Washington Hotlist » Earmarks http://www.washingtonhotlist.com Politics 2.0 Thu, 17 Sep 2009 18:26:17 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 In Reality, Palin Loves Earmarks http://www.washingtonhotlist.com/in-reality-palin-loves-earmarks/ http://www.washingtonhotlist.com/in-reality-palin-loves-earmarks/#comments Sat, 06 Sep 2008 22:01:34 +0000 Joshua Rosenstock http://www.washingtonhotlist.com/?p=999 The McCain campaign boasts of her pork-cutting, but up close it looks more like a trim. In her two years as governor, Alaska has requested nearly $750 million in special federal spending, by far the largest per-capita request in the nation. She boasts of rejecting plans to build the notorious “Bridge to Nowhere,” a $389 [...]]]>
The McCain campaign boasts of her pork-cutting, but up close it looks more like a trim. In her two years as governor, Alaska has requested nearly $750 million in special federal spending, by far the largest per-capita request in the nation. She boasts of rejecting plans to build the notorious “Bridge to Nowhere,” a $389 million bridge to an island with 50 residents. But only after she said yes did she say no, rejecting the locally-popular project after it was ridiculed and Congress cut some of the funds. She hung onto $27 million to build the approach road to the bridge.

]]> http://www.washingtonhotlist.com/in-reality-palin-loves-earmarks/feed/ 0 Obama Gets It Right On Earmarks http://www.washingtonhotlist.com/obama-gets-it-right-on-earmarks/ http://www.washingtonhotlist.com/obama-gets-it-right-on-earmarks/#comments Wed, 12 Mar 2008 13:04:13 +0000 Joshua Rosenstock http://www.washingtonhotlist.com/obama-gets-it-right-on-earmarks/ “We can no longer accept a process that doles out earmarks based on a member of Congress’s seniority, rather than the merit of the project. We can no longer accept an earmarks process that has become so complicated to navigate that a municipality or nonprofit group has to hire high-priced D.C. lobbyists.�

]]> “We can no longer accept a process that doles out earmarks based on a member of Congress’s seniority, rather than the merit of the project. We can no longer accept an earmarks process that has become so complicated to navigate that a municipality or nonprofit group has to hire high-priced D.C. lobbyists.�

]]> http://www.washingtonhotlist.com/obama-gets-it-right-on-earmarks/feed/ 0 Bush Is All Talk, No Action On Earmarks http://www.washingtonhotlist.com/bush-is-all-talk-no-action-on-earmarks/ http://www.washingtonhotlist.com/bush-is-all-talk-no-action-on-earmarks/#comments Wed, 26 Dec 2007 20:34:56 +0000 Joshua Rosenstock http://www.washingtonhotlist.com/bush-is-all-talk-no-action-on-earmarks/ “I am disappointed in the way the Congress compiled this legislation, including abandoning the goal I set early this year to reduce the number and cost of earmarks by half. Instead, the Congress dropped into the bill nearly 9,800 earmarks that total more than $10 billion. These projects are not funded through a merit-based [...]]]> “I am disappointed in the way the Congress compiled this legislation, including abandoning the goal I set early this year to reduce the number and cost of earmarks by half. Instead, the Congress dropped into the bill nearly 9,800 earmarks that total more than $10 billion. These projects are not funded through a merit-based process and provide a vehicle for wasteful government spending.”

If he didn’t like the bill, he should have vetoed it. Instead of exercising legitimate powers granted to his office via the U.S. Constitution, Bush would rather exercise imaginary ones that (in his mind) grants him the ability to be the sole source of our federal government’s power. By signing this awful bill into law, Bush has revealed himself to be just another single issue politician, caving in to the Congress’ pathetic fiscal policy just to secure billions of more money for wars overseas. Instead of making tough decisions, he did what was quick and easy. More inspirational stuff from the leader of the free world.

Have yet another great vacation, Mr. President.

]]> http://www.washingtonhotlist.com/bush-is-all-talk-no-action-on-earmarks/feed/ 0 Bush Gets It Right On Earmarks http://www.washingtonhotlist.com/bush-gets-it-right-on-earmarks/ http://www.washingtonhotlist.com/bush-gets-it-right-on-earmarks/#comments Thu, 20 Dec 2007 20:59:27 +0000 Joshua Rosenstock http://www.washingtonhotlist.com/bush-gets-it-right-on-earmarks/ “The congressional leaders ran in the last election on a promise that they would curb earmarks. And they made some progress and there’s more transparency in the process. But they have not made enough progress.”

]]> “The congressional leaders ran in the last election on a promise that they would curb earmarks. And they made some progress and there’s more transparency in the process. But they have not made enough progress.”

]]> http://www.washingtonhotlist.com/bush-gets-it-right-on-earmarks/feed/ 0 Democrats Will Approve More War Funding http://www.washingtonhotlist.com/democrats-will-approve-more-war-funding/ http://www.washingtonhotlist.com/democrats-will-approve-more-war-funding/#comments Fri, 14 Dec 2007 16:49:19 +0000 Joshua Rosenstock http://www.washingtonhotlist.com/democrats-will-approve-more-war-funding/ Despite Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s protestations, the Democrats approval of additional funding for our military operations in Iraq makes it their war as well. In exchange, they will allow the budgets of several domestic programs to be slashed. The Democratic Party officially has neither a spine nor principles and will deserve the beating at [...]]]> Despite Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s protestations, the Democrats approval of additional funding for our military operations in Iraq makes it their war as well. In exchange, they will allow the budgets of several domestic programs to be slashed. The Democratic Party officially has neither a spine nor principles and will deserve the beating at the polls they will surely receive next year.

The best part about the proposed bill?

“…lawmakers eager to bring federal dollars home to their districts would largely see their ‘earmarks’ preserved.”

Ahh, earmarks. Something both parties can heartily agree upon.

]]> http://www.washingtonhotlist.com/democrats-will-approve-more-war-funding/feed/ 1 A New Exhibit A For Term Limits – Charlie Rangel http://www.washingtonhotlist.com/a-new-exhibit-a-for-term-limits-charlie-rangel/ http://www.washingtonhotlist.com/a-new-exhibit-a-for-term-limits-charlie-rangel/#comments Thu, 29 Nov 2007 22:44:56 +0000 Joshua Rosenstock http://www.washingtonhotlist.com/a-new-exhibit-a-for-term-limits-charlie-rangel/ Robert Byrd has been bumped down to Exhibit B for this classic abuse of taxpayer dollars.

Congressman Charles Rangel swung a $2-million earmark to create a public service career center in his New York district. The name that would adorn the center? Mr. Rangel’s own. When a House critic objected to using taxpayers’ money for his [...]]]> Robert Byrd has been bumped down to Exhibit B for this classic abuse of taxpayer dollars.

Congressman Charles Rangel swung a $2-million earmark to create a public service career center in his New York district. The name that would adorn the center? Mr. Rangel’s own. When a House critic objected to using taxpayers’ money for his own “monument,� Mr. Rangel, who wields enormous power now as chairman of the Ways and Means Committee, responded in his classic rasp, “I don’t think that you’ve been around long enough to inspire a building like this.�

Is there another member of Congress more out of touch with public opinion than Mr. Bring Back The Draft?

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