The WonkLine: October 20, 2009

“Burning fossil fuels costs the United States about $120 billion a year in health costs” — $62 billion a year from coal — as “20,000 people die prematurely each year,” according to a new report by the National Academy of Sciences.

CQ reports that Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-CT) is the “de facto amendment gatekeeper” for the Kerry-Boxer Clean Energy Jobs Act, while Mary Landrieu (D-LA) and Saxby Chambliss (R-GA) are “expected to announce the formation of a Natural Gas Caucus” and Lindsey Graham (R-SC) is looking to form a “nuclear power caucus.”

Across the nation, “an antigarbage strategy” known as “zero waste” is “moving from the fringes to the mainstream, taking hold in school cafeterias, national parks, restaurants, stadiums and corporations.”

Southern California pastors representing 1,200 Latino Protestant congregations plan on working together to urge full Latino participation in the 2010 census and counter a boycott being pushed by a Latino evangelical clergy group in protest of the lack of immigration reform.

The Houston Chronicle reports that “one in five suspected illegal immigrants who went through an Immigration and Customs Enforcement intensive monitoring program absconded while under supervision during the past five years.”

A Mexican human rights official who admits he fears for his life after claiming that he has evidence of at least 170 cases of Mexican army human rights violations is being detained by U.S. immigration authorities as an asylum-seeker, even though he doesn’t want American protection.

Sen. Chris Dodd (D-CT) and five other Democratic Senators have introduced a bill to curtail bank overdraft fees. Reuters reports that, under the bill, “banks could not slap overdraft fees on cash-machine and debit-card transactions unless customers have specifically opted in to an overdraft protection program.”

Even as they received $350 billion in government funds, large banks “were boosting the perks and benefits they pay their chief executives” last year. Firms increased benefits — which included use of corporate jets, chauffeur services and personal security — by 4 percent.

Barry Ritholz points to a study finding that “securitized mortgages were five times as likely to be delinquent as mortgages that were not resold to securitizers.”

VOA reports “the Vienna talks on Iran’s nuclear program were delayed for two hours Tuesday after an Iranian official said France was not needed at the talks.”

JTA reports “U.S. authorities arrested a Defense Department official who allegedly agreed to spy for Israel. Stewart David Nozette, 52, of Maryland, allegedly told an FBI agent claiming to be an Israeli agent that he had access to U.S. satellite information and had once held top security clearances.”

CNN reports “two back-to-back suicide bombings killed at least two and wounded 13 others at a university in Islamabad Tuesday…The explosion occurred at the International Islamic University in the Pakistani capital, said police official Bin Yamin.”

“The basic Medicare premium will shoot up next year by 15 percent, to $110.50 a month, federal officials said Monday.” “About 12 million people, or 27 percent of Medicare beneficiaries, will have to pay higher premiums or have the additional amounts paid on their behalf.”

Poll Watch: “The number of Americans worried about losing their current health care coverage keeps rising,” while the number of Americans who support a public option is growing.

Live Pulse points out that “patient, consumer and labor groups are crafting a proposal they plan to shop to key senators to make health coverage more affordable than it would be under legislation approved by the Senate Finance Committee, hoping to influence a final Senate version of healthcare overhaul.”

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