Motley Moose – Archive

Since 2008 – Progress Through Politics

Who's upset with the Omnibus Spending Bill?

When the Omnibus Spending Bill (H.R. 1105) passed in the House by 245-178, was anyone upset that it was filled with earmarks? This after Obama’s team went to great lengths to avoid earmarks in the Stimulus Bill.

As Down With Tyranny pointed out this morning:

Pathetically, Democrats are defending earmarks by pointing out Republicans– who American voters already detest for being corrupt– do it too. Yes, they do; and that’s part of why they were kicked out of office. Disgracefully, Hoyer distributed a handout yesterday claiming “You can’t spell ‘earmark’ without an ‘R,'” which stated that 40% of the earmark dollars included in the omnibus spending bill were put there by Republicans.

Geez! Doesn’t that mean that 60% are put there by Democrats?

I know I have low personal feelings for Steny Hoyer who made that statement (and he used to be my Congressman when I lived in Greenbelt! One of the reasons it doesn’t hurt to not live there anymore), but all Democrats should be down on this crap.

When is Feingold’s bill to end earmarks going to go through?

Under The LobsterScope


5 comments

  1. anna shane

    earmarks are also for shovel ready projects, that happen to be in one state of another.  One could say that to rebuild our railways and upgrade our grids, it”ll be one earmark at a time.  A big bundle just means the earmarks aren’t spelled out.  It’s like all lobbiests, they’re not all working for slumlords, some of them are working on behalf of the disabled, just saying.  

  2. creamer

    made a comment yesterday where he said that congress persons have brains too, and have every right to nake decisions on projects and spending. He seem to indicate that without “earmarks”, the executive branch would have to much control.

    It would seem that lack of transperency and lobbyist issues are part of the problem.

    The process lends itself to abuse, and to mischaracterizations(is that a real word!).

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