U.S. Rep. Clyburn (Gerrymandered Dem, SC) secures $25 million (in pork)

The Morning News (Florence, SC) ^ | Nov 26, 2004 | Not listed

[SC Swamp Fox]

U.S. Rep. Clyburn secures $25 million for area infrastructure improvements

The office of U.S. Rep. James E. Clyburn, D-SC, announced in a press release this week that Clyburn has secured more than $25 million for infrastructure and energy projects in the Sixth District.

“These projects range from providing for the basic needs of the Sixth Congressional District residents to improving economic engines for our state and enhancing cutting-age scientific education and research at our colleges and universities,” Clyburn stated in the release.

Clyburn received a $3 million appropriation for the Lake Marion Regional Water Agency. The $3 million is in addition to the $33 million in local, state and federal funding already allocated to the project.

Groundbreaking for the water agency is scheduled to take place in 2005 in Santee. The facility is planned to provide water and sewer to counties along the Interstate 95 corridor.

Clyburn’s office also announced that he secured $14 million for the Charleston Harbor; $3.4 million for the Georgetown Harbor and $3.3 million for operations and maintenance of the Cooper River. The funding is appropriated through the Army Corps of Engineers.

According to the release, Clyburn secured $1.5 million for the Savannah River Technology Center’s Southeast Universities Reactor Project. The project rejuvenates nuclear education in the United States by creating the first new university nuclear programs in twenty years. The project is a partnership between Westinghouse Savannah River Site, the University of South Carolina, and South Carolina State University.

The new nuclear program will conduct research using a reactor at the Savannah River Site.

In addition to the projects funded in other parts of the Sixth District, Clyburn’s office noted that the Williamsburg County Library would receive $50,000 for materials.

[SC Swamp Fox]

This......is my congressman. </shame>

[SC Swamp Fox]

From the article, which shamelessly quotes from his press release:<p?

Clyburn has secured...Clyburn received...he secured...Clyburn secured.

[snowsislander]

You can console yourself that Congressman Clyburn still hasn't reached the heights that Congressman John Jenrette and his wife Mrs. Rita Jenrette managed to.

[Dan from Michigan]

At least you only have one joker now that you got rid of Foghorn Leghorn. It could be worse. I'm stuck with Carl Lenin and Debbie Stabmenow in the Sinate.

[pete anderson]

Every Congressman, except Paul brings home the bacon and we pay the bills.

[SC Swamp Fox]

South Carolina Ping List

Add me to the ping list. Remove me from the ping list.

[pete anderson]

Does Pork that is brought home by Republican Congressmen taste any better?

[Drammach]

I don't see what you're ashamed of..

There's nothing frivolous or wasteful about water and sewer projects that covers a multi-county area, or for the maintenance of harbor facilities, or river facilities/marine shipping corridors..
They are all vital parts of a growing economy..

Even funding education and studies in nuclear energy is proper use of funding..

Just because your senator / congressman pulls federal money into the state's economy doesn't make it bad..

Now, if he were grabbing $20 mil for studying the sex habits of the South Carolina Fruit Bat, I'd be ashamed...

[SC Swamp Fox]

You have a good memory.

[visualops]

cutting-age scientific education

That 'cutting-age' edjamacashun shure werked four mee.

[SC Swamp Fox]

Every Congressman, except Paul brings home the bacon and we pay the bills.

...and we need to shine the light of day on the practice and speak out against it.

[SC Swamp Fox]

Federal funds for the harbor facilities might be justifiable, I believe the rest of it is pure pork.

I am wondering why South Carolina's best engineering school, Clemson University, was left out of the Southeast Universities Reactor Project. Could it be that Clemson is well outside of the 6th district?

[neb52]

A part of that $388 Billion Appropriations Bill was to fund the building of a moat around the Downtown area of Fort Worth, TX. Which essential is adding a southern route of the Trinity River, so that it creates a loop around downtown. The project to supposedly expanded the downtown area and revitalize the expanded area. As the logic goes, if the private sector is unwilling to invest/build in an area then what makes people think that government investing in the area will revitalize it. I think the government should of looked at the other failed City funded ventures in and around the downtown area first before buying into this project.

[Galactic Overlord-In-Chief]

I notice you say "gerrymandered Dem." I suspect that, because it's done to elect a black member of congress, that his district couldn't be tampered with even if the Republicans were able to?

[Drammach]

I have no doubt the congressman helps to fund the universities in his district, and would love to have them become as successfull as Clemson..
Indeed, it would be a feather in his cap if they were to become real "competition" for the title of South Carolina's most prestigious universities...
You just stated the obvious..
Clemson is well outside his district..
He gains no benefit from funding Clemson, but does gain political points for funding 6th district schools and universities..
He gains points from grateful universities, students, professors, alumni, district locals...

I have no idea what district Clemson is in, but funding for that school is the "responsibility" of that district's congressional representative and your senators..

My new Rep. is a LibSocialistDem of the worst kind, ( Emmanual Cleaver (D)... )
Kansas City MO has gotten one of America's worst enemies of the republic going to Washington..
He is virulently anti-gun, and the worst type of political oppurtunist.. And, a dyed in the wool yellow dog democrat.. ( and a rev-rund, to boot.. )
But I wouldn't spit on him for bringing that kind of money / prestige to the Kansas City MO area...
What we will probably end up with is some sort of United Nations Urban Center Status.. $30 mil for "diversification" projects and funding for mosques and such.. or welfare housing projects, or "self esteem" programs, or "midnight basketball", or... (see where I'm going? Your tax dollars went for something at least worth-while..)

I don't know if your Dem Rep is a total Liberal or moderate, or worse, but your complaints fall on deaf ears here..

Just thank God the money wasn't totally wasted on some sort of PC crap, and will actually help the district's economy..

[Hillarys Gate Cult]

Correct. In the continuing campaign to remove nationally embarrassing cartoon characters from Congress, he's one of the harder ones to get out of office due to his district being set up as favorable to only electing liberal Democrats.

[Drammach]

I was in Ft. Worth a couple of years ago.. Got lost on the interchange every day for 4 days straight.. Coming in and going out..
I went through some of those "blighted" areas trying to find my way onto the turnpike back to Dallas..
They were seriously in bad shape.. ( and when I say bad, I don't mean good, I mean stinkin' moldy, rotting unto death bad.. )

Something needed to be done with that area, and something drastic..
Like, scraping it down to bedrock and starting over..

I agree though, that Fed money, Fed Ideas, and Fed oversight will gain nothing, if the Local Community is not fully involved...
Maybe a nice City Park ?

[SC Swamp Fox]

I suspect that, because it's done to elect a black member of congress

Exactly. The 6th district snakes it's way through the state in such a way that it is just slightly majority black. This gives the democrats 2 seats in congress from SC where they would normally have only one if the districts were drawn for compactness or using logical geographic boundaries.

[Drammach]

The 6th district snakes it's way through the state in such a way that it is just slightly majority black

Does this explain the article's comment about the Interstate I-95 corridor ?
Does his district sort of follow the Interstate ?

[SC Swamp Fox]

I don't know if your Dem Rep is a total Liberal or moderate

Chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus. Member of the "Progressive" wing of the Democratic party.

You are right, this money may not be totally wasted, but the tone of the congressman's press release and the way the Florence Morning News simply reprinted it struck me as irksome.