Does government funding give the government an advantage in shaping the news?

Great, so NPR has the resources to create new story lines that the rest of the media doesn't have.

As daily newspapers continue to shed Washington bureaus and severely slash their staffs, fewer reporters than ever are serving as watchdogs of the federal government. Rare is the reporter who is assigned to cover one of the many federal departments, agencies or bureaus that are not part of the daily news cycle. . . . Networks and cable television news outlets certainly have reporters in Washington, but they concentrate on politics and the story of the day out of the White House, the Capitol and the most visible departments, such as Defense, State, Justice and Homeland Security. National Public Radio has beefed up its Washington coverage the past several years, and its reporters--many of them former newspaper writers--do have time for enterprise. Yet when it comes to departments, it sticks to the same handful as television. . . .

Alan Greenspan says that fear that cutting the deficit would hurt economy is "misplaced"

Greenspan seems to think that we are headed the way of Greece.

Greenspan rebutted “misplaced” concern that reducing the deficit would put the economic recovery in danger, entering a debate among global policy makers about how quickly to exit from stimulus measures adopted during the financial crisis. U.S. Treasury Secretary Timothy F. Geithner said this month that while fiscal tightening is needed over the “medium term,” governments must reinforce the recovery in private demand.

“The United States, and most of the rest of the developed world, is in need of a tectonic shift in fiscal policy,” said Greenspan, 84, who served at the Fed’s helm from 1987 to 2006. “Incremental change will not be adequate.”

Rein in Debt

Pressure on capital markets would also be eased if the U.S. government “contained” the sale of Treasuries, he wrote.

“The federal government is currently saddled with commitments for the next three decades that it will be unable to meet in real terms,” Greenspan said. The “very severity of the pending crisis and growing analogies to Greece set the stage for a serious response.”

Yields on U.S. Treasuries have benefitted from safe-haven demand in recent months because of the European debt crisis, a circumstance that may not last, said Greenspan, who now consults for clients including Pacific Investment Management Co., which has the world’s biggest bond fund. . . .

BP Shakedown

BP is going to face some big liabilities, but go through the proper process through the courts. We have seen this administration undue protections in auto company bankruptcies. Napalitano points to VP Biden supposedly threatening BP executives by saying "give us the $20 billion or we will take it."

The NY Daily News put it this way:

Enter Vice President Biden, the designated Bad Cop.

Sources told the Daily News that Biden leaned forward and bluntly informed the Blight Brigade they had no choice: If they didn't do the right thing and put the cash in escrow, it would be done to them. . . .

For Elena Kagan the NRA and KKK appear to be similarly repulsive

Robert VerBruggen of National Review Online has the story here.

10 minute Obama talk in Ohio cost between $500,000 and $1 million

Of course, no mention of where this money would have been spent if the government hadn't gotten its hands on it.

The project he came to spotlight is funded by $15 milllion from the Recovery Act to rebuild roads in the area around Nationwide Children's Hospital. The White House says the program will create over 300 construction jobs.

Mr. Obama spoke for just ten minutes and was on the ground in Ohio for just over an hour. And though his appearance was billed as official and not political, he did use his remarks to deliver attaboys to some of the Democratic politicians here including the Governor, who is up for re-election.

"You also got one of the best governors in the country in Ted Strickland," the president said at the start of his remarks.

Strickland faces a challenge for his job in November from former GOP Congressman John Kasich, who was not at the Recovery Act event. Neither was Boehner.

The trip Columbus probably cost taxpayers between $500,000 and $1 million.

Air Force One alone bills out at $100,000 per hour, and the round trip is nearly two hours. Adding to the cost are military aircraft to carry limos and secret service vehicles, Marine One on standby, Secret Service, local police and other factors. . . .

To provide security for that 10 minute speech by Obama, the Secret Service had to shutdown construction at a nearby construction site for the entire day and those workers lost out on getting paid.

President Obama went to the groundbreaking of a road project in Columbus, Ohio, Friday to show that his massive stimulus package is still churning out jobs -- a "good news" story that was anything but for some construction workers who were trying to figure out how to make up for the payday they lost due to the president's visit.

The workers were told not to report to their construction project at a nearby hospital Friday, because the Secret Service was shutting it down for security reasons. They also were told that they would not get paid for the forced day off. . . .

"The bosses told us we weren't working because the president is coming, and we are wondering why," construction worker George Harrison told WBNS-10TV. "That's $200 we are missing out on. Everybody needs to eat, right?"

How budgeting works in California, or why they are in the problem that they are

California just can't cut spending, right? From Dan Walters at the Sac Bee.

Dymally is one of California's most venerable political figures of the last century. He has been an assemblyman twice, as well as a state senator, one-term lieutenant governor and congressman. He tried for a second stint in the state Senate, only to lose the Democratic primary in 2008 to another former assemblyman, Rod Wright.
More recently, Dymally has hung his hat at the much-troubled, financially strapped Drew. He led a delegation of university officials a few weeks ago to plead with legislators to keep giving Drew money even though its residency program was kaput.

Dymally et al. even asked for an additional $4 million. The Assembly's budget committee acceded. The Senate's budget writers approved the $8.7 million figure, and the conference committee unanimously appropriated that amount this week without discussion.

It's the sort of action that makes the laments of Leno and others about a lack of funds ring hollow.

Appropriations should not be automatic entitlements but should have to prove their worth. Tax loopholes should meet the same standard of efficacy as well.

Giving Drew $8.7 million just because it's gotten the money in the past, or just because a former legislative colleague lobbied for it, doesn't wash in an era of multibillion-dollar deficits, wholesale slaughter of basic services, and wrangling over whether taxes should be raised, as Leno and other Democrats have advocated.

The $8.7 million may seem to be a drop in the budget bucket, but it would pay for 100 classroom teachers' jobs. . . .

Coast Guard stops skimmers from sucking up gulf oil

The Obama administration wouldn't issue a waiver on the Jones Act so that foreign built ships could clean up the spill. Now they have used the Coast Guard to harass and stop the ships that Gov. Bobby Jindal was using.

Eight days ago, Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal ordered barges to begin vacuuming crude oil out of his state's oil-soaked waters. Today, against the governor's wishes, those barges sat idle, even as more oil flowed toward the Louisiana shore.

"It's the most frustrating thing," the Republican governor said today in Buras, La. "Literally, yesterday morning we found out that they were halting all of these barges."

Sixteen barges sat stationary today, although they were sucking up thousands of gallons of BP's oil as recently as Tuesday. Workers in hazmat suits and gas masks pumped the oil out of the Louisiana waters and into steel tanks. It was a homegrown idea that seemed to be effective at collecting the thick gunk.

"These barges work. You've seen them work. You've seen them suck oil out of the water," said Jindal. . . .

And this is the obviously bizarre reason.

But the Coast Guard ordered the stoppage because of reasons that Jindal found frustrating. The Coast Guard needed to confirm that there were fire extinguishers and life vests on board, and then it had trouble contacting the people who built the barges. . . .

Some notes on the Violence Policy Reports' "Concealed Carry Killers"

I will soon put up a piece that provides more of a verbal discussion of these cases.

Florida Cases from the VPC report.


1. Randy Reddick Jr. PENDING February 27, 2010

http://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2010/03/01/Boy-accidentally-kills-brother-in-shooting/UPI-37721267464949/
Problems with VPC: No mention in story of charges being brought


2. Roger Troy SUICIDE February 8, 2010

http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/alissa-blanton-stalker-kills-florida-newlywed-hooters-waitress/story?id=9801964
Problems with VPC: No mention in story of charges being brought


3. Paul Michael Merhige PENDING November 26, 2009

http://www.miamiherald.com/2009/11/28/1356480/suspect-in-jupiter-killings-had.html
http://www.csgv.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=150:mass-shootings-by-concealed-handgun-permit-holders-in-2009&catid=47
http://www.nbcmiami.com/news/local-beat/Thanksgiving-Massacre-Gun-Bought-in-Fort-Lauderdale-78538747.html
Problems with VPC: No mention in story of charges being brought


4. Unidentified PENDING October 19, 2009

http://www.news4jax.com/news/21390817/detail.html
Problems with VPC: No mention in story of charges being brought.


5. Humberto Delgado, Jr. PENDING August 19, 2009

http://www.examiner.com/x-7403-Tampa-Crime-Examiner~y2009m8d21-Cpl-Mike-Roberts-alleged-killer-Humberto-Delgado-makes-first-court-appearance-no-bail

http://www.tampabay.com/news/publicsafety/crime/grand-jury-indicts-humberto-delgado-in-death-of-tampa-police-cpl-mike/1033527
Problems with VPC: Charged WITH CARRYING A CONCEALED HANDGUN, obviously didn't have a valid permit!!! So much for one of the cases involving the death of a police officer. "Humberto Delgado already stood accused of killing one police officer, pointing a pistol at another and carrying a concealed firearm."

VPC Sources Found:
- http://www.tampabay.com/news/publicsafety/crime/humberto-delgado-pleads-not-guilty-in-killing-of-tampa-police-cpl-mike/1036020
- http://www.myfoxtampabay.com/dpp/news/local/hillsborough/humberto_delgado_documents_released_090109
- http://www.tampabay.com/news/publicsafety/crime/tampa-officer-was-on-his-back-when-shot-dead/1032531


6. Steven Anthony Thompson PENDING July 17, 2009

http://www.newsherald.com/articles/murder-83039-city-panama.html
Problems with VPC: Permit-holder says he was acting in self-defense. No mention in story of charges being brought.


7. Narcisse Antoine PENDING June 1, 2009

http://www.cbs12.com/news/palm-4718540-police-arrest.html
http://www.wpbnews1st.com/?p=1124
http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/content/local_news/epaper/2009/06/06/0606clubarrest.html
Problems with VPC: The person killed was “Brandon Hammond”, not “Brandon Thomas”. "Mr. Antoine was clearly acting in self defense in this case," Landers said to Judge Paul Moyle during Antoine's first appearance this morning.
VPC Sources Found: http://www.palmbeachpost.com/localnews/content/local_news/epaper/2009/06/06/0606clubarrest.html

UPDATE: Convicted, attempted second degree murder.


8. Andrew Conley PENDING October 24, 2008

http://www.wftv.com/news/17795334/detail.html

http://www.gatorsports.com/article/20091111/ARTICLES/911119966
Problems with VPC: involuntary manslaughter, boy friend of public defender accidentally shot her to death when he was trying to show her how to use a gun, no evidence of arguing or any other problems.
VPC Sources Found: None
CONVICTED

9. James Wonder PENDING August 5, 2008

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/broward/sfl-flbagent0829sbaug29,0,6177881.story:
Problems with VPC: Permit-holder says he acted in self-defense.
Wonder's arrest was announced with great fanfare by authorities, but local lawyers said he may be able to make a strong claim under Florida law that he was within his rights to shoot Pettit. The state's self-defense laws allow people to use deadly force if they are in fear of death or great bodily harm. Criminal defense attorney Fred Haddad said he would have been shocked if Wonder had been charged with anything more severe than manslaughter. He said the possibility that Pettit was the aggressor in a road rage incident would provide Wonder a strong defense. Maister said there should have been no indictment by grand jurors in the first place. "We're a little bit disappointed that they came back with any indictment at all," Maister said. "We thought that this was absolutely self defense."
$10,000 bond
VPC Sources Found:
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/southflorida/sfl-flbagent0821sbaug21,0,5237464.story
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/broward/sfl-flbagent0829sbaug29,0,6177881.story

UPDATE: Appears that case was eventually dropped.

10. William Garrido PENDING July 3, 2008

http://cbs4.com/local/cabbie.killer.cab.2.800258.html
Problems with VPC: No mention in story of charges being brought.



11. Max Wesley Horn Jr. ACQUITTED March 29, 2008

http://www2.tbo.com/content/2008/mar/30/301655/man-facing-murder-charge-after-shooting/
http://www.tampabay.com/news/publicsafety/crime/article438227.ece
http://suncoastpasco.tbo.com/content/2010/jan/28/281434/HORN/ :
Problems with VPC: Martell had been in a brief confrontation with permit-holder’s brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Sam and Kim Dennison, shortly before the shooting. Permit-holder testified he shot Martell only after being punched in the head.

VPC Sources Found:
http://www.tampabay.com/news/courts/criminal/article972302.ece
http://www.tampabay.com/news/courts/criminal/jury-acquits-shooter-in-pascos-stand-your-ground-trial/1068849
http://www.tampabay.com/news/briefs/article971715.ece
http://www.tampabay.com/news/courts/criminal/article536016.ece?comments=legacy



12. Dam Lopez PENDING March 22, 2008
http://cbs4.com/local/marathon.shooting.keys.2.683143.html
http://www.keysso.net/pio/crimereports/year_2008/october_2008.htm
Problems with VPC: Another couple said they heard girlfriend Villefrade say “Damien, don’t play like that”, and then heard the gunshot. They turned toward Dam Lopez and saw him holding Villefrade up, under her arms. He told them to call 911. Lopez carried Villefrade out of the room and flagged down a man who was staying in a nearby room. The man agreed to drive them to the hospital. Lopez was treated and arrested. VPC Source titled, “Man charged in gun death”, so charges were presumably brought.

Charged with Negligent manslaughter

VPC Sources Found: Cannot be Found

UPDATE: Appears that case was ultimately dropped.



13. Arthur Burroughs SUICIDE March 8, 2008

http://www.wpbf.com/news/15557452/detail.html
Problems with VPC: No mention in story of charges being brought.




14. Tony Villegas PENDING March 5, 2008
http://www.miaminewtimes.com/2010-04-29/news/did-friendship-cost-rothstein-lawyer-melissa-lewis-her-life/
http://blogs.browardpalmbeach.com/juice/2010/05/tony_villegas_incompetent_murder_debra_melissa.php
http://blogs.browardpalmbeach.com/juice/2010/03/tony_villegas_melissa_lewis_murder_therapist_vinikoor_suspect.php
http://blogs.browardpalmbeach.com/pulp/2010/01/melissa_britt_lewis_and_villegas.php
Problems with VPC: "deemed incompetent" unable to stand trial. No mention of permit.  Strangled victim.

VPC Sources Found:
http://blogs.browardpalmbeach.com/juice/2010/05/tony_villegas_incompetent_murder_debra_melissa.php#


15. Charles Podany DISMISSED February 29, 2008

http://www2.tbo.com/content/2008/mar/02/me-clash-over-speeding-turns-fatal/
Problems with VPC: The passenger in the truck grew angry. He jumped out, took off his shirt and punched Podany, knocking him to the ground, the sheriff's office said. With his attacker on top of him and about to strike again, Podany was in fear of his life and felt trapped, according to an arrest report written by Deputy Dale Bunten. Podany pulled out his .40-caliber Glock handgun and fired twice, the report says. Casey Landes, 24, of Wesley Chapel was hit in the face and died instantly, Carter said.
Podany, 47, of 10504 Bay Hills Circle, was charged with manslaughter with a firearm. Late Saturday afternoon, he posted $15,000 bail. Afterward, sitting on a bench outside the Orient Road Jail, he declined to comment until conferring with his attorney. Podany has a permit to carry a concealed weapon, Carter said. He and Landes did not know each other.

VPC Sources Found: http://www.sptimes.com/2008/03/02/Hillsborough/Man_shot_after_speedi.shtml


16. Gabriel Mobley PENDING February 28, 2008
http://www.justnews.com/news/16719692/detail.html
http://lawprofessors.typepad.com/crimprof_blog/2008/06/index.html
http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2009/12/28/81326/confusion-reigns-over-floridas.html
Problems with VPC: Permit-holder said he was acting in self-defense. Accosted by two men, one of who had already thrown a punch.

VPC Sources Found: http://www.miamiherald.com/2009/12/27/1399441/floridas-stand-your-ground-law.html
http://www.justnews.com/news/16719692/detail.html

Motion to dismiss filed in December, 2009


17. Paul Kallenbach CONVICTED February 2008
http://www.heraldtribune.com/article/20081213/OPINION/812130329
http://www2.tbo.com/content/2008/apr/08/sarasota-convenience-store-shooting-video-released/
Problems with VPC: Person shot was a convicted felon, clear possible self-defense story.
http://www.heraldtribune.com/article/20081212/ARTICLE/812120329
the prosecutor pressing charges agree that Kallenbach was in some way defending himself during an escalating altercation between the men caught on the security video at Kwik Stop on the North Trail.

The video shows Kallenbach and Howard in a verbal dispute until Kallenbach, who had a permit to carry a concealed weapon, pulls a handgun from his fanny pack. Howard starts to back out of the store, but then lunges at the hand with the gun as Kallenbach steps forward.

"People can look at that tape and interpret it two or three different ways," Assistant State Attorney Wendell Darville said. "But there was a clear opportunity for the incident just to subside."


VPC Sources Found: http://www.heraldtribune.com/article/20081213/OPINION/812130329
http://www.heraldtribune.com/article/20081212/ARTICLE/812120329

Convicted

18. Michael Leopold Phillips SUICIDE January 19, 2008

http://www.wpbf.com/news/15099619/detail.html
Problems with VPC: No mention in story of charges being brought. No mention of concealed handgun permit.

VPC Sources Found: None


19. Adam Hill PENDING January 7, 2008

http://www.jacksonville.com/tu-online/stories/010908/met_234272653.shtml
http://www.staugustine.com/stories/051209/news_051209_038.shtml
Problems with VPC: Nobody except the VPC says Hill said, “Hey Clayton, you want to get shot?” Charge of second-degree murder was delayed pending completion of competency examination. "They were all goofing off. ... This is in some ways an accidental shooting." said Sergeant Chuck Mulligan.

VPC Sources Found: http://www.firstcoastnews.com/news/news-article.aspx?storyid=138378


20. Guillermo Zarabozo CONVICTED September 2007

http://www.foxnews.com/wires/2008Sep30/0,4670,MissingBoaters,00.html
http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2008-07-24-boat-killing_N.htm
http://www.sail-world.com/CruisingAus/index.cfm?SEID=0&Nid=38384&SRCID=0&ntid=39&tickeruid=0&tickerCID=0
Problems with VPC:

VPC Sources Found: http://www.newsweek.com/2007/09/26/lost-at-sea.html

Convicted

Organizations that the Democrats want to exempt from the new campaign finance laws

Do we really want such imbalanced groups allowed to influence policy? How long do these groups have before they too lose their ability to speak out on different issues? This is such a mess.

AARP
Humane Society
National Rifle Association
Sierra Club

On Monday, POLITICO revealed the result of the negotiations: an amendment to the bill that would exempt from the disclosure requirements organizations that have more than 1 million members, have been in existence for more than 10 years, have members in all 50 states and raise 15 percent or less of their funds from corporations.

Though House Democratic sources say the goal was to exempt a handful of the biggest and most well-established advocacy groups, it turned out that only the NRA met all the criteria. . . .

But most problematic for the bill’s prospects: liberal House Democrats balked at the perception that they were voting for a sweetheart deal for the NRA, regarded by many liberals as perpetuating gun violence in urban areas by opposing gun control measures. As Rep. Mike Quigley, a Chicago Democrat, put it, since the NRA has worked against legislation to make it tougher to buy firearms at gun shows, it “simply cannot be allowed to play by a different set of rules than one that seeks to advocate for such sound policy.”

Van Hollen responded to similar concerns on Thursday, lowering the membership threshold to 500,000 for groups to qualify for the exemption, which brought in a handful of other top special interest groups, including the Sierra Club, the Humane Society and the AARP. . . .

The Politico piece starts with this note:

Hatched over the last few weeks by Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) with backing from House Democratic leaders and the White House, it was a legislative maneuver rich with the kind of irony that often goes unremarked in Washington — a classic backroom special interest deal to help pass a bill that would require heightened disclosure of special interest spending on campaign ads. . . .

Another defensive gun use in Iowa

Here is a defensive gun use from Iowa.

The owner of a Waterloo convenience store where two robbers were killed Wednesday morning said the suspects were frequent customers.
Store clerk Johnny Sanders, 65, shot Robert Maurice Bolden and Antonio McNeal Sproles, both 21, when the two walked into East Fourth Street Liquor brandishing a rifle and a handgun at about 2 a.m. closing time.
"I think for a little while nobody (will) rob me," Owner Mehnde Khan said Wednesday as police continued to collect evidence at his shop.
Khan said one of the robbers was at the store every day.
"I don't understand why last night he changed his mind and tried to rob me," said Khan, who wasn't at the shop at the time of the shooting.
Khan said he never had problems with the two in the past, although his business was robbed twice in 2009 by other people. In a December holdup, his cousin who was working as a clerk in the store was shot in the arm, even though he was cooperating with the gunmen.
"I'm sick, I work hard," said Khan, who was beaten by a teenage customer he had carded in October 2005.
That was when Khan owned Dane Street Liquor. He later moved the business around the corner to 1027 E. Fourth St. and renamed it East Fourth Street Liquor.
Khan said Sanders didn't have a choice and was protecting himself during the botched robbery Wednesday.
The weapon Sanders used, a .44-caliber revolver, was a firearm that is kept at the store for protection, Khan said. . . .

Thanks to James Frazier for the link.

School Children taught: "I Am An Obama Scholar"

If this is a private school, I personally don't care what they are chanting regarding this. But if this is a public school, I think that this is quite improper.


UPDATE: Apparently this was being done in a public school, Lincoln Bassett Middle School in New Haven, Connecticut.

Iowa Congressman: "Obama favors blacks over whites"

Race is always an explosive area for people to get into, especially for a Republican or conservative. Rep. Steve King stepped in with both feet on Tuesday when he said this:

"The president has demonstrated that he has a default mechanism in him that breaks down the side of race on the side that favors the black person in the case of professor Gates and officer Crowley."

It is certainly hard to read race as the reason when one is looking into one decision. In the Gates case, Obama knew Gates and that by itself could explain the reaction. On the other hand, Obama has said other pretty outrageous things that would open him up to these charges when he made this appeal for votes from only a segment of the population earlier this year:

In a video to supporters, Obama urged those who helped get him elected in 2008 not to abandon Democrats in an election year that is shaping up to take a chunk out of the Democratic majority in Congress.

In the appeal, Obama says new voters who "powered our victory in 2008" need to "stay involved" in 2010.

"It will be up to each of you to make sure that the young people, African Americans, Latinos and women, who powered our victory in 2008 stand together once again," he said.

"If you help us do that -- if you help us make sure that first-time voters in 2008 make their voices heard again in November -- then together we will deliver on the promise of change and hope and prosperity for generations to come," he said. . . .

Armed robber stopped at party by citizen with concealed handgun permit

This story is from Texas. After a gunman kills one person at the party, another man with a concealed handgun permits shots the criminal.

MESQUITE - Police say a gunman who allegedly tried to rob people at a party in the Dallas area killed one person who tried to stop him before being fatally shot by someone else.

According to the Mesquite Police Department, officers responded to a report of the shooting just after midnight at an apartment complex in the 5900 block of Northwest Drive. Witnesses told them an unidentified man arrived, flashed a gun and tried to rob the party-goers.

Lt. Bill Hedgpeth said 35-year-old Tracey Moore struggled with the suspect and was shot and killed. Another man at the party, 34-year-old Jerome Johnson, then fatally shot the gunman.

Hedgepeth said Johnson does have a concealed handgun license. A grand jury will decide whether he will face any charges.

The gunman's identity has not yet been released.

Thanks to Tony Troglio for the link.

Did the NRA really make a deal on the campaign finance regulations so that they will be pasted

I trust that this isn't true. See here and here.

Obama claims that Oil Spill shows that small government doesn't work

Say what? But as unbelievable as it seems that is Obama's message. Oil companies are told where, when, and how to drill. Their drilling operations are inspected monthly.

The government hasn't responded for weeks to requests that the Jindal can place barrier islands to stop the oil.

Bureaucracy: Alabama Governor Bob Riley (R) criticized the committee of federal agencies that is currently in place to coordinate response to the oil spill. "It's a committee where any one member has absolute veto power," Riley said. "I don't think you can do that."

Politics drives decisions:

The panel appointed by President Barack Obama to investigate the Gulf of Mexico oil spill is short on technical expertise but long on talking publicly about "America's addiction to oil." One member has blogged about it regularly.
Only one of the seven commissioners, the dean of Harvard's engineering and applied sciences school, has a prominent engineering background — but it's in optics and physics. Another is an environmental scientist with expertise in coastal areas and the after-effects of oil spills. Both are praised by other scientists.
The five other commissioners are experts in policy and management.
The White House said the commission will focus on the government's "too cozy" relationship with the oil industry. A presidential spokesman said panel members will "consult the best minds and subject matter experts" as they do their work.
The commission has yet to meet, yet some panel members had made their views known.
Environmental activist Frances Beinecke on May 27 blogged: "We can blame BP for the disaster and we should. We can blame lack of adequate government oversight for the disaster and we should. But in the end, we also must place the blame where it originated: America's addiction to oil." And on June 3, May 27, May 22, May 18, May 4, she called for bans on drilling offshore and the Arctic. . . .

There is also the problem with Obama hasn't put the Jones Act aside so that foreign skimmers can be used to clean up the mess. This act was done to protect labor unions.

Why weren't the inspections the Minerals Management Service performed on the Deepwater Horizonable to detect the problems before they occurred?

Even Obama's supporters admit that he responded slowly. Finally, Public Policy Polling (a Democrat polling organization) has a new poll showing that more Louisiana's think that Bush did a better job with Katrina than Obama did with the oil spill.

So what else is in the Unemployment extension bill?

I have written many times on why unemployment is lasting so long -- we have incredibly long lasting unemployment benefits. Benefits that last about three times longer than in the past. The next piece is from the New York Times which is upset with Democrats for not letting the unemployment insurance extension be passed.

Since June 1, when federal unemployment benefits began to expire, an estimated 325,000 jobless workers have been cut off. That number will swell to 1.25 million by the end of the month unless Congress extends the benefits. The Senate, so far, has failed to act.

Some senators, including Democrats, have balked at an unrelated provision that would begin to close a tax loophole enjoyed by some of the richest Americans. You heard right. Desperately needed unemployment benefits have been held hostage to a tax break for the rich, and the Senate’s Democratic leadership has had to delay and finagle to get its own caucus in line.

State-provided unemployment benefits generally last for 26 weeks, and the federal government picks up the tab after that, provided Congress approves the extensions. There is no disagreement over the need: 46 percent of the nation’s 15 million jobless workers have been unemployed for more than six months — a higher level than at any time since the government began keeping track in 1948. . . .

Fox News notes that there is a good chance of failure on getting this thing passed, but they also note about the other provisions that are in the bill. Among them provisions to offset the cost savings just passed in the Obama health care bill that was supposed to cut the deficit.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-NV, set Wednesday as showdown day with Republicans and some members of his own party, over a $141 billion "extenders" bill.
A pretty boring-sounding name for a bill, but it has crucial extensions of tax credits, unemployment insurance benefits, and other key items in it.
It also contains a critical payment update for doctors and other providers who treat Medicare patients, so that they don't get hit with a whopping 21% cut in their federal reimbursements. Congress usually always "fixes" this cut that comes from a funding formula set up years ago. Many want to fix this problem, but it's costly -- and members never can seem to agree on how or whether or not to pay for a permanent fix.
Anyone who knows a senior on Medicare likely has heard nightmare stories of them having a terrible time even finding a doctor who will treat them, and this delay will, no doubt, cause more heart burn in an industry that is already service-averse. . . .

Pelosi spending $18.736 in rent per month on new Congressional District office

From Fox News:

The House Speaker's district office in the new federal building in San Francisco costs a whopping $18,736 a month -- the highest rental paid by any member of the House -- or, more precisely, the highest rental paid by taxpayers on behalf of a member of the House. The rental price was reported by Roll Call on Monday.

The Democratic congresswoman moved last fall from her old office in the Burton Federal Building, which she occupied for 20 years, to a "greener" space in the city's new federal building -- a move and a high price that her spokesman, Drew Hammill, says was amply justified.

Hammill cited the new building's increased security measures and the new office's larger size as reasons for the move -- and the expense. "The new office space is 3,075 square feet, nearly a third larger than the old space, which was of inadequate size," he told FoxNews.com.

"As speaker, the security needs are different," he said. "The new San Francisco Federal Building offers enhanced security features, which were a major factor in the decision to move offices." . . .

Call reported Monday that Pelosi's new office space costs almost double that of the next-highest rental office held by a House member. Rep. Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y., reportedly pays just under $10,600 a month for his office in New York's Soho neighborhood.

The newspaper, which cites a database produced by the Sunlight Foundation, also reports that other lawmakers, like Democratic Reps. Stephen Lynch of Boston and Diane Watson of Los Angeles, pay exorbitant rental fees for their offices -- $9,000 to $10,000 a month. . . .

Including US obligations, National Debt is about $130 Trillion

Adding together unfunded pension liabilities, Medicare and Social Security, etc, and you get the grand total of about $130 trillion.

Sorry for lack of posts, I have been in the hospital and just gotten out

I am having a hard time getting back up to speed so there will be relatively few posts for a while. I will also have to go back in for follow up surgery.

UPDATE: Thanks for your comments of support. That is very mice of you. I will be OK. Just having to recuperate from surgery right now.