Shot in the Dark

Where Their Loyalties Are

Franken and Klobuchar vote for pork:

Today’s cloture vote on an amendment from Sen. Coburn to ban earmarks from legislation in the U.S. Senate failed while both of Minnesota’s Senators voiced their lack of concern over pork-barrel spending by voting “no”. A similar measure was passed recently by the House of Representatives and the Coburn motion would have banned earmark spending from being attached to bills through 2013.

Are they- especially A-Klo – banking that the electoral climate will swing back to mindless Obamamania by 2012?   That next year’s tax hikes will leave people unperturbed, even here in Minnesota?

Or is the spell of boundless power to spend other peoples’ money that powerful?

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Mitch Berg

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5 responses to “Where Their Loyalties Are”

  1. Terry Avatar
    Terry

    Yes, the spell of boundless power to spend other peoples’ money is that powerful.
    If the federal government was somehow able to lay its hands on enough cash to pay off all of our debt, we’d be right back where we are within a decade.
    Congress will likely vote today on Michelle Obama’s prized “Healthy, Hunger-free Kids Act”. Cost: 4.65 billion over ten years. Who wants it? Who has has been clambering for the government to spend billions to not solve a problem?
    Barack Obama told Barbara Walters “A government has a role to play in this issue, as does every other sector, and we reached out and engaged the grocery store manufacturers, and the restaurateurs. We brought in the mayors and governors of states and towns. We’re calling on the faith-based community. There is no constituency that should be excluded from this call to action for our kids.”
    This a problem the government decided it needed to address, partnered with the people who will get chunks of that free federal money. There is no call from the people to get the feds more involved in what our kids eat at school.
    We do not have a government that is serious about cutting spending.

  2. Kermit Avatar
    Kermit

    This is a tricky issue. Technically speaking “earmarks” don’t really add to the budget, they just direct where funds are allocated. If we eliminate the practice, all spending will be directed by unelected bureaucrats which removes public participation even further from the process.

  3. jpmn Avatar
    jpmn

    12 Senators sent a letter to the Senate leadership about ending subsidies for ethanol. Even Algore realizes burning food doesn’t make sense. I think I know where AK and Alvin stand but what about the GOP Senators from farming States?

    If Congress is serious about cuts getting rid of the dumb programs should be easy.

  4. Chuck Avatar
    Chuck

    How does Pork create more Pork? Look at the farm loans. The gov’t spends huge bucks on farm handouts. Turns out Black farmers didn’t get as much as white farmers, so congress passed a bill to hand out…I think about $1,500,000,000 free money to anyone who files a claim.

  5. Scott Hughes Avatar
    Scott Hughes

    We’ve got to hang in there for about 5 years to be rid of Diaper Boy Al. But we only have to wait til ’12 to get rid of Androgynous Amy.

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