Terrorist Database Screens All Americans (Wash. Post, 3-27-07) . . .
Prior to 9/11, financial institutions used the Office of Foreign Asset Control's list of "specially designated
nationals" to deny transactions primarily to drug dealers and criminals.  A report by the Lawyers Committee
For Civil Rights finds President Bush greatly expanded its reach after 9/11 via executive order to screen all
citizens who apply for loans, apartment leases, and other purchases.  Credit reporting bureaus include the
results of their check against the terrorist database, causing lenders to deny loans to citizens with names
similar to terrorists. Citizen rights are unclear.

"The way in which the list is being used goes far beyond contexts in which it has a link to national
security. The government is effectively conscripting private businesses into the war on terrorism but
doing so without making sure that businesses don't trample on individual rights." S. Sinnar, author

The screening has become "industry standard" in the apartment rental business. It began about
three years ago, he said, spurred by banks that wanted companies they worked with to comply with
the law.   James Maclin, a vice president at Mid-America Apartment Communities in Memphis

"The law is ridiculous.  It prohibits anyone from doing business with anyone who's on the list. It
does not have a minimum dollar amount. . . . The local deli, if it sells a sandwich to someone
whose name appears on the list, has violated the law."   Tom Hudson, attorney in Hanover, Md.

Official Reply . . .  There are "challenges" in complying with the rules but . . . most businesses can
root out "false positives" on their own . . .  "So the company is not only sure that they are
complying with the law, but they're also being good corporate citizens to make sure they're doing
their part to protect the U.S. financial system from abuse by terrorists or [weapons] proliferators or
drug traffickers."   Molly Millerwise, Treasury Department spokeswomen

Conflicts-of-Interest In Defense Contracts (Wash. Post, 3-25-07) . . .
The Coast Guard’s $24 billion Deepwater boondoggle underscores the extent to which revolving door
relationships between major contractors and the government agencies they work for undermine major
defense procurements.  Since 1998, four of seven top Coast Guard officials that retired now work for the
private firms they managed.  Four classes of ships thus far have serious design problems, cost overruns,
performance limitations, or production delays.  Issues cited:

• “the government has balked at investing the years, money and legislative effort it would
  take to strengthen contract management, or to expand the one-year "cooling-off" period
  that generally limits activities by officials moving between the private and public sectors”
  

• “dwindling competition in the private sector, mushrooming federal defense spending and
  the government's diminished contract management skills combine to raise the stakes for
  potential conflicts of interest”
  

• “federal ethics rules carve out loopholes for senior policymakers to oversee decisions that
  may benefit former or prospective employers, including outsourcing strategies under which
  taxpayers bear most of the risks for failure”
  

"The most significant pathology we face today is the lack of a robust competitive marketplace" for
large weapons systems.  If I know there's really only one contractor that might want my experience
when I retire from the government, the remainder of my career might be reduced to positioning
myself to step in to that company in a certain way." Steven Schooner, procurement expert, GWU

Increased reliance on contractors threatens to "undermine the integrity of the government's
decision making processes."  Handing off traditional governmental duties -- such as designing
major systems and managing huge contracts -- coupled with defense industry consolidation,
"increased the potential for organizational conflicts of interest."  (recent finding from an expert
panel appointed by the White House and Congress)

Costly Vaccinations Denied To Children  (NY Times, 3-24-07) . . .
As the cost of children’s vaccines soar, pediatricians and insurance companies are declining to subsidize
many of the costs, leaving a big gap in the coverage modern medicine can provide versus the coverage
children actually receive.  Free shots have been discontinued by many states.  Doctors must now stock
expensive inventories and ask for up front payments. Comprehensive vaccines cost $59 per child in 1980,
over $1,600 today, including new vaccines for meningitis, hepatitis A, flu strains, and boosters. Experts
warn of a potential meltdown in our traditional immunization programs and spread of preventable diseases.

There is very little data available on the extent of the problem.  “Do we want to wait until we have
epidemics before we want to do something about the financing questions?”  Dr. Gary L. Freed,
director of child health and evaluation, Univ. of Michigan, chair National Vaccine Advisory Committee

“We cannot pay for the vaccination of the American public any longer.  We’re not giving them with
as much vigor as we should, and the main reason is financial.”   Dr. Dorothy A. Levine, pediatrician

Risky Mortgages Unregulated By Fed (Washington Post, 3-23-07) . . .
Senators on Capital Hill could not understand how the Federal Reserve under former chairman Alan
Greenspan could have been so complacent in the subprime mortgage industry, choosing not to regulate
exotic loans which contributed to the inflationary price spiral - a “pattern of neglect”, and are looking to
regulate the business.  More than two million families now risk losing their homes.

How could such questionable lending practices could have spread "under Greenspan's watch."   Sen.
Jim Bunning (R-Ky.)

"Given what we know now, yes, we could have done more sooner." Roger Cole,  Federal Reserve
director of banking supervision and regulation

Federal banking regulators were not "protecting hardworking Americans from unscrupulous financial
actors."   "In my view, these actions set the conditions for the perfect storm that is sweeping over
millions of American homeowners today."   committee Chairman Christopher J. Dodd (D-Conn.)

Federal regulators were "asleep at the switch."   Sen. Robert Menendez (D-N.J.)

Confusion, Disarray In Iraqi Reconstruction (AP, 3-22-07) . . .
Sen. Joseph Lieberman (D-Conn.), chairman, Homeland Security Committee, and Sen. Susan Collins (R-
Maine) are investigating the lack of cooperation between the State and Defense departments in Iraq,
wasting billions of taxpayer dollars.

"Where we've seen failure is when the U.S. government failed to plan projects carefully and then
failed to keep a close watch over contractors and now we've seen billions of dollars wasted — a cost
measured not just in dollars but in the undermining of the overall U.S. mission in these war-torn
countries."   Sen. Lieberman

"Anyone who has spent appreciative time in the Iraq reconstructive effort understands the tension
that exists between the two (departments)."   Stuart Bowen Jr., special inspector general for Iraq
reconstruction

A Defense Department agency charged with running the reconstruction effort never developed a
fully coordinated plan upon members' arrival in 2003, leading to confusion and duplication of
effort. "We were bumping into one another as we tried to solve the same problem."  former agency
official (finding from 157 page report)

Lax Industrial Safety Oversight (Washington Post, 3-21-07) . . .
According to a 335 page GAO report, there were no comprehensive inspections by the Occupational Safety
and Health Administration at any U.S. oil refinery between 1995 and 2005 when an explosion at a BP
refinery in Texas City, Texas killed 15 workers and injured many others.  OSHA only employs 12 inspectors
to enforce safety standards at over 2,800 critical facilities.

"Decisions to cut budgets were made at the highest levels of BP Group despite serious safety
deficiencies at Texas City."  "Cost-cutting . . . left the Texas City refinery vulnerable to
catastrophe."   "OSHA's capability to inspect highly hazardous facilities and to enforce process
safety regulations is insufficient."   "Warning signs of a possible disaster were present for several
years, but company officials did not intervene effectively to prevent it."   Report Findings

"I truly believe that we are on the verge of something bigger happening."   Texas City Health-
Safety manager, February 2005 email

"Today's report confirms OSHA's investigative findings that BP did not make safety and health a
priority at its Texas City, Texas, facility. OSHA levied the largest fine in the agency's history against
BP and this year will conduct more than 100 refinery inspections. OSHA is also implementing a
National Emphasis Program to ensure that every refinery under its jurisdiction is inspected and all
employees are protected."  (U.S. Asst. Secretary of Labor for OSHA Edwin G. Foulke Jr., 3-20-07)

Uncollected Taxes From Medicare Doctors (Washington Post, 3-20-07) . . .
The GAO reports that 21,000 Medicare doctors owe over $1 billion in federal taxes, in many cases payroll
collections spent on luxury cars and personal expenses.  This report follows 2001 GAO recommendations
that HHS and Treasury actively coordinate their databases to stop these abuses and collect back taxes,
recommendations that have never been implemented.  The tax debt for many violators is growing, but only
part of the national $350 billion uncollected tax gap.

The situation is especially distressing because there could easily have been a system in place to
fix it. Contractors who do pay their taxes, as well as rank-and-file taxpayers, "should be pretty
angry."   Sen. Norm Coleman (R-Minn.), ranking subcommittee Republican

"We are very concerned about this issue and are working hard with the Department of Treasury and
the IRS to ensure that we do not overpay providers or other entities who owe the IRS money.”  
(Unfortunately) HHS has no authority to "deny physicians the right to participate in Medicare if they
have tax debt."   Leslie V. Norwalk, acting director, HHS - Medicare

The GAO will investigate other Medicare suppliers, including hospitals and nursing facilities, to
identify who "abused the federal tax system while doing business with the federal government."  
Report Statement

Depleted Military Unprepared For Conflicts (Washington Post, 3-19-07) . . .
In recent congressional testimony the nation’s top military leaders warn of dire and worsening conditions,
with serious consequences should the U.S. need to respond to another global conflict.  The “death spiral” of
rapid war zone rotations has stretched ground forces training, personnel, and equipment to the limit.  Army
and Marine weapons and equipment stockpiles are depleted.  And even if a major rebuilding program were
launched right now, it will take years to recover.

"We have a strategy right now that is outstripping the means to execute it." Gen. Peter J.
Schoomaker, Army chief of staff

The level of readiness of Army units in the United States, which would be called on if another war
breaks out is “stark”.  "The readiness continues to decline of our next-to-deploy forces.  And those
forces, by the way, are . . . also your strategic reserve." Army's vice chief of staff, Gen. Richard Cody

The nation faces increased risk because of shortfalls in troops, equipment and training  "You take
a lap around the globe -- you could start any place: Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon,
Yemen, Somalia, Sudan, Venezuela, Colombia, Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia, North Korea, back
around to Pakistan, and I probably missed a few. There's no dearth of challenges out there for our
armed forces."  Gen. Peter Pace, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff

Leaked Identity Exposes CIA Agent (CNN, 3-16-07) . . .
Valerie Plame Wilson, the undercover CIA operative whose cover was intentionally leaked in 2003 publicly
testified before a House committee for the first time yesterday.

I believe Bush administration officials "carelessly and recklessly" released my status as a CIA
employee.  "I felt like I had been hit in the gut."

"Karl Rove clearly was involved in leaking my name, and he still carries a security clearance to this
day, despite the president's words ... that he would immediately dismiss anyone who had anything
to do with this."

"Testimony in the criminal trial of Vice President Cheney's former chief of staff, who has now been
convicted of serious crimes, indicates that my exposure arose from purely political motives."

"If our government cannot even protect my identity, future foreign agents who might consider
working with the Central Intelligence Agency in providing needed intelligence would think twice."

Low Priority For Children’s Welfare (Reuters, 3-15-07) . . .
Despite widespread proclamations that children are the nation’s greatest asset, federal spending for their
critical programs has shrunk dramatically since 1960 and will continue shrinking over the next decade as a
percentage of the total budget, according to a report by the Urban Institute, ‘Kid’s Share 2007’.  The nation
is significantly shifting far more of its resources to programs for senior citizens than for children.

“Thirteen major programs enacted between 1960 and 2006, which include Medicaid, the earned
income tax credit, and Food Stamps, comprised 65 percent of federal spending on children in
2006. Overall, federal children's spending increased in real terms from $53 billion in 1960 to $333
billion in 2006, or from 1.9 to 2.6 percent of GDP. Yet as a share of federal domestic spending,
children's spending declined from 20.1 to 15.4 percent. Meanwhile, spending on the automatically
growing, non-child portions of Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid, nearly quadrupled from 2.0
to 7.6 percent of GDP ($58 billion to $993 billion) over the same time period. Over the next ten
years, children's programs are scheduled to decline both as a share of GDP and domestic
spending, because they do not compete on a level playing field with these rapidly growing
entitlement programs.”  Report Abstract

"If you keep the budget on its current path, children are going to get squeezed. To the extent you
think investment in children is an important policy agenda, you're squeezing and putting enormous
pressure on that part of the agenda."   Eugene Steuerle, senior fellow, Urban Institute

"I think the key findings are that investment in children has never been a high federal priority, but
it would be one that's going to clearly decline as we move toward the future unless we really get our
budget house in order."    Eugene Steuerle

Deadly Weekend Heart Attacks  (USA Today, 3-14-07) . . .
Arterial blockages kill 10,000 Americans each year.  A Yale University report issued last November
concluded several thousand lives could be saved by a simple balloon procedure - but only if administered
within 90 min. of the patient’s admission.  A new report in the N.E. Journal of Medicine reveals that only
one third of all hospitals administer angioplasty procedures within the 90 min. window after day-shift hours
during the week, and even fewer on the weekends.  The reasons: inadequate staff, training, and equipment
- a tragic irony in the world's most expensive healthcare system.

"One of every hundred heart patients over a weekend will die unnecessarily," which amounts to
several thousand people each year.  Once you lose those people, you don't get them back."   
William Kostis, lead author, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School

"What's different about the weekends?  Cardiac catheterization labs (where angioplasty is done)
may be staffed by people who are on call rather than in-house; attending physician coverage may
be different … or there may be a smaller pharmacy staff."  Nevertheless, "we don't want people to
think that if they have a heart attack on Sunday they should wait until Monday. Absolutely not."  
Tom Balcezak, Yale-New Haven Hospital.

“Although most service industries operate on a daily basis, many hospitals provide routine care on
weekdays and only emergency or urgent care on weekends. Hospital staffing is reduced on
weekends, both numerically and in terms of available expertise on site.  This difference in staffing
may result in different outcomes for patients with acute conditions such as myocardial infarction,
depending on whether they are admitted on weekends or weekdays.”    (Abstract, Weekend versus
Weekday Admission and Mortality from Myocardial Infarction, 3-15-07)

Unreliable New Orleans Drainage Pumps (AP, 3-14,15-07) . . .
The Army Corps of Engineers hastily installed 34 large water pumps without many standard quality control
procedures.  Problems began surfacing last year that federal officials claim they were not aware of,
including engine overheating, vibration, broken hoses and gaskets.  To help drain New Orleans canals during
emergency flooding, pumps must be 100% reliable - a big uncertainty now because they weren't put to the
test during the mild 2006 season.  The manufacturer’s owner was once a business partner of Jeb Bush,
marketing water pumps, and a big campaign contributor.  Gov. Kathleen Blanco and Sen. Mary Landrieu are
calling for a congressional investigation.  Donald Powell, President Bush’s appointed Federal Coordinator of
Gulf Coast Rebuilding, formerly chaired the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation.

"This could put a lot of our people in jeopardy.  It begs the question: Are we really safe?"   
Louisiana Gov. Kathleen Blanco

"If they can't design, build and install a pump that works, then maybe they shouldn't be doing any
of the work."   U.S. Sen. Mary Landrieu

(I was never shown the memo.  My assurances were based on information from the Army Corps.)  
"We were asking the Corps to do the job as fast as possible to get the condition of the levee back
to make it as safe as possible."   Donald Powell, Federal Coordinator of Gulf Coast Rebuilding

“The President is, first and foremost, committed to the safety and security of the people in the Gulf
Coast.  We will continue to work to bring the best solutions to the table while ensuring a wise
investment of taxpayers’ money.  The Army Corp of Engineers is on track to repair the breaches
and correct design flaws by the start of the next hurricane season and further enhancements will
continue to be made.”  (Donald Powell on ‘Meet the White House’, online forum, Feb. 6, 2006)

Political Dismissal of U.S. Attorneys (LA Times, 3-14-07) . . .
Congress is investigating the unprecedented firings of eight U.S. attorneys at the behest of White House
operatives to allegedly punish them for not adhering to Bush admin. political priorities, striking at the long
held precedent of prosecutorial independence.  Attorneys allege intimidation and threats of retaliation.  
Recent emails counter claims by officials that poor job performance was the motive.  Members on both
sides are demanding an investigation, including testimony from Carl Rove and Harriet Miers, former White
House counsel, who allegedly floated the idea in 2005 to remove all 93 U.S. attorneys.  In a related matter,
White House deputy political director J. Scott Jennings used an e-mail account registered to the Republican
National Committee for communications with Justice officials, in possible violation of U.S. law.

"Prepare to withstand political upheaval. U.S. attorneys desiring to save their jobs likely will make
efforts to preserve themselves in office. We should expect these efforts to be strenuous."  D. Kyle
Sampson, chief of staff to Atty. Gen. Gonzales

Regarding the high priority Little Rock termination to free up a slot for Karl Rove’s advisor . . .  "We
should gum this to death. Officials should talk up Griffin's appointment and try to "forestall" any
criticism from Capitol Hill. Just "run out the clock" on any objections.  Sampson e-mail

Once notified, Justice "could work quietly with the targeted U.S. attorneys to encourage them to
leave government service voluntarily."  "This would allow targeted U.S. attorneys to make
arrangements for work in the private sector and 'save face' regarding the reason for leaving
office."  Sampson, confidential memo to Miers and Kelley, January 2006

"We have two U.S. attorneys who are unwilling to take good cases we have presented to them.  
This is urgent." - "in light of the AG's [Gonzales'] comment … to 'kick butt and take names' " in
prosecuting obscenity cases.   Brent Ward, Justice Department task force, September 2006

Official Reply . . .   "I was not involved in seeing any memos, was not involved in any discussions
about what was going on.  That's basically what I knew as the attorney general." Atty Gen. Gonzales

Secretive, Uninformative Government Websites (3-12-07) . . .
A study by the National Security Archive concludes that government agencies and Congress have
systematically failed to follow the 1997 Electronic Freedom of Information Act amendments.  It's also
common practice to exclude commentary from critics and watchdog groups.  And controversial news,
investigation findings and exposes that reveal damaging information are not mentioned.  Thus official
websites the public must rely on deliver only incomplete, sanitized versions of critical information.

"Federal agencies are flunking the online test and keeping us in the dark.  Some government sites
just link to each other in an endless empty loop."  Thomas Blanton, Archive director

"Public access on the Web to government information is the only long-term solution to the
backlogs and delays that undermine the FOIA today.  This audit plus Congressional oversight
should provide a wake-up call to the agencies."  Meredith Fuchs, Archive general counsel

“Ten years after the provisions of the Electronic Freedom of Information Act Amendments (E-FOIA)
came into force, the Executive Branch still has not obeyed Congress's mandate for change. The
National Security Archive's Knight Open Government Survey of 149 federal agency and component
Web sites found massive non-compliance with E-FOIA. The poor state of agencies' FOIA Web sites
forces the conclusion that not only did the agencies ignore Congress, but lack of interest in FOIA
programs is so high that many agencies have failed even to keep their FOIA Web sites on par with
their general agency Web sites.”   (exec. summary)

For ten years, the E-FOIA amendments have languished largely unfulfilled and unenforced, while
backlogs of pending FOIA requests at federal agencies grow dramatically. FOIA has been
marginalized, underfunded, and at times ignored in many federal agencies. As a result, the
promise of a revolution in access to government information through the use of the Internet has
never materialized. Not only have agencies not had the money or the will to comply, but they have
rarely been exhorted, much less ordered, to do so.”  (report conclusion)

“Congress, as well, has failed to demand compliance with the E-FOIA amendments, which it passed
with great fanfare more than ten years ago.”  (report conclusion)

Crisis In Mortgage Markets (NY Times, 3-11-07) . . .
Much like the 2000 technology stock bubble fueled by overly optimistic securities firms that cost investors
trillions of dollars, analysts are now seriously concerned about a downward spiral involving the $6.5 trillion
mortgage securities market which would cut off credit for home purchases. Lax lending standards, rapidly
escalating prices, undocumented loans, and other factors are cited.

“The regulators are trying to figure out how to work around it, but the Hill is going to be in for one
big surprise.  This is far more dramatic than what led to Sarbanes-Oxley, both in conflicts and in
terms of absolute economic impact.”   Josh Rosner, managing director at Graham-Fisher & Co.

Regarding recent declines in the mortgage industry . . .  “I guess we are a bit surprised at how fast this
has unraveled.”  Tom Zimmerman, head of asset-backed securities research at UBS

“There are delayed triggers in many of these investment vehicles and that is delaying the
recognition of losses.  I do think the unwind is just starting. The moment of truth is not yet here.”   
Charles Peabody, founder of Portales Partners

“Decreased funding for residential mortgage-backed securities could set off a downward spiral in
credit availability that can deprive individuals of home ownership and substantially hurt the U.S.
economy.”  Josh Rosner and Joseph R. Mason, assoc. professor, Drexel University

Illegal FBI Collection of Citizens' Personal Records (AP, 3-9-07) . . .
An audit by the Justice Department Attorney General concludes the FBI illegally uses the USA Patriot Act to
obtain personal information on thousands of U.S. citizens, including telephone logs, Internet activities,
banking transactions, and other personal records without reporting the full extent to Congress during a three
year period.  The explanation: errors and shoddy record keeping.  Ranking Senators had terse comments.

“The report indicates abuse of the authority” Congress gave the FBI.  "You cannot have people act
as free agents on something where they're going to be delving into your privacy.”   Senate
Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.)

The FBI appears to have “badly misused national security letters.  This is, regrettably, part of an
ongoing process where the federal authorities are not really sensitive to privacy and go far beyond
what we have authorized.”  (Sen. Arlen Specter, R-PA)

The audit proves Congress must amend the Patriot Act to require judicial approval anytime the FBI
wants access to sensitive personal information. “The Attorney General and the FBI are part of the
problem and they cannot be trusted to be part of the solution.”  Anthony Romero, exec. dir. ACLU  

“To say that I am concerned about what has been revealed in this report would be an enormous
understatement.  Failure to adequately protect information privacy is a failure to do our jobs.  
There is no excuse for the mistakes that have been made, and we are going to make things right
as quickly as possible.”  Attorney General Alberto Gonzales (oversees FBI operations)

Official Reply . . .   “I am to be held accountable.  The inspector general went and did the audit that
I should have put in place many years ago.”   (I will correct the problems but do not intend to
resign.)   F.B.I. Director Robert S. Mueller III

Untreated Troop Brain Injuries (USA Today, 2-8-07) . . .
According to a memo just obtained by USA Today, fours years into the Iraq war the Pentagon still lacks
policies and procedures for systematically diagnosing, treating, and tracking thousands of cases of brain
injuries troops suffer from bomb blasts in Iraq, a well documented condition. Drafted following March 2006
non-public panel hearings on troops with mild to moderate brain injuries, it was released only in response
to a Freedom of Information Act request, and coincidentally just as the Walter Reed scandal unfolds.  It
was signed by Wayne Lednar, epidemiologist, and Gregory Poland, chief of the Defense Health Board.

Memo Conclusions . . .  (1) The Pentagon should take the lead in "tackling the issue of TBI
(traumatic brain injury) given our current wartime challenges."  (2) "There remains a need to better
understand the unique characteristics of blast-associated TBI and to reduce the health risk and
complications from mild or moderate forms of brain injury."

The panel's finding is "outrageous."  "Four years into the war and we still don't have a systemwide
plan."  Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.)

Excessive Payments By Ed Department (NY Tines, 3-8-07) . . .
The Education Department’s Inspector General determined last August that Nelnet, a company that loans
students money for college expenses, had been paid $278 million in excess fees that auditors found
improper.  To date, Education Department officials have permitted the firm to keep the money.  Concerned
about the rising costs of higher education, lawmakers from both parties are demanding to know why the
money is not being returned.

“I am interested in the rationale underlying your decision to reject the recommendation by the
department’s inspector general that the chief operating officer for Federal Student Aid ‘require the
return of the overpayments’ made to Nelnet.  The Nelnet example represents a serious misuse of
federal funds, and it is likely that this is not an isolated case.  It is critical for you to conduct full
oversight.”  Letter from Sen. Kennedy (D-Mass. to Ed Dept.)

“The fact that you have requests from Democrats, but then also people like Jeff Flake, who is one
of the most fiscally conservative members of the Republican Party — that breadth is significant.”  
Luke Swarthout, higher-education associate, U.S. Public Interest Research Group

“Today’s results from the Inspector General confirms that those responsible for providing
assistance to states and schools districts were not appropriately screened for conflicts of interest.
Students and teachers depend on the Department of Education for meaningful assistance and
support in helping children learn to read. Instead they were pressured into programs that reflected
the Administration’s political agenda instead of sound science.  Our students and teachers deserve
better.”   (Press Release, Sen. Kennedy’s website, 3-7-07)

Felony Convictions for V.P. Cheney’s Chief of Staff . . .
Vice President Cheney’s former chief of staff, I. Lewis Libby Jr., was convicted of four felony counts in the
federal investigation into who leaked the identity of C.I.A. agent Valerie Wilson. The convictions weren't for
the leak itself, but for obstruction of justice and lying to a grand jury and to FBI agents.

"The results are actually sad.  It's sad that we had a situation where a high-level official person
who worked in the office of the vice president obstructed justice and lied under oath. We wish that it
had not happened, but it did.  We cannot tolerate perjury. Truth is what drives our judicial system.
If people don't tell the truth, the system cannot work.  Having a high-level official lie under oath is
just something that can never be accepted."   Patrick Fitzgerald   (AP, 3-7-07)

"This has been a huge cloud over the White House.  It caused a lot of intellectual, emotional and
political energy to be expended when it should have been expended on the agenda. They're never
going to fully recover from this. If you're looking at legacy, this episode gets prominently
mentioned in every recap of the Bush administration, much like Iran-contra and Monica Lewinsky."  
Ed Rogers, Republican lobbyist close to the Bush team   (Washington Post, 3-7-07)

"There was a tremendous amount of sympathy for Mr. Libby on the jury. It was said a number of
times, 'What are we doing with this guy here?  Where's Rove?  Where are these other guys?'  I'm
not saying we didn't think Mr. Libby was guilty of the things we found him guilty of.  It seemed like
he was, as Mr. Wells put it, he was the fall guy."  Denis Collins, juror   (AP, 3-7-07)

“The trial has been death by 1,000 cuts for Cheney.  It’s hurt him inside the administration. It’s
hurt him with the Congress, and it’s hurt his stature around the world because it has shown a lot of
the inner workings of the White House. It peeled the bark right off the way they operate.”   Scott
Reed, Republican strategist  (NY Times, 3-7-07)

Declining U.S. Competitiveness (Reuters, 3-7-07) . . .
Bill Gates, appearing before the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, chaired by
Massachusetts Democratic Sen. Edward Kennedy, recommended that Congress adopt a host of new
measures to restore American competitiveness, including:  higher math standards, more education and
training in high school math and science, increases in teacher pay, continue testing and accountability
measures related to the NCLB Act, adopt national goals to radically increase graduates in science,
technology, and math, fund incentives to recruit 10,000 new science and math teachers every year, increase
funding for basic science research, and permanently extend the R&D tax credit.  America's ability to remain
a technological powerhouse will depend in large part on federal government investment in basic research.

"When I reflect on the state of American competitiveness today, my immediate feeling is not only
one of pride, but also of deep anxiety. Too often we as a society are sacrificing the long-term good
of our country in the interest of short-term gain."

"The U.S. cannot maintain its economic leadership unless our workforce consists of people who
have the knowledge and skills needed to drive innovation." "We simply cannot sustain an economy
based on innovation unless our citizens are educated in math, science and engineering."  (AP)

"Our high schools are no longer a path to opportunity and success, but a barrier to both.  While
most students enter high school wanting to succeed, too many end up bored, unchallenged and
disengaged from the high school curriculum — 'digital natives' caught up in an industrial-age
learning model."

"As a nation our goal should be to ensure that by 2010, every job seeker in the United States
workforce can access the education training they need to succeed in the knowledge economy."   
(CBS/AP, 3-7-07)

Aggressive Foreign Intelligence (Washington Times, 3-6-07) . . .
Well organized foreign spy agencies are aggressively acquiring advanced U.S. technology.  It’s a
tremendous challenge for U.S. counterintelligence.  The following comments from Joel F. Brenner, National
Counterintelligence Executive.

China, Cuba, Russia, Iran and others "are running significant operations against us. These services
are eating our lunch.  The technology bleed to China, among others, is a very serious problem.”  
“We've got to get better at that aspect of supporting counterterrorism, and that is one of our core
missions here in this office.”

"Americans are going to wake up one day and realize that the place in the world we have come to
take for granted isn't ours by some God-given right. We have to defend it."

In the past counter intelligence agencies regarded the problem "as an intramural sport."  "We're
trying to turn the [counterintelligence] community into a community in reality as well as in name."

“You can now, from the comfort of your own home or office, exfiltrate information electronically
from somebody else's computer around the world without the expense and risk of trying to grow a
spy.  We've got to start addressing that in a big way.  Network vulnerability is a huge issue, and it's
an issue in the private as well as a public sector.”

Untreated Tooth Decay In Children (ABC News, 3-5-07) . . .
The death of a 12-year-old Maryland boy who died from a brain infection caused by untreated tooth decay
focused national attention on the widespread lack of dental care in children across the U.S.  For lack of an
$80 extraction procedure, the boy’s family and community incurred $250,000 in surgery and hospital fees.  
Untreated dental decay is a common problem, and far worse in low income families.  And 100 mil.
Americans face unnecessary risk from inadequate fluoride in their drinking water.

"Unfortunately, this is more common than we'd like it to be.  A lot of children don't get dental
care."   Sally Cram, periodontist, Washington, DC area

"Among children, dental services are the most needed service that they do not receive.  I think it is
probably the least covered of our health benefits across the nation."  Judith Lave, chair of the
Department of Health Policy and Management at the University of Pittsburg, PA

“Tooth decay is one of the most common chronic infectious diseases among U.S. children. This
preventable health problem begins early: 28 percent of children aged 2–5 years have already had
decay in their primary (baby) teeth. By the age of 11, approximately half of children have
experienced decay, and by the age of 19, tooth decay in the permanent teeth affects two-thirds
(68 percent) of adolescents. Low-income children have twice as much untreated decay as children
in families with higher incomes.  This may result in pain, dysfunction, underweight, and poor
appearance—problems that can greatly reduce a child's capacity to succeed in the educational
environment.”  (Centers For Disease Control website, 3-5-07)

Inadequate Pandemic Vaccine Supply (Reuters, 3-5-07) . . .   
Viral experts attending Hong Kong medical conferences warn of the need to get vaccine manufacturing
capacity in place and prepare for an inevitable flue pandemic.  Otherwise, all contingency planning will fail.

"If you solve the problem of vaccines, our pandemic preparedness planning will be much more
realistic.  If we are not prepared in terms of antivirals and vaccines, millions of people are going to
die.  We have to find a strategy where we can rapidly have a vaccine in two, three months (of a
pandemic).  In principle, we have the technology, but we don't have the capacity. To date, the
world production of flu vaccine is 400 million doses, but we are over 6 billion people, and probably
we have to shoot (inject) twice." Albert Osterhaus, virology prof., Erasmus Medical Center Rotterdam

Regarding new DNA technology being tested on mice infected with the H5N1 strain . . .  "These results are
still some time away from getting into human testing.  This is a very slow process."   Dr. David Ho,
leading HIV/AIDS drug scientist

Impending Medicare Bankruptcy (CBS News, 3-4-07) . . .
Without significant changes to the U.S. Medicare program economists are forecasting its certain bankruptcy
as the baby boom generation, about 78 million citizens born between WWII and Vietnam, begins to retire
next year. The following comments are from David Walker, Comptroller General, Government Accountability
Office (appearing on CBS' "60 Minutes")

"They'll be eligible for Medicare just three years later and when those boomers start retiring en
masse, then that will be a tsunami of spending that could swamp our ship of state if we don't get
serious."  "The prescription drug bill is probably the most fiscally irresponsible piece of legislation
since the 1960s ... because we promise way more than we can afford to keep."

"I would argue that the most serious threat to the United States is not someone hiding in a cave in
Afghanistan or Pakistan but our own fiscal irresponsibility.  What’s going on right now is we’re
spending more money than we make . . . we’re charging it to a credit card . . . and expecting our
grandchildren to pay for it.  And that’s absolutely outrageous."

"You know the American people, I tell you, we've been to 13 cities outside of Washington with the
fiscal wake up tour. They are absolutely starved for two things:  the truth, and leadership."

Regarding Healthcare . . .  "It's the number one fiscal challenge for the federal government, it's the
number one fiscal challenge for state governments and it's the number one competitive challenge
for American business. We're gonna have to dramatically and fundamentally reform our health care
system in installments over the next 20 years.  And if we don't, it could bankrupt America."

(Question:  do you agree with Walker’s projections?)  "I do. You know, I mean we could always
question the precise nature of this projection or that projection. But, that misses the point. The
larger story that he is telling is exactly correct."  Senator Kent Conrad (R-ND) Chairman, Senate
Budget Committee

"NOT READY" Reserve Forces (Washington Post, 3-2-07) . . .
The bipartisan independent commission appointed by Congress to monitor the readiness of the nation’s
reserve forces reports that 90 percent of Army National Guard units in the United States are "not ready", a
failing grade resulting from: (1) severe shortages of equipment – trucks, Humvees, radios, generators, and
other essentials needed to respond to terrorist attacks and other national emergencies requiring major
evacuations; and (2) significant lack of communication between reserve officials and other military leaders,
the Homeland Security Department, and United States Northern Command;  (3) inadequate inter-agency
planning and budgeting.  All states are affected, but the Gulf coast is in the worst shape.  

“We can't sustain the [National Guard and reserves] on the course we're on.  This is unacceptable.
The American people would find it unacceptable.  These are not problems that have just cropped
up in the last two years or five years. These are issues that have been pretty much ignored and
glossed over for decades.  This is not a sustainable course, and their capability to do their mission
will deteriorate over time if it’s not changed.”  Arnold Punaro, panel Chair, ret. Marine Corps general

"We are really concerned about vehicles.  We would have enough for a small-scale issue . . .
maybe a Category 1 tropical storm we could handle -- an event that doesn't involve massive
flooding or massive search and rescue."  But for bigger disasters, Louisiana would need help from
other states.  Lt. Col. Pete Schneider, spokesman, Louisiana Guard

In the event of "a very large . . . chemical, biological or nuclear incident in the national capital
region (D.C.), I would need every truck I was authorized, and we don't have that. We are definitely
short trucks, all wheeled vehicles," as well as radios, bulldozers and other gear.   Col. Robert
Simpson, director, joint staff for the Virginia National Guard.

While the commission recognized the challenges that face the guard, “admiring the problem isn’t
enough. The Commission’s recommendations for the most part won’t address the issues they
acknowledge.”  Rep. Tom Davis (R-VA), House Oversight Gov't Reform Committee  (AP, 3-2-07)

Higher Death Rates For Uninsured Children (USA Today, 3-2-07) . . .
A report submitted to Congress by the non-profit Families USA reveals nine million uninsured children were
more likely to die in 26 of 29 states studied, 44% less likely to go into rehabilitation, traumatic brain injury
patients were 32% less likely to receive aggressive treatment and were discharged after five days (ave.),
rather than eight days for insured patients.  And uninsured kids have worse outcomes across a variety of
conditions, are less likely to have family doctors and get preventative care and fast treatment for acute
conditions.  The findings are similar in other studies focusing on children by the Institute of Medicine, the
American College of Physicians-American Society of Internal Medicine and the Commonwealth Fund.

"Children's health and well-being are compromised needlessly. About three-quarters of the nation’s
uninsured children are eligible for SCHIP or Medicaid, and that uninsured children are much more
likely to go without care and end up in the emergency department with conditions that could have
been avoided.”  (American Hospital Assoc. report to Congress  ‘Coverage Counts: Supporting
Health and Opportunity For Children’, 2-27-07)

"The clear implication … is that when kids get sick or hurt, insurance matters.  As is true throughout
our health care system, children without health insurance receive less and inferior care."   Ron
Pollack, executive director, Families USA

"It's a pattern. You look at stuff by insurance status — boy, you find differences."  In this study of
25,000 uninsured children with general injuries and 6,500 with traumatic brain injuries there were
327 “excess deaths” over two years.  Researcher J. Mick Tilford, assoc. prof., Univ. of Arkansas

Failing K-12 Educational System (Washington Times, 3-1-07) . . .
A joint study involving the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Center for American Progress, and the American
Enterprise Institute graded states in terms of academic performance and teacher quality.  Without question,
states are failing to prepare students for the challenges they will face in the 21st Century global society.

Massachusetts, the top state for academic achievement, showed only 44 percent of fourth-graders
proficient in reading and 49 percent proficient in math -- numbers that are "unconscionable."   John
Podesta, president and chief executive officer of CAP

“Only about two-thirds of all 9th graders graduate from high school within four years.  And those
students who do receive diplomas are too often unprepared for college or the modern workplace.”  
(Report Overview)

While a number of states are engaged in promising efforts to build more innovative and
accountable K-12 systems, there would have been far more Cs, Ds, and Fs had we not graded on a
curve.  The academic performance of every state needs to improve.  This is true for all
demographic groups, but especially for poor and minority students, who have too often been ill-
served by today's schools.   (Report - Major Findings)

“The United States in the 21st century faces unprecedented economic and social challenges,
ranging from the forces of global competition to the impending retirement of 77 million baby
boomers.  Succeeding in this new era will require our children to be prepared for the intellectual
demands of the modern workplace and a far more complex society.  Yet the evidence indicates
that our country is not ready.  Despite decades of reform efforts and many trillions of dollars in
public investment, U.S. schools are not equipping our children with the skills and knowledge they-
and the nation-so badly need.”   (Report - Overview)

For starters, state education systems suffer from a severe information gap.  The lack of reliable
and available data on state performance is alarming and created serious challenges in evaluating
results on a state-by-state basis.  The data must be compiled and monitored if we are to succeed
in improving student performance nationwide.  No responsible publicly or privately held firm could
operate successfully with such a lack of data.  (Report - Major Findings)

Erosion of Personal Privacy (USA Today, 2-28-07) . . .
Big Brother and thousands of little brother technologies are racing ahead of outdated social norms and legal
protections, infringing on the personal freedoms of Americans.  It’s no longer just the government recording
our phone calls and emails. Ordinary citizens with a variety of motives have become empowered paparazzi -
posting videos on YouTube and camera phone photos on the Internet. The trends are ominous.

"Pandora's out of the box.  If the government is tracking calls, most people aren't going to feel
the repercussions. They're more affected if a compromising photo gets on the Internet — that's a
personal invasion they can see."  Susannah Stern, Professor - Communications, Univ of San Diego

"Your privacy is basically over.  It's an invasion of privacy.  There's no camera-free zone
anywhere."  Ty Tindell, 29, Howard County, Md., who found himself on YouTube after he was
recorded on a camera phone at a Mariah Carey concert

"If I take a picture on my cellphone here on the ski slope, I can e-mail it to my office and it will be
in the hands of, say, Chinese publishers in maybe 10 to 15 minutes.  Technology has far outpaced
the legislative and ethical and moral behavior of society."   Gary Morgan, co-owner of Splash News

"The days when something happens in front of a crowd and it's not captured on camera are over.
We have to assume anything we do in public is potentially going into the public record."  Josh
Calder, trend tracker at Social Technologies

Poor Quality Child Care (Assoc. Press, 2-28-07) . . .
A non-profit association released the first survey every done ranking states in terms of their oversight and
quality of child care. Although society often proclaims the importance of our nation's children, the study
reveals how pervasively lax many state regulations really are.  Many problems and recommendations are
cited:  criminal background checks, hiring standards, minimum training and education levels for caregivers,
inspections, safety requirements.  The Dept. of  Defense, Illinois, and New York ranked at the top of the
list of outstanding providers.

“We know there is much that can be done to improve the quality of child care. As we reviewed the
possible criteria for the ranking and put the scores together, we were shocked to see in real detail
how low the bar is set for the quality of care that 12 million children under age 5 are in each
week.”   Report Summary,  http://www.naccrra.org/  

"State child care standards and oversight in this nation are not protecting our children and are not
preparing them for success in school.  Standards are meaningless without oversight.  The Defense
Department has good enforcement, and that has brought their program to a much higher level."  
Linda Smith, executive director, National Association of Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies

The military has 740 facilities worldwide, with capacity for 184,000 children.  "We've worked hard for
a lot of years so service members can do their jobs and not have to worry about their children."  
Barbara Thompson, director, Pentagon's children and youth office

Deadly Iraq Munitions Caches Never Secured (USA Today, 2-28-07) . . .
Four years after securing Iraq, the well known problem of munitions stockpiles, including bullets, artillery
shells and missiles continues to kill and cripple coalition / U.S. troops.  Large caches documented after the
invasion were never secured, and now provide parts for insurgents to make homemade IEDs that cause
70% of all casualties.  Critics charge Rumsfield and the Pentagon never put enough troops into the country
to adequately deal with the number one problem facing occupation forces.

The problem of unsecured munitions was obvious soon after the fall of Saddam Hussein in spring
2003, said there weren't enough U.S. troops in Iraq to destroy the weapons.  "It should have been
taken care of immediately,"  Sen. Jack Reed (D-R.I.), member of the Senate Armed Services
Committee and former Army officer,.

It might be impossible to stem the supply of materials for IEDs because Iraq has so many
weapons.  Saddam "never wanted to run out of bullets.  And he never did."  John Pike, director,
Globalsecurity.org.

Declining Military Capability (Assoc. Press, 2-27-07) . . .
According to Gen. Peter Pace, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the nation’s military capability has
eroded significantly over the past year to the point the military can no longer respond effectively to other
potential crises in North Korea, Iran, Lebanon, Cuba or China.  The report delivered to Congress by Defense
Secretary Robert Gates, cites many serious problems and the need to improve:  strained reserve forces,
inadequate repair/ replacement of worn out equipment, declining retention rates, weapons modernization
and technologies to counter WMDs, increased special operation forces, and missile defense.

"World events and regional trends add up to increased challenges to our nation's security."  Other
federal agencies have also contributed to the decline. (The State Department, for example, has
fumbled the reconstruction/ rebuilding of facilities and government entities in Iraq.) Report Finding

Improvements "may take several years to reduce risk to acceptable levels."  (Separate Report)

Lavish Spending By Smithsonian Director (Washington Post, 2-25-07) . . .
An unpublished report by the ‘independent’ Smithsonian Institution inspector general charges that the
Director, Lawrence M. Small authorized expenditures of nearly $90,000 in non-allowable expenses from 2000
to 2005, including chartered jets, a trip to Cambodia for his wife, lavish hotel rooms, luxury car service,
catered staff meals and expensive gifts.  Small, former president and CEO of Fannie Mae, will earn over
$900,000 this year in compensation on top of the $1.15 mil. he received over the past seven years ‘for
making his house available for official functions.’

“Lawrence M. Small was at the center of the storm from the get-go. He became Secretary of the
Smithsonian Institution in January 2000, after a high-profile banking career at Citicorp/ Citibank
and Fannie Mae. Unlike previous secretaries, Small had zero credentials as a scholar and no
experience with nonprofit research or educational institutions.”  (‘Crisis At The Smithsonian’,
Archaeology, 9-19-2002)

"Many transactions were not properly documented or were not in accordance with Smithsonian
policies.  Some transactions might be considered lavish or extravagant."  Acting Insp. Gen. Ryan

"I am shocked at what the Smithsonian is spending its money on when it comes to food, flowers,
alcohol and other items, in what appears to be an 'anything goes' culture by the Smithsonian
secretary and his staff, which views that his champagne lifestyle should be subsidized by the
taxpayer.  Are you troubled by the secretary's office playing an important role in drafting a
document that reviews the propriety of the secretary's own actions?  Does this raise questions in
your mind about the board's independence?"  Letter from Sen. Charles Grassley, (R-Iowa) to Chief
Justice John Roberts, Jr., chair of the Board of Regents

Official Reply . . .   "The guy took over a place that was really sort of falling apart. There was hardly
any fundraising capability. He's raised almost a billion dollars personally. What more could we have
asked for as a regent?"  Roger Sant, chairman of the audit and the executive committees

Mismanaged Mass Transit (Chicago Tribune, 2-23-07) . . .
Illinois Auditor General William Holland reports that the Chicago Regional Transportation Authority system,
third largest in the country, has serious structural management problems, lack of cooperation between
transit agencies, duplication of services, and skewed priorities.

Audit Findings:  (1) "The RTA needs to take more of a leadership role in all aspects of transit.  The
oversight agency may need more authority from the legislature to get the CTA, Metra and Pace to
fall into line.  (2) "The RTA lacks clear performance measures for itself and for the service
boards."  (3) "Given the dire financial situation facing the RTA and the service boards, the current
planning process and structure is flawed."

"I myself have been critical for eight years of the role and authority of the RTA and have always
believed we need to provide some new responsibility and authority with respect to regional planning
and coordination." Rep. Julie Hamos (D-Evanston), committee chairwoman

"People who live in all parts of the region want the RTA to work for them.  The point is having
someone accountable for producing results. Right now, no one is."  Jim LaBelle, deputy director of
Metropolis 2020

Deepening Gulf Between Rich and Poor (McClatchy Newspapers, 2-22-07) . . .
The gap between extremely rich and extremely poor in the U.S. is rapidly growing and at a record level.  An
analysis of 2005 U.S. census data by the McClatchy Newspapers reveals at least 16 million Americans live
in deep poverty, inflation adjusted median household income for working-age families has fallen for five
straight years, and over 45 million citizens have no health insurance – all at the same time economists tout
our highly productive, rapidly growing economy.

"These and other factors have helped push 43% of the nation's 37 million poor people into deep
poverty — the highest rate since at least 1975. The share of poor Americans in deep poverty has
climbed slowly but steadily over the last three decades."   Report Finding

"That was the exact opposite of what we anticipated when we began.  We're not seeing as much
moderate poverty as a proportion of the population. What we're seeing is a dramatic growth of
severe poverty.  Just as a sinkhole causes everything above it to collapse downward, families and
individuals in the middle and upper classes appear to be migrating to lower-income tiers that bring
them closer to the poverty threshold."  Dr. Steven Woolf, MD, MPH, Virginia Commonwealth
University, study co-author.

"What appears to be taking place is that, over the long term, you have a significant permanent
underclass that is not being impacted by anti-poverty policies."  Michael Tanner, director of Health
and Welfare Studies, Cato Institute

Declining Student Reading Skills (NY Times, 2-22-07) . . .  
A national assessment of 26,000 high school student transcripts from 2005 (The National Assessment of
Educational Progress, commonly called the nation’s report card) reveals that reading skills declined
somewhat from 2002 despite the fact many students take more rigorous courses and earn higher grades.  
Probable causes: grade inflation, different grading standards, and increased student performance.

The findings “provide little comfort,” and “suggest that we need to know much more about the
level of rigor associated with the courses that high school students are taking.”   Darvin M. Winick,
chairman, National Assessment Governing Board

“The consensus for strengthening our high schools has never been stronger.  Students must be
challenged to succeed, and schools must prepare them with the tools necessary to thrive in college
and a competitive 21st century workforce."  Education Secretary Margaret Spellings

Dumping Skid Row Patients (LA Times, 2-22-07) . . .
California is pushing new legislation to stop hospitals from dumping patients on the streets.  The initiative
stems from cases involving newly discharged patients wandering around skid row in hospital gowns, and
crawling in the gutter with colostomy bags still attached.  Offenders will face jail time, fines.

"Enough is enough. We are going to book these guys."  LAPD Capt. Andy Smith

Regarding a proposed state law . . .   The new legislation would make prosecuting hospitals much
easier.  "We believe we are providing clarity in the law, and clarity in law is power to a prosecutor.
Dumping a paraplegic man in the gutter of skid row without any ambulatory device in no more than
a hospital gown demonstrates no shade of gray."  City Atty. Rocky Delgadillo

Hospitals are concerned about any legislation that requires them to go beyond providing acute
medical care.  "The problem goes back to the lack of social services for homeless and indigent
patients who end up in hospitals.  We are already spending $2 billion in uncompensated care
providing medical treatment for indigent patients. Imposing fines or arresting people is not
productive."   Jennifer Bayer, public affairs director for the Hospital Assn. of Southern California

Deteriorating Nuclear Weapons Safety (LA Times, 2-21-07 ) . . .
Pantex was the country’s primary manufacturing site for nuclear weapons, but now post-cold war only
maintains existing weapons.  In recent years it has experienced electrical failures, roof leaks, and
operational problems.  Experts, union officials, and watchdog groups all charge safety receives such low
priority they are concerned about weapons stockpile reliability.   And the Energy Department just confirmed
it intends to scale back the annual surveillance testing program.

"You can't run a plant on glittering platitudes and generalities and call that a safety program."       
A nuclear detonation accident is a low probability, but it is not incredible."  Bob Alvarez, former
deputy assistant secretary of Energy, senior scholar at the Institute for Policy Studies

"I knew we were in trouble when I started attending meetings in Washington and was told to work
better, faster, cheaper.  They started sending people to the plant with little weapons experience."  
John Duncan, former director of surveillance testing for Sandia National Laboratory

"The delays in testing and lack of resources are so significant.  The real question is when the
laboratories can no longer certify the reliability of the stockpile." senior official, Energy Department

"They treat people badly."  (After raising questions about beryllium dust in 2003, I was demoted
from technician to janitor.)  "It sent a message. It was a public humiliation. Safety seriously took a
back seat."  Henry Bagwell, former President, Metals Trade Council

Official Reply . . .  "Pantex is safe, no doubt."  Marty Schoenbauer, Asst. Deputy Administrator,
Military Application and Stockpile Operations

Commercialized Sexualization of Girls (APA Press Release, 2-19-07) . . .
The American Psychological Association (APA) reports compelling evidence that society is saturated with
advertising, merchandising, and every form of media (television, music videos, lyrics, magazines, movies,
video games, Internet) that routinely sexualize images of girls and young women, leading to three of their
most common mental health problems: eating disorders, low self-esteem, and depression. The report
recommends replacing this type of imagery with positive messages.

“The consequences of the sexualization of girls in media today are very real and are likely to be a
negative influence on girls’ healthy development.  We have ample evidence to conclude that
sexualization has negative effects in a variety of domains, including cognitive functioning, physical
and mental health, and healthy sexual development.”  Eileen Zurbriggen, PhD, Task Force Chair

“Parents can teach girls to value themselves for who they are, rather than how they look. Parents
can teach boys to value girls as friends, sisters, and girlfriends, rather than as sexual objects."  
"With the help of the adults in their lives, girls and boys can gain media literacy skills, can learn to
resist the message that how girls look is what matters, and can learn how to advocate for
themselves.”  (Executive Summary)

Secret Reports To Congress (Washington Post, 2-19-07) . . .  
The Congressional Research Service (CRS) uses 500+ researchers to supply Congress with 6,000+ research
and analysis reports about a wide array of policy issues (military, farming, prescriptions, healthcare, etc.)
at a cost to taxpayers over $100 mil. Although the reports are not classified or copyrighted, members of
Congress ‘own’ and publish them to the public ‘as needed’.  Because there is no public database, nor even a
catalog listing the titles, private groups clandestinely collect and resell them to researchers, lobbyists, and
others for thousands of dollars.

"The Library of Congress is a national treasure. The public deserves ready access to the reports it
prepares for Congress, and easy online retrieval is the obvious answer.  We need to keep moving
toward that goal."  Sen. Patrick J. Leahy (D-Vt.)

"How I get them is my trade secret . . . but I get them all.  I'm just an old Washington journalist
who knows how to find things.  I upload an average of about 100 a week to Gallery Watch.”  If the
reports were ever made available to all, "I would comfortably retire to my mountain retreat in West
Virginia and be very happy, because that's the way it should be -- taxpayers pay for them,"   Walt
Seager, private collector for Gallery Watch (owned by the Capitol Hill newspaper Roll Call)

Official Reply . . .   "Once a report is produced for the Congress, it becomes the property of the
Congress.  CRS itself has no public role and is prohibited by law from publishing its work.  It's up to
members and committees to release the reports directly, by inclusion in congressional publications
or through their own Web sites."  Daniel P. Mulhollan, Director, Congressional Research Service

Dilapidated Walter Reed Medical Center . . .
Regarding the Washington Post’s 2-18-07 expose on the poor living conditions at Walter Reed Army Medical
Center for wounded soldiers and their families . . .

"We failed here, we failed in having a facility like this. Unfortunately, it's a leadership problem.  If
we would have known about this, we would have fixed it.  Unfortunately, we didn't know about it.  
To have it in this condition is disappointing to me, unacceptable to me as the secretary of the
Army, and we have a plan in place."   Army Secretary Francis Harvey   (CNN, 2-20-07)

Although no one has been relieved of command or disciplined . . .  “Clearly, we’ve had a breakdown in
leadership and bureaucratic, medical and contractual processes dogged down a speedy solution to
these problems.  We will do the right thing across the board as we continue to assess where the
leadership failure and breakdowns were.”  General Richard Cody, vice chief of staff  (AFP, 2-22-07)

The Army has known for years about shortcomings at Walter Reed.  "You could put all of the
wounded soldiers in the Ritz-Carlton and it wouldn't fix the personnel, management and
recordkeeping problems that keep them languishing in outpatient limbo out there for months while
paperwork from 11 disjointed systems gets shuffled and lost."   Rep. Thomas M. Davis III (Va.),
House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform  (Washington Post, 2-22-07)

"The problem is much more serious than one building.  It's going to be easy for everyone to duck
this problem after the building is fixed if we don't fix the completely dilapidated administrative
system."  Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.)  (Washington Post, 2-22-07)

Regarding allegations military commanders knew of these conditions . . .  I ran into Lt. Gen. Kevin Kiley,
commander of Walter Reed, in the foyer of the command headquarters shortly after the Iraq war
began and said "there are people in the barracks who are drinking themselves to death and
people who are sharing drugs and people not getting the care they need."  "I met guys who weren't
going to appointments because the hospital didn't even know they were there."  Steve Robinson,
director of veterans affairs at Veterans for America  (Washington Post, 3-1-07)

Regarding General Kiley’s departure 3-12-07 . . .  This is “a welcome development given that his
tenure overseeing the care of our troops was riddled with serious blunders.  However, individual
resignations, firings, and finger-pointing by this administration are a poor substitute for what is
truly needed — a systemwide plan for caring for our veterans.”  Senator Patty Murray (D-Wash.),
member Veterans Affairs Committee  

Unprotected Medical Records (NY Times, 2-17-07) . . .
President Bush asserts privacy protections are important to Americans, yet the GAO reports there are no
clear standards and only primitive steps and vague policies protecting patients’ electronic medical records.  
This is very concerning at a time when vast national networks are contemplated to link doctors, hospitals,
labs, insurers, and other medical players, although it shouldn’t be too surprising considering even simple
social security numbers are still subject to widespread abuse despite 70 years of use.

Every American should have a “personal electronic medical record” within 10 years — by 2014. With
computerized records, he said, “we can avoid dangerous medical mistakes, reduce costs and
improve care.  One of the things I’ve insisted upon is that it’s got to be secure and private. There’s
nothing more private than your own health records.”   President Bush

“Health privacy has not received adequate attention at the Department of Health and Human
Services.  Time is of the essence – the private sector is racing ahead” (e.g. Wal-Mart) to establish
medical record banks and health information exchanges.  “A sense of urgency is lacking.”  Mark A.
Rothstein, professor of law and medical ethics, University of Louisville

“Privacy concerns currently lag behind technical development of the Nationwide Health Information
Network (NHIN). Furthermore, I believe the gap is widening as research and development progress
while fundamental privacy issues remain largely unexamined and unresolved. HHS has made very
little meaningful progress in developing and implementing measures to protect the privacy of
health information in electronic health networks.” Mark Rothstein (Congressional Testimony 2-1-07)

Official Reply . . .  HHS is “very committed to privacy and security as it works toward the president’s
goal” of switching medical records from paper to electronic files.  Dr. Robert M. Kolodner, Director,
information technology,  Department of Health and Human Services

Squandered Spending In Iraq (Assoc. Press, 2-16-07) . . .
More than $10 bil. in taxpayer funds have been squandered in Iraq by the U.S. Government, according to
the latest report from the General Accounting Office.  Three auditors cited payments for shoddy work and
work not done, inflated expenses, and other questionable charges.

“There is no accountability. Organizations charged with overseeing contracts are not held
accountable. Contractors are not held accountable. The individuals responsible are not held
accountable.”  “It’s absolutely essential if Congress wants to make an informed decision on
authorizations and appropriations that we get this information.  We’re talking about billions of
dollars and thousands of American lives at stake.  People should be rewarded when they do a good
job. But when things don’t go right, there have to be consequences”  David M. Walker,  Comptroller
General, GAO

An additional $300 billion of spending must yet be investigated, the total amount of waste, fraud
and abuse “could be astronomical.  It’s no wonder that taxpayers all across our country are fed up
and demanding that we bring real oversight to the ‘anything goes’ world of Iraq reconstruction.”  
Rep. Henry Waxman (D-Calif.), Committee Chair

There are ongoing, “systemic” problems in Iraq contracting. “This much is clear: Poor security, an
arcane, ill-suited management structure, and frequent management changes have produced a
succession of troubled acquisitions.”  Rep. Tom Davis (R-Va.) Committee Member

Official Reply . . .  “The U.S. Army, along with the Departments of Defense and State, continue to
help thousands of Iraqis daily with reconstruction projects to provide them with better lives.  We
look forward to examining its findings and applying some of its recommendations in the future.”  
Spokeswoman Mary Ann Hodges

Stolen FBI Laptop Computers, Firearms