Aug 2007
Bushies Set Priorities: Limit Health Care Program Aiding Children
Tuesday August 21, 2007 Filed in: Government
Accountability
From
The New York Times
The Bush administration, continuing its fight to stop states from expanding the popular Children's Health Insurance Program, has adopted new standards that would make it much more difficult for New York, California and others to extend coverage to children in middle-income families.
After learning of the new policy, some state officials said yesterday that it could cripple their efforts to cover more children and would impose standards that could not be met.
"We are horrified at the new federal policy," said Ann Clemency Kohler, deputy commissioner of human services in New Jersey. "It will cause havoc with our program and could jeopardize coverage for thousands of children."
Stan Rosenstein, the Medicaid director in California, said the new policy was "highly restrictive, much more restrictive than what we want to do."
More at The New York Times
New Rules May Limit Health Care Program Aiding Children
The Bush administration, continuing its fight to stop states from expanding the popular Children's Health Insurance Program, has adopted new standards that would make it much more difficult for New York, California and others to extend coverage to children in middle-income families.
After learning of the new policy, some state officials said yesterday that it could cripple their efforts to cover more children and would impose standards that could not be met.
"We are horrified at the new federal policy," said Ann Clemency Kohler, deputy commissioner of human services in New Jersey. "It will cause havoc with our program and could jeopardize coverage for thousands of children."
Stan Rosenstein, the Medicaid director in California, said the new policy was "highly restrictive, much more restrictive than what we want to do."
More at The New York Times
Plumbing Supplier Charges Pentagon One Million Dollars for Two Washers Worth 38 Cents
Saturday August 18, 2007 Filed in: Government
Accountability
$403,436 for
six screws worth $59.94
$492,096 for a machine thread plug
445,640 for shipping one elbow pipe worth $8.75
$1,000,000 for two washers worth 19 cents each.
Read More at The Guardian
$492,096 for a machine thread plug
445,640 for shipping one elbow pipe worth $8.75
$1,000,000 for two washers worth 19 cents each.
Read More at The Guardian
Mine Safety Czar Richard
Stickler:
Another Fox Guarding the Henhouse
Wednesday August 15, 2007 Filed in: Government
Accountability
MORE From The Huffington Post:
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The man who will oversee the federal government's investigation into the disaster that has trapped six workers in a Utah coal mine for over a week was twice rejected for his current job by senators concerned about his own safety record when he managed mines in the private sector.
President George W. Bush resorted to a recess appointment in October 2006 to anoint Richard Stickler as the nation's mine safety czar after it became clear he could not receive enough support even in a GOP-controlled Senate.
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Read More...
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The man who will oversee the federal government's investigation into the disaster that has trapped six workers in a Utah coal mine for over a week was twice rejected for his current job by senators concerned about his own safety record when he managed mines in the private sector.
President George W. Bush resorted to a recess appointment in October 2006 to anoint Richard Stickler as the nation's mine safety czar after it became clear he could not receive enough support even in a GOP-controlled Senate.
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Read More...
Utah Mine Owner:
Troubling Safety Record,
Useful Political Clout
Tuesday August 14, 2007 Filed in: Government
Accountability
From The Huffington Post:
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In 2003, when safety inspectors ordered the owner of a Utah coal mine where six workers have been trapped for more than a week to shut down one of his Ohio operations because of repeated safety problems, local press reports say he did not hesitate to flex his political muscle to get the inspectors off his back.
West Virginia Public Radio reporter Jeff Young filed a story at the time that said Murray Energy Corp. CEO Bob Murray had a meeting in Morgantown, W. Va. with Tim Thomspon, then a district manager for the federal Mine Safety and Health Administration.
Young obtained notes from the meeting which showed Murray threatening to have MSHA employees fired.
"I will have your jobs. They are gone. The clock is ticking," Young quotes Murray as saying at the meeting.
The notes then go on to say Murray dropped the name of a pair of powerful Republicans in order to underscore his own political clout.
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Read More...
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In 2003, when safety inspectors ordered the owner of a Utah coal mine where six workers have been trapped for more than a week to shut down one of his Ohio operations because of repeated safety problems, local press reports say he did not hesitate to flex his political muscle to get the inspectors off his back.
West Virginia Public Radio reporter Jeff Young filed a story at the time that said Murray Energy Corp. CEO Bob Murray had a meeting in Morgantown, W. Va. with Tim Thomspon, then a district manager for the federal Mine Safety and Health Administration.
Young obtained notes from the meeting which showed Murray threatening to have MSHA employees fired.
"I will have your jobs. They are gone. The clock is ticking," Young quotes Murray as saying at the meeting.
The notes then go on to say Murray dropped the name of a pair of powerful Republicans in order to underscore his own political clout.
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Read More...
President Bush on Accountability
Thursday August 09, 2007 Filed in: Government
Accountability
President
Bush, in a Press Conference on August 9, 20007,
courtesy of >Talking Points Memo
(click for video)
courtesy of >Talking Points Memo
(click for video)
Heck of a job...
Tuesday August 07, 2007 Filed in: Iraq
190,000
US weapons "disappear" in Iraq
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The US has lost about 190,000 weapons issued to Iraqi security forces since the 2003 invasion, according to an official report published in Washington.
The weapons include AK-47 machine guns, pistols, body armour and helmets, some of which will have ended up in the hands of insurgents
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More at The Guardian...
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The US has lost about 190,000 weapons issued to Iraqi security forces since the 2003 invasion, according to an official report published in Washington.
The weapons include AK-47 machine guns, pistols, body armour and helmets, some of which will have ended up in the hands of insurgents
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More at The Guardian...
"No amount of troops in no amount of time will make much of a difference."
Wednesday August 01, 2007 Filed in: Iraq
So
testified Admiral Michael G. Mullen, nominated to be
the next head of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, about
Iraq. More here.