YOU CAN WRITE YOUR OWN CHECK:

Dem House vote-counter lacks health care votes now (Libby Quaid, 3/14/10, AP)

The House's chief Democratic headcounter said Sunday he hadn't rounded up enough votes to pass President Barack Obama's health care overhaul heading into a make-or-break week, even as the White House's top political adviser said he was "absolutely confident" in its prospects.

The administration gave signs of retreating on its demands that senators jettison special home-state deals sought by individual lawmakers that have angered the public.