States renege on local aid In December, Stephen Laker found himself in an agonizing position. As public health administrator for the Vermilion County Health Department in Illinois, Laker was six days into a $9,500-a-day payroll cycle but he had only $7,000 in the bank.

Think Progress » Stimulus Hypocrite Gov. Bob McDonnell Now Wants The Federal Government To Give Virginia More Money During his gubernatorial campaign, Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell (R-VA) repeatedly criticized the Recovery Act, saying that although it was “massive,” he didn’t think it would “have a stimulus effect.” From the Virginian-Pilot in 2009:

Stimulus: 1 - 2.1 million jobs, GDP boost The federal government's economic stimulus created jobs for at least one million people and as many as 2.1 million by the end of last year, a new report from the Congressional Budget Office today concludes.

TEA Party folds when economy revives The "TEA Party,'' that anti-tax, anti big-government movement of people intent on turning out incumbents this year, will "disappear'' as the economy improves

Can NASA's space shuttle program be extended? | floridatoday.com | FLORIDA TODAY

Some NASA-backers in Congress are trying to push back the retirement of the space shuttles from 2010 until 2015, flying two missions per year to the International Space Station.

“Falls” lead the injury pack « The Pump Handle The National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) has been conducted since 1957 and is one of the main instruments to get a glimpse at the health of the US population.

What’s in a name? A big Tea Party mess More legal wrangling over just who can rightfully claim the “Tea Party” trademark …
Some 34 plaintiffs are now listed in the federal suit against Orlando attorney Fred O’Neal, who last year registered the name Tea Party of Florida as an official state party. The plaintiffs claim that O’Neal and his associate, anti-tax activist Doug Guetzloe, don’t really represent the Tea Party movement

Senate intends to extend unemployment benefits The Senate is expected to vote as early as Tuesday to extend the law that provides extra unemployment benefits and health-care subsidies for another 30 days, starting March 1.

Bolden: I’m getting ready to shut down Constellation NASA Chief Charlie Bolden isn’t a popular man in Congress, at least not with the Florida and Alabama delegations. Bolden has bought into President Barack Obama’s plan to cancel the Constellation moon-rocket program, use commercial rockets to take astronauts and cargo to the International Space Station and turn NASA into a high-tech research factory tasked to develop innovative technologies that will eventually permit humans to fly to the moon, asteroids and Mars.

Amtrak’s CEO wants new liability deal on SunRail tracks Pulse Amtrak’s CEO is continuing to demand that the Florida Legislature give his passenger trains the same liability deal the state gave SunRail and is threatening to end a track-sharing agreement if he doesn’t get it.