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Getting Rid of the Earmarks; The Dems are Getting Serious
Topic Started: Dec 17 2006, 05:43 AM (418 Views)
QuirtEvans
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I Owe It All To John D'Oh
Apparently, when the Dems pass continuing spending resolutions in January, they are going to strip out all the earmarks ... something the supposedly budget-conscious Republican leadership was too chicken to do. We'll see if it happens, but they seem to be dead serious ... even Pelosi's earmarks are being stripped.

Quote:
 
The Democrats also will do something that is certain to anger many lawmakers but cheer critics of excessive government spending: They will wipe out thousands of lawmakers' pet projects, or earmarks, that have been a source of great controversy on Capitol Hill. In the past, lawmakers have peppered individual spending bills with earmarks benefiting special interests. But the funding resolution the Democrats intend to pass in lieu of spending bills will be devoid of earmarks.

Among the casualties will be $3 million for AIDS and homelessness programs in San Francisco pushed by House Speaker-elect Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and $3 million to establish the Charles B. Rangel Center for Public Service at City College of New York, pushed by the center's namesake, the Democrats' incoming House Ways and Means Committee chairman.


http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/conte...6121601087.html

Bush apparently is pleased, even though some of his pet spending initiatives are getting chopped, too.

Quote:
 
Budget hawks who have been crusading against such home-district projects hailed the Democrats' decision as an unexpected stroke of political bravery. Bush praised the move yesterday in his weekly radio address.
It would be unwise to underestimate what large groups of ill-informed people acting together can achieve. -- John D'Oh, January 14, 2010.
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CTPianotech
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Fulla-Carp
good for them :thumb:


Now we'll just have to see if they replace them with a fresh batch of their own..
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Jolly
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Geaux Tigers!
Ain't gonna happen.

Not because they are Dems, but because they are politicians.

No pork, no re-electee.

The main obstacle to a stable and just world order is the United States.- George Soros
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Mark
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HOLY CARP!!!
Quote:
 
$3 million to establish the Charles B. Rangel Center for Public Service at City College of New York, pushed by the center's namesake, the Democrats' incoming House Ways and Means Committee chairman.


Do people have absolutely no shame at all?

Rangel is an egotistical bastard of the highest order.
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When I see an adult on a bicycle, I do not despair for the future of the human race. H.G. Wells
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Axtremus
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HOLY CARP!!!
When politicians are trying to do the "right thing," let's try to give them the support they need, ok? We crucify them later if they fail to follow through.

I don't see it helping the cause if we just accept "pork" as a necessary fixture of of the political landscape and see all attempts to curb "pork" as a Quixotic exercise in futility.
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Axtremus
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HOLY CARP!!!
Mark
Dec 17 2006, 10:37 AM
Quote:
 
$3 million to establish the Charles B. Rangel Center for Public Service at City College of New York, pushed by the center's namesake, the Democrats' incoming House Ways and Means Committee chairman.


Do people have absolutely no shame at all?

Rangel is an egotistical bastard of the highest order.

I take it you're happy that other Dems are pushing to strip the Rangel ear mark, eh?
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Mark
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HOLY CARP!!!
Absolutely!

Now all I got to get done is to stop our local school district from funding (have been for several years now) 2 million dollars each year for our public high school's day care center for the children of the teen age whores who, of course we have to coddle and take care of because why??? In the meantime, because "they cannot afford it", the school district has terminated school bus services for any child who lives within 2.5 miles of the school. We are about 1/10 of a mile beyond that so we have to drive all 3 kids to school every day. Meanwhile our property taxes keep going up and the school district is taking a larger share of it, blah blah blah... :veryangry:

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When I see an adult on a bicycle, I do not despair for the future of the human race. H.G. Wells
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George K
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Finally
I've always found this simulator to be interesting.
A guide to GKSR: Click

"Now look here, you Baltic gas passer... "
- Mik, 6/14/08


Nothing is as effective as homeopathy.

I'd rather listen to an hour of Abba than an hour of The Beatles.
- Klaus, 4/29/18
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TomK
HOLY CARP!!!
Mark
Dec 17 2006, 10:51 AM
Absolutely!

Now all I got to get done is to stop our local school district from funding (have been for several years now) 2 million dollars each year for our public high school's day care center for the children of the teen age whores who, of course we have to coddle and take care of because why??? In the meantime, because "they cannot afford it", the school district has terminated school bus services for any child who lives within 2.5 miles of the school. We are about 1/10 of a mile beyond that so we have to drive all 3 kids to school every day. Meanwhile our property taxes keep going up and the school district is taking a larger share of it, blah blah blah... :veryangry:

:thumb:

Mark: Dead on!

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JBryan
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I am the grey one
This simulator, if I am not mistaken, uses static Revenue assumptions. In other words it is assumed that increased taxes will increase revenues to the treasury and vice versa no matter what they do to the economy.
"Any man who would make an X rated movie should be forced to take his daughter to see it". - John Wayne


There is a line we cross when we go from "I will believe it when I see it" to "I will see it when I believe it".


Henry II: I marvel at you after all these years. Still like a democratic drawbridge: going down for everybody.

Eleanor: At my age there's not much traffic anymore.

From The Lion in Winter.
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George K
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Finally
JBryan
Dec 17 2006, 09:04 AM
This simulator, if I am not mistaken, uses static Revenue assumptions. In other words it is assumed that increased taxes will increase revenues to the treasury and vice versa no matter what they do to the economy.

JBryan, I think you're right. The fact that government revenues continue to skyrocket (to record levels this year) despite because of tax cuts is not considered.
A guide to GKSR: Click

"Now look here, you Baltic gas passer... "
- Mik, 6/14/08


Nothing is as effective as homeopathy.

I'd rather listen to an hour of Abba than an hour of The Beatles.
- Klaus, 4/29/18
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Jolly
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Geaux Tigers!
Axtremus
Dec 17 2006, 08:38 AM
When politicians are trying to do the "right thing," let's try to give them the support they need, ok? We crucify them later if they fail to follow through.

I don't see it helping the cause if we just accept "pork" as a necessary fixture of of the political landscape and see all attempts to curb "pork" as a Quixotic exercise in futility.

You can saddle up your donkey and charge at all the windmills you dare to, but it doesn't change the facts of politics.

While these guys are elected to do the business of the country, they are also elected to represent their districts...that's a real nice way of saying that they must bring home some of the federal bacon to their districts.

The system has not changed since the days of the Roman Senate, and was probably in place before then.
The main obstacle to a stable and just world order is the United States.- George Soros
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Axtremus
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HOLY CARP!!!
Jolly
Dec 17 2006, 11:25 AM
You can saddle up your donkey and charge at all the windmills you dare to, but it doesn't change the facts of politics.

While these guys are elected to do the business of the country, they are also elected to represent their districts...that's a real nice way of saying that they must bring home some of the federal bacon to their districts.

The system has not changed since the days of the Roman Senate, and was probably in place before then.

OK, now you try to offer a better solution.
Or are you already quite satisfied with the status quo?
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George K
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Finally
Time will tell. The Democrats have a 70 year history of profligate spending before 1994. The Republicans did no better in the last 12 years. Let's see what happens.

I am not optimistic.
A guide to GKSR: Click

"Now look here, you Baltic gas passer... "
- Mik, 6/14/08


Nothing is as effective as homeopathy.

I'd rather listen to an hour of Abba than an hour of The Beatles.
- Klaus, 4/29/18
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Jolly
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Geaux Tigers!
Axtremus
Dec 17 2006, 09:26 AM
Jolly
Dec 17 2006, 11:25 AM
You can saddle up your donkey and charge at all the windmills you dare to, but it doesn't change the facts of politics.

While these guys are elected to do the business of the country, they are also elected to represent their districts...that's a real nice way of saying that they must bring home some of the federal bacon to their districts.

The system has not changed since the days of the Roman Senate, and was probably in place before then.

OK, now you try to offer a better solution.
Or are you already quite satisfied with the status quo?

There is no solution, unless you want to chunk representative government and regress to a monarchy or a dictatorship.

It's the price of admission.

The best one can hope for is a balanced budget amendment, which at leats places a cap on what they can spend.
The main obstacle to a stable and just world order is the United States.- George Soros
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JBryan
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I am the grey one
Jolly
Dec 17 2006, 10:28 AM
The best one can hope for is a balanced budget amendment, which at leats places a cap on what they can spend.

Not unless it addresses their ability to raise taxes which will be their first resort despite the fact that raising taxes can actually inrease the deficit as experience has shown.
"Any man who would make an X rated movie should be forced to take his daughter to see it". - John Wayne


There is a line we cross when we go from "I will believe it when I see it" to "I will see it when I believe it".


Henry II: I marvel at you after all these years. Still like a democratic drawbridge: going down for everybody.

Eleanor: At my age there's not much traffic anymore.

From The Lion in Winter.
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Claude Ball
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Middle Aged Carp
Stripping earmarks would be a good thing if the amount of money being spent went down by the same amount. Unfortunately, all the democrats did was a shell game - every dime of the money they "cut" from earmarks has been given to their *other* pet projects, which is every socialist program they have inflicted this country with.

Go democrats - yeah, right.......
Dain bramage caused my peach imspediment.
Tooth? Tooth? You can't handle the tooth!
Remember: He who laughs last, thinks slowest.....
DON'T BEND OVER IN THE GARDEN, MARGARET - THEM TATER'S GOT EYES!
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Larry
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Mmmmmmm, pie!
What Claude said........ :D
Of the Pokatwat Tribe

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Mikhailoh
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If you want trouble, find yourself a redhead
Axtremus
Dec 17 2006, 11:26 AM
Jolly
Dec 17 2006, 11:25 AM
You can saddle up your donkey and charge at all the windmills you dare to, but it doesn't change the facts of politics.

While these guys are elected to do the business of the country, they are also elected to represent their districts...that's a real nice way of saying that they must bring home some of the federal bacon to their districts.

The system has not changed since the days of the Roman Senate, and was probably in place before then.

OK, now you try to offer a better solution.
Or are you already quite satisfied with the status quo?

Ax, if I am not mistaken, you are the one who is saying there is a better solution, and that is what you perceive is taking place now.. the cutting out of earmarks.

But the earmarks will simply be replaced by some other device that funnels money to home districts. And no, I don't believe you will ever take self-interest out of representative democracy. It is based on it and it works pretty well, all in all.
Once in his life, every man is entitled to fall madly in love with a gorgeous redhead - Lucille Ball
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Larry
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Mmmmmmm, pie!
Quote:
 
But the earmarks will simply be replaced by some other device that funnels money to home districts.


Which means, if and when that happens, that the democrats will have increased spending, but used smoke and mirrors to pull a shell game that the lemmings who support them will fall for and think they're cutting the budget.

Of the Pokatwat Tribe

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Steve Miller
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Bull-Carp
George K
Dec 17 2006, 08:21 AM
JBryan, I think you're right. The fact that government revenues continue to skyrocket (to record levels this year) despite because of tax cuts is not considered.

The fact that government revenues continue to skyrocket (to record levels this year) despite because of tax cuts the war is not considered.
Wag more
Bark less
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Larry
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Mmmmmmm, pie!
Hmmm... government revenues are skyrocketing because of the war......

that's a new one on me.... is that an argument the democrats are planning to float, or did you come up with that one by yourself?
Of the Pokatwat Tribe

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1hp
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Fulla-Carp

When you think about it, people elected representatives because it was impossible for "the people" to realistically vote on any issue concerning the running of a country, given the logistsics of such a task historically. However, we are fast approaching a time where any issue could be written up and presented to the populus of a country to be voted on, thanks to the internet. Further to this, bills could be refined through this process, as pieces of a bill could be voted on, quickly providing an idea of what the majority wants. This could be set up similar to the electoral college, where the populus votes but it is non binding, and a congressman or senator would place the actual binding vote. Pork barrel type items would likely become a thing of the past, as would lobbyists.

There are 10 kinds of people in this world, those that understand binary and................
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QuirtEvans
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I Owe It All To John D'Oh
Jolly
Dec 17 2006, 08:59 AM
Ain't gonna happen.

Not because they are Dems, but because they are politicians.

No pork, no re-electee.

I suppose we'll see. If Pelosi is willing to strip off her own earmarks, it at least has a chance.
It would be unwise to underestimate what large groups of ill-informed people acting together can achieve. -- John D'Oh, January 14, 2010.
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Jolly
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Geaux Tigers!
JBryan
Dec 17 2006, 09:37 AM
Jolly
Dec 17 2006, 10:28 AM
The best one can hope for is a balanced budget amendment, which at leats places a cap on what they can spend.

Not unless it addresses their ability to raise taxes which will be their first resort despite the fact that raising taxes can actually inrease the deficit as experience has shown.

Correct.
The main obstacle to a stable and just world order is the United States.- George Soros
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