To the Point
Energy Secretary Steven Chu Faces Congress on Solyndra
A bankrupt Solyndra was today's political football on Capitol Hill. Was the solar company an Obama boondoggle or a risk the government took to promote "clean energy?"
By Warren Olney • • 50m ListenThe bankrupt solar-panel maker Solyndra was today's political football on Capitol Hill as Energy Secretary Steven Chu got rough treatment from Republicans, including some who've taken advantage of guaranteed government loans. Was Solyndra an Obama boondoggle or the kind of risk government has to take to encourage "clean energy?" Also, protesters mark Occupy Wall Street's two-month anniversary with a "Day of Action," and the Obama Administration approves big money to develop a drug for smallpox — a disease eradicated 40 years ago.
Banner image: Energy Secretary Steven Chu testifies before the House Energy and Commerce Committee's Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee about the government support for the failed solar panel company Solyndra on Capitol Hill November 17, 2011 in Washington, DC. Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
In this episode
3 storiesOccupy Wall Street's 'Day of Action'
Occupy Wall Street's " Day of Action " brought protesters into the streets from New York to Los Angeles and Portland, Oregon today. Greg Mitchell writes the OccupyUSA blog for TheNation.com and is author of the e-book, 40 Days that Shook the World : From Occupy Wall Street to Occupy Everywhere.
Read the story8 minWas Solyndra a "Clean Energy" Boondoggle?
As "Occupy" protesters filled streets in New York, Los Angeles and other cities, Congress was bearing down on the federally guaranteed loan to Solyndra .
Read the story34 minSiga Technology's Multi-Million Dollar Smallpox Drug Deal
Eradicated for almost 40 years, Smallpox is known to exist in locked freezers in a Russian scientific institute and the US government. In case it might be available as a bio-weapon, the US has $1 billion worth of vaccine that works within four days of exposure, at a cost of $3 a dose.
Read the story9 min
