a turd by any other name...
Posted on 06/13/2007 4:59:31 PM PDT by DCJeanGrey
The more than 32,000 earmarks requested in the Homeland Security spending bill have roiled the House this week, and now Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D.-Calif.) wants the word ‘earmark’ to just go away.
In a Tuesday press conference about appropriation bills, Pelosi said, “Why don’t we leave here today forgetting the word earmark?” She said they should be called “legislative directives” instead.
Five months ago, Pelosi’s House passed a resolution to require that these “legislative directives” be listed within the texts of applicable legislation next to the names of members who requested them, and therefore available to the public. It was a part of the Democrats’ bevy of midterm campaign promises that vowed to “drain the swamp” of the “culture of corruption” on Capitol Hill and create “the most ethical Congress in history.”
House Appropriations Chairman Rep. David Obey (D.-Wisc.)said his staff was unable to print the earmarks into this year’s round of spending bills, however, because there were too many and it would take up too much of his staff’s time.
Subsequently, because the earmarks are not printed in the bill, members cannot challenge the earmarks before voting on the legislation.This prompted Republican Minority Leader John Boehner (Ohio), as he said Tuesday, to “declare war on our Democratic majority over these secret slush funds.”
Obey appeared at the Tuesday press conference with Pelosi and other Democratic leaders to talk about the spending bills being considered in the House.
There, I asked him if he was opposed to letting members contesting earmarks on the House floor.
He said “no” and that this would be the only year members would not be able to contest earmarks. He said his staff had been uncommonly burdened with the unfinished spending bills not passed by the previous Congress, the Iraq spending supplemental and investigations for “Republican shenanigans that occurred in the last Congress.”
“The fact is if we wanted to list those earmarks, it would take at least four weeks to get the job done, four weeks of staff work to put it together,” he said.
Obey denied implications that a larger staff would alleviate this problem.
“We don’t need more staff, we need more time,” Obey said.“We had unusual circumstances this time. For next year’s round I would fully expect to try to include them in the bill.”
It was at this point that Speaker Pelosi took back the podium and suggested that reporters forget the word “earmark.”
“This is legislative spending as opposed to executive spending,” she said. “And in the absence of legislative directives, you have appropriations bills that are totally dictated by the White House.”
She said “legislative directives” were a way for “members to come together, sometimes in a bipartisan way, to have the Congress of the United States determine what is in the appropriations instead of just leaving it up to the White House.”
Later, a senior Republican aide coyly said, “Maybe taxes can be re-termed ‘suggested government donations to avoid jail time’ or ‘mandated contributions for the common good.”
The White House threatened Wednesday to veto the $37.4billion Homeland Security funding bill because it contains a six percent spending increase and a mandate to ensure that those who work on federal projects receive a “prevailing wage.” The six percent increase will cost taxpayers $2.1 billion more than the President requested.
House Republicans are working in full force to combat the extra spending. Ranking Member of the House Rules Committee Rep. David Dreier (R.-Calif.) said Obey had become a “rallying point” for the GOP to unite against, while speaking to reporters before meeting with other Rules committee members to negotiate how to proceed on these bills.
Drier also said he has been approached by Democrats who believe Obey has stepped too far. “I think we are going to see concern from Democrats who regret what David Obey has done,” he said.
To stall debate on the bill, Republicans have introduced more than 100 “funding-limitation amendments” designed to prohibit spending on questionable items. For example, Republican Study Committee Chairman Rep. Jeb Hensarling (R.-Tex.) has introduced 73 amendments to block money from funding from things like yoga classes and puppet shows, as well as one to eliminate$300 million in state grants.
In a document circulated amongst reporters Wednesday,Boehner dismissed Obey’s claims that his staff did not have enough time to review the earmarks: “We’ve had plenty of time to look at these earmarks even if the new majority is looking to place blame elsewhere for their shortcomings. If my Democratic friends had spent less time trying to choke off funding for our troops in harm’s way, we could have gotten to these spending bills much sooner. Either way, there is no excuse for trying to shove slush funds for secret earmarks down our throats. Republicans won’t stand for it.”
I note you used capital letters, i.e. shouting.
I have to agree, and will join you!
NO MORE EARMARKS! NO LEGISLATIVE DIRECTIVES!!
GET THE CORRUPT DEMS OUT OF CONGRESS!!!
A pig is a pig. You can call it anything you like but its still a pig.
Earmarks legislative Directives, Bribes graft pay-offs, Its all the same thing
Being a Senator is a license to steal.
And its our money they are stealing.
The whole bunch belong in a jail somewhere not being treated as Royalty and having their butts kissed daily.
When were they ever challenged, prior to this?
How about we call them what they really are-—
PAYOFFS.....or BRIBES!
Homeland security budget should be .01. They do NOTHING. They only inconvenience citizens to make it appear as if they are doing something.
Yup - imagine what these reporters would do if Bush or any other Republican told them what to write!
The media only assumes such lapdog characteristics for Dems.
Calling a pig a rose doesn’t make it smell any better.
Get your red-hot euphemisms for sale at:
Pelosi Galore’s “Euphemisms Are Us” warehouse on Capitol Hill in DC. Just look for the dome.
bump
Bump for future sign ideas when we have to freep Pelosi, et al.
FReep On!
a turd by any other name...
So you are being ‘Anti-Semantic”? :-)
Bump to the top! The quote of the day.
The whole Homeland security bill has turned into a huge new way for the Democratic party to get more people on the gov payroll who then become THEIR voters, just as would National Health Care. What a mess this is going to be in the future.!!!
House Appropriations Chairman Rep. David Obey (D.-Wisc.)said his staff was unable to print the earmarks into this year’s round of spending bills, however, because there were too many and it would take up too much of his staff’s time.Too much trouble to list who they're giving our money away to, so just give it away without listing it.
How do they know how to give it to if it's not listed? Nevermind. I'm just a taxpayer. I have no right to know.
Too bad we don’t have a Republican President. If we did, he could make a real issue out of this.
I am not that on line sophisticated. It was not shouting, although I do sometimes feel like raising my voice.
It (my use of caps) was old fashioned outlining/underscoring/boldness of idea in bring attention to a specific thought.
I do not have the means to bold/ourline/underscore, etc., so CAPS it is.
Long live “Anti-Semanticism”
I need my glasses. Did you say “Calling a pig Rosie doesn’t make her smell any better?”
Who, the pig or Rosie?
Welcome to FR, Gideon.
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