Earmarks Don't Add Up [Ron Paul]

U.S. Rep. Ron Paul, R-Texas, 14th District ^ | 2009-03-16

[takenoprisoner]

IBTLT

In before the looney tunes trademark.

[Allegra]

The real issue is that the overall budget is too big, by far, which is why I always vote against it. But attacking the 1 percent that was earmarked solves nothing. The whole issue is a distraction from the real problems we face, which are that the Federal Government will absorb over 1/3 of our country’s GDP this year and taxpayers are forced to fork over more than half their income to fund government at all levels. On top of that, the national debt is $11 trillion, which is $36,000 per citizen. The recent increases in bailouts, government spending and money creation is going to hobble our economy for decades. We must curb the government’s appetite severely if this country is ever to thrive again.

I agree with Paul on this one.

[gargoyle]

...Unfortunate, but true. Best thing folks can do is ignore them...

...Someday, I’ll follow my own advise...

[gargoyle]

...If it is within the powers of Congress, Section 8, which paragraph specifically states this. My guess is 3, but can someone help me out???

[djsherin]

Are you referring to the constitutionality of pork spending?

[djsherin]

One thing I’m not understanding about this issue: if Paul votes against these bills every time, and the leadership knows this, why do they grant his earmarks in the first place? What incentive is there for them to allow his district to get some of this money? It would seem that if he got any at all, it would be far less than those who actually support the bill.

[gargoyle]

...Uuuuh, yupp, I can’t find it, but it must be there some where. Earmark legislation. /sarc...

[djsherin]

It’s not there. Pork, or “internal improvements” as it was once called, was the subject of intense debate throughout the country’s early history. That battle, along with many others, was largely decided by the civil war, to our detriment.

[Dead Corpse]

How did Paul vote on the spending bill? How about the bailouts bill?

Who's making excuses for who?

[gargoyle]

...Thanks dj, just checking, don’t want to be politically incorrect.(^;