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What Congress Did Is Disgusting
Real Clear Politics ^ | October 26, 2005 | John Stossel

Posted on 10/29/2005 11:26:41 PM PDT by Tom87

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To: SC Swamp Fox
It appears that there is no land route to the entire peninsula, the only way to get there is by ferry.

Where I come from, we call those islands...

Seriously, though, I can see no justification for this extraordinary expense. A new road off the PENINSULA to a new airport could probably be built cheaper. It is just another transfer of wealth...

61 posted on 10/30/2005 7:05:38 AM PST by pageonetoo (You'll spot their posts soon enough!)
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To: SC Swamp Fox

Then let the local or State Government pick up the tap.

Does not pass the General Welfare smell test if you ask me.


62 posted on 10/30/2005 7:08:38 AM PST by rollo tomasi (Working hard to pay for deadbeats and corrupt politicians.)
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To: rollo tomasi

tap=tab.


63 posted on 10/30/2005 7:09:16 AM PST by rollo tomasi (Working hard to pay for deadbeats and corrupt politicians.)
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To: blam
Reagan did the same thing. He ran the defecit up, won the cold war with it and then the Democrats had to raise taxes to pay it off.

LOL!!

The Dems never paid anything off...

That got a chuckle out of me...

64 posted on 10/30/2005 7:09:39 AM PST by Osage Orange (Hillary's heart is blacker than the devil's riding boots......................)
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To: CDHart

Ratified in 1913, Amendment XVII to our constitution provides for popular election of senators. Prior to that, senators were elected by the legislatures of the states. Ever since senators became subject to the popular vote, things have gone downhill.

YES! This is where we lost the Republic. Along with the XVI Amendment to the constitution, The Congress shall have power to lay and collect taxes on incomes.... Repeal of these two amendments would go a long way toward restoring the republic

TG


65 posted on 10/30/2005 7:13:01 AM PST by lapsi
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To: TigersEye
I miss the days of firing squads and keel hauling.

Or even the stocks, with a few baskets of rotting fruit.

Mark

66 posted on 10/30/2005 7:15:57 AM PST by MarkL (I didn't get to where I am today by worrying about what I'd feel like tomorrow!)
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To: bjcintennessee

ping


67 posted on 10/30/2005 7:17:55 AM PST by ImaTexan
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To: OldFriend
The bridge in Alaska will enable development.

Okay...I'll bite. Please enlighten me as to what type of development...? Is there a community plan? Has a make-use/feasibility...risk/reward study been done?

Can you direct me to any of this info?

I'm serious....I'd like to see it.

68 posted on 10/30/2005 7:18:13 AM PST by Osage Orange (Hillary's heart is blacker than the devil's riding boots......................)
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To: rightwingintelligentsia
Ted Stevens' childish tantrum on the Senate floor was an embarrassment to Republicans.

It was an embarassment to the Senate and the spend, spend, spend culture in Washington. At least Coburn and a few others bravely put this amendment up. Stevens's reaction tells everyone exactly how ridiculous the overspending is -- he couldn't stand on logic and reason, could he?

69 posted on 10/30/2005 7:18:25 AM PST by You Dirty Rats
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To: Tom87; GatorGirl; maryz; afraidfortherepublic; Antoninus; Aquinasfan; livius; goldenstategirl; ...

Morality in government ping.


70 posted on 10/30/2005 7:19:52 AM PST by narses (St Thomas says “lex injusta non obligat”)
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To: liliesgrandpa
He did not have line idem veto.

Neither does Bush.

71 posted on 10/30/2005 7:27:27 AM PST by Harmless Teddy Bear (I am only an evil INTERN. I am still learning.)
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To: pageonetoo
there is no land route to the entire peninsula,
What I meant when I wrote that was that there are no roads through the mountains in the upper portion of the peninsula. On closer inspection, what I thought was a peninsula actually is another island.

It is just another transfer of wealth...
Agreed. If it's important, let the State and local governments build it and pay for it.

72 posted on 10/30/2005 7:31:05 AM PST by SC Swamp Fox (Aim small, miss small.)
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To: The Red Zone
Why would Alaska want the dough spent on a bridge, which they can't eat, which can't care for their illnesses, which won't educate them?

Large construction contractors whose most notable achievement lately has been the construction of large campaign donations?

73 posted on 10/30/2005 7:31:17 AM PST by hinckley buzzard
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To: Tom87

I like Stossel. Since he understands freedom more than most, it's an anomaly that he appears on national TV.


74 posted on 10/30/2005 7:33:36 AM PST by Sam Cree (absolute reality - Miami)
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To: Ruth C
None of your four proposals would solve the spending problem if the spending is for pork.

The problem is that the few people who benefit from port are affected greatly in a positive way while the many whose taxes are increased a little bit on each piece of pork don't notice the incremental affect.

The Constitution was designed to protect us from this with the tenth amendment.

It is the Supreme Court, particularly when they started claiming the Interstate Commerce clause applies to anything done anywhere, that has allowed Congress to spend like drunken sailors.

My suggestion: give money to folks like the Cato Institute that will shine a bright light on the most egregious cases. However, if the economy does not grow faster than the politicians spend our grandchildren will be poorer than our children and our children poorer than us.
75 posted on 10/30/2005 7:46:11 AM PST by cgbg (Boxer and Feinstein confuse the constitution with Mao's Little Red Book.)
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To: pageonetoo
" I don't know of any towns in AK that don't have enough space..."

I live in AK and I have the exact water and sewerage system you displayed. Only thing is you didn't show the well being at least 100 feet from the septic system. Funny thing is even though the Bourough does not provide my water and sewerage I still have to pay them about $400/month for their valuable services. I also don't get police protection or garbage collection for that. I kind of like having a well, I will always have water in a catastophy. BTW the cost of my well and septic was aroung 12K and is more now due to costs of steel.

76 posted on 10/30/2005 7:51:02 AM PST by strongbow
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To: Hank Rearden
Wow. A whole 15 votes to kill a totally-useless bridge

Well, it's a start. 36 more like them and we'll have a majority. I hope you notice that all 45 crats voted against Coburn's amendment.

What's your solution? Start a brand new party in all 50 states and try to build name recognition? Good luck. Maybe you'll be where the Libertarian party is in 50 years.

77 posted on 10/30/2005 8:04:16 AM PST by metalurgist (Death to the democrats! They're almost the same as communists, they just move a little slower.)
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To: Osage Orange

See post #52


78 posted on 10/30/2005 8:05:02 AM PST by OldFriend (Fitzgerald is a Lawrence Walsh wannabe)
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To: cgbg
I would like to revise and extend my remarks. :-)

There is one lesser known government program that has exposed this issue perfectly.

It is called the Section 811 program. It provides funding to build housing for poor disabled people and subsidizes their rents. I believe it was created during the Bush Sr. administration.

W put zero dollars in the 2006 budget--he wanted to eliminate the program.

Both the Republican House and Senate have put all the money back into the budget, thumbing their noses at the White House.

Why?

Because they are evil people who love spending?

No.

The answer lies in the socialist's brilliant design of this program.

Funds are allocated by state, and each Congresscritter gets to announce these grants in their local area.

The beneficiaries are construction contractors, subcontractors, architects, lawyers, surveyors, etc.

However, the biggest beneficiaries often are very wealthy people who have disabled offspring.

Often these disabled young adults have to live with their parents because they have minimal income. They are difficult to control and (whether the parents will admit it or not) significantly reduce the quality of life in the family household.

Wealthy parents of disabled young adults have formed powerful lobbying groups and they contribute heavily to both parties.

They represent a very small part of an area's population but on this one issue they are determined, mobilized, active and won't accept "no" for an answer. Many know their Congressman or Senator personally from years of lobbying on this issue. They can (and have in the past) sent disabled people in wheelchairs to testify before Congress how this program made their lives worthwhile, etc.

The parents, meanwhile, have a great deal and they have no intention of letting taxpayers off the hook.

Multiply this one program ten thousand times and you can see why domestic spending will not be controlled by either party.
79 posted on 10/30/2005 8:11:04 AM PST by cgbg (Boxer and Feinstein confuse the constitution with Mao's Little Red Book.)
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To: pageonetoo
I assume you've never flown into, or out of, Charleston, WV...

I haven't flown into that particular airport, but I have flown in to others in the area. I think this particular region of Alaska makes VW look down-right flat.

For reference, the airport runway is about a mile long.

80 posted on 10/30/2005 8:15:31 AM PST by SC Swamp Fox (Aim small, miss small.)
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