Repubs Indulging in Pork Along With Power ("eye-popping")

[DeepModem Mom]

Los Angeles Times:


Before they took control of Congress nearly nine years ago, Republicans often mocked the Democratic practice of larding government spending bills with provisions that earmarked funds for pet projects in particular lawmakers' districts and states.

But a $328.1-billion bill that the Republican-led House expects to pass today, funding a grab bag of government agencies, takes earmarking to greater heights and uses it for what Democrats claim are new, partisan purposes.

The bill includes an eye-popping number of earmarks — around 7,000 by one estimate, at a cost of several billion dollars. Other spending bills bring the grand total for the year to more than 10,000. In that long list are items big and small, from $100,000 for street furniture and sidewalks in Laverne, Ala., to $44 million for a bridge to Treasure Island in Florida — a plum for the Tampa Bay district of House Appropriations Chairman C.W. "Bill" Young....


Brian Riedl, a federal budget analyst for the conservative Heritage Foundation in Washington, said Republicans had learned to use earmarking to stay in power. "The easiest way to raise money, build a political machine and get reelected is to toss political pork out to your supporters," Riedl said. As a result, he said, "the trend has been straight up."


http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-pork8dec08,1,4096934.story?coll=la-home-headlines

[roguevalley]

1. a new oxymoron for the books: fiscal conservatives

[tom_paine]

2. Once again, Busheviks "push the envelope"

in terms of conflict-of-interest, greed, and uni-party rule.

It is going to be very difficult to restore the Old Republic.

But that doesn't mean we give up trying!

[truthisfreedom]

3. the rethugs are destroying our way of life, forever.

they must be stopped.