Posted on 03/11/2010 6:20:13 PM PST by ButThreeLeftsDo
Pledges to rid Washington of pork barrel spending turned into a game of political football Thursday, with Minnesota Rep. John Kline championing the charge for a Republican Hail Mary.
House Republicans swore not to make any special requests for their districts in 2011 spending bills a day after House Democrats said they would reject any earmarks directed to for-profit corporations.
A tool for sending federal funds home, lawmakers have come to rely more and more on earmarks, hitting nearly 14,000 earmarks in 2005. Requests dipped a bit after that, but by last year they had ratcheted up to just under 12,000, bringing fresh criticism about unnecessary spending.
(Excerpt) Read more at startribune.com ...
As bad as earmarks are, I would trade “Government by Earmark” for a 10 or 20 % reduction in federal government payroll. Earmarks are spent locally, and then they stop. Government employment is forever.
As moonbatty as Minnesota is (and Eagan, which is in Kline’s district, has been drinking the Kool-Aid lately), it’s amazing that this state has two of the best conservatives in Congress. BTW, although not reported it seems that Kline is also being heavily targeted by the Dems. Fortunately past elections people have seen through the Dems subterfuge, starting in 2002 with that “third party” candidate on the “No New Taxes” ticket (who turned out to be a DFL operative, this was the year Kline won over incumbent Luther), and Coleen Rowley’s campaign photoshopping John Kline in an SS uniform instead of his USMC Dress Blues. That was the same campaign where he was attacked for his getting his degree from Rice University in Houston TX (contaminated by those dangerous Texas ideas, ya know Bush is from Texas - HATEBUSH ad infinitum ad nauseum), and the line that anyone with military background should not participate in the political process (I DID here that line in Moonbatapolis, however libs please explain the support for Murthacensored)
Good for Kline. That takes real conviction.
Contrast Ron Paul who asks for earmarks for his district and then votes against the bill, knowing it will pass easily anyway.
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