Republicans Stand Firm on Earmarks

[Bonestorm]

Yep, they still love 'em:

According to an analysis by the nonpartisan Taxpayers for Common Sense, Mississippi has won the earmark contest in the omnibus budget package.

Mississippi Republican Sen. Thad Cochran led his colleagues by raking in more than $470 million in 204 earmarks. Mississippi’s junior Republican, Roger Wicker, pulled in more than $390 million. The totals can’t be added together because the figure includes earmarks each received solo and with others, so the same earmark could be in both senators’ column. Cochran, on his own, pulled in roughly $76 million and Wicker brought home $4 million.

Cochran’s $76 million ranks him sixth among solo earmarkers. (Earmarks can be requested individually, with other members of Congress or along with the president.)

Senate Democrats and Republican ate roughly the same amount from the government trough on a solo basis, although Democrats have one and half times as many members. Democratic members secured about $677 million in individual earmarks; Republicans brought home $669 million. Those solo figures, however, don’t tell the entire story, because about six billion more was requested by groups of lawmakers

Personally, I don't give a shit about earmarks, but I take issue with those that pretend to hate earmarks and scream about fiscal conservatism doing their best to get theirs.


http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/0..._n_171186.html

[evince]

One and a half times as many members.

Who is at the so called trough?

I think this pretty much shows what lying sacks of shit the remaining Rs are.

[SmarterthanYou]

thoroughly disgusted.

[evince]

Heres a clue you fool, the dems wrote a package that helped EVERYONE, your guys bellied up to the bar and then voted against what they knew would pass anyway. Then they went home and bragged about what they brought home.

That is your leaders, they are not much better than Rush huh?

[SmarterthanYou]

Heres a clue you fool, the dems wrote a package that helped EVERYONE, your guys bellied up to the bar and then voted against what they knew would pass anyway. Then they went home and bragged about what they brought home.

That is your leaders, they are not much better than Rush huh?

nor are they better than any of the dems.

you still don't get it, do you? I've been on here slamming both dems and reps for the foolish earmark and pork project spending, yet you can't seem to pull your lips away from the kool aid dispenser long enough to hear the truth.

it's alright though, i'll just wait for the next waco or murrah building.

[Damocles]

Heres a clue you fool, the dems wrote a package that helped EVERYONE, your guys bellied up to the bar and then voted against what they knew would pass anyway. Then they went home and bragged about what they brought home.

That is your leaders, they are not much better than Rush huh?

I wish the Ds could have done their job and brought some of this home. Colorado is a net payer rather than a net beneficiary of this generational mortgage we've passed into law.

[Timshel]

Who cares? Earmarks is a stupid issue.

[Bonestorm]

Who cares? Earmarks is a stupid issue.

Agreed. It makes me laugh though.

[Epicurus]

The earmarks issue is how the Republicans keep the moderate fiscal conservatives in line. They act like earmarks are a big deal, and parade everytime they get one removed. But they spend the money on something else anyway.

[Obfuscate]

Earmarks are a big deal because they help pass laws that have no buisness being passed.

[FUCK THE POLICE]

Earmarks are a big deal because they help pass laws that have no buisness being passed.

Earmarks aren't secret legislation. Earmarks are the legislature giving special directions to the executive on how to spend cash. Eliminating earmarks would vastly increase executive power.

[Bonestorm]

Earmarks are a big deal because they help pass laws that have no buisness being passed.

I'll trade you earmarks for the filibuster.

[KingCondanomation]

Dung, the president of your own source (Taxpayers for Common Sense) believes earmarks are a bad thing and here is why:

"Why Earmarks Matter
by Ryan Alexander, President of Taxpayers for Common Sense

At Taxpayers for Common Sense, we believe that the impact of earmarks is greater than the billions of dollars they cost the federal treasury. With a federal budget close to $3 trillion, we know that earmarks are not the only source of government waste. But the earmarking process is a breakdown in democratic decision-making in the Congress. We are putting the unprecedented amount of power to direct billions of dollars of projects in the hands of very small group of legislators and lobbyists. The all-consuming chase for earmarks distracts Congress and takes time away from important policy debates.

This year alone, there were more than 30,000 requests for earmarks in the House of Representatives – all of which had to be reviewed by staff on the Appropriations Committee. That’s a tremendous amount of effort and time to bring $100,000 for a theater renovation or $150,000 for Robotics Training Equipment at a local community college to a local congressional district. Don’t get me wrong, these and other projects may deserve federal support, but most of us don’t get a chance to ask why these projects are better than others or why they should be funded first before other projects. The lack of a competitive or a meritorious process means that projects may be ignored in favor of those backed by the politically powerful.

When so much time and resources spent deciding which project gets $100,000 or $1 million, we divert the Congress’ attention from the major policy debates that should be guiding congressional debate. How do we address the growing federal budget deficit? How can we ensure excellence and accountability in defense spending? Are we spending more money to have private contractors do the work we used to complete with government workers?

But, possibly the worst thing about earmarks is that they have become the currency of corruption. Also, this decade of rapid growth of earmarks coincided with one of the most lax periods of Congressional oversight of the federal government. This lax scrutiny makes earmarks ripe for abuse.

What can you do to help reign in earmarking? Demand better information, and more accountability from your elected officials. An informed constituent is a powerful force. Work with Taxpayers for Common Sense to bring earmarks out of the shadows of the Congress and into the public light. TCS has been tracking all that information and pulling it together into searchable databases available to the public on our Web site. See what your member of Congress is up to.

Also, ask your lawmaker to disclose all of the earmark requests they are making. We are only able to track the successful requests, but there are tens of thousands of requests that are unknown. If a member of Congress is willing to sign on the dotted line asking for federal funding, the public should be able to know that.

Finally, after reviewing all the information, tell them what you think. And tell us what you think, too.

When one of his earmarks was challenged recently, Rep. Don Young (R-AK) complained that people were trying to take “my money.” That’s how earmarks have twisted things in Washington. It’s our money, it’s our government. Work with Taxpayers for Common Sense to make the budget more transparent and more accountable to taxpayers."
http://www.pbs.org/moyers/journal/bl..._matter_1.html

[Bonestorm]

Dung, the president of your own source (Taxpayers for Common Sense) believes earmarks are a bad thing and here is why:

"Why Earmarks Matter
by Ryan Alexander, President of Taxpayers for Common Sense

At Taxpayers for Common Sense, we believe that the impact of earmarks is greater than the billions of dollars they cost the federal treasury. With a federal budget close to $3 trillion, we know that earmarks are not the only source of government waste. But the earmarking process is a breakdown in democratic decision-making in the Congress. We are putting the unprecedented amount of power to direct billions of dollars of projects in the hands of very small group of legislators and lobbyists. The all-consuming chase for earmarks distracts Congress and takes time away from important policy debates.

This year alone, there were more than 30,000 requests for earmarks in the House of Representatives – all of which had to be reviewed by staff on the Appropriations Committee. That’s a tremendous amount of effort and time to bring $100,000 for a theater renovation or $150,000 for Robotics Training Equipment at a local community college to a local congressional district. Don’t get me wrong, these and other projects may deserve federal support, but most of us don’t get a chance to ask why these projects are better than others or why they should be funded first before other projects. The lack of a competitive or a meritorious process means that projects may be ignored in favor of those backed by the politically powerful.

When so much time and resources spent deciding which project gets $100,000 or $1 million, we divert the Congress’ attention from the major policy debates that should be guiding congressional debate. How do we address the growing federal budget deficit? How can we ensure excellence and accountability in defense spending? Are we spending more money to have private contractors do the work we used to complete with government workers?

But, possibly the worst thing about earmarks is that they have become the currency of corruption. Also, this decade of rapid growth of earmarks coincided with one of the most lax periods of Congressional oversight of the federal government. This lax scrutiny makes earmarks ripe for abuse.

What can you do to help reign in earmarking? Demand better information, and more accountability from your elected officials. An informed constituent is a powerful force. Work with Taxpayers for Common Sense to bring earmarks out of the shadows of the Congress and into the public light. TCS has been tracking all that information and pulling it together into searchable databases available to the public on our Web site. See what your member of Congress is up to.

Also, ask your lawmaker to disclose all of the earmark requests they are making. We are only able to track the successful requests, but there are tens of thousands of requests that are unknown. If a member of Congress is willing to sign on the dotted line asking for federal funding, the public should be able to know that.

Finally, after reviewing all the information, tell them what you think. And tell us what you think, too.

When one of his earmarks was challenged recently, Rep. Don Young (R-AK) complained that people were trying to take “my money.” That’s how earmarks have twisted things in Washington. It’s our money, it’s our government. Work with Taxpayers for Common Sense to make the budget more transparent and more accountable to taxpayers."
http://www.pbs.org/moyers/journal/bl..._matter_1.html

I understand why some people think they are an evil thing but it isn't that big a deal to me.

As for the concerns raised in this article, many of them have already been addressed. That's why Taxpayers for Common Sense is able to put together this list. The public knows who requested what earmarks and how much they've requested.

[Minister of Truth]

People should oppose earmarks on principle, as a matter of honor and proper conduct, regardless of how one feels about their impact on the system.