Posted on 12/23/2007 11:06:38 AM PST by flowerplough
- Republican presidential hopeful Ron Paul on Sunday defended his efforts in Congress to bring home money to his Texas district, despite his long-held aversion to big government and congressional votes to reign in federal spending.
"I've never voted for an earmark in my life," the Texas congressman said under questioning on NBC's "Meet the Press" about reports that he has requested hundreds of millions of dollars for special projects in his home district.
"I put them in because I represent people who are asking for some of their money back," said Paul, who likened it to taking a tax credit. "I'm against the tax system, but I take all my tax credits. I want to get their money back for the people."
The 10-term congressman and longshot candidate for the Republican presidential nomination added that although he has requested special projects known as earmarks, he ultimately ends up voting against them in the House.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...
Are you saying you don’t think that Ron Paul would use the veto as president?
Tell us what you support.
“See I never considered earmarks as “tax credits” before. It all makes sense now. Thank God for Ron Paul for setting it all straight for us.”
Does that mean the earmarks go away when Ron does away with the IRS? LOL
Ron Paul’s BACKDOOR EARMARK
Remember a few weeks ago , we talked about the congresspeople who have disclosed their earmark spending? Thanks for this non PDF list. Rather interesting! Don’t miss #20!*
BACKDOOR EARMARKS. These are pork spending that Paul preaches against, but attaches them to bills he knows will pass while , at the same time, claiming to vote against (albeit we’ve seen he doesn’t always vote against).
http://i.cnn.net/cnn/interactive/allpolitics/0706/popup.congress.earmarks/pdfs/tx.14.paul.pdf
(these were just from a March 2007 list)
1. $25,000 for the Brazoria County Sheriff to establish a “Children’s Identification and Location Database.” 2. $8 million for the marketing of wild American shrimp. 3. $2.3 million for shrimp fishing research. 4. $3 million to “secure the acquisition of the McGinnes tract, protecting its critical natural resources and helping consolidate refuge inholdings.” 5. $5 million to expand the cancer center at Brazosport Hospital. 6. $200,000 for the Matagorda Episcopal Health Outreach Program to fund a “National Health Service Corp Scholar.” 7. $4.5 million to study the effects of the health risks of vanadium. 8. $3 million to test imported shrimp for antibiotics. (Does anyone think there is a big shrimp industry in Paul’s district?) 9. $10 million to repair the Galveston railways causeway bridge. 10. $1.18 million for “Personalized Medicine in Asthma” 11. $100,000 for a “data-driven automated system for nursing students on the Texas Gulf Coast.” 12. $257,000 to “prepare graduates from the doctoral program at the University of Texas Medical Branch School of Nursing to assume faculty roles in schools for nursing with a deficient number of doctoral level faculty.” 13. $1.4 million to buy buses for the Golden Crescent Regional Commission. 14. $2 million to buy buses for Galveston. 15. $5 million for highway spending. 16. $2 million to replace facilities for Galveston bus service. 17. $3 million to replace facilities for the Golden Crescent Regional bus facility. 18. $2 million to repair the Galveston trolley. 19. $2.14 million to renovate the Edna Theater. 20. $13 million for I-69 highway project. * 21. $30 million the Texas Maritime Academy to refurbish a ship. 22. $4.5 million to maintain Cedar Bayou. Plus another $9 million 23. $15 million for “construction at GIWW Matagorda Bay.” Plus another $5.8 million 24. $100,000 to maintain Chocolate Bayou. 25. $2.5 million to maintain Double Bayou.
*#20. $13 million for I-69 highway project, is the Trans-Texas corridor project that many claim is the first leg of the NAU, NAFTA Superhighway.
http://ttc.keeptexasmoving.org/projects/i69/
“Interstate 69 is a planned 1,600-mile national highway connecting Mexico, the United States and Canada. Eight states are involved in the project. In Texas, I-69 will be developed under the Trans-Texas Corridor master plan.”
A President who routinely vetoes Congressial bills, and a Congress who routinely overrides the veto, wouldn’t exactly be progress, would it?
” $18.5 MILLION DOLLARS 4Q - READ IT AND WEEP”
Yes, EEE, we get it. It’s ALL about money. We will likely get the best president money can buy. I see where your ‘ideals’ are now.
You are proud of the Party that refuses to seal our borders? I’ll spit on them too.
He is talking about the real issues that have been ignored for years by the GOP, and now by the other Republican candidates. He has swung the debate pendulum back to the right, after years of it being dragged to the left by Democrats and enabling Republicans.
That is why I primarily support him, not necessarily that he'll become President. What has Paul actually done in Congress that makes you believe in him? Surely, raking in earmarks he supposedly is against gives you a teensy bit of pause.
He is virtually the only Republican who has spoken against the UN global gun ban, our deteriorating sovereignty, and our meddlesome foreign policy and counterproductive foreign aid. Criticizing him on his earmarks is petty, because he is looking at the bigger picture itself instead of regularly feeding at the trough. And it only reveals that his critics can't criticize him on the other issues.
In reality, Paul hasn't been a leader for meaningful change in Congress and he could never be an agent of change as President.
Perhaps if the very political party he represents wouldn't ostracize his (and their) views all the time, he would have been more influential in the House. As it stands though, he's producing change right now for the GOP.
Ah, a typical Paul-supporter response. If a person isn't for Paul, they're for the status quo.
What other Republican candidate is talking about the fall of the dollar, the national debt, or our sovereignty? Fred Thompson? ROFL. Hunter isn't talking about limited government or federalism. Romney and the rest are talking the same-old same-old - more gov't expansion, bogus tax "cuts", etc. None of the real issues are being talked about besides Paul.
All of Paul's money came from individuals. Not corporate or special-interest money there Aunty like your boy Hunter.
I see where your ‘ideals’ are now.
If individuals are donating to Paul, doesn't that mean they like the message?
See tagline.
We used to call Paul, Dr. No. It should be Dr. Inconsistency.
Paul had the chance to vote to bring the troops home (his big issue!), but didn’t bother.
One of the stranger pieces of legislation that Paul Co sponsored would have kept him out of the debates!!
. H.CON.RES.263 : Expressing the sense of Congress that any Presidential candidate should be permitted to participate in debates among candidates if at least 5 percent of respondents in national public opinion polls of all eligible voters support the candidate’s election for President or if a majority of respondents in such polls support the candidate’s participation in such debates. Sponsor: Rep Jackson, Jesse L., Jr. [IL-2] (introduced 11/6/2001) Cosponsors (2)
See some of Paul’s CO sponsored legislation here:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-rlc/1940847/posts?page=28#28
Take note of the ultra liberal socialists in congress he signed on with.
Some time back Duncan Hunter got tired of all the snipping about the war and wrote a resolution so those that wanted to pull the troops out could have their say and get their vote.
Ron Paul didn’t even bother to vote.
It was voted down 403 to 3.
FINAL VOTE RESULTS FOR ROLL CALL 608
H RES 571 RECORDED VOTE 18-Nov-2005 11:33 PM QUESTION: On Agreeing to the Resolution BILL TITLE: Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the deployment of United States forces in Iraq be terminated immediately
http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2005/roll608.xml
“Dr. Paul is the only candidate who isn’t losing any of his supporters.”
But, WHO are they? They’re not republican.
Ron fans like to ignore the fact that Paul has the HIGHEST negative ratings among GOP voters.
Not long ago CNN had his unfavorable at 61% (It’s posted on FR)
And today:
[Ron Paul leads all candidates with 48% of voters who say they would vote against the two candidates, regardless of whom their opponent might be, according to a new Rasmussen poll (see table below)
http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp? ARTICLE_ID=59342
That being said, how does his overall record on spending and Congressional pork compare to the other candidates? Are there any candidates who have neither requested nor voted for wasteful spending in their districts, making them a stronger fiscal conservative than Congressman Paul?
Is Ron Paul the 100% absolute fiscal conservative he purports to be? No. But the more important question is, which candidate is better in this area?
They are now.
Ron fans like to ignore the fact that Paul has the HIGHEST negative ratings among GOP voters.
Do you realize how much the GOP base has shrunk since 2004? Of course the remaining pro-war, religious right conservatives don't like Paul. But their votes are going to be carved up by all of the other candidates while Paul will have the newcomers, independents, libertarians, and old right conservatives voting for him.
“You are proud of the Party that refuses to seal our borders? I’ll spit on them too.”
That most assuredly includes Ron Paul though you refuse to see it.
Did you know there was an amnesty in 2002? Ron voted FOR it. The White House pushed it. And another in 1997 and 2001.
Ron Paul’s Immigration Record
Source: http://www.federalobserver.com/archive.php?aid=11832
URL Source: http://NumberUSA
Published: Oct 29, 2007
Author: Excerpted from : http://www.federalobser
Paul’s Immigration Voting Record & Report Card on the NumbersUSA website:
(1) Paul consistently voted every year since 1999 against putting the military on the border:
2006: H. Amdt. 206 to H.R. 1815 2004: Goode Amendment to H.R. 4200 2003: Goode Amendment to H.R. 1588 2002: H. Amdt. 479 to H.R. 4546 2001: Traficant amendment to HR 2586 2000: Traficant amendment to H.R.4205 1999: Trafficant Amendment to H.R. 1401.
(2) Paul voted in 1997, 2001( H.R. 1885) and 2002 (H RES 365) to grant, extend or continue Section 245-i amnesties for illegal aliens.
(3) Paul voted NO on extending the voluntary Basic Pilot Workplace Verification Program (H.R. 2359),
(4) Paul voted NO on the border fence in 2005 (Hunter Amendment to HR 4437 - “Enforcement Only” Bill).
(5) Paul voted YES to increase H2-B (HR 763 in 2005) and H-1B visas (HR 3736 in 1998). In 1998, he voted to allow US firms to lay off Americans to replace them with foreigners.
TAKE NOTE:
(2) Paul voted in 1997, 2001( H.R. 1885) and 2002 (H RES 365) to grant, extend or continue Section 245-i amnesties for illegal aliens.
Everyone needs a reminder of some of Pauls BAD immigration votes.
Especially Item #2. This was an amnesty and allowed for chain migration, more visas, blah,blah, and one reason it has gotten as bad as it has. It was pushed by the White House.
H.R.3525 Title: To enhance the border security of the United States, and for other purposes. (introduced 12/19/2001) Related Bills: H.RES.365, H.R.1885, H.R.3205, S.CON.RES.106, S.1618, S.1749 Latest Major Action: Became Public Law No: 107-173 [GPO: Text, PDF] Note: On 3/12/2002, H.Res. 365 was agreed to by the House. H.Res. 365 incorporated the text of H.R. 3525, the Enhanced Border Security and Visa Entry Reform Act, in H.R. 1885, previously the Section 245(i) Extension Act dealing with certain immigration petition filing deadlines. Subsequent action on border security returned to H.R. 3525.
http://www.congress.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d107:HR03525:
The White House [snip]
H.R. 1885 - Section 245(i) Extension Act The Administration strongly supports House passage of H.R.1885 as expected to be considered on the House floor. H.R. 1885 would extend the window created under section 245(i) of the Immigration and Nationality Act during which qualified immigrants may obtain legal residence in the United States without being forced to first leave the country and their families for as long as several years. This legislation reflects the Administration’s philosophy that government policies should recognize the importance of families and help to strengthen them.
http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/legislative/sap/107-2/HR1885-h.html
also:
Rep. Paul is a cosponsor of H.R. 793, the Save Our Small and Seasonal Business Act of 2005, to amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to limit the timing of issuance of H-2B visas during a fiscal year. Specifically, H.R. 793 would split the H-2B visa cap so no more than 33,000 visas are made available for the first six months the fiscal year, and another 33,000 visas would be available in the second half of the year. However, H.R. 793 exempts from the annual cap aliens granted an H-2B visa within three years prior to approval of an H-2B petition, thus potentially TRIPLING the number of H-2B workers in the United States at any one time. Although timing the issuance of H-2B visas is a common-sense approach that would help prevent the situation that occurred in FY 2004 and FY 2005 when the 66,000 annual cap on H-2B (low-skill) nonimmigrant visas was hit within the first quarter of the year, H.R. 793 would ultimately harm American workers by creating exemptions which potentially could triple the number of H-2B workers in the U.S. at any given time. Nearly doubled H-1B foreign high-tech workers in 1998
and
Voted on House floor against Hunter amendment to increase security with border fence in 2005 Rep. Paul voted against the Hunter Amendment to H.R. 4437, the Border Protection, Antiterrorism, and Illegal Immigration Control Act of 2005. The Hunter Amendment would shore up security by building fences and other physical infrastructure to keep out illegal aliens. Specifically, it mandates the construction of specific security fencing, including lights and cameras, along the Southwest border for the purposes of gaining operational control of the border. As well, it includes a requirement for the Secretary of Homeland Security to conduct a study on the use of physical barriers along the Northern border. The Hunter Amendment passed by a vote of 260-159.
http://towncriernews.blogspot.com/search?q=ron+paul+amnesty
Why do I get the feeling that your excellent posts here (which should be bookmarked by everyone) will go ignored by the Paulistas?
Dollars obviously do not equal votes !!!!!
Nice job excluding what Paul really said. Dondero made this up because he's a bitter staffer who Paul fired.
And then you went on. "If elected president, Paul says he would abolish public schools, welfare, Social Security and farm subsidies."
You're really disingenuous, you know that? Paul never said this either. He has always said there would be a transition period for SS and those who are on gov't assistance, and public schools should be returned to the states. Yes, he's in favor of eliminating farm and corporate subsidies. Apparently, you have a problem with that. I don't.
(Paul Leaves the door open for a third party run.)
Your words, not Paul's. He said "99.99%" that he won't. He doesn't like to deal in absolutes. That's just the way he is.
You'd make Goebbels proud.
Thanks for your posts, lots of great research here!
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