No Funding for F-35 Joint Strike Fighter

We are on the verge of winning a multiyear battle against one of Washington’s most intractable special-interest boondoggles, but I need your help today to succeed.

The House and Senate Defense Appropriations Subcommittees will begin marking up their fiscal year 2011 Defense Appropriations bills this week, and I urge you to tell your U.S. Representative and Senators to oppose funding for the wasteful, unnecessary alternate engine for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, which is siphoning off billions of taxpayer dollars from other vital national defense priorities.

Both the Bush and Obama Administrations have tried to cancel the alternate engine because the Department of Defense has repeatedly said it does not want or need program. The U.S. Air Force and two independent panels have concluded that an alternate engine is “not necessary and not affordable” and that the alleged savings from creating a “mock competition” will never be achieved.

However, members of Congress with facilities in their states and districts where the alternate engine would be built have kept the program alive with $1.2 billion in self-serving earmarks since 2004!

Just completing testing and getting the alternate engine ready for production is estimated to cost $2.9 billion on top of what has previously been spent -- when the original engine contracted by the Pentagon for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter has already received approval and is being manufactured and tested in aircraft right now.

The F-35 is designed to serve as the cornerstone of our nation’s future aerial defense capabilities by replacing the aging fighter and strike aircraft of the U.S. Air Force, Navy, and Marines. If the Department of Defense has to maintain two engines with different parts and technicians and requiring different upgrades over time, the overall cost of the F-35 program will climb dramatically, and America’s warfighters will get fewer of these vitally needed aircraft.

In fact, Air Force General Mark Shackelford testified before a Senate subcommittee last year that funding an alternate engine would mean cutting two to four aircraft in 2009 and as many as 53 in the next five years.

Christine, this could not be a more clear-cut case of members of Congress jeopardizing the safety of our troops and this nation so that they can "bring home the bacon"! The alternate engine is not only a catastrophic waste of tax dollars at a time when America can least afford it, it is also an obscene politicization of the Defense Budget.

CBS Evening News has called the alternate engine, “the engine no one wants.” The Houston Chronicle dubbed it, “pork with wings,” and both Politico and RedState have called it the new “Bridge to Nowhere.”

What’s more, a recent Clarus Research Group survey found that 87 percent of those surveyed agreed with the statement: “If America’s military leaders at the Pentagon determine that a multibillion-dollar defense contract with a private company is wasteful and unnecessary, Congress should NOT spend the money.”

Christine, in the face of record budget deficits, we have indications that members of Congress may be losing their appetite for this pork. That’s why I urge you right now to tell your tell your U.S. Representative and Senators to oppose any effort to fund the alternate engine in the fiscal 2011 Defense Appropriations Act.

Sincerely,


Thomas A. Schatz
President

P.S. Retired General John Michael Loh, former Air Force vice chief of staff and a former commander of the Air Force’s aircraft and engine acquisition center, wrote in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, “Alternate engines for military aircraft are not necessary…Alternate systems add cost, complexity and safety problems. They don’t pay economically or operationally. The F-35 alternate engine program flies in the face of smart acquisition policies. It is a contrived competition ginned up by special interests in Congress.” Tell your U.S. Representative and Senators today that you want them to put a stop to this wasteful boondoggle!



The Council for Citizens Against Government Waste (CCAGW) is the lobbying arm of Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW), the nation's largest taxpayer watchdog organization with more than one million members and supporters nationwide. CCAGW is a 501(c)(4) nonpartisan, nonprofit organization that lobbies for legislation to eliminate waste, fraud, abuse, and mismanagement in government. Contributions to CCAGW are not tax-deductible for federal income tax purposes. For more information about CCAGW, visit http://www.ccagw.org/ Make a contribution today to help CCAGW wage and win this battle to stop this multibillion-dollar waste of Defense Budget funds.

US Appropriations Bill

Displayed below are new, updated, and passed items with their cost or savings per family.

H.R. 5822
The Military Construction and Veterans Affairs and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2011
Costs $1,734.94 per family

S. 3635
An original bill making appropriations for energy and water development and related agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2011, and for other purposes
Costs $441.55 per family

S. 3636
An original bill making appropriations for the Departments of Commerce and Justice, and Science, and Related Agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2011, and for other purposes
Costs $667.08 per family

DISCLOSE This! Stipped of Rights Except for NRA

July 23, 2010


Dear Campaign for Liberty member,


Late last night, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid fired a shot directly at your free speech and moved to bring the DISCLOSE ACT (better named the "Establishment Protection Act") to a key vote to shut off debate next Monday night or Tuesday.



Contact Senator Kirsten Gillibrand at (202) 224-4451 and Senator Chuck Schumer at (202) 224-6542 right away and demand they OPPOSE DISCLOSE (S. 3628) on every vote – including cloture.

Senator Chuck Schumer has introduced a revised version and used Senate rules to bypass committee and go straight to the floor, meaning this so-called “transparency” bill will have as little transparency as Senate leaders can get away with.

We’ve fought this First Amendment-shredding, Big Labor-empowering infringement every step of the way, and we have a chance to strike a devastating blow and uphold the Bill of Rights by preventing cloture.

In fact, if the National Rifle Association and certain huge left-wing groups had not cut a deal to not be covered by DISCLOSE, the bill would have died in the House.

But if we don’t act now, we may not have the ability to in the future.

Contact Senator Kirsten Gillibrand at (202) 224-4451 and Senator Chuck Schumer at (202) 224-6542 right away and demand they OPPOSE DISCLOSE (S. 3628) on every vote – including cloture.

The statists would love nothing more than to silence C4L and like-minded organizations by going after our donors for opposing their agenda.

Harry Reid is doing everything he can to railroad the opposition. Let’s show him the freedom movement will never back down.

In Liberty,



John Tate

President

U.S. Debt Clock: The Numbers Will Drive You Insane

http://www.usdebtclock.org/

Dengue: A Global Epidemic

Dengue was one of the favorite zootonic germs used in experimental germ-warefare programs all across the world, including the USA;
http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=14619

On Tue, Jun 22, 2010 at 12:35 PM, ProMED-mail wrote:


DENGUE/DHF UPDATE 2010 (29)
***************************
A ProMED-mail post

ProMED-mail is a program of the
International Society for Infectious Diseases


In this update:
[1] Honduras
[2] Costa Rica
[3] Venezuela (Barinas)
[4] Paraguay
[5] Brazil (Rio de Janeiro)
[6] Cambodia
[7] Philippines (Mountain province)
[8] India (Kerala)

******
[1] Honduras
Date: Sat 19 Jun 2010
Source: Prensa Latina [in Spanish, trans. Mod.TY, edited]



Honduran health authorities analyzed the possibility to decree a red
alert due to the increase of dengue fever in the nation, in which 10
people have already died among more than 11 000 infected. The
emergency plan is addressed to increase the number of beds in
hospitals, assign more medical personnel, and increase laboratory
capacity for blood tests.

According to Dr Mario Roberto Ramos, head of Internal Medicine at the
Seguro Social Hospital in Tegucigalpa, the wards are already filled
and they are not enough to take in so many patients. "Before, these
cases were coming sporadically, but now, we are receiving 10-15
patients daily," said Dr Ramos.

Public health personnel will request from the Permanent Commission for
Contingencies 10 camp tents with their respective stretchers, to be
installed around the hospitals to take care of patients in stable
condition.

Tomas Guevara, head of Epidemiologic Surveillance in the Honduran
Public Health Ministry reported that there is a total of 10 780 cases
of dengue fever in the country, and 461 of them are cases of DHF, with
people under 19 years of age as the main victims.

--
Communicated by:
HealthMap Alerts via ProMED-mail


A HealthMap/ProMED-mail interactive map showing the location of
Honduras in Central America can be accessed at
. - Mod.TY]

******
[2] Costa Rica
Date: Thu 17 Jun 2010
Source: Prensa Latina [in Spanish, trans. Corr.SB, edited]



The number of patients suffering from dengue fever in Costa Rica rose
to 7324. Health authorities warn that without the cooperation of
citizens it will be impossible to stem the epidemic.

The deputy minister of health, Ana Mourice, said the number of cases
exceeds by 382 percent the number recorded in the 1st half of last
year [2009], and the number of people infected threatens to get larger
by the onset of the rainy season. Similarly, she stressed that the
spraying by the Ministry of Health, to combat the mosquito vector of
the disease [virus] is inadequate if families do not contribute to the
elimination of mosquito breeding sites in their homes. "The mosquito
(_Aedes aegypti_) is having a party with the beginning of winter, as
it has an ally in the accumulation of trash, tires, and containers
where water accumulates," said the official, quoted today [17 Jun
2010] by the digital version of Diario Extra. According to Mourice,
the only way to stop the spread of the epidemic is the commitment of
all people to clean up the places where the insect is breeding.

A few days ago, the deputy minister expressed her concern about the
circulation of the 3 dengue [virus] serotypes present in the national
territory and whose identification cannot be done through clinical
exam, rather by virological studies.

The disease [virus], transmitted by the bite of the _Aedes aegypti_
mosquito, causes high fever, headache and joint pain, and the
hemorrhagic variant can be fatal.

--
Communicated by:
HealthMap Alerts via ProMED-mail


[A HealthMap/ProMED-mail interactive map showing the location of Costa
Rica in Central America can be accessed at
. - Mod.TY]

******
[3] Venezuela (Barinas)
Date: Wed 16 Jun 2010
Source: La Prensa de Barinas [in Spanish trans. Corr.SB, edited]



Dr Seham Yammoul, regional director of health, announced that the
authorities of the Ministry of Health, together with the regional
government, are carrying out a series of actions to cope with diseases
such as dengue that are occurring today as a result of the rains. So
far there have been 68 cases of dengue. He said the authorities were
present to assist families in the communities of Guanape, Caramuca,
Obispos, and Rojas.

He emphasized that ... fumigation is also maintained because there is
the proliferation of mosquitoes and problems with the basic sanitation
in the parish of El Carmen.

Dr Yammoul said that according to the figures used, 68 cases of dengue
have been reported in the last 2 weeks and Barinas is on alert due to
rains.

[Byline: Esthela Tamy]

--
Communicated by:
HealthMap Alerts via ProMED-mail


[An interactive map showing the locations mentioned in Barinas state
can be accessed at
.
A map showing the states of Venezuela can be accessed at
.
A HealthMap/ProMED-mail interactive map of Venezuela can be accessed at
. - Mod.TY]

******
[4] Paraguay
Date: Fri 18 Jun 2010
Source: Portal Paraguayo de Noticias (PPN) [in Spanish, trans.
Corr.SB, edited]



Although the dengue epidemic in Paraguay is declining, the prevention
and vector control measures must continue and, in many cases, increase
because there are high levels of [vector mosquito] larval infestation
in many areas. To date, confirmed cases reached 9874. According to the
latest regional reports, active [virus] circulation of low intensity,
continues in the Departments [state or province equivalent] of Alto
Parana, Central, and Capital.

According to the epidemiological bulletin of the Directorate General
of Health Surveillance of the Ministry of Health, to date total
notifications of suspected dengue cases reported to the surveillance
system reached 19 378 and confirmed cases to 9874. "The epidemic is
considered of great intensity. 28.8 percent of all Health Regions
exceed the rate of 100 cases per 100 000 inhabitants," said the report
(of the General Directorate of Health).

The epidemic, according to the report, continues to decline with a
trend for circulation to be cut in certain regions of the country,
although the (departments of) Alto Parana, Central, and Capital remain
with active circulation of low intensity, according to the latest
regional reports. [The departments of] Alto Paraguay, Boqueron, and
Cordillera record a cut in virus circulation, taking into account that
there have been 3 consecutive weeks without notification of a case
after the last reported case.

On the other hand, the [Health] report indicated that there was
simultaneous circulation of dengue virus (more than one [virus]
serotype) in the departments of Concepcion, San Pedro, Alto Parana,
Central, Amambay, Presidente Hayes, and Capital (Asuncion).

Of the total of confirmed cases, 39.3 percent are young adults,
ranging from 20-39 years, and 16.5 percent are under 15 years of age.
Regarding gender distribution, the highest percentage of confirmed
cases affected women (58 percent).

According to the monitoring of hospitalized patients up to 5 percent
of severe cases of dengue were recorded and 39 percent of patients had
warning signs. The last confirmed [dengue] death was registered in
epidemiological week 19, representing a case fatality rate 0.15
percent (15/9874). The age group most affected was that of 60 years
and older.

Protect your family from dengue and mosquitoes if you have these
symptoms: fever, headache, muscle and joint pain, nausea/vomiting,
skin rash, and/or hemorrhagic manifestations.

As long as you have fever avoid mosquito bites, lay under a mosquito
net or in a room with wire mesh, use insect repellents and insecticide
sprays indoors when mosquitoes are present.

--
Communicated by:
HealthMap Alerts via ProMED-mail


[A map showing the states of Paraguay can be accessed at
.
A HealthMap/ProMED-mail interactive map of Paraguay can be accessed at
. - Mod.TY]

******
[5] Brazil (Rio de Janeiro)
Date: Tue 15 Jun 2010
Source: O Dia [in Portuguese, trans. Mod.TY, edited]



Residents of Itaperuna, a municipality in the northeast of the state
[Rio de Janeiro], are terrified of the increased number of cases of
dengue in the city, already facing an epidemic of the disease. Just in
May [2010] there were 605 patients recorded. In the same month last
year [2009] there were 15. "Many people have dengue. 3 neighbors are
in bed [with it]. It is strange and it is cold," said a retired woman,
aged 60, who had had dengue.

The coordinator of Epidemiological Surveillance of the state
Secretariat of Health, Rita Vassoler, stated that one of the
possibilities which might explain the increase in the number of cases
of the disease in Itaperuna is the introduction of [dengue] virus type
1 or 2. "When a municipality goes for a time without strong
circulation of dengue, it becomes more susceptible [to dengue
outbreaks]. This explains why, when a virus enters [the area], it
encounters more people who are not immune and can become ill," the
physician explained.

According to the Secretariat of Health, despite the increased number
of dengue cases -- there are 1262 reported cases -- Itaperuna has not
recorded a death from the disease. In the state [Rio de Janeiro],
there are now 21 dengue deaths since the beginning of the year [2010].

--
Communicated by:
HealthMap Alerts via ProMED-mail


[A map showing the location of Itaperuna municipality in the state of
Rio de Janeiro can be accessed at
.
A map showing the states in Brazil can be accessed at
.
A HealthMap/ProMED-mail interactive map of Brazil can be accessed at
. - Mod.TY]

******
[6] Brazil (Piaui)
Date: Tue 15 Jun 2010
Source: Clica Piaui [in Portuguese, trans. & summ. Mod.TY, edited]



According to the latest bulletin released by the FMS [Ministry of
Health], 543 dengue cases were reported this year [2010], 48 of which
are discarded and 495 confirmed after laboratory tests. According to
the bulletin, classical dengue is the predominant type [of disease] in
the Teresina population, and represents almost the total of the 478
reported cases. Up to now, only 2 cases of DHF and 15 of [cases] with
some complication were confirmed, but all properly treated, without
any recorded deaths.

Compared to the same period last year [2009], the municipality has
registered a remarkable decrease in cases; since [the beginning of]
2009 until the beginning of June, there were 1063 recorded [dengue]
cases in Teresina, representing a reduction of at least 54 percent in
2010. The regions of Dirceu Arcoverde, Monte Castelo, Renascenca,
Promorar, Nova Brasilia, Buenos Aires, Sao Joaquim Lourival Parente,
and Mocambinho are most affected by the mosquito _Aedes aegypti_, the
vector of the disease [virus] in this 22nd epidemiological week of 2010.

For the director of epidemiology of FMS, infectious disease physician
Amparo Salmito, the decline in the number of dengue cases in Teresina
has been increasing since 2007, when the FMS started to adopt
pioneering measures to control and fight mosquitoes. "This decline is
due to various factors, mainly the use of adult traps to attract
mosquitoes, among those females of _Aedes aegypti_, that carries the
virus, and aspirators used in areas where the outbreak has been
identified, " she explained.

The result of all these actions, according to Amparo Salmito, is that
last year [2009] Teresina was the only capital city where there were
no reports of epidemic dengue. "And the goal for this year [2010] is
the same," she says. "Therefore, we need to strengthen care and in
this sense, the collaboration of the population is key," emphasized
the infectious disease physician. Other recommendations to combat
dengue fever are: eliminate pools of water, tightly cover water tanks,
barrels, and drums used for water storage. The mosquito also breeds in
glasses, pots, plates, tires, tanks, tanks, bottles, cans, pots, roof
gutters, basins, and containers of water for animals.

--
Communicated by:
HealthMap Alerts via ProMED-mail


[An interactive map showing the location of Teresina in Piaui state
can be accessed at
. - Mod.TY]

******
[6] Cambodia
Date: Thu 17 Jun 2010
Source: The Phnom Penh Post [edited]



The total number of dengue fever cases recorded in the 1st 5 months of
the year [2010] was less than half the one recorded during the same
period last year [2009], but the number of deaths held steady at 7,
Health Ministry officials said Wednesday [16 Jun 2010].

Ngan Chantha, director of the National Anti-Dengue Programme at the
Ministry of Health, said there were 1111 cases of dengue fever between
January and May [2010].

"During the 1st 5 months last year [2009], there were 2431 cases, and
7 people died from dengue fever," he said. "So if we compare, we can
see that although the number of cases this year [2010] is lower, the
percentage of deaths is higher than last year [2009]."

In all of last year [2009], there were 11 699 cases and 38 deaths
recorded, with the disease most prevalent in the capital and in
Kampong Cham, Kandal, Siem Reap, and Banteay Meanchey provinces.

The mosquito-borne infection spreads more rapidly in June, July, and
August, Ngan Chantha said.

Officials plan to distribute 102 tonnes of abate -- a mosquito
larvicide -- as part of this year's [2010] anti-dengue campaign, he
said.

"I suggest that all people be vigilant in trying to prevent dengue
fever, because mosquitoes are everywhere and bite us any time we are
careless," he said.

By way of treatment [prevention] tips, he suggested wearing long
trousers and long-sleeve shirts, using abate, and seeking speedy
treatment for anyone exhibiting symptoms of dengue.

[Byline: Mom Khunthear]

--
Communicated by:
PRO/MBDS


[According to the newswire above, the number of cases of dengue fever
in Cambodia between January and May 2010 is 1111 and 7 deaths, whereas
the number of cases during the same period in 2009 was 2431 and 7
deaths. Although there is a decrease in the number of dengue cases in
2010 compared to 2009, the case fatality rate (CFR) has been higher in
2010 (0.63) than in 2009 (0.29).

The total number of dengue fever cases in 2009 was 11 699 cases and 38
deaths; 9245 cases and 65 deaths in 2008; and 39 851 cases and 407
deaths in 2007 (see prior PRO/MBDS posting Dengue - Cambodia
20100101.0002).

According to the number of reported cases of dengue fever and dengue
hemorrhagic fever (DF/DHF) in the Western Pacific region by country
from WHO's Regional Office for the Western Pacific (WHO/WPRO) dated 30
Mar 2010 (available at
), there were 278
cases and 2 deaths of dengue fever (DF) and dengue hemorrhagic fever
(DHF) in Cambodia in the 1st 3 months of 2010, with a CFR 0.72.

For a map of Cambodia with provinces, see
.
For the interactive HealthMap/ProMED-mail map of Cambodia see
. - Mod.SCM]

******
[7] Philippines (Mountain province)
Date: Tue 15 Jun 2010
Source: Chen QI [edited]



Last week [week of 7 Jun 2010] in Bontoc, 2 girls stricken with dengue
passed away, prompting provincial health officials to raise over the
weekend [12-13 Jun 2010] a heightened alert for the dreaded
mosquito-borne disease [virus]. The Provincial Health Office (PHO) [in
Bontoc] said that one was a 7-year-old girl from Barangay Samoki, this
town, while the other was a 13-year-old girl from Barangay Lanao, same
town.

In raising the dengue alert in this province, the PHO cited an
increase by 87 percent in the number of cases of the disease this year
[2010] compared to last year [2009]. Bontoc General Hospital officials
revealed yesterday [14 Jun 2010] that the medical facility was packed
with suspected dengue patients.

During the dry months aggravated by El Nino, the PHO warned residents
against storing water that could be the breeding ground of
dengue-causing [virus carrying] mosquitoes. This time, residents are
being warned against allowing rainwater to settle in puddles and other
household stuff that could hold water as these are the favorite places
for mosquitoes to lay their eggs.

--
Communicated by:
PRO/MBDS


[A map showing the location of Bontoc in the Mountain Province can be
accessed at
.
A HealthMap/ProMED-mail interactive map of the Philippines can be accessed at
. - Mod.TY]

******
[8] India (Kerala)
Date: Sun 20 Jun 2010
Source: AsianetIndia [edited]



One person has died of dengue fever in Kozhikode district today [20
Jun 2010]. The deceased has been identified as a resident of Meppayoor
and is a school teacher. The number of fever-affected patients in the
State is increasing day by day, the death toll is also increasing.

--
Communicated by:
PRO/MBDS


[It is not clear from this report how many individuals have been
reported as dengue cases or if this constitutes an outbreak or just
scattered cases.

A map showing the location of Kozhikode district in Kerala can be accessed at
.
A HealthMap/ProMED-mail interactive map of India can be accessed at
. - Mod.TY]

[see also:
Dengue/DHF update 2010 (28) 20100618.2043
Dengue/DHF update 2010 (27) 20100616.2009
Dengue/DHF update 2010 (26) 20100607.1903
Dengue/DHF update 2010 (25) 20100601.1821
Dengue/DHF update 2010 (24) 20100524.1722
Dengue/DHF update 2010 (23) 20100517.1620
Dengue/DHF update 2010 (22) 20100510.1528
Dengue/DHF update 2010 (21) 20100503.1439
Dengue/DHF update 2010 (20) 20100426.1347
Dengue/DHF update 2010 (19) 20100420.1279
Dengue/DHF update 2010 (18) 20100412.1190
Dengue/DHF update 2010 (17) 20100405.1094
Dengue/DHF update 2010 (16) 20100329.0982
Dengue/DHF update 2010 (15) 20100323.0922
Dengue/DHF update 2010 (14) 20100322.0910
Dengue/DHF update 2010 (13) 20100316.0840
Dengue/DHF update 2010 (12) 20100315.0835
Dengue/DHF update 2010 (11) 20100308.0753
Dengue/DHF update 2010 (10) 20100304.0707
Dengue/DHF update 2010 (09) 20100302.0685
Dengue/DHF update 2010 (08) 20100222.0597
Dengue/DHF update 2010 (07) 20100216.0537
Dengue/DHF update 2010 (06) 20100208.0426
Dengue/DHF update 2010 (05) 20100201.0346
Dengue/DHF update 2010 (04) 20100125.0277
Dengue/DHF update 2010 (03) 20100119.0211
Dengue/DHF update 2010 (02) 20100111.0131
Dengue/DHF update 2010 (01) 20100104.0038]
...................................scm/sb/sh/ty/mj/dk
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DOIs Long History of Scandal

Controversy

Secretary of the Interior Albert B. Fall was implicated in the Teapot Dome scandal of the 1921. He was convicted of bribery in 1929, and served one year in prison, for his part in the controversy. A major factor in the scandal was a transfer of certain oil leases from the jurisdiction of the Department of the Navy to that of the Department of the Interior, at Fall's behest.

Secretary of the Interior James G. Watt — already facing criticism related to his alleged hostility to environmentalism and his support of the development and use of federal lands by foresting, ranching, and other commercial interests, and for banning The Beach Boys from playing a 1983 Independence Day concert on the National Mall out of concerns of attracting "an undesirable element" — resigned abruptly after a September 21, 1983, speech in which he said about his staff: "I have a black, a woman, two Jews and a cripple. And we have talent."[2] Within weeks of making this statement, Watt submitted his resignation letter.[2][3]

Under the Administration of U.S. President George W. Bush, the Interior Department's maintenance backlog climbed from $5 billion to $8.7 billion, despite Bush's campaign pledges to eliminate it completely. Of the agency under Bush's leadership, Interior Department Inspector General Earl Devaney has cited a "culture of fear" and of "ethical failure." Devaney has also said, "Simply stated, short of a crime, anything goes at the highest levels of the Department of Interior."[4]

Gale Norton, Interior Secretary under George W. Bush from 2001-2006, resigned due to connections with the Jack Abramoff lobbying scandal. Julie A. MacDonald, deputy assistant secretary at the Interior Department appointed by Norton in 2002, also resigned after an internal review found that she had violated federal rules by giving government documents to lobbyists for industry.[5][6] On July 20, 2007, MacDonald's "inappropriate influence" led H. Dale Hall, director of the US Fish and Wildlife Service, to order a review of eight endangered species decisions in which the former deputy assistant secretary was involved. Hall has called MacDonald's disputed decisions "a blemish on the scientific integrity of the Fish and Wildlife Service and the Department of the Interior."[7] On 17 September 2008, the US Fish and Wildlife Service proposed to more than triple the habitat of the California red-legged frog, citing political manipulation by Julie MacDonald.[8] In a government report released in December 2008,[9] Inspector General Devaney called MacDonald's management "abrupt and abrasive, if not abusive,"[10] and U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, who commissioned the report, attributed the "untold waste of hundreds of thousands of taxpayers' dollars" to MacDonald's actions.[11]

On September 10, 2008, Inspector General Devaney found wrongdoing by a dozen current and former employees of the Minerals Management Service. In a cover memo, Devaney wrote “A culture of ethical failure” pervades the agency. According to the report, eight officials accepted gifts from energy companies whose value exceeded limits set by ethics rules — including golf, ski, and paintball outings; meals; drinks; and tickets to a Toby Keith concert, a Houston Texans football game, and a Colorado Rockies baseball game. The investigation also concluded that several of the officials “frequently consumed alcohol at industry functions, had used cocaine and marijuana, and had sexual relationships with oil and gas company representatives.” According to the New York Times, "The reports portray a dysfunctional organization that has been riddled with conflicts of interest, unprofessional behavior and a free-for-all atmosphere for much of the Bush administration’s watch."

This article may need to be updated. Please update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information, and remove this template when finished. Please see the talk page for more information.

The previous Secretary of the Interior Dirk Kempthorne is criticized for not placing any plants or animals on the federal endangered species list since his confirmation on May 26, 2006, until September 2007. As of that date, Kempthorne held the record for protecting fewer species over his tenure than any Interior Secretary in United States history, a record previously held by James G. Watt for over 20 years.[22]

On December 16, 2008, the Center for Biological Diversity announced intent to sue the Interior Department under Kempthorne for introducing "regulations...that would eviscerate our nation’s most successful wildlife law by exempting thousands of federal activities, including those that generate greenhouse gases, from review under the Endangered Species Act." The lawsuit, which is critical of policy advocated by Kempthorne and President George W. Bush, was filed in the Northern District of California by the CBD, Greenpeace and Defenders of Wildlife. According to the CBD, "The lawsuit argues that the regulations violate the Endangered Species Act and did not go through the required public review process. The regulations, first proposed on August 11th, were rushed by the Bush administration through an abbreviated process in which more than 300,000 comments from the public were reviewed in 2-3 weeks, and environmental impacts were analyzed in a short and cursory environmental assessment, rather than a fuller environmental impact statement."

References
1.^ http://www.nps.gov/history/history/online_books/utley-mackintosh/index.htm retrieved 2010-05-20
2.^ a b 556. James G Watt, US Secretary of the Interior. Simpson’s Contemporary Quotations. 1988
3.^ RMOA - Document
4.^ Bush legacy leaves uphill climb for U.S. parks
5.^ Matthew Daly (May 1, 2007). "Embattled Interior official resigns post". Associated Press. http://www.boston.com/news/nation/washington/articles/2007/05/01/interior_official_quits_ahead_of_hearing/.
6.^ New York Times, "U.S. Agency May Reverse 8 Decisions on Wildlife", July 21, 2007.
7.^ Broder, John M (2007-07-21). "U.S. Agency May Reverse 8 Decisions on Wildlife". New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/21/washington/21interior.html?_r=1&ref=us&oref=slogin.
8.^ A California frog may be about to get room to stretch its red legs
9.^ Report Finds Meddling in Interior Dept. Actions
10.^ Investigative Report of the Endangered Species Act and the Conflict Between Science and Policy Redacted
11.^ Wyden-Requested IG Report on Interior Corruption Uncovers "Contempt for the Public Trust" and "Untold Waste" - Senator praises Devaney's investigation into political interference in ESA decisions.
12.^ Charlie Savage (September 10, 2008). Sex, Drug Use and Graft Cited in Interior Department. The New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/11/washington/11royalty.html?_r=1&hp&oref=slogin. Retrieved 2010-05-10.
13.^ Kravitz, Derek (September 11, 2008). "Report Says Oil Agency Ran Amok: Interior Dept. Inquiry Finds Sex, Corruption". The Washington Post. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/10/AR2008091001829.html. Retrieved 2008-09-11.
14.^ Savage, Charlie (September 11, 2008). "Sex, Drug Use and Graft Cited in Interior Department". The New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/11/washington/11royalty.html. Retrieved 2008-09-11.
15.^ "Oil companies gave sex, drinks, gifts to federal overseers". McClatchy Newspapers. http://www.mcclatchydc.com/226/story/52243.html. Retrieved 2008-09-11.
16.^ "Memorandum [cover letter by inspector general"]. http://media.mcclatchydc.com/smedia/2008/09/10/18/Gordon-OIG-Cover-Letter.source.prod_affiliate.91.pdf. Retrieved 2008-09-11.
17.^ "Investigative Report of Gregory W. Smith (Redacted)". The Washington Post. http://media.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/investigative/documents/smith-080708.pdf. Retrieved 2008-09-11.
18.^ "Investigative Report of MMS Oil Marketing Group - Lakewood (Redacted)". The Washington Post. http://media.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/investigative/documents/mmsoil-081908.pdf. Retrieved 2008-09-11.
19.^ "Government Officials Tried To Rewrite Ethics Rules To Accommodate Their Partying". http://thinkprogress.org/2008/09/10/rik-ethics-rules. Retrieved 2008-09-11.
20.^ "Official increased employee’s ‘performance award’ for providing him with cocaine". http://thinkprogress.org/2008/09/10/smith-cocaine. Retrieved 2008-09-11.
21.^ Simon, Dan; David Fitzpatrick (October 14 2008). "Whistleblower: Oil watchdog agency 'cult of corruption'". CNN. http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/10/14/oil.whistleblower/index.html.
22.^ Kempthorne Wins 2007 Rubber Dodo Award: Protects Fewer Species Than Any Interior Secretary in History
23.^ Bush Administration Regulations Gutting Protections for Nation's Endangered Species Published Today - Conservation Groups' Challenge to 11th Hour Reductions in Protections for Nation’s Wildlife Moves ForwarD

Last week, Democrat Congressman Bob Etheridge (D-NC2) attended a fundraiser headlined by Speaker Nancy Pelosi. He was asked by some students on the street whether he supported the “Obama Agenda.” He didn’t take it too well.

http://biggovernment.com/mikeflynn/2010/06/14/long-hot-summer-begins-congressman-attacks-student/#more-132046