posted on June 3, 2007 07:21:05 PM new
So much for the new ethical demo Congress
Hypocrites, them all
Democrats Hide Pet Projects From Voters
Jun 3, 7:20 AM (ET)
By ANDREW TAYLOR
WASHINGTON (AP) - After promising unprecedented openness regarding Congress' pork barrel practices, House Democrats are moving in the opposite direction as they draw up spending bills for the upcoming budget year.
Democrats are sidestepping rules approved their first day in power in January to clearly identify "earmarks" - lawmakers' requests for specific projects and contracts for their states.
Rather than including specific pet projects, grants and contracts in legislation as it is being written, Democrats are following an order by the House Appropriations Committee chairman to keep the bills free of such earmarks until it is too late for critics to effectively challenge them.
Rep. David Obey, D-Wis., says those requests for dams, community grants and research contracts for favored universities or hospitals will be added to spending measures in the fall. That is when House and Senate negotiators assemble final bills.
Such requests total billions of dollars.
As a result, most lawmakers will not get a chance to oppose specific projects as wasteful or questionable when the spending bills for various agencies get their first votes in the full House in June.
The House-Senate compromise bills due for final action in September cannot be amended and are subject to only one hour of debate, precluding challenges to individual projects.
Obey insists he is reluctantly taking the step because Appropriations Committee members and staff have not had enough time to fully review the 36,000 earmark requests that have flooded the committee.
What Obey is doing runs counter to new rules that Democrats promised would make such spending decisions more open.
It is foolish and wrong to mourn the men who died. Rather we should thank God that such men lived.George S. Patton
[ edited by Bear1949 on Jun 3, 2007 07:23 PM ]
posted on June 3, 2007 07:34:48 PM new
Oh, well, it's so much like passing laws and bushit does a record number of signing statements that say he doesn't have to follow the new law.....THAT isn't exactly in the headlines....
posted on June 3, 2007 10:37:39 PM new
Their actions should come as no surprise to anyone.
Since January when they took control of the congress.....they have done almost everything they CLAIMED they were running against....and that the republicans supposedly did. LOL
hypocrites....in the major.
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"While the democratic party complains about everything THIS President does to protect our Nation": "What would a Democrat president have done at that point?"
"Apparently, the answer is: Sit back and wait for the next terrorist attack."
Ann Coulter
[ edited by Linda_K on Jun 3, 2007 10:38 PM ]
Oh, yes they did. Bush campaigned on a pledge to bring honor and integrity to the Oval office. Instead they brought corruption, lies and embarrassment to our country.
