Posted on 11/09/2010 11:59:44 AM PST by FTJM
I’m surprised. The usual argument against anti-earmark measures is that they’re essentially meaningless, which is true: Earmarks are a tiny percentage of the annual federal budget, a vanishingly small fiscal burden to bear compared to, say, nondiscretionary spending. But the porky stench of pols funneling taxpayer money to their home districts to buy influence is so foul that stuff like this necessarily makes for fantastic retail politics. It’s basically a symbolic battle against waste, in other words, with DeMint wanting to signal to Republican voters that the new GOP is serious about spending and McConnell fretting that if they don’t keep the pork coming, voters will hold it against them in 2012. Given that we’re exactly one week removed from the election and endless GOP stump speeches about “learning our lesson,” it’s worth letting DeMint win this one, no?
While McConnell is not demanding that rank-and-file Republican senators vote against the earmark ban, he’s laying out his concerns that eliminating earmarks would effectively cede Congress’ spending authority to the White House while not making a real dent in the $1 trillion-plus budget deficit. And McConnell is signaling his concern about the awkward politics of the situation: even if the DeMint moratorium passes, Republican senators could push for earmarks, given that the plan is nonbinding and non-enforceable…
DeMint on Tuesday released a list of 10 other Republican senators who back his proposal, including Cornyn, Tom Coburn of Oklahoma, John Ensign of Nevada, Mike Enzi of Wyoming — along with Sens.-elect Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania, Marco Rubio of Florida, Rand Paul of Kentucky, Mike Lee of Utah, Ron Johnson of Wisconsin and Kelly Ayotte of New Hampshire…
(Excerpt) Read more at hotair.com ...
It’s always an uphill climb with the GATA (go along to get along) crowd in the way.
McConnell has got to go.
RINO’s are revolting
Ensign?
McConnell to voters: FU!
Classic RINO thinking - party before country.
McConnell is the weak link.
There’s much more to earmarks than any measurable dollars and cents sum.
Earmarks are at the heart of the congressional “good-old boy” network and senate “collegiality”. A congresscritter will hesitate to shoot down a bad bill being advanced by a colleague because (hidden in the billions of bad spending in the bill in question) will be an earmark. So said congresscritter will be encouraged to let it slide on the assumption that said colleague will help him or her out when he or she is pushing a monster bill of their own that has THEIR earmark in it.
So one hand washes the other and hideous, destructive, expensive laws are enacted because nobody on the Hill wants to miss out on laying up chits for favors in the future.
Question: An earmark is a specifically directed action ( expenditure) inserted in a bill. All bills must be passed by BOTH Houses of Congress, so since the new GOP controlled House will ban earmarks, why don’t they just announce that they will NOT pass ANY legislation from the Senate that contains an earmark..?
A couple weeks ago, I heard Cantor say that ear marks weren’t always bad. Yes, Eric, yes they are.
The professional politicians are alive and well in Washington D.C.
ObamaCrat strategy focused on people like McConnell: Give the stupid RINO’s in the GOP the ball and they’ll fumble it on their own one-yard line where the Dems recover and score easily in 2012.
If anyone wonders why democrats have turned into egotistical monsters take a look at Republican ‘moderates’.
The odor of weakness and surrender is overpowering.
I wouldn’t be surprised if we don’t hear about fist fights erupting between republican members.
ummm
I wouldn’t be surprised if we start hearing about fist fights erupting. Sheesh...discount my last post.
Earmarks is the Heroin of Poiticians. Time for the people to force them off cold turkey.
Pray for America
Even though I believe earmarks are minuscule to the problems of over spending and corruption, it’s at least a start I support 100%.
Mitch is a yes man RINO and if we let him, he will yet again squander the mandate the American people gave him last Tuesday.
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