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Name: Lee Hernly
Location: Alexandria, VA
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DOT Inspector General Questions How Obama Is Spending Stimulus

Posted by Lee Hernly on Tuesday, August 11, 2009 12:00:00 AM

In the United States, an Inspector General (IG) is a type of investigator charged with examining the actions of a government agency, military organization, or military contractor as a general auditor of their operations to ensure they are operating in compliance with general established policies of the government, to audit the effectiveness of security procedures, or to discover the possibility of misconduct, waste, fraud, theft, or certain types of criminal activity by individuals or groups related to the agency's operation, usually involving some misuse of the organization's funds or credit. Yesterday, Transportation Department Inspector General Calvin Scovel, the Department's watchdog, said he is planning to examine the way the FAA is spending the $1.1 billion in stimulus grant money.

More from the Engineering News-Record:

The Obama administration used economic stimulus money to pay for 50 airport projects that didn’t meet the grant criteria and approved projects at four airports with a history of mismanaging federal grants, a government watchdog said Monday. Transportation Department Inspector General Calvin Scovel said he plans to examine the Federal Aviation Administration’s process for selecting programs for the $1.1 billion in grant money.

Among the projects that Scovel said didn’t meet the FAA’s minimum score was $14 million that went to Akiachak, Alaska, a town of 659 residents, to replace its airfield. The town has a seaplane and is only 14 nautical miles from the state’s fourth busiest airport.

Nearly $15 million went to another Alaskan town, Ouzinkie, that has 167 residents, to replace its gravel runway. The town has a float-plane landing area in its harbor. Barges also provide cargo delivery from Kodiak, 10 miles away.

Other projects Scovel said didn’t meet FAA’s threshold were $4.8 billion for a new taxiway in Findlay, Ohio; $2.2 million for a runway extension at Wilbur Airport in Washington, $2 million for an apron at Warrensburg-Skyhaven Airport in Missouri, and $909,806 to design a new runway at a small airport near Dover, Del. He said those airports don’t provide commercial passenger service and have limited flight operations.

“According to FAA, the Dover project was chosen because it was the state’s only project that was ‘ready to go,’” Scovel said in a letter to the department.

Scovel also cited four grants to recipients that have a history of mismanaging government money, “raising doubts about their ability to ensure (stimulus) funds are effectively administered.” The four grantees are Guam International Airport Authority, Owensboro-Daviess County, Ky.; Pitkin County, Colo., and Puerto Rico Port Authority.

Owensboro-Daviess County, for example, received $658,730 despite reports citing its poor administration of federal airport funds for 10 of the past 11 years, Scovel said.

This is the change people wanted? Then again, we've figured Obama out (and it only took a few months). Will Mr. Scovel suffer the same fate as Gerald Walpin?

 

 

 

 

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Senator Dodd Is Wrong About Health Care Numbers

Posted by Lee Hernly on Monday, July 06, 2009 7:47:32 AM

Senator Dodd, a man who should be behind bars for the role he played in trying to destroy our financial markets late last year and into early this year, is now trying to destroy health care in America.

He went on ABC's 'This Week' with George Stephanopolis last week and naturally, the talk turned to health care reform which Senator Dodd is helping to craft along with Senator Baucus and Senator Ted Kennedy, a man that has been trying to destroy health care for going on 40 years now.

Why is he wrong on health care? In the interview, he mentions that there are 'almost 50 million uninsured.' Let's look at the figures. The same figures Dodd has access to as do you and I. They come from the US Census report from 2007. The report states on page 29 that at that time there were 46.9 million folks without health insurance or 15.8% of the populace.

Almost 18 million people in the figures are those 18-34 who are in relatively good health and could choose to get health insurance if they wanted to. For example, at my last job, I knew four folks out of twelve in my section who fit that description. It wasn't because the company insurance was overly expensive, they were healthy but it was they had other needs they were spending the money on.

The report lists almost 9.4 million who are illegal aliens. Why are they even in the mix? They have access to health care under the EMTALA (Emergency Medical and Active Labor Act) which you and I pay for through increased insurance rates. The report also lists almost 15 million of the 46.9 million uninsured make $50,000 or more and could conceivably purchase health insurance if they chose to. The report also lists 8 million of the total as kids. The parents of these kids could take the children to any state run health plan and sign them up for free medical care.

Granted, everyone wants some type of reform but, before any talk of reform can take place, the folks in Washington should have and quote accurate figures. So next time you hear a Senator or Congressman say there are 'almost 50 million uninsured,' just know that you are being lied to.

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Random Thoughts on Today's News

Posted by Lee Hernly on Sunday, April 26, 2009 7:25:34 AM
The Washington Post and ABC News, two left leaning organizations as you will find, are out with the latest poll on Big O's first 100 days in office. The poll says it is (and always is) a sampling of 1,072 adults. I wonder if it is the same 1,072 adults as I have never gotten called to participate.
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With the swine flu starting to reach across our border, how long will it take for Obama to react? Maybe he'll blame the U.S. for it like he did the drug violence.
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Attention all married guys out there. If you are not watching this show, you should be. It's one of the funniest things I have seen on TV in quite sometime. Jay Mohr is hilarious. If only BO would stop having his press conferences on Wednesday nights, maybe more people would watch it.
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You know the main difference between Bush and Obama? Bush never would have pleaded with Iraq in a way that reminds of that old saying 'Can't you all JUST get along??'.
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M.I.T actually competes in sports? This blew me away.
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I wonder if her thighness, Hillary Clinton came under sniper fire during her surprise visit to Iraq.
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A nice article about one of my favorite actresses, Bea Artur who died yesterday at the age of 86.
That gravelly voice.

That intimidating stature.

That shock of gray hair.

Bea Arthur, who died Saturday of cancer at her Los Angeles home at the age of 86, was unmistakable. She was Maude, she was a Golden Girl, she was a Broadway baby — and most of all, she was a force of nature.

Read more of Ann Oldenburg's piece on USA Today here.

See you Maude.

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