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DonViejo

Oklahoma senator: Tornado aid “totally different” from Sandy aid

(Salon) Sen. James Inhofe, a Republican from Oklahoma, argued that there is no comparison between Hurricane Sandy relief, which he voted against last fall, and aid for his state in the wake of the devastating tornado, because the two are “totally different.”

The Washington Post reports that Inhofe contended on Tuesday that the Hurricane Sandy relief bill was filled with pork, “things in the Virgin Islands. They were fixing roads there and putting roofs on houses in Washington, D.C.,” and that people were “exploiting the tragedy that took place.” He added: “That won’t happen in Oklahoma.”

DonViejo

Oklahoma Republican Sen. Tom Coburn will seek to offset federal aid to victims of a massive tornado

(TPM) Oklahoma Republican Sen. Tom Coburn will seek to offset federal aid to victims of a massive tornado that blasted through Oklahoma City suburbs on Monday with cuts elsewhere in the budget. "That's always been his position ," a spokesman told the Huffington Post Monday night. "He supported offsets to the bill funding the OKC bombing recovery effort."

Coburn, who intends to retire in 2016, joined his fellow Oklahoma Sen. Jim Inhofe (R) last year in supporting an amendment that would have substantially cut a package of $60 billion dollars intended for reconstruction of the East Coast in the wake of Superstorm Sandy. The measure eventually passed in two parts with most of the Senate Republican caucus in opposition, but not before New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R) and New York GOP Reps. Peter King and Michael Grimm offered scathing critiques that their party was abandoning stranded people in the wake of the storm.

ProSense

Krugman: Where Are The Deficit Celebrations?

(NYT) For three years and more Beltway politics has been all about the deficit. Urgent action was needed to avert crisis. A Grand Bargain absolutely had to be reached...So where are the celebrations now that the debt issue looks, if not solved, at least greatly mitigated? And it’s not just recovering revenues: health costs, the biggest driver of long-run spending, have slowed dramatically.

What we’re getting from the deficit scolds, however, are at best grudging admissions that things may look a bit less dire — if not expressions of regret that the public seems insufficiently alarmed.

sheshe2

PHOTOS: Oklahoma First Responders

Poll_Blind

KFOR livestream reporter breaks down on air, confirms Plaza Tower Elementary school...

(KFOR) At least 15 (and up to 75) children trapped under debris according to "Lance", reporter. 75 children were in hallway when tornado hit. Woman injured on ground. Volunteers trying to free children. Parents are not being allowed to get onto the debris pile because of potential for downed power lines, gas leaks, etc.

Reporter reports seeing one child being freed from rubble who hugged an adult (presumably parent) who was removed/evacuated from scene.

Hissyspit

Huge Tornado Tears Through S. OK City

Shawnee, Oklahoma (CNN) - A powerful tornado blasted an area outside of Oklahoma City on Monday, ripping roofs off buildings, leveling homes and leaving a massive band of destruction in its wake.

In the desperate seconds and minutes after the storm passed, the human toll was not yet clear.

Survivors emerged from shelters to see an apocalyptic vision -- the remnants of cars twisted and piled on each other to make what had been a parking lot look like a junk yard. Bright orange flames roaring from a structure that was blazing even as rain continued to fall.

DonViejo

Virginia GOP Nominee For Attorney General Would Force Women To Report Their Miscarriages To Police

(Think Progress) If a woman in Virginia has a miscarriage without a doctor present, they must report it within 24 hours to the police or risk going to jail for a full year. At least, that’s what would have happened if a bill introduced by Virginia state Sen. Mark Obenshain (R) had become law.

And yet, the Virginia Republican Party wants to make Obenshain into the state’s top prosecutor. This weekend, Virginia Republicans selected Obenshain as their nominee to replace tea party stalwart Ken Cuccinelli (R) as the state’s attorney general.

DonViejo

Iowa Senate GOP Aide: I Was Fired After Protesting Sexual Harassment

(TPM) A communications director for Iowa's Senate Republican Caucus was fired on Friday, in what she claims as retaliation for protesting sexual harassment by male legislators and staff members seven hours earlier.

“When you go to the workplace, you should have a safe environment," Kirsten Anderson, the former staffer, told WHO-TV. "Women especially should not have their body parts scrutinized, objectified. People should not be ridiculed or mocked for simply the color of their pants that they are wearing, and those sorts of things were taking place at the Capitol."

n2doc

Monday Toon Roundup - Worst. Congress. Ever.

flpoljunkie

Obamacare now requires hospitals to charge uninsured patients same rate as those with insurance

(WaPo) In April, the Internal Revenue Service issued new regulations under the Affordable Care Act that change the way hospitals demonstrate “community benefit.” Among other changes, the new regulations requires hospitals to charge uninsured patients a rate that not more than the “amounts generally billed” to patients with insurance coverage.