Grapevine: Chicago mayor's motorcade busted on traffic cams
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And now some fresh pickings from the Political Grapevine...
Pumping Money
Think filling up your gas tank is painful on your wallet?
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Imagine $150 a gallon.
That is how much the U.S. government -- funded by you the taxpayer -- shelled out for jet fuel made from algae.
The going rate for regular jet fuel?
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Around $2.85 per gallon.
The Government Accountability Office (GAO) says the biofuel was bought for testing purposes as part of the FAA's goal for the aviation industry to use a billion gallons of alternative jet fuel annually by 2018.
The GAO expects the price would be lower if the fuel were produced and purchased on a larger scale.
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But until then, alternative jet fuels remain too expensive to be a viable substitute.
In 2012, the Air Force came under fire for paying $59 a gallon for alcohol-based jet fuel.
Stuck in Neutral
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The National Guard has spent almost $100 million since 2011 to be a NASCAR sponsor. Critics say the Guard received almost nothing in return.
USA Today reports, in 2012, nearly 25,000 people cited the NASCAR sponsorship as a reason for seeking information about the service, but not one of them signed up.
Missouri Democratic Senator Claire McCaskill -- a self-proclaimed NASCAR fan -- calls the sponsorship a waste of taxpayer dollars.
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The National Guard defends the move -- quote -- "a strong branding effort is a good value and helps create a fundamental awareness of the National Guard as a career option."
Other military branches have canceled their sponsorships, citing cost and difficulty in measuring results.
Asking for It
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Finally, be careful what you wish for.
Chicago Democratic Mayor Rahm Emanuel has been a proponent of traffic cameras, but apparently did not warn his motorcade drivers about them.
Local reports say, the mayor's plates have racked up 20 violations since 2012 -- including running 17 red lights.
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The mayor still defends the cameras as a safety measure, but has told his drivers to slow down, saying no one is above the law.