We should have known that publishing earmark ownership would lead to jealousy and other deadly sins.
Eight months after Democrats vowed to shine light on the dark art of “earmarking” money for pet projects, many lawmakers say the new visibility has only intensified the competition for projects by letting each member see exactly how many everyone else is receiving.
Simple really. You’re not much of a congressman when you compare yourself to Murtha.
But Ms. Pelosi was overshadowed by Representative John P. Murtha of Pennsylvania, chairman of the House Appropriations subcommittee on defense, who obtained $163 million in pet projects — more than anyone else in Congress and more than his own previous record of about $100 million.
There’s no shame. These people are proud of their success in looting the treasury. Shine a light on them and they get even more brazen.
I have gotten to the point that I think they all are corrupt. Every last one of them. Again I sent off an email to my blue dog democrat rep and it was not again nice. I contacted his office early on when we are about to enter the war and reprimanded him for the vote he place and said he was wrong. His office thought and said how informed I was about issues…well they listened to me and then went on and voted on how the bushies wanted to do things. It does not matter to them about our voice..all they worry about is their pay grade and monies they get through pork or lobbyist’s. You name it they are shameful! It is not about us, we the people, anymore. It is about their pockets….senators and congressmen alike. I never thought in my lifetime I would feel as I do nowadays…ever..but it has become down to the wire on issues…they simply do not listen to any of us…they do was they wish for them and not us. *see comment on diary below for other information…..
I wondered about this as soon as they started talking about the reform, but figured I was just missing something or being too cynical. But it does seem obvious that a congressperson might bring down contempt nationally for his earmarking successes, but he’s elected by voters in his own district — and they’re not going to punish them for bringing in more bucks.
arthur says…
i seriously wanted to believe that democrats could make a difference, but i was sadly mistaken… from the beginning of the congressional session in january, it’s become horrifically clear that, when it comes to truly upholding our united states constitution, there is no daylight whatsover between the two parties… for both of them, it’s all about money and power…
so, that said, NOW what do we do…?
thanks for referencing that essay prof.
here’s the link to: Blinded by the Story: arthur silber, for those who may not be familiar with him.
highly recommended
lTMF’sA
Crooks And Liars
And Whores.
My vocabulary of profanities is inadequate for this subject.
I admit to being somewhat glad of an opportunity to take my entire collection out of the closet and air them out.
Every last one.
But I’m not surprised by the vote, honestly. It was a given that this would happen; the D’s know their duty and will not hesitate. It only surprises me that the progressives or netroots expected (and continue to expect) better.
At this point I think blogging has probably run its course, for those still within US jurisdiction. The only kinds of discussions worth the time any longer should not be had via any publicly accessible and/or unencrypted medium, and most certainly should not be had with anyone you haven’t known personally for a VERY long time.
It was a good try, though.
Most representatives already boast about the money they bring home to their district. This just formalizes the race and lets them point to a nonpartisan source when they boast about the money and jobs they bring to the district.
Its like posting the report card on the teacher’s door where we can all see it.
If we want them to stop, we as voters have to stop rewarding it.
But we won’t stop rewarding it. We’d be nuts to reward it. Would you tell your congressperson “Hey, if you bring in fed money to air-condition our schools like that pig there did, you’ve lost my vote”? I wouldn’t. But I would vote for a law that limits the amount that can be earmarked for a district over, say, a ten-year period. That’s something public pressure might actually be able to accomplish, but it has to be national regulation, not individual virtue.
Why exactly the finger-wagging over these projects? None of these approach the boondoggle of the “bridge to nowhere”.
The Coast Guard Operations Center in Kearneysville, W. Va. looks like a classic case until you find where it is. Essentially the outer exurbs of Washington, DC.
Reminds me of the scandal of the 1970s. Congress was funding “a study of the sex life of a mosquito”. Sounds like pretty racy porn, doesn’t it, the words “sex life” and all that. What these articles didn’t tell you was that the study was part of a set of studies aimed at eliminating malaria.
Likewise, when Bush is scrimping on funds in the domestic agencies in order to fund the war in Iraq, the only way to get some things done is through earmarks. That said, earmarks can easily become useless porkbarrel items instead of useful porkbarrel items.
In particular, earmarks may be the only way to fund basic scientific research under a regime that doesn’t understand or believe in science. I think we do fall for hysterical posturing over some of this. If the open earmarks plan works it may actually be more beneficial than an across-the-board ban.
I am shocked as Captain Renault would say. Both what you describe in this post, and what StevenD describes in the post immediately below, are indicia of the fallacy of the position by many that we must be careful of how we appear, not be to bold, and concentrate on electing bigger majorities in 2008. Electing more Democrats, and having bigger majorities, doesn’t mean squat if they won’t stand up and do what is right and necessary. If the Democrats can’t stop an atrocity like the FISA ruse, and can’t find enough gumption to start an impeachment investigation against at least Gonzales, then they are only nominally better, if at all, than the Republicans. The FISA ruse was really the first real Constitutional test of the Democrat’s mettle and they failed miserably. It is simply mind boggling; they just don’t get it, and I in turn, don’t quite get that.