Oil Spill Whoppers | FactCheck.org

 

We keep track so you don’t have to. Some of the lowlights so far, in no particular order.

• Some Republicans falsely claimed Obama was slowing the cleanup by not waiving the Jones Act, which actually doesn’t apply to the cleanup operations.
• Obama said he issued a six-month moratorium on deepwater drilling in the Gulf. Not quite. Much drilling continues.
• A Republican governor keeps saying the spill is the first big blowout in the Gulf, failing to note a 1979 disaster that continued for 10 months, and numerous smaller blowouts.
• A DNC ad claimed that a GOP lawmaker spoke for his party when he said BP deserves an apology. But that apology had already been rejected by other leading Republicans.

Click on the following for more details:  Oil Spill Whoppers | FactCheck.org

Payback Time - Budget in the Red, Illinois Has Stopped Paying Bills - NYTimes.com

Great summary of our situation in Illinois. 

California stood more or less unchallenged as a symbol of the fiscal collapse of states during the recession. Now Illinois has shouldered to the fore, as its dysfunctional political class refuses to pay the state’s bills and refuses to take the painful steps — cuts and tax increases — to close a deficit of at least $12 billion, equal to nearly half the state’s budget.

state’s income tax burden is not terribly high — Illinois ranks in the bottom half of states — and its government is not terribly large.

Click on the following for more details:  Payback Time - Budget in the Red, Illinois Has Stopped Paying Bills - NYTimes.com

Washington oil-spill-response vessels may be needed in the Gulf | Seattle Times Newspaper

 

new federal rule, which took effect earlier this week, aims to get more cleanup equipment to the Gulf by lowering Coast Guard and EPA requirements for cleanup equipment elsewhere.

Washington state law requires the oil industry be able to respond to a worst-case scenario that in some areas could involve a spill of millions of gallons of oil or refined fuels.

15 big vessels known as Responders that are outfitted with skimmers and other equipment. So far, 12 of them, including two from California, are either working in the Gulf or on their way

Click on the following for more details: Local News | Local oil-spill-response vessels may be needed in the Gulf | Seattle Times Newspaper

Elgin police supervisors suspended over affair

 

high-ranking Elgin police supervisors were suspended without pay for 30 working days each - the equivalent of six weeks - after a lengthy investigation concluded their affair violated city policy and damaged department morale.

no on-duty misconduct occurred" but the officers "did violate city and department rules and regulations and their actions were not consistent with the values of the department."

Click on the following for more details:   Daily Herald | Elgin police supervisors suspended over affair