Continuing tale of GOP earmark pledge … with some disappointments

Marc Theissen wrote a story in July in the Washington Post about the 2011 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development appropriations bill’s lack of GOP earmarks.

True to its name, the THUD act has traditionally been one of the most heavily earmarked bills in Congress, and this one was no exception, containing 459 individual earmarks. But there was one small difference from years past: Of those 459 earmarks, all but six were requested by Democrats. The House also passed the 2011 Military Construction and Veterans Affairs appropriations bill Thursday, which contains 523 earmarks, all but one requested by Democrats. So in total, the House approved some 982 earmarks this week, only seven of which were requested by Republicans.

Theissen continues by naming the errant GOPers: Reps. Henry Brown (S.C.), Ron Paul (Texas), Don Young (Ak.), and Jospeh Cao (La.) (Yep. Ron Paul, who speaks against earmarks, yet is one of the GOP biggest earmarkers.)

So there has been some progress… but not as much as it may appear. Theissen points to another article by Steve Reiss at Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW) which explains how some House Republicans are not acting in good faith re: the earmark ban.

Some House Republicans have simply passed off earmarks to their Senate counterparts. In a July 2, 2010 article, the Louisville Courier-Journal reported that earmark requests from Kentucky Reps. Geoff Davis (R-Ky.), Brett Guthrie (R-Ky.), Hal Rogers (R-Ky.), and Ed Whitfield (R-Ky.), reappeared on Sen. Jim Bunning’s (R-Ky.) list. This convenient arrangement was possible because the Senate has not passed any sort of earmark ban.

Reiss’ article outlines some more disappointing, yet not surprising manipulations re: earmarks and ends thusly:

It would be uplifting to see members of Congress putting this sort of creative scheming and problem-solving power toward solving the budget crisis and fixing the economy. Until meaningful and permanent reforms are instituted for the full House and Senate, or members begin to abide by the language and spirit of the current bans on earmarks, taxpayers will remain skeptical that business as usual has been changed in Washington.

I have continuing hope (perhaps naively) that we can elect enough citizen patriots in 2010 and 2012 to bring the transparency and fiscal restraint necessary to crush this problem.

August 18, 2010  Tags: , ,   Posted in: Congressional, Tax/Budget/Spending

One Response

  1. Bill Matheus - September 23, 2010

    THE TEA PARTY NEEDS TO BE VERY CLEAR ABOUT ITS AGENDA OR ELSE THE NEW MEMBERS MAY GET OFF COURSE. HERE ARE SOME SUGGESTIONS;

    1-WE ARE ABOUT SMALLER, LIMITED AND LESS INTRUSIVE GOVERNMENT- SOMEONE IS GOING TO RULE SOMEONE- IT’S EITHER THEM OR US!!!

    2-SOCIAL ISSUES SUCH AS ABORTION AND TRADITIONAL FAMILY VALUES ARE EQUALLY IMPORTANT AND SHOULD BE FULLY SUPPORTED.

    3-BE FISCALLY AND SOCIALLY CONSERVATIVE AND ELIMINATE CORPORATE WELFARE AND EARMARKS

    4-ABOLISH THE IRS AND THE U.N AND THE FED- THE U.N FIRST, WE’LL TAKE CARE OF THE OTHER TWO IN OUR OWN BACKYARD!

    5-PHASE OUT ALL SOCIAL PROGRAMS AND FIX THE TAX CODE SO THAT WE ARE ABLE TO KEEP AND SAVE MORE OF OUR HARD EARNED MONEY.

    6-ELIMINATE ALL TAXES FROM EARNINGS ON INVESTMENTS, SO THAT WE CAN BECOME LESS DEPENDENT UPON THE GOVERNMENT.

    7-REPEAL OBAMACARE, HATE CRIMES LAWS, AND DISCRIMINATION LAWS OR ELSE ENFORCE THEM ‘ALL’ EQUALLY!

    8-ELIMINATE THE ‘OLIGARCHY’ AND ALL THERE SPECIAL HEALTH CARE AND PENSION BENEFITS, MAKE THEM GET WHAT THEY GIVE TO US.

    9-ENFORCE THE SUPREME LAW OF THE LAND – ‘THE CONSTITUTION’ AND INDICT ALL WHO HAVE AND WOULD CHOSE TO VIOLATE IT – THAT WILL CLEAR UP ‘A LOT’ OF PROBLEMS!!!

    10- MAKE ENGLISH THE OFFICIAL LANGUAGE OF THE LAND-IT IS FOR THERE OWN GOOD!

    11-STAND BY OUR JUDEO-CHRISTIAN VALUES, BUT BE KIND AND LOVING AND ACCEPTING OF THOSE WHO DO NOT BELIEVE AS WE DO!

    12-SAY NO TO SHARIA LAW, MUSLIMS ARE WELCOME HERE, BUT WE WILL NOT ACCEPT YOUR VALUE SYSTEM-BECAUSE OURS IS THE BEST!!! IT IS US WHO IS TOLERANT AND FAIR, IT IS YOU WHO ARE CRAZY!!!

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