Topic: Government Accountability
It's Pork for Easter Dinner! It was late but that didn't stop 71 of our Senators from insuring they could continue to feed at the trough!by Gary Wood
(conservative libertarian)
Friday, March 14, 2008
Do you think our oligarchy in the Senate cares about what the people want? Do you think they care if the three top Presidential candidates vote to cut pork barrel spending?
Last night 71 of them were too busy feeding at the trough to look up and see anyone who may disagree with the practice. In an attempt to put a moratorium on earmarks a vote was held just before they all left for their...are you ready...Easter Vacation. We know they work too hard and need a vacation now but this Easter pork will be the meal of choice for these wonderful representatives of the people who forgot a little thing called their oath of office.
Is your Senator among the bottom-feeders? Check and see (both of mine are scarfing down proudly!)
Bennett (R-UT) $296.1 million 202/224-5444 Bond (R-MO) $529.9 million 202/224-5721 Brownback (R-KS) $365.6 million 202/224-6521 Bunning (R-KY) $23.7 million 202/224-4343 Cochran (R-MS) $977.7 million 202/224-5054 Coleman (R-MN) $231.9 million 202/224-5641 Collins (R-ME) $137.8 million 202/224-2523 Craig (R-ID) $150.2 million 202/224-2752 Crapo (R-ID) $150.5 million 202/224-6142 Domenici (R-NM) $600.0 million 202/224-6621 Gregg (R-NH) $93.9 million 202/224-3324 Hagel (R-NE) $102.0 million 202/224-4224 Hatch (R-UT) $241.7 million 202/224-5251 Hutchison (R-TX) $839.2 million 202/224-5922 Lugar (R-IN) $146.4 million 202/224-4814 Murkowski (R-AK) $63.8 million 202/224-6665 Roberts (R-KS) $333.0 million 202/224-4774 Shelby (R-AL) $635.1 million 202/224-5744 Smith (R-OR) $273.0 million 202/224-3753 Snowe (R-ME) $126.5 million 202/224-5344 Specter (R-PA) $404.4 million 202/224-4254 Stevens (R-AK) $524.5 million 202/224-3004 Vitter (R-LA) $386.8 million 202/224-4623 Voinovich (R-OH) $170.6 million 202/224-3353 Warner (R-VA) $702.2 million 202/224-2023 Wicker (R-MS) (totals unavailable) 202/224-6253
Don't worry, if your Senator is listed you can rest comfortable they're protecting their right to gobble up all the dollars they can. Forget demanding an end to the practice. Forget demanding a return to the daze when States could simply use their money without having to beg Uncle Sam for some of it back. Forget the history or the true meaning behind what the Senate and our Federal government were suppose to do. Forget the oath of office where each of these 71 swore to uphold the Constitution against enemies both foreign and domestic!
You want CHANGE??? They can't handle change...now stand back so you don't get trampled as they scamper back to their States with dollars earmarked for re-election's propaganda war...see all they do for you...vote for them to return to their store!
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The views expressed in this
article are those of Gary Wood only and do not represent
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One thing of note, is that everyone on that list is Republican. But I digress.
Congressional spending, or earmarking, is not pork barrel spending. It doesn't matter how much Congress earmarks because the tax payers will never directly see that that money outside of what their reps earmark for their district or state. Am I wrong to think that congressional earmarks are, in fact, one of the only indrect ways the tax payer sees any returns?
Now I disagree with the system of earmarking, and that all congressional spending should be put up to a monthly or bi-monthly vote instead. The system of including congressional spending in resolutions or bills is improperly done, for sure. But the idea that it is 'pork' spending is simply false.
You make a valid point, earmarking is not all pork spending. However, the whole system allows for pork spending. The actual way, IMHO, to properly do things is to have each piece of legislation stand on its own merit. Another way would be to reduce the Federal Government to the proper Constitutional levels and quit taking the money from the States only to drive the need for reps to then request funds be returned through earmarks. We won't likely see that in our grandchildren's lifetime but each request standing on its own is something we could demand. The entire earmark system needs to be dismantled and the moratorium was at least a step in the right direction.
While the moratorium might be a step in the right direction when it comes to reform in the congressional spending; it would be ultimately, proven useless in reforming the federal budget. A budget that will see the largest tax increase in our nations history and make this 20 year old, college kid a little bit more dependent on his government.
Now excuse me, I'm going to go play Super Mario 3 and remember the good old days when I was ignorant.
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