AP: GOP hates earmarks — except the ones its members sponsor

[SkinsHokieFan]

Still got a very long ways to go Republicans :doh:

Further and further into irrelevance

http://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics/AP/story/919818.html

WASHINGTON -- Republicans are expected to deliver a daylong rant Wednesday against Democratic spending legislation, yet the bill is loaded with thousands of pet projects that Republican lawmakers inserted.

Rep. Ralph Hall, R-Texas, included $142,500 for emergency repairs to the Sam Rayburn Library and Museum in Austin, Texas. Sen. John Ensign, R-Nev., joined state colleagues to include $1.425 million for Nevada "statewide bus facilities." The top two Republicans on Congress' money committees also inserted local projects.

In all, an estimated $3.8 billion worth of specific projects, called "earmarks," are in the $410 billion spending bill that the House of Representatives is to vote on Wednesday. Easy passage is expected. The Senate is expected to act soon, too, since federal agencies will run out of money a week from Friday unless new funds are enacted.

House Democrats estimate that Republicans inserted 40 percent of the earmarks in the bill. An independent budget watchdog group, Taxpayers for Common Sense, said the 60-40 Democratic-Republican ratio followed historical patterns.....click on link for rest

[G.A.C.O.L.B.]

In reality is the significance of earmarks overblown? I mean if the bill is $400+ billion and earmarks make up $3+ billion, it doesn't seem like it's the end of the world like it's made out to be.

[SkinsHokieFan]

In reality is the significance of earmarks overblown? I mean if the bill is $400+ billion and earmarks make up $3+ billion, it doesn't seem like it's the end of the world like it's made out to be.

It is an easy place to make a stand. Low hanging fruit. Everyone hates these things unless you are getting the money. And often they are just bogus

The GOP got RIPPED in 2005 for the amount of earmarks in the 285 billion dollar infrastructure bill. And rightfully so

[G.A.C.O.L.B.]

It is an easy place to make a stand. Low hanging fruit. Everyone hates these things unless you are getting the money. And often they are just bogus

The GOP got RIPPED in 2005 for the amount of earmarks in the 285 billion dollar infrastructure bill. And rightfully so

Yeah I understand. How much of the '05 bill was earmarks?

[Cooked Crack]

There better be no money in there for volcano monitoring.

[Big Weirdo]

Were these the same guys who booed earmarks last night? Good call.

[zoony]

$100 billion in US earmarks > $1 billion spent on foreign nation building

[Springfield]

In reality is the significance of earmarks overblown?

I agree with this.

I think that the politicians that gripe about earmarks are the ones who didn't get one. This goes for both sides of the aisle. Furthermore, I don't think that earmarks will ever go away and I don't think that they are necessarily a bad thing. I think that the vast majority of earmarks serve a useful purpose, we don't ever hear about the ones that work well though. The only earmarks that are highly publicized are ones that seem/are wasteful.

Earmarks serve a useful purpose. Even though they are a political tool for all of congress, they do accomplish meaningful things.

[Jumbo]

$100 billion in US earmarks > $1 billion spent on foreign nation building

Wait til you get the latest from some soucfes (not crazy ones) that our investment to date in Iraq is close to 3 trillion.

[Big Weirdo]

Wait til you get the latest from some soucfes (not crazy ones) that our investment to date in Iraq is close to 3 trillion.

I hope some of that money is going to fund construction of major American instituions like Burger King and Target.

[SnyderShrugged]

The easiest way to get rid of all earmarks is simply to not bake in the money at appropriations.

Both of the big parties use them, but earmarks are a red herring. The root cause is the money put in the bills long before any earmarking actually occurs.

[Burgold]

The best solution is for the ethics committee to outlaw drinking games during appropriation meetings.

Last year 4 Senators nearly died downing shots every time someone said "fiscal" or "pork"

[SnyderShrugged]

The best solution is for the ethics committee to outlaw drinking games during appropriation meetings.

Last year 4 Senators nearly died downing shots every time someone said "fiscal" or "pork"

we used to play a similar drinking game in college at Christmas time.

During "The Grinch" we had to drink everytime they said "who".

Funny though, I never tapped out my credit cards while inebriated from it.

[Major Harris]

$100 billion in US earmarks > $1 billion spent on foreign nation building

:applause:

(ugh, i made a cheerleader post. :doh: )

[Burgold]

we used to play a similar drinking game in college at Christmas time.

During "The Grinch" we had to drink everytime they said "who".

Funny though, I never tapped out my credit cards while inebriated from it.

Yeah, but ijt's like drunk poker. Everyone's making bad bids and trying to out do the other.

[SnyderShrugged]

Yeah, but ijt's like drunk poker. Everyone's making bad bids and trying to out do the other.

true. we should take their cards away until they all sober up!

[Bang]

If the projects are necessary I don't see a big problem with it. As GACOLB pointed out it's less than 1% of the total package that this article is mentioning. Maybe that library in Texas does need repair. Libraries are a fine investment in America, and all things considered, the 1.45 million that is being asked is peanuts. (But they better not hire illegal labor to do it!)

Maybe Nevada does need to improve it's in state bus facilities, although something that vague needs to be explained better before a decision can be made on it.

It's a lot different than building a bridge for fifty people. If the projects are needed, will provide some work for the locals, then I don't see it as excessive.

~Bang

[Larry]

Voters hate earmarks - except for the ones in their town.