Obama awarded Illinois grants to relative's group

[Anonymous]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081007/ap_on_el_pr/obama_legislative_grants

[Anonymous]

McCain awarded all the money in the country to his (very) rich friends. Twice!

[jsteele]

So, Obama who is supposed to simultaneously be a radical Christian and a Muslim is also related to a Rabbi? The guy is Michelle's cousin once removed. His organization received similar grants with the help of another state legislator. Its really a stretch to try to make an issue out of this.

[Anonymous]

This is just a stupid post. What are you trying to say? He and other legislators were given authority to disperse grants to organizations that helped people, and that's what he did. My only reaction to this as someone with a master's in Government and NonProfit administration is, who would name their kid Capers Funnye. I mean, that's freakin' hilarious.

"Each legislator could award money to favored groups and projects with basically no oversight. The grants were known as "member initiatives" and were similar to the congressional "earmarks" often criticized in Obama's presidential campaign against Republican John McCain.

Obama awarded about $6 million for everything from literacy programs and park improvements to drill team uniforms and jazz appreciation events.

Founded in 1968, Blue Gargoyle provides job training and placement, tutoring, counseling and an alternative high school for dropouts. It's name refers to gargoyles on buildings at the University of Chicago, where the founders started their charitable work, Funnye said."

Sounds a hell of a lot better than letting oil companies set our nation's energy policy. Ever hear of the Keating 5 and Lincoln Savings and Loan? Now that's a scandal. Ask anyone who lived in Arizona during the 80s. Unfortunately, most of the state carpetbagged in there later, so they're clueless about their Senator.