolina if our Members here in Puget Sound can't find solutions for all the 787's problems. We're the ones who will fix the mistakes and get the first planes ready to fly, and we’re the ones who will be building 787s on two lines in Everett -- the main line and the new surge line -- while they’re still filling in swamp land in Charleston. Without us, the Dreamliner is just a pipedream. Let’s focus on making it a reality."

►  In today's Everett Herald -- SPEEA fears long-term impact of decision -- Boeing's Jim Albaugh sought to reassure Puget Sound area workers that the region is the “center for design, flight test and manufacturing.” But SPEEA points out that Boeing offered no job guarantees to its members, many of whom have been working overtime or have been sent to Charleston to fix problems created by 787 outsourcing. “Albaugh is saying all the right things about bringing back work,” says SPEEA Executive Director Ray Goforth. But SPEEA’s leaders aren’t counting on Boeing to do the right things.

►  From AP -- Soul-searching ahead for Machinists? -- Boeing could have labor peace if it would just stop trying to reduce workers' benefits, says IAM 751 President Tom Wroblewski. "They rile the members up so bad you can't control it."

►  In today's Seattle Times -- Boeing handing out pink slips to 500 workers today; 60 locally -- It has issued layoff notices monthly since January, when it announced plans to cut 10,000 jobs from its baseline employment of 163,356 on Nov. 30, 2008. Through September, Boeing employment was down more than 5,000.

►  In today's Everett Herald -- Did Democrats botch 787 deal? Republicans say so -- When lawmakers gather for meetings in Olympia on Dec. 1-2, there is sure to be conversations on what, if anything, they should do differently in 2010. “We do have to change the way we think. Not to say ‘Boeing is gone, let's go get Airbus.' We need to find the middle ground between the interests of business and labor,” says Sen. Jean Berkey (D-Everett).

Local news:

►  In today's Bellingham Herald --Officials get earful about proposed workers' comp increases -- At a public hearing on the proposed 7.6% premium increase, business owners complain that, given the economic climate, an increase would be yet another blow to businesses trying to survive. (Hearings continue today in Spokane and Richland. Union members are urged to attend, but please resist your urge to bite people's fingers off, if you possibly can.)

►  At TheOlympian.com -- County on 8% return? State pensions draw partisan fight -- How much money the state can reasonably expect to earn on pension investments over the next 15 years? State Actuary Matt Smith has said he thinks it should be changed from 8% to 7.5%, but Democrats on the Pension Funding Council all voted to stick with 8%. Republicans wanted 7.5%, which would require lawmakers to put $244 million extra into the funds in 2011-13. 

►  In the (Aberdeen) Daily World -- Union and county make deal -- Grays Harbor County's largest union (AFSCME) and commissioners approve a memorandum of understanding that will allow county employees to take days off without pay and voluntarily pay more for their medical costs.

►  In today's Tri-City Herald -- Proposed Benton budget cuts met with stunned silence -- What began as a routine budget meeting ended with Benton County officials sitting in stunned silence after the commissioners said 2% budget cuts are being recommended nearly across the board.

►  In today's Olympian -- Citizens committee: Lacey, fire district should part -- An advisory committee recommends that the city part ways with Lacey Fire District 3 as contract negotiations between the two public agencies have broken down.

►  From AP -- Oregon teachers renew legal fight with Sizemore -- Two Oregon teacher unions have gone back to court against political activist Bill Sizemore to accuse him of racketeering, again, this time in the 2008 elections. The unions say he and Nevada millionaire Loren Parks set up a sham charitable group to hide money used to gather signatures and promote four ballot measures in 2008, including measures on teacher merit pay and public employee unions.

National news:

►  From AP -- White House: Stimulus saved or created 650,000 jobs -- New job numbers from businesses, contractors, state and local governments, nonprofit groups and universities are scheduled to be released publicly later today. White House economic adviser Jared Bernstein said the figures will show that, when adding in jobs linked to $288 billion in tax cuts, the stimulus plan has created or saved more than 1 million jobs. 

►  In today's NY Times -- Bill would extend time to fund pension plans -- Congress is looking to give companies more time to replenish employee pension plans, worried that looming payments will crimp their cash flow and slow hiring. But by allowing pensions to remain inadequately funded, this would increase the risk that the government would have to pay for pensions owed by bankrupt companies.