Posted on 02/03/2008 10:04:54 AM PST by BurbankKarl
On Sept. 19, 2000, John McCain rose in the Senate to rail against what he called the "staggering" sums that the federal government planned to spend to help Salt Lake City stage the 2002 Winter Olympics.
"The American taxpayer is being shaken down to the tune of nearly a billion and a half dollars," McCain said.
The Arizona Republican vowed to "do everything in my power" to delay or kill "this pork-barrel spending" and to end the "fiscal abuse" related to the Olympics. "This is preposterous and it must stop," he said.
Mitt Romney, who headed the Olympics, counseled calm when reporters from Utah's Deseret Morning News reached him in Sydney, Australia. Romney challenged McCain's arithmetic, arguing that taxpayers would provide only $250 million. In any case, he asserted that he already had obtained backing in Congress.
"I'm expecting the funding we need to host the Games," he said. "I'm quite confident."
The clash over Olympics spending, which dragged on for two years, helps explain some of the acrimony that now characterizes the race between the two front-runners for the Republican presidential nomination. The dispute provided an early preview of the fissures that still divide McCain and Romney as they face what may be decisive contests Tuesday.
"It may be a source of the sniping between the two," said Quin Monson, assistant director of the Center for Elections and Democracy at Romney's alma mater, Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah. Kelly Patterson, the center's director, agreed: "People have long memories in politics."
(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...
“,...He says Romney is probably the best “businessman” in the USA. Works for me.)”
and it works for me tooo, Hawthorn!!!
No Rumsfeld, was the the one reforming the Pentagon from an antiquated institution to a modern force ready to take on a variety of challenges. He did a great job over the objections of leftover Pentagon officials and aged Senators. When the history is written of this era, it will show new and great capabilities and accomplishments in our modern force due to The Rumsfelt/Bush team.
The acrimony will be higher if Romney is indeed leading McCain in CA
Carbon Di? I thought that was bad for "the planet". So McCain doesn't even have that going for him.
No replies?? Just can't imagine that!
Chirp...chirp....
If McCain is so effective a legislator that he can actually create and pass unconstitutional legislation, then why is he unable to do a damn thing about spending?
There is a disconnect here.
I know! Dave Johnson only has two problems. He is married to that little blond reporter twerp and he never went out drinking with me.
I can't save him from Kim, but I could have given good advice.
Vote accordingly.
Only the senior ranking prisoner gets to decide who gets released if an early release is offered. Ordinarily the order of release would be based on those with severe injuries first, followed by the more able-bodied on a first-in, first-out basis.
There is little doubt McCain, with his injuries, probably would have qualified. However, it was not McCain's decision. That decision could only be made by the senior ranking prisoner.
McCain was smart about it. He did not directly refuse release. He said he would accept release as long as every Allied POW captured prior to him was released with him.
lol
Being against the Olympics is not going to win McCain any accolades. People LOVE the Olympics and it inspires a lot of young people to pursue excellence in physical achievement. Opposing spending on the Olympics is selfish.
Everyone just LOVES him!
Ok...
Here’s the video of Cramer talking about Romney:
Cramer actually calls Romney the best businessman in North America.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QoBKgmnVkrc
> Cramer actually calls Romney the best businessman in North America. <
Aha! Now we can be absolutely sure that Cramer has been bribed by Bain Capital — just like Paul Weyrich, James Bopp, Rush Limbaugh, Laura Ingraham, the Heritage Foundadtion, etc. etc.
LOL.
“Cramer actually calls Romney the best businessman in North America.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QoBKgmnVkrc “
excellent - thanks!!!
Whatever. Most of the Federal govt. money for the post 9/11 Olympic games were for anti-terror security. They had sepcial forces in the mountains watching the ski trails. And they had bomb squads all over the place. McCain's biggest brag (even in the debates) about cutting spending is stopping the funding of a 6 billion dollar military destroyer. (Anyone ask Reagen if he would've cut fuinding?). Plus he stood by while Clinton gutted the military. The more I learn about Keating 5 "War hero" McCain the more I realize he is like Murtha and Kerry. All talk and no substance.
Ever heard of the S & L scandal where McCain got caught with his hand in the cookie jar with 4 DEMS. THe govt. shelled out our taxes to the tune of 124.6 Billion. Cutting Spending My Arse
Keating Five From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
It came out that these senators had been beneficiaries of $1.3 million (collective total) in campaign contributions from Keating
Savings and Loan Crisis From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The ultimate cost of the crisis is estimated to have totaled around USD$160.1 billion, about $124.6 billion of which was directly paid for by the U.S. government
The Lincoln Savings led to the Keating five political scandal, in which five U.S. senators were implicated in an influence-peddling scheme
Re: the Clinton military cutbacks, that was about as bipartisan as it gets. There was no significant opposition to the early 90s defense cuts.
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