House Democratic leaders Thursday walked their rank-and-file members through last-minute agreements that could move President Barack Obama's overhaul of the nation's health care system a step closer to reality.

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• Senate-passed health care bill would cut deficit

With unemployment still stubbornly high, a Bay Area lawmaker on Wednesday proposed sending cities $100 billion over the next two years to forestall predicted layoffs of hundreds of thousands of city workers, teachers and other local public employees. Carolyn Lochhead

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Some leading Republicans expressed concern Wednesday that GOP gubernatorial candidate Meg Whitman broke new political ground this week in Oakland -- and not in a good way -- by her stubborn sidestepping of news reporters and news conferences. Carla Marinucci

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