Posted on 08/28/2008 12:11:49 PM PDT by mnehring
SWINE AND CHEESE Young, Paul (inset)
With the votes from Alaska's Tuesday primary still being counted, pork-barrel heathen Don Young is hanging by a thread to the congressional seat he has held since 1973. If the Bridge to Nowhere lawmaker ends up pulling this thing off, looks like Ron Paul could be the guy to blame, owing to his late endorsement of his House colleague, at least according to the guys over at Reason.
At first blush, this endorsement wouldn't seem to make much sense since Paul is supposedly a rare exemplar of ideological purity (along with Li'l D, of course), while Young is well-known on the Hill for his weak intellect and his willingness to support anything just so long as it jawbones taxpayer funds into Alaska or (allegedly) into projects which will enrich his campaign donors.
But conservative activist and longtime Paul supporter Richard Viguerie believes he's discerned the sinister motives lurking behind the Internet hero's endorsement of a "world class porker." He notes Paul's lengthy list of earmark requests this year and the fact that "Young is extremely influential on congressional pork." This could be a compelling thesis if Young was in fact "extremely influential on congressional pork." But he's not.
Young stopped getting invitations to earmark parties when he lost his transportation panel chairmanship in early 2007, and is now the top Republican of the House Natural Resources Committee, a low-power panel which has no direct sway over any of the earmarks Paul is seeking. In fact, given that Republicans on the Hill are now in the minority and are largely hoping that Young gets his loutish ass beat so they don't have to deal with him anymore, you might have a hard time finding a less influential Republican these days. So there's either some other Byzantine personal or political reason behind Paul's endorsement, or he's yet to figure out whose ass you're supposed to kiss when seeking earmarks. It's these guys, Dr. No.
I am still shocked Ted Stevens won his primary.
Paul's endorsement (see Reason link) says he supports Don Young because he stands up to "enviornmental extremism" and because Young supports Paul's proposal to repeal the income tax.
Plus I wouldn't be shocked if they're close acquaintances.
I was very surprised that the Alaska GOP once again nominated the indicted Bride to Nowhere Senator.
Why even Democrats in New Orleans will have the sense to kick out William Jefferson in the upcoming primary.
You anti-Ron people are losing your conservative view. Check yourself against what you believe, not what the two democrats running this year have to offer.
Glad to see that Pork is redefined as a ‘conservative view’.. The apologists will resort to anything to defend the guy.
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