Posted on 09/23/2008 7:09:22 AM PDT by CedarDave
Link to Drudge Headline: Dems write $500 billion spending bill -- in secret...
SF Chronicle Headline: Pentagon budget, disaster aid set to advance
Congress is scrambling to pass the Pentagon budget, aid for flood and hurricane victims and $25 billion in loans for Detroit automakers in a late-session burst of activity that's flying under the radar compared with efforts to bail out Wall Street.
~~snip~~
A stopgap bill must pass to avoid a government shutdown, so Democrats are viewing it as a locomotive to pull past a skeptical White House measures such as the automaker loan and a doubling of home heating subsidies for the poor.
~~snip~~
Details of the emerging legislation remain secret, but its outlines have come out in interviews with aides to both the House and Senate Appropriations committees, as well as aides to top House and Senate leaders.
The legislation is coming together in a remarkably secretive process in which decisions are concentrated in the hands of just a few lawmakers such as House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and House Appropriations Committee Chairman David Obey, D-Wis.
The unusual process means thousands of lawmakers' pet projects of the very sort blasted by GOP presidential nominee John McCain on the campaign trail would escape scrutiny, including up to $5 billion worth of such "earmarks" in the defense budget alone.
Congressional leaders hope to pass the budget legislation this week, but several issues remained undecided Monday. For starters, it wasn't clear how much the White House would be willing to accept.
Bush has threatened to veto bills that don't cut the number and cost of earmarks in half or cause agency operating budgets, taken together, to exceed his request.
(Excerpt) Read more at sfgate.com ...
"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus
Well, it’s not a secret anymore. :)
Yep. He better hope he still has some friends in the Senate (and House) who can fill him in on the details of rat shenanigans. There should be ample ammunition. Rats will be rats.
Of course, this presumes that the Republicans aren't greedily jamming both fists into the cookie jar as well.....
The RATS bottles of MadDog (Spending) fell and broke on some public bathroom floor, and yet they are so addicted, and have so little shame, that they are trying to lick it off the floor in plain view of all. SICK, DEPRAVED ADDICTS!
*ping*
Welcome to the United Socialist States of America, this bill needs to be stopped. It is totally wrong.
In one move we have nationalized three large companies.
What’s next ‘Big Oil’?
Your family business?
McCain had better make a major issue out of this. And GW had better VETO a pork-filled defense spending bill.
And I WANT to see the government shut down! Make this a huge campaign issue across the ballot.
And I just cannot for the life of me figure out why the liberals prefer “home heating subsidies” over just making heating more affordable for everyone by DRILLING HERE,DRILLING NOW, and REFINING NOW!
I agree, the Dems are their own worst enemies, this is a huge example of their reckless spending and anandonment of issues important - like drilling.
McCain, Palin and any GOP candidate for Congress need to always refer to it as “DEMONRAT CONTROLLED CONGRESS”. It needs to be hit and hit hard. They are out of control and a danger to our Republic. Now add the chance of an Obama presidency and God help us all. That has Armageddon written all over it. It needs to be an issue and people need to be reminded they are a large part of the blame and we do not need more of it.
The DEMS are a sitting duck and McWhatshisname can’t take the shot.
I'll bet you can figure it out pretty easily. The liberal mind always prefers redistribution of wealth to creation of wealth.
So do I and millions of other Americans.
What to do? Stop giving them money. Tell them we are refusing to file income tax returns, we will not be sending them anymore of our money!!
Eff them!!!
In other words, a drilling ban is buried in this bill but the AP article won't mention that directly.
PENCE URGES HOUSE REPUBLICANS TO OPPOSE BAILOUT PLAN
Gingrich: Before D.C. Gets Our Money, It Owes Us Some Answers .
Now I am going to call the White House. I urge everyone who opposes this plan to do the same.
Please hit it out of the PARK
I think if you all shared this with everybody - Obama would be down by 10 ...
This crisis is rason #1 to vote AGAINST OBAMA.
He is as wrong on this as he was on Iraq.
The Democrats caused this mess:
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601039&refer=columnist_hassett&sid=aSKSoiNbnQY0
BOHICA.
The White House didn’t seem to understand why I was asking the President to stop supporting a plan he is supporting.
Well,
another man’s pork is another man’s prime rib.
Here is the issue: Congress taxes, and then they decide where it is going to be spent. What is wrong with your state senator and rep. trying to bring that back home? That’s their job is it not? My senator is one of the best in turning down, and fighting pork, Sen. Coburn. Problem is, my state citizens’ taxes are going to other states, and you may feel the same way about your state. I believe that we shouldn’t be going into debt to pay for federal services. either we have the money or we don’t.
Why not only tax to fund efficient federal govt, and then whatever remains, that portion would then go back to the states for specific programs related to that state? For instance, if Oklahoma has 1 billion dollars available by federal govt for disbursement, then that is all the money that the oklahoma congressmen can prioritize for programs. If they want to be stupid and fund a bridge to nowhere, then we would through them out.
Another thing, congress does not need to meet in D.C. Besides, much debate only really honing oratory skills in an empty room. These guys and gals can stay home and vote by email or teleconference. The necessity of direct, personal debate is way over-rated, and this will make a possible direct terrorist attack less effective.
"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus
Ping.
That, or a translator was needed. What a mess.
This fiasco was engineered by the democrats.. they planned it for 6 weeks before the election. They wanted a National Emergency at this time. The timing couldn’t be better.
Its not an emergency though. The financial system is continuing to function while Congress is negotiating the bill in secret. The fact Democrats are loading up the “Emergency Bailout” bill with all this unnecessary spending, proves we don’t have an emergency.
Its socialism pure and simple.
President Bush needs to veto this bill and then name names.
Fine, I’d like to see 10 or 20 plans coming out before a vote ...
Not familiar with that acronym.
Bend
Over
Here
It
Comes
Again
[And I just cannot for the life of me figure out why the liberals prefer “home heating subsidies” over just making heating more affordable for everyone by DRILLING HERE,DRILLING NOW, and REFINING NOW!]
They want more Gov’t dependents. Those are their voters. I can hear it now, “The Republicans want you to freeze this winter!”
Rats in Congress scrambling to pass the Pentagon budget, aid for flood and hurricane victims and $25 billion in loans for Detroit automakers in a late-session burst of activity that's flying under the radar compared with efforts to bail out Wall Street..
You are correct, but it has turned into a game of who can bring home the most pork. New Mexico for years has been a beneficiary of this due to our having senior senators as chair or vice chairs in Congress. And projects like water or sewer for poor communities would be part of a national bill for these types of project. But my understanding is a lot of these are tacked on at the last minute in a feeding frenzy before voting and not subject to any type of cost-benefit analysis.
You are correct, but it has turned into a game of who can bring home the most pork. New Mexico for years has been a beneficiary of this due to our having senior senators as chair or vice chairs in Congress. And projects like water or sewer for poor communities would be part of a national bill for these types of project. But my understanding is a lot of these are tacked on at the last minute in a feeding frenzy before voting and not subject to any type of cost-benefit analysis.
every day Congress is in session is bad for America.
It would be great if they would break right now and go on an extended fall break.
Our government is hell-bent on self-immolation.
Expecting McCain to deliver the coup de grâce on the greedy corrupt and crippled Democrats, would be like asking him to shoot his most loyal backers.
Expecting McCain to deliver the coup de grâce on the greedy corrupt and crippled Democrats, would be like asking him to shoot his most loyal backers.
Unfortunately it takes more than millions to be in the majority. Ask Hillary. I think a government shut down would repeat the results of the one in 1998 and cost us the election. I think it is much more important to put together a plan that stresses Free Market principles. I think this would be a great time for McCain to be talking to Mitt Romney.
They want to use the Fannie Mae bail out to give their constituents free houses. Then they can use this new bill to make us pay for their constituents' home heating bills. They're probably tying language to their automaker bail out that forces automakers to extend high-risk, no interest loans to that same constituency. A chicken in every pot? HA! How about a free house, free car and no utilitiy bills for the "disadvantaged"?
While I realize that your post has a touch of humor and sarcasm - it is actually right on target. This has been the liberal election battle cry for a very long time.
Republicans will cut your social security
Republicans will cut your medicare
Republicans will take away your food stamps
Republicans want your children to starve
Republicans will take away....
That isn't a danger any more - Republicans are just as big government as the Democrats. They try to out-pander and out "give" the libs...
I notice another article posted in the last few minutes about higher gas prices pushing consumers away from oil. You can guarantee that is EXACTLY what the liberals want. By holding up any truly significant drilling and refining, they are making certain that the prices continue to go up - and for us to grow even more dependent on foreign powers.
But what could be one of they biggest hypocritical positions the libs have taken - they claim to be for the poor and downtrodden - the less fortunate - the "have nots".... yet who will be most damaged by higher fuel prices? Even more - who will be able to afford any new technology vehicles? It won't be the poor that the Dems claim to be the champions of. So the folks who can least afford it will be stuck paying high fuel prices - while those who have money and resources will be the ones migrating to alternatives... and then will be stuck paying for another Robin Hood scheme so the "poor" folks can have the new technology too....
It is a never-ending cycle.
Might work for those of us who are "self employed", but for the millions of average Americans - the money is already deducted from their pay check (and often more than the eventual tax liability). The Government gets free use of YOUR money without paying you a cent in interest. By not filing a return, the government gets to use your money they already have even longer.
Personally - I would prefer that witholding of taxes (all of them - SS, Medicare, Fed, State, Local, etc.) be made illegal. Make each person actually file a tax return with a check for their total taxes due each year (or even each month). I guarantee there would be a taxpayer revolt bigger than the Boston Tea Party. Even people who do their own taxes don't really look at how much tax they actually paid - they just look at how much they still owe (usually a very small percent of the total taxes paid), or how much they are getting back.
If taxpayers had to actually PAY their tax liability each month or year - they would suddenly be really interested in how that money is spent - and would then have a vested interest in seeing true government reform. 60% of Americans pay taxes - that is more than just a majority.
>>The Democrats want to grow government”
The republicans have done a great job all on their own. Hell a billion here, a billion there...what the heck.
They are already saturated in gas, now it’s all a matter of struggling to light the match.
Secret legislation! Don’t you just love it?
Big Lending. Just imagine what it’s going to be like trying to get a mortgage in about 5-6 years’ time. You will have to identify yourself and your history within an inch of every move you’ve ever made of your life, then wait for some federal government bureaucrat’s approval before you can buy a house and move.
No I think if you are “The Poor” they will just give you the house.
You are correct.
No more last minute frenzy without lengthy deliberations.
No more getting more federal money than your state put in.
Research funding is a little different animal because only certain facilities have the capabilities, while others do not. But if your senators want a 100 million dollar research funding, well that’s 100 million dollars less highway funding. Otherwise, supplement it with state funds.
So, that would end the pork. The only pork that a state would get is bad decisions by their congressional members on what projects their federal funding should be.
some items that would be exempt: social security, medicaid, federal highways, defense weaponry specific to geographic areas.
Maybe so. I don’t plan on being counted in that category, but one never knows.
I do feel like an utter chump for living within my means the last 5+ years, so maybe you’re on to something.
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