It has been the topic of the day and rightfully so. The American taxpayers’ wallet is drained for various bailouts from financial institutions to auto industry and others waiting in line for their respective turn.
Is it the present administration’s fault that the nation is dependent on borrowings and charity?
The response varies as it depends on the network and the guests appearing on the programs to discuss economy, finance and stock market.
Those nostalgic about the previous administration claim that it is entirely the current administration’s fault.
For some reason their calculation of the incumbent administration in office since swearing in i.e. January 20, 2009 up until now works out to three months, unless they have a custom made calendar that converts every year into leap year with some months extending beyond thirty one days and somehow only the Democratic administrations are privileged to such magical occurrence.
To shed light on the relevant topic of spending bill $410 billion approved by the Senate and awaiting the President’s signature, there appears to be some legitimate concerns regarding the infamous “earmarks” or “pork barrel” issue that always finds its way into every legislative bill.
According to news media, 40% of GOP members and 60% of Democrats are responsible for the estimated 8,570 earmarks worth $7.7billion . The following article supports it.
March 4, 2009
Senate votes to keep earmarks in bill – By David Espo, Associated Press – Thank you.
“The Senate voted overwhelmingly to preserve thousands of earmarks in a $410 billion spending bill Tuesday, brushing aside Senator John McCain’s claim that President Barack Obama and Congress are merely conducting business as usual in a time of economic hardship.
McCain’s attempt to strip out an estimated 8,500 earmarks failed on a vote of 63-32.
The Arizona’s senator’s proposal also would have cut roughly $32 billion from the measure and kept spending a last year’s levels in several federal agencies.
Last year’s Republican presidential candidate said both he and Obama pledged during the campaign to “stop business as usual in Washington,” and he quoted the president as having said he would go line by line to make sure money was spent wisely.
The White House has said Obama intends to sign the legislation, casting it as leftover business from 2008. Spokesman Robert Gibbs pledged Monday that the White House will issue new guidelines covering earmarks for future bills.
McCain’s proposal drew the support of 30 Republicans and two Democrats, and the outcome reflected the enduring value of earmarks to lawmakers. While polls routinely show these pet projects to be unpopular, local governments and constituents often covet them.
The maneuvering came on legislation to assure continued funding for several federal agencies past March 6. At $410 billion, the bill represents an 8 percent increase over last year’s spending levels, more than double the rate of inflation.
Republicans made two other attempts during the day to reduce spending in the bill, but failed both times.
Sen. Dan Inouye, D-Hawaii, chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, said McCain’s call to hold spending level with a year ago “doesn’t account for inflation.”
As an example, he said some programs would have to be cut if federal workers were to receive a pay raise.
The House passed the legislation last week, and Democratic leaders are working to clear it without changes so the president can sign it by Friday.
While Republican opposition in the House focused more on the bill’s overall spending, McCain and allies turned the Senate spotlight squarely on earmarks.
“How does anyone justify some of these earmarks:
$1.7 million for pig odor research in Iowa;
$2 million ‘for the promotion of astronomy’ in Hawaii;
$6.6 million for termite research in New Orleans;
$2.1 million for the Center for Grape Genetics in New York,” he said.
He also noted the legislation includes 14 earmarks requested by lawmakers for projects sought by PMA Group, a lobbying company at the center of a federal corruption investigation. Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Okla, said he would seek to have them removed.
Taxpayers for Common Sense estimates the legislation contains 8,570 disclosed earmarks worth $7.7 billion. House Democrats declined to provide an estimate of the number of pet projects in the bill, and put their cost at $3.8 billion.”
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Analysis:
It is evident from the article and news media discussions that this particular bill primarily aimed at stimulating the economy has some of its priorities mixed up. As stated earlier in my article “Economic Recovery Plan” earmarks or estimates for pet projects is a contentious issue with notable reasons for objection by some lawmakers.
This is no longer a partisan issue as both parties have participants in varying percentages responsible for wasteful spending. On the one hand, we have economic turmoil with American families receiving pink slips instead of paychecks and children literally dependent on charity for survival.
There are worse situations like in the golden state of California, northern Californian school district is forcing K-12 students in public schools to stay home on Friday, making it a four-day week due to again “messed up priorities” by the State legislators. The victims in the merciless fund slashing are none other than the educators and students.
Qualified teachers’ job contracts are terminated because of severe cuts in essential programs like education. The head of this state living up to the reputation of the title “Terminator” leaving students seeking help from parents, peer group, neighbors, and strangers/aliens on the cyber space or even outer space.
Do the pet projects’ sponsors have any idea how desperate the situation is for those struggling to make ends meet particularly with a fear mongering of the “socialism” concept by the capitalist panderers denying the failure of capitalism in the absence of regulatory process?
What does this mean to parents dealing with job insecurity and lack of support to take care of the children on the day, they should be in school?
Hoping the children will be protected by guardian angels while they are at work and risking visits from a social worker on accounts of child neglect and possible abuse.
Those who lack the support of extended family relying on hired help in this perilous economy have to choose between the safety of their children and the tight family budget, since borrowing is out of question with indefinite freezing of the credit market to families and small businesses.
One might assume the federal aid to states should address these problems. Even though the federal aid has been approved for this purpose, whatever benefits allocated for education and relief to families in the federal stimulus package is siphoned off by the state budget targeting the same programs.
The state legislators had to emerge victorious in the long fought battle to balance the budget using people at the bottom of the socio-economic scale as the sacrificial lambs.
Obviously, on the other hand both state and federal lawmakers favoring the pet projects vigorously debate in the House and the Senate floor to defend their own jobs as pet projects is an insurance for re-election in their constituency.
If surplus funds are the reasons for earmarks, why not allocate those funds to the deserving entity i.e. the taxpayers in the economy. It would make sense for taxpayers to use their own money to spend on their dependents’ education, health care and housing payments.
It is conclusive that earmarks like the ones highlighted in the articles should have never been inserted in the first place, and now regardless of whose business is being taken care of i.e. whether previous or present administration, the burden is squarely on the taxpayers with the passing of this bill loaded with unnecessary and meaningless pet projects.
American taxpayers were promised on the campaign trail about the elimination of earmarks by both parties and now is the time to honor that commitment without any reservation.
In the real world, students can enroll in the best educational institutions only upon excellent academic achievement, similarly secure dream jobs (during the glorious days) and stick with it purely on competence.
Unfortunately, the entities to whom the criteria should apply i.e. Washington and Wall Street are exempt from performance based hiring or firing despite their successful duo disastrous mismanagement of the world’s economic power, the U.S. economy.
Taxpayers as voters have the power to promote and implement the agenda in 2010 to realize the campaign slogan “Change is effective when it happens from the bottom up and not from the top bottom.”
Thank you.
Padmini Arhant
I guess I’m quickly becoming a “keeper of lists”, regarding Senators of saying one thing and supporting or backing the opposite; in other words I’m getting tired of the deceivers in our nation’s capitol who supposedly are looking out for our collective usage of tax payers dollars to pad their own voters back home while in essence “screwing” the rest of the country.
Politico posted a list of our fine legislative branch of government, listing the top twenty offenders of “Earmarks”. Here’s the article and list, one of the named is from my home state:
Byrd tops earmarkers list By GLENN THRUSH | 3/3/09 4:22 AM EST
Taxpayers for Common Sense, a government spending watchdog, has released its breakdown of the biggest earmarkers.
Not surprisingly, former Appropriations Committee Chairman Robert Byrd (D-W.Va.) tops the list.
Sen. Richard Shelby (R-Ala.), the ranking member of the Finance Committee and the Senate’s highest-profile critic of the bank bailouts, snagged the No. 2 spot, representing one of the nation’s poorest states — and a state where even the smallest tax hikes have to be submitted to a public vote. Missouri Sen. Kit Bond, a senior Republican on the Appropriations Committee’s transportation and housing subcommittee, was the third-largest recipient of earmarks.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) brought home around $26.6 million — only about half the bacon delivered to Kentucky by Republican leader Mitch McConnell.
Following are the top 20 Senate earmark recipients — 12 Democrats, 8 Republicans.
Robert Byrd (D-W.Va.): $122,804,900 Richard Shelby (R-Ala.): $114,484,250 Kit Bond (R-Mo.): $85,691,491 Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.): $76,899,425 Thad Cochran (R-Miss.): $75,908,475 Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska): $74,000,750 Tom Harkin (D-Iowa): $66,860,000 James Inhofe (R-Okla.): $53,133,500 Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.): $51,186,000 Daniel Inouye (D-Hawaii): $46,380,205 Patty Murray (D-Wash.): $39,228,250 Byron Dorgan (D-N.D.): $36,547,100 Pat Leahy (D-Vt.): $36,161,125 Dick Durbin (D-Ill.): $35,577,250 Robert Casey (D-Pa.): $27,169,750 Harry Reid (D-Nev.): $26,628,613 Arlen Specter (R-Pa.): $25,320,000 Herb Kohl (D-Wis.): $23,832,000 Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.): $21,952,250 Pete Domenici (R-N.M.), retired: $19,588,625
To compliment Politico’s Earmark posting I’ve added the following, recently produced YouTube video, entitled: “Glenn Beck - Stand Up Against Pork and Earmarks - Feb. 26, 2009”, which bears a watching.
Glenn Beck - Stand Up Against Pork and Earmarks - Feb. 26, 2009
Glenn Beck calls out several politicians and the pork and earmarks they are responsible for in the 2009 stimulus package and omnibus spending bill. There are over 9,000 earmarks in the omnibus spending bill which add up to $7.8B. Democrats and Republicans that Glenn takes to task include: Barack Obama Joe Biden Charles Schumer (D, NY) Rosa Delauro (D, CT) - $1.2M for mosquito trapping in Gainesville, FL Dan Inouye (D, HI) - $238K for Hawaiian Canoe trips Harry Reid (D, NV) - $143K for Las Vegas Natural History Museum Michael Steele (R, RNC Leader) Thad Cochran (R, MS) - $950K for Nature Education Center Lindsey Graham (R, SC) - $950K for Convention Center Barbara Cubin (R, WY) - $190K for Buffalo Bill Historical Center STAND UP AMERICA!!!
Glenn Beck calls out several politicians and the pork and earmarks they are responsible for in the 2009 stimulus package and omnibus spending bill. There are over 9,000 earmarks in the omnibus spending bill which add up to $7.8B. Democrats and Republicans that Glenn takes to task include:
Barack Obama Joe Biden Charles Schumer (D, NY) Rosa Delauro (D, CT) - $1.2M for mosquito trapping in Gainesville, FL Dan Inouye (D, HI) - $238K for Hawaiian Canoe trips Harry Reid (D, NV) - $143K for Las Vegas Natural History Museum Michael Steele (R, RNC Leader) Thad Cochran (R, MS) - $950K for Nature Education Center Lindsey Graham (R, SC) - $950K for Convention Center Barbara Cubin (R, WY) - $190K for Buffalo Bill Historical Center
STAND UP AMERICA!!!
Notice that there has been little talk of making the Bush tax cuts permanent, since Obama has taken the White House. No Republican would dare suggest it, especially since the President has called them out on the fact that "tax cuts for the wealthy" resulted in an over 360 billion dollars depletion from the federal budget. That shortfall was no stimulus to the economy, as we have since found out. On the contrary, it led to the tightening of State budgets, cuts in vital services they provide, depletion of school funding, and the further deterioration of our highways, parks, and infrastructure.
Compared to only 18 billion in "earmarks" for the states that John McCain so vociferously opined over, and for which Obama promised to curtail, 360 billion dollars being restored to the federal budget when Bush's tax cuts expire in 2010 (maybe before that, hopefully) will seem a windfall, and not a moment too soon...
Sarah Palin is an attractive, witty, quick-witted, tough politician. She is also extreme and unethical. She has proven to be ruthless in her will to get what she wants, be it huge earmarks for Alaska, contracts and perks for her friends, or getting rid of someone who has crossed her (or her family). Sarah will not be stopped. Now apparently even John McCain is getting in her way, and he is having a hard time controlling her. Will Sarah Palin’s behavior force John McCain to rethink the recent unethical positions he has taken under her influence? Maybe. Maybe not?
The rampant corruption - yes, corruption, let's call it what it is - in Washington must end, and it must end now. The corporate plunderers and their puppet politicians have, literally, bled this great nation dry. Our nation's capital has been nothing less than a porkfest picnic ground for many years, and through a number of administrations (of both major parties). We're not just talking about "earmarks", or even "corporate welfare". These are both parts of the big picture, but let's not forget government an defense cotracts, or the actual legislative acts that pander to "special interests". Government has become a "for profit" business.....for private, not public, profit. This must stop, and it must stop now, or the America we grew up in, the America we love, will be just a memory.
We choose to believe, and pray, that Barak will be different, will stay true. He claims to represent the majority of the people, not the majority of the wealth. God, please let it be so. The American majority cannot wait another four years for change. This is the truth that we, the people, know all too well, as our ability to make (the most essential) ends meet has all but disappeared, into the pockets of the "porkers".
But, there remains the question of just how deeply Barak understands our middle class plight. He promises tax breaks, but let's be honest. Most of us would happily pay more taxes, when it would mean that we are earning more. Senator Obama, the people's plight is not about taxes, it's about our incomes. A 15% tax break, for most families, is worth two weeks of medical insurance, maybe. And, at the rate that medical costs are rising, it will be worth two days insurance by the time your tax break is legislated. Because our incomes are in decline, savings are down (or gone), while costs (of essentials) are skyrocketing, and debt (incurred to pay the skyrocketing cost of essentials) is staggering.
We, the working majority of Americans, need jobs. Good, stable jobs that provide living wages. Most of the employment growth has been in the "service sector". While we're being "real", let's also be realistic. The only significant job creation in this country has been in poverty level jobs. Yes, these jobs are necessary.....for kids who need money for their Friday night dates. But, staying "real", these jobs can't begin to support a family, even a two parent family with both parents working two full time jobs. It just ain't gonna happen. Not here, not now.
We need jobs, real jobs. And, we need to fill them with real people. The working people of today's America. The displaced, the downsized, the disenfranchised. These are the people who must be trained for "new" jobs.
Barak, if you could take a survey of all the "baby boomers" who are nearing "retirement" age, you'll find a very, very large percentage have been herein described. They/we are desperate, with falling incomes or unemployment, no savings, and massive indebtedness. Retirement isn't/won't be an option, unless/until forced by failing health.
For them/us, social security looks simultaneously like a supplimental income and a curse. The current laws assume that they/we will have adequate savings when we begin collecting. But they/we don't. And, the pittance allowed (before benefits are penalized) won't be enough.
I am a 59 year old married man. I have a grown son, but I also have a baby daughter who will soon be 2. She will graduate high school (and begin college) when I am 75. I am now earning the same amount (in actual dollars) as I was in the 1970's. My health is failing (which I can't afford because I'm earning 1970's money). I have no savings (because I'm earning 1970's money). I have far too much debt (because I'm earning 1970's money). A tax credit of 15%, or even 100%, isn't going to fix the problem, because I'm earning 1970's money.
I, and the working people of America, of whom I'm sadly representative, are not earning wages that meet the needs of the 21st century. This, Senator Barak Obama, is the problem that must be immediately addressed. We pray you understand, and put our faith in you.
Funny, while Sarah Palin is trying to make such big issue of Wm Ayers & Barack Obama, and swearing up and down and all around that she was against earmark spending; well, here you go...
Sen. Ted Stevens, the longest-serving Republican senator and a figure in Alaska politics since before statehood, was indicted today on seven counts of failing to disclose thousands of dollars in services he received from a company that helped renovate and maintain his home.
The first sitting U.S. senator to face federal indictment since 1993, Stevens has been dogged by a federal investigation into his home renovation project and his dealings with wealthy oil contractor.
The investigation has upended Alaska state politics and cast scrutiny on Stevens — who is running for re-election this year — and on his congressional colleague, Rep. Don Young of Alaska, who is also under investigation.
Video
Today is a twofer day! Right on the heels of Hillary's all-out smack down of Sarah Palin, here comes another one, this time from the rightwing news website, Politico.
We've all heard John McSame talking about earmarks. He pulls a Sharpie out of his shirt pocket, saying how he'll veto any spending bills with earmarks in them, that he'll make them famous, and we'll know their names.
One problem, the republicans don't see it that way!
To quote Ralph Regula, Congressman from Ohio's 16th Congressional District, including part of Ashland County, “I don’t think it’s the right approach. I haven’t done an earmark I wouldn’t be happy to have spread all over the front pages of the paper."
There are other quotes from other republicans, who flat out disagree with McBush. If you have a couple of minutes, take time to read the whole article. I haven't stopped laughing since!
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0908/13525.html
Peace and excessive liberties to us all!
-Sue and the Ranting Keyboard
It appears Republican John McCain may be facing a revolt from his own Republican Party's ranks.
see http://news.yahoo.com/s/politico/20080917/pl_politico/13525;_ylt=AmCy0BJBsLLOQVKhcnG9KUqs0NUE
"But state records show Gov. Palin has asked U.S. taxpayers to fund $453 million in specific Alaska projects over the past two years."
I was intrigued and shocked, just as many Americans were the morning of Friday, August 29, 2008 as John McCain announced that Sarah Palin (of the great state of Alaska) was his choice for Vice President. Intrigued because I had never heard of Sarah Palin. Shocked because I had never heard of Sarah Palin. My shock grew as pundit after journalist after politician stated or reluctantly admitted they too had never heard of (at worst) or knew very little about (at best) Sarah Palin.
But I digress...
As the debate rages over whether statement of accomplishment after statement of accomplishment is being parsed incorrectly or whether they are just bold faced lies, why not take a slightly different approach? As an example, the back and forth over whether Governor Palin is for or against earmarks. Consider this argument, it seems reasonably compelling.
It looks like Iowa, long famous for its Pork Queen competition, sponsored by the pork growers association, has competition from an Alaskan Pork Queen. Today's Wall Street Journal reports that state records show Gov. Sarah Palin, the Republican Vice Presidential nominee, has asked U.S. taxpayers to fund $453 million in specific Alaska projects over the past two years. These projects include $130 million for Alaska's fishing industry, an additional $9 million to help Alaska’s oil companies at a time when they have sold oil at record prices, and $4.5 million to upgrade an airport on a Bearing Sea island with a population of less than 100. Other projects for which she has sought federal funding include research on rockfish and harbor-seal genetics, rural sanitation and obesity prevention. This news comes on top of reports that as Mayor of tiny Wasilla, Palin hired a lobbyist to bring federal funds to that small community. How many Nebraska or Iowa towns with less than 9,000 people hire lobbyists to chase federal dollars?
And this comes at a time when Alaska, a state with no sales or income tax, is receiving windfall royalties as oil prices surge, the federal budget is recording enormous deficits, and states like Louisiana and Texas, ravaged by hurricanes Katrina and Wilma in 2005, and now Ike, are struggling to rebuild.
It looks like this is a continuation of the Republican message on change: "We made a mess of things and in the process learned all the tricks, so we’re the best ones to clean up our mess. Trust us with another four years."
Sarah Palin is testing the Mainstream Corporate Media. She is daring the media to call her on her lies. ThinkProgress notes that she had dropped the mention of the the Bridge to Nowhere after having to admit to Charlie Gibson that she had supported the bridge and had campaigned in favor of it. Then, Sarah dusted off the untruth and began spouting it again (emphasis mine):
"GIBSON: Governor, this year, requested $3.2 million for researching the genetics of harbor seals, money to study the mating habits of crabs. Isn't that exactly the kind of thing that John McCain is objecting to?"
Then John McCain telling his joke about the earmark funding for bears.
Then: "Do you trust John McCain making more careful economic and foreign policy decissions then choosing his running mate in two days only?
Sarah Palin and John McCain are the so called Mavericks that are going to change Washington. They are both heavily criticizing the practice of earmarks, which is understandable, but don't be fooled. Sarah Palin is against earmarks as much as she is for abortion rights. As mayor of a town of about 6,000 people Sarah Palin hired a lobbyist to secure $27 million in earmarks to fund her pet projects. That is roughly $4,500 per person in that town. As governor she continues to request and get earmarks. This year she has made requests for about $500 per person in Alaska. These requests come at the same time that she received approval to send $1,200 to every person in Alaska. The $1,200 is on top of the $2,000 each Alaskan receives for oil profit payments.
Ms. Palin likes to say that she said "Thanks, but no thanks on the bridge to nowhere" and if Alaskans wanted to build a bridge they would build it themselves. That is a very noble statement and an admirable position. What she conveniently leaves out is that instead of sending the money back, she kept it and built, among other things, a road to the place where the bridge to nowhere would have been built. So instead of a bridge to nowhere, she built a road to nowhere.
At the end of the day you can't really blame her for being an advocate for her state. What is completely unacceptable is that she is now claiming to be against the very funding that hardworking tax payers throughout the country donated to her state.
My only question for Sarah Palin is "Can I have my money back?"
Charles Gibson reports tonight on ABC's World News that there has been a 20 pt. swing in the support of white women from Barrack Obama to John McCain. Part of this, I'm sure, is undecided voters responding to the last thing they saw...which would be "Baracuda" giving somebody else's speech and having a great time at the Republican convention. Only problem is, many things that she said are patently false. The question is this then...why has there been a 20 pt. swing in the polling numbers if she delivered a speech riddled with lies and pandering to the Republican base? There is the obvious "She looks like me!" novelty. There is, for a reason I can't figure out, a compulsion of some mothers to vote for other women solely because they're moms also. But the main reason this swing has occurred, I believe, is that most women have not had a chance to examine her background closely, and do not know her positions on important issues.
The Republican party has gone to great lengths to insulate her from the media, and with good reason. The hiring of a lobbyist while she was mayor to garner tens of millions in federal funds for her tiny town Wasilla. The illegal firing scandal that has erupted when she tried to have her former brother in law fired. Her dubious claim that she stopped the Bridge to Nowhere. Her request that the local library ban books while she was mayor. And most importantly, her obvious lack of depth and experience on national and international issues. I believe when undecided and women voters are exposed to this kind of bad judgement and raw ambition, they will ultimately decide to vote Obama/Biden. But how is this accomplished?
Joe Biden has to run circles around her in their vice presidential debate. He has to be cognizant that even though women want to be on equal footing in politics, that the country still has a tremendous double standard when it comes to what questions and accusations you can make towards a woman candidate without hearing the cries of sexism. We have to reach out the women in our lives and make sure they know that the Palin myth is just that, when you take a closer look at her record. We need to tell them that they are voting for McCain and his unfriendly policies towards women and the working class. Finally, the democratic party has to get it's women surrogates out there to take on Palin so Obama can stay focused on the top of the ticket, John McCain.
Do your part!!
